⁴ See how great he is! Even^[a] Abraham the patriarch gave him a tenth of the spoils.^{(A) 5} And those descendants of Levi who receive the priestly office have a commandment in the law to collect tithes^[b] from the people, that is, from their kindred, though these also are descended from Abraham.^{(B) 6} But this man, who does not belong to their ancestry, collected tithes^[c] from Abraham and blessed him who had received the promises.^{(C) 7} It is beyond dispute that the inferior is blessed by the superior. ⁸ In the one case, tithes are received by those who are mortal; in the other, by one of whom it is testified that he lives.^{(D) 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 Melchizedek met him.