« | Matthew 4 | » |
1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit up into the wilderness, to be tempted by the Devil.
2 And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He was afterwards hungry.
3 And when the tempter came to Him, he said, If You are the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.
4 But He answered and said, It is written, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God."
5 Then the Devil took Him up into the holy city and set Him upon a pinnacle of the Temple.
6 And he said to Him, If you are the Son of God, cast yourself down. For it is written, "He shall give His angels charge concerning You, and in their hands they shall bear You up, lest at any time You dash Your foot against a stone."
7 Jesus said to him, It is written again, "You shall not tempt the Lord your God."
8 Again, the Devil took Him up into a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.
9 And he said to Him, All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.
10 Then Jesus said to him, Go, Satan! For it is written, "You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve."
11 Then the Devil left him. And behold, angels came and ministered to Him.
12 But when Jesus heard that John was thrown into prison, He went back into Galilee.
13 And leaving Nazareth, He came and lived in Capernaum, which is on the seacoast, in the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali,
14 so that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying,
15 "The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, by way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the nations!
16 The people who sat in darkness saw a great Light; and Light has sprung up to those who sat in the region and shadow of death."
17 From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, Repent! For the kingdom of Heaven is at hand.
18 And walking by the Sea of Galilee, Jesus saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea. For they were fishermen.
19 And He said to them, Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.
20 And they immediately left their nets and followed him.
21 And going on from there, he saw another two brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. And He called them;
22 and they immediately left the boat and their father and followed Him.
23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people.
24 And His fame went throughout all Syria. And they brought to Him all those being badly ill suffering various diseases and torments, and those who had been possessed with demons, and those who had been moonstruck, and paralytics. And He healed them.
25 And great multitudes of people followed Him, from Galilee and Decapolis and Jerusalem and Judea and beyond Jordan.
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.