How & Why We Modernized
"Modernization" does not mean softened.
The MGB is not a new translation with the hard sayings of Jesus watered down. We did not delete any verses, whether the doxology to the Lord's Prayer in Matthew 6, the ending of Mark's Gospel in Mark 16, or the stirring pool of Siloam in John 5.
We simply modernized archaic words and word order from the 1599 Geneva Bible in order to help modern readers understand the text.
If we were to reprint the original Geneva Bible with no edits, it would be unreadable and useful only for scholars. Most of us would be confused when reading: “And after those days we trussed up our fardels, and went up to Jerusalem” (Acts 21:15).
The original intention of the Geneva Bible's translators was not to create a relic that would sit on the shelf. They wanted people to read the word of God and to think about what it said. We have the same goal.
So in this translation, we have updated archaic words and word order, so you don't need to decode with a dictionary. You can find an extensive 56 page record here. “Thees” and “thous” are replaced with “you.” Subjects are often put before verbs, and words like “garner,” (barn), “firk,” (measure), and “habergeon” (breastplate) are all replaced with their modern equivalents.
Why another Bible version?
You might wonder, "why create another version when we have the NKJV, the NIV, the NASB, and the ESV?" The Geneva Bible was the most influential English Bible in history. This was the bible read during the protestant reformation, used by writers like Bunyan and Shakespeare, and carried by the Pilgrims to America. The Geneva Bible was even the foundation for the King James version in 1611. Yet, tragically, this bible has almost been forgotten. We wanted to restore this historic and wonderful translation and remind Christians of the Bible used by our faithful forefathers.
The word of God is a two-edged sword that discerns the thoughts and desires of the heart. If you come to this book, God will give Himself to you. We pray that by reading it in faith, it will do the same thing for you that it did for your fathers who went before you, living and dying with faith in Jesus Christ.
To learn more about the Geneva Bible's rich history and about those that made and read it, click the link below.