ヘブル人への手紙 7
1 此のメルキゼデクはサレムの王にて至高き神の祭司たりしが、王たちを破りて還るアブラハムを迎へて祝福せり。
It was this Melchizedek, King of Salem and Priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and gave him his blessing;
2 アブラハムは彼に凡ての物の十分の一を分け與へたり。その名を釋けば第一に義の王、次にサレムの王、すなはち平和の王なり。
and it was to him that Abraham allotted a tithe of all the spoil. The meaning of his name is ‘King of Righteousness,’ and besides that, he was also King of Salem, which means ‘King of Peace.’
3 父なく、母なく、系圖なく、齡の始なく、生命の終なく、神の子の如くにして限りなく祭司たり。
There is no record of his father, or mother, or lineage, nor again of any beginning of his days, or end of his life. In this he resembles the Son of God, and stands before us as a priest whose priesthood is continuous.
4 先祖アブラハム分捕物のうち十分の一、最も善き物を之に與へたれば、その人の如何に尊きかを思ふべし。
Consider, then the importance of this Melchizedek, to whom even the Patriarch Abraham himself gave a tithe of the choicest spoils.
5 レビの子 等のうち祭司の職を受くる者は、律法によりて、民すなはちアブラハムの腰より出でたる己が兄弟より、十分の一を取ることを命ぜらる。
Those descendants of Levi, who are from time to time appointed to the priesthood, are directed to collect tithes from the people in accordance with the Law — that is from their own Brothers, although they also are descended from Abraham.
6 されど此の血脈にあらぬ彼は、アブラハムより十分の一を取りて約束を受けし者を祝福せり。
But Melchizedek, although not of this lineage, received tithes from Abraham, and gave his blessing to the very man who had God’s promises.
7 それ小なる者の大なる者に祝福せらるるは論なき事なり。
Now no one can dispute that it is the superior who blesses the inferior.
8 かつ此所にては死ぬべき者 十分の一を受くれども、彼處にては『活くるなり』と證せられた者これを受く。
In the one case the tithes are received by mortal men; in the other case by one about whom there is the statement that his life still continues.
9 また十分の一を受くるレビすら、アブラハムに由りて十分の一を納めたりと云ふも可なり。
Moreover, in a sense, even Levi, who is the receiver of the tithes, has, through Abraham, paid tithes;
10 そはメルキゼデクのアブラハムを迎へし時に、レビはなほ父の腰に在りたればなり。
for Levi was still in the body of his ancestor when Melchizedek met Abraham.
11 もしレビの系なる祭司によりて全うせらるる事ありしならば（民は之によりて律法を受けたり）何ぞなほ他にアロンの位に等しからぬメルキゼデクの位に等しき祭司の起る必要あらんや。
If, then, Perfection had been attainable through the Levitical priesthood — and it was under this priesthood that the people received the Law — why was it still necessary that a priest of a different order should appear, a priest of the order of Melchizedek and not of the order of Aaron?
12 祭司の易る時には律法も亦 必ず易るべきなり。
With the change of the priesthood a change of the Law became a necessity.
13 此 等のことは曾て祭壇に事へたることなき他の族に屬する者をさして云へるなり。
And he of whom all this is said belonged to quite a different tribe, no member of which has ever served at the altar.
14 それ我らの主のユダより出で給へるは明かにして、此の族につき、モーセは聊かも祭司に係ることを云はざりき。
For it is plain that our Lord had sprung from the tribe of Judah, though of that tribe Moses said nothing about their being priests.
15 又メルキゼデクのごとき他の祭司おこり、肉の誡命の法に由らず、朽ちざる生命の能力によりて立てられたれば、我が言ふ所いよいよ明かなり。
All this becomes even yet plainer when we remember that a new priest has appeared, resembling Melchizedek,
16 又メルキゼデクのごとき他の祭司おこり、肉の誡命の法に由らず、朽ちざる生命の能力によりて立てられたれば、我が言ふ所いよいよ明かなり。
and that he was appointed, not under a Law regulating only earthly matters, but by virtue of a life beyond the reach of death;
for that is the meaning of the declaration — ‘Thou art for all time a priest of the order of Melchizedek.’ (aiōn g165)
18 前の誡命は弱く、かつ益なき故に廢せられ、
On the one hand, we have the abolition of a previous regulation as being both inefficient and useless
19 （律法は何をも全うせざりしなり）更に優れたる希望を置かれたり、この希望によりて我らは神に近づくなり。
(for the Law never brought anything to perfection); and, on the other hand, we have the introduction of a better hope, which enables us to draw near to God.
20 かの人々は誓なくして祭司とせられたれども、
Then again, the appointment of this new priest was ratified by an oath, which is not so with the Levitical priests,
but his appointment was ratified by an oath, when God said to him — ‘The Lord has sworn, and will not change, “Thou art a priest for all time.”’ (aiōn g165)
22 イエスは斯くも優れたる契約の保證となり給へり。
And the oath shows the corresponding superiority of the Covenant of which Jesus is appointed the surety.
23 かの人々は死によりて永くその職に留ることを得ざる故に、祭司となりし者の數 多かりき。
Again, new Levitical priests are continually being appointed, because death prevents their remaining in office;
but Jesus remains for all time, and therefore the priesthood that he holds is never liable to pass to another. (aiōn g165)
25 この故に彼は己に頼りて神にきたる者のために執成をなさんとて常に生くれば、之を全く救ふこと得給ふなり。
And that is why he is able to save perfectly those who come to God through him, living for ever, as he does, to intercede of their behalf.
26 斯くのごとき大 祭司こそ我らに相應しき者なれ、即ち聖にして惡なく、穢なく、罪人より遠ざかり、諸般の天よりも高くせられ給へり。
This was the High Priest that we needed — holy, innocent, spotless, withdrawn from sinners, exalted above the highest Heaven,
27 他の大 祭司のごとく先づ己の罪のため、次に民の罪のために日々 犧牲を献ぐるを要し給はず、その一たび己を献げて之を成し給ひたればなり。
one who has no need to offer sacrifices daily as those High Priests have, first for their own sins, and then for those of the People. For this he did once and for all, when he offered himself as the sacrifice.
