Some of the Many
Changes in the Book of Mormon
Joseph Smith said
"that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book
on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get
nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book"
(History of the Church, Vol. 4, page 461). Alledgedly it was translated
by the power of God. Nevertheless, it has some 4,000 changes in
it. Some are mere spelling corrections, but others are significant
changes. Why is this so if the book of Mormon was translated accurately
by the hand of God? Why would the Mormon Church continue to change
the work even after Joseph Smith's death?
Following is a very small sample of the changes
in the Book of Mormon.
Check them out for yourself.
|
1830 Edition of the Book of Mormon |
1981 Edition of the Book of Mormon |
1 Nephi 11:18 |
"And he said unto me, Behold, the virgin which
thou seest, is the mother of [. . . . ] God, after the
manner of the flesh |
"And he said unto me: Behold, the virgin whom
thou seest is the mother of the Son of God, after
the manner of the flesh." |
1 Nephi 11:21 |
"And the angel said unto me, behold the Lamb
of God, yea, even the [. . . . ] Eternal Father!..." |
"And the angel said unto me: Behold the Lamb
of God, yea, even the Son of the Eternal Father!..." |
1 Nephi 11:32 |
"...And I looked and beheld the Lamb of God,
that he was taken by the people; yea, [. . . . ] the
Everlasting God, was judged of the world..." |
"...And I looked and beheld the Lamb of God,
that he was taken by the people; yea, the Son of
the everlasting God was judged of the world..." |
1 Nephi 13:40 |
"...and shall make known to all kindreds, tongues,
and people, that the Lamb of God is [. . . . ] the Eternal
Father and the Savior of the world..." |
"...and shall make known to all kindreds, tongues,
and people that the Lamb of God is the Son of
the Eternal Father, and the Savior of the World..." |
1 Nephi 19:20 |
"...for had not the Lord been merciful, to shew
unto me concerning them, even as he had prophets of
old; [. . . . ] for he surely..." |
"..."for had not the Lord been merciful,
to show unto me concerning them, even as he had prophets
of old, I should have perished also. And he surely
did..." |
1 Nephi 20:1
changed
in 1964 ed. |
"Hearken and hear this, O house of Jacob, which
are called by the name of Israel, and are come forth
out of the waters of Judah,[. . . . ] which swear..." |
"Hearken and hear this, O house of Jacob, who
are called by the name of Israel, and are come forth
out of the waters of Judah, or out of the waters
of baptism, who swear..." |
Mosiah 21:28
changed
in 1964 ed. |
"...king Benjamin had a gift from God,
whereby he could interpret such engravings;..." |
"...king Mosiah had a gift from God,
whereby he could interpret such engravings;..." |
Alma 29:4 |
"...yea, I know that he allotteth unto men,
yea, decreeth unto them decrees which are unalterale,
according to their wills..." |
"...yea, I know that he allotteth unto men [
. . . .]according to their wills..." |
Alma 46:40 |
"...because of the excellent qualities of the
many plants and roots which God had prepared, to remove
the cause of diseases which was subsequent to man
by the nature of the climate." |
"...because of the excellent qualities of the
many plants and roots which God had prepared to removed
the cause of diseases, to which men were subject
by the nature of the climate." |
3 Nephi 3:23 |
"And the land which was appointed was the land
of Zarahemla, and the land which was between the
land of Zarahemla and the land Bountiful." |
"And the land which was appointed was the land
of Zarahemla [ . . . .] and the land Bountiful..." |
3 Nephi 10:4 |
"O ye people of these great cities which have
fallen which are a descendant of Jacob; yea which are
of the house of Israel; O ye people of the house
of Israel, how oft have I gathered you..." |
"O ye people of these great cities which have
fallen, who are descendants of Jacob, yea, who are of
the house of Israel, [. . . . ] how oft have I gathered
you..." |
3 Nephi 16:10 |
"and thus commandeth the Father that I should
say unto you at that day, When the Gentiles shall sin
against my Gospel, and shall subject the fulness
of my Gospel, and shall be lifted up..." |
"And thus commandeth the Father that I should
say unto you: At that day when the Gentiles shall sin
against my gospel,[. . . . ] and shall be lifted up..." |
3 Nephi 22:4 |
"...for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth,
[. . . . ] and shalt not remember the reproach of thy
widowhood any more." |
"...for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth,
and shalt not remember the reproach of thy youth,
and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood
any more." |
Ether 9:2 |
"...nevertheless, the Lord was merciful unto
Omer, and also to his sons and to his daughters, which
were not, or which did not seek his destruction." |
"Nevertheless, the Lord was merciful unto Omer,
and also to his sons, and to his daughters [. . . .
] who did not seek his destruction." |
As you can see, the Book of
Mormon is a changing document. Where will the Mormon Church change
it next?
The primary research for
this information was taken from the book 3913 Changes in the
Book of Mormon by Jerald and Sandra Tanner. To obtain copies
of their work please write to Utah Lighthouse Ministry P.O. Box
1884 Salt Lake City, Utah 84110.
Go to A Quick Look at the Book of Mormon
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