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.
on whomsoever this stone shall fall, it shall grind him to powder. And when the Lord therefore of the Vineyard cometh, he will destroy those miserable, wicked men, & will let again his vineyard unto other husbandmen; even in the last days, which shall render him the fruits 14/ in their seasons. 14/ And then understood they the parable which he spake unto them, that the gentiles should be destroyed also, when the Lord should decend out of Heaven to reign in his vineyard, which is the Earth & the inhabitants thereof.
Chapter XXII the parable of the Marriage supper &c
1/ And Jesus answered the People again, & spake unto them in parables, & said, The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a certain King, who made a marriage for his Son. And when the marriage was ready, he sent forth his Servents to call them that were bidden to the wedding; & they would not come. 2/ Again he Sent forth other Servents, saying, Tell them that are bidden, Behold I have prepared my oxen, & my fatlings have been killed, & my dinner is ready, & all things are prepared; therefore come unto the marriage. But they made light of the Servents, & went their ways; one to his farm, & another to his Merchandize; & the remnant took his Servents, & entreated them spitefully, & slew them. But when the King heard that his servents were dead, he was wroth; & he sent forth his armies 3/ & destroyed those murderers, & burnt up their City. 3/ Then said he to his servents, The wedding is ready; but they who were bidden were not worthy. Go ye therefore into the highways, & as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. So those servents went out into the highways, & gethered together all, as many as they found, both bad & good; & 4/ the weding was furnished with guests. 4/ But when the King came in to See the guests, he saw there a man who had not a weding garment; & he said unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither, not having a weding garment? And he was speechless. Then said the King unto his Servents, Bind him hand & foot, & take & cast him away into outer darkness; there shall be weeping & gnashing of teeth; for many are called, but few 5/ Chosen; wherefore all do not have on the wedding garment. 5/ Then went the Pharisees & took council how they might entangle him in talk. And they sent out unto him their deciples with the Herrodians, saying, Master, we know that thou art true, & teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any; for thou regardest not the person of men; tell us therefore, what thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give [p. 41 (first numbering)]
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