by Tom Edwards
via The Gospel Observer

It was back around 1973 when I first read through all of the King James Version of the Bible.  Having been originally written in 1611, its different wording also had an interesting appeal to me – the “thee’s” and the “thou’s” and the words with the “eth” endings, such as “heareth,” “findeth,” “bringeth,” etc.  But, of course, even more important than the mere sound was the message of those old English words that can instill faith and show the way of salvation that leads to eternal life.  Since the KJV was written during the time that Shakespeare had been writing his plays, which he did from 1590 to 1612, and his sonnets in 1609, we find many similarities in his wording and that of the Bible.

Some folks, however, have viewed some of these words in the King James Version as if they are sacred or a way of expressing more reverence to God — though probably more so a few decades ago. Bob Crawley, for instance, who had preached for about 24 years for the University Heights church of Christ in Lexington, Kentucky, was once asked, “Is it disrespectful to use ‘You’ in our prayers?  Some of our members think we should always say ‘Thou’ when we are talking to God.”

What is one reason some people might have thought that way?  Would it not be because it was the version that was often being heard from the pulpit back then, which would seem to make those words more special?  For rather than being used in day-to-day conversation, they were words being heard in places where people worshiped God and heard His word proclaimed, and in their own study of God’s message.

But folks need to realize that the KJV language was just simply the common language of that day back in 1611.  As Bob Crawley writes, “the ‘thee’ and ‘thou’ style of speech was as much the language of the street as of the church, of the gutter as well as the pulpit, and of cursing as well as of praying. Such words do not, then, of themselves, signify respect.  To insist upon a particularly old-fashioned style of speech and attribute to it an exclusively religious superiority is to make the same mistake which is made by the Amish people, and others, in requiring a dress code that is not particularly spiritual but merely out of date.”  Bob makes a good point.

In addition, if the KJV style of language is what is necessary to address God reverently, then what about all the years prior to that kind of language?

But notice this also.  Even in the Bible, the “thee’s” and the “thou’s” are not used exclusively for God – or, in other words, used to show a special reverence or respect only to Deity.  For consider the Lord’s model prayer in the KJV: Matthew 6:9-13.  In it, the Lord uses the terms “thy” and “thine” (in Matthew 6:9,13) in speaking of God; but if you look back several verses (Matthew 6:3-4), the “thy” and “thine” are also used in addressing ordinary people, as Bob points out.   In Ezra 9:15 in the KJV, Ezra declares, “O LORD God of Israel, thou art righteous…”; and that same “thou” is also used throughout the Bible to refer to just people – and even evil people (cf. Acts 13:10)!  Obviously, the word “thou” in itself does not indicate deep reverence or respect toward that one.

Bob also points out that “the language of the original New Testament writing (the Greek of the first century A.D.) likewise makes no distinction between the form of the pronouns used for prayer and those used for other occasions.”  So the KJV type of speech was not a special language reserved for only sacred texts. It was simply part of the everyday vocabulary that was being used at that time.

But even though all of this is so, what about the one who still feels that using the King James language in addressing God is more respectful? Then, would that not be a personal conviction of that individual and better for that person to then pray that way?  It certainly would not be a wrong thing to do – though he should not try to bind his personal conviction or conscience on everyone else as well.  We can compare that to what Paul teaches in Romans 14:1-6, 13.

Bob makes another good point when saying, “Respect or disrespect are matters of the attitude of the heart and are not determined by whether one uses modern or old-fashioned styles of speech. The truly respectful person will use those words which most naturally express the respect which he has when praying to God.  The younger among us will need to be patient with those of us who find it natural to use the old style, which has become so traditional with us. And we, who for so many years have been used to hearing the prayers prayed in the style of the era of Kings James I, of England, will need to realize that those who address God in a dignified, but more up-to-date style are no less respectful than we.”

As mentioned, I had liked the sound of the KJV, but I was finding some of the terms that the apostle Paul used as being unfamiliar to me.  So I went with the New American Standard Bible, which I probably bought soon after it had come out in the early ’70s.  It was first published in 1971; and I have read through all of that version, too, a number of times.

