2 Corinthians 3:10 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 even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.
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 verily that which hath been made glorious hath not been made glorious in this respect, by reason of the glory that surpasseth.
1901 · Public domain · The American revision of the English Revised Version. Deliberately literal, and the base text behind several later translations.
For also that [which was] glorified is not glorified in this respect, on account of the surpassing glory.
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 also even that which hath been glorious, hath not been glorious--in this respect, because of the superior glory;
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 most certainly that which has been made glorious has not been made glorious in this respect, by reason of the glory that surpasses.
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.
Indeed, that which then had glory has lost its glory, because of the glory which surpasses it.
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 glory of the first no longer seems to be glory, because of the greater glory of that which comes after.
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 most certainly that which has been made glorious has not been made glorious in this respect, by reason of the glory that surpasses.
Word-for-word swaps
- even→most
- was→has
- glory→has
- excelleth→surpasses
The verses either side
King James text. A comparison is easier to judge when you can see the sentence the verse sits inside.