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KJV vs BSB: how the King James and the Berean Standard Bible really differ

Updated · By the Versiah team

The King James Version (1611) is a word-for-word translation in early modern English, based on the Greek Textus Receptus and loved for its beauty and heritage. The Berean Standard Bible is a modern English translation that draws on a wider range of ancient manuscripts, reads more easily, and was released into the public domain on April 30, 2023. Both are faithful; most differences come from four centuries of change in English and a handful of verses where the manuscripts differ.

The short answer

Choose the KJV if you love its language, want to memorise in the words your church or family has used for generations, or prefer the Textus Receptus. Choose the BSB if you want modern English that still stays close to the original wording. Reading them side by side is better than either alone, and every verse on this page shows both.

At a glance

King James VersionBerean Standard Bible
First published1611 (standard text revised in 1769)New Testament 2016; full Bible later; renamed around 2022
Made byAround fifty scholars in six companies, commissioned by King James IThe Bible Hub and Discovery Bible teams under an advisory committee of scholars
Old Testament sourceHebrew Masoretic TextHebrew Masoretic Text, with other ancient witnesses noted
New Testament sourceTextus Receptus (Greek editions of the 1500s and early 1600s)A broad base of Greek manuscripts, with significant variants footnoted
ApproachWord for wordClose to the original, with natural modern English
LanguageEarly modern English: thee, thou, hathContemporary English
Pronouns for GodLower case (he, him)Capitalised (He, Him)
CopyrightPublic domain in most countries (Crown rights in the UK)Public domain since April 30, 2023
Best forHeritage, memorisation, reading aloud, literary beautyEveryday reading and study in plain English

Where they agree (which is almost everywhere)

It is easy to focus on differences, so start here: on the great majority of verses, the KJV and BSB say the same thing in different English. The BSB often keeps familiar King James phrasing where it still reads naturally, because both try to follow the original words closely.

A Psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
Psalm 23:1 (BSB)

Nearly identical. The BSB even keeps the familiar I shall not want, because it still works in modern English.

King James VersionA Psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 1:1 (BSB)

Word for word the same. Where the English of 1611 still reads naturally, the BSB rarely changes it.

King James VersionIn the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Difference one: English has changed since 1611

The biggest reason the two sound different is not theology but vocabulary. Some words in the King James meant something else four hundred years ago, and a modern reader can take the wrong meaning without realising it.

By the word of the Lord, we declare to you that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who have fallen asleep.
1 Thessalonians 4:15 (BSB)

In 1611, prevent meant to go before (from the Latin for come before). The BSB’s precede says exactly what the KJV meant.

King James VersionFor this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
1 Corinthians 13:4 (BSB)

Charity once meant self-giving love, from the Latin caritas. Today it suggests donations, so modern translations use love.

King James VersionCharity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
Make every effort to present yourself approved to God, an unashamed workman who accurately handles the word of truth.
2 Timothy 2:15 (BSB)

Study here meant be diligent, not read books. The KJV line is often quoted as a call to Bible study, which is a fine thing, but the point is careful effort in handling God’s word.

King James VersionStudy to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Other examples include let meaning hinder (Romans 1:13), conversation meaning way of life, and quick meaning alive (Hebrews 4:12). None of these are errors in the KJV. They are simply words that moved.

Difference two: the Greek manuscripts

The KJV New Testament follows the Textus Receptus, printed Greek editions based on the manuscripts available in the 1500s. Since then, many older manuscripts have been found. The BSB draws on this wider base and footnotes significant differences between the major Greek editions, including the Byzantine textform that is close to the tradition behind the KJV.

For there are three that testify:
1 John 5:7 (BSB)

The KJV’s words about the Father, the Word and the Holy Ghost appear in very few Greek manuscripts, so the BSB leaves them out. The Trinity is taught plainly elsewhere, for example Matthew 28:19.

King James VersionFor there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’
Matthew 6:13 (BSB)

The closing words of the Lord’s Prayer (For thine is the kingdom) are in later manuscripts but not the earliest ones. Many churches still pray them, and they echo 1 Chronicles 29:11.

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

A few verses in the KJV, such as Acts 8:37 and John 5:4, are not in the BSB’s main text, so the verse number is skipped. This can be startling the first time you notice it. Nothing is being hidden: it reflects a judgment that those lines were added by later copyists. Christians who read either translation believe the same gospel.

Difference three: translation choices

Even from the same Greek, translators can choose different English. Some choices are small; a few are well known.

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16 (BSB)

Only begotten and one and only both translate the Greek monogenes. The debate is whether the word stresses being born of or being unique; both translations affirm that Jesus is God’s unique Son.

King James VersionFor God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
He arrested him and put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out to the people after the Passover.
Acts 12:4 (BSB)

The Greek word is pascha, the Passover. The KJV’s Easter reflected English usage at the time; the BSB’s Passover matches the Jewish feast Herod was waiting out.

King James VersionAnd when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people.

Which should you read?

  • Read the KJV if you want the language that shaped English hymns, literature and prayer, if your church uses it, or if you are memorising passages you learned as a child.
  • Read the BSB if you want plain modern English, want to read long stretches without stumbling on old words, or want a translation you can quote, print and share freely.
  • Read both if you are studying. Where they agree, you can be confident. Where they differ, you have found something worth looking into.

Versiah includes both the BSB and the KJV (along with the World English Bible, American Standard Version, Douay-Rheims, Louis Segond and Reina-Valera), so you can switch translations on any passage. For the wider picture, read which Bible translation is best and what is the Berean Standard Bible?

Questions people ask

Is the Berean Standard Bible accurate?

Yes. The BSB was translated from the Hebrew and Greek under an advisory committee of scholars, and it stays close to the original wording while using natural English. Like every translation it makes choices, which is why comparing it with another translation is always helpful.

Is the KJV more accurate than the BSB?

They are accurate in different ways. The KJV follows the Textus Receptus word for word, while the BSB uses a wider range of manuscripts, including many discovered after 1611. Most differences are in English style rather than meaning.

Why are some verses missing from the BSB?

A few verses found in the KJV, such as Acts 8:37 and John 5:4, do not appear in the oldest Greek manuscripts, so the BSB leaves them out of its main text. This is common to most modern translations, not unique to the BSB.

Is the BSB closer to the KJV or the NIV?

The BSB sits between them. It is more literal than the NIV and often keeps familiar KJV phrasing, but it uses modern English and a modern Greek text base, like the NIV does.

Are the KJV and BSB free to use?

The BSB has been in the public domain since April 30, 2023, so anyone can quote, print or share it. The KJV is public domain in most countries, though in the United Kingdom printing rights are held under Crown letters patent.

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