diff --git a/docs/pages/release_notes.md b/docs/pages/release_notes.md
index 2b1f2adba6..a52ae871f1 100644
--- a/docs/pages/release_notes.md
+++ b/docs/pages/release_notes.md
@@ -176,9 +176,7 @@ The following previously deprecated rules have been finally removed:
 
 #### API Changes
 
-**Removed classes and methods (previously deprecated)**
-
-The following previously deprecated classes have been removed:
+**Removed classes and members (previously deprecated)**
 
 * pmd-core
   * {%jdoc !!core::cpd.CpdLanguageProperties %}. The field `DEFAULT_SKIP_BLOCKS_PATTERN` has been removed.
@@ -200,6 +198,12 @@ The following previously deprecated classes have been removed:
     Use {%jdoc core::lang.document.TextDocument#readOnlyString(java.lang.CharSequence,core::lang.document.FileId,core::lang.LanguageVersion) %} instead.
   * {%jdoc !!core::lang.document.TextFile %} - method `dataSourceCompat(DataSource,PMDConfiguration)` has been removed.
     Use {%jdoc core::lang.document.TextFile %} directly, e.g. {%jdoc core::lang.document.TextFile.forPath(java.nio.file.Path,java.nio.charset.Charset,core::lang.LanguageVersion) %}
+  * {%jdoc !!core::lang.rule.xpath.XPathVersion %}
+    * `XPATH_1_0`
+    * `XPATH_1_0_COMPATIBILITY`
+    * `XPATH_2_0`
+    * Only XPath version 3.1 is now supported.  This version of the XPath language is mostly identical to
+      XPath 2.0. XPath rules by default use now {%jdoc core::lang.rule.xpath.XPathVersion#XPATH_3_1 %}.
 * pmd-apex
   * {%jdoc apex::lang.apex.ast.ApexNode %} and {% jdoc apex::lang.apex.ast.ASTApexFile %}
     * `#getApexVersion()`: In PMD 6, this method has been deprecated but was defined in the class `ApexRootNode`.
diff --git a/docs/pages/release_notes_pmd7.md b/docs/pages/release_notes_pmd7.md
index 2d5767bea1..f55e3578c5 100644
--- a/docs/pages/release_notes_pmd7.md
+++ b/docs/pages/release_notes_pmd7.md
@@ -599,7 +599,7 @@ See [ADR 3 - API evolution principles](pmd_projectdocs_decisions_adr_3.html) and
 
 ### XPath 3.1 support
 
-Support for XPath versions 1.0, 1.0-compatibility was removed, support for XPath 2.0 is deprecated. The default
+Support for XPath versions 1.0, 1.0-compatibility, 2.0 was removed. The default
 (and only) supported XPath version is now XPath 3.1. This version of the XPath language is mostly identical to
 XPath 2.0.
 
diff --git a/pmd-apex/src/main/resources/category/apex/bestpractices.xml b/pmd-apex/src/main/resources/category/apex/bestpractices.xml
index 178f94e82e..96e90f4139 100644
--- a/pmd-apex/src/main/resources/category/apex/bestpractices.xml
+++ b/pmd-apex/src/main/resources/category/apex/bestpractices.xml
@@ -116,7 +116,6 @@ annotation for test classes and methods.
         </description>
         <priority>3</priority>
         <properties>
-            <property name="version" value="2.0"/>
             <property name="xpath">
                 <value>
 <![CDATA[
diff --git a/pmd-apex/src/main/resources/category/apex/performance.xml b/pmd-apex/src/main/resources/category/apex/performance.xml
index f9011c7dbd..9b1360ce3a 100644
--- a/pmd-apex/src/main/resources/category/apex/performance.xml
+++ b/pmd-apex/src/main/resources/category/apex/performance.xml
@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@ For other valid use cases that the statement is in fact valid make use of the `@
         </description>
         <priority>3</priority>
         <properties>
-            <property name="version" value="2.0"/>
             <property name="xpath">
                 <value>
 <![CDATA[
@@ -89,7 +88,6 @@ Properties:
         <priority>3</priority>
         <properties>
             <property name="noDefault" type="Boolean" value="false" description="Do not allow SObjectDescribeOptions.DEFAULT option to ensure consistent results no matter where getDescribe is called"/>
-            <property name="version" value="2.0"/>
             <property name="xpath">
                 <value>
 <![CDATA[
diff --git a/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/rule/xpath/XPathVersion.java b/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/rule/xpath/XPathVersion.java
index 0c2d428636..a201023409 100644
--- a/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/rule/xpath/XPathVersion.java
+++ b/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/rule/xpath/XPathVersion.java
@@ -11,29 +11,6 @@ import java.util.Map;
  * Constants for XPath language version used in XPath queries.
  */
 public enum XPathVersion {
-    /**
-     * XPath 1.0.
-     *
-     * @deprecated not supported anymore
-     */
-    @Deprecated
-    XPATH_1_0("1.0"),
-    /**
-     * XPath 1.0 compatibility mode.
-     *
-     * @deprecated Not supported any more.
-     */
-    @Deprecated
-    XPATH_1_0_COMPATIBILITY("1.0 compatibility"),
-
-    /**
-     * XPath 2.0.
-     *
-     * @deprecated Technically still supported, use 3.1 instead. There
-     *     are no known incompatibilities.
-     */
-    @Deprecated
-    XPATH_2_0("2.0"),
     /** XPath 3.1. */
     XPATH_3_1("3.1");
 
