1. For this Melchisedech was 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 also Abraham divided the tithes of all: who first indeed by interpretation, is king of justice: and then 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, but likened unto the Son of God, continueth a priest for ever.
4. Now consider how great this man is, to whom also Abraham the patriarch gave tithes out of the principal things.
5. And indeed they 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 to say, of their brethren: though they themselves also came out of the loins of Abraham.
6. But he, whose pedigree is not numbered among them, received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises.
7. And without all contradiction, that which is less, is blessed by the better.