What Does 1 Corinthians 15:25 Mean in the King James?
For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
Christ’s reign is already underway while enemies remain, and it continues until every enemy is beneath his feet.
THE MEANING
The reigning one is active through the present interval: opposition remains real, yet it does not hold the final position. The verse gives that opposition an endpoint beneath his feet.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
The lie is that visible opposition means the reign is absent or has failed. Here, the reign continues through the very interval in which opposition is brought underfoot.
THE ROOT
θῇ
thē
GROWS FROM
τίθημι
tithēmi
to put, set, or place
The Greek verb rendered “put” belongs to the same word family rendered “lay down” elsewhere. The image is of opposition being assigned a place beneath the reigning one’s feet.
ALSO GROWS
tithēmi: To place or set down; in John 10:11, the same verb describes laying down one’s life.
τίθημι
The shared verb links setting enemies beneath his feet with laying down a life: both are acts of placing, with the surrounding words showing what is placed and where.
apotithēmi: To put away or lay aside; used in Hebrews 12:1 for laying aside every weight.
ἀποτίθημι
This related form shows that the family of words for placing can also describe removal by putting something aside.
βασιλεύειν
basileuein
GROWS FROM
βασιλευ-
basileu-
king; kingly rule
“reign” in this verse is basileuein. The verb belongs to the same word family as “king” and “kingdom”: this is kingship in action, not only a title. Its continuing rule lasts through the subjection of every enemy.
ALSO GROWS
basileus: A king, the one who rules.
βασιλεύς
The verb “reign” expresses the active rule of the king named by this family.
basileia: A kingdom or the exercise of royal rule.
βασιλεία
This branch holds together the ruler’s authority and the realm or governance that authority orders.
ἐχθρούς
echthrous
GROWS FROM
ἐχθρ-
echthr-
hostile; adversarial
“enemies” in this verse is echthrous. The word for an enemy shares its root with the word for enmity, holding the hostile person and the hostility together. The verse names opposition plainly and places it beneath the reign; it does not call it unreal.
ALSO GROWS
echthros: An enemy or hostile one.
ἐχθρός
This is the singular form of the word family used for the enemies in the verse.
echthra: Hostility or enmity, as in Romans 8:7.
ἔχθρα
The related noun makes the connection between an enemy and the hostility that marks the opposition.
THE PATTERN
The reigning authority remains active through the interval in which opposition is brought beneath its rule.
A Psalm of David. The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,THE THREAD
From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.The verb translated “put” here and “be made” there comes from τίθημι (tithēmi), meaning “to set or place.” The shared root sharpens the image: the enemies are the very ones being placed beneath the reigning one’s feet.
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