Hebrews 5 · Verse 2

Hebrews 5:2

Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity.
Hebrews 5:2, King James Version

Hebrews 5:2 in other translations

BSBHe is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and misguided, since he himself is beset by weakness.
WEBThe high priest can deal gently with those who are ignorant and going astray, because he himself is also surrounded with weakness.
ASVwho can bear gently with the ignorant and erring, for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity;
YLTable to be gentle to those ignorant and going astray, since himself also is compassed with infirmity;
DARBYbeing able to exercise forbearance towards the ignorant and erring, since he himself also is clothed with infirmity;
BBEHe is able to have feeling for those who have no knowledge and for those who are wandering from the true way, because he himself is feeble;
WebsterWho can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity.

What does Hebrews 5:2 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
2. Who can--Greek, "being able"; not pleasing himself (Ro 15:3). have compassion--Greek, "estimate mildly," "feel leniently," or "moderately towards"; "to make allowance for"; not showing stern rigor save to the obstinate (He 10:28). ignorant--sins not committed in resistance of light and knowledge, but as Paul's past sin (1Ti 1:13). No sacrifice was appointed for wilful sin committed with a high hand; for such were to be punished with death; all other sins, namely, ignorances and errors, were confessed and expiated with sacrifices by the high priest. out of the way--not deliberately and altogether wilfully erring, but deluded through the fraud of Satan and their own carnal frailty and thoughtlessness. infirmity--moral weakness which is sinful, and makes men capable of sin, and so requires to be expiated by sacrifices. This kind of "infirmity" Christ had not; He had the "infirmity" of body whereby He was capable of suffering and death.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 2. Who can have compassion. Marg. Reasonably bear with. The idea is that of sympathizing with. The high priest is taken from among men, in order that he may have a fellow-feeling for those on whose behalf he officiates. Sensible of his own ignorance, he is able to sympathize with those who are ignorant; and compassed about with infirmity, he is able to succour those who have like infirmities.

And on them that are out of the way. The erring and the guilty. If he were taken from an order of beings superior to men, he would be less qualified to sympathize with those who felt that they were sinners, and who needed pardon.

For that he himself also is compassed with infirmity. Heb 7:28. He is liable to err; he is subject to temptation; he must die, and appear before God: and encompassed with these infirmities, he is better qualified to minister in behalf of guilty and dying men. For the same reason it is that the ministers of the gospel are chosen from among men. They are of like passions with others. They are sinners; they are dying men. They can enter into the feelings of those who are conscious of guilt; they can sympathize with those who tremble in dread of death; they can partake of the emotions of those who expect soon to appear before God.

(1) "have compassion" "reasonably bear with" (a) "he himself" Heb 7:28

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 2 Who can have compassion on the ignorant - The word μετριοπαθειν, signifies, not merely to have compassion, but to act with moderation, and to bear with each in proportion to his ignorance, weakness, and untoward circumstances, all taken into consideration with the offenses he has committed: in a word, to pity, feel for, and excuse, as far as possible; and, when the provocation is at the highest, to moderate one's passion towards the culprit, and be ready to pardon; and when punishment must be administered, to do it in the gentlest manner. Instead of αγνοουσι, the ignorant, one MS. only, but that of high repute, has ασθενουσι, the weak. Most men sin much through ignorance, but this does not excuse them if they have within reach the means of instruction. And the great majority of the human race sin through weakness. The principle of evil is strong in them; the occasions of sin are many; through their fall from God they are become exceedingly weak; and what the apostle calls, Heb 12:1, that ευπεριστατον ἁμαρτιαν, the well-circumstanced sin, often occurs to every man. But, as in the above ease, weakness itself is no excuse, when the means of strength and succor are always at hand. However, all these are circumstances which the Jewish high priest took into consideration, and they are certainly not less attended to by the High Priest of our profession. The reason given why the high priest should be slow to punish and prone to forgive is, that he himself is also compassed with weakness; περικειται ασθενειαν; weakness lies all around him, it is his clothing; and as he feels his clothing, so should he feel it; and as he feels it, so he should deplore it, and compassionate others.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Hebrews 5:1-10

