In contrast to the New King James Version, it does not alter the language significantly from the 1611 King James Version, retaining Jacobean grammar (including "thee" and "thou"), but it does attempt to replace some of the vocabulary that might no longer make sense to a modern reader.

The translation is directed towards readers who are looking for a very conservative King James update, but reduce the use of obsolete words.

[1] A version containing the Apocrypha and without the unusual formatting was released under the name Third Millennium Bible in 1998.

Passages from the Revised Common Lectionary are marked with diamonds, and the translations of names are sometimes included with brackets.

[citation needed] The 21st Century King James Version has also been published in an edition with the Apocrypha and without the unusual formatting; this is known as the Third Millennium Bible.