Romans 10:16 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 they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?
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 they did not all hearken to the glad tidings. For Isaiah saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?
1901 · Public domain · The American revision of the English Revised Version. Deliberately literal, and the base text behind several later translations.
But they have not all obeyed the glad tidings. For Esaias says, Lord, who has believed our report?
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 they were not all obedient to the good tidings, for Isaiah saith, `Lord, who did give credence to our report?'
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 they didn’t all listen to the glad news. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?”
2000s · Public domain · A modern-English update of the ASV. Reads close to contemporary speech while staying in the literal tradition. Includes the Apocrypha.
Still, it may be said, everyone did not give heed to the good news. No, for Isaiah asks – ‘Lord, who has believed our teaching?’
in progress · Public domain (CC0) · A modern open-licensed translation, still being completed. Some Old Testament books are not yet available.
Still, it may be said, everyone did not give heed to the good news. No, for Isaiah asks – “Lord, who has believed our teaching?”
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 they have not all given ear to the good news. For Isaiah says, Lord, who has had faith in our word?
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 they didn’t all listen to the glad news. For Isaiah says, Lord, who has believed our report?
Word-for-word swaps
- not→didn’t
- obeyed→listen
- gospel→glad
- saith→Isaiah
- hath→has
The verses either side
King James text. A comparison is easier to judge when you can see the sentence the verse sits inside.