Hebrews 7:1-10 ▼

1 Now this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, met Abraham as he was returning from defeating the kings and blessed him.

2 To him also Abraham apportioned a tithe of everything. His name first means king of righteousness, then king of Salem, that is, king of peace.

3 Without father, without mother, without genealogy, he has neither beginning of days nor end of life but is like the son of God, and he remains a priest for all time.

4 But see how great he must be, if Abraham the patriarch gave him a tithe of his plunder.

5 And those of the sons of Levi who receive the priestly office have authorization according to the law to collect a tithe from the people, that is, from their fellow countrymen, although they too are descendants of Abraham.

6 But Melchizedek who does not share their ancestry collected a tithe from Abraham and blessed 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 when Melchizedek met him.