Hebrews 7:1-10

Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition

The Priestly Order of Melchizedek

7 For this Melchiz′edek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him; ² and to him Abraham apportioned a tenth part of everything. He is first, by translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then he is also king of Salem, that is, king of peace. ³ He is without father^[a] or mother or genealogy, and has neither beginning of days nor end of life,^[b] but resembling the Son of God he continues a priest for ever.

⁴ See how great he is! Abraham the patriarch gave him a tithe of the spoils. ⁵ And those descendants of Levi who receive the priestly office have a commandment in the law to take tithes from the people, that is, from their brethren, though these also are descended from Abraham. ⁶ But this man who has not their genealogy received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. ⁷ It is beyond dispute that the inferior is blessed by the superior. ⁸ Here tithes are received by mortal men; there, by one of whom it is testified that he lives. ⁹ One might even say that Levi himself, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, ¹⁰ for he was still in the loins of his ancestor when Melchiz′edek met him.