New Testament Revision 2 (first numbering)
New Testament Revision 2
Source Note
Source Note
New Testament Revision 2, ca. 4 Apr. 1831–24 Mar. 1832 and 20–31 July 1832; handwriting of , , , and an unidentified scribe; 206 pages; CHL.
The Bible revision manuscripts remained in JS’s possession throughout his life—except during a brief period in 1838 and another in 1839. Upon the death of JS, the manuscript was in possession of his wife for over twenty years, until 1867 when she gave it to her son so that the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (RLDS church) could publish it. It was in the possession of the RLDS church (now Community of Christ) until 2024, when The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints acquired it. The manuscript is now held at the Church History Library in Salt Lake City.
Note: The transcript of New Testament Revision 2 presented here is used with generous permission of the Brigham Young University Religious Studies Center. It was published earlier, with some differences in style, in Scott H. Faulring, Kent P. Jackson, and Robert J. Matthews, eds., Joseph Smith's New Translation of the Bible: Original Manuscripts (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 2004), 229–581.
Footnotes
- [1]
Call, “Copied from the Journal of Anson Call,” 9 and Cooper, “Spiritual Reminiscences, No. 2,” Autumn Leaves (January 1891): 18.
Call, Anson. “Copied from the Journal of Anson Call,” 1879. CHL. MS 4783.
Cooper, F. M. “Spiritual Reminiscences.—No. 2,” Autumn Leaves 4, no. 1 (Jan. 1891): 17–20.
- [2]
Emma Smith Bidamon, Nauvoo, IL, to Joseph Smith III, Plano, IL, 10 Feb. 1867, CCLA.
Bidamon, Emma Smith. Materials, 1842–1871. CCLA.
- [3]
The Holy Scriptures: Translated and Corrected by the Spirit of Revelation ([Plano, IL]: [Reorganized] Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 1867).
Historical Introduction
Historical Introduction
As noted in the introduction to Old Testament Revision 1, in June 1830, JS and began recording a revelation related to Moses and other prominent Old Testament figures. (See Visions of Moses, June 1830 [Moses 1].) Eventually this work expanded into what is now designated as the Book of Moses and a complete revelatory re-reading, reviewing, and revising of the Bible, an endeavor that came to be known as JS’s “New Translation,” or Bible revision. By March 1831, JS and his scribes created a sixty-one-page manuscript containing a narrative account of the visions of Moses and a revised version of the Old Testament book of Genesis, from the beginning to chapter 24, verse 41. (See Old Testament Revision 1.)
JS set that work aside when instructed in a March 1831 revelation to instead begin work on the New Testament. (Revelation, ca. 7 Mar. 1831 [D&C 45:60–61].) He and began the new document on 8 March 1831, titling it “A Translation of the New Testament translated by the power of God.” It is currently designated as New Testament Revision 1. , who had been directed by revelation to “write & keep a regulal [regular] history & assist my servant Joseph in Transcribing all things which shall be given him,” (Revelation, ca. 8 Mar. 1831–B [D&C 47:1]) began in early April 1831 to copy New Testament Revision 1 through Matthew 26:1, stopping a little short of where JS and Sidney Rigdon left off before they traveled to in June 1831. (JS History, vol. A-1, 126.)
When JS resumed the revision of the New Testament, he did so using ’s copy, currently designated New Testament Revision 2. He began with Matthew 26:1, though he had previously translated through Matthew 26:71 in New Testament Revision 1. Work continued on the rest of the New Testament through late July 1832. In addition to , JS was assisted by John Whitmer, , and .
New Testament Revision 2, presented here, consists of 203 pages. Work on this manuscript was completed in and , Ohio. During the revision project, JS adopted an abbreviated format for annotating the changes to be made to the New Testament. Previously, JS dictated the entire Bible text to his scribe, revising verses as he read from the Bible. But beginning after John 5, JS marked his copy of the Bible as he read in it, indicating where a change should be made. In the manuscript, the scribes wrote the scripture reference and the specifics of the revisions. Thus, the Bible and manuscript together now constituted the text of the revision project.
In total, JS made changes to about 2,100 New Testament verses (Faulring et al., Joseph Smith’s New Translation of the Bible, 5). He introduced a number of significant changes to the King James New Testament text in New Testament Revision 2. Among the more prominent clarifications and corrections were those in Matthew 24 and Mark 13 related to Jesus’s discourse on the Mount of Olives, as well as those in the beginning verses of the Gospel of John. (See, Faulring et al., Joseph Smith’s New Translation of the Bible, 234, 303, and 424–425.)
Note: The transcript of New Testament Revision 2 presented here is used with generous permission of the Brigham Young University Religious Studies Center. It was published earlier, with some differences in style, in Scott H. Faulring, Kent P. Jackson, and Robert J. Matthews, eds., Joseph Smith's New Translation of the Bible: Original Manuscripts (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 2004), 229–581.
synegogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward. But when thou doest alms, lett it be unto thee as thy left hand not knowing what thy right hand doeth; that thine alms may be in secret & thy Father which <who> seeth in secret; himself shall reward <2/> thee openly. <2/> And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrite; for they love to pray standing in the synegogue & in the corners of the streets, that they may be heard seen of men; for, Verily I say unto you, they have thir reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy Closet, & when thou hast shut thy <the> door, pray to thy Father which <who> is in secret; & thy <3/> Father which <who> seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly. <3/> But when ye pray, use not vain repetition, as the hypocrites; for they thin think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Therefore be ye not like unto them; for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him. Therefore after this manner ye shall pray, saying, Our Father who art in Heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done on Earth, as it is <done> in Heaven. Give us this day, our daily bread. And for give us our trespasses, as we for give them who for trespass against us.— <And> suffer us not to be led into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the Kingdom, & the <4/> power, and the glory, forever, & ever. Amen. <4/> For if ye forgive men their trespasses, who trespass against you, your Heavenly Father will also for give you; but if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your heavenly father <5/> forgive you your trespasses. <5/> Moreover, when you fast, be not as the hypocrites, of a sad countenances; for they disfiger their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward. But thou, when thou fasteth <fastest>, anoint thy head & wash thy feet <face>; that thou appear not unto men to fast, <but> unto thy Father who is in secret; and thy Father who seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly. <6/> Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon Earth, where moth & rust doth corrupt, & where thieves break throug & steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in Heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, & where thieves do not break through & <nor> steal; for where your heart <treasure> is, there will your heart <7/> be also. <7/> The light of the body is the eye; if therefore thine [p. 10 (first numbering)]
Source Note
Source Note
Document Transcript
Document Information
Document Information
Footnotes
Footnotes
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TEXT: The “s” was capitalized and subsequently made lowercase.
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