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Difference between revisions of "Book of Mormon textual changes"
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[[Joseph Smith]] taught "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" ('''''cite'''''). As the end of the preceding quote clarifies, by "most correct" this he meant in ''principle and teaching.'' The authors of the Book of Mormon themselves explained several times that their writing was imperfect, but that the teachings in the book were from God ([http://scriptures.lds.org/query?words=1+Nephi+19%3A6 1 Nephi 19:6]; [http://scriptures.lds.org/query?words=2+Nephi+33%3A4 2 Nephi 33:4]; [http://scriptures.lds.org/query?words=Mormon+8%3A17 Mormon 8:17]; [http://scriptures.lds.org/query?words=Mormon+9%3A31-33 9:31-33]; [http://scriptures.lds.org/query?words=Ether+12%3A23-26 Ether 12:23-26]). | [[Joseph Smith]] taught "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" ('''''cite'''''). As the end of the preceding quote clarifies, by "most correct" this he meant in ''principle and teaching.'' The authors of the Book of Mormon themselves explained several times that their writing was imperfect, but that the teachings in the book were from God ([http://scriptures.lds.org/query?words=1+Nephi+19%3A6 1 Nephi 19:6]; [http://scriptures.lds.org/query?words=2+Nephi+33%3A4 2 Nephi 33:4]; [http://scriptures.lds.org/query?words=Mormon+8%3A17 Mormon 8:17]; [http://scriptures.lds.org/query?words=Mormon+9%3A31-33 9:31-33]; [http://scriptures.lds.org/query?words=Ether+12%3A23-26 Ether 12:23-26]). | ||
+ | |||
+ | ===Insignificant changes=== | ||
The critical issue is not the ''number'' of changes that have been made to the text, but the ''nature'' of the changes. If one counts every difference in every punctuation mark in every edition of the Book of Mormon, the result is over 100,000 changes (Skousen, 2002). | The critical issue is not the ''number'' of changes that have been made to the text, but the ''nature'' of the changes. If one counts every difference in every punctuation mark in every edition of the Book of Mormon, the result is over 100,000 changes (Skousen, 2002). | ||
− | + | These insignificant changes in spelling, grammar, and punctuation are mainly due to the human failings of editors and publishers. For example, the word ''meet'' — meaning "appropriate" — as it appears in [http://scriptures.lds.org/query?words=1+Nephi+7%3A1 1 Nephi 7:1], was spelled "mete" in the first edition of the Book of Mormon, published in 1830. (This is a common error made by scribes of dictated texts.) "Mete" means ''to distribute'', but the context here is obvious, and so the spelling was corrected in later editions. | |
+ | |||
+ | The current (1981) edition of the Book of Mormon has [http://scriptures.lds.org/bm/explntn this notice] printed on the page opposite 1 Nephi, chapter 1: | ||
+ | |||
+ | :Some minor errors in the text have been perpetuated in past editions of the Book of Mormon. This edition contains corrections that seem appropriate to bring the material into conformity with prepublication manuscripts and early editions edited by the Prophet Joseph Smith. | ||
+ | |||
+ | ===Significant changes=== | ||
Changes that would affect the ''authenticity'' of the Book of Mormon are limited to: | Changes that would affect the ''authenticity'' of the Book of Mormon are limited to: | ||
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**could be used as evidence that the book was written by Joseph Smith. | **could be used as evidence that the book was written by Joseph Smith. | ||
− | + | There are surprisingly few meaningful changes to the Book of Mormon text, and all of them were made by Joseph Smith himself in editions published during his lifetime. These changes include: | |
− | |||
− | There are surprisingly few meaningful changes to the Book of | ||
*"the Son of" added to [http://scriptures.lds.org/1_ne/11/18#18 1 Nephi 11:18], [http://scriptures.lds.org/1_ne/11/21#21 11:21], [http://scriptures.lds.org/1_ne/11/32#32 11:32], and [http://scriptures.lds.org/1_ne/13/40#40 13:40]. | *"the Son of" added to [http://scriptures.lds.org/1_ne/11/18#18 1 Nephi 11:18], [http://scriptures.lds.org/1_ne/11/21#21 11:21], [http://scriptures.lds.org/1_ne/11/32#32 11:32], and [http://scriptures.lds.org/1_ne/13/40#40 13:40]. |
Revision as of 10:52, 18 September 2005
Contents
Criticism
The published text of the Book of Mormon has been corrected and edited through its various editions. Critics claim that this is evidence that Joseph Smith and other Church leaders were attempting to cover up errors that would expose the book as a work of man, not God.
