The Superior English of the King James Version

By Benjamin Winslett

The KJV’s English is superior to modern Bible versions in that it contains singular and plural pronouns (thee and thou, ye and you) and also first, second, and third person verb tenses (believe, believest, believeth). Modern versions lose the ability to communicate contextual information through the watering down of the language.

EXAMPLE: And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. Luke 22:31-32

Notice the usage of singular and plural pronouns. Satan desired YOU (plural – all of the disciples) to sift YOU as wheat. Christ prayed for THEE (singular – Peter) to strengthen the brethren.

Satan desired to sift ALL of the brethren as wheat, yet it was Peter’s task to strengthen them after his conversion (not to be confused with his regeneration, they are separate concepts).

This detail is lost without the two types of pronoun.

ANOTHER EXAMPLE: And the LORD appeared unto him Abraham in the plains of Mamre…And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground, And said, My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant: Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree… Genesis 18:2-4

Using the bold text in the above verses, notice how the two types of pronoun explain the full scope of context.

“If now I have found favour in THY (singular – the Lord) sight, pass not away…from thy servant.”

“Let a little water, I pray YOU (plural – the Lord and the two angels), be fetched, and wash YOUR feet…”

These two types of pronoun clarify to us that Abraham considered GOD ALONE as his Lord. He desires favor in GOD’S sight. Yet, he begs all three to refresh themselves in his presence. This information is lost if the singular and plural pronouns are replaced by the generic “you.”

Should we not want the greatest amount of information possible about the most important book of all time?

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