« | Genesis 11 | » |
1 And the whole earth was of one language and of one speech.
2 And it happened, as they traveled from the east, they found a plain in the land of Shinar. And they lived there.
3 And they said to one another, Come, let us make brick and burn them thoroughly. And they had brick for stone, and they had asphalt for mortar.
4 And they said, Come, let us build us a city and a tower, and its top in the heavens. And let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered upon the face of the whole earth.
5 And Jehovah came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of Adam had built.
6 And Jehovah said, Behold! The people is one and they all have one language. And this they begin to do. And now nothing which they have imagined to do will be restrained from them.
7 Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, so that they cannot understand one another's speech.
8 So Jehovah scattered them abroad from that place upon the face of all the earth. And they quit building the city.
9 Therefore the name of it is called Babel; because Jehovah confused the language of all the earth there. And from there Jehovah scattered them abroad on the face of all the earth.
10 These are the generations of Shem. Shem was a hundred years old and fathered Arpachshad two years after the flood.
11 And after he fathered Arpachshad, Shem lived five hundred years. And he fathered sons and daughters.
12 And Arpachshad lived thirty-five years and fathered Salah.
13 And after he fathered Salah, Arpachshad lived four hundred and three years. And he fathered sons and daughters.
14 And Salah lived thirty years and fathered Eber.
15 And after he fathered Eber, Salah lived four hundred and three years. And he fathered sons and daughters.
16 And Eber lived thirty-four years and fathered Peleg.
17 And after he fathered Peleg, Eber lived four hundred and thirty years. And he fathered sons and daughters.
18 And Peleg lived thirty years and fathered Reu.
19 After he fathered Reu, Peleg lived two hundred and nine years. And he fathered sons and daughters.
20 And Reu lived thirty-two years and fathered Serug.
21 And after he fathered Serug, Reu lived two hundred and seven years. And he fathered sons and daughters.
22 And Serug lived thirty years and fathered Nahor.
23 And after he fathered Nahor, Serug lived two hundred years. And he fathered sons and daughters.
24 And Nahor lived twenty-nine years and fathered Terah.
25 And after he fathered Terah, Nahor lived a hundred and nineteen years. And he fathered sons and daughters.
26 And Terah lived seventy years and fathered Abram, Nahor and Haran.
27 Now these are the generations of Terah: Terah fathered Abram, Nahor and Haran. And Haran fathered Lot.
28 And Haran died before his father Terah in the land of his birth, in Ur of the Chaldeans.
29 And Abram and Nahor took wives for themselves. The name of Abram's wife was Sarai. And the name of Nahor's wife, Milcah, the daughter of Haran, the father of Milcah, and the father of Iscah.
30 But Sarai was barren. She had no child.
31 And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot, the son of Haran, his son's son, and Sarai his daughter-in-law, his son Abram's wife. And he went forth with them from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan. And they came to Haran and lived there.
32 And the days of Terah were two hundred and five years. And Terah died in Haran.
The Modern King James Version (MKJV)
The Modern King James Version (MKJV) is a contemporary English translation of the Bible that aims to preserve the majesty and accuracy of the original King James Version (KJV) while updating its language for modern readers. Developed by Jay P. Green Sr. and first published in 1990, the MKJV seeks to maintain the literary beauty and doctrinal reliability of the KJV, making only necessary adjustments to archaic terms and phrases to enhance readability. This careful balance allows the MKJV to retain the classic feel of the KJV while making it more accessible to today’s audience.
One of the standout features of the MKJV is its commitment to formal equivalence, or word-for-word translation. The translators have meticulously preserved the structure and vocabulary of the KJV, only updating words and phrases that have become outdated or whose meanings have shifted over time. This approach ensures that the MKJV remains faithful to the original texts and maintains the theological and literary integrity of the KJV. By preserving the cadence and phrasing of the original, the MKJV offers a reading experience that is both familiar and refreshed for modern readers.
The MKJV also pays special attention to the textual basis of the translation. Like the KJV, it relies on the Textus Receptus for the New Testament and the Masoretic Text for the Old Testament. This adherence to traditional source texts underscores the MKJV’s commitment to continuity with the historic Christian tradition. The translation is designed to serve both devotional and scholarly purposes, providing a text that is suitable for study, teaching, and public reading in a variety of settings.
Despite its strengths, the Modern King James Version has faced some criticism. Some scholars and readers argue that the translation could benefit from a more extensive revision to fully embrace contemporary language, suggesting that the MKJV’s adherence to the structure and style of the KJV may still pose challenges for modern readers. Others appreciate the balance it strikes but note that it occupies a niche space, appealing primarily to those who have a strong attachment to the KJV. Nonetheless, the MKJV remains a respected and valued translation for those seeking a modern update of the KJV that honors its rich heritage and timeless message.