1 Corinthians 3:17 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.
If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which ye are.
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.
If any man destroyeth the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, and such are ye.
1901 · Public domain · The American revision of the English Revised Version. Deliberately literal, and the base text behind several later translations.
If any one corrupt the temple of God, *him* shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, and such are *ye*.
1890 · Public domain · John Nelson Darby's translation, made for close study rather than public reading. Often exposes grammatical detail other versions smooth over.
if any one the sanctuary of God doth waste, him shall God waste; for the sanctuary of God is holy, the which ye are.
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.
If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is holy, which you are.
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.
If any one destroys the Temple of God, God will destroy them; for the Temple of God is sacred, and so also are you.
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.
If anyone makes the house of God unclean, God will put an end to him; for the house of God is holy, and you are his house.
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.
If anyone destroys God’s temple God, will destroy; him; for God’s temple is holy, which you are.
Word-for-word swaps
- the→anyone
- God→will
- the→God’s
- ye→you
The verses either side
King James text. A comparison is easier to judge when you can see the sentence the verse sits inside.