1. For this Melechizedek was king of Salem, kohen of God Most High. He met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him,
2. and to him Abraham apportioned a tenth of everything. First, by the translation of his name, he is “King of Righteousness”; and then also King of Salem, which is “King of Shalom.”
3. Without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life but made like Ben-Elohim, he remains a kohen for all time.
4. Now see how great this man is! Even Abraham the patriarch gave him a tenth out of the plunder.
5. Indeed, those sons of Levi who receive the priesthood have, according to Torah, a command to collect a tithe from the people—that is, from their kin, although they have come out of the loins of Abraham.
6. But this one—who did not have their genealogy—has collected tithes from Abraham and has blessed him, the one holding the promises.
7. Now it is beyond dispute that the lesser is blessed by the greater.
8. In one case, dying men receive tithes; but in the other, one about whom it is testified that he lives on.
9. Through Abraham even Levi, the one receiving tithes, has paid the tithe, so to speak—
10. for he was still in his father’s loins when Melechizedek met him.
11. Now if perfection was through the Levitical priesthood (for based on it the people had been given the Torah), what further need was there for a different kohen to arise—designated according to the order of Melechizedek , not according to the order of Aaron?
12. For whenever the priesthood is altered, out of necessity an alteration of law also takes place.
13. For the one about whom these things are said belongs to another tribe, from which no one has officiated at the altar.