Romans 3:20 in 8 translations
7 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.
Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law the knowledge of sin.
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.
because by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified in his sight; for through the law [cometh] the knowledge of sin.
1901 · Public domain · The American revision of the English Revised Version. Deliberately literal, and the base text behind several later translations.
Wherefore by works of law no flesh shall be justified before him; for by law [is] knowledge of sin.
1890 · Public domain · John Nelson Darby's translation, made for close study rather than public reading. Often exposes grammatical detail other versions smooth over.
wherefore by works of law shall no flesh be declared righteous before Him, for through law is a knowledge of sin.
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.
Because by the works of the law, no flesh will be justified in his sight. For through the law comes the knowledge of sin.
2000s · Public domain · A modern-English update of the ASV. Reads close to contemporary speech while staying in the literal tradition. Includes the Apocrypha.
These 2 editions word this verse identically.
For no human being will be pronounced righteous before God as the result of obedience to Law; for it is Law that shows what sin is.
in progress · Public domain (CC0) · A modern open-licensed translation, still being completed. Some Old Testament books are not yet available.
Simplified English
Built from a deliberately small vocabulary so the sense stays reachable for new readers and non-native speakers. Trades nuance for clarity.
Because by the works of the law no man is able to have righteousness in his eyes, for through the law comes the knowledge of sin.
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.
Because by the works of the law no flesh will be justified in his sight: for through the law comes the knowledge of sin.
Word-for-word swaps
- Therefore→Because
- deeds→works
- by→through
The verses either side
King James text. A comparison is easier to judge when you can see the sentence the verse sits inside.