The New Testament and the Book of Mormon

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Contents
Articles about the Book of Mormon
Authorship
Translation process
Gold plates
Witnesses
The Bible and the Book of Mormon
Language and the Book of Mormon
Geography
DNA
Anachronisms
Doctrine and teachings
Lamanites
Other


The New Testament and the Book of Mormon


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Question: Why does the Book of Mormon contain 'New Testament' language and phrases?

Some claim that the Book of Mormon cannot be an ancient work because it contains material that is also found in the New Testament. In fact, in the Book of Mormon, Jesus quotes a paraphrase of Moses' words found in Acts 3:22-26. However, all these parallels demonstrate is that:

  1. the Book of Mormon translation language is closely based in KJV English; and
  2. King James phrases were exceedingly common in the speech and writing of Joseph's day.

Neither of these is news, and neither can tell us much but that the Book of Mormon was translated in the nineteenth century.

The Book of Mormon claims to be a "translation." Therefore, the language used is that of Joseph Smith. Joseph could choose to render similar (or identical) material using King James Bible language if that adequately represented the text's intent.

Only if we presume that the Book of Mormon is a fraud at the outset is this proof of anything. If we assume that it is a translation, then the use of Bible language tells us merely that Joseph used biblical language.

If Joseph was a fraud, why would he plagiarize the one text—the King James Bible—which his readers would be sure to know, and sure to react negatively if they noticed it? The Book of Mormon contains much original material—Joseph didn't "need" to use the KJV; he is obviously capable of producing original material.

Furthermore, many of the critics examples consist of a phrase or a concept that Joseph has supposedly lifted from the New Testament. This complaint, however ignores several factors.

Chief among the difficulty is that the critics seem ignorant or unconcerned about the extent to which the language of the King James Bible dominated preaching, common speech, and discussion of religious and non-religious topics in Joseph Smith's day.

In a Bible-based culture like Joseph Smith's, Biblical phrases are simply "in the air," and are often used without an awareness of where they come from (this is especially true for those whose literary exposure did not extend much beyond the Bible—like Joseph). By analogy, many modern authors or speakers will use phrases like the following, completely unaware that they are quoting Shakespeare!

Common phrases originally from Shakespeare

List Phrase Shakespeare Reference

*

"All's well that ends well"

  • All's Well That Ends Well
  • Title of play

*

"As good luck would have it"

  • The Merry Wives of Windsor

*

"Bated breath"

  • The Merchant of Venice

*

"Be-all and the end-all"

  • Macbeth

*

"Beggar all description"

  • Antony and Cleopatra

*

"Brave new world"

  • The Tempest

*

"Break the ice"

  • The Taming of the Shrew

*

"not budge an inch"

  • The Taming of the Shrew

*

"Dead as a doornail"

  • Henry IV, Part II

*

 "Devil incarnate"
  • Titus Andronicus

*

"Fool's paradise"

  • Romeo and Juliet

*

"For goodness' sake"

  • Henry VIII

*

"Full circle"

  • King Lear

*

"Good riddance"

  • Troilus and Cressida

*

"Household words"

  • Henry V

*

"Heart of gold"

  • Henry V

*

"In...a pickle"

  • The Tempest

*

"Lie low"

  • Much Ado About Nothing

*

"Love is blind"

  • Henry V
  • The Merchant of Venice

*

"Melted into thin air"

  • The Tempest

*

"Naked truth"

  • Love's Labours Lost

*

"I have not slept one wink"

  • Cymbeline

*

"One fell swoop"

  • Macbeth

*

"Play fast and loose with"

  • King John

*

"We have seen better days"

  • As You Like It
  • Timon of Athens

*

"The short and the long of it"

  • The Merry Wives of Windsor

*

"Too much of a good thing"

  • As You Like It

*

"Wear my heart upon my sleeve"

  • Othello

*

"What the dickens"

  • The Merry Wives of Windsor

*

"The world's my [mine] oyster"

  • Henry IV, Part 2
See also: Specific examples from Tanners

Would we accuse someone who used these phrases of "plagiarizing" Shakespeare? Hardly, since these are common expressions in our language. Most people are probably unaware that they even come from Shakespeare, and most have probably not read the plays at all. In a similar way, some biblical phrases and vocabulary were likely part of Joseph Smith's subconscious verbal world. It would be strange if it were otherwise.

There are related issues to which the critics pay little attention

  • often the relation between the texts is not that close; only a few words are used that are the same. It is sometimes hard to see how there would be a different way of discussing the same sort of issue. Even if one believes Joseph forged the Book of Mormon, it seems more plausible that these cases are just a coincidence, or a case where one is almost "forced" to use the same type of language (e.g., 1 Nephi 1:18, Alma 19:10, Mosiah 16:7).
  • some phrases which approximate the New Testament are quite famous, classic renderings in the King James. Such phrases might be used almost instinctively or subconsciously when translating (e.g., 1 Nephi 12:11, 2 Nephi 4:17). Even academic translators sometimes struggle to avoid using the type of scriptural language with which they are very familiar—it can take a real effort to give a different rendering than one that is well known.
  • the Book of Mormon never hides its intent to use King James style English. It is not surprising, then, that there are parallels in language and vocabulary. The translation may even intend to call to mind these biblical verses or phrases, since the Book of Mormon is intended to complement the Bible
  • Joseph is clearly able to produce huge amounts of text that do not rely on the KJV at all. Why, if he wants to produce a believable forgery, does he adapt the occasional well-known phrase that could be noticed by even a relatively casual Bible reader? The critics require Joseph to be clever enough to produce independent text, and yet foolish enough to betray his dependence on the Bible.
  • Often, although the wording may be similar, the concept being explored is expanded, or the context is substantially altered in the Book of Mormon. The critics seem to think that Joseph flips through the Bible to find something, but the Book of Mormon certainly extends and adapts this material dramatically. The "copying" model seems more complex than needed, as it has Joseph taking small snippets of text from the Bible and other sources and somehow weaving it into the Book of Mormon text. Yet, eyewitnesses do not describe anything like this process; it is not even clear that Joseph owned a Bible during the Book of Mormon translation.
See also: Westminster Confession, The Wonders of Nature—Josiah Priest, Shakespeare's Hamlet, Did Joseph Smith own a Bible during the translation?, and Book of Mormon translation method

Book of Mormon Central's 9 Part Series on New Testament Language in the Book of Mormon

Book of Mormon Central has produced a 9 part series exploring this criticism in depth. This is the latest take on New Testament - Book of Mormon Intertextuality and will prove the most beneficial.

