Surely you have noticed while reading your King James Bible that there is not a single quotation mark in the entire text; not in the Old Testament, nor in the New Testament.
Why is this? And how do we know when a person is speaking?
No Quotation Marks Are in the Original Biblical Languages
The Old Testament was written in Hebrew (and small parts in Aramaic), while the New Testament was written in Greek. There are no quotation marks in these languages so the King James translators omitted them.
It is Not Always Determined Who is Speaking
There are times in the Bible where it is unclear if the narrator or the character is speaking. In these cases including quotation marks will be editorial guesses, and would not be a fair and honest translation.
For example, some believe that Elihu wrote the book of Job. In chapter 32 Elihu finally decides to enter the debate between his three friends and Job. Modern Bible translations like the New International Version (NIV) place quotation marks around Elihu’s words. But if no quotations are placed from verses 15 through 17 then they would be read as Elihu’s narration and not as his quote. The reader could then make up his own mind about Elihu’s authorship of the book of Job.
Job 32:15-17
15 They were amazed, they answered no more: they left off speaking.
16 When I had waited, (for they spake not, but stood still, and answered no more;)
17 I said, I will answer also my part, I also will shew mine opinion.
Another example is John chapter 3. The NIV and the RSV Bibles finalize Jesus’ words with quotation marks at the end of verse 15. However, in verses 16 through 21 it is unclear if Jesus is speaking, or if it is the writing of the Apostle John.
John 3:16-21 King James Version:
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
This is also a problem with red letter Bibles, as they must assume, at times, if Jesus is speaking or not.
How to Know When Someone is Being Quoted in the King James Bible
When a quote is given in the KJV the first word is capitalized. We determine when the quote begins and ends by context. Here is an example from the first time a quote is used in the KJV:
Gen 1:3-4
3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.
Right after the word “said” the L in “Let” is capitalized, so that is the beginning of the quote. By context we can easily tell that the colon (:) was the end of the quote, and the narrative continues with “and there was light.”
The Difference Between Direct Quotations and Descriptive Quotations
Bible authors did not always quote someone word for word. Rather, they often quoted the context of what was said by a person, or by a group of people.
A direct quote is word for word what the speaker said, and is placed inside quotation marks in our modern English. A descriptive quote is not a word for word account of what was said, and therefore should not be placed inside quotation marks.
For example, a direct quotation is: “I am a Christian missionary by profession,” he said.
While a descriptive quotation would be: He said, I work as a missionary.
Both statements are correct, but to put the descriptive quotation inside quotation marks would give the false impression of a direct quote, and would therefore be dishonest. Many modern Bible translations make this mistake.
Because Bible authors did not always give direct quotes, we have slightly different versions of the same quotes by the same people.
Here is an example from the Gospels of Matthew and Luke when Jesus gives us the Lord’s Prayer:
Matthew 6:9-13
9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
Luke 11:2-4
2 And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.
3 Give us day by day our daily bread.
4 And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.
As we can see, either one or both accounts of the Lord’s Prayer are not direct quotes, but they are both correct. If both were placed in quotation marks then they would be construed as direct quotes, and at least one of them would be wrong.
Another example of the KJV’s use of descriptive quotes is when a group of people say essentially, but not exactly, the same thing. This is evident in Acts 21:28 when the Jews in Asia accused the apostle Paul:
Crying out, Men of Israel, help: This is the man, that teacheth all men every where against the people, and the law, and this place: and further brought Greeks also into the temple, and hath polluted this holy place.
It is doubtful, but not impossible, that everyone in the crowd shouted these exact words. This is probably a descriptive quote.
Many believe that the Bible is flawed because the same quotes, by the same people, do not always exactly match. This is easily dismissed when one understands the difference between direct quotations and descriptive quotations. Both were used. Some authors included more information in their quotes than did others. All are correct. There is no error.
Summary
The King James Bible does not have quotation marks because there are none in the original languages.
Sometimes the Bible does not determine who is speaking, leaving that up to the reader.
In the KJV we know when a quote begins and ends by context, and the first letter of the quote is always capitalized.
Any quotation marks in the Bible would assume direct word for word quotations, when they could be descriptive quotations.