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{% block title %}About KJV Study{% endblock %}
{% block description %}A comprehensive, open source resource for serious study of the King James Bible with verse-by-verse commentary, original language analysis, and encyclopedic cross-references{% endblock %}

{% block content %}
<article>
    <h1>About KJV Study</h1>
    <p class="subtitle">A comprehensive resource for serious study of the Holy Scriptures</p>

    <nav class="toc" aria-label="Table of contents">
        <strong>Contents</strong>
        <ul role="list">
            <li><a href="#what-we-provide">What We Provide</a></li>
            <li><a href="#theological-convictions">Theological Convictions</a></li>
            <li><a href="#open-source">Free & Open Source</a></li>
            <li><a href="#data-sources">Data & Sources</a></li>
            <li><a href="#privacy">Privacy</a></li>
            <li><a href="#explore">Explore Further</a></li>
        </ul>
    </nav>

    <section>
        <p><span class="newthought">KJV Study was created</span> by <a href="https://kennethreitz.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener" class="no-arrow">Kenneth Reitz</a>, a software developer known for his work in open source software. What began as a personal study tool has grown into a comprehensive resource for serious study of the King James Bible, serving readers around the world.<label for="sn-purpose" class="margin-toggle sidenote-number"></label>
        <input type="checkbox" id="sn-purpose" class="margin-toggle"/>
        <span class="sidenote">The goal is not merely academic knowledge but transformative encounter with the living God through His written Word. "Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee" (Psalm 119:11).</span></p>
        <p>Built upon the 1769 Cambridge Edition of the King James Version—the translation that has shaped English-speaking Christianity for over four centuries—this site provides deep, scholarly, and theologically faithful resources for both the beginning reader and the seasoned student of God's Word. We believe serious Bible study should be accessible to all believers, not locked behind paywalls or reserved for those with access to theological libraries. Every commentary, cross-reference, and language tool here is freely available, reflecting our conviction that God's Word belongs to God's people.</p>

        <h2 id="what-we-provide">What We Provide</h2>
        <ul>
            <li><strong><a href="/books">31,102 verses</a></strong> of the complete King James Bible, from Genesis to Revelation</li>
            <li><strong>Verse-by-verse commentary</strong> engaging the original Hebrew and Greek, historical context, and theological significance</li>
            <li><strong><a href="/red-letter">Red Letter Edition</a></strong> highlighting the words of Jesus Christ across the Gospels</li>
            <li><strong>120,858 cross-references</strong> from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, revealing the intricate unity of Scripture</li>
            <li><strong><a href="/strongs">14,298 Strong's Concordance entries</a></strong> for Hebrew (<em>ʿIḇrîṯ</em>) and Greek (<em>Koinē</em>) word studies</li>
            <li><strong><a href="/interlinear">Interlinear data</a></strong> providing word-by-word analysis with transliterations, morphology, and definitions</li>
            <li><strong><a href="/study-guides">Study guides</a>, <a href="/reading-plans">reading plans</a>, and <a href="/resources">thematic resources</a></strong> for structured engagement with Scripture</li>
        </ul>
    </section>

    <section>
        <h2 id="theological-convictions">Theological Convictions</h2>
        <p><span class="newthought">KJV Study stands firmly</span> within <strong>historic Christian orthodoxy</strong>, committed to the faith once delivered to the saints.<label for="sn-orthodoxy" class="margin-toggle sidenote-number"></label>
        <input type="checkbox" id="sn-orthodoxy" class="margin-toggle"/>
        <span class="sidenote">Jude exhorts believers to "earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints" (Jude 1:3). This faith is not evolving or developing but fixed and complete in the apostolic deposit.</span> Our commentary reflects careful engagement with the original languages, ancient Near Eastern context, and the theological heritage of the church across the centuries.</p>

        <h2>The Inerrancy & Sufficiency of Scripture</h2>
        <p><span class="newthought">We confess</span> that the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments are the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God—<em>theopneustos</em> (θεόπνευστος), "breathed out by God" (2 Timothy 3:16).<label for="sn-theopneustos" class="margin-toggle sidenote-number"></label>
        <input type="checkbox" id="sn-theopneustos" class="margin-toggle"/>
        <span class="sidenote">The compound θεόπνευστος joins θεός (God) and πνέω (to breathe). Scripture's origin is divine exhalation—God breathing out His words through human authors. This is not mere dictation but organic inspiration preserving both divine authority and human personality.</span> Scripture is not merely a human witness to divine truth; it <em>is</em> divine truth, wholly trustworthy in all it affirms. As the psalmist declared, "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path" (Psalm 119:105)—the Hebrew <em>dāḇār</em> (דָּבָר) signifying not mere information but God's active, living communication that accomplishes His purposes (Isaiah 55:11). We reject both rationalistic liberalism that denies supernatural revelation and mystical subjectivism that seeks guidance apart from the written Word. Scripture alone is sufficient for life and godliness.</p>

