Unique Words of the King James Bible

By Jonathan Wheatley

This book is the result of several years of study of the Apostle Paul's ministry in the Acts of the Apostles, his epistles to the local churches of Asia Minor, Rome, individuals (Timothy, Titus, and Philemon) indeed to the Body of Christ as a whole. Unique words of the King James Bible examine 199 words chosen by the KJB translators that quite often differentiate the ministry of Paul, the principle doctrines of access to God, adoption, dispensation, justification by faith, immortality, etc.The reader will find that many of our English words originated with William Tyndale, the first to translate the Word of God into the English language from the original Hebrew and Greek, words such as immortal, readiness, and ungodliness within the scope of this work.The reader will learn that the KJB translators themselves brought new words into the English language that the previous translator and translations did not have, words such as addicted, fidelity, novice, and thirty other words.The reader will also discover that besides the prescribed previous Bibles,(the translators were to use Tyndale's, Coverdale's, Matthews, Great, Geneva and Bishop's), that they also used the Roman Catholic Rheims New Testament, as evidenced by words such as apprehend, emulation, and theatre, as well as nine others within the scope of this work.This work is designed to serve as a reference book for the student of the Bible, primarily as a theological source, and secondarily as a historical reference of how some words came into the fabric of the English language we speak today.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Mar 16, 2021
• ISBN: 9781098039936

Book preview

Chapter 1

Access—Assist

#1 Access appears three times in the KJB.

Rom. 5:2 "By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God."

Eph. 2:18 "For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father."

Eph. 3:12 "In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him."

The spiritual significance of having access as it is described here by the Apostle Paul is fundamental to understanding not only the position of the believer, but also how this position is obtained. This access is by faith (Rom. 5:2), and this faith is further defined as a faith not of the individual but by the faith of him (Eph. 3:12). For more on the faith of Christ, please read Gal.2:16 and Phil.3:9. The "both have access" found in Eph. 2:18 shows the both as being those that are afar off and those that are nigh (verse 17). For a Jew to have access to God through the priesthood was one thing. For a Gentile to have this same access to God now through the Lord Jesus Christ was something entirely new and revealed first here by the Apostle Paul to the Romans and then to the Ephesians. (This opens up an interesting comparison of the words by and through as used by Paul in the KJB. This is out of scope for our current study, but please look at Rom. 3:30 and consider the mediate cause [by] and efficient cause [through]).

The KJB 1611 first edition spelling accesse matches the Rheims 1582 spelling of the same word in all three places.⁷ The only other earlier English edition to use the same word anywhere is the 1560 Geneva in Romans 5:2. See Table 1 below for a comparison with other reference sources used. I have also included the Wycliffe in the table, such that the reader can see the similarities with the Rheims English NT in many places. The Greek sheds little light on the matter for English-speaking persons but is included also for reference.

Table 1

SOED—access /0ˈaksɛs/ noun and verb. ME. [ORIGIN Old French and Modern French accès or Latin accessus, from access—pa. ppl stem of accedere accede.] ► A noun. †2 Coming into the presence of or into contact with (foll. by to); approach, entrance. LME–E19. 3 Admittance (to the presence or use of). LME. 6 A coming as an addition. arch. (replaced by accession). L16.

Strong’s Greek Dictionary in Eph.3:12 4318 προσαγωγη—prosagoge pros-ag-ogue-ay’ recognizes the root from 4317; admission:—access. The Gk προσαγωγή appears three times in the TR and translated access at Rom. 5:2, Eph. 2:18, and 3:12 in the KJB. Jonathan Wheatley.

#2 Addicted. This word appears once in the KJB.

1 Cor. 16:15 "I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints,)"

These believers were clearly given to the ministry (Rom. 12:13), such that it was not just an assignment or an appointment but a far deeper commitment. Note they had addicted themselves versus appointed by another. The reading of 1 Cor. 16:15 is found in MS 98.⁸ This reading originated with the KJB translators.⁹ For a complete list of readings that originated with the KJB translators, see Appendix Table A.

Table 2

SOED-addicted /0əˈdɪktɪd/ adjective. M16. [ORIGIN from addict ppl adjective + -ed¹, the verb being inferred later.] †1 Voluntarily attached to (a person or party). M16–E18. 2 Attached by inclination to (a practice); devoted to; doing or using something, esp. a drug, as a habit or compulsively. M16.

