Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.^(B)

²² and^[a] this stone that I have set up as a pillar^(A) will be God’s house,^(B) and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth.^(C)”

⁴ Just think how great he was: Even the patriarch^(A) Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder!^{(B) 5} Now the law requires the descendants of Levi who become priests to collect a tenth from the people^(C)—that is, from their fellow Israelites—even though they also are descended from Abraham. ⁶ This man, however, did not trace his descent from Levi, yet he collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed^(D) him who had the promises.^{(E) 7} And without doubt the lesser is blessed by the greater. ⁸ In the one case, the tenth is collected by people who die; but in the other case, by him who is declared to be living.^{(F) 9} One might even say that Levi, who collects the tenth, paid the tenth through Abraham,

¹⁰ Bring the whole tithe^(A) into the storehouse,^(B) that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates^(C) of heaven and pour out^(D) so much blessing^(E) that there will not be room enough to store it.^(F)

¹² I fast^(A) twice a week and give a tenth^(B) of all I get.’

²⁷ saying, “Praise be to the Lord,^(A) the God of my master Abraham,^(B) who has not abandoned his kindness and faithfulness^(C) to my master. As for me, the Lord has led me on the journey^(D) to the house of my master’s relatives.”^(E)

Praise for Spiritual Blessings in Christ

³ Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,^(A) who has blessed us in the heavenly realms^(B) with every spiritual blessing in Christ.

¹⁶ to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles.^(A) He gave me the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God,^(B) so that the Gentiles might become an offering^(C) acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

⁸ “Will a mere mortal rob^(A) God? Yet you rob me.

“But you ask, ‘How are we robbing you?’

“In tithes^(B) and offerings.