Ruth 1 – read and compare multiple versions of the Bible

World English Bible

Ruth 1 (WEBP)

[1] In the days when the judges judged, there was a famine in the land. A certain man of Bethlehem Judah went to live in the country of Moab with his wife and his two sons.
[2] The name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi. The names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehem Judah. They came into the country of Moab and lived there.
[3] Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, died; and she was left with her two sons.
[4] They took for themselves wives of the women of Moab. The name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other was Ruth. They lived there about ten years.
[5] Mahlon and Chilion both died, and the woman was bereaved of her two children and of her husband.
[6] Then she arose with her daughters-in-law, that she might return from the country of Moab; for she had heard in the country of Moab how Yahweh had visited his people in giving them bread.
[7] She went out of the place where she was, and her two daughters-in-law with her. They went on the way to return to the land of Judah.
[8] Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go, return each of you to her mother’s house. May Yahweh deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me.
[9] May Yahweh grant you that you may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband.” Then she kissed them, and they lifted up their voices, and wept.
[10] They said to her, “No, but we will return with you to your people.”
[11] Naomi said, “Go back, my daughters. Why do you want to go with me? Do I still have sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?
[12] Go back, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say, ‘I have hope,’ if I should even have a husband tonight, and should also bear sons,
[13] would you then wait until they were grown? Would you then refrain from having husbands? No, my daughters, for it grieves me seriously for your sakes, for Yahweh’s hand has gone out against me.”
[14] They lifted up their voices and wept again; then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth stayed with her.
[15] She said, “Behold, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her god. Follow your sister-in-law.”
[16] Ruth said, “Don’t urge me to leave you, and to return from following you, for where you go, I will go; and where you stay, I will stay. Your people will be my people, and your God my God.
[17] Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May Yahweh do so to me, and more also, if anything but death parts you and me.”
[18] When Naomi saw that she was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her.
[19] So they both went until they came to Bethlehem. When they had come to Bethlehem, all the city was excited about them, and they asked, “Is this Naomi?”
[20] She said to them, “Don’t call me Naomi. Call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me.
[21] I went out full, and Yahweh has brought me home again empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since Yahweh has testified against me, and the Almighty has afflicted me?”
[22] So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, with her, who returned out of the country of Moab. They came to Bethlehem in the beginning of barley harvest.

Ruth 1:6 “Yahweh” is God’s proper Name, sometimes rendered “Lord” (all caps) in other translations.
Ruth 1:15 “Behold”, from “הִנֵּה”, means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection.
Ruth 1:16 The Hebrew word rendered “God” is “אֱלֹהִ֑ים” (Elohim).
Ruth 1:20a “Naomi” means “pleasant”.
Ruth 1:20b “Mara” means “bitter”.

Scripture quotations are taken from The World English Bible™ of eBible.org, 2020 stable text edition. It is in the public domain.

King James w/Strong’s #s

Ruth 1 (KJVS)

[1] Now it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Beth-lehem-judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons.
[2] And the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi, and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Beth-lehem-judah. And they came into the country of Moab, and continued there.
[3] And Elimelech Naomi’s husband died; and she was left, and her two sons.
[4] And they took them wives of the women of Moab; the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth: and they dwelled there about ten years.
[5] And Mahlon and Chilion died also both of them; and the woman was left of her two sons and her husband.
[6] Then she arose with her daughters in law, that she might return from the country of Moab: for she had heard in the country of Moab how that the Lord had visited his people in giving them bread.
[7] Wherefore she went forth out of the place where she was, and her two daughters in law with her; and they went on the way to return unto the land of Judah.
[8] And Naomi said unto her two daughters in law, Go, return each to her mother’s house: the Lord deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me.
[9] The Lord grant you that ye may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband. Then she kissed them; and they lifted up their voice, and wept.
[10] And they said unto her, Surely we will return with thee unto thy people.
[11] And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me? are there yet any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?
[12] Turn again, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have an husband. If I should say, I have hope, if I should have an husband also to night, and should also bear sons;
[13] would ye tarry for them till they were grown? would ye stay for them from having husbands? nay, my daughters; for it grieveth me much for your sakes that the hand of the Lord is gone out against me.
[14] And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her.
[15] And she said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in law.
[16] And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:
[17] where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.
[18] When she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her.
[19] So they two went until they came to Beth-lehem. And it came to pass, when they were come to Beth-lehem, that all the city was moved about them, and they said, Is this Naomi?
[20] And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me.
[21] I went out full, and the Lord hath brought me home again empty: why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the Lord hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me?
[22] So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter in law, with her, which returned out of the country of Moab: and they came to Beth-lehem in the beginning of barley harvest.

Ruth 1:1 Heb. judged
Ruth 1:2 Heb. were
Ruth 1:13a Heb. hope
Ruth 1:13b Heb. I have much bitterness
Ruth 1:16 Or, Be not against me
Ruth 1:20a That is, pleasant
Ruth 1:20b That is, bitter

Scripture quotations from The Authorized King James Version of the Holy Bible, using the standardized text of 1769. It is in the public domain.