diff --git a/pmd-core/src/test/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/rule/XPathRuleTest.java b/pmd-core/src/test/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/rule/XPathRuleTest.java
index ccbb20cdb2..ef89fb55ec 100644
--- a/pmd-core/src/test/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/rule/XPathRuleTest.java
+++ b/pmd-core/src/test/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/rule/XPathRuleTest.java
@@ -30,16 +30,10 @@ class XPathRuleTest {
     private final DummyParsingHelper helper = new DummyParsingHelper();
 
     @Test
-    void testAttributeDeprecation10() throws Exception {
-        testDeprecation(XPathVersion.XPATH_1_0);
+    void testAttributeDeprecation() throws Exception {
+        testDeprecation(XPathVersion.DEFAULT);
     }
 
-    @Test
-    void testAttributeDeprecation20() throws Exception {
-        testDeprecation(XPathVersion.XPATH_2_0);
-    }
-
-
     void testDeprecation(XPathVersion version) throws Exception {
         XPathRule xpr = makeRule(version, "SomeRule");
 
@@ -91,7 +85,7 @@ class XPathRuleTest {
 
 
     XPathRule makeXPath(String xpathExpr) {
-        XPathRule xpr = new XPathRule(XPathVersion.XPATH_2_0, xpathExpr);
+        XPathRule xpr = new XPathRule(XPathVersion.DEFAULT, xpathExpr);
         setDummyLanguage(xpr);
         xpr.setName("name");
         xpr.setMessage("gotcha");
diff --git a/pmd-core/src/test/resources/net/sourceforge/pmd/xml/j2ee.xml b/pmd-core/src/test/resources/net/sourceforge/pmd/xml/j2ee.xml
index 17443c62ab..607967f6fd 100644
--- a/pmd-core/src/test/resources/net/sourceforge/pmd/xml/j2ee.xml
+++ b/pmd-core/src/test/resources/net/sourceforge/pmd/xml/j2ee.xml
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@
    </description>
    <priority>3</priority>
       <properties>
-          <property name="version" value="2.0"/>
           <property name="xpath">
               <value>
 <![CDATA[
@@ -50,7 +49,6 @@ public class Foo {
         </description>
         <priority>4</priority>
         <properties>
-            <property name="version" value="2.0"/>
             <property name="xpath">
                 <value><![CDATA[
 //TypeDeclaration/ClassOrInterfaceDeclaration
@@ -95,7 +93,6 @@ public class Foo {
         </description>
         <priority>4</priority>
         <properties>
-            <property name="version" value="2.0"/>
             <property name="xpath">
                 <value>
                     <![CDATA[
@@ -140,7 +137,6 @@ public class Foo {
         </description>
         <priority>4</priority>
         <properties>
-            <property name="version" value="2.0"/>
             <property name="xpath">
                 <value>
                     <![CDATA[
@@ -185,7 +181,6 @@ public class Foo {
         </description>
         <priority>4</priority>
         <properties>
-            <property name="version" value="2.0"/>
             <property name="xpath">
                 <value>
                     <![CDATA[
@@ -230,7 +225,6 @@ public class Foo {
         </description>
         <priority>4</priority>
         <properties>
-            <property name="version" value="2.0"/>
             <property name="xpath">
                 <value>
                     <![CDATA[
@@ -284,7 +278,6 @@ application server should stop the JVM.
      ]]></description>
     	<priority>3</priority>
     	<properties>
-    		<property name="version" value="2.0"/>
     		<property name="xpath">
     			<value><![CDATA[
 //Name[starts-with(@Image,'System.exit')]
@@ -315,7 +308,6 @@ behavior especially when instances are distributed by the container on several J
     	</description>
     	<priority>3</priority>
     	<properties>
-    		<property name="version" value="2.0"/>
     		<property name="xpath">
     			<value><![CDATA[
 //ClassOrInterfaceDeclaration[
@@ -363,7 +355,6 @@ public class SomeEJB extends EJBObject implements EJBLocalHome {
         </description>
         <priority>3</priority>
         <properties>
-            <property name="version" value="2.0"/>
             <property name="xpath">
                 <value>
                     <![CDATA[
diff --git a/pmd-core/src/test/resources/rulesets/dummy/basic.xml b/pmd-core/src/test/resources/rulesets/dummy/basic.xml
index bc9c94cc4a..2a5b4fcb0d 100644
--- a/pmd-core/src/test/resources/rulesets/dummy/basic.xml
+++ b/pmd-core/src/test/resources/rulesets/dummy/basic.xml
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@ Just for test
         <priority>3</priority>
         <example> </example>
         <properties>
-            <property name="version" value="2.0"/>
             <property name="xpath">
                 <value><![CDATA[
 //dummyRootNode
@@ -44,7 +43,6 @@ Just for test
         <priority>3</priority>
         <example> </example>
         <properties>
-            <property name="version" value="2.0"/>
