Hebrews 7:4-10

New International Reader's Version

⁴ Think how great Melchizedek was! Even our father Abraham gave him a tenth of what he had captured. ⁵ Now the law lays down a rule for the sons of Levi who become priests. They must collect a tenth from the people. They must collect it from the other Israelites. They must do this, even though all of them belong to the family line of Abraham. ⁶ Melchizedek did not trace his family line from Levi. But he collected a tenth from Abraham. Melchizedek blessed the one who had received the promises. ⁷ Without a doubt, the more important person blesses the less important one. ⁸ In the one case, the tenth is collected by people who die. But in the other case, it is collected by the one who is said to be living. ⁹ Levi collects the tenth. But we might say that Levi paid the tenth through Abraham. ¹⁰ That’s because when Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi was still in Abraham’s body.