New Testament Revision 2 (second 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.
multitude, crying aloud, began to desire him to deliver Jesus unto them. But Pilate answered unto them, saying, Will ye that I release unto you the king of the Jews? For he knew that the Cheif Priest had delivered him for envy. But the Cheif Priests moved the people that he should rather release Barabbas unto them, as he had before done unto them. And Pilate spake unto again <them and said unto them,> What will ye <then> that I shall do with <him> whom ye call the king of the Jews? And they cryed out again, Deliver him unto us to be crucified. Away with him. Crucify him. Then Pilate said unto them, Why, what evil hath he done? But <4/> the cryed out the more exceedingly, Crucify him. <4/> And now, Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged him, to <be> crucified. And the soldiers led him away into the hall, called Pretorium; and they called together the whole band; and the<y> clothed him with purple <Scarlot> <purple,> and platted a crown of thorns and put it upon his head; and began to salute him, <saying,> Hail, king of the Jews. And the <they> smote him on the head with a reed, and did spit upon him, and bowing their knees worshiped him. And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple <Scarlet> <purple> from him, and put on his own cloaths <on him,> and <5/> led him out to crucify him. <5> and <they> compelled one Simon, a Cyrenian, who passed by, coming out of the country, the father of Alexandria and Ruffus, to bear his cross. And they bring him unto the place called golgotha, which is, (being interpreted) the place of a burial. And they gave him to drink, wine mingled with myrrh vinigar mingled with gall; and when he had tasted <the viniger,> he would not drink. <6/> And when they had crucified him, they parted his garments, casting lots upon them, what <7/> every man should take. And it was the third hour, when they crucified him. <7/> And the supers Pilate wrote his accusation, and put it upon the cross, THE KING OF THE JEWS. There were certain of the high Priests who stood by, that said unto Pilate, Write that he said, I am the king of the Jews. But Pila<8>te said unto them, What I have written, I have written. <8/> And with him they crucified two thieves the one on his right hand, and the other on his left. And the Schripture was fulfilled, which saith <said>, And he was numbered with <9> the transgressors. <9/> And the <they> who passed by railed on him, wagging their heads, and say<ing,> Ah! Thou who distroyest the Temple and buildest it in three days, save thyself, and come down from the cross. Likewise also, the cheif Priests said a mocking, said among themselves with the Scribes, He saved others; himself he cannot save. Let christ, the king of Israel, decend now from <10> the cross, that we may see and beleive. <10> And one of them who was crucified with him, reviled him also, saying, If thou art the christ, save thyself and [p. 43 (second numbering)]
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