4 You can see that Melchizedek was very great. Abraham, our great ancestor, gave him a tenth of everything he won in battle.
5 Now the law says that those from the tribe of Levi who become priests must get a tenth from their own people, even though they and their people are both from the family of Abraham.
6 Melchizedek was not even from the tribe of Levi, but Abraham gave him a tenth of what he had. And Melchizedek blessed Abraham—the one who had God’s promises.
7 And everyone knows that the more important person always blesses the less important person.
8 Those priests get a tenth, but they are only men who live and then die. But Melchizedek, who got a tenth from Abraham, continues to live, as the Scriptures say.
9 Now those from the family of Levi are the ones who get a tenth from the people. But we can say that when Abraham paid Melchizedek a tenth, then Levi also paid it.
10 Levi was not yet born, but he already existed in his ancestor Abraham when Melchizedek met him.