The King James Version (KJV) of the Bible contains numerous words that are now considered archaic or obsolete, which may be unfamiliar to modern readers. These words were common in English during the early 17th century when the KJV was translated but have since fallen out of everyday use or changed in meaning.
Examples include “thee,” “thou,” “ye,” “verily,” “hath,” and “doth”. Additionally, some words in the KJV have meanings that differ significantly from their modern equivalents. For instance, “charity” in the KJV means “love” rather than the modern sense of “help to those in need”, while “bowels” refers metaphorically to the heart or innermost emotions, not the intestines.
Other examples include “fast” meaning “secure” or “firm,” “quick” meaning “living,” and “allow” meaning “approve of”. Some words, like “flagon of wine,” are the result of mistranslations and actually refer to a raisin cake used in rituals, not a wine container. Furthermore, certain terms such as “wimple,” “wist,” “withal,” “wot,” “wreaths,” and “wrest” are no longer used in modern English and appear only in historical or religious texts.
These archaic expressions contribute to the distinct style of the KJV and can lead to misunderstandings if interpreted using contemporary language meanings.
