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.
and they shall see the son of man coming in the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory, And whoso treasureth up my word shall not be deceived; for the son of man shall come; and he shall send his angles before him with the great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four 13/ winds, from one end of heaven to the other. 13/ Now learn a parable of the fig tree. When his branches are yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, you know that summer is nigh at hand. So likewise, mine elect, when they shall see all these things, they shall know that he is near even at the doors But of that day and hour, no one knoweth; no, not the angles of God in heaven, but my father only. But as it was in the days of Noah, so it shall be also at the coming of the son of man; For it shall be with them as it was in the days / which were before the flood. Untill the day that Noah entered into the Ark, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, and knew not untill the flood came and took them all away; So shall also the coming of 14/ the son of man be. 14/ Then shall be fulfilled that which is written, That in the last days, two shall be in the field; one shall be taken, and the other left. Two shall be grinding at the mill; the one taken, and the other left. And what I say unto one, I say unto all men. Watch therefore, for ye know not at what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, if the good man of the house had known in what watch the theif would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to have been broken up; but would have been ready. Therefore, be ye also ready, for in such an hour as you think not, the son 15/ of man cometh. 15/ Who then is a faithfull and wise servent, whom has Lord hath made ruler over his housse hold, to give them meet in due season? Blessed is that servent whom his Lord, when he cometh, shall find so doing. And verily I say unto you, he shall make him ruler over all his goods. But if that evil servent shall say in his heart, My Lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to smite his fellow servents, and to eat and drink with the drunken; the Lord of that servent shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, and shall cut him assunder, and shall appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. there shall be weping & gnashing of teeth; and thus cometh the end.
Chapter 14th
1 After two days was the passover, and the feast unleavened bread. And the cheif Priests, and the Scribes, sought how they might take Jesus by craft, [p. 38 (second numbering)]
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