A little while ago I read through the gospel of Matthew in the KJV and compared every verse with the NIV. Here are some of the verses that stuck out to me the most:

Book of Matthew

Matthew 5:22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment:
NIV ommitts “without a cause”

KJV
44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
NIV
44 But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

KJV
6:13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
NIV
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.'

NIV
24 "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money. (Why is the word “money” capitalized?)

KJV
27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
NIV
27 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life ?

KJV
9:13 But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
NIV
13 But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."

KJV
Matthew 9:18 While he spake these things unto them, behold, there came a certain ruler, and worshipped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead: but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live.
NIV
18 While he was saying this, a ruler came and knelt before him and said, "My daughter has just died. But come and put your hand on her, and she will live."

KJV
Matthew 11:23 And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell:
NIV
23 And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies? No, you will go down to the depths.

KJV
12:1 At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat.
NIV
12:1 At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick some heads of grain and eat them.

KJV
Matthew 15:16 And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding?
NIV
16 "Are you still so dull?" Jesus asked them.

KJV
Matthew 15:19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:
NIV
19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.

KJV
Matthew 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
NIV
18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.

KJV
Matthew 17:4 Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.
NIV
4 Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters--one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah."

KJV
Matthew 17:21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.
NIV
21 (omitted)

KJV
Matthew 18:3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
NIV
3 And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.


KJV
Matthew 18:11 For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.
NIV
11 (omitted)

KJV
Matthew 18:22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.
NIV
22 Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.

KJV
Matthew 19:9 And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.
NIV
9 I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery."

KJV
Matthew19:16 And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?
17 And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.
NIV
16 Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?"
17 "Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments."

KJV
Matthew 19:29 And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.
NIV
29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.

KJV
Matthew 20:7 They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.
NIV
7 "'Because no one has hired us,' they answered. "He said to them, 'You also go and work in my vineyard.'

KJV
Matthew 20:16 So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.
NIV
16 "So the last will be first, and the first will be last."

KJV
Matthew 20:20 Then came to him the mother of Zebedee's children with her sons, worshipping him, and desiring a certain thing of him.
NIV
20 Then the mother of Zebedee's sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him.

KJV
Matthew 20:22 But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able.
23 And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father.
NIV
22 "You don't know what you are asking," Jesus said to them. "Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?" "We can," they answered.
23 Jesus said to them, "You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father."

KJV
Matthew 20:27 And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:
NIV
27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave--

KJV
Matthew 21:12 And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves,
NIV
12 Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves.

KJV
Matthew 21:42 Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?
NIV
42 Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the Scriptures: "'The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone ; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes'?

KJV
Matthew 23:10 Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.
NIV
10 Nor are you to be called 'teacher,' for you have one Teacher, the Christ.
(Pastors and teachers...)

KJV
Matthew 23:14 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.
NIV
(omitted)

KJV
Matthew 25:13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.
NIV
13 "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.

KJV
Matthew 26:25 Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him, Thou hast said.
NIV
25 Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, "Surely not I, Rabbi?" Jesus answered, "Yes, it is you."

KJV
Matthew 26:38 Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.
NIV
38 Then he said to them, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me." (He became obedient to the “point of death”...)

KJV
Matthew 26:45 Then cometh he to his disciples, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.
NIV
45 Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour is near, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.

KJV
Matthew 26:50 And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him.
NIV
50 Jesus replied, "Friend, do what you came for." Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus and arrested him.

KJV
Matthew 26:55 In that same hour said Jesus to the multitudes, Are ye come out as against a thief with swords and staves for to take me? I sat daily with you teaching in the temple, and ye laid no hold on me.
NIV
55 At that time Jesus said to the crowd, "Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? Every day I sat in the temple courts teaching, and you did not arrest me.

KJV
Matthew 27:35 And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots.
NIV
35 When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots.

NOTE
Some peculiarities noticed in this book (Matthew) are: 1) Hell is changed to “hades” in a few instances. I fail to see the necessity of using the Greek word for this compartment of hell - it does not clarify the meaning, but rather confuses it. 2) “end of the world” is changed to “end of the age”- this is in the passages where Jesus says that He is with us “to the end of the world”. These passages are comforting because we can see that the world has not come to an end, therefore Jesus is with us... on the other hand, how are we to know when one age has passed, and a new one has started? What “age” is Jesus talking about? The “age of grace”? Will He not be with us after the age of grace? Very confusing...

 

-Richard Bostock