1. For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, met Abraham, as he was returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him.
2. And Abraham divided to him a tenth part of everything. And in translation his name is first, indeed, king of justice, and next also king of Salem, that is, king of peace.
3. Without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life, he is thereby likened to the Son of God, who remains a priest continuously.
4. Next, consider how great this man is, since the Patriarch Abraham even gave tithes to him from the principal things.
5. And indeed, those who are from the sons of Levi, having received the priesthood, hold a commandment to take tithes from the people in accord with the law, that is, from their brothers, even though they also went forth from the loins of Abraham.
6. But this man, whose lineage is not enumerated with them, received tithes from Abraham, and he blessed even the one who held the promises.
7. Yet this is without any contradiction, for what is less should be blessed by what is better.
8. And certainly, here, men who receive tithes still die; but there, he bears witness that he lives.
9. And so it may be said that even Levi, who received tithes, was himself a tithe through Abraham.
10. For he was still in the loins of his father, when Melchizedek met him.
11. Therefore, if consummation had occurred through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), then what further need would there be for another Priest to rise up according to the order of Melchizedek, one who was not called according to the order of Aaron?
12. For since the priesthood has been transferred, it is necessary that the law also be transferred.
13. For he about whom these things have been spoken is from another tribe, in which no one attends before the altar.