Appendix: New Testament Phrases in the Book of Mormon

For those looking to further understand the interaction of the New Testament and the Book of Mormon, BYU Professor Nicholas Frederick has provided an exhaustive listing of New Testament/Book of Mormon interactions at the phrasal level.[1] Overall, Frederick finds approximately 600 interactions. Frederick follows a rigorous methodology laid out in detail in the Journal of Book of Mormon Studies that improves substantially on the methods of other scholars and critics in identifying phrases that may depend in some measure on the New Testament text contained in the King James Bible.[2] He divides the types of interactions into 7 different groups:

  1. Simple: A verse in the Book of Mormon uses a phrase from the New Testament with no significant change in language.[3]
  2. Simple—Expanded: A verse in the Book of Mormon uses a phrase from the New Testament, but the Book of Mormon usage is a redactional expansion of the New Testament phrase.
  3. Simple—Condensed: A verse in the Book of Mormon uses a phrase from the New Testament, but the Book of Mormon usage is a redactional condensing of the New Testament usage.
  4. Compound: A Book of Mormon verse redacts a series of phrases from multiple verses within the same New Testament document.
  5. Complex: A series of verses from the Book of Mormon redact a series of phrases from one lengthy New Testament pericope.
  6. Hybrid: A verse from the Book of Mormon redacts phrases from multiple New Testament documents.
  7. Paraphrase: A verse from the Book of Mormon incorporates the New Testament version of an Old Testament passage, rather than directly incorporating the Old Testament verse itself.

The table below first gives the location of the phrase in the Book of Mormon, then the New Testament passage that the Book of Mormon is interacting with, and finally what type of interaction the Book of Mormon makes with the New Testament according to the typology Frederick has given us above. Readers may use the table below, as well as the list of potential explanations given above, to explore the Book of Mormon/New Testament interactions and decide which explanation in which instance seems the most plausible for them.

