Far Eastern Bible College (FEBC) Bible-Presbyterian Church (BPC): Misinterpretation in KJV (VI)

Jul 28, 2026

Misinterpretation in KJV (VI)

Romans 8:26 (King James Version)

Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

Romans 8:26 (New International Version)

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.

•

the

same

way

the

Spirit

•

helps

our

δὲ₂

Ὡσαύτως₁

←

τὸ₄

πνεῦμα₅

καὶ₃

συναντιλαμβάνεται₆

←

►7

ἡμῶν₉

weakness

•

not

know

what

ought

τῇ₇ ἀσθενείᾳ₈

γὰρ₁₁

→

►17

οὐκ₁₆

οἴδαμεν₁₇

τί₁₂

→

καθὸ₁₄ δεῖ₁₅

→

pray

for

but

the

Spirit

himself

intercedes

for

τὸ₁₀ προσευξώμεθα₁₃

←

ἀλλὰ₁₈

τὸ₂₀

πνεῦμα₂₁

αὐτὸ₁₉

ὑπερεντυγχάνει₂₂

•

through		wordless		groans	.
►23		ἀλαλήτοις₂₄		στεναγμοῖς₂₃

The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Ro 8:26.

Romans 8:26 presents a fundamental tension between grammatical accuracy and theological clarity in the KJV’s rendering of “the Spirit itself.”

The Grammatical Foundation

The Greek noun for Spirit (pneuma) is neuter, yet when a pronoun replaces it, the pronoun becomes masculine.[1] The KJV’s use of “the Spirit itself” reflects the neuter pronoun auto agreeing with the neuter noun pneuma, making the translation formally correct grammatically.[1] From a strict linguistic standpoint, the translators followed Greek grammar precisely—the pronoun matches its noun’s gender.

Why This Creates a Problem

As a translation, however, this rendering fails to convey the personality of the Holy Spirit.[1] The word “spirit” suggests absence of personhood in English, since the gender of “spirit” is neuter, making “it” the appropriate pronoun—yet Scripture provides abundant evidence that the Holy Spirit is indeed a Person.[2] The KJV’s inconsistency compounds this problem: it uses masculine pronouns in some passages (John 14-16) and neuter pronouns in others (Romans 8:16, 26), referring to the same Spirit.[3]

The Theological Correction

While “the Spirit itself” is technically correct because of the neuter gender of both noun and pronoun, it is better to follow the theologically correct reading “the Spirit himself” (as in the NIV, NASB, and NKJV).[2] This rendering is poor English, though good Greek; contemporary translations correctly translate as “the Spirit himself,” since the Greeks understood the nouns to which pronouns referred and were not confused by grammatical gender.[3]

Paul clearly thought of the Holy Spirit as fully personal—“a ‘he’ and not an ‘it’.”[4] The KJV’s choice, while grammatically defensible, obscures this essential theological truth about the Spirit’s personhood.

[1] Rolland McCune, A Systematic Theology of Biblical Christianity: The Doctrines of Man, Sin, Christ, and the Holy Spirit (Allen Park, MI: Detroit Baptist Theological Seminary, 2009), 248–249.
[2] Anthony D. Palma, The Holy Spirit: A Pentecostal Perspective (Springfield, MO: Logion Press; Gospel Publishing House, 2001), 20.
[3] P. C. Nelson, Bible Doctrines: Discover Profound Truths for Everyday Living (Springfield, MO: Gospel Publishing House, 2009), 68–69.
[4] Anthony C. Thiselton, The Hermeneutics of Doctrine (Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2007), 427.

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The Purpose in writing this blog

The authors are full-time ordained ministers and preachers in the Bible Presbyterian Church in Singapore. The goal of this blog is to encourage all Bible Presbyterian pastors, elders, and leaders, as well as the flocks they serve, to turn to the Shepherd, our Lord Jesus Christ. To unite under the leadership of the Holy Spirit and the Bible. Accepting our minor differences while focusing on the cross. Being described as one family under God the Father. We are called to be together in our diversity. Pride is the fault of all Bible Presbyterian Churches worldwide. Lust has blinded theologians at Far Eastern Bible College. It is at this heavy, serious, and gloomy moment in our Christian walk, rebuking these pastors and theologians, the remarks in this blog are heavy and severe in order to prompt them to repentance. May God help and bless us.

