Hebrews 2:5 Meaning and Explanation
“For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The coming world God has prepared is not placed under the rule of angels.
What Does Hebrews 2:5 Mean?
The writer returns to the theme of angels, now turning toward the future. "The world to come" -- the renewed order God is bringing about -- was never appointed to angelic rule. This prepares the way for the great truth that it is destined for humanity, and supremely for Christ.
By setting angels aside here, the writer clears the stage. However glorious the angels are, the future belongs to another. The reader is meant to lean forward, asking: if not to angels, then to whom has God entrusted the world to come? The next verses answer with a psalm about man, and with the man Christ Jesus.
Hebrews 2:5 in the Original Language
oikoumene (οἰκουμένη), 'world' -- the inhabited earth, here the coming age God will establish.
Frequently Asked Questions About Hebrews 2:5
What does Hebrews 2:5 mean?
The coming world God has prepared is not placed under the rule of angels.