Book of Mormon Location New Testament Location Type of Interaction
Full List of New Testament/Book of Mormon Phrasal Similarities/Interactions
1 Nephi 1:1 (1 Nephi 2:16) 1 Corinthians 4:1 Simple
1 Nephi 1:9 Revelation 21:10 Simple—Expanded
1 Nephi 1:14 Revelation 4:8; 15:3; 16:7; 21:22 Simple
1 Nephi 2:10 (3 Nephi 6:14) 1 Corinthians 15:58 Simple—Expanded
1 Nephi 2:11 Romans 1:21 Simple—Expanded
1 Nephi 2:18 (twenty-five times total) Mark 3:5 Simple
1 Nephi 2:24 (2 Nephi 5:25; Mosiah 1:17; 6:3; Alma 4:19; 25:6; Helaman 11:4, 34) 2 Peter 3:1 (2 Peter 1:13) Simple
1 Nephi 3:20 Acts 3:21 Simple—Expanded
1 Nephi 4:13 John 11:50 Simple
1 Nephi 5:8 Acts 12:11 Simple
1 Nephi 5:18 (1 Nephi 11:36; 13:40; 14:11; 19:17; 22:28; 2 Nephi 26:13; 30:8; Mosiah 3:20; 15:28; 16:1; Alma 37:4; 45:16; 3 Nephi 26:4; 28:29) Revelation 14:6 (Revelation 5:9; 7:9) Simple
1 Nephi 6:5 John 15:19 (John 17:14) Simple
1 Nephi 7:16 (Alma 44:16; 46:2; 49:27; 51:14; Helaman 1:7) Matthew 2:16 Simple
1 Nephi 8:23 (1 Nephi 8:24; 12:4, 17; 3 Nephi 8:22) 2 Peter 2:17 Simple
1 Nephi 10:4 Acts 3:22 (Acts 7:37) Paraphrase [Deuteronomy 18:15]
1 Nephi 10:4 (1 Nephi 13:40) John 4:42 (1 John 4:14) Simple
1 Nephi 10:8 John 1:23, 26–27 Paraphrase [Isaiah 40:3]
1 Nephi 10:9 John 1:26, 28, 31, 33 Complex
1 Nephi 10:10 John 1:29, 32 Complex
1 Nephi 10:12 Romans 11:17 Simple—Condensed
1 Nephi 10:18 (twenty-two times total) Matthew 13:35 (Matthew 25:34; Luke 11:50; Hebrews 4:3; Revelation 13:8; 17:8) Simple
1 Nephi 10:18 (2 Nephi 2:4; 27:23; 29:9; Alma 31:17; Mormon 9:9; Moroni 10:19) Hebrews 13:8 Simple
1 Nephi 11:1 Revelation 21:10 Simple
1 Nephi 11:7 (1 Nephi 1:9; 12:6; 3 Nephi 11:8; 17:24) Revelation 21:10 Simple
1 Nephi 11:13 (1 Nephi 13:15; 2 Nephi 5:21; 3 Nephi 2:15–16; 4 Nephi 1:10; Ether 7:4; 8:9) Acts 7:20 Simple
1 Nephi 11:19 (1 Nephi 11:29; 14:30; 15:1) Revelation 17:3 Simple
1 Nephi 11:21 (thirty-five times total) John 1:29 (John 1:36) Simple
1 Nephi 11:22 Romans 5:5 Simple
1 Nephi 11:27 John 1:32 Simple
1 Nephi 11:32 John 1:34 Simple
1 Nephi 11:34 Revelation 19:19 Simple
1 Nephi 11:35 (1 Nephi 11:36; 12:9; 13:26; 13:39; 13:40–41; 14:20) Revelation 21:14 Simple
1 Nephi 12:2 (1 Nephi 12:21; 14:15–16; 2 Ne. 25:12; Mormon 8:30) Matthew 24:6 (Mark 13:7) Simple
1 Nephi 12:4 (2 Nephi 26:6) Revelation 8:5 (Revelation 11:19; 16:18) Simple
1 Nephi 13:7 Revelation 18:12 Simple—Condensed
1 Nephi 13:27 Acts 13:10 and John 12:40 Hybrid
1 Nephi 13:42 (Jacob 5:63; Ether 13:12) Matthew 19:30 (Matthew 20:16; Luke 13:30) Simple
1 Nephi 14:9 (1 Nephi 14:10, 13, 16) Revelation 17:5 Simple—Condensed
1 Nephi 14:11 Revelation 17:1 and 17:15 Compound
1 Nephi 14:12 Revelation 17:1 Simple
1 Nephi 15:11 (Enos 1:15; Mosiah 4:21) Matthew 21:22 Simple
1 Nephi 15:13 (3 Nephi 16:4) Romans 11:25 Simple
1 Nephi 15:15 (Alma 16:17) John 15:1 Simple
1 Nephi 15:16 Romans 11:24 Simple
1 Nephi 15:18 (1 Nephi 22:9; 3 Nephi 20:25, 27) Acts 3:25 Paraphrase [Genesis 22:18; 26:4]
1 Nephi 15:24 Ephesians 6:16 Simple
1 Nephi 15:30 (2 Nephi 9:16; Jacob 6:10; Mosiah 2:38; 3:27; Alma 12:17) Revelation 14:11 Simple—Expanded
1 Nephi 17:5 (Alma 18:13; 31:21; 37:38) Matthew 1:23 (Mark 5:41; 15:22; 34; John 1:38, 41; Acts 4:36) Simple
1 Nephi 17:46 Luke 3:5 Simple—Expanded
1 Nephi 17:48 (fourteen times total) Matthew 18:6 Simple
1 Nephi 18:21 Mark 4:39 (Luke 8:24) Simple
1 Nephi 22:14 (2 Nephi 28:15; Mosiah 12:26) Acts 13:10 Simple
1 Nephi 22:17 1 Corinthians 3:15 Simple
1 Nephi 22:18 (Mormon 8:29) Acts 2:19 Paraphrase [Joel 2:30]
1 Nephi 22:20 Acts 3:22–23 Paraphrase [Deuteronomy 18:15, 19]
1 Nephi 22:25 John 10:27, 16, 9 Compound
2 Nephi 1:1 (1 Nephi 7:11; Alma 62:50; Ether 6:30) Mark 5:19 Simple
2 Nephi 1:10 (2 Nephi 6:3) Romans 1:20 Simple
2 Nephi 1:23 2 Corinthians 6:7 Simple
2 Nephi 2:5 Romans 3:20 (Galatians 2:16) Simple—Condensed
2 Nephi 2:6 John 1:14 Simple
2 Nephi 2:8 (3 Nephi 9:22) John 10:17 Simple—Expanded
2 Nephi 2:9 Revelation 14:4 Simple
2 Nephi 2:18 Revelation 20:2 (Revelation 12:9) Simple
2 Nephi 2:29 John 1:13 Simple
2 Nephi 2:30 Luke 10:42 Simple
2 Nephi 3:15 (Mosiah 24:3; Alma 63:11) Luke 1:59 Simple
2 Nephi 4:17 (1 Nephi 1:14; 14:7; 2 Nephi 1:10; Jacob 4:8; Alma 26:15; Helaman 16:16; 3 Nephi 21:9; 28:31, 32; 4 Nephi 1:5) Revelation 15:3 Simple
2 Nephi 4:17 Romans 7:24 Simple—Condensed
2 Nephi 4:18 Hebrews 12:1 Simple—Condensed
2 Nephi 4:35 James 1:5 and 4:3 Compound