When going to a Greek Lexicon to look up the meanings of some of the Greek words in the KJV New Testament, I would often find that one of the words in its definition (by Thayer or Strong or some other Lexicon scholar) would be how it was already translated in the NASB.  So that also had me liking that version even more.

If one is going to use the KJV, it will be helpful to better understand some of the terms that now no longer mean what they originally did.  For word-meanings can change over a period of time – and especially over 406 years!  One example of this, would be the word “conversation.” In I Peter 2:12, for instance, “Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles…” sounds like only one’s speech, doesn’t it? For we know we are to speak the truth and not lie.  But the Greek for “conversation” (anastrophe) is defined by Thayer as “manner of life, conduct, behavior, deportment.”  So it means much more than mere speech alone.  And how does the NASB render it? It translates it as “behavior,” which is one of the definitions that we just saw Thayer give for the Greek word it stems from.

And how about the word “banqueting” in I Peter 4:3?  What do you think of when you think of a banquet? Probably a lot of food for many people!  Webster defines the English word as “1. a lavish meal; feast. 2. a ceremonious public dinner, as to honor a person or benefit a charity.”  But is that what it meant back in 1611?  What does the Greek word it comes from in I Peter 4:3 actually mean?  James Strong defines it as “a drinking bout or carousal.”  Thayer shows it to mean, “drinking, carousing.” And in Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary of the New Testament, it is “a drinking, a drinking together, drinking bout.”  After hearing these three similar definitions, one might be prone to blurt out, “Where’s the beef?!,” like in that old 1984 Wendy’s commercial.  Or where is it mentioned in the definition of any vegetables, fruits, or any other food? None of that is mentioned because the Greek word does not pertain to it.  So how does the NASB translate it?  It says “drinking parties” in I Peter 4:3 – with no mention of food.

What are some other terms that do not mean what folks might think? How about the word “answer” in I Peter 3:21 of the KJV?  “The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”  Would you not think of an “answer” as being the exact opposite of a question, a query, or an inquiry?  According to the Thesaurus, it is.  But what does the Greek word (“eperotema”), from which “answer” is translated in the KJV, actually mean?  James Strong defines it as “an inquiry.”  Thayer gives the definition of  “1) an enquiry, a question  2) a demand 3) earnestly seeking 3a) craving, an intense desire.”  And how is it translated in the NASB?  It renders it as an “appeal,” which Webster defines as “an earnest plea; entreaty: an appeal for help.”  So through baptism, that appeal was being made.  Look how clearly that is seen in the “God’s Word” version of the Bible: “…baptism is a request to God for a clear conscience.”  This doesn’t mean, of course, that the request takes the place of baptism; but, rather, that the request is actually being made in a non-verbal way by being baptized after it had been preceded by faith in Christ (John 8:24), repentance (Luke 13:5), and a confession of one’s faith in the Lord (Romans 10:9-10; Acts 8:36-38).  For baptism is the last step to put one into Christ (Galatians 3:26-27), where there is no condemnation (Romans 8:1), and from which one rises up to walk in newness of life (Romans 6:3-4).

In I Thessalonians 4:15 (KJV), Paul says, “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.”  Notice the word “prevent” in this passage.  What does it mean? We, of course, know that the definition of the English term “prevent” means simply “1. to keep from occurring; stop … 2. to stop from doing something…” Webster then also shows its archaic meaning of “to precede.”  And “precede” is also part of the meaning of the Greek word that “prevent” is translated from in I Thessalonians 4:15.  Thayer defines it as “1) to come before, precede…”  And how does the NASB translate it?  It uses the word “precede.”

Another word that might give some folks a wrong idea is seen in Acts 17:22 – the word “superstitious.”  In thinking of how we use that term today, what comes to your mind?  James Strong shows the Greek word to mean “more religious than others.”  And Thayer’s primary definition for it is “reverencing god or the gods, pious, religious.”  So how does the NASB translate it?  It speaks of those people as being “very religious.”

Something else that should be pointed out to folks who use the KJV Bible is the use of the word “Easter” in Acts 12:4.  Out of at least 24 different Bible versions, I looked this up in, the KJV was the only one that uses the word “Easter” in this verse.  The Greek word for it is “pascha,” which is used in 27 verses of the Bible; and in all of those verses, except there in Acts 12:4, the KJV renders it as “Passover.”  Since it is the same Greek word, why does not the KJV render it as “Easter” in all those other verses, too?  According to Jamieson-Fausset-Brown, “The word in our King James Version is an ecclesiastical term of later date, and ought not to  have been employed here.”  Albert Barnes gives the following explanation for its use: He says, “In the translation by Wycliffe, the word ‘paske,’ that is, ‘Passover,’ is used. But Tyndale and Coverdale used the word ‘Easter,’ and hence, it has very improperly crept into our King James Version.”

What is the difference between a translation and a transliteration?

A translation is simply converting text from one language to another language.  In doing so, the word meaning from that one language will be translated into a word of the other language that means the same.  For example, Paul shows in Galatians 5:22 that “patience” is a fruit of the Spirit.  The word patience is a “translation” from Greek into English, which is much more helpful for us who speak English.  In Thayer’s Greek Definitions, the Greek word for patience is defined as “1) patience, endurance, constancy, steadfastness, perseverance…”  So we see that the first word in this definition is being used to translate that Greek word to an English word in the KJV and various other versions of the Bible as well – and making it easy for us to understand.

But if that Greek word were transliterated instead of translated, then it would be seen as “makrothumia” (or something similar) in the KJV and other English versions, which is simply taking the Greek letters of that word and replacing them with the corresponding letters of whatever language it is being converted to — and in our case, English.  This is what has been done with the word “baptize” and its various forms.  In Greek, the word for “baptize” is “baptizo.”  Those letters that make up that Greek word are beta, alpha, pi, tau, iota, zeta, and omicron.  Some of the letters in Greek look very similar to our English letters.  This is true of the letters for alpha, beta, delta, epsilon, iota, kappa, omicron, sigma, tau, upsilon, and zeta.  So, again, just changing Greek letters to their corresponding letters in another language’s alphabet is a transliteration and does not involve the meaning of the word, but just its letters.  Thayer defines the Greek word for baptism (baptisma) as “1) immersion, submersion…”  So it does not include sprinkling (rhantizo) or pouring (epicheo).  Of course, even if one didn’t know the meaning of baptism,  it can be inferred from the verses that speak of it as being a burial, such as Romans 6:4, “we have been buried with Him through baptism.”  But what if the Greek word for “buried” was transliterated instead of translated?  It would then be in our English Bibles as some form of “sunthapto,” which we might not find too helpful in understanding the passage.  If “baptizo” had been translated instead of transliterated, then we would be reading passages with the following or similar renditions: “He that believeth and is immersed shall be saved…” (Mark 16:16).   “Repent, and be immersed every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38).  And for the Greek word “baptisma,” “corresponding to that, immersion now saves you” (I Peter 3:21), etc.

As mentioned, there are many KJV words that are archaic and unfamiliar.  Consider the following, which gives a comparison between words from the KJV and how those same words are translated in the NASB, to determine which is easier for you to understand.  As you can see, the listing below is in an alphabetized order based on the KJV words:

The following sources have been used for the Greek and Hebrew Definitions:

BDB = Brown-Driver-Briggs’ Hebrew Definitions
Strong = Strong’s Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries
Mounce = Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary of the New Testament
Thayer = Thayer’s Greek Definitions
Moulton and Milligan = JH Moulton and G Milligan: The Vocabulary of the Greek New Testament

• Matthew 5:39: “ado” (KJV) or “commotion” (NASB).
  Thayer: “to make a noise or uproar, be turbulent … to wail tumultuously”
• Luke 14:32: “ambassage” (KJV) or “delegation” (NASB).
  Thayer: “an embassy”
• Deuteronomy 22:19: “amerce” (KJV) or “fine” (NASB).
  BDB: “to fine”
• I Corinthians 16:22: “anathema” (KJV) or “accursed” (NASB).
  Thayer: “a man accursed, devoted to the direst of woes”
• Exodus 30:25: “apothecary” (KJV) or “perfumer” (NASB).
  BDB: “perfumer”
• Genesis 4:22: “artificer” (KJV) or “forger" (NASB).
  BDB: “metal craftsman”
• Isaiah 14:23: “besom” (KJV) or “broom” (NASB).
  Strong & BDB: ”broom”
• Isaiah 8:21: “bestead” (KJV) – See “hardly bestead.”
• Isaiah 16:3: “bewray” (KJV) or “betray” (NASB)
• Exodus 9:9: “blains” (KJV) or “sores” (NASB).
  BDB: “blisters, boils”
• Exodus 9:31: “bolled” (KJV) or “bud” (NASB)
• I Samuel 26:7: “bolster” (KJV) or “head” (NASB).
  BDB: “place at the head…”
• Deuteronomy 28:27: “botch” (KJV) or  “boils” (NASB).
  BDB: “boil, inflamed spot”
• Philemon 1:7: “bowels” (KJV) or “hearts” (NASB).
  Thayer shows that though the Greek word for “bowels” is sometimes used literally for the “bowels, intestines, (the heart, lungs, liver, etc.),” it was also used to refer to “the seat of the more violent passions, such as anger and love; but by the Hebrews as the seat of the tenderer affections, especially kindness, benevolence, compassion; hence our heart (tender mercies, affections, etc.).”
• Jeremiah 51:3: “brigandine” (KJV) or “scale-armor” (NASB).
  Strong: “a coat of mail”; BDB: “armor”
• Jeremiah 10:22: “bruit” (KJV) or “report” (NASB).
  BDB: “report, news, rumor”
• II Samuel 22:31: “buckler” (KJV) or “shield” (NASB).
  BDB: “shield”
• Leviticus 26:16: “burning ague” (KJV) or “fever” (NASB).
  BDB: “fever”
• Luke 10:41: “careful” (KJV) or “worried” (NASB).
  Though we normally think of the word “careful” to mean “cautious in one’s actions,” yet Webster also gives a fifth definition, which is archaic, but shows it had meant “troubled” and “anxious” long ago.)  Thayer: “1) to be anxious  1a) to be troubled with cares”
• Isaiah 3:18: “cauls” (KJV) or “headbands” (NASB).
  BDB: “1) front band 1a) for a woman’s head”
• Numbers 7:13: “charger” (KJV) or “dish” (NASB).
  BDB: “dish, platter”
• Colossians 3:5: “evil concupiscence” (KJV) or “evil desire” (NASB).
  Thayer: “desire, craving, longing, desire for what is forbidden, lust”
• Exodus 30:35: “confection” (KJV) or “perfume” (NASB).
  BDB: “spice-mixture, perfume, ointment.”
• II Chronicles 4:12: “chapiters” (KJV) or “capitals” (NASB).
  BDB: “1) capital crown, capital of a pillar”
• Isaiah 32:5: “churl” (KJV) or “rogue" (NASB).
  BDB: ”scoundrel, knave”
• Isaiah 3:22: “crisping pins” (KJV) or “money purses” (NASB).
  BDB: “bag, purse”
• Galatians 2:13: “dissembled” (KJV) or “joined him in hypocrisy” (NASB).
  Thayer: “to act hypocritically with”
• Genesis 45:6: “earing” (KJV) or “plowing” (NASB).
  BDB: “plowing, plowing time”
• John 2:6: “firkins” (KJV) – See “two or three firkins.”
• Isaiah 28:25: “fitches” (KJV) or “dill” (NASB).
• II Samuel 6:19: “flagon” (KJV) or “raisins” (NASB).
  BDB: “raisin-cake”; Strong: “something closely pressed together, that is, a cake of raisins or other comfits”
