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Hebrews 7:4-10
New International Version
Hebrews 7:4-10
New International Version
4 Just think how great he was: Even the patriarch(A) Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder!(B) 5 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. 6 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) 7 And without doubt the lesser is blessed by the greater. 8 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) 9 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.
Hebrews 7:4-10
New English Translation
Hebrews 7:4-10
New English Translation
4 But see how great he must be, if[a] Abraham the patriarch gave him a tithe[b] of his plunder. 5 And those of the sons of Levi who receive the priestly office[c] have authorization according to the law to collect a tithe from the people, that is, from their fellow countrymen,[d] although they too are descendants of Abraham.[e] 6 But Melchizedek[f] who does not share their ancestry[g] collected a tithe[h] from Abraham and blessed[i] the one who possessed the promise. 7 Now without dispute the inferior is blessed by the superior, 8 and in one case tithes are received by mortal men, while in the other by him who is affirmed to be alive. 9 And it could be said that Levi himself, who receives tithes, paid a tithe through Abraham. 10 For he was still in his ancestor Abraham’s loins[j] when Melchizedek met him.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Hebrews 7:4 tn Grk “to whom.”
- Hebrews 7:4 tn Or “a tenth part.”
- Hebrews 7:5 tn Or “the priesthood.”
- Hebrews 7:5 tn Grk “from their brothers.” See BDAG 18-19 s.v. ἀδελφός 2.b.
- Hebrews 7:5 tn Grk “have come from the loins of Abraham.”
- Hebrews 7:6 tn Grk “the one”; in the translation the referent (Melchizedek) has been specified for clarity.
- Hebrews 7:6 tn Grk “is not descended from them.”
- Hebrews 7:6 tn Or “a tenth part.”
- Hebrews 7:6 sn The verbs “collected…and blessed” emphasize the continuing effect of the past actions, i.e., Melchizedek’s importance.
- Hebrews 7:10 tn Grk “in the loins of his father” (a reference to Abraham). The name “Abraham” has been repeated in the translation at this point (cf. v. 9) in order to clarify the referent (i.e., what ancestor was in view).sn The point of the phrase still in his ancestor’s loins is that Levi was as yet unborn, still in his ancestor Abraham’s body. Thus Levi participated in Abraham’s action when Abraham paid tithes to Melchizedek.
New International Version (NIV) 
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New English Translation (NET)
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