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.
him hither to me. & And Jesus rebuked the Devil, & he departed out of him; 6/ & the Child was cured from that very hour. 6/ Then came the Deciples to Jesus apart, & said, Why could not we cast him out? And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief; for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of musterdseed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove to yonder place, & it shall move; & nothing shall be imposable unto you. How be it, this kind goeth not out but by prayer 7/ & fasting. 7/ & And while they abode in Gallilee, Jesus said unto them, The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men; & they shall kill him, & the third day he shall be raised again. And they were exceeding 8/ sorry. 8/ And when they were come to Capurnium, they that received tribute came to Peter, & said, Doth not your master pay tribute? He said, Yea; And when he was come into the house Jesus rebuked him, saying, What thinkest thou Simon? Of whom do the Kings of the Earth take custom, or tribute? Of their own Children, or of strangers? Peter said unto him, Of strangers. Jesus said unto him, Then are the Children free. Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the Sea, & cast a hook, & take up the fish that first cometh up; & when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money; that take, & give unto them for me & thee.
Chapter XVIII the parable of the Lord & his Servents, likened unto the kingdom of Heaven. &c
1/ At the same time came the Deciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. And Jesus called a little child unto him, & set him in the midst of them, & said, verily I say unto you, except you be converted & become as little children, ye Shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. Whosoever therefore, shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. & And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name, receiveth me; but whoso shall offend one of these little ones, which believe in me, it were better for him that a milstone was hanged about his 2/ neck & he was drownded in the depth of the sea. 2/ Wo, unto the world, because of offences! For it must needs be that offences come; but wo! to that man by whom the offence cometh! Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut it off & cast it from thee; for it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather then having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire. And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out & cast it from thee; it is [p. 33 (first numbering)]
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Sidney Rigdon handwriting ends; John Whitmer begins.
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