Flesch-Kincaid results, foreign languages

To compare with my previous Flesch-Kincaid results, I gleaned readability results in Microsoft Word from a Greek New Testament and two foreign language Bibles. I hope I did it right! It seemed to not matter – that is, change the results – whether the proofing language was set on English or Greek/Spanish/Swedish.

Greek New Testament: SBL Edition

Words 244

Sentences 9

Passive Sentences 0%

Flesch Reading Ease 9.4

Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level 18.6

Reina-Valera Antigua (Spanish)

Words 282

Sentences 14

Passive Sentences 0%

Flesch Reading Ease 35.8

Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level 12.2

Svenska Folkbibeln (Swedish)

Words 296

Sentences 17

Passive Sentences 0%

Flesch Reading Ease 69.4

Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level 7.9

The Flesch Reading Ease test rates text on a 100-point scale. The higher the score means the easier it is to understand the document. The Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level test rates text on a U.S. school grade level. A score of 8.0 would mean that an eighth grader can (theoretically) understand the document. Therefore, according to this test, the Swedish is easiest to read and the Greek is the hardest. If you cannot read either, they are equally hard!

Flesch-Kincaid and Bible versions

Every now and then I see the Flesch Reading Ease and/or the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level tests referenced in comparing different versions of the Bible -- someone usually trying to make the point that their version of the Bible is easier to read. 

I sort of randomly* chose the second epistle of John to plug in to the Flesch-Kincaid Reading tests (using Microsoft Word). Here are my findings for 4 Bible versions.

New International Version
Words 291
Sentences 15
Passive Sentences 6%
Flesch Reading Ease 82.2
Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level 6.2

King James Version
Words 298
Sentences 15
Passive Sentences 0%
Flesch Reading Ease 81.4
Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level 6.2

New American Standard Version
Words 316
Sentences 12
Passive Sentences 8%
Flesch Reading Ease 82.3
Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level 6.6

Holman Christian Standard Version
Words 309
Sentences 15
Passive Sentences 0%
Flesch Reading Ease 83.5
Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level 6.1

The Flesch Reading Ease test rates text on a 100-point scale. The higher the score means the easier it is to understand the document. 

The Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level test rates text on a U.S. school grade level. A score of 8.0 would mean that an eighth grader can understand the document.

All four Bible versions that I picked rated at sixth grade level for the epistle of 2 John. There was very little difference, with the New American Standard rating the hardest and the Holman Christian Standard rating the easiest.

The Flesch-Kincaid scale is a measure of sentence length/words-per-sentence, word length/syllables-per-word only. It does not measure vocabulary. Vocabulary and sentence structure, which Flesch-Kincaid does not measure, can change the readability of a document. The Flesch-Kincaid tests actually tell us very little about comparing the readability of various Bible versions.

* I picked this book because it is one of the shortest in the Bible and I knew it would be easy to copy and prep (check for errors and remove verse numbers).