The other day I saw on the back of a pickup "Believe on the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved."
At the time I wondered what is a "thou" and what is it saved for or from. Maybe someone with a large vocabulary can help here.
Ringman,
Great question! There's a lot of others who also need to know the answer.
It sounds like you are quoting Acts 16:31. To put it in context, there was a jailor who was a moment from going into eternity. He asked Jesus' disciples,
"Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? 31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house."
This man already knew that he was condemned by the Almighty God who shook the foundation of the prison. As you see in Japanese movies of Samaris who fail their mission, the Roman guard was going to kill himself for letting the prisoners escape. The main point is that he knew that these men had the answer and he didn't. There's a brief, but thorough explanation in the video that is posted below. If you have further questions please feel free to contact me by PM or here.
Side note:. It was already explained more than likely by someone else in this long page. But the word "Thou" in Elizabethan English means "You."
Our modern english no longer distinguishes plural"you" from singular"you." KJV Bible is usually clearer in regards to this. "Thou" is You directed to one person and "thy house." "Thy" is "your". This "T" word is also singular.
You is a plural form. Addressing more than one person or body
"And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house."
Addressing the jailor and his own household if they will likewise believe on Christ as opposed to their personal good deeds. Watch this a time or three until it makes sense. Use a KJ Bible and follow along.
I guesseth not many readeth Shakespeare anym're.............
"Mine eyes are made the fool o’ the other senses"
Founder Ancient Order of the 1895 Winchester
"Come, shall we go and kill us venison? And yet it irks me the poor dappled fools, Being native burghers of this desert city, Should in their own confines with forked heads Have their round haunches gored."
"Well if English was good enough for Jesus Christ, it’s good enough for the school children of Texas!"
Gov. Miriam "Ma" Ferguson
Last edited by kaywoodie; 01/11/21.
Founder Ancient Order of the 1895 Winchester
"Come, shall we go and kill us venison? And yet it irks me the poor dappled fools, Being native burghers of this desert city, Should in their own confines with forked heads Have their round haunches gored."
I had a 2-year dalliance with the Society of Friends AKA the Quakers back after college. They were big on thee and thou and that sort of nomenclature. They used it as a term of endearment.
The Quakers I hung with used it as sort of an inside joke. You used it in conversation with your family, close friends, and other members of the church. The old-timers might use it out in the open, but the younger folk kept it just among the other Quakers.
A Quaker mother might say "Thou must be quiet," to her child," when the normal mom might say "Be quiet!" or "STFU." It connoted intimate, motherly love and all that goes with it, without actually bringing out the strap. The message got through just fine.
There was a lot more subtlety to it than folks realized. I was happy for being among the Quakers and learning to use it. If you and a friend met a 3rd person and you wanted to introduce them, "Thou must meet my good friend, Fred." -- would indicate Fred was a brother.
I still use it around the house. KYHillChick will call me up and ask ,"What do you want for Dinner?"
I will respond, "What is thy will?"
Translated, "You know that whatever I want to bring home you won't eat, so why don't you tell me what it is I want, and we can get on with things?"
I had a 2-year dalliance with the Society of Friends AKA the Quakers back after college. They were big on thee and thou and that sort of nomenclature. They used it as a term of endearment.
The Quakers I hung with used it as sort of an inside joke. You used it in conversation with your family, close friends, and other members of the church. The old-timers might use it out in the open, but the younger folk kept it just among the other Quakers.
A Quaker mother might say "Thou must be quiet," to her child," when the normal mom might say "Be quiet!" or "STFU." It connoted intimate, motherly love and all that goes with it, without actually bringing out the strap. The message got through just fine.
There was a lot more subtlety to it than folks realized. I was happy for being among the Quakers and learning to use it. If you and a friend met a 3rd person and you wanted to introduce them, "Thou must meet my good friend, Fred." -- would indicate Fred was a brother.
I still use it around the house. KYHillChick will call me up and ask ,"What do you want for Dinner?"
I will respond, "What is thy will?"
Translated, "You know that whatever I want to bring home you won't eat, so why don't you tell me what it is I want, and we can get on with things?"
As I said, it's got a lot of subtlety
Yeah......folks don’t get it when you say the Quakers have a group for atheists........they don’t judge........