What is the difference between the 1611 and 1769 versions of the KJV?

The King James Version (KJV) of the Bible is one of the most famous Bible translations in history. First published in 1611, it has been read by millions of people over the centuries. However, did you know that the version of the KJV most people read today is actually from 1769? Many people wonder what the differences are between these two versions.

In this post, we will explain the key differences between the 1611 and 1769 versions of the KJV in a simple and easy way.

1. Why Was the KJV Updated?

The original King James Bible, printed in 1611, was a big achievement at the time. It was meant to be a new English Bible that everyone could read. However, over time, people noticed some things that could be improved. For example:

• Spelling: The way words were spelt in 1611 was very different from how we spell them today.
• Punctuation: The use of commas and periods was not always clear in the original.
• Printing Errors: Early printing technology wasn’t perfect, and some mistakes were made in the 1611 version.

Because of these reasons, the 1769 update was made to fix errors and make the Bible easier to read for people at that time.

2. Spelling Changes

One of the biggest differences between the 1611 and 1769 KJV is the spelling. In 1611, English spelling was not the same as it is today. For example, in the 1611 version, "son" was spelt as "sonne" and "love" was spelt as "loueth." By 1769, English spelling had changed to look much more like the way we spell words today.

Here are some examples of spelling changes between the two versions:

• 1611: "He that loueth his sonne..."
  1769: "He that loveth his son..."
• 1611: "The Lorde is my shepheard..."
  1769: "The Lord is my shepherd..."

These spelling updates make the 1769 KJV easier for modern readers to understand.

3. Punctuation Updates

In the 1611 KJV, the use of punctuation was not as consistent as it is today. For example, there might be too many commas or not enough periods, making some sentences hard to read. The 1769 version corrected this by adding clearer punctuation, making the sentences flow better.

Here’s an example:

• 1611: "In the beginning God created the Heauen, and the Earth."
  1769: "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth."

The changes in punctuation help readers understand the meaning more easily.

4. Fixing Printing Errors

Back in 1611, printing was done by hand, and mistakes could easily happen. For example, words could be spelt wrong, or entire lines might be missing from the text. By 1769, printing had improved, and the new version fixed many of these printing errors.

For example, in the 1611 version, some copies had verses with missing words or letters. The 1769 revision corrected those mistakes to make the text more accurate.

5. Do the Changes Affect the Meaning?

Even though there were many spelling, punctuation, and printing corrections, the meaning of the Bible did not change between the 1611 and 1769 versions. The updates were made to make the text easier to read and more accurate, but the message of the Bible stayed the same.

The 1611 KJV and the 1769 KJV are both important versions of the King James Bible. The 1611 version was the original, but the 1769 update fixed spelling, punctuation, and printing mistakes to make it easier for readers to understand. Even though these changes were made, the meaning of the Bible stayed the same.

If you want to explore different versions of the King James Bible, check out our full range of KJV Bibles at Eden.