Greek Bible (LXX/BYZ)

Ruth 1 (BYZ)

[1] Καὶ () ἐγένετο () ἐν () τῷ () κρίνειν () τοὺς () κριτὰς () καὶ () ἐγένετο () λιμὸς () ἐν () τῇ () γῇ, () καὶ () ἐπορεύθη () ἀνὴρ () ἀπὸ () Βαιθλεεμ τῆς () Ιουδα τοῦ () παροικῆσαι () ἐν () ἀγρῷ () Μωαβ, αὐτὸς () καὶ () ἡ () γυνὴ () αὐτοῦ () καὶ () οἱ () υἱοὶ () αὐτοῦ. ()
[2] Καὶ () ὄνομα () τῷ () ἀνδρὶ () Αβιμελεχ, καὶ () ὄνομα () τῇ () γυναικὶ () αὐτοῦ () Νωεμιν, καὶ () ὄνομα () τοῖς () δυσὶν () υἱοῖς () αὐτοῦ () Μααλων καὶ () Χελαιων, Εφραθαῖοι ἐκ () Βαιθλεεμ τῆς () Ιουδα· καὶ () ἤλθοσαν () εἰς () ἀγρὸν () Μωαβ καὶ () ἦσαν () ἐκεῖ. ()
[3] Καὶ () ἀπέθανεν () Αβιμελεχ ὁ () ἀνὴρ () τῆς () Νωεμιν, καὶ () κατελείφθη () αὐτὴ () καὶ () οἱ () δύο () υἱοὶ () αὐτῆς. ()
[4] Καὶ () ἐλάβοσαν () ἑαυτοῖς () γυναῖκας () Μωαβίτιδας, ὄνομα () τῇ () μιᾷ () Ορφα, καὶ () ὄνομα () τῇ () δευτέρᾳ () Ρουθ· () καὶ () κατῴκησαν () ἐκεῖ () ὡς () δέκα () ἔτη. ()
[5] Καὶ () ἀπέθανον () καί () γε () ἀμφότεροι, () Μααλων καὶ () Χελαιων, καὶ () κατελείφθη () ἡ () γυνὴ () ἀπὸ () τοῦ () ἀνδρὸς () αὐτῆς () καὶ () ἀπὸ () τῶν () δύο () υἱῶν () αὐτῆς. ()
[6] Καὶ () ἀνέστη () αὐτὴ () καὶ () αἱ () δύο () νύμφαι () αὐτῆς () καὶ () ἀπέστρεψαν () ἐξ () ἀγροῦ () Μωαβ, ὅτι () ἤκουσαν () ἐν () ἀγρῷ () Μωαβ ὅτι () ἐπέσκεπται () κύριος () τὸν () λαὸν () αὐτοῦ () δοῦναι () αὐτοῖς () ἄρτους. ()
[7] Καὶ () ἐξῆλθεν () ἐκ () τοῦ () τόπου, () οὗ () ἦν () ἐκεῖ, () καὶ () αἱ () δύο () νύμφαι () αὐτῆς () μετ’ () αὐτῆς· () καὶ () ἐπορεύοντο () ἐν () τῇ () ὁδῷ () τοῦ () ἐπιστρέψαι () εἰς () τὴν () γῆν () Ιουδα.
[8] Καὶ () εἶπεν () Νωεμιν ταῖς () νύμφαις () αὐτῆς () Πορεύεσθε () δὴ () ἀποστράφητε () ἑκάστη () εἰς () οἶκον () μητρὸς () αὐτῆς· () ποιήσαι () κύριος () μεθ’ () ὑμῶν () ἔλεος, () καθὼς () ἐποιήσατε () μετὰ () τῶν () τεθνηκότων () καὶ () μετ’ () ἐμοῦ· ()
[9] δῴη () κύριος () ὑμῖν () καὶ () εὕροιτε () ἀνάπαυσιν () ἑκάστη () ἐν () οἴκῳ () ἀνδρὸς () αὐτῆς. () Καὶ () κατεφίλησεν () αὐτάς, () καὶ () ἐπῆραν () τὴν () φωνὴν () αὐτῶν () καὶ () ἔκλαυσαν. ()
[10] Καὶ () εἶπαν () αὐτῇ () Μετὰ () σοῦ () ἐπιστρέφομεν () εἰς () τὸν () λαόν () σου. ()
[11] Καὶ () εἶπεν () Νωεμιν Ἐπιστράφητε () δή, () θυγατέρες () μου· () καὶ () ἵνα () τί () πορεύεσθε () μετ’ () ἐμοῦ; () Μὴ () ἔτι () μοι () υἱοὶ () ἐν () τῇ () κοιλίᾳ () μου () καὶ () ἔσονται () ὑμῖν () εἰς () ἄνδρας; ()
[12] Ἐπιστράφητε () δή, () θυγατέρες () μου, () διότι () γεγήρακα () τοῦ () μὴ () εἶναι () ἀνδρί· () ὅτι () εἶπα () ὅτι () ἔστιν () μοι () ὑπόστασις () τοῦ () γενηθῆναί () με () ἀνδρὶ () καὶ () τέξομαι () υἱούς, ()
