Another KJV Verse That Is Difficult to Understand

by Dec 30, 2010ChurchLife, Exegesis, KJV5 comments

“I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily” (1 Cor 15:31).

What does that mean? “I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ”? What? That doesn’t make any sense to me, and I happen to speak very well English!

Add it to the list.

Read More 

THE INCREDI-NASB!!!! More Literal than a Speeding ESV!!!

THE INCREDI-NASB!!!! More Literal than a Speeding ESV!!!

In my other life, I am the editor of Faithlife’s Bible Study Magazine, and one of my first acts as editor was to give myself a column: “Word Nerd: Language and the Bible.” They said I could. I also turn all the columns—plus a few that aren’t in print—into YouTube...

Review: The Inclusive Language Debate by D.A. Carson

Review: The Inclusive Language Debate by D.A. Carson

The Inclusive Language Debate: A Plea for Realism, by D.A. Carson (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1998). Don Carson's prose is elegant, and his pace is perfect. He briskly moves the reader through a narrative of the conflict among evangelical Christians over so-called...

Review: Eat This Book by Eugene Peterson

Review: Eat This Book by Eugene Peterson

Eat This Book: A Conversation in the Art of Spiritual Reading by Eugene H. PetersonMy rating: 5 of 5 starsI've said before that I'm an emotional reader. My five stars for this book represent my rapture at great prose and, more...

Don’t Tell Young Women in Your Church to Avoid College

Don’t Tell Young Women in Your Church to Avoid College

There’s a young man I know from Christian circles somewhere in the U.S.—I’ll call him Kyle or Gerald or Edward, or maybe something a little more derogatory—who posted what I can only call an anti-girls-going-to-college meme on Facebook. It argued that Christian...

Leave a comment.

5 Comments
  1. Don Johnson

    But is it that much clearer in any English version? Or how about the Greek? I think it’s a hard verse no matter what.

    Maranatha!
    Don Johnson
    Jer 33.3

  2. Johnny Harry

    I’m looking for a list of KJV verses that are difficult to understand due to the 1769 English language it uses. I could search them out myself but thought someone might already have compiled a list.¶ I’m a KJV man because I trust the manuscripts from which it was derived more than the manuscripts from which the modern translations were derived. But I do believe that the KJV needs an update in language. I also use Strong’s exhaustive concordance with Greek & Hebrew dictionaries which is keyed to the KJV. I was using the Strong’s yrs before this KJV debate was such a divisive issue.¶  I personally believe that the modern translations are more theologically inclined towards salvation by a combination of faith & works as opposed to the reformation era bibles that have readings that are more in tune with the doctrine of “Justification by Faith Alone” not to mention other reformation theology. I believe this was part of the “Counter Reformation” that the medieval church wasted no time in undertaking once other nations had the bible translated in to the languages of their common citizens*. Westcott & Hort (their N.T. text which very heavily influenced almost all modern translations) were very pro Roman Catholic. Both were Anglican, one reconverted to the RC the other was very sympathetic to it. ¶  The Douay–Rheims NT translated from the Latin Vulgate into English was produced by the RC. Published in Reims, France, in 1582.
    ¶ Tyndale produced his translation in 1526 from the original Greek. ¶ Many thanks to any & all that could help me with this endeavor. In Jesus – Johnny

    • W.D. Pursley

      I’m commenting on my own post to confess some ignorance on my part. I posted this as a knee-jerk reaction without checking into the context. So, now that I have context (and have enjoyed, and agree with, your content on YouTube) I would like to express my apologies.

      • Mark Ward

        I think you accidentally did NOT reply to your post, W.D.?

        In any case, all is forgiven!

  3. W.D. Pursley

    From Webster’s 1828 dictionary:

    PROTEST’, verb intransitive [Latin protestor; pro and testor, to affirm it.]

    1. To affirm with solemnity; to make a solemn declaration of a fact or opinion; as, I protest to you, I have no knowledge of the transaction.

    2. To make a solemn declaration expressive of opposition; with against; as, he protests against your votes.

    The conscience has power to protest against the exorbitancies of the passions.

    3. To make a formal declaration in writing against a public law or measure. It is the privilege of any lord in parliament to protest against a law or resolution.

    PROTEST’, verb transitive To call as a witness in affirming or denying, or to prove an affirmation.

    Fiercely they oppos’d

    My journey strange, with clamorous uproar

    PROTESTing fate supreme.

    1. To prove; to show; to give evidence of. [Not in use.]

    2. In commerce, to protest a bill of exchange, is for a notary public, at the request of the payee, to make a formal declaration under hand and seal, against the drawer of the bill, on account of non-acceptance or non-payment, for exchange, cost, commissions, damages and interest; of which act the indorser must be notified within such time as the law or custom prescribes. In like manner, notes of hand given to a banking corporation are protested for non-payment.

    PRO’TEST, noun A solemn declaration of opinion, commonly against some act; appropriately, a formal and solemn declaration in writing of dissent from the proceedings of a legislative body; as the protest of lords in parliament, or a like declaration of dissent of any minority against the proceedings of a majority of a body of men.

    1. In commerce, a formal declaration made by a notary public, under hand and seal, at the request of the payee or holder of a bill of exchange, for non-acceptance or non-payment of the same, protesting against the drawer and others concerned, for the exchange, charges, damages and interest. This protest is written on a copy of the bill, and notice given to the indorser of the same, by which he becomes liable to pay the amount of the bill, with charges, damages and interest; also, a like declaration against the drawer of a note of hand for non-payment to a banking corporation, and of the master of a vessel against seizure, etc. A protest is also a writing attested by a justice of the peace or consul, drawn by the master of a vessel, stating the severity of the voyage by which the ship has suffered, and showing that the damage suffered was not owing to the neglect or misconduct of the master.