Welcome to Authorized Sword Ministries. This is Lesson 5 in our series, Why We Use the King James Bible. Today's lesson is called How to Read and Study the King James Bible.

We're so glad you're here.

In our last lessons we talked about why we trust the King James Bible, how God preserved His Word, and how the 1611 translation was made. Today we want to get practical. A lot of folks tell us, "I want to read the King James, but the old words trip me up." That's an honest feeling, and you're not alone. The good news is that the King James is not nearly as hard as it looks once you learn a few simple keys. Let's open it up together.

Our Key Verse

Today's key verse is 2 Timothy 2:15.

"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." — 2 Timothy 2:15 (KJV)

God calls us to study His Word, not just glance at it. A workman learns his tools. Today we're going to learn a few of the tools that make the King James Bible open up.

Start with Prayer

Before you open your Bible, talk to its Author. The psalmist prayed:

"Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law." — Psalm 119:18 (KJV)

And Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would be our teacher:

"But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." — John 14:26 (KJV)

The Bible is not just a book to figure out. It's God speaking to you. So ask Him to help you understand it, and come ready to obey what you find.

Key One: Thee, Thou, Ye, and You

Here is one of the most helpful things to know about the King James Bible. Those old words actually make the Bible more exact, not less.

In the King James, "thee," "thou," "thy," and "thine" always mean one person. "Ye," "you," and "your" always mean more than one person. Modern English uses "you" for both, so you can't always tell who's being talked to. The King James translators kept the difference on purpose, even though by their day people were already using "you" for one person in everyday speech.

Here's why it matters. Listen to what Jesus told Nicodemus:

"Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again." — John 3:7 (KJV)

"I said unto thee." That's Nicodemus, one man. But "Ye must be born again." That's plural. Jesus was telling Nicodemus that everyone must be born again, not just him. In most modern versions you would miss that.

Here's another one. Jesus said to Peter:

"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 (KJV)

Satan wanted to sift "you," all of the disciples. But Jesus prayed for "thee," for Peter himself. What a comfort that is.

Key Two: The -eth and -est Endings

You'll see words like "loveth," "believeth," "knowest," and "sayest." Don't let them slow you down. The "-eth" ending is just the old way of saying "-s." "He loveth" means "he loves." The "-est" ending goes with "thou." "Thou knowest" means "you know," speaking to one person.

"He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love." — 1 John 4:8 (KJV)

Read it as "He that loves not knows not God," and it's as clear as day.

Key Three: The Words in Italics

Open your King James Bible and you'll notice some words printed in italics, a slanted type. Many people think the italics are for emphasis, but they're not. Those are words the translators added because English needed them to make sense, even though they aren't written in the Hebrew or Greek. The translators were told to mark them in a different type so you could see exactly what they added. Later editions put them in italics and marked them more fully.

For example, in many King James Bibles, the word "is" in Psalm 23:1 is in italics:

"The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want." — Psalm 23:1 (KJV)

Hebrew doesn't need a word for "is" there, but English does. The translators were being honest with you about every word. When you read aloud, just read the italic words normally, but know the translators were showing their work.

Key Four: LORD in Capital Letters

You'll see the word "Lord" written two ways in the Old Testament. Sometimes it's "Lord," and sometimes it's "LORD," in all capital letters. That difference is important.

When you see "LORD" in capitals, it stands for God's own personal name in Hebrew, the four letters often written YHWH. When you see "Lord" in regular letters, it translates other Hebrew words, such as adonai, which also means Lord. And in a few places, the King James prints God's name as "JEHOVAH." Here's one of them:

"That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth." — Psalm 83:18 (KJV)

So when you read "The LORD is my shepherd," you're reading God's own name.

Key Five: Old Words with Different Meanings

Some words in the King James are words we still use today, but they meant something different four hundred years ago. These are the ones that can really trip you up. Here are four to learn. We checked each one in Webster's 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language.