             <property name="xpath">
                 <value><![CDATA[
 //dummyRootNode
diff --git a/pmd-doc/src/test/resources/rulesets/ruledoctest/sample.xml b/pmd-doc/src/test/resources/rulesets/ruledoctest/sample.xml
index c6c78e76a8..cc50932f30 100644
--- a/pmd-doc/src/test/resources/rulesets/ruledoctest/sample.xml
+++ b/pmd-doc/src/test/resources/rulesets/ruledoctest/sample.xml
@@ -57,7 +57,6 @@ Here might be &lt;script&gt;alert('XSS');&lt;/script&gt; as well. And "quotes".
        </description>
        <priority>3</priority>
        <properties>
-           <property name="version" value="2.0"/>
            <property name="xpath">
                <value>
 <![CDATA[
@@ -147,7 +146,6 @@ Avoid jumbled loop incrementers - its usually a mistake, and is confusing even i
      </description>
      <priority>3</priority>
      <properties>
-         <property name="version" value="2.0"/>
          <property name="xpath">
              <value>
  <![CDATA[
@@ -206,7 +204,6 @@ RuleTag with full category and without quotes: Use {% rule java/sample/RenamedRu
  </description>
  <priority>3</priority>
  <properties>
-     <property name="version" value="2.0"/>
      <property name="xpath">
          <value>
 <![CDATA[
diff --git a/pmd-doc/src/test/resources/rulesets/ruledoctest/sample2.xml b/pmd-doc/src/test/resources/rulesets/ruledoctest/sample2.xml
index a91a7e6b1f..88f5e15c02 100644
--- a/pmd-doc/src/test/resources/rulesets/ruledoctest/sample2.xml
+++ b/pmd-doc/src/test/resources/rulesets/ruledoctest/sample2.xml
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@ Avoid jumbled loop incrementers - its usually a mistake, and is confusing even i
      </description>
      <priority>3</priority>
      <properties>
-         <property name="version" value="2.0"/>
          <property name="xpath">
              <value>
 <![CDATA[
diff --git a/pmd-html/src/main/resources/category/html/bestpractices.xml b/pmd-html/src/main/resources/category/html/bestpractices.xml
index 775e366565..7d89018d83 100644
--- a/pmd-html/src/main/resources/category/html/bestpractices.xml
+++ b/pmd-html/src/main/resources/category/html/bestpractices.xml
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ This helps to reuse common styles.
         </description>
         <priority>3</priority>
         <properties>
-            <property name="version" value="2.0"/>
             <property name="xpath">
                 <value>
 <![CDATA[
diff --git a/pmd-java/src/main/resources/category/java/bestpractices.xml b/pmd-java/src/main/resources/category/java/bestpractices.xml
index 3da6e337ca..0816ad17fc 100644
--- a/pmd-java/src/main/resources/category/java/bestpractices.xml
+++ b/pmd-java/src/main/resources/category/java/bestpractices.xml
@@ -826,7 +826,6 @@ Test methods are identified as those which use `@Test`, `@RepeatedTest`,
             ]]></description>
         <priority>3</priority>
         <properties>
-            <property name="version" value="2.0"/>
             <property name="xpath">
                 <value>
 <![CDATA[
@@ -1880,7 +1879,6 @@ a block `{}` is sufficient.
     ]]
                 ]]></value>
             </property>
-            <property name="version" value="2.0" />
         </properties>
         <example>
 <![CDATA[
diff --git a/pmd-java/src/main/resources/category/java/codestyle.xml b/pmd-java/src/main/resources/category/java/codestyle.xml
index e9355c5b13..525039e94e 100644
--- a/pmd-java/src/main/resources/category/java/codestyle.xml
+++ b/pmd-java/src/main/resources/category/java/codestyle.xml
@@ -608,7 +608,6 @@ public class HelloWorldBean {
         </description>
         <priority>1</priority>
         <properties>
-            <property name="version" value="2.0"/>
             <property name="xpath">
                 <value>
                     <![CDATA[
@@ -1812,7 +1811,6 @@ public class Foo {
         </description>
         <priority>3</priority>
         <properties>
-            <property name="version" value="2.0"/>
             <property name="xpath">
                 <value><![CDATA[
       (: empty declarations :)
@@ -1905,7 +1903,6 @@ See also [Local Variable Type Inference Style Guidelines](https://openjdk.org/pr
         <properties>
             <property name="allowLiterals" type="Boolean" value="false" description="Allow when variables are directly initialized with literals"/>
             <property name="allowCtors" type="Boolean" value="false" description="Allow when variables are directly initialized with a constructor call"/>
-            <property name="version" value="3.1"/>
             <property name="xpath">
                 <value>
                     <![CDATA[
diff --git a/pmd-java/src/main/resources/category/java/design.xml b/pmd-java/src/main/resources/category/java/design.xml
index 3e70794489..9fef32e0a2 100644
--- a/pmd-java/src/main/resources/category/java/design.xml
