1 Corinthians 1:18 in 8 translations
7 distinct wordings, grouped by what each translation is trying to do. Differences from the King James text are marked below.
Early modern English
Seventeenth-century wording and sentence shape. Familiar, rhythmic, and the version most quotations you have heard are taken from.
For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
1611 / 1769 · Public domain · The Authorised Version, revised to the 1769 Blayney text. Includes the Apocrypha as printed in 1611.
Literal, word-for-word
Follows Hebrew and Greek word order and grammar closely, even where the English becomes stiff. Useful for seeing what the underlying sentence is doing.
For the word of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us who are saved it is the power of God.
1901 · Public domain · The American revision of the English Revised Version. Deliberately literal, and the base text behind several later translations.
For the word of the cross is to them that perish foolishness, but to us that are saved it is God's power.
1890 · Public domain · John Nelson Darby's translation, made for close study rather than public reading. Often exposes grammatical detail other versions smooth over.
for the word of the cross to those indeed perishing is foolishness, and to us--those being saved--it is the power of God,
1898 · Public domain · The most extreme word-for-word rendering here, keeping Hebrew and Greek tense and word order at the cost of natural English.
Modern English
Contemporary vocabulary and punctuation, aiming for the sentence a present-day reader would write while staying close to the source.
For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are dying, but to us who are saved it is the power of God.
2000s · Public domain · A modern-English update of the ASV. Reads close to contemporary speech while staying in the literal tradition. Includes the Apocrypha.
These 2 editions word this verse identically.
The message of the cross is indeed mere folly to those who are in the path to ruin, but to us who are in the path of salvation it is the power of God.
in progress · Public domain (CC0) · A modern open-licensed translation, still being completed. Some Old Testament books are not yet available.
Simplified English
Built from a deliberately small vocabulary so the sense stays reachable for new readers and non-native speakers. Trades nuance for clarity.
For the word of the cross seems foolish to those who are on the way to destruction; but to us who are on the way to salvation it is the power of God.
1949 · Public domain · Written with roughly a thousand basic English words plus a small Bible vocabulary. The plainest reading available here.
What changes between the King James and modern wording
The modern rendering is printed below with every word that differs from the King James text marked, so the actual divergence is visible rather than left for you to spot.
For the word of the cross is foolishness; to those who are dying, but to us who are saved it is the power of God.
Word-for-word swaps
- preaching→word
- unto→to
- which→who
The verses either side
King James text. A comparison is easier to judge when you can see the sentence the verse sits inside.