The High Priest must be a man, a partaker of our nature. This shows that man had sinned. For God would not suffer sinful man to come to him alone. But every one is welcome to God, that comes to him by this High Priest; and as we value acceptance with God, and pardon, we must apply by faith to this our great High Priest Christ Jesus, who can intercede for those that are out of the way of truth, duty, and happiness…

Read the full comment on Hebrews 5:1-10 →

Hebrews 5:2 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

μετριοπαθεῖνmetriopatheinto exercise forbearanceG3356
δυνάμενοςdunamenosbeing ableG1410
τοῖςtoiswith thoseG3588
ἀγνοοῦσινagnoousinbeing ignorantG50
καὶkaiandG2532
πλανωμένοις,planōmenoiswith those going astray,G4105
ἐπεὶepeisinceG1893
καὶkaialsoG2532
αὐτὸςautoshe himselfG846
περίκειταιperikeitaiis encompassed byG4029
ἀσθένειαν·astheneianweakness;G769

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Hebrews 5:2

  • Hebrews 4:15

    For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

  • Hebrews 2:18

    For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.

  • 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

    And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

  • Hebrews 7:28

    For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.

  • Hebrews 12:13

    And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.

  • 2 Corinthians 12:5

    Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities.

  • Numbers 15:22-29

    And if ye have erred, and not observed all these commandments, which the Lord hath spoken unto Moses, Even all that the Lord hath commanded you by the hand of Moses, from the day that the Lord commanded Moses, and henceforward among your generations; Then it shall be, if ought be committed by ignorance without the knowledge of the congregation, that all the congregation shall offer one young bullock for a burnt offering, for a sweet savour unto the Lord, with his meat offering, and his drink offering, according to the manner, and one kid of the goats for a sin offering. And the priest shall make an atonement for all the congregation of the children of Israel, and it shall be forgiven them; for it is ignorance: and they shall bring their offering, a sacrifice made by fire unto the Lord, and their sin offering before the Lord, for their ignorance: …

  • Galatians 4:13

    Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first.

  • Exodus 32:21-24

    And Moses said unto Aaron, What did this people unto thee, that thou hast brought so great a sin upon them? And Aaron said, Let not the anger of my lord wax hot: thou knowest the people, that they are set on mischief. For they said unto me, Make us gods, which shall go before us: for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him. And I said unto them, Whosoever hath any gold, let them break it off. So they gave it me: then I cast it into the fire, and there came out this calf.

  • 2 Corinthians 11:30

    If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities.

  • 1 Timothy 1:13

    Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.

  • Numbers 12:1-9

    And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman. And they said, Hath the Lord indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not spoken also by us? And the Lord heard it. (Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.) And the Lord spake suddenly unto Moses, and unto Aaron, and unto Miriam, Come out ye three unto the tabernacle of the congregation. And they three came out. …

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Who.
2:18; 4:15
have compassion on. or, reasonably bear with. ignorant.
Nu 15:22-29; 1Ti 1:13
them.
12:13; Ex 32:8; Jud 2:17; Isa 30:11
is compassed.
7:28; Ex 32:2-5,21-24; Nu 12:1-9; 20:10-12; Lu 22:32; 2Co 11:30
2Co 12:5,9,10; Ga 4:13

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Hebrews 5:1

    For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins:

  • Hebrews 5:2

    Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity.

  • Hebrews 5:3

    And by reason hereof he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins.

Read all of Hebrews 5

Hebrews 5:2 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Que se pueda compadecer de los ignorantes y extraviados, pues que él también está rodeado de flaqueza;
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		étant capable d’avoir de l’indulgence pour les ignorants et les errants, puisqu’il est aussi lui-même enveloppé d’infirmité;
German
Elberfelder 1871		der Nachsicht zu haben vermag mit den Unwissenden und Irrenden, da auch er selbst mit Schwachheit umgeben ist;
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		qui condolere possit iis qui ignorant et errant: quoniam et ipse circumdatus est infirmitate: