New Testament Revision 2
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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.
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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.
1/ Then came to Jesus Scribes & Pharisees which were of Jerusalem, saying, Why do thy Deciples transgress the traditions of the Elder? For, they wash not their hands when they eat bread. But he answered & said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father & mother; & he that curseth father or mother, let him die the death which Moses shall appoint. But ye say, Whosoever shall say to Father or Mother, By whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me it is a gift from me, & honour not his father or Mother, it is well. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none affect by your traditions. O! ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophecy of you, Saying, This people draw nigh unto me with their mouth, & honoureth me with lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain do they worship me, teach 2/ ing the Doctrines & the commandments of men. 2/ & And he called the multitude & said unto them, Hear, & understand; not that which goeth into the mouth defileth the man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth the man. Then came his Deciples & said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying? But he answered & said, Every plant, which my Heavenly hath not planted, shall be rooted up. Let them alone; they be blind leaders of the blind; & if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch. 3/ Then answered Peter & Said unto him, Declare unto us this Parable. And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding? Do you not yet understand that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, & is cast into the drought? But those things which proceed out of the mouth, come forth from the heart; & they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adultery, fornication, thefts, false witness, blasphemy; these are things which defile a man; but but to eat with unwashen 4/ hands defileth not a man. 4/ Then Jesus went thence, & departed into the coasts of Tyre & Sidon. And Behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, & cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David; my daughter is grieveously vexed with a devil. But he answered her not a word. & And his Deciples came & besought him, Saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us. He answered, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Then came she & worshiped him, saying, Lord help me; But he answered & said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread, & to cast it to dogs. And she said, Truth, Lord; yet the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from the Master’s table. Then Jesus answered & said unto [p. 29 (first numbering)]
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