Response
Joseph Smith taught "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" (cite). As the end of the preceding quote clarifies, by "most correct" this he meant in principle and teaching. The authors of the Book of Mormon themselves explained several times that their writing was imperfect, but that the teachings in the book were from God (1 Nephi 19:6; 2 Nephi 33:4; Mormon 8:17; 9:31-33; Ether 12:23-26).
Insignificant changes
The critical issue is not the number of changes that have been made to the text, but the nature of the changes. If one counts every difference in every punctuation mark in every edition of the Book of Mormon, the result is over 100,000 changes (Skousen, 2002).
These insignificant changes in spelling, grammar, and punctuation are mainly due to the human failings of editors and publishers. For example, the word meet — meaning "appropriate" — as it appears in 1 Nephi 7:1, was spelled "mete" in the first edition of the Book of Mormon, published in 1830. (This is a common error made by scribes of dictated texts.) "Mete" means to distribute, but the context here is obvious, and so the spelling was corrected in later editions.
The current (1981) edition of the Book of Mormon has this notice printed on the page opposite 1 Nephi, chapter 1:
- Some minor errors in the text have been perpetuated in past editions of the Book of Mormon. This edition contains corrections that seem appropriate to bring the material into conformity with prepublication manuscripts and early editions edited by the Prophet Joseph Smith.
Significant changes
Changes that would affect the authenticity of the Book of Mormon are limited to:
- those that are substantive AND
- could possibly change the doctrine of the book OR
- could be used as evidence that the book was written by Joseph Smith.
There are surprisingly few meaningful changes to the Book of Mormon text, and all of them were made by Joseph Smith himself in editions published during his lifetime. These changes include:
- "the Son of" added to 1 Nephi 11:18, 11:21, 11:32, and 13:40.
- "Benjamin" changed to "Mosiah" in Mosiah 21:28 and Ether 4:1.
- "or out of the waters of baptism" added to 1 Nephi 20:1.
- "white" changed to "pure" in 2 Nephi 30:6.
The historical record shows that these changes were made to clarify the meaning of the text, not to alter it.
For example, the addition of "the Son of" to four passages in 1 Nephi does not change the Book of Mormon's teaching that Jesus Christ is the God of Old Testament Israel. This concept is taught in at least dozen other passages whose readings remain unchanged from the original manuscripts. (See, for example, 1 Nephi 19:10; Mosiah 7:27; 13:28, 33-34; 15:1; Helaman 8:22-23; 3 Nephi 11:10, 14.)
Conclusion
The authenticity of the Book of Mormon is not affected by the modifications that have been made to its text because the vast majority of those modifications are minor corrections in spelling, punctuation, and grammar. The few significant modifications were made by the Prophet Joseph Smith to clarify the meaning of the text, not to change it. This was his right as translator of the book.
Further reading
FAIR web site
- FAIR Topical Guide: Changes in the Book of Mormon
External links
- Jeff Lindsay, Have there been thousands of changes in the Book of Mormon?
- Mike Ash, Changes in the Book of Mormon.
- Stephen R. Gibson, Why Were 4,000 Changes Made in The Book of Mormon?.
- W. John Walsh, Robert L. Matthews, Van Hale, Stan Larson, Changes to the Book of Mormon.
- J. Cooper Johnson, King Benjamin or Mosiah: A Look at Mosiah 21:28
Printed material
- Royal Skousen, "Changes In the Book of Mormon," 2002 FAIR Conference proceedings.
- Stan Larson, "Changes in Early Texts of The Book of Mormon," Ensign, September 1976, p. ??.
- George Horton, "Understanding Textual Changes in the Book of Mormon," Ensign, December 1983, p. 25.
- Robert J. Matthews, "Why have changes been made in the printed editions of the Book of Mormon?," Ensign, March 1987, p. 47.
- Douglas Campbell, "'White' or 'Pure': Five Vignettes," Dialogue, 29/4 (Winter 1996), p. 119.