• Deuteronomy 32:20: “froward” (KJV) or “perverse” (NASB).
  BDB: “perversity, perverse thing”
• Matthew 3:12: “garner” (KJV) or “barn” (NASB).
  Thayer: “1) a place in which anything is laid by or up. 2) a storehouse, granary”
• Job 18:9: “gin” (KJV) or “snare” (NASB).
  BDB: “1) bird trap, trap, snare”
• Zechariah 6:3: “grisled” (KJV) or “dappled” (NASB).
  BDB: “spotted, marked”
• Exodus 28:32: “habergeon” (KJV) or “coat of mail” (NASB).
  BDB: “corselet”; Webster defines corselet as “2. a. a suit of light armor covering the entire trunk”
• Judges 3:22: “haft” (KJV) or “handle” (NASB).
  Strong: “a handle”
• Luke 12:58: “hale” (KJV) or “drag” (NASB).
  Thayer: “1) to draw down, pull down 2) to draw along, drag forcibly”
• Mark 9:45: “halt” (KJV) or “lame” (NASB).
  Thayer: “lame … deprived of a foot, maimed”
• Acts 17:27: “haply” (KJV) or “perhaps” (NASB)
• Isaiah 8:21: “hardly bestead” (KJV) or “hard-pressed” (NASB).
  BDB: “to be hard-pressed”
• Deuteronomy 12:15: “hart” (KJV) or “deer” (NASB).
  Strong: “a stag or male deer”
• Luke 1:54: “holpen” (KJV) or “given help” (NASB).
  Thayer: “to help”
• Joshua 11:6: “hough” (KJV) or “hamstring” (NASB).
  BDB: “2) to cut, hamstring”
• Acts 19:38: “implead” (KJV) or “bring charges” (NASB).
  Thayer: “to come forward as an accuser against, bring charges against”
• II Timothy 3:3: “incontinent” (KJV) or “without self-control” (NASB)
  Thayer: “without self-control, intemperate”
• Matthew 5:18: “jot” (KJV) or “smallest letter” (NASB).
  Thayer: “1) the Hebrew letter, the smallest of them all  1a) hence equivalent to the minutest part”
• Genesis 32:15: “kine” (KJV) or “cows” (NASB).
  BDB: “cow, heifer”
• Exodus 25:33: “knop” (KJV) or “bulb” (NASB).
  BDB: “bulb, knob, capital, capital of a pillar”
• Psalm 5:6: “leasing” (KJV) or “falsehood” (NASB).
  BDB: “a lie, untruth, falsehood, deceptive thing”
• Zephaniah 1:12: “lees” (KJV) – See “settle on their lees.”
• John 3:8: “listeth” (KJV) or “wishes” (NASB).
  Thayer: “to will … to desire, to wish …”
• I Samuel 8:3: “lucre” (KJV) or “dishonest gain” (NASB)
• Matthew 6:24: “mammon” (KJV) or “wealth” (NASB).
  Mounce: “wealth, riches”; Thayer: “1) mammon, 2) treasure 3) riches (where it is personified and opposed to God)”
• Judges 4:18: “mantle” (KJV) or “rug” (NASB).
  Strong: “a rug”
• Proverbs 25:18: “maul” (KJV) or “club” (NASB).
  BDB: “scattering club”
• Genesis 43:34: “messes” (KJV) or “portions” (NASB).
  BDB: “1) …portion… 1d) portion, present, largess, gift, contribution, offering, tribute”
• Luke 12:59: “mite” (KJV) or “cent” (NASB).
  Moulton & Milligan: “the smallest piece of money in circulation”; Thayer: “a small brass coin…worth about 1/5 of a cent”
• Exodus 29:6: “mitre” (KJV) or “turban” (NASB).
  BDB: “turban (of the high priest)”
• Matthew 7:3: “mote” (KJV) or “speck” (NASB).
  Mounce: “any small dry thing, as chaff, stubble, splinter”
• Isaiah 3:19: “mufflers” (KJV) or “veils” (NASB).
  Strong: “a long veil (as fluttering)
• Exodus 9:3: “murrain” (KJV) or “pestilence” (NASB).
  Strong: “a pestilence”
• Jeremiah 2:22: “nitre” (KJV) or “lye” (NASB).
