Genesis 17, side by side

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

Modern

1When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty. Walk before Me and be blameless.

Classic

1And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.

Modern

2I will establish My covenant between Me and you, and I will multiply you exceedingly.”

Classic

2And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.

Modern

3Then Abram fell facedown, and God said to him,

Classic

3And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying,

Modern

4“As for Me, this is My covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations.

Classic

4As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations.

Modern

5No longer will you be called Abram, but your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations.

Classic

5Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.

Modern

6I will make you exceedingly fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will descend from you.

Classic

6And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.

Modern

7I will establish My covenant as an everlasting covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you.

Classic

7And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.

Modern

8And to you and your descendants I will give the land where you are residing—all the land of Canaan—as an eternal possession; and I will be their God.”

Classic

8And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.

Modern

9God also said to Abraham, “You must keep My covenant—you and your descendants in the generations after you.

Classic

9And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations.

Modern

10This is My covenant with you and your descendants after you, which you are to keep: Every male among you must be circumcised.

Classic

10This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised.

Modern

11You are to circumcise the flesh of your foreskin, and this will be a sign of the covenant between Me and you.

Classic

11And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you.

Modern

12Generation after generation, every male must be circumcised when he is eight days old, including those born in your household and those purchased from a foreigner—even those who are not your offspring.

Classic

12And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed.

Modern

13Whether they are born in your household or purchased, they must be circumcised. My covenant in your flesh will be an everlasting covenant.

Classic

13He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.

Modern

14But if any male is not circumcised, he will be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant.”

Classic

14And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant.

Modern

15Then God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, do not call her Sarai, for her name is to be Sarah.

Classic

15And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be.

Modern

16And I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will descend from her.”

Classic

16And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her.

Modern

17Abraham fell facedown. Then he laughed and said to himself, “Can a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Can Sarah give birth at the age of ninety?”

Classic

17Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear?

Modern

18And Abraham said to God, “O that Ishmael might live under Your blessing!”

Classic

18And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee!

Modern

19But God replied, “Your wife Sarah will indeed bear you a son, and you are to name him Isaac. I will establish My covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him.

Classic

19And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him.

Modern

20As for Ishmael, I have heard you, and I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and multiply him greatly. He will become the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation.

Classic

20And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation.

Modern

21But I will establish My covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you at this time next year.”

Classic

21But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year.

Modern

22When He had finished speaking with Abraham, God went up from him.

Classic

22And he left off talking with him, and God went up from Abraham.

Modern

23On that very day Abraham took his son Ishmael and all those born in his household or purchased with his money—every male among the members of Abraham’s household—and he circumcised them, just as God had told him.

Classic

23And Abraham took Ishmael his son, and all that were born in his house, and all that were bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham’s house; and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in the selfsame day, as God had said unto him.

Modern

24So Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised,

Classic

24And Abraham was ninety years old and nine, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.

Modern

25and his son Ishmael was thirteen;

Classic

25And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.

Modern

26Abraham and his son Ishmael were circumcised on the same day.

Classic

26In the selfsame day was Abraham circumcised, and Ishmael his son.

Modern

27And all the men of Abraham’s household—both servants born in his household and those purchased from foreigners—were circumcised with him.

Classic

27And all the men of his house, born in the house, and bought with money of the stranger, were circumcised with him.

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