[13] μὴ () αὐτοὺς () προσδέξεσθε () ἕως () οὗ () ἁδρυνθῶσιν; Ἢ () αὐτοῖς () κατασχεθήσεσθε () τοῦ () μὴ () γενέσθαι () ἀνδρί; () Μὴ () δή, () θυγατέρες () μου, () ὅτι () ἐπικράνθη () μοι () ὑπὲρ () ὑμᾶς () ὅτι () ἐξῆλθεν () ἐν () ἐμοὶ () χεὶρ () κυρίου. ()
[14] Καὶ () ἐπῆραν () τὴν () φωνὴν () αὐτῶν () καὶ () ἔκλαυσαν () ἔτι· () καὶ () κατεφίλησεν () Ορφα τὴν () πενθερὰν () αὐτῆς () καὶ () ἐπέστρεψεν () εἰς () τὸν () λαὸν () αὐτῆς, () Ρουθ () δὲ () ἠκολούθησεν () αὐτῇ. ()
[15] Καὶ () εἶπεν () Νωεμιν πρὸς () Ρουθ () Ἰδοὺ () ἀνέστρεψεν () ἡ () σύννυμφός σου () πρὸς () λαὸν () αὐτῆς () καὶ () πρὸς () τοὺς () θεοὺς () αὐτῆς· () ἐπιστράφητι () δὴ () καὶ () σὺ () ὀπίσω () τῆς () συννύμφου σου. ()
[16] Εἶπεν () δὲ () Ρουθ () Μὴ () ἀπαντήσαι () ἐμοὶ () τοῦ () καταλιπεῖν () σε () ἢ () ἀποστρέψαι () ὄπισθέν () σου· () ὅτι () σὺ () ὅπου () ἐὰν () πορευθῇς, () πορεύσομαι, () καὶ () οὗ () ἐὰν () αὐλισθῇς, () αὐλισθήσομαι· () ὁ () λαός () σου () λαός () μου, () καὶ () ὁ () θεός () σου () θεός () μου· ()
[17] καὶ () οὗ () ἐὰν () ἀποθάνῃς, () ἀποθανοῦμαι () κἀκεῖ () ταφήσομαι· () τάδε () ποιήσαι () μοι () κύριος () καὶ () τάδε () προσθείη, () ὅτι () θάνατος () διαστελεῖ () ἀνὰ () μέσον () ἐμοῦ () καὶ () σοῦ. ()
[18] Ἰδοῦσα () δὲ () Νωεμιν ὅτι () κραταιοῦται () αὐτὴ () τοῦ () πορεύεσθαι () μετ’ () αὐτῆς, () ἐκόπασεν () τοῦ () λαλῆσαι () πρὸς () αὐτὴν () ἔτι. ()
[19] Ἐπορεύθησαν () δὲ () ἀμφότεραι () ἕως () τοῦ () παραγενέσθαι () αὐτὰς () εἰς () Βαιθλεεμ. Καὶ () ἤχησεν () πᾶσα () ἡ () πόλις () ἐπ’ () αὐταῖς () καὶ () εἶπον () Αὕτη () ἐστὶν () Νωεμιν;
[20] Καὶ () εἶπεν () πρὸς () αὐτάς () Μὴ () δὴ () καλεῖτέ () με () Νωεμιν, καλέσατέ () με () Πικράν, ὅτι () ἐπικράνθη () ἐν () ἐμοὶ () ὁ () ἱκανὸς () σφόδρα· ()
[21] ἐγὼ () πλήρης () ἐπορεύθην, () καὶ () κενὴν () ἀπέστρεψέν () με () ὁ () κύριος· () καὶ () ἵνα () τί () καλεῖτέ () με () Νωεμιν; Καὶ () κύριος () ἐταπείνωσέν () με, () καὶ () ὁ () ἱκανὸς () ἐκάκωσέν () με. ()
[22] Καὶ () ἐπέστρεψεν () Νωεμιν καὶ () Ρουθ () ἡ () Μωαβῖτις ἡ () νύμφη () αὐτῆς () ἐπιστρέφουσα () ἐξ () ἀγροῦ () Μωαβ· αὐταὶ δὲ () παρεγενήθησαν () εἰς () Βαιθλεεμ ἐν () ἀρχῇ () θερισμοῦ () κριθῶν. ()

Old Testament scripture quotations and versification from Septuaginta, edited by Alfred Rahlfs (Stuttgart: Württembergische Bibelanstalt, 1935). New Testament quotations are from the Byzantine Text (Guardian Press, LLC, Robinson-Pierpont Byzantine Textform, 2026). Both are in the public domain.