⁷Without a doubt, ^pthe inferior is blessed by the superior. ⁸In the one case, men who will die receive tenths, but in the other case, Scripture testifies that he lives. ^q⁹And in a sense Levi himself, who receives tenths, has paid tenths through Abraham, ¹⁰for he was still within his ancestor ^rwhen Melchizedek met him.

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Footnotes

p7:7 Or Beyond any dispute
r7:10 still in his father’s loins

Cross references

q7:8 Heb 5:6; 6:20

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

It is beyond dispute that the inferior is blessed by the superior. In the one case tithes are received by mortal men, but in the other case, by one of whom it is testified that he lives. One might even say that Levi himself, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, for he was still in the loins of his ancestor when Melchizedek met him.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

And without doubt the lesser is blessed by the greater. In the one case, the tenth is collected by people who die; but in the other case, by him who is declared to be living. One might even say that Levi, who collects the tenth, paid the tenth through Abraham, because when Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi was still in the body of his ancestor.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

Without a doubt, the inferior is blessed by the superior. In the one case, men who will die receive a tenth, but in the other case, Scripture testifies that he lives. And in a sense Levi himself, who receives a tenth, has paid a tenth through Abraham, for he was still within his ancestor when Melchizedek met him.

NLTNew Living Translation

And without question, the person who has the power to give a blessing is greater than the one who is blessed.

The priests who collect tithes are men who die, so Melchizedek is greater than they are, because we are told that he lives on. In addition, we might even say that these Levites—the ones who collect the tithe—paid a tithe to Melchizedek when their ancestor Abraham paid a tithe to him. For although Levi wasn’t born yet, the seed from which he came was in Abraham’s body when Melchizedek collected the tithe from him.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

Now without any dispute the inferior is blessed by the more prominent. And in this case mortal men receive tithes, but in that case it is testified that he lives. And, so to speak, even Levi, the one who receives tithes, has paid tithes through Abraham. For he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him.

KJV 1900King James Version

And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better. And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth. And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham. For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him.

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