ESV Text Changes (2025)
That Reflect KJV Readings
By Christian McShaffrey
It has been interesting to see the once “permanent” text of the English Standard Version change over the years. Just recently, the Translation Oversight Committee announced 36 changes involving 42 verses, totaling 68 word changes.
Some simply involve sentences structure (e.g., beginning a new sentence instead of using a comma), but some of the changes, interstingly enough, reflect a return to readings found in the Authorized (King James) Version. Here are some examples:
Changed From (2016)
Changed To (2025)
KJV Reading
Genesis 3:16
Your desire shall be contrary to your husband, but he shall rule over you.
Your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you.
thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.
Genesis 4:7
Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.
Its desire is for you, and you must rule over it.
unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.
Exodus 20:5
visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation . . .
visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation . . .
visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation . . .
Exodus 34:23
Three times in the year shall all your males appear before the Lord God, the God of Israel.
Three times in the year shall all your males appear before the Lord GOD, the God of Israel.
Thrice in the year shall all your men children appear before the Lord GOD, the God of Israel.
Deuteronomy 4:25
When you father children and children’s children, and have grown old in the land, if you act corruptly . . .
When you father children and children’s children, and have grown old in the land, and you act corruptly . . .
When thou shalt beget children, and children’s children, and ye shall have remained long in the land, and shall corrupt yourselves . . .
Deuteronomy 32:17
They sacrificed to demons that were no gods, to gods they had never known, . . .
They sacrificed to demons that were not God, to gods they had never known, . . .
They sacrificed unto devils, not to God; to gods whom they knew not . . .
Judges 1:15
She said to him, “Give me a blessing. Since you have set me in the land of the Negeb . . .
She said to him, “Give me a blessing. Since you have given me the land of the Negeb . . .
And she said unto him, Give me a blessing: for thou hast given me a south land . . .
2 Chronicles 9:7
Happy are your wives! Happy are these your servants, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom!
Happy are your men! Happy are these your servants, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom!
Happy are thy men, and happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and hear thy wisdom.
Psalm 119:159
Consider how I love your precepts! Give me life according to your steadfast love.
Consider how I love your precepts! Give me life, O LORD, according to your steadfast love.
Consider how I love thy precepts: quicken me, O LORD, according to thy lovingkindness.
Jeremiah 24:7
I will give them a heart to know that I am the LORD, and they shall be my people and I will be their God, for they shall return to me with their whole heart.
I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the LORD, and they shall be my people and I will be their God, for they shall return to me with their whole heart.
And I will give them an heart to know me, that I am the LORD: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God: for they shall return unto me with their whole heart.
Lamentations 3:14
I have become the laughingstock of all peoples, the object of their taunts all day long.
I have become the laughingstock of all my people, the object of their taunts all day long.
I was a derision to all my people; and their song all the day.
Daniel 9:25
Know therefore and understand that from the going out of the word to restore and build Jerusalem to the coming of an anointed one, a prince, there shall be seven weeks. Then for sixty-two weeks it shall be built again with squares and moat, but in a troubled time.
Know therefore and understand that from the going out of the word to restore and build Jerusalem to the coming of an anointed one, a prince, there shall be seven weeks. And for sixty-two weeks it shall be built again with squares and moat, but in a troubled time.
Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.
Jonah 2:6
at the roots of the mountains. I went down to the land whose bars closed upon me forever;
yet you brought up my life from the pit, O LORD my God.
To the roots of the mountains I went down, to the land whose bars closed upon me forever.
Yet you brought up my life from the pit, O LORD my God.
I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O LORD my God.
Ephesians 1:9–10
making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.
making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in Christ, things in heaven and things on earth in him.
having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: that in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:
Ephesians 2:3
among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.
among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the flesh and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.
among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
2 Timothy 4:5
As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry
But as for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry
But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
Revelation 13:8
and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain.
and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain.
And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
