« | Psalm 137 | » |
1 There we sat down by the rivers of Babylon; also, we wept when we remembered Zion.
2 We hung our lyres on the willows in its midst.
3 For there our captors demanded a song from us; and our plunderers demanded gladness, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion.
4 How shall we sing Jehovah's song in a foreign land?
5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget.
6 If I do not remember you, let my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth; if I do not prefer Jerusalem above my chief joy.
7 Remember, O Jehovah, the sons of Edom in the day of Jerusalem; who said, Make it bare! Make it bare, even to the foundation of it!
8 O daughter of Babylon, O destroyed one! Blessed is he who will repay to you your reward which you rewarded to us.
9 Blessed is he who seizes and dashes your little ones against the stones.
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have meticulously preserved the structure and vocabulary of the KJV, only updating words and phrases that have become outdated or whose meanings have shifted over time.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.