List of misunderstood words in the King James Bible

This page is a list of words in the King James Version of the bible that will most likely be misunderstood by a modern reader either because the word is no longer used in modern English or because the word no longer means what it meant when the English translation was made centuries ago. The purpose of this list is to demonstrate to those who believe the King James Version is the best translation that unless you're an ancient English scholar, you will misunderstand much of the bible.

This list is by no means complete, and I will add to it over time.

Changed Meanings

Word	Modern meaning	Archaic meaning	Passages	Notes
accursed	detestable, hateful	devoted	Jos 6:17-18; 7:1, 11–13, 15; 22:20; 1 Chr 2:7	Since this is practically the opposite meaning, it will be quite confusing.
addicted	dependent upon; obsessed with	devoted	1 Cor 16:15	Fairly similar, although "addicted" usually has a negative connotation in modern English.
allow	grant, permit	approve of	Luke 11:48; Rom 14:22; 1 Thess 2:4	In modern usage "allow" often means you will let something happen even if you don't approve of it, but here it specifically means approval.
allow	grant, permit	understand	Rom 7:15	This is a substantially different use.
amazement	wonder, surprise	fear, terror	1 Pet 3:6	Just like "amazing," people pretty much only use this word when they're shocked in a positive way.
bowels	intestines; innermost area	metaphorical heart	Gen 43:30; 1 Kgs 3:26; Ps 109:18; Isa 16:11; 63:15; Jer 31:20; Lam 1:20; 2:11; Phlm 7, 12, 20	Where we might say, "I love you with all my heart," an ancient Hebrew might say, "I love you with all my bowels." People are less-frequently using "bowels" to refer to the innermost parts, so it's less likely a modern reader will think of the metaphorical heart instead of the intestines. This makes Song 5:4 seem especially funny, "my bowels were moved for him."
bowels	intestines; innermost area	compassion	Isa 63:15; Phil 1:8; 2:1; Col 3:12	Because it referred to the metaphorical heart, "bowels" also referred to compassion, which also doesn't fit with modern usage. To confuse things further, when modern English speakers talk about their metaphorical "gut" they mean their intuition rather than compassion.
bowels	intestines; innermost area	affection	2 Cor 6:12	This passage is especially confusing because it reads, "straitened in your own bowels." "Straiten," often confused with "straighten," means to narrow, and a "narrowing of the bowels" is a common medical ailment.
bowels	intestines; innermost area	anguish	Jer 4:19	If you heard someone today cry, "My bowels, my bowels!" you probably wouldn't understand this the same way!
leasing	renting; letting go; gathering; gleaning	lying	Psa 4:2; 5:6
sod	cut grass turf; contempt, disgust; sodomize	boiled	Gen 25:29	Totally different from modern use, although an Australian might at least connect it with cooking.

Many of the words in this list came from the Grateful to the Dead blog (Part 1, part 2, part3).

Dropped From Use

Word	Archaic meaning	Passages	Notes
bruit	noise	Jer 10:22; Nah 3:19	A secondary ancient definition is "rumor, hearsay," but neither is in common use anymore.
chode	simple past tense of "chide"	Gen 31:36; Num 20:3	Too similar to the vulgar slang "choad."
ephod	apron or breastplate in a uniform	Exo 25:7, 28:4; Lev 8:7; Num 34:23; Jdg 8:27; 1 Sa 2:18; 2 Sa 6:14; 1 Ch 15:27; Hos 3:4 (many more)
gat	simple past tense of get	Gen 19:27; Exo 24:18; Num 11:30; Jdg 9:48; 1 Sa 13:15; 2 Sa 4:7; 1 Ki 1:1; Psa 116:3; Ecc 2:8; Lam 5:9 (many more)
cracknels	a hard biscuit	1 Ki 14:3
cruse	an earthen pot for liquids	1 Sa 26:11-12, 16; 1 Ki 14:3; 1 Ki 17:12, 14, 16; 1 Ki 19:6; 2 Ki 2:20
murrain	plague, pestilence	Exo 9:3	A veterinarian might understand this word.
neesings	sneezing	Job 41:18
ouches	broaches or clasps	Exo 28:11, 13-14, 25; 39:6, 13, 16, 18	Sounds like it should be the plural of "ouch."
pottage	a thick soup or stew	Gen 25:29-30, 34; 2 Ki 4:38-39; Hag 2:12
trow	to trust, to have confidence in	Luk 17:9
wroth	full of anger, wrathful	Gen 4:5-6; Exo 16:20; Jos 22:18; Psa 18:7; Mat 2:16; Rev 12:17 (many more)	Not entirely archaic, but rarely used anymore.