Philippians 1:12 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 I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel;
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 I would have you know, brethren, that the things [which happened] unto me have fallen out rather unto the progress of the gospel;
1901 · Public domain · The American revision of the English Revised Version. Deliberately literal, and the base text behind several later translations.
But I would have you know, brethren, that the circumstances in which I am have turned out rather to the furtherance of the glad tidings,
1890 · Public domain · John Nelson Darby's translation, made for close study rather than public reading. Often exposes grammatical detail other versions smooth over.
And I wish you to know, brethren, that the things concerning me, rather to an advancement of the good news have come,
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 I desire to have you know, brothers, that the things which happened to me have turned out rather to the progress of the Good News;
2000s · Public domain · A modern-English update of the ASV. Reads close to contemporary speech while staying in the literal tradition. Includes the Apocrypha.
Friends, I want you to realize that what has happened to me has actually served to forward the good news.
in progress · Public domain (CC0) · A modern open-licensed translation, still being completed. Some Old Testament books are not yet available.
Friends, I want you to realise that what has happened to me has actually served to forward the good news.
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 it is my purpose to make clear to you, brothers, that the cause of the good news has been helped by my experiences;
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 I desire to have you know, brothers, that the things which happened to me have turned out rather to the progress of the Good News;
Word-for-word swaps
- But→Now
- brethren→desire
- unto→which
- fallen→turned
- unto→to
- furtherance→progress
The verses either side
King James text. A comparison is easier to judge when you can see the sentence the verse sits inside.