2 Nephi 9:5 Luke 24:46 Simple
2 Nephi 9:6 Romans 5:12 Simple
2 Nephi 9:7 (Mosiah 16:10; Alma 5:15; 40:2; 41:4) 1 Corinthians 15:53 Simple
2 Nephi 9:9 2 Corinthians 11:14 Simple
2 Nephi 9:12 Revelation 20:13 Simple
2 Nephi 9:15 2 Corinthians 5:10 Simple
2 Nephi 9:16 Revelation 22:11 and Revelation 14:10–11 Compound
2 Nephi 9:18 Hebrews 12:2 and Matthew 25:34 Hybrid
2 Nephi 9:19 (2 Nephi 9:26; 28:23; Alma 14:14) Revelation 20:10 Simple
2 Nephi 9:34 (2 Nephi 9:36; 2 Nephi 28:15) Luke 10:15 Simple
2 Nephi 9:39 Romans 8:6 Simple
2 Nephi 10:16 Galatians 3:28 and Matthew 12:30 (Luke 11:23) Hybrid
2 Nephi 25:12 (Alma 5:48; 9:26; 13:9) Matthew 24:6 and John 1:14 (John 1:18) Hybrid
2 Nephi 25:20 (2 Nephi 31:21; Mosiah 3:17; 5:8) Acts 4:12 Simple—Expanded
2 Nephi 25:29 (Mormon 9:29) John 6:37 Simple
2 Nephi 26:3 (2 Nephi 28:10; 3 Nephi 10:12; Mormon 8:27, 41; Ether 8:22) Revelation 17:6 Simple
2 Nephi 26:24 John 3:16 and 10:17 and 12:32 Compound
2 Nephi 26:30 1 Corinthians 13:2 Simple
2 Nephi 26:33 (Alma 1:30) Galatians 3:28 Simple—Expanded
2 Nephi 28:7 Luke 12:19 and 1 Corinthians 15:32 Hybrid/Paraphrase [Isaiah 22:13]
2 Nephi 28:8 Luke 12:48 Simple
2 Nephi 28:11 Romans 3:12 Paraphrase [Psalms 14:3]
2 Nephi 28:28 Mark 4:16 and Matthew 7:24–27 (Luke 6:47–49) Hybrid
2 Nephi 28:30 Matthew 25:29 (Mark 4:25; Luke 8:18) Simple
2 Nephi 29:11 Revelation 20:12 Simple—Expanded
2 Nephi 30:1 Luke 13:3 (Luke 13:5) Simple
2 Nephi 30:6 Acts 9:18 Simple—Expanded
2 Nephi 31:4 John 1:29 Simple
2 Nephi 31:5 Matthew 3:14–15 Simple—Condensed
2 Nephi 31:8 Luke 3:22 Simple—Condensed
2 Nephi 31:9 Matthew 7:14 Simple
2 Nephi 31:10 John 21:22 Simple—Condensed
2 Nephi 31:15 (Alma 32:13; 38:2) Matthew 10:22 and Matthew 24:13 Compound
2 Nephi 31:21 (Mormon 7:7) 1 John 5:7 Simple—Expanded
2 Nephi 32:4 Matthew 7:7 Simple—Condensed
2 Nephi 32:9 Luke 18:1 Simple
Jacob 1:19 (Jacob 2:2) Romans 11:13 Simple
Jacob 3:11 Revelation 20:14 (Revelation 21:8) Simple
Jacob 4:8 Romans 11:33 Simple—Expanded
Jacob 5:7 John 15:6 Simple
Jacob 5:9 Romans 11:17 Simple
Jacob 5:42 (Jacob 5:46, 49, 66; 6:7; Helaman 14:18; 3 Nephi 27:11; Mormon 8:21) Matthew 3:10 (Matthew 7:19; Luke 3:9) Simple
Jacob 5:47 (Jacob 5:64, 76) Luke 13:8 Simple—Expanded
Jacob 6:4 Romans 10:21 Paraphrase [Isaiah 65:2]
Jacob 6:5 Acts 11:23 Simple
Jacob 6:6 Hebrews 3:7–8 Paraphrase [Psalms 95:7–8]
Jacob 6:10 Revelation 21:8 and Revelation 14:11 Compound
Jacob 7:14 Luke 22:42 Simple—Condensed
Enos 1:1 Ephesians 6:4 Simple
Enos 1:8 Mark 10:52 (Matthew 9:22; Mark 5:34; Luke 8:48; 17:19) Simple
Enos 1:15 Matthew 21:22 Simple—Expanded
Enos 1:27 1 Corinthians 15:53 and Matthew 25:34 and John 14:2 Hybrid
Omni 1:26 Matthew 10:22 Simple—Expanded
Mosiah 3:3 (Alma 13:22; Helaman 16:14) Luke 2:10 Simple
Mosiah 3:5 Matthew 11:5 Simple
Mosiah 3:9 (3 Nephi 1:14) John 1:11 Simple
Mosiah 3:21 (Mosiah 5:15) Revelation 19:6 Simple
Mosiah 3:24 Revelation 20:13 Simple
Mosiah 3:26 Revelation 14:10 (Revelation 16:19) Simple
Mosiah 3:27 Revelation 20:10 and 14:10–11 Compound
Mosiah 4:11 Acts 22:16 Simple
Mosiah 5:13 (Alma 12:7; 18:32; 21:6) Hebrews 4:12 Simple
Mosiah 5:15 (Alma 1:25) 1 Corinthians 15:58 Simple
Mosiah 10:8 Matthew 3:4 Simple
Mosiah 13:1 Matthew 8:29 (Mark 1:24) Simple
Mosiah 13:8 (Mosiah 25:7) Acts 3:10 Simple
Mosiah 13:34 Philippians 2:6–7 Simple
Mosiah 15:2 Luke 1:35 Simple
Mosiah 15:24 Revelation 20:6 Simple
Mosiah 16:3 (Alma 42:10) James 3:15 Simple
Mosiah 16:7 1 Corinthians 15:14, 55 Paraphrase [Isaiah 25:8 and Hosea 13:14]
Mosiah 16:8 1 Corinthians 15:54 Complex
Mosiah 16:9 John 1:4–5 Simple—Expanded
Mosiah 16:10 1 Corinthians 15:53 Complex
Mosiah 16:11 John 5:29 Simple—Expanded
Mosiah 16:14 (Mosiah 13:10) Colossians 2:17 Simple
Mosiah 18:18 Acts 1:3 Simple
Mosiah 18:21 Ephesians 4:5 and Colossians 2:2 and 1 Thessalonians 3:12 Hybrid
Mosiah 23:13 (Alma 58:40; 61:9, 21) Galatians 5:1 Simple
Mosiah 26:27 Matthew 7:23 and Matthew 25:41 Compound
Mosiah 26:39 1 Thessalonians 5:12, 17–18 Compound
Mosiah 27:24 John 3:5–8 Simple—Condensed
Mosiah 27:25 John 3:7 Simple—Expanded
Mosiah 27:29 (Alma 41:11; Mormon 8:31; Moroni 8:14) Acts 8:23 Simple
Mosiah 27:31 (Mormon 9:27) Philippians 2:10 Paraphrase [Isaiah 45:23]
Alma 1:1 1 Timothy 1:18 Simple
Alma 1:25 1 Corinthians 16:13 and 1 Corinthians 15:58 Compound
Alma 5:14 (Mosiah 27:25, 28; Alma 22:15; 36:5, 23, 24, 26; 38:6) 1 John 3:9 (1 John 4:7; 5:1, 4, 18) Simple