Strong’s Greek Dictionary 5021. τάσσω tássō, tas’-so a prolonged form of a primary verb (which latter appears only in certain tenses); to arrange in an orderly manner, i.e. assign or dispose (to a certain position or lot):—addict, appoint, determine, ordain, set. Verb. The Gk τάσσω appears eight times in the TR. It is translated as had appointed at Matt. 28:16; as set at Lk. 7:8; as ordained at Acts 13:48; as they determined at Acts15:2; as are appointed at Acts 22:10; as when they had appointed at Acts 28:23; as ordained at Rom. 13:1; and as that they have addicted at 1 Cor. 16:15 in the KJB. JW.

Contemporary to the KJB translators, William Shakespeare used the word twice¹⁰ once in Twelfth Night and again in Hamlet.

"Now be so unsuitable to her disposition, being addicted to a melancholy as she is, that it can" (Twelfth Night—Act 2, Scene 5).

"But, if’t be he i mean, he’s very wild; addicted so and so:" (Hamlet, Act 2, Scene I).

#3 Administered. This word appears twice in the KJB.

2 Cor. 8:19 "And not that only, but who was also chosen of the churches to travel with us with this grace, which is administered by us to the glory of the same Lord, and declaration of your ready mind:

2 Cor. 8:20 "Avoiding this, that no man should blame us in this abundance which is administered by us:"

Those chosen to travel with Paul (Timothy and Titus in particular) were responsible to take the offering from Macedonia to Corinth. Therefore, they administered the offering, as this was part of the ministry to the Corinthians. The same Greek word is in Acts 6, where the disciples appointed seven men to minister to the neglected widows in the church at Jerusalem.

1 And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration. 2 Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables (diakoneo). 3 Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. 4 But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word. (Acts 6:1-4)

Note that the ministry of the word and the waiting on tables are two different activities in the KJB: one is a ministry, the other is a business. (See 1Cor.12:5). See Table 3 below and #4 Administration for further comments.

#4 Administration. The singular form appears once, as does the plural in the KJB.

2 Cor. 9:12 "For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God;"

1 Cor. 12:5 "And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord."

The word first used by TYN and the subsequent prescribed reference texts (with the exception of COV). See Table 3 below.

Table 3

SOED—administer /0ədˈmɪnɪstə/ verb. LME. [ORIGIN Old French aministrer from Latin administrare: see ad-, minister verb. Orig. am-, refashioned after Latinized Old French and Modern French administrer.] ► I verb trans. 1 Manage as a steward; carry on or execute (an office, affairs, etc.). LME.► II verb intrans. 8 Act as an administrator. E17.

SOED-administration /0ədmɪnɪˈstreɪʃ(ə)n/ noun. ME. [ORIGIN Old French and Modern French, or Latin administratio(n-), formed as administrate: see -ation.] 1 The action of administering something to another. ME. 2 The action of administering in any office; attendance; performance (of). obsolete in gen. sense. LME.

Strong’s Greek Dictionary 1247. διακονεω diakoneo—dee-ak-on-eh’-o from 1249; to be an attendant, i.e. wait upon (menially or as a host, friend, or (figuratively) teacher); technically, to act as a Christian deacon:—(ad-)minister (unto), serve, use the office of a deacon. The Gk διακονέω appears in 32 verses, for a total 38 times in the TR and appears twice as is administered at 2 Cor. 8:19 and 20 in the KJB. JW.

Strong’s Greek Dictionary 1248. διακονία diakonía, dee-ak-on-ee’-ah from 1249; attendance (as a servant, etc.); figuratively (eleemosynary) aid, (official) service (especially of the Christian teacher, or technically of the diaconate):—(ad-)minister(-ing, -tration, -try), office, relief, service(-ing). Feminine noun. The Gk διακονία appears in 32 verses, for a total of 36 times in the TR and appears once as of administrations at 1 Cor. 12:5; and once as the administration at 2 Cor. 9:12. JW.

#5 Adoption. This word appears five times in the KJB.

Rom. 8:15 "For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father."

Rom. 8:23 "And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body."

Rom. 9:4 "Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;"

Gal. 4:5 "To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons."

