Acts 21:31 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.
And as they went about to kill him, tidings came unto the chief captain of the band, that all Jerusalem was in an uproar.
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 as they were seeking to kill him, tidings came up to the chief captain of the band, that all Jerusalem was in confusion.
1901 · Public domain · The American revision of the English Revised Version. Deliberately literal, and the base text behind several later translations.
And as they were seeking to kill him, a representation came to the chiliarch of the band that the whole of Jerusalem was in a tumult;
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 they seeking to kill him, a rumour came to the chief captain of the band that all Jerusalem hath been thrown into confusion,
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.
As they were trying to kill him, news came up to the commanding officer of the regiment that all Jerusalem was in an uproar.
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.
They were bent on killing him, when it was reported to the officer commanding the garrison, that all Jerusalem was in commotion.
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.
And while they were attempting to put him to death, news came to the chief captain of the band that all Jerusalem was out of control.
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.
as they were trying to kill him, news came up to the commanding officer of the regiment that all Jerusalem was in an uproar.
Word-for-word swaps
- about→were
- tidings→news
- unto→up
- captain→commanding
- band→regiment
The verses either side
King James text. A comparison is easier to judge when you can see the sentence the verse sits inside.