KJV Bible Words That Have Changed Meanings

1. The King James Bible was translated in 1611 and since that time many word meanings have changed.
2. It is therefore important to use a good old dictionary like the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) or the Webster’s 1828 dictionary to define Biblical words to prevent misunderstanding the Bible.
3. Consider the following verses that would be misunderstood if the words were defined with a modern dictionary which has changed the meanings of the words.

Replenish

1. Gen 1:28 – And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
2. Replenish v. (OED) – II. In ordinary transitive uses. 5. To make full of, to fill, to stock or store abundantly with, persons or animals. = fill v.

• Replenish v. (dictionary.com) – 1. To make full or complete again, as by supplying what is lacking, used up, etc.:

Gay

1. Jam 2:3 – And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool:
2. Gay adj. (OED) – 1. a. Of persons, their attributes and actions: Full of or disposed to joy and mirth; manifesting or characterized by joyous mirth; light-hearted, exuberantly cheerful, sportive, merry.

• Gay adj. (dictionary.com) – Of, relating to, or exhibiting sexual desire or behavior directed toward a person or persons of one’s own sex; homosexual:

Conversation

1. 1Pe 2:12 – Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.
2. 2Pe 2:7 – And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked:

• Conversation n. (OED) – 1. The action of living or having one’s being in a place or among persons. Also fig. of one’s spiritual being.

1. Conversation n. (dictionary.com) – 1. Informal interchange of thoughts, information, etc., by spoken words; oral communication between persons; talk; colloquy.

Communicate

1. Gal 6:6 – Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.
2. 1Ti 6:18 – That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;

• Heb 13:16 – But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

1. Communicate v. (OED) – 1. trans. To give to another as a partaker; to give a share of; to impart, confer, transmit
2. Communicate v. (dictionary.com) – 1. To impart knowledge of; make known:

Let

1. 2Th 2:7 – For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
2. Let v. (OED) – 1. trans. To hinder, prevent, obstruct, stand in the way of (a person, thing, action, etc.).

• Let v. (dictionary.com) – 1. To allow or permit:

Convince

1. Joh 8:46 – Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?
2. Jas 2:9 – But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.

• Convince v. (OED) – II. To convict, prove, demonstrate. 4. To prove (a person) to be guilty, or in the wrong, esp. by judicial procedure; to prove or find guilty; to convict of, rarely for, in (an offence or error); = convict v.

1. Convince v. (dictionary.com) – To move by argument or evidence to belief, agreement, consent, or a course of action:

Bishop

1. Tit 1:7 – For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;
2. Bishop – n. (OED) – 1. A spiritual superintendent or overseer in the Christian Church.

• Bishop – n. (dictionary.com) – 1. A person who supervises a number of local churches or a diocese, being in the Greek, Roman Catholic, Anglican, and other churches a member of the highest order of the ministry.

Meat

1. Act 2:46 – And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,
2. Meat n. (OED) – 1. a. Food in general; anything used as nourishment for men or animals; usually, solid food, in contradistinction to drink.

• Meat n. (dictionary.com) – 1. The flesh of animals as used for food.