Eph. 1:5 "Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,"

The Apostle Paul introduced the concept of adoption in the eighth chapter of Romans. Whilst Israel was chosen above other nations and became a son—even His firstborn (Ex 4:22), he is not referred to as being in a state of adoption. Bible margin references and most commentators will refer back to this relationship of adoption with Israel, but they would not be able to do so had not Paul introduced the concept. They are typically looking backward with hindsight provided by Paul. It is of interest to note that in the Law of Moses, there was no consideration or provision for adoption, whilst surrounding nations did so. We do see Moses being taken in by Pharaoh’s daughter and being raised as her own son (Ex 2:10), later refusing to be called her son (Heb. 11:24). A similar example is that of Esther, wherein Mordecai took her for his own daughter (Es 2:7). Under Persian captivity, they both benefited and were promoted, Esther being made queen and Mordecai sitting in the king’s gate. These are just two examples of Jewish preservation whilst in captivity and the nation of Israel benefitting from their adoption. That is why Paul could say in Rom.9:4: "To whom pertaineth the adoption."

One of the blessings of salvation by Grace in the present time is the relationship the individual believer has with God.

Rom. 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

Phil. 2:15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;

This standing is the same that an Israelite had in the postponed, promised Kingdom, and will come in the future after this present Dispensation of Grace.

Jn. 1:12 "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:"

1 Jn. 3:1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.

1 Jn. 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

Adoption appears in all of the prescribed and non-prescribed reference texts. WYC was the first to use it in all locations. TYN has it in three of the five locations, as does MAT, BIS, RHE, and the KJB use it in all five locations. See Table 5 below.

Table 5

*The abbreviation mark or tilde was to save space and thereby save paper and overall printing costs. The practice originated in early Latin written manuscripts and continued into early seventeenth century printing. The tilde placed over the last letter indicating such. The and that are often abbreviated using the Middle English thorn (þ),¹¹ with the superscription E or T above it. This practice decreased over time.

SOED—adoption /0əˈdɒpʃ(ə)n/ noun. rME. [ORIGIN Old French and Modern French, or Latin adoptio(n-), formed as adoptare: see adopt, -ion.] 1 The action of taking or the fact of being taken into any relationship; esp. the action of taking a minor who is not one’s offspring into the legal relationship of child. ME. 2 The action of taking up and treating as one’s own an idea etc.; the fact of being so taken up; an idea etc. so taken. L16

Strong’s Greek Dictionary 5206 υιοθεσια huiothesia hwee-oth-es-ee’-ah: from a presumed compound of 5207 and a derivative of 5087; the placing as a son, i.e. adoption (figuratively, Christian sonship in respect to God):—adoption (of children, of sons). The Gk υιοθεσια appears five times in the TR and is translated adoption in all five places in the KJB. JW.

#6 Allegory. This word appears once in the KJB.

Gal. 4:24 "Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar."

When Paul used allegory here, it is worth noting that whenever he is speaking allegorically, he tells us so. Compare that with the rampant allegorizing of scripture that most churchgoers are subjected to in weekly Sunday sermons. The word allegory used here as another way of saying that they who desire to be under the law are under bondage, as was Agar. In verse 25, he states, this Agar is mount Sinai. When Paul uses this allegory here, he explains it in the next verse. The reader can understand the application and can compare the bondage that is under the law versus the liberty the believer has under Grace (Gal.5:1).

In the 1602 Bishops Bible, there is a marginal note that matches the text of the Geneva: Another thing is meant. The KJB translators chose to use the Greek allegory—αλληγορεω (allegoreo), above other words available. Strong has the Greek as being a combination of two words, G248 allos (other) plus G53 agoria (speaking). John Bois, one of the KJB translators whose notes have survived, wrote in his notes on verse 24:

Which things have this allegorical use; and on verse 25: For Sinai, [being by Allegorie] Agar, is a mountain in Arabia. ¹²

It is worthy to note also that when Paul used mystery in the KJB, he always revealed the particular mystery to which he was referring. For example: (1) This mystery of the blindness of Israel (Rom. 11:25); (2) the mystery of the crucifixion (1 Cor.2:6-8); (3) the mystery of the resurrection (1 Cor.15:51); (4) the mystery of His will (Eph.1:9-10); (5) the mystery of the Body of Christ (Eph.3:3-6 and Col.1:26-27); (6) the mystery of marriage (Eph. 5:25-32); (7) the mystery of iniquity (2 Thess.2:7); and (8) the mystery of godliness (1 Tim. 3:16). The first mention of mystery is Mk 4:11, where the Lord Jesus Christ reveals to his apostles the mystery of the kingdom.

Allegory first appeared with GRT and subsequently used by BIS and the KJB translators. See Table 6 below.

Table 6

* Betoken is used to indicate a type or symbol (SOED) and is used as such by Tyndale, Coverdale and John Rogers in the Matthew’s Bible.

