Of
Why a Preposition Matters
At first glance, a Bible encyclopedia article about the word "of" might seem unnecessary. Yet few words cause more quiet misunderstanding for modern readers of older Bible translations. In the King James Version (1611) and other early English translations, "of" carried meanings that have since become archaic. What once seemed perfectly clear to English readers now creates subtle but real confusion. Recognizing these older usages helps unlock the meaning of dozens of passages.
The issue arises because English has changed significantly since the early seventeenth century. In Anglo-Saxon, "of" primarily meant "from" or "away from," while possession was expressed through case endings on nouns. During the Norman period, "of" absorbed the French function of showing possession (like the French word "de"). By the time of the King James translators, both senses were in common use, but after 1600 the possessive meaning gradually dominated, and "from" replaced "of" in most of its older uses.
"Of" Meaning "From"
The most common source of confusion occurs when "of" in older translations means "from" rather than "belonging to." This is especially frequent after verbs of hearing. In modern English, "hear of" means "learn about," but in the KJV it often means "hear from" — receiving information directly from a source.
Consider John 15:15, where Jesus says, "All things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you." A modern reader might understand this as hearing about the Father, but Jesus means He has heard directly from the Father. The Revised Version and most modern translations correct this to "from." Similarly, Acts 10:22 says Cornelius was instructed "to hear words of thee," meaning "from you" — to hear Peter speak (Acts 10:22).
Another striking example is 2 Corinthians 5:1, where Paul writes of "a building of God," meaning a building from God — that is, provided by God, not merely belonging to God. Matthew 11:29 preserves the ambiguity: "Learn of me" means both "learn from me" (as the source) and contains overtones of learning about Christ's character.
"Of" Meaning "By" or "Through"
In other passages, "of" carries the force of "by" — indicating the agent of an action. Romans 3:21 in the KJV reads "the righteousness of God .... is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets." Here the possessive "of" is clear, but in other constructions "of" marks the agent rather than the possessor. Matthew 2:16 states that the wise men "were mocked of Herod" — meaning "by Herod." Luke 9:7 says Herod "was perplexed, because that it was said of some" — meaning "by some."
This usage rarely causes serious misunderstanding, but it does give passages an unfamiliar ring to modern ears and occasionally creates genuine ambiguity about whether a person is the agent or the subject of a statement.
"Of" in Partitive and Descriptive Uses
The KJV also uses "of" in ways that strike modern readers as redundant or unusual. Expressions like "the city of Jerusalem" or "the land of Canaan" use "of" in an appositional sense that remains familiar today. But constructions like "of a child" meaning "from childhood" (Mark 9:21) or "full of extortion" where "of" translates a Greek word meaning "out of" or "as a result of" (Matthew 23:25) require more careful attention.
Matthew 23:25 is particularly instructive. When Jesus says the Pharisees' cups are "full of extortion and excess," the meaning is not that the cup contains extortion but that its contents were obtained through extortion — a completely different accusation. Modern translations typically clarify this: "full of greed and self-indulgence" (ESV) captures the sense without the ambiguity.
Practical Importance for Bible Reading
Understanding these archaic uses of "of" is not mere linguistic trivia. It directly affects how readers understand Scripture's teaching. When Paul says believers should be "taught of God" (1 Thessalonians 4:9), the meaning is "taught by God" — a statement about divine instruction, not merely instruction concerning God. When Jesus is described as being "full of the Holy Ghost" and led "of the Spirit" (Luke 4:1), the second "of" means "by" — the Spirit was the agent guiding Jesus.
Modern Bible translations have largely resolved these ambiguities, but millions of readers still use the King James Version and other historic translations. For them, awareness of how "of" has changed meaning over four centuries can open up passages that might otherwise remain subtly unclear. The word itself is a reminder that faithful Bible reading sometimes requires understanding not only the original languages but also the history of the English language through which Scripture has been transmitted.
Biblical Context
The preposition 'of' appears throughout every English Bible translation, but its archaic usages are most significant in the King James Version and related translations. Key passages affected include John 15:15 ('heard of my Father'), Acts 10:22 ('hear words of thee'), 2 Corinthians 5:1 ('a building of God'), Matthew 23:25 ('full of extortion'), Matthew 11:29 ('learn of me'), and Mark 9:21 ('of a child'). Understanding these usages is relevant wherever the KJV renders Greek prepositions like ek ('from, out of'), apo ('from'), or hupo ('by').
Theological Significance
While 'of' is a grammatical rather than theological topic, the correct understanding of prepositions directly affects doctrinal comprehension. Whether believers are taught 'about' God or taught 'by' God (1 Thessalonians 4:9) has real theological implications. Whether Christ received things 'from' the Father or merely things 'about' the Father (John 15:15) shapes our understanding of the relationship between Father and Son. Accurate Bible reading requires attention to even the smallest words, reflecting the conviction that all Scripture is given for instruction (2 Timothy 3:16).
Historical Background
The evolution of the English word 'of' reflects broader changes in the English language from its Anglo-Saxon origins through the Norman Conquest and into the modern period. Old English relied on noun case endings to show possession, with 'of' serving primarily as a preposition meaning 'from' or 'away from.' The influence of Norman French led 'of' to absorb the possessive function of the French 'de.' By the sixteenth century both meanings coexisted, creating the conditions for ambiguity in the King James Version (1611). The English Revised Version of 1881 and the American Standard Version of 1901 addressed many of these ambiguities, and modern translations continue to clarify archaic uses of 'of' for contemporary readers.