  BDB: “mineral potash (so-called from effervescing with acid)”
• Genesis 37:7: “obeisance” (KJV) or “bowed down” (NASB).
  BDB: “to bow down”
• II Samuel 16:23: “oracle” (KJV) or “word” (NASB).
  Strong: “a word”
• Exodus 28:11: “ouches” (KJV) or “filigree settings” (NASB).
  BDB: “plaited or filigree or chequered work (of settings for gems)”
• Matthew 4:24: “palsy” (KJV) or “paralytics” (NASB).
  Thayer: “paralytic”
• Acts 1:3: “passion” (KJV) or “suffering” (NASB).
  Strong: “to experience a sensation or impression (usually painful)”
• I Peter 2:9: “peculiar” (KJV) or “a people for God's own possession” (NASB)
• Matthew 20:2: “penny” (KJV) or “denarius” (NASB).
  Strong: “a denarius.” A denarius was the equivalent of about our 16 cents, and it was what a common laborer made for a full day’s work when Jesus walked this earth.
• II Chronicles 4:12: “pommels” (KJV) or “bowls” (NASB).
  BDB: “1) bowl…1b2) of the bowl-shaped portion of capitals of pillars of the temple”
• Luke 19:16: “pound” (KJV) or “mina” (NASB).
  Strong: “mina”
• Jeremiah 51:31: “post” (KJV) or “courier” (NASB).
• I Samuel 10:5: “psaltery” (KJV) or “harp” (NASB).
  BDB: “2) harp…”
• Matthew 10:3: “publican” (KJV) or “tax collector” (NASB).
  Thayer: “2) a tax-gatherer, collector of taxes or tolls”
• Daniel 1:12: “pulse” (KJV) or “vegetables” (NASB).
  Strong: “a vegetable”
• I Corinthians 5:11: “railer” (KJV) or “reviler” (NASB).
  Thayer: “a railer, reviler”
• Proverbs 23:16: ”reins” (KJV) or “inmost being” (NASB).
  BDB: “1b) of the seat of emotion and affection (figuratively)”; Strong: “figuratively the mind (as the interior self)”
• Romans 1:28: “reprobate” (KJV) or “depraved” (NASB).
  Strong: “unapproved, that is, rejected; by implication worthless (literally or morally)”
• Isaiah 58:8: “rereward” (KJV) or “rear guard” (NASB)
• Acts 12:4: “quaternions” (KJV) or “four squads” (NASB).
  Strong: “a quaternion or squad (picket) of four Roman soldiers”
• I Samuel 27:10: “road” (KJV) or “raid” (NASB).
  BDB: “1) to strip, invade, strip off, make a dash, raid, spread out”; Strong: “to spread out (that is, deploy in hostile array)”
• Isaiah 3:18: “round tires” (KJV) or “crescent ornaments” (NASB).
  BDB: “1) moon, crescent 1a) as an ornament; Strong: “a round pendant for the neck”
• Isaiah 13:21: “satyrs” (KJV) or “shaggy  goats” (NASB).
  BDB: “1) hairy (adjective) 2) he-goat, buck (noun masculine)…”
• Matthew 10:10: “scrip” (KJV) or “bag” (NASB).
  Strong: “a wallet or leather pouch for food”
• Exodus 23:19: “seethe” (KJV) or “boil” (NASB).
  BDB: “1) to boil, cook, bake, roast …”
• II Kings 4:42: “servitor” (KJV) or “attendant” (NASB).
  Strong: “to attend as a menial or worshipper; figuratively to contribute to”; BDB: “to minister, serve, minister to”
• Zephaniah 1:12: “settled on their lees” (KJV) or “stagnant in spirit” (NASB).
• Isaiah 17:4: “shall wax lean” (KJV) or “will become lean” (NASB).
  Strong: “to emaciate, that is, make (become) thin (literally or figuratively)”; BDB: “1) to be or become or grow lean…”
• Daniel 3:2: “sheriffs” (KJV) or “magistrates” (NASB).
  BDB: “magistrate”; Strong: “judicial, that is, a lawyer”
• Genesis 38:18: “signet” (KJV) or “seal” (NASB).
  BDB: “seal, signet, signet-ring”