        <h2>The Triune God</h2>
        <p><span class="newthought">We worship</span> one God eternally existing in three persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—distinct in personhood yet one in essence, will, and glory.<label for="sn-trinity" class="margin-toggle sidenote-number"></label>
        <input type="checkbox" id="sn-trinity" class="margin-toggle"/>
        <span class="sidenote">The <em>Shema</em> declares "The LORD our God is one LORD" (Deuteronomy 6:4), using אֶחָד (<em>echad</em>)—a unity that can encompass plurality, as when "they two shall be one flesh" (Genesis 2:24).</span> Matthew 28:19 reveals that baptism is administered "in the name" (singular τὸ ὄνομα/<em>to onoma</em>—not "names") of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, expressing their essential unity while acknowledging their distinct persons. God is sovereign over all creation, providence, and redemption, working all things according to the counsel of His will (Ephesians 1:11). His purposes cannot be thwarted; His decrees stand forever.</p>

        <h2>Substitutionary Atonement</h2>
        <p><span class="newthought">We affirm</span> that Christ's death on the cross was a true substitutionary sacrifice, satisfying divine justice on behalf of sinners.<label for="sn-atonement" class="margin-toggle sidenote-number"></label>
        <input type="checkbox" id="sn-atonement" class="margin-toggle"/>
        <span class="sidenote">The Day of Atonement prefigured this reality: the scapegoat bearing Israel's sins into the wilderness (Leviticus 16) typified Christ who "bare our sins in his own body on the tree" (1 Peter 2:24).</span> Isaiah 53:5 proclaims: "He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities"—the Hebrew <em>mecholal</em> (מְחֹלָל) meaning pierced through, fatally wounded, while the preposition <em>min</em> (מִן) indicates substitution: His wounds came "because of" our sins. The chastisement of our peace was upon Him; by His stripes we are healed. This is penal substitution: Christ received the penalty we deserve so that we might receive the peace He deserves.</p>

        <h2>Salvation by Grace Alone</h2>
        <p><span class="newthought">We confess</span> that salvation is entirely of grace, through faith, in Christ alone (Ephesians 2:8-9).<label for="sn-grace" class="margin-toggle sidenote-number"></label>
        <input type="checkbox" id="sn-grace" class="margin-toggle"/>
        <span class="sidenote">The Greek χάρις (<em>charis</em>) signifies unmerited favor—God's gracious disposition toward those who deserve judgment. Faith itself is a gift (Philippians 1:29), ensuring that no flesh may glory in His presence.</span> No one can earn salvation through works; it is the gift of God. All have sinned and fall short of God's glory (Romans 3:23), standing justly condemned apart from Christ. Yet God justifies the ungodly through faith, imputing Christ's perfect righteousness to those who believe (Romans 4:5, 2 Corinthians 5:21). From first to last, salvation is the Lord's work.</p>

        <h2>The Eternal Deity of Christ</h2>
        <p><span class="newthought">With John's Gospel,</span> we confess: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1:1).<label for="sn-logos" class="margin-toggle sidenote-number"></label>
        <input type="checkbox" id="sn-logos" class="margin-toggle"/>
        <span class="sidenote">John's use of λόγος recalls both Hebrew <em>dāḇār</em> (the creative, powerful word of God) and Greek philosophical concepts of cosmic reason—yet transcends both in identifying this Word as a divine Person who "became flesh and dwelt among us" (John 1:14).</span> The Greek <em>Logos</em> (λόγος) identifies Christ as God's eternal self-expression—not a created being but the Creator Himself through whom all things were made. The imperfect tense <em>ēn</em> (ἦν, "was") indicates continuous existence: when time began, the Word already existed. He is fully God and fully man, the only mediator between God and humanity (1 Timothy 2:5), the promised Messiah in whom all God's covenant promises find their "Yes" and "Amen" (2 Corinthians 1:20).</p>

        <h2>Christocentric Interpretation</h2>
        <p><span class="newthought">All Scripture testifies</span> of Christ (John 5:39). From <em>bereshit</em> (בְּרֵאשִׁית, "In the beginning") to the final Amen of Revelation, the Bible reveals Jesus Christ as the center of redemptive history.<label for="sn-christo" class="margin-toggle sidenote-number"></label>
        <input type="checkbox" id="sn-christo" class="margin-toggle"/>
        <span class="sidenote">On the Emmaus road, Christ expounded "in all the scriptures the things concerning himself" (Luke 24:27). The law, prophets, and writings all point to Him—in type, prophecy, and promise.</span> We interpret every passage in light of its immediate literary and historical context, the whole counsel of God, and the redemptive arc that culminates in Christ's person and work. Our commentary engages the original Hebrew and Greek, ancient Near Eastern backgrounds, and the testimony of faithful interpreters throughout church history.</p>

        <p>We encourage every reader to be like the Bereans, examining the Scriptures daily to test all teaching (Acts 17:11). <em>Soli Deo Gloria</em>.</p>
    </section>

    <section>
        <h2 id="open-source">Free & Open Source</h2>
        <p>In an age of subscription services and paywalled content, KJV Study takes a different path. This entire project—every line of code, every word of commentary, every cross-reference—is freely available and always will be.</p>

