King James Contemporary Edition

King James Contemporary Edition · KJCE

The King James Version in contemporary English.

The Bible you know, in words you use. KJCE brings the King James Version into today’s English, with the aim of preserving its meaning, nuance, and force.

Read the Gospel of John Get the book
  • Complete Old & New Testaments
  • All 31,102 verses
  • Paperback & Kindle on Amazon
Midnight-blue and gold cover of the King James Contemporary Edition
First edition · Editorial direction: James Brown

See the difference

Some King James words no longer mean what they meant.

Choose a word. Each verse is shown exactly as it stands in the King James Version and in KJCE.

Matthew 19:14

King James Version

But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.

King James Contemporary Edition

Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them, because the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."

“Suffer” here means allow.

1 Thessalonians 4:15

King James Version

For 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.

King James Contemporary Edition

We tell you this by the Lord's word: we who are alive and remain until the Lord's coming will not precede those who are asleep.

“Prevent” here means go before.

Philippians 1:27

King James Version

Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;

King James Contemporary Edition

Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of Christ's gospel, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I may hear that you stand firm in one spirit, striving together with one mind for the faith of the gospel,

“Conversation” here means conduct, a whole way of life.

1 Corinthians 13:4

King James Version

Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

King James Contemporary Edition

Love is patient and kind. Love does not envy, does not boast, and is not arrogant.

“Charity” here is love; “suffereth long” is patience.

Psalm 23:1

King James Version

A Psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

King James Contemporary Edition

A psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd; I will lack nothing.

“Want” here carries its older sense of lacking something.

2 Thessalonians 2:7

King James Version

For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.

King James Contemporary Edition

For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only the one who now restrains it will continue until he is taken out of the way.

“Letteth” here means restrains, the opposite of what “let” suggests today.

Compare a whole chapterOpen the book preview (PDF)

Clearer, not softer

The hard sayings stay hard.

Updating the English is not the same as toning it down. Where the King James warns, KJCE warns. Where its imagery is severe, the imagery stays.

Matthew 23:33

King James Version

Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?

King James Contemporary Edition

You snakes, you brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell?

Revelation 17:1

King James Version

And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:

King James Contemporary Edition

One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and spoke with me, saying, “Come here. I will show you the judgment of the great whore who sits on many waters.

Rooted in the King James text

The verses you know are still in the text.

KJCE is a modernization of the King James Version itself, so it keeps the King James readings. These three verses are examples. In the NIV, ESV, NLT and CSB their verse numbers are skipped and the words appear in a footnote.

Main text of those four versions checked on BibleGateway, October 11, 2026. They follow a different Greek text. The New King James Version also prints these verses.

Matthew 17:21

King James Version

Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.

King James Contemporary Edition

However, this kind goes out only through prayer and fasting."

Matthew 18:11

King James Version

For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.

King James Contemporary Edition

For the Son of Man has come to save what was lost.

Acts 8:37

King James Version

And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

King James Contemporary Edition

Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart, you may." He answered, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."

The reading room

Read it for yourself.

The whole Gospel of John and a handful of well-loved chapters are here to read, each with the King James Version beside it if you want to compare.

Open the Gospel of John
Genesis 1Psalm 1Psalm 23Isaiah 53Matthew 5John 3Romans 81 Corinthians 13Revelation 21

King James Contemporary Edition

Psalm 23

1A psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd; I will lack nothing.

2He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside the still waters.

3He restores my soul; he leads me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

4Yes, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff comfort me.

5You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

6Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

Compare Psalm 23 with the King James Version

Watch and listen

Hear the Gospel of John in contemporary English.

Calm KJCE readings with on-screen Scripture text, on the BibleGems7 YouTube channel.

Narration in these videos is synthesized with AI voice tools, and the artwork is AI-generated. Links open YouTube, which has its own privacy policy.

Two ways to read

A place on your shelf. A companion on your Kindle.

Both editions contain all 66 books, 1,189 chapters, and 31,102 verses.

Paperback

Published October 3, 2026

A generous 8 × 10-inch reading edition with classic Garamond type, two-column pages, and clear passage references.

Length
828 pages
Finish
Matte cover, black ink on white paper
ISBN
9798178731109
View paperback on Amazon

Kindle

Published October 6, 2026

A reflowable edition that adapts to your reading screen, with a linked table of contents and direct navigation to every chapter.

Navigation
Book and chapter links
Reading
Adjustable text in compatible Kindle apps
Contents
Complete Old and New Testaments
View Kindle edition on Amazon

Current prices and Amazon’s free “Read sample” preview are on each Amazon product page. No orders or payments are accepted on this website.

For pastors and church leaders

Helping readers understand the King James Bible they treasure.

KJCE works from the King James Version itself. It puts older vocabulary and sentence structure into contemporary English, with a stated commitment to preserve the KJV’s textual readings and the force of its warnings, promises, and images.

  • Contemporary vocabulary and syntax

    Words whose meanings have shifted, and sentence patterns that are hard to follow today, are put into current English.

  • Transparent comparisons

    Read KJCE beside the KJV, verse by verse. The comparisons are there to be checked, not taken on trust.

  • Rooted in the KJV text

    KJCE is an English modernization of the KJV, not a translation from a different underlying text.

The best test is a passage you know well. Compare it with your KJV, read it aloud, and consider whether it helps the people you teach. Questions about a passage are welcome: contact James Brown.

About this edition

Historic Scripture. Generative language tools. Human editorial direction.

  • What it is

    The King James Contemporary Edition is an English modernization of the King James Version. It is not a new translation from Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek.

  • How it was made

    The modernization was developed with generative AI language tools under James Brown’s editorial direction, with particular attention to meaning, nuance, literary force, and passages where more than one interpretation remains possible.

  • What has not been done yet

    Independent review by qualified scholars, including source-language review, has not yet been completed, and the edition does not claim scholarly certification.

Does KJCE ever change more than the grammar?

Yes, in places, and those choices are meant to be seen. Two examples:

Matthew 16:18

King James Version

And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

King James Contemporary Edition

And I also tell you: you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.

Romans 1:28

King James Version

And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;

King James Contemporary Edition

Since they did not see fit to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what is not fitting.

Readers and church leaders are encouraged to compare passages with the KJV and evaluate the edition before choosing it for study or group use.

Which King James text is it based on?

The eBible.org eng-kjv digital edition dated September 26, 2026. In the comparisons on this site, square brackets in that source (words the KJV translators supplied) are shown in upright type within the italic KJV text.

Read about the KJV source

Where can I read more before buying?

The reading room has the complete Gospel of John and several other chapters. The book preview (PDF) shows the printed pages, and each Amazon product page has its own free “Read sample”.

Can I order or pay on this website?

No. Both editions are sold on Amazon.com, where current prices are shown. This website takes no orders or payments.

For readers, pastors & churches

Let’s start with a passage.

Have a question about the edition, or a reading you would like to discuss? Write to James.

Contact James Brown
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