The NIV… An Easy Reader?
 
See how the NIV replaces easily understood words from the KJV with hard to understand words throughout the Bible. 

 

  NIV                                                  KJV

 

abasement             Ezra 9:5                 heaviness

abashed                  Is 24:23             confounded

abutted                  Ezek 40:18         over against

acclamation          2 Chr 15:14                   voice

aghast                        Is 13:8                   amazed

alcove                   Ezek 40:13       little chamber

annotations           2 Chr 13:22                    story

armlets                  Num 31:50                  chains

bewilderment          Acts 2:6            confounded

blunted                     Ps 58:7            cut in pieces

blustering                 Job 8:2                      strong

NIV                                            KJV

 

breakers                      Ps 93:4                      waves

brooches                   Ex 35:22                  bracelets

brood                            Is 57:4                   children

burnished                   Dan 10:6                 polished

carnelian                      Rev 4:3                    sardine

charioteers                1 Sam 13:5              horsemen

citron                         Rev 18:12                    thyine

colonnade                  1 Ki 7:6                       porch

commemorate             Ex 13:3                remember

cooing                       Song 2:12                      voice

cors                            1 Ki 4:22                measures

curds                          Gen 18:8                      butter

dappled                        Zec 6:6                    gristled

debauchery                 Gal 5:19         lasciviousness

decimated                  2 Sam 21:5              destroyed

dejected                     Gen 40:6                          sad

deluded                       Is 44:20                  deceived

denarii                      Matt 18:28                     pence

denarius                    Matt 20:2                      penny

desecrate                   Lev 21:12                   profane

despoil                       Jer 30:16         give for a prey

detachment               John 18:3                         band

disheartened            Ezek 13:22                          sad

disillusionment           Ps 7:14                   falsehood

dissipation                 1 Pet 4:4                            riot

drachmas                   Ezra 2:69                       drams

dragnet                       Hab 1:15                         drag

duplicity                     Lk 20:23                 craftiness

elation                        Pro 28:12                       glory

embedded                  Ecc 12:11                  fastened

embitter                      Ps 73:21                     grieved

embodiment              Rom 2:20                         form

emphatically              Mk 14:31              vehemently

encouragingly          2 Chr 30:22           comfortably

encroach                    Pro 23:10                        enter

engulf                          Ps 69:2                    overflow

NIV                                            KJV

 

enrollment               2 Chr 17:14                 numbers

enthralled                   Ps 45:11            greatly desire

enveloped                   Lk 9:34           overshadowed

exasperate                   Eph 6:4                     provoke

exterminate               Ezek 25:7                       perish

exult                             Is 14:8                        rejoice

factions                    1 Ki 16:21                         parts

famished                      Is 8:21                        hungry

fattened                   1 Sam 28:24                          fat

faultfinders                  Jude 16              complainers

fawns                          Song 4:5                          roes

fellowman                 Micah 2:2                         man

festival                         Ex 5:1                           feast

festive                      1 Sam 25:8                       good

fieldstones                 Deut 27:6           whole stones

figurehead                Acts 28:11                         sign

filigree                       Ex 28:20                enclosings

fishnets                     Ezek 26:5                          nets

flagstaff                      Is 30:17                       beacon

flank                        Ezek 34:21                          side

fleeting                       Ps 89:47                         short

flinging                    Acts 22:23                       threw

flogged                     Acts 5:40                       beaten

floodgates                 Gen 7:11                   windows

fluttering                    Is 16:2                    wandering

fomenting                  Is 59:13                     speaking

forded                       Josh 2:23               passed over

forevermore               Jude 25                      for ever

frolic                         Ps 104:26                        play

fruitage                        Is 27:9                            fruit

gadfly                       Jer 46:20                 destruction

gaiety                         Is 24:8                            mirth

galled                     1 Sam 18:8                 displeased

gateway                   Gen 19:1                            gate

gaunt                       Gen 41:3                  leanfleshed

gauntness                 Job 16:8                       leanness

NIV                                            KJV

 

gecko                       Lev 11:30                          ferret

glancing                    Ex 2:12                          looked

glint                         Hab 3:11                             light

glistening                Job 41:32                            shine

gloat                          Ps 30:1                           rejoice

gloom                      Job 10:21                      darkness

glutted                    Ezek 39:19                             full

goblet                       Is 51:17                                cup

goiim                      Gen 14:1                          nations

grapevine               James 3:12                            vine

Hades                     Rev 20:14                              hell

harrowing               Is 28:24               break the clods

haunt                      Ps 44:19                               place

headwaters             Gen 2:10                             heads

hoopoe                   Lev 11:19                        lapwing

horde                    Ezek 17:17                             army

ibex                       Deut 14:5                           pygarg

ignoble                 2 Tim 2:20                      dishonour

impaled                 Ezra 6: 11                          hanged

imperishable        1 Cor 15:50                 incorruption

impetuous                 Hab 1:6                             hasty

improvise                Amos 6:5                          invent

incited                    I Chr 21:1                     provoked

incurs                        Pro 9:7                           getteth

indestructible          Heb 7.16                         endless

indignant                Mk 10:41                    displeased

indispensable       1 Cor 12:22                    necessary

infamy                     Is 44:11                        ashamed

innumerable              2 Chr 12:3        without number

insolence                    Jer 48:30                          wrath

insolent                      Rom 1:30                  despiteful

jeered                         2 Ki 2:23                      mocked

joists                        2 Chr 34:11                  couplings

jowls                         Deut 18:3                        cheeks

kingship                 1 Sam 10:16                    kingdom

lifeboat                     Acts 27:30                           boat

NIV                                            KJV

 

