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.
betray me. But the son of man goeth as it is written of him; but wo unto that man by whom the son of man is betrayed! <9/> It had been good for that man if he had not been born. <9/> Then Judas, who betrayed him, answered & said, Master, is it I? He said unto <10/> him, Thou hast said. <10/> & <And> as they were eating, Jesus took bread & break it & blessed it, & gave to his deciples & said, Take, eat; this is in rememberance of my body & <which> I give <gave> <a ransom for your sins> unto you a commandment that ye shall observe to do <even> the thi even the thing which ye & <And> he took the cup, & gave thanks, & gave it to them, said <saying,> Drink ye all, of it. For this is in rememberance of my blood of the new testament, which is shed for as many as shall believe <11/> on my name ; for the remission of their sins. <11/> & <And> I give unto you a commandment, that ye shall observe to do the things which ye have seen me do, & bear record of me even unto the end. But I say unto you, I will not drink of the <henceforth of this> fruit of the vine, untill that day that <when> I drink it anew with you in my Father’s kingdom. <11/> & <And> when they had sung an <a> hymn, they went out upon the into the <12/> mount of Olives. <12/> Then saith <said> Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night; for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, & the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad. But <after> I am risen <13/> again, I will go before you into Gallilee. <13/> Peter answered & said unt[o] him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, I will never be offended. Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, that this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I <14/> not deny thee. Likewise <also> said all the Deciples. <14/> Then cometh Jesus <with> them unto a place called Gethsemane & saith <said> unto the Deciples, Sit ye here while I go & pray yonder. & <And> he took with him Peter & the two sons of Zebedee, & began to be sorry <sorrow> full & very heavy. Then said he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorry <sorrowfull>, <even> unto death, tarry ye here & watch with me. & <And> he went a little farther, & fell on his face, saying & prayed, saying, Oh! my father, if it be posible let this cup pass from me; nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. & <And> he cometh unto the Deciples & findeth them asleep, & he saith <said> unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? Watch & pray <you,> that ye enter not into temptation; the <15/> spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. <15 /> He went away [p. 2 (second numbering)]
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