The Greatness of Melchizedek

7 For this Melchizedek—

King of Salem, priest of the Most High God,

who met Abraham and blessed him

as he returned from defeating the kings,

2 and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything;

first, his name means king of righteousness,

then also, king of Salem,

meaning king of peace;

3 without father, mother, or genealogy,

having neither beginning of days nor end of life,

but resembling the Son of God j—

remains a priest forever.

4 Now consider how great this man was—even Abraham the patriarch k gave a tenth of the plunder to him! 5 The sons of Levi who receive the priestly office have a command according to the law to collect a tenth from the people l—that is, from their * brothers—though they have also descended from Abraham. m 6 But one without this n lineage collected tenths from Abraham and blessed the one who had the promises. o 7 Without a doubt, p the inferior is blessed by the superior. 8 In the one case, men who will die receive tenths, but in the other case, Scripture testifies that he lives. q 9 And in a sense Levi himself, who receives tenths, has paid tenths through Abraham, 10 for he was still within his ancestor r when Melchizedek met him.