3 John 1:12 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.
Demetrius hath good report of all and of the truth itself: yea, and we bear record; and ye know that our record is true.
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.
Demetrius hath the witness of all [men], and of the truth itself: yea, we also bear witness: and thou knowest that our witness is true.
1901 · Public domain · The American revision of the English Revised Version. Deliberately literal, and the base text behind several later translations.
Demetrius has witness borne to him by all, and by the truth itself; and *we* also bear witness, and thou knowest that our witness is true.
1890 · Public domain · John Nelson Darby's translation, made for close study rather than public reading. Often exposes grammatical detail other versions smooth over.
to Demetrius testimony hath been given by all, and by the truth itself, and we also--we do testify, and ye have known that our testimony is true.
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.
Demetrius has the testimony of all, and of the truth itself; yes, we also testify, and you know that our testimony is true.
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.
Everyone has always had a good word for Demetrius, and the truth itself speaks for him. Yes, and we also add our good word, and you know that what we say is true.
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.
Demetrius has the approval of all men and of what is true: and we give the same witness, and you are certain that our witness is true.
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.
Demetrius has the testimony of all and of the truth itself: yes, we also testify, and you know that our testimony is true.
Word-for-word swaps
- report→has
- and→yes
- record→also
- ye→you
- record→testimony
The verses either side
King James text. A comparison is easier to judge when you can see the sentence the verse sits inside.