Translation differences

1) Two well-known passages

The woman caught in adultery and the longer ending of Mark. Both are in the later Byzantine manuscripts and not the earliest Greek ones; modern translations keep both, normally in brackets with a note.

John 7:53 – 8:11 —

The woman caught in adultery. Not in the earliest Greek manuscripts, and the later ones that carry it don't all put it in the same place; the story is ancient and widely regarded as authentic tradition, but its place in John is uncertain. KJV and NKJV print it without qualification; most others bracket it.

Mark 16:9 – 20 —

The “longer ending” of Mark. The two oldest complete manuscripts end at 16:8; later manuscripts, the majority, have these twelve verses. KJV and NKJV include them plainly; most others bracket them with a note.

2) Whole verses

Each of these is a complete verse in the Textus Receptus that the earliest manuscripts do not have. Modern translations either skip the verse number — leaving a visible gap — or move it to a footnote. In almost every case the same thought appears elsewhere in Scripture. The KJV reading:

• Matthew 12:47

  KJV

  Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee.

  A bystander tells Jesus his mother and brothers are outside. The scene continues without it in verse 48 either way — “Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?” — since it just restates what verse 46 already said.

• Matthew 17:21

  KJV

  Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.

  The same teaching is in the Mark 9:29 parallel.

• Matthew 18:11

  KJV

  For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.

  Uncontested in Luke 19:10.

• Matthew 23:14

  KJV

  Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.

  A woe about devouring widows’ houses; paralleled in Mark 12:40 and Luke 20:47.

• Mark 7:16

  KJV

  If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.

  A refrain that appears many times elsewhere in the Gospels.

• Mark 9:44 and 9:46

  KJV

  Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.

  Both repeat verse 48; modern texts keep only verse 48.

• Mark 11:26

  KJV

  But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.

  The same teaching is in Matthew 6:15.

• Mark 15:28

  KJV

  And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith, And he was numbered with the transgressors.

  Quotes Isaiah 53:12; Jesus applies that verse to himself in Luke 22:37.

• Luke 17:36

  KJV

  Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

  Verses 34–35 already have the pattern — two in one bed, two women grinding.

• Luke 23:17

  KJV

  (For of necessity he must release one unto them at the feast.)

  Pilate’s custom of releasing a prisoner at the feast; stated plainly in Matthew 27:15 and Mark 15:6.

• John 5:4

  KJV

  For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.

  The explanation that an angel stirred the pool of Bethesda, which is why the sick waited by it. Nothing in the healing that follows depends on it.

• Acts 8:37

  KJV

  And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

  The Ethiopian official’s confession of faith before baptism. Quoted by writers from the 2nd century on, though not in the earliest manuscripts of Acts.

• Acts 15:34

  KJV

  Notwithstanding it pleased Silas to abide there still.

  A note that Silas stayed on at Antioch.

• Acts 24:7

  KJV

  But the chief captain Lysias came upon us, and with great violence took him away out of our hands,

  An expansion about the commander Lysias intervening.

• Acts 28:29

  KJV

  And when he had said these words, the Jews departed, and had great reasoning among themselves.

  A note that the Jews left arguing among themselves.

• Romans 16:24

  KJV

  The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

  A grace-benediction repeating the one in verse 20.

3) Phrases

Not a whole verse but a clause or phrase that the Textus Receptus has and the earliest manuscripts don’t. Modern translations mostly drop these — to a footnote, or out of the text entirely — but a few (like the angel in Gethsemane, Luke 22:43–44) they keep in the main text with a note that the manuscripts are divided. Each card says which. KJV and ESV side by side:

• Matthew 6:13

  KJV

  And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

  ESV

  And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

  The closing doxology of the Lord’s Prayer — “For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory.” The ESV footnotes it; it echoes 1 Chronicles 29:11.

• Luke 4:4

  KJV

  And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.

  ESV

  And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone.’”

