1. For this Melchisedec, 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 Abraham also gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is King of peace;
3. without father, without mother, without lineage, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life, but made like unto the Son of God; abides a priest continually.
4. Now consider how great this one was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.
5. And verily those 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, of their brethren, though they also have come out of the loins of Abraham;
6. but he whose descent is not counted in those took tithes from Abraham and blessed him that had the promises.
7. And without any contradiction the less is blessed of the better.
8. In the same manner, here men that die take tithes; but there he received them, of whom it is witnessed that he lives.
9. And as I may so say, Levi also, who received tithes, paid tithes in Abraham.
10. For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him.
11. If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec and not be called after the order of Aaron?
12. For the priesthood being transposed, there is made of necessity a translation also of the law.