New Testament Revision 2
-
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; CCLA.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 in order for the RLDS Church to publish The Holy Scriptures.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.
-
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.
thine adversary for a Magestrate, when thou art in the way with thine enemy? why not give dilegence that thou mayest be delivered from him; lest he hale the to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and the officer cast thee into prison? I tell thee, thou shalt not depart thence, till thou hast paid the very last mite.
(Chapter 13th)
And there were present at that time, some who spake unto him of the Gallileeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrafices. And Jesus said unto them, Suppose ye that these gallileeans were sinners above all the Gallileeans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, Nay; but except you repent, you shall all likewise perish. Or those eighteen, on whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them; think ye that they were sinners above all men who dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, 2/ nay; but except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. 2/ He spake also this parable, A certain husbandman had a fig tree planted in his vinyard. He came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. Then said he unto the dresser of his vinyard; Behold, these three years I came seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none. Cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground? And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about and dung it; and if it bear fruit, the tree is saved; And if not, after that thou shalt cut it down. And 3/ many other parables spake he unto the people. 3/ And after this, as he was teaching in one of the Synegogues, on the sabbath; behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise straighten up. And when Jesus saw her, he called and said unto her, Woman, Thou art loosed from thine infirmities, And he laid hands on her, and immediately she was 4/ made straight, and gloryfied God. 4/ And the ruler of the Synegogue was filled with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the sabbath day, & said unto the people; There are six days in which men ought to work; in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath day. The Lord then said unto him, O, hypocite! Doth not each one of you on the sabbath, loose his ox or an ass to from the stall, and lead him away to wattering? and ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, [p. 79 (second numbering)]
View entire transcript |
Cite this page
Cite this page