Alma 5:15 1 Corinthians 15:53 and 15:42 Compound
Alma 5:24 (Alma 7:25; Helaman 3:30) Matthew 8:11 Simple
Alma 5:28 Matthew 3:2 Complex
Alma 5:35–36 Matthew 3:8, 10 Complex
Alma 5:37 Matthew 9:36 Simple
Alma 5:38 (Alma 5:39, 41, 57, 60; Helaman 7:18) John 10:11,14 Simple
Alma 5:42 Romans 6:23 Simple
Alma 5:44 Romans 8:39 Simple
Alma 5:48 John 1:14 and 1:29 and 1:12 Compound
Alma 5:50 Matthew 3:2 Complex
Alma 5:52 Matthew 3:10 Complex
Alma 5:52 Matthew 3:12 Complex
Alma 5:54 Matthew 3:8 Complex
Alma 5:57 2 Corinthians 6:17 Paraphrase [Isaiah 52:11]
Alma 5:58 Revelation 13:8 (Revelation 17:8; 20:15) Simple
Alma 7:9 Matthew 3:2 and 3:3 Simple—Condensed
Alma 7:10 Luke 1:35 Simple—Condensed
Alma 7:14 John 3:5 and John 1:29 and 1 John 1:9 Hybrid
Alma 7:15 Hebrews 12:1 Simple—Condensed
Alma 7:20 (Mormon 9:9) James 1:17 Simple—Expanded
Alma 7:21 Revelation 22:11 Simple
Alma 7:24 1 Corinthians 13:13 and 2 Corinthians 9:8 Hybrid
Alma 9:15 Matthew 10:15 (Matthew 11:22, 24; Mark 6:11; Luke 10:14) Simple
Alma 9:20 Revelation 14:6 and Revelation 1:4 Compound
Alma 9:22 Matthew 4:23 (Matthew 10:1) Simple
Alma 9:25 (Alma 10:20; Helaman 5:32) Matthew 3:2 Simple—Expanded
Alma 9:26 John 1:14 Simple—Expanded
Alma 9:30 (Alma 12:15; 13:13) Matthew 3:8 Simple
Alma 11:22 Matthew 4:9 Simple
Alma 11:37 Ephesians 5:5 Simple—Condensed
Alma 11:39 Revelation 22:13 Simple—Condensed
Alma 12:8 Acts 24:15 Simple—Expanded
Alma 12:14 Revelation 6:16 Simple
Alma 12:17 Revelation 14:10–11 Simple—Condensed
Alma 12:26 Romans 9:6 (Mark 7:13) Simple—Expanded
Alma 12:27 Hebrews 9:27 Simple—Expanded
Alma 12:35 Hebrews 3:11 Paraphrase [Psalms 95:11]
Alma 13:7 Hebrews 7:3 Complex
Alma 13:9 Hebrews 7:17 (Hebrews 5:6; 7:21) Complex
Alma 13:9 Hebrews 7:3 Complex
Alma 13:9 Hebrews 7:3 and John 1:14 Hybrid
Alma 13:15 Hebrews 7:1–2 Complex
Alma 13:17 Hebrews 7:1 Complex
Alma 13:18 Hebrews 7:5 Complex
Alma 13:18 Hebrews 7:2 Complex
Alma 13:20 2 Peter 3:16 Simple—Expanded
Alma 13:28 Matthew 26:41 and 1 Corinthians 10:13 Hybrid
Alma 14:3 Matthew 1:19 Simple
Alma 14:18 Luke 23:9 Simple
Alma 14:27 Matthew 27:51 Simple
Alma 18:13 John 1:38 Simple
Alma 18:14 Mark 10:51 Simple
Alma 18:22 Matthew 10:16 Simple—Condensed
Alma 22:14 1 Corinthians 15:55–56 Simple—Condensed
Alma 25:12 Matthew 9:36 Simple—Condensed
Alma 26:22 Mark 4:11 Simple—Condensed
Alma 27:28 1 Corinthians 15:54 Simple—Expanded
Alma 31:37 Matthew 6:25, 31 (Luke 12:22) Simple—Condensed
Alma 32:21 Hebrews 11:1 Simple—Expanded
Alma 32:38 Matthew 13:6 (Mark 4:6) Simple—Expanded
Alma 32:41 (Alma 33:23) John 4:14 Simple
Alma 34:13 Matthew 5:18 Simple—Expanded
Alma 34:23 (Mosiah 2:37; 4:14; Moroni 9:6) Acts 13:10 Simple
Alma 34:29 Matthew 5:13 Simple
Alma 34:37 Philippians 2:12 Simple—Condensed
Alma 34:38 John 4:24 Simple—Condensed
Alma 36:18 Mark 10:47 and Acts 8:23 Hybrid
Alma 37:15 Luke 22:31 Simple—Condensed
Alma 37:34 (Alma 37:33; Moro. 7:43, 33) Matthew 11:29 Simple
Alma 38:9 John 1:4 and John 1:1 Compound
Alma 39:9 1 John 2:16 Simple
Alma 40:13 Matthew 8:12 (Matthew 22:13; 25:30) Simple—Expanded
Alma 40:14 Hebrews 10:27 Simple—Condensed
Alma 40:25 Matthew 13:43 Simple—Condensed
Alma 41:11 Acts 8:23 and Ephesians 2:12 Hybrid
Alma 42:27 Revelation 22:17 Simple—Condensed
Alma 43:10 John 4:23 (John 4:24) and 1 Thessalonians 1:9 Hybrid
Alma 48:17 (twenty times) John 1:51 (nineteen times) Simple
Alma 60:23 Matthew 23:26 Simple—Condensed
Helaman 3:29 Hebrews 4:12 Simple—Condensed
Helaman 5:8 Matthew 6:20 Simple
Helaman 5:44 1 Peter 1:8 Simple
Helaman 8:14 John 3:14 Simple
Helaman 8:25 (3 Nephi 27:32) Matthew 6:20 and Romans 2:5 Hybrid
Helaman 9:21 Acts 7:51 Simple—Expanded
Helaman 10:7 Matthew 16:19 (Matthew 18:18) Simple
Helaman 10:8 (Helaman 14:22; 3 Nephi 8:18; 28:19; 4 Nephi 1:30) Matthew 27:51 Simple
Helaman 12:24 John 1:16 Simple—Expanded
Helaman 12:26 (3 Nephi 26:5) John 5:29 Simple
Helaman 13:33 (3 Nephi 8:25) Matthew 23:37 Simple—Expanded
Helaman 14:25 Matthew 27:52–53 Simple—Condensed
Helaman 15:1 Matthew 23:38 (Luke 13:35) Paraphrase [Isaiah 5:9]
Helaman 15:2 Matthew 24:19–20 Simple—Expanded
3 Nephi 1:25 Matthew 5:18 Simple
3 Nephi 7:8 2 Peter 2:22 Simple—Condensed
3 Nephi 8:17–18 Matthew 27:51 Simple
3 Nephi 9:5 (3 Nephi 9:7, 8, 9, 11) Revelation 18:24 (Revelation 16:6) Simple
3 Nephi 9:15 John 1:3; 1:2; 14:11; 12:28 Complex/Compound