+++ b/pmd-java/src/main/resources/category/java/design.xml
@@ -1511,7 +1511,6 @@ rule {% rule java/errorprone/AssignmentToNonFinalStatic %}.
         </description>
         <priority>3</priority>
         <properties>
-            <property name="version" value="2.0"/>
             <property name="xpath">
                 <value>
                     <![CDATA[
diff --git a/pmd-java/src/main/resources/category/java/errorprone.xml b/pmd-java/src/main/resources/category/java/errorprone.xml
index a15f3a3bed..7f9d11f051 100644
--- a/pmd-java/src/main/resources/category/java/errorprone.xml
+++ b/pmd-java/src/main/resources/category/java/errorprone.xml
@@ -1033,7 +1033,6 @@ in the `typesThatCompareByReference` property.
         </description>
         <priority>3</priority>
         <properties>
-            <property name="version" value="2.0"/>
             <property name="typesThatCompareByReference" type="List[String]" description="List of canonical type names for which reference comparison is allowed.">
                 <value>java.lang.Enum,java.lang.Class</value>
             </property>
@@ -1089,7 +1088,6 @@ class Foo {
         ]]></description>
         <priority>3</priority>
         <properties>
-            <property name="version" value="2.0"/>
             <property name="xpath">
                 <value>
                     <![CDATA[
@@ -2099,7 +2097,6 @@ log4j2 (since 6.19.0).
         </description>
         <priority>2</priority>
         <properties>
-            <property name="version" value="2.0"/>
             <property name="xpath">
                 <value><![CDATA[
 //ClassDeclaration[
@@ -2216,7 +2213,6 @@ confusing.
         </description>
         <priority>3</priority>
         <properties>
-            <property name="version" value="2.0" />
             <property name="xpath">
                 <value>
 <![CDATA[
@@ -2391,7 +2387,6 @@ See Effective Java, 3rd Edition, Item 54: Return empty collections or arrays ins
         </description>
         <priority>1</priority>
         <properties>
-            <property name="version" value="2.0"/>
             <property name="xpath">
                 <value>
 <![CDATA[
diff --git a/pmd-java/src/main/resources/category/java/performance.xml b/pmd-java/src/main/resources/category/java/performance.xml
index 8d8aca244b..17c364a181 100644
--- a/pmd-java/src/main/resources/category/java/performance.xml
+++ b/pmd-java/src/main/resources/category/java/performance.xml
@@ -786,7 +786,6 @@ and buffering.
         </description>
         <priority>3</priority>
         <properties>
-            <property name="version" value="2.0"/>
             <property name="xpath">
                 <value>
                     <![CDATA[
diff --git a/pmd-java/src/test/resources/net/sourceforge/pmd/ant/classpathtest/ruleset.xml b/pmd-java/src/test/resources/net/sourceforge/pmd/ant/classpathtest/ruleset.xml
index bf5fdf9c0c..52b6f8b3f8 100644
--- a/pmd-java/src/test/resources/net/sourceforge/pmd/ant/classpathtest/ruleset.xml
+++ b/pmd-java/src/test/resources/net/sourceforge/pmd/ant/classpathtest/ruleset.xml
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@ Avoid jumbled loop incrementers - its usually a mistake, and is confusing even i
      </description>
      <priority>3</priority>
      <properties>
-         <property name="version" value="2.0"/>
          <property name="xpath">
              <value>
  <![CDATA[
diff --git a/pmd-kotlin/src/main/resources/category/kotlin/bestpractices.xml b/pmd-kotlin/src/main/resources/category/kotlin/bestpractices.xml
index a28c34e39a..21441f979f 100644
--- a/pmd-kotlin/src/main/resources/category/kotlin/bestpractices.xml
+++ b/pmd-kotlin/src/main/resources/category/kotlin/bestpractices.xml
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@ Rules which enforce generally accepted best practices.
         </description>
         <priority>3</priority>
         <properties>
-            <property name="version" value="3.1"/>
             <property name="xpath">
                 <value><![CDATA[
                     //FunctionDeclaration/SimpleIdentifier/T-Identifier[string-length(@Text) < 3]
diff --git a/pmd-plsql/src/test/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/plsql/PLSQLXPathRuleTest.java b/pmd-plsql/src/test/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/plsql/PLSQLXPathRuleTest.java
index 09f9013008..9eb754b61a 100644
--- a/pmd-plsql/src/test/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/plsql/PLSQLXPathRuleTest.java
+++ b/pmd-plsql/src/test/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/plsql/PLSQLXPathRuleTest.java
@@ -22,28 +22,9 @@ class PLSQLXPathRuleTest extends AbstractPLSQLParserTst {
             + "        a_variable VARCHAR2(1);\n" + "    BEGIN \n" + "        --PRAGMA INLINE(output,'YES');\n"
             + "        a_variable := 'Y' ;\n" + "    END ;\n" + "end pkg_xpath_problem;\n" + "/\n";
 
