⁴ Just think how great he was: Even the patriarch^(A) Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder!^{(B) 5} Now the law requires the descendants of Levi who become priests to collect a tenth from the people^(C)—that is, from their fellow Israelites—even though they also are descended from Abraham. ⁶ This man, however, did not trace his descent from Levi, yet he collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed^(D) him who had the promises.^{(E) 7} And without doubt the lesser is blessed by the greater. ⁸ In the one case, the tenth is collected by people who die; but in the other case, by him who is declared to be living.^{(F) 9} One might even say that Levi, who collects the tenth, paid the tenth through Abraham, ¹⁰ because when Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi was still in the body of his ancestor.