1 Corinthians 14:12 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.
Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church.
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.
So also ye, since ye are zealous of spiritual [gifts], seek that ye may abound unto the edifying of the church.
1901 · Public domain · The American revision of the English Revised Version. Deliberately literal, and the base text behind several later translations.
Thus *ye* also, since ye are desirous of spirits, seek that ye may abound for the edification of the assembly.
1890 · Public domain · John Nelson Darby's translation, made for close study rather than public reading. Often exposes grammatical detail other versions smooth over.
so also ye, since ye are earnestly desirous of spiritual gifts, for the building up of the assembly seek that ye may abound;
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.
So also you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, seek that you may abound to the building up of the assembly.
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.
And so with you; since your are striving for spiritual gifts, be eager to excel in such as will build up the faith of the church.
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.
So if you are desiring the things which the Spirit gives, let your minds be turned first to the things which are for the good of the church.
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.
so also you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, seek that you may abound to the building up of the assembly.
Word-for-word swaps
- ye→also
- of→for
- ye→you
- excel→abound
- edifying→building
- church→assembly
The verses either side
King James text. A comparison is easier to judge when you can see the sentence the verse sits inside.