John 16:30 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.
Now are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee: by this we believe that thou camest forth from God.
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.
Now know we that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee: by this we believe that thou camest forth from God.
1901 · Public domain · The American revision of the English Revised Version. Deliberately literal, and the base text behind several later translations.
Now we know that thou knowest all things, and hast not need that any one should demand of thee. By this we believe that thou art come from God.
1890 · Public domain · John Nelson Darby's translation, made for close study rather than public reading. Often exposes grammatical detail other versions smooth over.
now we have known that thou hast known all things, and hast no need that any one do question thee; in this we believe that from God thou didst come forth.'
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.
Now we know that you know all things, and don’t need for anyone to question you. By this we believe that you came from God.”
2000s · Public domain · A modern-English update of the ASV. Reads close to contemporary speech while staying in the literal tradition. Includes the Apocrypha.
Now we are sure that you know everything, and need not wait for anyone to question you. This makes us believe that you did come from God.”
in progress · Public domain (CC0) · A modern open-licensed translation, still being completed. Some Old Testament books are not yet available.
Now we are sure that you know everything, and need not wait for anyone to question you. This makes us believe that you did come from God.’
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.
Now we are certain that you have knowledge of all things and have no need for anyone to put questions to you: through this we have faith that you came from God.
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.
Now we know that you know all things, and don’t need for anyone to question you. by this we believe that you came from God.
Word-for-word swaps
- sure→know
- knowest→you
- thee→don’t
- forth→you
The verses either side
King James text. A comparison is easier to judge when you can see the sentence the verse sits inside.