  “but by every word of God” — the full quotation of Deuteronomy 8:3, uncontested in the Matthew 4:4 parallel.

• Luke 4:8

  KJV

  And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

  ESV

  And Jesus answered him, “It is written, “‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.’”

  KJV adds “Get thee behind me, Satan”; the rebuke is uncontested in Matthew 4:10 and Matthew 16:23.

• Luke 9:55-56

  KJV

  But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them. And they went to another village.

  ESV

  But he turned and rebuked them. And they went on to another village.

  “Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.”

• Luke 22:43-44

  KJV

  And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

  ESV

  And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

  The angel strengthening Jesus and his sweat “like great drops of blood.” Both keep it, but the ESV footnotes it — “Some manuscripts omit verses 43 and 44” — and its print edition sets the verses in double brackets. The manuscript evidence is genuinely divided.

• Luke 23:34

  KJV

  Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

  ESV

  And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments.

  “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” Kept in the main text of most translations, usually with a note that some early manuscripts lack it.

• Luke 24:12

  KJV

  Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulchre; and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass.

  ESV

  But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home marveling at what had happened.

  Peter running to the empty tomb; kept in most modern texts, footnoted in a few.

• Acts 9:5-6

  KJV

  And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.

  ESV

  And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.”

  “It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks,” and the exchange that follows. The “goads” saying is uncontested in Acts 26:14.

• Romans 8:1

  KJV

  There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

  ESV

  There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

  KJV adds “who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” That exact clause appears in verse 4 without dispute.

• Colossians 1:14

  KJV

  In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

  ESV

  in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

  KJV: “redemption through his blood.” The phrase is uncontested in the parallel at Ephesians 1:7.

4) Single words and small details

The smallest manuscript differences. Sometimes the Textus Receptus has a word or short phrase the oldest copies lack; more often the two simply read a different word — “Isaiah” for “the prophets” in Mark 1:2, “tree of life” for “book of life” in Revelation 22:19. Modern translations follow the shorter or better-attested reading. KJV and ESV side by side:

• Matthew 27:35

  KJV

  And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots.

  ESV

  And when they had crucified him, they divided his garments among them by casting lots.

  KJV adds the quotation of Psalm 22:18 (“they parted my garments…”); the fulfilment is stated in John 19:24.

• Mark 1:2

  KJV

  As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.

  ESV

  As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, “Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way,

  KJV: “in the prophets.” Critical Text: “in Isaiah the prophet.” The quotation that follows blends Malachi 3:1 with Isaiah 40:3.

• Mark 9:29

  KJV

  And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.

  ESV

  And he said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.”

  KJV and NKJV: this kind comes out only “by prayer and fasting.” The Critical Text has “by prayer.”

• Luke 11:2-4

  KJV

  And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth. Give us day by day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.

  ESV

  And he said to them, “When you pray, say: “Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread, and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.”

  Luke’s form of the Lord’s Prayer is shorter than the KJV’s — the Critical Text is shorter still, distinct from Matthew’s fuller version.

• Romans 14:10

  KJV

  But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

  ESV

  Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God;

  KJV: “the judgment seat of Christ.” Critical Text: “of God.” “Judgment seat of Christ” is uncontested in 2 Corinthians 5:10.

• 1 Corinthians 15:47

  KJV

  The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.

  ESV

  The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven.

  KJV: “the second man is the Lord from heaven.” Critical Text: “the second man is from heaven.”

• Revelation 22:19

  KJV

  And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

  ESV

  and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.

  KJV: “book of life.” Critical Text: “tree of life.” Every Greek manuscript reads “tree” here; “book” entered when Erasmus reconstructed the end of Revelation from Latin.

• Revelation 1:11

  KJV

  Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.

  ESV

  saying, “Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.”

  KJV opens the verse with “I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last”; the Critical Text starts at “Write what you see.” The title is uncontested in verses 8 and 17.

