Webster's Bible Translation (WBT)

Noah Webster's 1833 update of the King James Bible.

Webster's Bible (WBT) - Read Noah Webster's Translation

Noah Webster, the father of the American dictionary, published his Bible Translation in 1833 as a revision of the King James Version (KJV), correcting grammar and archaic wording he felt had grown unclear over two centuries. Start reading at Genesis (WBT) to see how closely it still follows the KJV's structure.


Old Testament

New Testament

About the Webster's Bible (WBT) Translation

The Webster Bible Translation (WBT), published in 1833 by Noah Webster — the father of the American dictionary — was designed as an updated revision of the King James Version to correct what Webster saw as grammatical errors, archaic language, and words whose meanings had shifted significantly since 1611. Webster preserved the literary beauty and structure of the KJV Bible while modernizing its vocabulary, replacing obsolete words and improving readability without departing from the KJV's textual basis. A deeply devout Christian, Webster believed that making the Bible's language more accessible was an act of reverence, not revision. Though less widely known than some other translations, the Webster Bible Translation offers a valuable middle path between the classic KJV and more modern versions, retaining familiar phrases while updating problematic expressions. Read the Webster Bible Translation online here, chapter by chapter from Genesis through Revelation.

Webster saw plainer language as an act of reverence rather than a break from tradition, so his translation offers a middle path between the classic KJV and fully modern versions like the <a href="/bible/asv">American Standard-ASV1901 (ASV)</a>. Continue through poetic books such as <a href="/bible/wbt/psalms">Psalms (WBT)</a>.