Matthew 26:56 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.
But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled.
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.
But all this is come to pass, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples left him, and fled.
1901 · Public domain · The American revision of the English Revised Version. Deliberately literal, and the base text behind several later translations.
But all this is come to pass that the scriptures of the prophets may be fulfilled. Then all the disciples left him and fled.
1890 · Public domain · John Nelson Darby's translation, made for close study rather than public reading. Often exposes grammatical detail other versions smooth over.
but all this hath come to pass, that the Writings of the prophets may be fulfilled;' then all the disciples, having left him, fled.
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.
But all this has happened, that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples left him, and fled.
2000s · Public domain · A modern-English update of the ASV. Reads close to contemporary speech while staying in the literal tradition. Includes the Apocrypha.
The whole of this occurred in fulfillment of the Prophetic scriptures. Then the disciples all forsook him and fled.
in progress · Public domain (CC0) · A modern open-licensed translation, still being completed. Some Old Testament books are not yet available.
The whole of this occurred in fulfilment of the Prophetic scriptures. Then the disciples all forsook him and fled.
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.
But all this has taken place so that the writings of the prophets might come true. Then all his disciples went from him in flight.
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.
But all this has happened, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples left him, and fled.
Word-for-word swaps
- done→has
- forsook→left
The verses either side
King James text. A comparison is easier to judge when you can see the sentence the verse sits inside.