Study the wording

Translation guide

7 English editions are available in this library, including editions of selected additional books. Each represents a different balance of textual tradition, literalness and readability; comparing them can expose interpretive choices without treating any single English rendering as the original text.

KJV 1611 / 1769

King James Version

Formal, historic English

The classic English Bible, based primarily on the Masoretic Text and Textus Receptus.

Especially useful for Literary language, historic readings and comparison with later textual traditions.

Verses: 31,102
Rights: UK publication rights are administered by the Crown's patentee; public domain in most other jurisdictions.

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WEB 1997–2023

World English Bible

Modern, moderately literal

A modern public-domain revision of the American Standard Version. This library also includes its Deuterocanon/Apocrypha, with Greek Esther and Greek Daniel listed separately.

Especially useful for Readable modern comparison with KJV and older formal translations.

Verses: 38,026
Rights: Public domain; “World English Bible” is a trademark of eBible.org.

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ASV 1901

American Standard Version

Formal equivalence

A close revision of the Revised Version, noted for precise wording and its use of “Jehovah”.

Especially useful for Comparing KJV with an early critical-text English New Testament.

Verses: 31,102
Rights: Public domain.

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YLT 1898

Young's Literal Translation

Very literal

Robert Young's deliberately literal rendering preserves tense and repeated wording, sometimes at the expense of natural English.

Especially useful for Word-level study and noticing grammatical choices hidden by smoother translations.

Verses: 31,102
Rights: Public domain.

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BSB 2020 / 2025

Berean Standard Bible

Modern, balanced literal

A contemporary public-domain translation balancing close correspondence with readable English.

Especially useful for A modern contrast to KJV without relying on a proprietary translation API.

Verses: 31,086
Rights: Public domain; source text distributed by BSB Publishing, LLC.

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RHC 1913 / 1917

R. H. Charles

Historic scholarly English

English translations of 1 Enoch and Jubilees by R. H. Charles. Additional Ethiopian sources and a guide to the wider canon are available in the library.

Especially useful for Reading Enoch and Jubilees with an identified historic translation and source.

Verses: 2,368
Rights: Public-domain translations by R. H. Charles (1855–1931). Source and editorial details appear in each book's introduction.

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JBL 19th century / 1956 reprint

J. B. Lightfoot

Historic scholarly English

Fourteen early Christian writings from Lightfoot's Apostolic Fathers, including the Didache, Clement, Barnabas, Ignatius and Polycarp. These are a study collection, not a complete Bible or Ethiopian canon.

Especially useful for Studying early Christian worship, church life, interpretation and correspondence.

Verses: 1,188
Rights: Public-domain translation by J. B. Lightfoot (1828–1889), transcribed by CCEL. Chapter divisions and paragraph order are retained; prologues are presented separately.

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See John 3:16 in every translation