Mark 5:35 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.
While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue’s which said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further?
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.
While he yet spake, they come from the ruler of the synagogue`s [house] saying, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Teacher any further?
1901 · Public domain · The American revision of the English Revised Version. Deliberately literal, and the base text behind several later translations.
While he was yet speaking, they come from the ruler of the synagogue's [house], saying, Thy daughter has died, why troublest thou the teacher any further?
1890 · Public domain · John Nelson Darby's translation, made for close study rather than public reading. Often exposes grammatical detail other versions smooth over.
As he is yet speaking, there come from the chief of the synagogue's house, certain, saying--`Thy daughter did die, why still dost thou harass the Teacher?'
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.
While he was still speaking, people came from the synagogue ruler’s house saying, “Your daughter is dead. Why bother the Teacher any more?”
2000s · Public domain · A modern-English update of the ASV. Reads close to contemporary speech while staying in the literal tradition. Includes the Apocrypha.
Before he had finished speaking, some people from the house of the synagogue leader came and said, “Your daughter is dead! Why should you trouble the teacher further?”
in progress · Public domain (CC0) · A modern open-licensed translation, still being completed. Some Old Testament books are not yet available.
Before he had finished speaking, some people from the house of the synagogue leader came and said, ‘Your daughter is dead! Why should you trouble the teacher further?’
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.
And while he was still talking, they came from the ruler of the Synagogue's house, saying, Your daughter is dead: why are you still troubling the Master?
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.
While he was still speaking, people came from the synagogue ruler’s house saying, “Your daughter is dead: why bother the Teacher any more?”
Word-for-word swaps
- there→was
- Thy→synagogue
- thou→bother
- Master→Teacher
- further→more
The verses either side
King James text. A comparison is easier to judge when you can see the sentence the verse sits inside.