        <p class="cta-box">
            <strong>Source Code & Data:</strong><br>
            <a href="https://github.com/kennethreitz/kjvstudy.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">github.com/kennethreitz/kjvstudy.org</a>
        </p>

        <p>The open source nature of this project means:</p>
        <ul>
            <li><strong>Perpetual access</strong> — Even if this website disappears, anyone can host their own copy</li>
            <li><strong>Transparency</strong> — Every aspect of the site can be examined, audited, and improved</li>
            <li><strong>Community ownership</strong> — Contributions from believers around the world strengthen the resource</li>
            <li><strong>No vendor lock-in</strong> — Your study tools aren't held hostage by a company's business decisions</li>
        </ul>
        <p>We believe knowledge of God's Word should flow freely, unimpeded by commercial interests. "Freely ye have received, freely give" (Matthew 10:8).</p>
    </section>

    <section>
        <h2 id="data-sources">Data & Sources</h2>
        <p><span class="newthought">KJV Study</span> stands on the shoulders of faithful scholars and translators across the centuries. We gratefully acknowledge:</p>

        <h2>The King James Bible</h2>
        <p>The 1769 Cambridge Edition, also known as the "Blayney Edition," represents the refined and standardized text of the Authorized Version first published in 1611.<label for="sn-kjv" class="margin-toggle sidenote-number"></label>
        <input type="checkbox" id="sn-kjv" class="margin-toggle"/>
        <span class="sidenote">Benjamin Blayney's revision corrected printing errors and standardized spelling. The 1611 text was produced by 47 scholars in six companies meeting at Westminster, Cambridge, and Oxford over seven years.</span> This translation, produced by 47 scholars working in six committees, drew upon the best Hebrew and Greek manuscripts available, the Latin Vulgate, and earlier English translations including Tyndale, Coverdale, and the Geneva Bible. Its enduring influence on English language and literature remains unparalleled.</p>

        <h2>Cross-References</h2>
        <p>Our cross-reference data derives from the <em>Treasury of Scripture Knowledge</em>, a monumental 19th-century work containing over 500,000 Scripture references.<label for="sn-tsk" class="margin-toggle sidenote-number"></label>
        <input type="checkbox" id="sn-tsk" class="margin-toggle"/>
        <span class="sidenote">The TSK was compiled over thirty years by R.A. Torrey and others, building upon earlier works like Thomas Scott's commentary and Canne's marginalia. It remains the most comprehensive cross-reference resource ever published.</span> This data, curated and refined by <a href="https://www.openbible.info/labs/cross-references/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">OpenBible.info</a>, reveals the remarkable interconnectedness of biblical texts—how prophecy finds fulfillment, how types foreshadow antitypes, and how themes weave through the entire canon.</p>

        <h2>Original Language Resources</h2>
        <p><strong>Strong's Exhaustive Concordance</strong> (1890), compiled by James Strong and over 100 colleagues, remains an indispensable tool for accessing the Hebrew (<em>ʿIḇrîṯ</em>) and Greek (<em>Koinē</em>) vocabulary underlying the English text.<label for="sn-strongs" class="margin-toggle sidenote-number"></label>
        <input type="checkbox" id="sn-strongs" class="margin-toggle"/>
        <span class="sidenote">Strong assigned a unique number to each Hebrew and Greek root word, enabling those without language training to trace English words to their originals. The system revolutionized Bible study accessibility.</span> Our interlinear data, providing word-by-word analysis with parsing and morphological information, enables readers without formal language training to engage meaningfully with the original texts.</p>

        <h2>Commentary</h2>
        <p>All verse commentary is original content written specifically for KJV Study with the assistance of artificial intelligence, drawing upon the work of commentators ancient and modern—from the Church Fathers through the Reformers to contemporary evangelical scholarship. Each entry is carefully reviewed and curated to illumine the text's meaning in its original context while drawing out its enduring theological significance and practical application.</p>
    </section>

    <section>
        <h2 id="privacy">Privacy</h2>
        <p>Your study of Scripture is between you and God. KJV Study collects no personal information, requires no account, and sets no tracking cookies. Minimal, privacy-respecting analytics help us understand how the site is used so we can improve it.</p>
        <p>We will never sell data, display advertisements, or monetize your attention. The Word of God is not for sale.</p>
    </section>

    <section>
        <h2 id="explore">Explore Further</h2>
        <ul>
            <li><a href="/about/stats">Site Statistics</a> — Comprehensive metrics on coverage and content</li>
            <li><a href="/about/commentary">Commentary Index</a> — Browse all verses with in-depth analysis</li>
            <li><a href="/about/cross-references">Cross-References Index</a> — Explore Scripture's interconnections</li>
            <li><a href="/about/accessibility">Accessibility</a> — Keyboard navigation, text-to-speech, and screen reader support</li>
            <li><a href="/api/docs" target="_blank">API Documentation</a> — For developers building on our data</li>
        </ul>
    </section>

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            <em>"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."</em><br>
            <span style="font-size: 0.9rem;">— John 1:1</span>
        </p>
    </section>
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