"Conversation" in the King James usually means your whole way of living, your behavior, not just your talking.

"But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;" — 1 Peter 1:15 (KJV)

"Prevent" often means to go before, not to stop.

"For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep." — 1 Thessalonians 4:15 (KJV)

Paul is saying the living saints won't go up ahead of the dead in Christ.

"Suffer" can mean to allow.

"But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God." — Mark 10:14 (KJV)

And "let" can mean to hinder, which is almost the opposite of what it means today.

"Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you, (but was let hitherto,) that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles." — Romans 1:13 (KJV)

Paul wanted to come, but he was hindered until then.

Here's a tip. When a word doesn't seem to fit, look it up in Webster's 1828 dictionary, which is free online. And very often, the Bible itself explains the word in the verses around it.

Key Six: Let the Bible Explain the Bible

The best help for understanding the Bible is the Bible. Isaiah tells us how God teaches:

"For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:" — Isaiah 28:10 (KJV)

And Paul says we learn spiritual things by "comparing spiritual things with spiritual" (1 Corinthians 2:13). When you find a hard verse, look at the verses around it. Then look for other places in the Bible that talk about the same thing. Many King James Bibles have cross references in the margin or center column to help you do just that.

The Bereans are our example:

"These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so." — Acts 17:11 (KJV)

They searched the Scriptures daily. That's the habit we want too.

A Word About Chapters and Verses

The chapter and verse numbers in your Bible are a big help, but they were added later. The prophets and apostles didn't write them. Our chapter divisions go back to Stephen Langton, an Archbishop of Canterbury in the 1200s. The New Testament verse numbers were first printed by Robert Estienne, also called Stephanus, in his Greek New Testament of 1551. The Geneva Bible of 1560 was the first complete English Bible to have both chapters and verses, and the King James kept them.

Why does that matter? Because sometimes a sentence keeps going right past a verse number, or even a chapter break. So don't stop reading just because a number shows up. Read the whole thought.

A Simple Plan to Get Started

Here's a simple plan anyone can follow:

1. Pray first. Ask the Lord to open your eyes.
2. Start with a Gospel. The Gospel of John is a wonderful place to begin.
3. Read a chapter a day. Read it slowly, and read it out loud if you can. The King James was made to be read aloud.
4. Mark it up. Underline verses that speak to you. Write down any words you don't know and look them up.
5. Ask three questions. What does it say? What does it mean? What does God want me to do?
6. Keep a verse with you. Write one verse on a card each week and memorize it.

And remember, you don't have to understand everything at once. Nobody does. Keep reading, and it will keep opening up.

"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." — Psalm 119:105 (KJV)

Not Just Hearers

One last thing. The goal of Bible study isn't just knowing more. It's living differently.

"But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves." — James 1:22 (KJV)

The more you read the King James Bible, the more you'll find that God's Word is not hard to understand so much as hard to obey. Ask Him for the grace to do both.

A Simple Step for This Week

Here's our challenge. This week, read the Gospel of John, one chapter a day. Each time you see "thee" or "ye," stop and ask, "Is He talking to one person, or to more than one?" And each time you see a word in italics, remember the translators were showing their work. By the end of the week, you'll be surprised how natural it feels.

A Prayer

Let's pray together.

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for giving us Your Word in our own language. Open our eyes, that we may behold wondrous things out of Your law. Send Your Holy Spirit to teach us, and give us a hunger to read, to study, and to rightly divide the word of truth.

Lord, don't let us be hearers only. Make us doers of Your Word. Let it be a lamp to our feet and a light to our path every day.

In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

Thank you for spending this time with us.

This is Authorized Sword Ministries. God bless you.