3 Nephi 9:16 John 1:11 Complex
3 Nephi 9:17 John 1:12 Complex
3 Nephi 9:18 John 8:12 and Revelation 22:13 Hybrid
3 Nephi 10:4 (3 Nephi 10:5, 6) Matthew 23:37 Simple—Condensed
3 Nephi 11:7 Matthew 17:5 Simple—Expanded
3 Nephi 11:11 John 8:12 and John 18:11 Compound
3 Nephi 11:14 John 20:27 Simple—Expanded
3 Nephi 11:25 Matthew 28:19 Simple
3 Nephi 11:27 1 John 5:7 and John 14:11 and John 10:30 Hybrid
3 Nephi 11:32 Acts 17:30 Simple
3 Nephi 11:33–34 Mark 16:16 Simple—Expanded
3 Nephi 11:39 Matthew 16:18 Simple—Condensed
3 Nephi 12:1 Matthew 3:11 and John 8:28 Hybrid
3 Nephi 12:47 (3 Nephi 15:2) 2 Corinthians 5:17 Simple
3 Nephi 15:17 (3 Nephi 15:21) John 10:16 Simple
3 Nephi 16:15 Matthew 5:13 Simple—Condensed
3 Nephi 18:13 Matthew 7:26–27 Simple
3 Nephi 18:18 Matthew 26:41 and Luke 22:31 Hybrid
3 Nephi 18:29 1 Corinthians 11:29 Simple—Expanded
3 Nephi 19:20 John 17:6 Complex
3 Nephi 19:23 John 17:20–22 Complex
3 Nephi 19:29 John 17:9–10 and John 17:21–23 Complex
3 Nephi 20:23 Acts 3:22–23 Paraphrase [Deuteronomy 18:15, 18–19/1 Nephi 22:20]
3 Nephi 20:24 Acts 3:24 Complex
3 Nephi 20:25 Acts 3:25 Complex
3 Nephi 20:26 Acts 3:26 Complex
3 Nephi 20:35 (3 Nephi 28:10) John 10:30 Simple
3 Nephi 21:9 Acts 13:41 Paraphrase [Habakkuk 1:5]
3 Nephi 26:3 2 Peter 3:10 and Revelation 6:14 and Revelation 21:1 Hybrid
3 Nephi 26:4 Revelation 7:9 and Revelation 20:12 and 2 Corinthians 5:10 Hybrid
3 Nephi 26:18 2 Corinthians 12:4 Simple
3 Nephi 26:19 Acts 2:44 Simple
3 Nephi 27:14 John 12:32 Simple—Expanded
3 Nephi 27:17 Matthew 24:13 and Matthew 3:10 Compound
3 Nephi 27:29 Matthew 7:7–8 Simple—Condensed
3 Nephi 27:30 (3 Nephi 27:31) John 17:12 Simple
3 Nephi 27:32 Matthew 6:19 Simple—Condensed
3 Nephi 27:33 Matthew 7:13–14 and John 9:4 Hybrid
3 Nephi 28:8 1 Corinthians 15:51–53 Simple—Condensed
3 Nephi 28:13 2 Corinthians 12:2 and 12:4 Complex
3 Nephi 28:14 2 Corinthians 12:4 Complex
3 Nephi 28:15 2 Corinthians 12:2 Complex
3 Nephi 28:31 2 Corinthians 5:10 Complex
4 Nephi 1:3 Acts 2:44 and Hebrews 6:4 and Revelation 13:16 Hybrid
Mormon 3:15 (Mormon 8:20) Romans 12:19 Paraphrase [Deuteronomy 32:35]
Mormon 5:14 Matthew 16:16 Simple
Mormon 6:21 1 Corinthians 15:52 Simple—Expanded
Mormon 7:5 1 Corinthians 15:55 Paraphrase [Isaiah 25:8 and Hosea 13:14]
Mormon 7:8 Hebrews 6:18 Simple—Expanded
Mormon 8:17 Matthew 5:22 Simple
Mormon 8:30 Matthew 24:6–7 Simple—Condensed
Mormon 9:2 2 Peter 3:10 and Revelation 6:14 Hybrid
Mormon 9:14 Revelation 22:11 Simple
Mormon 9:22 Mark 16:15 Complex
Mormon 9:23 Mark 16:16 Complex
Mormon 9:24 Mark 16:17–18 Complex
Mormon 9:27 Philippians 2:12 Simple
Mormon 9:28 James 4:3 Simple
Mormon 9:29 Matthew 24:13 and John 6:37 Hybrid
Ether 4:12 John 8:12 and John 14:6 Compound
Ether 4:18 Mark 16:16–17 Simple
Ether 4:19 Matthew 25:34 Simple
Ether 12:4 Hebrews 6:19 Simple—Expanded
Ether 12:6 Hebrews 11:1 Simple—Condensed
Ether 12:8 Hebrews 3:1 and Hebrews 6:4 Compound
Ether 12:11 1 Corinthians 12:31 Simple—Expanded
Ether 12:26–27 (Moroni 10:32) 2 Corinthians 12:9–10 Simple—Expanded
Ether 12:32 John 14:2 Simple
Ether 12:33 John 10:17 Simple—Expanded
Ether 12:35 Matthew 25:28–29 Simple
Ether 13:9 Revelation 21:1 and 2 Corinthians 5:17 Hybrid
Ether 13:10 Revelation 21:2 and Revelation 7:14 Compound
Moroni 6:4 Hebrews 12:2 Simple
Moroni 7:1 1 Corinthians 13:13 Complex
Moroni 7:6 1 Corinthians 13:3 Complex
Moroni 7:7 Romans 4:3 Paraphrase [Genesis 15:6]
Moroni 7:16 1 Corinthians 12:7 Simple—Expanded
Moroni 7:18 Matthew 7:2 Simple
Moroni 7:26 John 14:13 Simple—Expanded
Moroni 7:44 1 Corinthians 13:2 Complex
Moroni 7:45 1 Corinthians 13:4–7 Complex
Moroni 7:46 1 Corinthians 13:2, 13:8, 13:13 Complex
Moroni 7:48 1 John 3:1–3 Simple—Condensed
Moroni 8:3 Acts 4:30 Simple
Moroni 8:8 Matthew 9:12–13 Simple—Condensed
Moroni 8:12 Acts 10:34 Simple
Moroni 8:16 1 John 4:18 Simple
Moroni 10:8 1 Corinthians 12:4–7 Complex
Moroni 10:9 1 Corinthians 12:8 Complex
Moroni 10:10 1 Corinthians 12:8 Complex
Moroni 10:11 1 Corinthians 12:9 Complex
Moroni 10:12 1 Corinthians 12:10 Complex
Moroni 10:13 1 Corinthians 12:10 Complex
Moroni 10:14 1 Corinthians 12:10 Complex
Moroni 10:15 1 Corinthians 12:10 Complex
Moroni 10:16 1 Corinthians 12:10 Complex
Moroni 10:17 1 Corinthians 12:11 Complex
Moroni 10:21 1 Corinthians 13:13 Simple—Expanded
Moroni 10:34 Acts 10:42 (2 Timothy 4:1; 1 Peter 4:5) Simple—Expanded

