Pronouns
English lost a grammatical distinction the KJV still preserves: a separate form for singular and plural “you.” These forms follow a regular pattern once you know it.
Pronouns at a glance
Remember the rule: T is singular, Y is plural
Thou, thee, thy and thine address one person; ye, you, your and yours address more than one. This memory aid describes the KJV’s second-person forms, not every pronoun beginning with T or Y: they and them, for example, are third-person plural.
| Use | T forms — singular | Y forms — plural |
|---|---|---|
| Subject | Thou — the one addressed | Ye — the people addressed |
| Object | Thee — to or for one | You — to or for more than one |
| Possessive | Thy / thine — belonging to one | Your / yours — belonging to more than one |
A useful detail: Thy usually comes before a noun; thine can stand alone and also occurs before a vowel sound, as in “thine eyes.” Singular and plural here describe the person or people addressed, not the number of things owned.
Why the distinction matters
In Luke 22:31–32, Jesus first says Satan has desired to have “you”, referring to the disciples as a group. He then says to Simon Peter, “I have prayed for thee”, addressing Peter individually. The change from plural to singular helps the reader follow the passage.
When reading, ask: Is this addressed to one person or to several? These forms preserve a distinction that modern standard English “you” alone does not show.
All Pronouns Reflect a Point of View
Personal pronouns identify the speaker (first person), the person addressed (second person), or the person or thing spoken about (third person). In the KJV, second-person forms also distinguish singular from plural and subject, object and possessive uses.
Modern standard English usually uses you for both singular and plural, and for both subject and object. Recognising the KJV forms can help readers follow who is being addressed.
| First person | Second person | Third person |
|---|---|---|
| I / me / we / us | Thou / thee / ye / you | He / she / it / they / them |
| The speaker | The person or people addressed | The person or thing spoken about |
Pronouns Have Subject and Object Forms
A subject is who or what a clause is about; in an active sentence it often performs the action. An object can receive an action or follow a preposition.
- He is teaching him: he is the subject; him is the object.
- She is feeding her: she is the subject; her is the object.
In 1 Peter 1:15, you is the object of “called,” while ye is the subject in “be ye holy.”
In Genesis 3:15, thee follows “between,” thy shows possession, and thou is the subject of “shalt bruise.”
Singular Pronouns (T-Forms)
The singular second-person forms begin with T and address one individual.
- Thou — subject form. Illustrative example: “Thou hast a sword” means “You have a sword.” In Exodus 4:15, “thou shalt speak” addresses Moses.
- Thee — object form. Illustrative example: “The sword belongeth to thee” means “The sword belongs to you.” See also “who gave thee this authority?” in Matthew 21:23.
Plural Pronouns (Y-Forms)
The plural second-person forms begin with Y and address more than one individual.
- Ye — subject form. Illustrative example: “Ye have a kingdom.” In John 14:15, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” addresses the disciples.
- You — object form. Illustrative example: “The kingdom belongeth to you.” In John 14:16, you occurs in “give you another Comforter” and “abide with you for ever.”
Pronouns May Also Show Ownership (Possession) — My & Mine
My and mine express first-person singular possession. My normally comes before a noun; mine can stand alone and also appears before a vowel sound, as in “mine iniquity.” This resembles the sound-based pattern of a and an, but is not an absolute rule.
In Psalm 32:5, compare “my sin,” “mine iniquity” and “my transgressions.”
Pronouns May Also Show Ownership (Possession) — Thy & Thine
Thy and thine express second-person singular possession. Thy normally precedes a noun; thine can stand alone or precede a vowel sound. Both refer to one person addressed, regardless of how many things belong to that person.
In Psalm 21:13, compare “thine own strength” with “thy power.”
Pronouns May Also Show Ownership (Possession) — Your & Yours
Your and yours express second-person plural possession. Your comes before a noun; yours stands alone.
- Illustrative example: “It is your kingdom.”
- Illustrative example: “The kingdom is yours.”
Elizabethan Personal Pronoun Chart
Singular forms
| Point of view | Subject form | Object form | Possessive form |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st person | I | Me | My, mine |
| 2nd person | Thou | Thee | Thy, thine |
| 3rd person | He, she, it | Him, her, it | His; her, hers; its* |
Plural forms
| Point of view | Subject form | Object form | Possessive form |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st person | We | Us | Our, ours |
| 2nd person | Ye | You | Your, yours |
| 3rd person | They | Them | Their, theirs |
*Its is included as a modern comparison. The KJV often uses his or thereof where modern English uses its. The third-person plural forms are they / them / their / theirs.
Practical Application in Scripture
In Exodus 4:15, God addresses Moses individually with thou and thy, then uses you and ye when speaking of Moses and Aaron together. The switch from singular to plural helps readers follow the change in addressees.
Compare John 13:36–38 with John 14:1–2. Jesus moves from addressing Peter individually to addressing the disciples. In “Let not your heart be troubled,” your is plural even though heart is singular. The pronoun identifies a group of addressees; the singular noun alone does not prove that they have one collective heart.
Modern translations may communicate these distinctions through context, notes or wording such as “you both.” The KJV makes many of them visible in the pronoun forms themselves.
The Value of KJV Pronoun Distinctions
Recognising these forms supports careful reading:
- Greater precision in distinguishing one addressee from several.
- Clearer understanding of subject, object and possessive roles.
- Insight into relationships between speakers and those addressed.
- Recognition of transitions when a speaker moves from addressing one person to addressing a group.
These distinctions preserve useful grammatical information. Read them alongside the surrounding passage: pronoun forms help identify the addressees, but context is still needed to establish exactly who they are.
Go deeper
Continue with Verb Forms, explore the Glossary, or return to the full case.