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.
<4> of blood, unto this day. <4/> Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeramiah <Jeremy> the Prophet, saying, & <And> they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was valued, the price of whom they of <the> Children <of Israel> did value; <& therefore they took the pieces of silver,> & gave them for the Potters field, as the Lord <5/> appointed me by the mouth of Jeremy. <5/> & <And> Jesus stood before the governor; & the governor asked him, saying, art <Art> thou the King of the Jews? & <And> Jesus said unto him, Thou sayest truly, for thus it is written of <6/> me. <6/> & <And> when he was accused of the Chief Priests & Elders, he answered nothing. Then saith <said> Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee? & <And> he answered them him not to his questions; yea, never a word, insomuch that the governor <7/> marvelled greatly. <7/> Now at the feast the governor wast wont to releas unto the People a Prisoner, whom they would. & <And> they had there <then> a noteable Prisoner, whom they called Barrabas. Therefore when they were gethered together, Pilate said unto them, Whom will ye that I releas unto you? Barrabas, or Jesus, which is called Christ For he knew that for envy they had delivered him. then saith <8/> Pilate hearest thou not how many things <8/> When he was set down on the Judgement seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that Just man; <for> I <for> have suffered many things this day <in a dream <vision>> because of him. But the chief Priests & Elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barrabas, & destroy Jesus. & <And> the governor said unto them, Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you? They said, Barrabas, Pilate said unto them, whts <What> shall I do with Jesus, which is called Christ? & <And> all said unto him, Let him be crusified. & <And> the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done? <9/> But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crusified. <9/> When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but rather a tumult was made, he took water, & washed this <his> hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this Just person; see that ye <10/> do nothing unto him. <10> Then answered all the People, & said, His blood come on us, & our children. Then released he Barrabas unto them; & when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crusified. <11/> Then the Soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, & gethered unto him the whole band; & they striped [stripped?] him, & put on him a Scarlett <purple> robe. & <And> when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, & a reed in his right hand; [p. 5 (second numbering)]
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