Lettera agli Ebrei 7

NOVA VULGATA	NEW JERUSALEM
1 Hic enim Melchisedech, rex Salem, sacerdos Dei summi, qui ob viavit Abrahae regresso a caede regum et benedixit ei,	1 Melchizedek, king of Salem, a priest of God Most High, came to meet Abraham when he returned fromdefeating the kings, and blessed him;
2 cui et decimam omnium divisit Abraham, primum quidem, qui interpretatur rex iustitiae, deinde autem et rex Salem, quod est rex Pacis,	2 and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. By the interpretation of his name, he is, first, 'king ofsaving justice' and also king of Salem, that is, 'king of peace';
3 sine patre, sine matre, sine genealogia, neque initium dierum neque finem vitae habens, assimilatus autem Filio Dei, manet sacerdos in perpetuum.	3 he has no father, mother or ancestry, and his life has no beginning or ending; he is like the Son of God.He remains a priest for ever.
4 Intuemini autem quantus sit hic, cui et decimam dedit de praecipuis Abraham patriarcha.	4 Now think how great this man must have been, if the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the finestplunder.
5 Et illi quidem, qui de filiis Levi sacerdotium accipiunt, mandatum habent decimas sumere a populo secundum legem, id est a fratribus suis, quamquam et ipsi exierunt de lumbis Abrahae;	5 We know that any of the descendants of Levi who are admitted to the priesthood are obliged by theLaw to take tithes from the people, that is, from their own brothers although they too are descended fromAbraham.
6 hic autem, cuius generatio non annumeratur in eis, decimam sumpsit ab Abraham et eum, qui habebat repromissiones, benedixit.	6 But this man, who was not of the same descent, took his tithe from Abraham, and he gave his blessingto the holder of the promises.
7 Sine ulla autem contradictione, quod minus est, a meliore benedicitur.	7 Now it is indisputable that a blessing is given by a superior to an inferior.
8 Et hic quidem decimas morientes homines sumunt; ibi autem testimonium accipiens quia vivit.	8 Further, in the normal case it is ordinary mortal men who receive the tithes, whereas in that case it wasone who is attested as being alive.
9 Et, ut ita dictum sit, per Abraham et Levi, qui decimas accipit, decimatus est;	9 It could be said that Levi himself, who receives tithes, actual y paid tithes, in the person of Abraham,
10 adhuc enim in lumbis patris erat, quando obviavit ei Melchisedech.	10 because he was stil in the loins of his ancestor when Melchizedek came to meet him.
11 Si ergo consummatio per sacerdotium leviticum erat, populus enim sub ipso legem accepit, quid adhuc necessarium secundum ordinem Melchisedech alium surgere sacerdotem et non secundum ordinem Aaron dici?	11 Now if perfection had been reached through the levitical priesthood -- and this was the basis of theLaw given to the people -- why was it necessary for a different kind of priest to arise, spoken of as being of theorder of Melchizedek rather than of the order of Aaron?
12 Translato enim sacerdotio, necesse est, ut et legis translatio fiat.	12 Any change in the priesthood must mean a change in the Law as wel .
13 De quo enim haec dicuntur, ex alia tribu est, ex qua nullus altari praesto fuit;	13 So our Lord, of whom these things were said, belonged to a different tribe, the members of whichhave never done service at the altar;
14 manifestum enim quod ex Iuda ortus sit Dominus noster, in quam tribum nihil de sacerdotibus Moyses locutus est.	14 everyone knows he came from Judah, a tribe which Moses did not mention at al when dealing withpriests.
15 Et amplius adhuc manifestum est, si secundum similitudinem Melchisedech exsurgit alius sacerdos,	15 This becomes even more clearly evident if another priest, of the type of Melchizedek, arises who is apriest
16 qui non secundum legem mandati carnalis factus est sed secundum virtutem vitae insolubilis,	16 not in virtue of a law of physical descent, but in virtue of the power of an indestructible life.
17 testimonium enim accipit: “ Tu es sacerdos in aeternum secundum ordinem Melchisedech ”.	17 For he is attested by the prophecy: You are a priest for ever of the order of Melchizedek.
18 Reprobatio quidem fit praecedentis mandati propter infirmitatem eius et inutilitatem,	18 The earlier commandment is thus abolished, because of its weakness and ineffectiveness
19 nihil enim ad perfectum adduxit lex; introductio vero melioris spei, per quam proximamus ad Deum.	19 since the Law could not make anything perfect; but now this commandment is replaced by somethingbetter-the hope that brings us close to God.
20 Et quantum non est sine iure iurando; illi quidem sine iure iurando sacerdotes facti sunt,	20 Now the former priests became priests without any oath being sworn,
21 hic autem cum iure iurando per eum, qui dicit ad illum: “ Iuravit Dominus et non paenitebit eum: Tu es sacerdos in aeternum ”,	21 but this one with the swearing of an oath by him who said to him, The Lord has sworn an oath he wilnever retract: you are a priest for ever;
22 in tantum et melioris testamenti sponsor factus est Iesus.	22 the very fact that it occurred with the swearing of an oath makes the covenant of which Jesus is theguarantee al the greater.
23 Et illi quidem plures facti sunt sacerdotes, idcirco quod morte prohibebantur permanere;	23 Further, the former priests were many in number, because death put an end to each one of them;
24 hic autem eo quod manet in aeternum, intransgressibile habet sacerdotium;	24 but this one, because he remains for ever, has a perpetual priesthood.
25 unde et salvare in perpetuum potest accedentes per semetipsum ad Deum, semper vivens ad interpellandum pro eis.	25 It fol ows, then, that his power to save those who come to God through him is absolute, since he livesfor ever to intercede for them.
26 Talis enim et decebat ut nobis esset pontifex, sanctus, innocens, impollutus, segregatus a peccatoribus et excelsior caelis factus;	26 Such is the high priest that met our need, holy, innocent and uncontaminated, set apart from sinners, and raised up above the heavens;
27 qui non habet necessitatem cotidie, quemadmodum pontifices, prius pro suis delictis hostias offerre, deinde pro populi; hoc enim fecit semel semetipsum offerendo.	27 he has no need to offer sacrifices every day, as the high priests do, first for their own sins and onlythen for those of the people; this he did once and for al by offering himself.
28 Lex enim homines constituit pontifices infirmitatem habentes; sermo autem iuris iurandi, quod post legem est, Filium in aeternum consummatum.	28 The Law appoints high priests who are men subject to weakness; but the promise on oath, whichcame after the Law, appointed the Son who is made perfect for ever.