• John 13:26: “sop” (KJV) or “morsel” (NASB).
  Strong: “a crumb or morsel (as if rubbed off), that is, a mouthful”; Thayer: “a fragment, bit, morsel”
• Isaiah 3:24: “stomacher” (KJV) or “fine clothes” (NASB).
  BDB: “rich or expensive robe”
• Matthew 7:13: “strait” (KJV) or “narrow” (NASB).
  Strong: “narrow”
• Matthew 19:14: “suffer” (KJV) or “let” (NASB).
  Thayer: “to permit, allow, not to hinder”
• Exodus 35:22: “tablets” (KJV) or “bracelets” (NASB).
  BDB: “1) ornaments, golden ornament 1a) maybe – armlets of gold”; Strong: “a jewel (probably gold beads)”
• Exodus 26:6: “taches” (KJV) or “clasps” (NASB).
  BDB: “hook”
• Exodus 5:18: “tale” (KJV) or “quota” (NASB).
  Strong: “a fixed quantity”; BDB: “1) measurement, a measured amount”
• I Samuel 17:6: “target” (KJV) or “javelin” (NASB).
  BDB: “1) javelin, short sword, dart”
• II Chronicles 9:15: “target” (KJV) or “large shield” (NASB).
  BDB: “3) shield, large shield, buckler”
• Ezekiel 24:17: “tire of thine head” (KJV) or “turban” (NASB).
  BDB: “head-dress, ornament, turban”
• Isaiah 3:18: “tires” (KJV) — see “round tires.”
• Matthew 5:18: “tittle” (KJV) or “stroke” (NASB).
  Thayer: “of the little lines or projections, by which the Hebrew letters, in other respects similar, differ from one another; the meaning is, ‘not even the minutest part of the law shall perish.’”
• Isaiah 43:17: “tow” (KJV) or “wick” (NASB).
  Strong: “flax; by implication a wick”
• John 2:6: “two or three firkins” (KJV) or “twenty or thirty gallons” (NASB).
  Thayer defines the Greek word for “firkin” as “containing somewhat less than nine English gallons or about [40 l].” Since an English gallon is the equivalent of  1.2 U.S. Gallons, then 9 English gallons is about 10.8 gallons. And 40 liters is about 10.56 gallons. But the “somewhat less” than that could easily be thought of as “10” gallons.
• I John 2:20: “unction” (KJV) or “anointing” (NASB).
  Mounce: “anything which is applied by smearing; ointment; in NT an anointing, in the reception of spiritual privileges”
• Acts 2:40: “untoward” (KJV) or “perverse” (NASB).
  Thayer: “perverse, wicked.”
• Matthew 25:27: “usury” (KJV) or “interest” (NASB).
  We use the word “usury” today in referring to an exorbitant amount of interest rate, but Strong and Thayer show that the Greek word for it simply meant “interest.” Webster also includes the definition of “interest paid for the use of money,” as his third definition, but shows that meaning of “usury” to be obsolete for our time.
• Matthew 5:18: “verily” (KJV) or “truly” (NASB).
  Mounce: “in truth, most certainly, so be it … amen; truly”
• Acts 12:10: “ward” (KJV) or “guard” (NASB).
  BDB: “1) guard, watch”
• Isaiah 17:4: “wax” (KJV) – See “shall wax lean.”
• Isaiah 3:22: “wimples” (KJV) or “cloaks” (NASB).
  BDB: “cloak”; Strong: “a wide cloak (for a woman)”
• Isaiah 63:2: “winefat” (KJV) or “wine press” (NASB).
  Strong: “a wine press”
• Acts 3:17: “wot” (KJV) or “know” (NASB).
  Thayer: “to see” and “to know.”
• Mark 10:1: “wont” (KJV) or “according to ... custom” (NASB).
  Thayer: “to be accustomed”
• Exodus 28:14: “wreathen” (KJV) or “corded” (NASB).
  BDB: “1) cord…”; Strong: “something intwined.”