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Study Questions

1. Read 2 Timothy 2:15. What does God call us to do with His Word?
2. Why should we pray before we read the Bible (Psalm 119:18; John 14:26)?
3. In the King James, what is the difference between "thee" and "ye"? Explain how that helps in John 3:7 and Luke 22:31-32.
4. What do the "-eth" and "-est" endings mean? Read 1 John 4:8 in your own words.
5. What do the words in italics mean in the King James Bible?
6. What is the difference between "LORD" in capital letters and "Lord" in regular letters?
7. What do "conversation," "prevent," "suffer," and "let" mean in 1 Peter 1:15, 1 Thessalonians 4:15, Mark 10:14, and Romans 1:13?
8. How does Isaiah 28:10 show us that the Bible explains the Bible?
9. What did the Bereans do in Acts 17:11, and how can you follow their example?
10. Why should you keep reading past a verse number or chapter break?

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Verified Scripture References (KJV)

All quotations were checked word for word against the King James Version (bible-api.com, translation=kjv) on October 26, 2026.

1. 2 Timothy 2:15 — "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."
2. Psalm 119:18 — "Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law."
3. John 14:26 — "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you."
4. John 3:7 — "Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again."
5. Luke 22:31-32 — "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."
6. 1 John 4:8 — "He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love."
7. Psalm 23:1 — "The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want."
8. Psalm 83:18 — "That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth."
9. 1 Peter 1:15 — "But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;"
10. 1 Thessalonians 4:15 — "For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep."
11. Mark 10:14 — "But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God."
12. Romans 1:13 — "Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you, (but was let hitherto,) that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles."
13. Isaiah 28:10 — "For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:"
14. Acts 17:11 — "These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so."
15. Psalm 119:105 — "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."
16. James 1:22 — "But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves."
17. 1 Corinthians 2:13 (phrase quoted inline) — "...comparing spiritual things with spiritual." Full verse: "Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual."

Historical and Language Sources

All sources were opened and checked on October 26, 2026.

1. Thou/thee singular and ye/you plural kept consistently, though "you" was already common as a singular; the "-eth" ending: "King James Version," Wikipedia, section "Style and criticism" (citing Charles Barber, Early Modern English, 1997, pp. 153-154 and 166-167). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_James_Version
2. Supplied words printed in a different typeface by instruction, later printed in italics and greatly expanded (Blayney 1769): "King James Version," Wikipedia, sections "Considerations for a new version," "Printing," "Use of typeface," and "Standard text of 1769" (citing Norton 2005, pp. 10, 162; Scrivener 1884, p. 70). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_James_Version
3. "LORD" in capitals for the Tetragrammaton (YHWH); "IEHOVAH" in four places including Psalm 83:18: "King James Version," Wikipedia, section "Use of typeface" (also notes the Hebrew word adonai, "Lord"). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_James_Version ; "is" printed in italics at Psalm 23:1: Blue Letter Bible, KJV Psalm 23:1, https://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/psa/23/1/
4. Word meanings: N. Webster, American Dictionary of the English Language (1828), online: "Conversation" (sense 1, "General course of manners; behavior," citing 1 Peter 1:15), https://webstersdictionary1828.com/Dictionary/Conversation ; "Prevent" (sense 1, "To go before; to precede"), https://webstersdictionary1828.com/Dictionary/Prevent ; "Suffer" (sense 3, "To allow; to permit"), https://webstersdictionary1828.com/Dictionary/Suffer ; "Let" (sense 5, "To retard; to hinder; to impede"), https://webstersdictionary1828.com/Dictionary/Let
5. Chapter divisions by Stephen Langton (13th century); verse numbers in Stephanus's 1551 Greek New Testament; Geneva Bible of 1560 the first English Bible with both chapter and verse numbers; carried into the KJV: Trinitarian Bible Society, "The Verse Divisions in the Holy Scriptures," https://www.tbsbibles.org/page/VerseDivisions ; Trinitarian Bible Society, "The 1551 Greek New Testament of Stephanus," https://www.tbsbibles.org/page/1551StephanusGreekNewTestament ; The Wartburg Project, "The Verse Numbers in the Bible," https://wartburgproject.org/faqs/2019/04/the-verse-numbers-in-the-bible