Now observe how great this man was to whom Abraham, the (A)patriarch, (B)gave a tenth of the choicest spoils. 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. 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. But without any dispute the lesser person is blessed by the greater. In this case mortal men receive tithes, but in that case one receives them, (H)of whom it is witnessed that he lives on. 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.

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Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 7:5 Lit according to
  2. Hebrews 7:5 Or tithes
  3. Hebrews 7:5 Lit have come out of the loins of
  4. Hebrews 7:6 Or tithes
  5. Hebrews 7:6 Lit has blessed
  6. Hebrews 7:10 Lit father

Just look at how great this man was! Even Abraham—the patriarch himself—gave him a tenth of what he had captured! The descendants of Levi who accept the priesthood have a commandment in the Law to collect a tenth from the people, that is, from their own brothers, even though they are also descendants of Abraham. But this man, whose descent is not traced from them, collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed the man who had received the promises. It is beyond dispute that the less important person is blessed by the more important person. Mortal men collect tithes, but we are informed by Scripture[a] that[b] Melchizedek[c] keeps on living. One might even say that Levi, who collects the tenth, paid the tenth through Abraham, 10 because Levi[d] was still inside his ancestor when Melchizedek met him.

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Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 7:8 The Gk. lacks by Scripture
  2. Hebrews 7:8 Or it is declared that
  3. Hebrews 7:8 Lit. he
  4. Hebrews 7:10 Lit. he