2026-08-22T09:11:16Z

Nick: /* 1 Peter 1:11 */

= “It” and “Itself” in Reference to the Holy Spirit in the KJV =

'''“It” and “itself” in reference to the Holy Spirit''' is a linguistic and translation issue concerning several passages in the [[King James Bible]]. Critics of the KJV have sometimes objected that its use of the neuter pronouns ''it'' and ''itself'' in reference to the Holy Spirit is improper because the Holy Spirit is a divine Person.

The principal passages involved are [[John 1:32]], [[Romans 8:16]], [[Romans 8:26]], and [[1 Peter 1:11]]. The KJV reads:

* John 1:32 — “I saw the Spirit descending like a dove from heaven, and '''it''' abode upon him.”
* Romans 8:16 — “The Spirit '''itself''' beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.”
* Romans 8:26 — “But the Spirit '''itself''' maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.”
* 1 Peter 1:11 — “the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when '''it''' testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ…”

The objection, however, depends upon an assumption that the English pronoun ''it'' necessarily denotes an inanimate or impersonal object. Biblical and historical English usage does not support that assumption. A neuter pronoun can refer to a person, a child, a spiritual being, a collective body, or another personal entity when the grammatical construction or context does not require masculine or feminine personal reference. The underlying Greek grammar is also important, particularly in Romans 8.

== Romans 8:16 and the Greek grammar ==

[[Romans 8:16]] is especially significant because the Greek text itself uses a neuter pronoun:

<blockquote>
αὐτὸ τὸ πνεῦμα συμμαρτυρεῖ τῷ πνεύματι ἡμῶν ὅτι ἐσμὲν τέκνα θεοῦ
</blockquote>

The expression '''αὐτὸ τὸ πνεῦμα''' consists of the neuter pronoun ''αὐτό'' (''auto'', “itself”) followed by ''τὸ πνεῦμα'' (''to pneuma'', “the Spirit”).

The KJV therefore renders the Greek grammatical construction:

<blockquote>
“The Spirit '''itself''' beareth witness with our spirit…”
</blockquote>

The neuter form of ''αὐτό'' is grammatically appropriate because ''πνεῦμα'' is a neuter noun. The use of the neuter pronoun does not, by itself, make any statement concerning whether the Holy Spirit is personal or impersonal.

This distinction is important because the same verse attributes an active action to the Spirit: the Spirit '''bears witness''' with the believer's spirit. Likewise, the following verses describe the Spirit as interceding for believers.

Thus, grammatical gender and personal identity are not identical categories.

== Romans 8:26 ==

[[Romans 8:26]] similarly states:

<blockquote>
“But the Spirit '''itself''' maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.”
</blockquote>

Here again the reference is to ''τὸ πνεῦμα'' (“the Spirit”), a grammatically neuter noun. The KJV's “itself” therefore corresponds to the grammatical form of the Greek.

The context nevertheless attributes personal activity to the Spirit. The Spirit “maketh intercession” for believers. The neuter grammatical form therefore cannot reasonably be taken, by itself, as proof that Paul regarded the Holy Spirit as an impersonal force.

== John 1:32 ==

[[John 1:32]] reads:

<blockquote>
“And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending like a dove from heaven, and '''it''' abode upon him.”
</blockquote>

The pronoun ''it'' refers to “the Spirit.”

The KJV is not unique in this rendering. A number of English translations have likewise used ''it'' in John 1:32, including the [[Bishops' Bible]] (1568), [[Geneva Bible]] (1599), [[Beza's New Testament]] (1599), Wesley's New Testament (1755), the [[Revised Version]] (1885), [[American Standard Version]] (1901), Rotherham's translation, Young's Literal Translation, the [[Revised Standard Version]], the [[New Revised Standard Version]], the [[New English Translation|NET Bible]], and other translations.

Consequently, the KJV's rendering cannot be regarded as an isolated peculiarity of the KJV translators.

== 1 Peter 1:11 ==

The fourth principal passage is [[1 Peter 1:11]]:

<blockquote>
“Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when '''it''' testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.”
</blockquote>

Again, ''it'' refers grammatically to “the Spirit of Christ.”

A number of English translations have used the same construction, including the Revised Version, American Standard Version, Webster's translation, Alford's New Testament, the New Revised Standard Version, the New American Bible, the Douay-Rheims, and others.

The context again attributes an active function to the Spirit: the Spirit “testified beforehand” concerning the sufferings of Christ.

== The KJV uses “it” for known persons ==

The argument that ''it'' necessarily means an inanimate object is contradicted by the KJV's own usage.

=== Moses ===

In [[Exodus 2:6]], Pharaoh's daughter discovers the infant Moses:

<blockquote>
“And when she had opened '''it''', she saw the child: and, behold, the babe wept: and she had compassion on him…”
</blockquote>

She subsequently tells Moses' mother:

<blockquote>
“Take this child away, and nurse '''it''' for me…”
</blockquote>

The child's identity and sex are known. Moses is a male human being, yet the KJV uses ''it'' when referring to him as “the child.”

