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But behold ye how great is this [man] [Forsooth behold ye how great this is], to whom Abraham the patriarch gave tithes of the best things.

For men of the sons of Levi taking priesthood have commandment to take tithes of the people, by the law [And soothly men taking priesthood of the sons of Levi have commandment to take tithes of the people, after the law], that is to say, of their brethren, though also they went out of the loins of Abraham.

But he whose generation is not numbered in them, took tithes of Abraham; and he blessed this Abraham, which had repromissions.

Without any gainsaying [Forsooth without any against-saying], that that is less, is blessed of the better.

And here deadly men take tithes; but there he beareth witnessing, that he liveth. [And here soothly men dying take tithes; forsooth there it is witnessed, that he liveth.]

And that it be said so [And that it is so said], by Abraham also Levi, that took tithes, was tithed;

10 and yet he was in his father's loins, when Melchisedec met him.

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Just think how great he was: Even the patriarch(A) Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder!(B) 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. 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) And without doubt the lesser is blessed by the greater. 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) One might even say that Levi, who collects the tenth, paid the tenth through Abraham, 10 because when Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi was still in the body of his ancestor.

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