Deuteronomy 18, side by side

Two versions of the same chapter. Each row is one verse, so you can see how the wording changes.

Modern

1The Levitical priests—indeed the whole tribe of Levi—shall have no portion or inheritance with Israel. They are to eat the offerings made by fire to the LORD; that is their inheritance.

Classic

1The priests the Levites, and all the tribe of Levi, shall have no part nor inheritance with Israel: they shall eat the offerings of the LORD made by fire, and his inheritance.

Modern

2Although they have no inheritance among their brothers, the LORD is their inheritance, as He promised them.

Classic

2Therefore shall they have no inheritance among their brethren: the LORD is their inheritance, as he hath said unto them.

Modern

3This shall be the priests’ share from the people who offer a sacrifice, whether a bull or a sheep: the priests are to be given the shoulder, the jowls, and the stomach.

Classic

3And this shall be the priest’s due from the people, from them that offer a sacrifice, whether it be ox or sheep; and they shall give unto the priest the shoulder, and the two cheeks, and the maw.

Modern

4You are to give them the firstfruits of your grain, new wine, and oil, and the first wool sheared from your flock.

Classic

4The firstfruit also of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the first of the fleece of thy sheep, shalt thou give him.

Modern

5For the LORD your God has chosen Levi and his sons out of all your tribes to stand and minister in His name for all time.

Classic

5For the LORD thy God hath chosen him out of all thy tribes, to stand to minister in the name of the LORD, him and his sons for ever.

Modern

6Now if a Levite moves from any town of residence throughout Israel and comes in all earnestness to the place the LORD will choose,

Classic

6And if a Levite come from any of thy gates out of all Israel, where he sojourned, and come with all the desire of his mind unto the place which the LORD shall choose;

Modern

7then he shall serve in the name of the LORD his God like all his fellow Levites who stand there before the LORD.

Classic

7Then he shall minister in the name of the LORD his God, as all his brethren the Levites do, which stand there before the LORD.

Modern

8They shall eat equal portions, even though he has received money from the sale of his father’s estate.

Classic

8They shall have like portions to eat, beside that which cometh of the sale of his patrimony.

Modern

9When you enter the land that the LORD your God is giving you, do not imitate the detestable ways of the nations there.

Classic

9When thou art come into the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations.

Modern

10Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, practices divination or conjury, interprets omens, practices sorcery,

Classic

10There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch.

Modern

11casts spells, consults a medium or spiritist, or inquires of the dead.

Classic

11Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.

Modern

12For whoever does these things is detestable to the LORD. And because of these detestable things, the LORD your God is driving out the nations before you.

Classic

12For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee.

Modern

13You must be blameless before the LORD your God.

Classic

13Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God.

Modern

14Though these nations, which you will dispossess, listen to conjurers and diviners, the LORD your God has not permitted you to do so.

Classic

14For these nations, which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto observers of times, and unto diviners: but as for thee, the LORD thy God hath not suffered thee so to do.

Modern

15The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers. You must listen to him.

Classic

15The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken;

Modern

16This is what you asked of the LORD your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly, when you said, “Let us not hear the voice of the LORD our God or see this great fire anymore, so that we will not die!”

Classic

16According to all that thou desiredst of the LORD thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not.

Modern

17Then the LORD said to me, “They have spoken well.

Classic

17And the LORD said unto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken.

Modern

18I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. I will put My words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him.

Classic

18I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.

Modern

19And I will hold accountable anyone who does not listen to My words that the prophet speaks in My name.

Classic

19And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.

Modern

20But if any prophet dares to speak a message in My name that I have not commanded him to speak, or to speak in the name of other gods, that prophet must be put to death.”

Classic

20But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die.

Modern

21You may ask in your heart, “How can we recognize a message that the LORD has not spoken?”

Classic

21And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken?

Modern

22When a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD and the message does not come to pass or come true, that is a message the LORD has not spoken. The prophet has spoken presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him.

Classic

22When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.

Your pair of translations is remembered on this device for other chapters.