What Does Romans 3:15 Mean in the King James?
Their feet are swift to shed blood:
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The word translated “shed” also describes love being “shed abroad”: the Greek holds both acts as pouring out, while what is poured out changes everything.
THE MEANING
The verse names a human pattern in which the body is already moving toward violence: the feet hurry where blood will be spilled. Bloodshed appears as a path pursued with urgency, not a stray accident.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
It undoes the belief that violence is only a sudden loss of control: here, the feet are already swift on a path toward bloodshed.
THE ROOT
ἐκχέαι
ekcheai
GROWS FROM
χέω
cheō
To pour or pour out; with ἐκ-, to pour out.
The Greek word translated “shed” is built on χέω, “to pour.” The same root appears in Romans 5:5, where love is “shed abroad,” revealing a shared image of pouring out while the object and its direction differ sharply.
ALSO GROWS
ekcheō: Pour out; the verb behind “shed” here.
ἐκχέω
Bloodshed is pictured as blood being poured out.
ekkekytai: Has been poured out; translated “shed abroad” in Romans 5:5.
ἐκκέχυται
The same root describes love poured into hearts, opening a striking contrast with blood poured onto the ground.
ekchynnomenon: Being poured out; used of blood “shed” in Matthew 26:28.
ἐκχυννόμενον
It carries the same pouring image into another verse about blood.
THE PATTERN
When violence takes hold, movement turns into a hurried path toward bloodshed and destruction.
For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood.Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood: their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction are in their paths.For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy.THE THREAD
And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.The verb translated “shed” here shares the Greek root χέω, “pour,” with “shed abroad” in this verse. The same pouring language holds bloodshed beside love poured into the heart, making the difference between what is poured out unmistakable.
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