Frederick has observed the potential presence of the Johannine Comma in 2 Nephi 31꞉21, though he informed the author that he now considers this a stretch. The passages from 1 John 5꞉7 and 2 Nephi 31꞉21 just don't line up like we might want them to.


Question: Why does part of the longer ending of Mark show up in the Book of Mormon?

For many years the so-called “longer ending of Mark” has had its authenticity disputed

Book of Mormon Central, KnoWhy #522: Why Does Part of the Long Ending of Mark Show Up in the Book of Mormon? (Video)

Some critics have focused on the appearance of language from the longer ending of the Gospel According to Mark in the Book of Mormon. Mormon writes:

For behold, thus said Jesus Christ, the Son of God … : Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature; And he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned; And these signs shall follow them that believe—in my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover; (Mormon 9:22–24)

Similarly, in Ether 4:18 we read that “he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned; and signs shall follow them that believe in my name.”

The wording here is nearly identical to the Gospel of Mark where it is written:

15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.


16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;

18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.(Mark 16:15–18)

These verses from Mark are from the “longer ending of Mark”. Scholars have believed that this part of the Gospel was not original to it and added at a later time by editors. Thus, the question becomes: if these words weren’t actually spoken by Jesus, then why would he repeat them to the Nephites and why would they then show up in the Book of Mormon?

Believing that the longer-ending is authentic to Mark’s gospel is a defensible position

As Book of Mormon Central has written:

But before jumping to conclusions about the authenticity of either Mark 16:15–18, or Mormon 9:22–24, there are several considerations to keep in mind. First, in recent years, several scholars have argued that the text in Mark 16:9–20 is indeed an authentic part of the Gospel of Mark.[4] These scholars note that many other early New Testament manuscripts contain these verses,[5] and bring a wide array of additional evidence together, making a credible case for the early inclusion of the long ending in Mark’s gospel.[6] Because the textual evidence is extremely complex,[7] legitimate questions about the history of the long ending of Mark remain, but the possibility that it was an original part of the Gospel of Mark is a defensible position to take.[8]

It is also significant that several scholars who reject Mark 16:9–20 as part of the original Gospel of Mark nonetheless believe that the long ending pre-existed its attachment to Mark.[9] This means that even if it was not originally part of Mark’s gospel, it likely stands as an early, independent witness of the resurrection containing the authentic teachings of the Savior’s post-resurrection ministry.[10]

Another important detail to keep in mind is that even among those who reject the authenticity of Mark 16:9–20, there is considerable debate about how the Gospel of Mark originally ended. Some believe it ended as a dramatic cliff-hanger at Mark 16:8.[11] Others, however, argue that there is another “lost ending” or two.[12] It is impossible to know exactly what such other endings would have said, but N. T. Wright argues that it most likely would have been similar to the current ending, including a commission similar to that in Mark 16:15–18.[13][14]

Belief in the “longer ending” is not dependent on its being original to the Gospel of Mark

Thus, on the grounds that this teaching is based in the authenticity of the longer ending, this doesn’t propose a significant problem for the Book of Mormon. However, they note that this problem doesn’t have to hinge on its authenticity:

It important to recognize, however, that even though the English translation of Mormon 9:22–24 was possibly influenced by the King James translation of Mark 16:15–18, Moroni’s source was not the Gospel of Mark.[15] Rather, Moroni was drawing on the teachings of Christ recorded among the Nephites (Mormon 9:22). Thus, the authenticity of the words of Jesus in Mormon 9:22–25 is not ultimately dependent on the authenticity of the “long ending” of Mark. Indeed, belief in the authenticity of these words in the ending of Mark may, on the other hand, benefit from the testimony of the Book of Mormon.[16]

Further Reading




Question: Who wrote the Book of Revelation?

Critics of Mormonism claim that someone other than John, son of Zebedee authored the Book of Revelation as we have it in its current form and that this is evidence that Joseph Smith wrote the Book of Mormon.

Some secularist critics of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints claim that the authorship of the book of Revelation is evidence that Joseph Smith wrote the Book of Mormon. The authorship of the book of Revelation is described in the New Oxford Annotated Study Bible:

The author of the book of Revelation identifies himself by name as John (1.1,4,9; 22.8). This distinguishes Revelation from other Jewish and Christian apocalypses, which are pseudonymous, that is, written in the name of some revered figure from antiquity (e.g., Apoc. Bar., Apoc. Zeph.). While some ancient authorities (e.g., Justin, Dialogue with Trypho 81.4) suggested that this author is the apostle John, the son of Zebedee (see Mk 3.17), internal evidence from the book itself is inconclusive. Among ancient interpreters, Dionysius of Alexandria maintained that Revelation could not have been written by the same John to whom the Gospel according to John was attributed.

The author’s familiarity with the Jerusalem Temple and its rituals and furnishings, the depth of his knowledge of the Hebrew Bible (of the 405 verses in Revelation, some 275 include allusions to passages in the Hebrew Bible, or to its Greek translation, the Septuagint), as well as his adoption of a literary genre that was familiar in late Second Temple Judaism, combine to suggest that the John of Revelation may have been a Jewish Christian who fled to the Diaspora as a consequence of the First Jewish Revolt against the Romans (66–73 CE). His selfidentification to the “seven churches that are in Asia” (1.4) as “your brother who share with you in Jesus the persecution and the kingdom and the patient endurance” (1.9) suggests that he was well known to his audience, probably because he exercised a prophetic ministry among them (see 22.9). He mentions the twelve apostles as figures from the past (21.14), and does not refer to himself as one of them. This makes an identification of the John of the book of Revelation with the apostle of that name highly questionable, as is any connection of the John of the Revelation with the Gospel according to John or with the Letters of John.[17]


Latter-day Saint New Testament scholar Thomas Wayment (PhD New Testament Studies, Claremont Graduate University) writes:

