Amos 9:12 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.
That they may possess the remnant of Edom, and of all the heathen, which are called by my name, saith the LORD that doeth this.
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.
that they may possess the remnant of Edom, and all the nations that are called by my name, saith Jehovah that doeth this.
1901 · Public domain · The American revision of the English Revised Version. Deliberately literal, and the base text behind several later translations.
that they may possess the remnant of Edom, and all the nations upon whom my name is called, saith Jehovah who doeth this.
1890 · Public domain · John Nelson Darby's translation, made for close study rather than public reading. Often exposes grammatical detail other versions smooth over.
So that they possess the remnant of Edom, And all the nations on whom My name is called, An affirmation of Jehovah--doer of this.
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.
that they may possess the remnant of Edom, and all the nations who are called by my name,” says Yahweh who does this.
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 will possess again the rest of Edom, and all the nations which once you ruled for me, says the Lord, who will do this.
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.
So that the rest of Edom may be their heritage, and all the nations who have been named by my name, says the Lord, who is doing this.
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.
That they may possess the remnant of Edom, and all the nations who are called by my name, says Yahweh who does this.
Word-for-word swaps
- which→nations
- doeth→says
The verses either side
King James text. A comparison is easier to judge when you can see the sentence the verse sits inside.