Bible Verses
Translation comparison

1 Esdras 5:16 in 2 translations

2 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.

King James Version
KJV

The sons of Ananias, an hundred and one: the sons of Arom, thirty two: and the sons of Bassa, three hundred twenty and three: the sons of Azephurith, an hundred and two:

1611 / 1769 · Public domain · The Authorised Version, revised to the 1769 Blayney text. Includes the Apocrypha as printed in 1611.

Modern English

Contemporary vocabulary and punctuation, aiming for the sentence a present-day reader would write while staying close to the source.

World English Bible
WEB

the sons of Annis, a hundred and one: the sons of Arom: the sons of Bassai, three hundred twenty and three: the sons of Arsiphurith, a hundred and twelve:

2000s · Public domain · A modern-English update of the ASV. Reads close to contemporary speech while staying in the literal tradition. Includes the Apocrypha.

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.

The sons of Annis, a hundred and one: the sons of Arom, the sons of Bassai, three hundred twenty and three: the sons of Arsiphurith, a hundred and twelve:

Word-for-word swaps

  • anAnnis
  • BassaBassai
  • anArsiphurith
  • twotwelve

The verses either side

King James text. A comparison is easier to judge when you can see the sentence the verse sits inside.

15The sons of Aterezias, ninety and two: the sons of Ceilan and Azetas threescore and seven: the sons of Azuran, four hundred thirty and two:
16The sons of Ananias, an hundred and one: the sons of Arom, thirty two: and the sons of Bassa, three hundred twenty and three: the sons of Azephurith, an hundred and two:
17The sons of Meterus, three thousand and five: the sons of Bethlomon, an hundred twenty and three:

Not shown for this verse: American Standard Version, Darby Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Open English Bible (US), Open English Bible (Commonwealth), Bible in Basic English. Most modern translations do not include the Apocrypha.