1 For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, 2 to whom Abraham also gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is King of peace; 3 without father, without mother, without lineage, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life, but made like unto the Son of God; abides a priest continually.
4 Now consider how great this one was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils. 5 And verily those that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they also have come out of the loins of Abraham; 6 but he whose descent is not counted in those took tithes from Abraham and blessed him that had the promises. 7 And without any contradiction the less is blessed of the better. 8 In the same manner, here men that die take tithes; but there he received them, of whom it is witnessed that he lives. 9 And as I may so say, Levi also, who received tithes, paid tithes in Abraham. 10 For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him.