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.
<15<23>/> shall in no case enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. <15<23>/> Ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, that, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill, shall be in danger of the <24/> Judgement of God. <24/> But I say unto you, that whosoever is angery with his brother, shall be in danger of his Judgement; & whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, or Rabcha, shall be in danger of the Council; and whosoever shall say to hiss <his> brother, Thou fool, <25/> shall be in <danger of> hell fire. <25/> Therefore, if ye shall come unto me, or shall desire to come unto me, or if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath <26/> aught against thee, <26/> Leave thou thy gift before the altar, and go thy way unto thy brother, & first be reconciled to thy <16<27>/> brother, and then come & offer thy gift. <16<27>/> Agree with thine adversary quickly, while thou art in the way with him; lest at any time thine adversary deliver thee to the Judge, and the Judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. <28/> Verily I say unto thee, thou shalt by no means come out <17<29>/> thence, untill thou hast paid the uttermost farthing. <17<29>/> Behold it is written by them of old time, that, Thou shalt not commit <30/> Adultery. <30/> But I say unto you, that whosoever looketh<lookest> upon <on> a woman to leust <lust> after her, hath commited adultery <18<31>/> with her in his heart already, in his heart. <18<31>/> Behold, I give unto you a commandment, that ye suffer none of these things to enter into your heart, for it is better that ye should deny yourselves of these things, wherein ye will take up your <19<32>/> cross, then that you <ye> should be cast into hell. <19<32>/> Wherefore, if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out & cast it from thee; for it is propheble<prophifitable> for thee, that one of thy members should perish, <33/> and not that thy wholl body should be cast into hell. <33/> Or if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off & cast it from the<e>; for it is profitable for thee, that one of thy members <should> perish, and <34/> not that thy whole body should be cast uno <into> Hell. <34/> And now this I speak, a parable concerning your sins; wherefore, cast them from you, that ye may not be cast hewn down & cast <20<35>/> into the fire. <20<35>/> It hath been written, that, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement. <36/> Verily, Verily, I say unto you, that whosoever shall put away his wife, saveing for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery; and whosoever shall mary<eth> her her that [p. 8 (first numbering)]
Source Note
Source Note
Document Transcript
Document Information
Document Information
Footnotes
Footnotes
- [25]
TEXT: The “t” was capitalized and subsequently made lowercase.
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