Bible Verses
Translation comparison

2 Maccabees 1:33 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

So when this matter was known, it was told the king of Persia, that in the place, where the priests that were led away had hid the fire, there appeared water, and that Neemias had purified the sacrifices therewith.

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 when the matter became known, and it was told the king of the Persians, that, in the place where the priests that were led away had hid the fire, there appeared the water, wherewith also Nehemiah and those who were with him purified the sacrifice,

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 when the matter became known, and it was told the king of the Persians, that in the place, where the priests that were led away had hid the fire, there appeared the water, wherewith also Nehemiah and those who were with him purified the sacrifice,

Word-for-word swaps

  • SoAnd
  • thisthe
  • wasbecame
  • Persiathe
  • hadthose
  • therewithsacrifice

The verses either side

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

32When this was done, there was kindled a flame: but it was consumed by the light that shined from the altar.
33So when this matter was known, it was told the king of Persia, that in the place, where the priests that were led away had hid the fire, there appeared water, and that Neemias had purified the sacrifices therewith.
34Then the king, inclosing the place, made it holy, after he had tried the matter.

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.