KJV ENGLISH · GRAMMATICAL REFERENCE
Read the English precisely.
The older forms often preserve a distinction that modern English expresses with the single word “you.”
Veymont grammatical explanation
| Form | Usual function | Inspect in Scripture |
|---|---|---|
| thou | Singular subject | Matthew 16:16 |
| thee | Singular object | John 13:36 |
| thy | Singular possessive before a noun | Matthew 6:10 |
| thine | Singular possessive; can stand alone or precede a noun | Matthew 6:13 |
| ye | Plural subject in the usual KJV pattern | John 3:7 |
| you | Plural object in the usual KJV pattern | John 13:14 |
| your | Plural possessive | Romans 12:1 |
| -est / -st | Second-person singular verb forms, as in knowest | John 21:17 |
| -eth / -th | Third-person singular present forms, as in bloweth | John 3:8 |
Follow the change in number
In John 3:7, “thee” addresses Nicodemus in the singular, while “Ye” is plural. The grammatical observation and any further claim about the intended group are different kinds of interpretation.
“Thine” also occurs before a noun, as in “thine own understanding” in Proverbs 3:5. Do not mechanically replace every older form without reading its grammatical context.
Words whose meanings need attention
“Let” may express hindrance in a particular context; it can also carry the familiar sense of permission. “Prevent” can mean to go before. “Quick” can mean living. Determine the sense from the passage, then inspect historical English witnesses.
The 1884 glossary is a historical reference, not the original 1611 translation record. Inspect its quoted earlier authorities and the source image. Uncorrected OCR can misread letters and references.
Historical pronunciation is not guessed from present-day spelling. A pronunciation belongs with an identified source, period and dialect.
Return to the KJV English dictionary