-    /**
-     * See https://sourceforge.net/p/pmd/bugs/1166/
-     */
     @Test
-    void testXPathRule1() {
-        testOnVersion(XPathVersion.XPATH_1_0);
-    }
-
-    /**
-     * See https://sourceforge.net/p/pmd/bugs/1166/
-     */
-    @Test
-    void testXPathRule1Compatibility() {
-        testOnVersion(XPathVersion.XPATH_1_0_COMPATIBILITY);
-    }
-
-    /**
-     * See https://sourceforge.net/p/pmd/bugs/1166/
-     */
-    @Test
-    void testXPathRule2() {
-        testOnVersion(XPathVersion.XPATH_2_0);
+    void testXPathRule() {
+        testOnVersion(XPathVersion.DEFAULT);
     }
 
 
diff --git a/pmd-test/src/main/resources/rulesets/dummy/basic.xml b/pmd-test/src/main/resources/rulesets/dummy/basic.xml
index ba7589bf21..65e5fa4aa4 100644
--- a/pmd-test/src/main/resources/rulesets/dummy/basic.xml
+++ b/pmd-test/src/main/resources/rulesets/dummy/basic.xml
@@ -26,7 +26,6 @@ Just for test
         <priority>3</priority>
         <example> </example>
         <properties>
-            <property name="version" value="2.0"/>
             <property name="xpath">
                 <value><![CDATA[
 //DummyNode
diff --git a/pmd-xml/src/main/resources/category/xml/bestpractices.xml b/pmd-xml/src/main/resources/category/xml/bestpractices.xml
index dd25bea6e8..85cb598fb7 100644
--- a/pmd-xml/src/main/resources/category/xml/bestpractices.xml
+++ b/pmd-xml/src/main/resources/category/xml/bestpractices.xml
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@ parsing.
        </description>
        <priority>3</priority>
        <properties>
-          <property name="version" value="3.1"/>
           <property name="xpath">
              <value>
     <![CDATA[