SOED—allegory /0ˈalɪg(ə)ri/ noun. LME. [ORIGIN Old French and Modern French allégorie from Latin allegoria from Greek allēgoria, from allos other + -agoria speaking.] 1 Narrative description of a subject under the guise of another having points of correspondence with it; symbolic representation. LME. 2 An instance of such description; an extended or continued metaphor. M16. 3 An emblem; a picture in which meaning is symbolically represented. M17.

Strong’s Greek Dictionary 238. αλληγορεω allegoreo al-lay-gor-eh’-o from 243 and agoreo (to harangue (compare 58)); to allegorize:—be an allegory (the Greek word itself). The Gk αλληγορεω appears once in the TR and translated an allegory at Gal.4:24 in the KJB. JW.

#7 Anathema. This word appears once in the KJB text.

1Cor. 16:22 "If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maran-atha."

The KJB translators provided it in the marginal note at 1Cor. 12:3.

"Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost." Margin: Or, anathema

Anathema used only in conjunction with #91 Maran-atha. Elsewhere the KJB translators used the English word curse or accursed. The translators help provide a definition for the word by the placement of the marginal note for the reader in 1 Cor.12:3. Both citations are included in Table 7 below.

Table 7

* MS98 also has a marginal note Or, anathema and cites the Rheims as the source

Strong 331. αναθεμα (anathema) an-ath’-em-ah from 394; a (religious) ban or (concretely) excommunicated (thing or person):—accused, anathema, curse, X great. The Gk αναθεμα appears six times in the TR and translated as under a great curse at Acts 23:14; as accursed at Rom.9:3, 1 Cor. 12:3, Gal. 1:8 and 9. It is transliterated Anathema once at 1 Cor. 16:22 in the KJB. JW.

#8 Appeal. This word appears twice in the current tense.

Acts 25:11 "For if I be an offender, or have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die: but if there be none of these things whereof these accuse me, no man may deliver me unto them. I appeal unto Caesar."

Acts 28:19 "But when the Jews spake against it, I was constrained to appeal unto Caesar; not that I had ought to accuse my nation of."

It also appears four times in the past tense and in the same context:

Acts 25:12 "Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, Hast thou appealed unto Caesar? unto Caesar shalt thou go."

Acts 25:21 "But when Paul had appealed to be reserved unto the hearing of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept till I might send him to Caesar."

Acts 25:25 "But when I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death, and that he himself hath appealed to Augustus, I have determined to send him."

Acts 26:32 "Then said Agrippa unto Festus, This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed unto Caesar."

In both tenses, the context is the same. As a Roman citizen, Paul had the right to be heard by Caesar and that he believed he was not being treated equitably by the local administration. See Table 8 below.

Table 8

SOED—appeal—from the old French—apel. 1.The submission to a higher court in the hope of altering the judgement of a lower one; a request to a higher authority for alteration of a decision. The word appeal first appeared in Middle English.

Strong’s Greek Dictionary 1941. επικαλεομαι epikaleomai ep-ee-kal-eh’-om-ahee middle voice from 1909 and 2564; to entitle; by implication, to invoke (for aid, worship, testimony, decision, etc.):—appeal (unto), call (on, upon), surname. The Gk ἐπικαλέομαι appears 33 times in the TR; and is only translated appeal, or appealed in the Book of Acts in the KJB. JW.

#9 Apprehend. This word appears twice in the KJB and used in two different ways.

2 Cor. 11:32 "In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king kept the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me:"

Phil. 3:12 "Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus."

It also appears in the marginal notes of the KJB in 1Kgs. 18:40 to provide a definition for take.

"And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there."

Margin: Or, apprehend.

The past participle form of apprehended is found in two places and is used in two different ways as apprehend is. Once in the same way as its first mention (2 Cor. 11:32 with Acts12:4) and again in conjunction with apprehend:

Acts 12:4 "And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people."

Phil. 3:12 "Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus."

Phil. 3:13 "Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,"

Apprehend and apprehended first appeared in the Rheims Bible (1582), in Acts 12:4 and 2 Cor 11:32 and in the same context (See Table 9 below).The KJB translators used the words in these two places and also in Phil 3:12-13.¹³ It is the usage by Paul in Philippians that deserves a closer look, especially when the Greek word is different.

A closer look at understanding.

1Cor. 14:15 What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.

Eph. 1:18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

Col. 1:9 "For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;

Col. 2:2 That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;

The KJB translators would have been true to the text either way had they chosen to use comprehend. However, they selected the better word apprehend—grasp with the understanding over grasp the nature. See Table 9 below.

Table 9