5) Wording that touches doctrine

The same kind of manuscript difference — a changed word or letter, and in one case (1 John 5:7) a whole clause the earliest copies lack — but here it lands on wording some readers consider doctrinally significant, usually about the deity of Christ or the Trinity. In every case the doctrine is taught plainly elsewhere; what varies is whether this particular verse also states it.

• 1 John 5:7

  KJV

  For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.

  ESV

  For there are three that testify:

  The “Johannine Comma.” The words naming the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit as “one” appear in no Greek manuscript before the 1400s and in none of the ancient ones; they entered the printed Greek text through Erasmus’s third edition. KJV-tradition readers value the verse as a plain statement of the Trinity — which the rest of Scripture teaches regardless. The Critical Text (shown here, with verse 8) reads simply that the Spirit, the water, and the blood testify.

• 1 Timothy 3:16

  KJV

  And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

  ESV

  Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.

  KJV: “God was manifest in the flesh.” Critical Text: “He was manifested…” In the old uncial script the difference is one letter — ΘΣ, “God” abbreviated, versus ΟΣ, “who.” The KJV reading is a direct statement that God was incarnate; the shorter reading leaves “He” to be identified from context as Christ. The incarnation of God is affirmed in John 1:1–14, Colossians 2:9, and Titus 2:13 either way.

• John 1:18

  KJV

  No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

  ESV

  No one has ever seen God; God the only Son, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.

  NIV

  No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.

  KJV: “the only begotten Son.” Critical Text: “the only God” / “God the only Son” — one word different in Greek (υἱός vs. θεός), and if anything a stronger statement of Christ’s deity. Both are early readings; translators split on which the earliest manuscripts support.

• Luke 2:14

  KJV

  Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

  ESV

  “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

  KJV: “peace, good will toward men.” Critical Text: “peace among those with whom he is pleased.” The difference is a final letter that turns “good will” from a separate gift announced to everyone into a description of the people the peace comes to. Nothing about the gospel hangs on it, but the sense of the angels’ announcement shifts.

• Matthew 1:25

  KJV

  And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.

  ESV

  but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.

  KJV: Mary’s “firstborn son.” Critical Text: “a son.” Some read “firstborn” as implying other children later; others note it is a legal term for the child who opens the womb. “Firstborn” is uncontested in Luke 2:7 in any case.

6) Old Testament: the Hebrew text and its older witnesses

The Old Testament’s standard Hebrew text — the Masoretic Text, standardized around AD 1000 — is occasionally shorter, damaged, or simply different from the older evidence: the Greek Septuagint (roughly 200 BC) and the Dead Sea Scrolls (roughly 250 BC to AD 68). Unlike the New Testament sections, this isn’t about keeping or dropping a verse — it’s about which reading a translation follows when the two disagree. Each note says who follows what.

• Deuteronomy 32:8

  KJV

  When the most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel.

  ESV

  When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance, when he divided mankind, he fixed the borders of the peoples according to the number of the sons of God.

  Masoretic text: “the number of the children of Israel.” A Dead Sea Scrolls fragment and the Septuagint: “the sons of God.” The ESV follows the older reading; KJV, NKJV, and NIV keep the Masoretic.

• 1 Samuel 13:1

  KJV

  Saul reigned one year; and when he had reigned two years over Israel,

  ESV

  Saul lived for one year and then became king, and when he had reigned for two years over Israel,

  The Hebrew of Saul’s age is incomplete — literally “Saul was … years old.” KJV renders it woodenly; the ESV brackets a guess; the NIV fills in numbers from the Septuagint and Acts 13:21.

• Psalm 22:16

  KJV

  For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.

  ESV

  For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet—

  NET

  Yes, wild dogs surround me— a gang of evil men crowd around me; like a lion they pin my hands and feet.

  KJV, NKJV, ESV, and NIV read “they pierced my hands and my feet,” following the Septuagint and a Dead Sea Scrolls fragment. The Masoretic text reads “like a lion” — the reading the NET keeps in its main text.

