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.
great Earthquake; for two Angels of the Lord decended from heaven, & came & rolled back the stone from the door, & sat upon it. & and their countenance was like lightning, & their raiment white as snow. & And for fear of them the keepers did shake, & became as though they were dead. And the Angels ansered & said unto the women, Fear not ye; for we know that ye seek Jesus who was crusified. He is not here; for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay; & go quickly & tell his Deciples that he is risen from the dead; & And, Behold, he goeth before you into gallilee; there shall ye see him; Lo! I 3/ have told you. 3/ & they departed quickly from the Sepulchre, with fear & great Joy; & did run to bring his Deciples word. And as they went to tell his Diciples, behold Jesus met them, saying, All hail! They came & held him by the feet, & worshiped him. Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid; go tell my brethren that they go into 4/ Gallilee, & there shall they see me. 4/ Now when they were going, Behold some of the watch came into the City, & shewed unto the chief Priests all the things that were done. & And when they were assembelled with the Elders, & had taken council, they gave large money unto the Soldiers, saying, Say ye, his Deciples came by night, & stole him while we slept. And if this come to the governors ears, we will persuade him, & secure you. So they took the money, & did as they were taught; & this saying is commonly reported among 5/ the Jews untill this day. 5/ Then the Eleven Deciples went away into Gallilee, into a Mountain where Jesus had appointed them, And when they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 6 And Jesus came & spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto them saying me in heaven, & on earth. Go ye therefore; & teach all Nations, baptizing them in the name of the father, & of the Son, & of the Holy Ghost; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you; &, Lo, I am with you always unto the end of the World. Amen.
The Gospel according to St Mark (Chapter) (first)
1 The begining of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God; as it is written in the Prophets, Behold, I send my Messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. The voice of one crying in the Wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight, [p. 8 (second numbering)]
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