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.
again the Second time, & <prayed,> saying, Oh my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done. & <And> he <16/> came & found them asleep again; for their eyes were heavy. <16/> & <And> he left them, & went <away> again, praying saying these same words & prayed the third time, saying, the same words. Then cometh he unto his deciples, & sayeth <saith <said>> unto them, Sleep on now, & take rest; behold the hour is at hand, & the son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. & <And> after they had slept he sayith <said> unto them, Arise, & let us be going; behold, <17/> he is at hand that doth betray me. <17> & <And> while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, & with him a great multitude with <18/> swords & staves, from the chief Priests & Elders of the People. <18/> Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shal shall kiss, that same is he; hold him fast. & <And> forthwith he came to Jesus, & saith <said>, Hail, Master; & kissed him, & <And> Jesus said unto him, Judas, wherefore art thou come to betray me with a kiss? Then came they, & <19/> laid hands on Jesus, & took him. <19/> & <And> behold, one of them which were with Jesus, stretched out his hand, & drew his sword, & struck a servent of the high Priest & smote off his ear. Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place; for all they that take the sword shall perish with the wword <sword>. Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my father, & he shall presently give me more then twelve legions of Angels? <But> how then shall the scriptures <20/> be fulfilled, that thus it must be. <20/> & <In> that same hour said Jesus unto the multitudes, Are ye come out against me as as a against a thief with swords & staves for to take me? I sat daily <with you> in the temple, with you teaching, & ye laid no hold on me. But all this was done, that the scriptures of the Prophets might be fulfilled. Then <21/> all the deciples forsook him, & fled. <21> & <And> they that had laid hold on Jesus, led him away to Caiphas the high Priests, where the Scribes <22/> & the Elders were assembelled. <22/> But Peter followed him afar off unto the high Priests Palace, & went <in,> & sat with the servents, to <22/> see the end. <22> Now the chief Priests, & Elders, & all the coucil, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death but found none; yea, though many false witnesses came, they found none that could accuse him. At the last came two false witnesses, & said, This man said this man said, I am able to destroy the temple of <23/> God, & to build it in three days. <23/> & <And> the high Priest arose & said unto him, Answerest thou nothing? [p. 3 (second numbering)]
Source Note
Source Note
Document Transcript
Document Information
Document Information
Go to page