The reading level of different versions

[Salty]

When did the average American have a “college-level” reading comprehension?

Stats about reading level
More info

Do you have anything to base this on rather than nostalgia?

Excellent chart giving many variables

Reading levels have not gotten worse in the U.S. They were always bad. There are millions of tests to prove this.[/QUOTE]

From the LA Times;

From Brandon

If King James were alive, he’d disagree with you. Why do you think the KJV says “God save the King”? King James wanted to unite the kingdom. He wanted a Bible the common people would understand. He wanted to compete with and supplant the Geneva Bible.

Do you really think that the average person attending the Globe Theater was college educated? No, they weren’t.

Interesting read here - A bit lengthy - but IMHO - well worth the time
Story Behind King James Bible

 

[MartyF]

Stats about reading level
More info

Read the question carefully and realize you did not answer my question.

All you pointed out is that there are many people now were are illiterate or read poorly. Something I have not ever disagreed with.

However, you might want to point this out to John of Japan, because he disagrees with you.

Excellent chart giving many variables

From the LA Times;

From Brandon

Propaganda. Do you know what it is?

Here are the actual results.

PIAAC - Report

National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL) - Demographics - Race/Age

Maybe you need help reading the actual data. But it does not support the “everyone’s going illiterate” myth.

In fact, if you read the data carefully, you’ll see that literacy rates have greatly improved since the 50s.

Interesting read here - A bit lengthy - but IMHO - well worth the time
Story Behind King James Bible

Nothing new here. It just reaffirms what I have already said.

 

[Wesley Briggman]

The lost soul is not saved by reading but by hearing!!

[Rom 10:17 ESV] 17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

 

[Yeshua1]

IT is - anywhere from 11th grade to college Freshman.

ITs just that some want to think that it is on a 5th grade level. Granted - some portions are -
but overall - much closer to High School

Still lower then the grade needed to read Nt Greek!

 

[Just_Ahead]

The lost soul is not saved by reading but by hearing!!

[Rom 10:17 ESV] 17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

*****

Wesley, some research suggests the literacy rate (ability to read) during the first century A.D. was 3%.

And this 3% rate depends upon the population you are discussing: Adult males, adult females, soldiers, children, slaves, etc.

Thus reading was not a major communication during those days. Whereas, word of mouth (i.e., speaking, hearing) was more commonly used.

Just my thoughts.

 

[Conan]

One read out loud in the Ancient days. They did not read silently, but mouthed the words out loud, even if reading alone.

 

[Just_Ahead]

There is some good stuff in this thread for my wrinkled old brain.

 

[rsr]

Several years ago I complied some research on Flesh-Kincaid reading levels. Word, sentence and paragraph length are the determinants, not comprehension.

Bible Reading Comprehension Tests