• Psalm 8:5

  KJV

  For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.

  ESV

  Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor.

  KJV: “a little lower than the angels,” following the Septuagint — which is how Hebrews 2:7 quotes it. The Hebrew is “lower than elohim,” rendered “God” or “heavenly beings” by others.

• Zechariah 12:10

  KJV

  , and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.

  ESV

  “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn.

  “They shall look upon me whom they have pierced.” A few Hebrew manuscripts read “on him,” and translations split between “me” and “him.” Applied to Christ in John 19:37 and Revelation 1:7.

1) “Virgin” or “young woman”: Isaiah 7:14

Every Hebrew manuscript reads almah. The debate is whether almah means specifically “virgin” or more generally “a young woman of marriageable age” — and whether to translate Isaiah’s word in light of Matthew 1:23, which quotes it (through the Septuagint’s parthenos, “virgin”) and applies it to the birth of Christ.

• Isaiah 7:14

  KJV

  Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

  ESV

  Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

  NET

  For this reason the Lord himself will give you a confirming sign. Look, this young woman is about to conceive and will give birth to a son. You, young woman, will name him Immanuel.

  KJV, NKJV, ESV, and NIV read “the virgin.” The NET reads “this young woman,” with a note on the New Testament use. The RSV’s “young woman” in 1952 set off decades of this argument; most translations since have kept “virgin,” and the virgin birth is stated plainly in Matthew 1 and Luke 1 regardless.

2) Titles and time-words

Here translators agree on the words and differ on nuance.

• Isaiah 9:6

  KJV

  For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

  ESV

  For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

  The KJV’s commas — “Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God” — can be read as separate titles. Modern translations join the pairs: “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” The Hebrew has no punctuation; it is a translator’s judgment, and “Mighty God” is a title of the child either way.

• Micah 5:2

  KJV

  But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.

  ESV

  But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.

  NIV

  “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”

  KJV and NKJV: the ruler’s “goings forth have been … from everlasting” — eternal. The ESV (“from ancient days”) and NIV (“from ancient times”) read it as “long ago,” pointing to David’s line. The Hebrew phrase can carry either sense; the eternal Sonship of Christ is taught elsewhere either way.

3) Inclusive vs. traditional wording

The Greek and Hebrew here are undisputed. Translations differ on the English — whether adelphoi (“brothers”) addressing a mixed congregation stays “brothers,” and how narrowly or broadly to render Greek terms whose exact scope is debated.

• 1 Corinthians 1:10

  KJV

  Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

  ESV

  I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.

  NIV

  I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought.

  KJV “brethren,” ESV “brothers,” NIV and NET “brothers and sisters.” The Greek adelphoi is a masculine plural that in ordinary Greek usage addressed a group including women; the question is whether English “brothers” still communicates that to a modern reader.

• 1 Corinthians 6:9-10

  KJV

  Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

  ESV

  Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.

  NIV

  Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.

  NKJV

  Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.

  Two Greek words — malakoi and arsenokoitai — rendered very differently: KJV “effeminate … abusers of themselves with mankind,” NKJV “homosexuals, nor sodomites,” ESV “men who practice homosexuality,” NIV “men who have sex with men.” The debate is over how narrowly or broadly each term applies, not over the text.

• 1 Timothy 1:10

  KJV

  For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;

  ESV

  the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine,

  NIV

  for the sexually immoral, for those practicing homosexuality, for slave traders and liars and perjurers—and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine

  The same Greek word as in 1 Corinthians 6:9 (arsenokoitai), and the same rendering question: KJV “them that defile themselves with mankind,” ESV “men who practice homosexuality,” NIV “those practicing homosexuality.”

• Romans 3:28

  KJV

  Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

  ESV

  For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.

  NIV

  For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.

  Greek anthrōpos, a generic “person”: KJV “a man is justified by faith,” ESV “one is justified by faith,” NIV “a person is justified by faith.” No manuscript question here — only how to carry a generic masculine noun into English.