Translation comparison

1 Maccabees 2:41 in 2 translations

2 distinct wordings, grouped by what each translation is trying to do. Differences from the King James text are marked below.

Read with nearby context Open chapter 2

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

At that time therefore they decreed, saying, Whosoever shall come to make battle with us on the sabbath day, we will fight against him; neither will we die all, as our brethren that were murdered im the secret places.

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

And they took counsel on that day, saying, whoever shall come against us to battle on the Sabbath day, let us fight against him, and we shall in no wise all die, as our kindred died in the secret places.

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.

And they took counsel on that day, saying, whoever shall come against us to battle on the sabbath day, let us fight against him; and we shall in no wise all, die, as our kindred died in the secret places.

Word-for-word swaps

therefore→And
decreed→took
Whosoever→whoever
will→let
will→and
die→shall

The verses either side

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

40And one of them said to another, If we all do as our brethren have done, and fight not for our lives and laws against the heathen, they will now quickly root us out of the earth.

41At that time therefore they decreed, saying, Whosoever shall come to make battle with us on the sabbath day, we will fight against him; neither will we die all, as our brethren that were murdered im the secret places.

42Then came there unto him a company of Assideans who were mighty men of Israel, even all such as were voluntarily devoted unto the law.

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.