⁴ Now observe how great this man was to whom Abraham, the ^(A)patriarch, ^(B)gave a tenth of the choicest spoils. ⁵ And those indeed of ^(C)the sons of Levi who receive the priest’s office have a commandment ^[a]in the Law to collect ^[b]a tenth from the people, that is, from their countrymen, although they ^[c]are descended from Abraham. ⁶ But the one ^(D)whose genealogy is not traced from them ^(E)collected ^[d]a tenth from Abraham and ^[e](F)blessed the one who ^(G)had the promises. ⁷ But without any dispute the lesser person is blessed by the greater. ⁸ In this case mortal men receive tithes, but in that case one receives them, ^(H)of whom it is witnessed that he lives on. ⁹ And, so to speak, through Abraham even Levi, who received tithes, has paid tithes, ¹⁰ for he was still in the loins of his ^[f]forefather when Melchizedek met him.