^7:4But see how great he must be, if⁶ Abraham the patriarch gave him a tithe⁷ of his plunder. ^7:5And those of the sons of Levi who receive the priestly office⁸ have authorization according to the law to collect a tithe from the people, that is, from their fellow countrymen,⁹ although they too are descendants of Abraham.¹⁰^7:6But Melchizedek¹¹ who does not share their ancestry¹² collected a tithe¹³ from Abraham and blessed¹⁴ the one who possessed the promise. ^7:7Now without dispute the inferior is blessed by the superior, ^7:8and in one case tithes are received by mortal men, while in the other by him who is affirmed to be alive. ^7:9And it could be said that Levi himself, who receives tithes, paid a tithe through Abraham. ^7:10For he was still in his ancestor Abraham’s loins¹⁵ when Melchizedek met him.

Jesus and the Priesthood of Melchizedek

^7:11So if perfection had in fact been possible through the Levitical priesthood—for on that basis¹⁶ the people received the law—what further need would there have been for another priest to arise, said to be in the order of Melchizedek and not in Aaron’s order? ^7:12For when the priesthood changes, a change in the law must come¹⁷ as well.

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Footnotes

6 Grk “to whom.”
7 Or “a tenth part.”
8 Or “the priesthood.”
9 Grk “from their brothers.” See ἀδελφός 2.b.
10 Grk “have come from the loins of Abraham.”
11 Grk “the one”; in the translation the referent (Melchizedek) has been specified for clarity.
12 Grk “is not descended from them.”
13 Or “a tenth part.”
14 The verbs “collected … and blessed” emphasize the continuing effect of the past actions, i.e., Melchizedek’s importance.
15 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). 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.
16 Grk “based on it.”
17 Grk “of necessity a change in the law comes to pass.”