⁴But see how great this man was, to whom Abraham^c the patriarch gave a tenth from the spoils! ⁵And indeed those of the sons of Levi who receive the priesthood have a commandment to collect a tenth from the people according to the law, that is, from their brothers, although they are descended from Abraham^d. ⁶But the one who did not trace his descent from them collected tithes from Abraham and blessed the one who had the promises. ⁷Now without any dispute the inferior is blessed by the more prominent. ⁸And in this case mortal men receive tithes, but in that case it is testified that he lives. ⁹And, so to speak^e, even Levi, the one who receives tithes, has paid tithes through Abraham. ¹⁰For he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him.

The Superiority of Jesus to Melchizedek

¹¹Thus if perfection was through the Levitical priesthood, for on the basis of it the people received the law, what further need is there for another priest to arise according to the order of Melchizedek and not said to be according to the order of Aaron? ¹²For when^* the priesthood changes, of necessity there is a change of the law also.

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Footnotes

cSome manuscripts have “even Abraham”
dLiterally “coming forth from the loins of Abraham”
eLiterally “as if to say a word”
*Here “when” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“changes”)