The following verse immediately demonstrates that this does not mean that Moses is considered an impersonal object:

<blockquote>
“And the woman took the child, and nursed '''it'''."
</blockquote>

The pronoun is therefore determined by the construction and manner of reference, not by a denial of Moses' personhood.

=== Obed ===

A similar example occurs in [[Ruth 4:16–17]]. Ruth and Boaz's son Obed is explicitly identified as a male child:

<blockquote>
“And Naomi took the child, and laid '''it''' in her bosom, and became nurse unto '''it'''.
</blockquote>

The following verse says:

<blockquote>
“There is a '''son''' born to Naomi; and they called his name Obed…”
</blockquote>

The same person is therefore referred to with both neuter and masculine language within the immediate context.

== “It” can refer to spiritual beings ==

The use of ''it'' is not restricted to children or objects.

In [[Luke 8:29]], the KJV states concerning an unclean spirit:

<blockquote>
“For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For oftentimes '''it''' had caught him…”
</blockquote>

The unclean spirit is presented in the context as an intelligent spiritual being. It speaks, responds, recognizes Jesus, and acts intentionally. Nevertheless, the KJV refers to it with ''it''.

The same phenomenon occurs in [[Matthew 12:45]] and [[Luke 11:26]], where an unclean spirit is described as returning with seven other spirits. English translations including the NASB, ESV, and NIV use ''it'' or ''itself'' in these contexts.

The examples demonstrate that the English neuter pronoun does not necessarily communicate absence of personality.

== “It” can refer to Christ ==

A particularly significant example occurs in [[Luke 24:39]], where the resurrected Christ says:

<blockquote>
“Behold my hands and my feet, that '''it is I myself''': handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.”
</blockquote>

The speaker is Jesus Christ himself, yet the construction uses the neuter pronoun ''it''.

The expression “it is I myself” therefore demonstrates that the presence of ''it'' in an English construction does not necessarily mean that the speaker or referent is an impersonal object.

== Revelation 12:4 ==

[[Revelation 12:4]] provides another example:

<blockquote>
“And the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as '''it''' was born.”
</blockquote>

The child ultimately represents Christ, yet the neuter pronoun ''it'' is used because the immediate grammatical referent is “the child.”

This illustrates the same distinction between grammatical reference and personal identity.

== “That which” referring to Christ ==

Neuter language is also found in the opening of [[1 John]]:

<blockquote>
“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life…”
</blockquote>

The subject is the [[Word of Life]], identified in the context with the historical Jesus Christ.

The expression “that which” is therefore not a denial of Christ's personhood. Rather, it is a grammatical construction used to describe the subject under a particular aspect.

The same principle appears in [[1 John 5:4]]:

<blockquote>
“For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world…”
</blockquote>

The Greek construction is neuter, although the persons who are “born of God” are obviously believers rather than inanimate objects.

== Luke 1:35 — “that holy thing” ==

One of the clearest examples occurs in [[Luke 1:35]]:

<blockquote>
“Therefore also '''that holy thing''' which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.”
</blockquote>

The Greek text contains the neuter expression:

<blockquote>
τὸ γεννώμενον ἐκ σοῦ ἅγιον
</blockquote>

Literally, the construction may be represented as “the thing being born from thee, holy.”

The referent, however, is Jesus Christ.

The neuter grammatical form therefore does not imply that Christ is an impersonal object. Rather, the verse describes what is conceived and born while immediately identifying the result as “the Son of God.”

Historic English translations retained this type of rendering. Wycliffe, Tyndale, the Great Bible, Bishops' Bible, Geneva Bible, Beza's New Testament, Wesley, Webster, Darby, the Revised Version, American Standard Version, Rotherham, and others use forms corresponding to “that holy thing” or “the holy thing.”

=== John Gill ===

[[John Gill]] understood “that holy thing” in relation to Christ's human nature. His discussion distinguishes Christ's human nature from the divine Person of the Son and argues that the human nature did not constitute a separate person.

=== Matthew Henry ===

[[Matthew Henry]] similarly emphasizes the holiness of Christ's human nature and the miraculous character of His conception by the Holy Ghost.

=== Adam Clarke ===

[[Adam Clarke]] likewise distinguishes Christ's divine nature from His human nature and explains that it was the human nature which was born of the Virgin.

These commentators demonstrate that the grammatical expression “holy thing” was not understood as denying the personal identity of Jesus Christ.

== Isaiah 51:9–10 — “Art thou not it?” ==

The Old Testament provides an important parallel.

[[Isaiah 51:9]] says:

<blockquote>
“Art thou not '''it''' that hath cut Rahab, and wounded the dragon?”
</blockquote>

Verse 10 continues:

<blockquote>
“Art thou not '''it''' which hath dried the sea, the waters of the great deep…”
</blockquote>

The context is addressing the LORD, the personal God of Israel.