magi                           Matt 2:1                     wise men

mainstay                    Jer 49:25                           chief

marauders                   Job 12:6                       robbers

marshaled                  Job 32:14                     directed

mattocks                  1 Sam 13:20                    coulter

maxiums                    Job 13:12           remembrances

melodious                   Ps 81:2                        pleasant

memorandum            Ezra 6:2                           record

mina                          Lk 19:16                          pound

misdemeanor           Acts 18:14                        wrong

naive                        Rom 16:18                        simple

nationality                  Est 2:10                           people

naught                        Is 40:23                         nothing

Negev                       Gen 12:9                            south

Nephilim                   Gen 6:4                             giants

nightfall                  2 Sam 19:7                           night

noonday                  2 Sam 4:5                             noon

Nubians                  Dan 11:43                    Ethiopians

nuggets                   Job 22:24                               gold

nurtured                   Lam 4:5                           brought

oarsmen                 Ezek 27:26                          rowers

oblivion                   Ps 88:12                  forgetfulness

obscenity                  Eph 5:4                         filthiness

offal                        Ex 29:14                               dung

officiate                 2 Ki 17:32                      sacrificed

opportune                 Mk 6:1                       convenient

ore                           Job 28:2                               stone

overawed                Ps 49: 16                             afraid

overweening            Is 16:6                                  very

parapet                  Deut 22:8                      battlement

piled                       Lk 23:9                        questioned

pinions                Deut 32:11                              wings

porphyry                Est 1:6                                      red

portent                   Is 20:3                                wonder

portico                      1 Ki 6:3                              porch

poultice                  2 Ki 20:7                               lump

NIV                                            KJV

 

Praetorium              Matt 27:27               common hall

prefects                    Dan 3:3                        governors

proconsul                 Acts 13:8                         deputy

profligate                  Deut 21:20                       glutton

promiscuity             Ezek 16:26               whoredoms

qualm                         Jude 12                               fear

rabble                      Num 11:4          mixed multitude

ramparts                  Hab 2: 11                           tower

rawboned               Gen 49: 14                          strong

reeked                      Ex 8:14                              stank

repointing             1Sam 13:21                      sharpen

reposes                   Pro 14:33                          resteth

reputed                     Gal 2:9                          seemed

resound                1 Chr 16:32                             roar

resplendent               Ps 76:4                         glorious

reveled                    Neh 9:25    delighted themselves

revelry                     Is 22:13                        gladness

revening                   Jer 2:30                     destroying

rifts                           Jer 2:6                                  pits

sachet                    Song 1:13                           bundle

satraps                    Est 3:12                       lieutenants

sheathed                 Ps 68:13                           covered

siegeworks             Ecc 9:14                         bulwarks

simplehearted         Ps 116:6                             simple

sistrums                 2 Sam 6:5                           comets

squall                      Mk 4:37                 storm of wind

stadia                    Rev 14:20                          furlongs

stag                        Song 2:9                                  hart

stipulations           Deut 4:45                      testimonies

suckling                1 Sam 7:9                           sucking

sullen                    1 Ki 21:5                                  sad

temperate             1 Tim 3:11                             sober

tempest                    Ps 55:8                               storm

terebinth                 Hos 4.13                               elms

tethered                  2 Ki 7.10                                tied

thong                       Lk 3:16                             latchet

NIV                                            KJV

 

thornbush                Is 55:13                               thorn

thundercloud            Ps 81:7                            thunder

timidity                  2 Tim 1:7                                 fear

tinder                        Is 1:31                                   tow

torrent                    Rev 12:15                              flood

tranquillity               Ecc 4:6                         quietness

transcends                Phil 4:7                             passeth

transplanted          Ezek 17:10                           planted

tresses                     Song 7:5                           galleries

tumult                     1 Sam 14:19                        noise

turbulent                    Gen 49:4                      unstable

tyrannical                  Pro 28:16                    oppressor

tyranny                      Is 54:14                   oppression

underlings                 2 Ki 19:6                       servants

vassal                        2 Ki 24:1                         servant

vaunts                       Job 15:25                strengtheneth

vent                           Job 20:23                             cast

verdant                     Song 1:16                           green

vestments                 Ezra 3.10                        apparel

vexed                        Ps 112:10                        grieved

wadi                          Num 34:5                           river

waylaid                   1 Sam 15:2               laid wait for

waywardness           Hosea 14:4                backsliding

weakling                    Joel 3:10                         weak

wily                            Job 5:13                     froward

windstorm                   Is 29:6                           storm

wrenched                Gen 32:25                out of joint

wretches                  Matt 21:41              wicked men

yearling                     Is 11:6                           fatling