Lettera agli Ebrei 7

NOVA VULGATA	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 Hic enim Melchisedech, rex Salem, sacerdos Dei summi, qui ob viavit Abrahae regresso a caede regum et benedixit ei,	1 For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, met Abraham, as he was returning from the slaughter of 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 divided to him a tenth part of everything. And in translation his name is first, indeed, king of justice, and next 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 Without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life, he is thereby likened to the Son of God, who remains a priest continuously.
4 Intuemini autem quantus sit hic, cui et decimam dedit de praecipuis Abraham patriarcha.	4 Next, consider how great this man is, since the Patriarch Abraham even gave tithes to him from the principal things.
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 And indeed, those who are from the sons of Levi, having received the priesthood, hold a commandment to take tithes from the people in accord with the law, that is, from their brothers, even though they also went forth from the loins of Abraham.
6 hic autem, cuius generatio non annumeratur in eis, decimam sumpsit ab Abraham et eum, qui habebat repromissiones, benedixit.	6 But this man, whose lineage is not enumerated with them, received tithes from Abraham, and he blessed even the one who held the promises.
7 Sine ulla autem contradictione, quod minus est, a meliore benedicitur.	7 Yet this is without any contradiction, for what is less should be blessed by what is better.
8 Et hic quidem decimas morientes homines sumunt; ibi autem testimonium accipiens quia vivit.	8 And certainly, here, men who receive tithes still die; but there, he bears witness that he lives.
9 Et, ut ita dictum sit, per Abraham et Levi, qui decimas accipit, decimatus est;	9 And so it may be said that even Levi, who received tithes, was himself a tithe through Abraham.
10 adhuc enim in lumbis patris erat, quando obviavit ei Melchisedech.	10 For he was still in the loins of his father, when Melchizedek met 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 Therefore, if consummation had occurred through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), then what further need would there be for another Priest to rise up according to the order of Melchizedek, one who was not called according to the order of Aaron?
12 Translato enim sacerdotio, necesse est, ut et legis translatio fiat.	12 For since the priesthood has been transferred, it is necessary that the law also be transferred.
13 De quo enim haec dicuntur, ex alia tribu est, ex qua nullus altari praesto fuit;	13 For he about whom these things have been spoken is from another tribe, in which no one attends before the altar.
14 manifestum enim quod ex Iuda ortus sit Dominus noster, in quam tribum nihil de sacerdotibus Moyses locutus est.	14 For it is evident that our Lord arose out of Judah, a tribe about which Moses said nothing concerning priests.
15 Et amplius adhuc manifestum est, si secundum similitudinem Melchisedech exsurgit alius sacerdos,	15 And yet it is far more evident that, according to the likeness of Melchizedek, there rises up another priest,
16 qui non secundum legem mandati carnalis factus est sed secundum virtutem vitae insolubilis,	16 who was made, not according to the law of a carnal commandment, but according to the virtue of an indissoluble life.
17 testimonium enim accipit: “ Tu es sacerdos in aeternum secundum ordinem Melchisedech ”.	17 For he testifies: “You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek.”
18 Reprobatio quidem fit praecedentis mandati propter infirmitatem eius et inutilitatem,	18 Certainly, there is a setting aside of the former commandment, because of its weakness and lack of usefulness.
19 nihil enim ad perfectum adduxit lex; introductio vero melioris spei, per quam proximamus ad Deum.	19 For the law led no one to perfection, yet truly it introduced a better hope, through which we draw near to God.
20 Et quantum non est sine iure iurando; illi quidem sine iure iurando sacerdotes facti sunt,	20 Moreover, it is not without an oath. For certainly, the others were made priests without an oath.
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 man was made a priest with an oath, by the One who said to him: “The Lord has sworn and he will not repent. You are a priest forever.”
22 in tantum et melioris testamenti sponsor factus est Iesus.	22 By so much, Jesus has been made the sponsor of a better testament.
23 Et illi quidem plures facti sunt sacerdotes, idcirco quod morte prohibebantur permanere;	23 And certainly, so many of the others became priests because, due to death, they were prohibited from continuing.
24 hic autem eo quod manet in aeternum, intransgressibile habet sacerdotium;	24 But this man, because he continues forever, has an everlasting priesthood.
25 unde et salvare in perpetuum potest accedentes per semetipsum ad Deum, semper vivens ad interpellandum pro eis.	25 And for this reason, he is able, continuously, to save those who approach God through him, since he is ever alive to make intercession on our behalf.
26 Talis enim et decebat ut nobis esset pontifex, sanctus, innocens, impollutus, segregatus a peccatoribus et excelsior caelis factus;	26 For it was fitting that we should have such a High Priest: holy, innocent, undefiled, set apart from sinners, and exalted higher than 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 And he has no need, daily, in the manner of other priests, to offer sacrifices, first for his own sins, and then for those of the people. For he has done this once, by offering himself.
28 Lex enim homines constituit pontifices infirmitatem habentes; sermo autem iuris iurandi, quod post legem est, Filium in aeternum consummatum.	28 For the law appoints men as priests, though they have infirmities. But, by the word of the oath that is after the law, the Son has been perfected for eternity.