What Does Hebrews 2:5 Mean in the King James?

For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak.

Hebrews 2:5 · KJV

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

The coming inhabited world is not assigned to messengers, opening the question of humanity’s place in its order.

THE MEANING

The coming inhabited world is not placed under angels. The passage turns toward the human figure crowned with glory, so your reading of what lies ahead now passes through humanity’s place in that order.

WHAT THIS UNDOES

The world ahead is necessarily governed by angels.

THE ROOT

ὑποτάσσω

hypotassō

GROWS FROM

τάσσω

tassō

to arrange, appoint, or put in order

The verb joins ⁨ὑπό⁩ (hypo, “under”) to ⁨τάσσω⁩ (tassō, “arrange” or “appoint”), presenting subjection as placement within an order. Its word family includes ⁨τάξις⁩ (taxis, “order”) and ⁨ἐπιτάσσω⁩ (epitassō, “direct by command”), so the verse asks who is assigned authority over the coming realm.

ALSO GROWS

taxis: order, arrangement

τάξις

This branch makes the verse’s question about the arrangement of the coming world visible.

epitassō: to command, direct

ἐπιτάσσω

This branch carries the sense of assigning or directing, sharpening the question of who receives authority.

οἰκουμένη

oikoumenē

GROWS FROM

οἰκέω

oikeō

to dwell, inhabit

The Greek term translated “world” names the inhabited realm, and its root keeps dwelling and household language close. The future in view is a lived order of inhabitants and dwellings.

ALSO GROWS

oikos: house, household

οἶκος

Its shared dwelling vocabulary gives the inhabited world a communal, lived dimension.

oikētērion: dwelling place, habitation

οἰκητήριον

This related word echoes the idea of a realm made for inhabiting.

ἄγγελος

angelos

GROWS FROM

ἀγγέλλω

angellō

to announce, report, bear a message

“angels” in this verse is angelos. The Greek noun means “messenger” and belongs to a word family of announcing. Here, messengers are named at the point where rule of the inhabited order is withheld from them.

ALSO GROWS

angelia: message, report

ἀγγελία

This branch keeps the messenger’s role as a bearer of a message in view.

euangelion: good news, announcement

εὐαγγέλιον

This word shares the announcing family and shows how the messenger root reaches into proclamation.

THE PATTERN

Scripture frames the coming order through human vocation while leaving messengers outside its rule.

Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:

Psalm 8:6 · KJVHumanity is placed over the works of God’s hands, expressing the vocation the Hebrews passage brings into view.

Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him.

Hebrews 2:8 · KJVThe passage repeats the language of subjection and names the human figure beneath whose feet all things are placed.

Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?

1 Corinthians 6:3 · KJVHuman responsibility is described as reaching even to angels, echoing the boundary set in Hebrews.

THE THREAD

Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him.

Hebrews 2:8 · KJV

The next verse repeats ⁨ὑποτάσσω⁩ (hypotassō, “place under”) and identifies the one beneath whose feet all things are placed. That shared verb shifts the contrast from the absence of angelic rule to the human figure whose authority the passage is exploring.

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