2 Peter 2:7 in 8 translations
8 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.
And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked:
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.
and delivered righteous Lot, sore distressed by the lascivious life of the wicked
1901 · Public domain · The American revision of the English Revised Version. Deliberately literal, and the base text behind several later translations.
and saved righteous Lot, distressed with the abandoned conversation of the godless,
1890 · Public domain · John Nelson Darby's translation, made for close study rather than public reading. Often exposes grammatical detail other versions smooth over.
and righteous Lot, worn down by the conduct in lasciviousness of the impious, He did rescue,
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.
and delivered righteous Lot, who was very distressed by the lustful life of the wicked
2000s · Public domain · A modern-English update of the ASV. Reads close to contemporary speech while staying in the literal tradition. Includes the Apocrypha.
but he rescued righteous Lot, whose heart was vexed by the wanton licentiousness of his neighbors;
in progress · Public domain (CC0) · A modern open-licensed translation, still being completed. Some Old Testament books are not yet available.
but he rescued righteous Lot, whose heart was vexed by the wanton licentiousness of his neighbours;
in progress · Public domain (CC0) · The Commonwealth spelling edition of the Open English Bible. Identical wording to the US edition apart from spelling.
Simplified English
Built from a deliberately small vocabulary so the sense stays reachable for new readers and non-native speakers. Trades nuance for clarity.
And kept safe Lot, the upright man, who was deeply troubled by the unclean life of the evil-doers
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.
And delivered righteous Lot, who was very distressed by the lustful life of the wicked:
Word-for-word swaps
- just→righteous
- with→who
- conversation→lustful
The verses either side
King James text. A comparison is easier to judge when you can see the sentence the verse sits inside.