Nevertheless, the KJV uses the neuter pronoun ''it''.

This is significant because it demonstrates from the KJV itself that ''it'' cannot be defined simply as a pronoun that denotes an impersonal object.

A number of other English translations have likewise retained the construction, including Young's Literal Translation, the American Standard Version, the Jewish Publication Society 1917 translation, the 21st Century KJV, the Third Millennium Bible, and others.

== Grammatical gender and personal identity ==

The fundamental linguistic distinction is between '''grammatical gender''' and '''personal identity'''.

In biblical Greek, nouns are assigned grammatical gender. The noun ''πνεῦμα'' (''pneuma'', “spirit”) is grammatically neuter. Consequently, pronouns and adjectives agreeing with it may also appear in the neuter form.

Grammatical gender does not necessarily describe the biological sex, personality, or ontological status of the referent.

This principle is illustrated throughout the Bible:

* Moses is referred to as “it” when described as “the child” ([[Exodus 2:6–9]]).
* Obed is referred to as “it” when described as “the child” ([[Ruth 4:16–17]]).
* An unclean spirit is referred to as “it” ([[Luke 8:29]]).
* Christ says “it is I myself” ([[Luke 24:39]]).
* Christ is described as “that holy thing” ([[Luke 1:35]]).
* The LORD is addressed with “it” in [[Isaiah 51:9–10]].
* The Holy Spirit is referred to with the neuter ''αὐτό'' in [[Romans 8:16]].

These examples make it impossible to establish a theological conclusion merely from the grammatical gender of the pronoun.

== Theological significance ==

The Christian doctrine of the personality of the Holy Spirit is established by the broader testimony of Scripture, not by the grammatical gender of English pronouns.

The New Testament attributes numerous personal actions to the Holy Spirit. The Spirit:

* bears witness ([[Romans 8:16]]);
* makes intercession ([[Romans 8:26]]);
* speaks ([[Acts 13:2]]);
* teaches ([[John 14:26]]);
* guides ([[John 16:13]]);
* can be grieved ([[Ephesians 4:30]]);
* distributes spiritual gifts according to His will ([[1 Corinthians 12:11]]).

Consequently, the use of “it” or “itself” in passages such as Romans 8:16 and Romans 8:26 cannot reasonably be isolated from the wider biblical description of the Spirit.

The grammatical form does not overturn the theological context.

== Evaluation of the criticism ==

The strongest form of the criticism is that because the Holy Spirit is a divine Person, the KJV should have used masculine personal pronouns rather than ''it'' or ''itself''.

There are several difficulties with this argument.

First, in Romans 8:16 the Greek itself contains the neuter pronoun '''αὐτό'''. The KJV is therefore not inventing a neuter reference.

Second, English biblical usage demonstrates that ''it'' and ''itself'' can refer to known persons and personal beings.

Third, the KJV itself employs this construction for Moses, Obed, Christ, spiritual beings, and the LORD.

Fourth, numerous English translations both before and after the KJV have used similar constructions.

Fifth, Scripture itself uses neuter expressions such as “that holy thing” and “that which” in reference to Jesus Christ.

The criticism therefore cannot rest simply upon the presence of the word ''it''. To establish that the KJV has committed a theological or translational error, it would first be necessary to demonstrate that the particular English construction is grammatically incapable of referring to a person. The biblical and historical evidence does not establish such a rule.

== Conclusion ==

The KJV's use of '''“it”''' and '''“itself”''' in reference to the Holy Spirit should not be understood as a denial of His personality or deity.

In Romans 8:16, the KJV's “The Spirit itself” reflects the neuter Greek construction '''αὐτὸ τὸ πνεῦμα'''. In Romans 8:26, the Spirit is again described using neuter grammatical forms while simultaneously being presented as the active agent who intercedes for believers.

The wider biblical evidence confirms that neuter pronouns and expressions can refer to persons and personal beings. Moses, Obed, Christ, spiritual beings, collective bodies, and even the LORD are at various points described with neuter language.

The appropriate distinction is therefore:

'''Grammatical neuter does not necessarily imply personal or theological impersonality.'''

The question of whether the Holy Spirit is a Person must be determined from the total biblical testimony concerning the Spirit's identity, attributes, actions, and relations—not from the grammatical gender of an English pronoun.

== See also ==

* [[Holy Spirit]]
* [[Personality of the Holy Spirit]]
* [[King James Bible]]
* [[King James Bible translation]]
* [[Greek grammatical gender]]
* [[Romans 8:16]]
* [[Romans 8:26]]
* [[John 1:32]]
* [[1 Peter 1:11]]
* [[Luke 1:35]]
* [[Luke 24:39]]
* [[Isaiah 51:9]]
* [[Neuter pronouns in the Bible]]

== Source ==

The principal source material for this article documents the use of “it” and “itself” in the KJV and numerous other English Bible translations, together with examples from biblical English usage.

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