Luke 21:4 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.
For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had.
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.
for all these did of their superfluity cast in unto the gifts; but she of her want did cast in all the living that she had.
1901 · Public domain · The American revision of the English Revised Version. Deliberately literal, and the base text behind several later translations.
for all these out of their abundance have cast into the gifts [of God]; but she out of her need has cast in all the living which she had.
1890 · Public domain · John Nelson Darby's translation, made for close study rather than public reading. Often exposes grammatical detail other versions smooth over.
for all these out of their superabundance did cast into the gifts to God, but this one out of her want, all the living that she had, did cast in.'
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.
for all these put in gifts for God from their abundance, but she, out of her poverty, put in all that she had to live on.”
2000s · Public domain · A modern-English update of the ASV. Reads close to contemporary speech while staying in the literal tradition. Includes the Apocrypha.
for everyone else here put in something from what he had to spare, while she, in her need, has put in all she had to live on.”
in progress · Public domain (CC0) · A modern open-licensed translation, still being completed. Some Old Testament books are not yet available.
for everyone else here put in something from what he had to spare, while she, in her need, has put in all she had to live on.’
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.
For they gave out of their wealth, having more than enough for themselves: but she, even out of her need, has put in all her living.
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.
For all these put in gifts for God: from their abundance, but she out of her poverty, put in all that she had. to live on.”
Word-for-word swaps
- cast→put
- of→gifts
- cast→poverty
The verses either side
King James text. A comparison is easier to judge when you can see the sentence the verse sits inside.