The Apostles' Creed

I believe in God the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth; And in Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son, our Lord; Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary; Suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, dead and buried: He descended into hell; The third day he rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead; I believe in the Holy Ghost; I believe in the holy catholic church: the communion of saints; The forgiveness of sins; The resurrection of the body; And the life everlasting. Amen.

Nicene Creed

We believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, begotten from the Father before all ages, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made; of the same essence as the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven; he became incarnate by the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary, and was made human. He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate; he suffered and was buried. The third day he rose again, according to the Scriptures. He ascended to heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again with glory to judge the living and the dead. His kingdom will never end. And we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life. He proceeds from the Father and the Son, and with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified. He spoke through the prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic church. We affirm one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look forward to the resurrection of the dead, and to life in the world to come. Amen.

LUTHER'S MORNING PRAYER

Errors in King James Version

Read Romans 8:26...the KJV has "the Spirit itself..." This is an error; the Holy Spirit is our God, and we must address Him correctly! How may "itself" be used to approach God, the Holy Spirit? "It" is used to address an item or an animal, not a person or God! The KJV translators had insulted the Holy Spirit! However, in another verse, the KJV translators used the term "him" to designate Satan. What an insult to KJV readers! Read Luke 11:18: "...if Satan also be divided against himself..." The KJV uses the phrase "himself..." when addressing Satan! The KJV translator used "it" for the Holy Spirit, but "him" for Satan!!! Mark 3:28 "Truly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the children of man, and whatever blasphemies they utter, Mark 3:29 but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin"

One Another

Unity In Diversity for Bible Presbyterian Churches in Singapore Like a peal of bells the word allelon-'one another'-rings through the pages of the New Testament. 'Accept one another' allelon 'Serve one another' allelon 'Wash one another's feet' 'Confess your sins one to another' 'Pray one for another' 'Forbearing one another and forgiving each other' 'Teaching and admonishing one another' 'Comfort one another and build each other up' 'Bear one another's burdens' 'Love one another as I have loved you' Those who have the flow of mutuality in their relationship with each other need not be vocal or exuberant in expressing it.

John Calvin's consent

To new readers, I greet you in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, may God grant us good theologians, humble servants of the Lord, and faithful believers in these last days, may God use this blog to call some one for self searching and repentance, and here we are blogging in theological debates. In 1547, Jacques Gruet, he was arrested by Calvin, tortured for a month and beheaded on July 26, 1547.. The civil court condemned him to death and, with Calvin's consent, he was beheaded. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Calvin) John Calvin consented to kill a man for his theological stand, but I rather use strong words to achieve that!

Statement

1. The authors of this blog do not believe that the KJV Bible is the perfect Bible. The KJV has problems and inaccuracies because it is a man-made translation. 2. The inerrant Bible is in the autograph. All subsequent copies of Hebrew and Greek manuscripts have God's Written Word. We have God's written Word preserved in the NIV, KJV, and ESV. 3. There is no such notion as Verbal Plenary Preservation on a single TR Greek Text underlying the KJV, and the authors do not believe that the entire Greek text underlying the KJV Bible, or the TR, is error-free. 4. The authors believe that the Bible was inspired verbally and plenarily preserved in NIV, KJV, ESV, NESB….other faithful Bible versions. 5. The authors recommend NKJV, NIV, ESV, and NLT New Living Translation. 6. Our Lord Jesus Christ is the living Word.

Far Eastern Bible College (FEBC) Bible-Presbyterian Church (BPC)

Jul 28, 2026

Misinterpretation in KJV (VI)

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Misinterpretation in KJV (XVIII)