The author of the book of Revelation formally introduces himself as John (Revelation 1:1). Based on the contents of the book, the author was also a Christian prophet who intentionally shared the contents of a spectacular vision relating to seven churches in western Asia Minor (modern Turkey). Tradition asserts broadly that John is to be identified with John the son of Zebedee (Matthew 10:2) and that the same author also wrote the Gospel of John and 1–3 John. Based on the style and substance of the writing, it is clear that the author was a native Hebrew/Aramaic speaker who probably moved to western Asia Minor and wrote his book in Greek to the churches in that region. The language is simple, revealing the words of an individual who had not been trained in Greek. From a scholarly perspective, it seems almost impossible to suggest that the same person wrote the Gospel of John, 1–3 John, and Revelation in the same way. More than likely, all of these compositions have historical connections to the apostle John, the son of Zebedee, though he did not write them personally. They all share ideas and concepts, but they were likely written at different times by different people.[18]

Scholars generally agree that it is more likely that someone other than John son of Zebedee wrote Revelation while not ruling out the possibility that he did.[19]

The prophet Nephi writes in the Book of Mormon (1 Nephi 14:20-27):

20 And the angel said unto me: Behold one of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

21 Behold, he shall see and write the remainder of these things; yea, and also many things which have been.

22 And he shall also write concerning the end of the world.

23 Wherefore, the things which he shall write are just and true; and behold they are written in the book which thou beheld proceeding out of the mouth of the Jew; and at the time they proceeded out of the mouth of the Jew, or, at the time the book proceeded out of the mouth of the Jew, the things which were written were plain and pure, and most precious and easy to the understanding of all men.

24 And behold, the things which this apostle of the Lamb shall write are many things which thou hast seen; and behold, the remainder shalt thou see.

25 But the things which thou shalt see hereafter thou shalt not write; for the Lord God hath ordained the apostle of the Lamb of God that he should write them.

26 And also others who have been, to them hath he shown all things, and they have written them; and they are sealed up to come forth in their purity, according to the truth which is in the Lamb, in the own due time of the Lord, unto the house of Israel.

27 And I, Nephi, heard and bear record, that the name of the apostle of the Lamb was John, according to the word of the angel.

Option #1a - John the son of Zebedee wrote what we have in Revelation

The first option that we might have for reconciling this is to say that John the son of Zebedee wrote or spoke what we have in Revelation. This option remains a live one for, as we’ve already pointed out, scholars generally don’t rule out the possibility that John, son of Zebedee, actually wrote the book himself.

Respected New Testament scholar Craig Keener has argued for the traditional identification of John, son of Zebedee as the author of Revelation in the NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible.[20]

Option #1b - Material from John, son of Zebedee was preserved in either written or oral format and then brought together by a member of a Johannine community

Another option that still preserves John, son of Zebedee’s involvement with the authorship of the Book is that material from him was preserved for a time by a a member of a Johannine community/discipleship that used material preserved/kept in either written or oral form, and then subsequently composed/compiled the book. As Wayment observed, the material more than likely has connections to John son of Zebedee.

Option #2 - There was an apostle named John that wasn't the son of Zebedee

Less likely than the first option is that another person named John authored the Gospel but that that person wasn't John the son of Zebedee. Some may object to this using v 20 of Nephi's vision. One way to respond might be that John may have been an apostle that wrote after John son of Zebedee passed away. The author of Revelation does identify himself as John, son of Zebedee.

Another way to make this work would be to see if the addition of "twelve" in v 20 is a translator's gloss from Joseph Smith. Though this is weakened when seen "twelve apostles" are mentioned in Chapter 11 and “twelve others” are mentioned in Lehi’s vision in Chapter 1. It could be that the gloss exists in all three chapters.

This option is possible but not probable and not the most attractive.

In any case, we can see that the scholarly perspective on the authorship of the Revelation of John doesn’t need to have an impact on the Book of Mormon.



Source(s) of the criticism
Critical sources

Notes

  1. ↑ Nicholas J. Frederick, "The Book of Mormon and Its Redaction of the King James New Testament: A Further Evaluation of the Interaction between the New Testament and the Book of Mormon," Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 27 (2018): 44–87; "The Language of Paul in the Book of Mormon," in They Shall Grow Together: The Bible in the Book of Mormon, ed. Charles Swift and Nicholas J. Frederick (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University; Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 2022), 227–28.
  2. ↑ Nicholas J. Frederick, "Evaluating the Interaction between the New Testament and the Book of Mormon: A Proposed Methodology," Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 24, no. 1 (2015): 1–30. This methodology is certainly better than Jerald Tanner and Sandra Tanner, Joseph Smith’s Plagiarism of the Bible in the Book of Mormon (Salt Lake City: Utah Lighthouse Ministry, 2010), 47–148 and similar projects taken up by critics.
  3. ↑ Frederick says that "I recognize that the modern versification of the Book of Mormon wasn’t done until Orson Pratt completed his edition of the Book of Mormon in 1879. However, I believe it is useful to examine the multiple forms of redaction using modern versification, even if those divisions did not exist in 1830."
  4. ↑ See Nicholas P. Lunn, The Original Ending of Mark: A New Case for the Authenticity of Mark 16:9–20 (Eugene, OR: Pickwick Publications, 2014); David W. Hester, Does Mark 16:9–20 Belong in the New Testament? (Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock, 2015). See also, David Alan Black, ed., Perspectives on the Ending of Mark: 4 Views (Nashville, TN: Broadman and Holman, 2008), which presents views from scholars on both sides of the debate.
  5. ↑ Notably Codex Bezae (about 400 A.D.), Codex Alexandrinus and Codex Ephraemi (fifth century). The long ending of Mark was also known to second-century Christian writers, such as Irenaeus, Tertullian and others.
  6. ↑ For a summary of these arguments, see Jeff Lindsay, “The Book of Mormon Versus the Consensus of Scholars: Surprises from the Disputed Longer Ending of Mark, Part 1,” Interpreter: A Journal of Mormon Scripture 25 (2017): 283–321.
  7. ↑ While some of the most ancient copies end the book at the close of verse 8 in the King James Version, others (as does the KJV) append the text found in verses 9–20 right after the ending of verse 8. One adds, after verse 8, a statement about the women reporting to Peter and to the other apostles what they had seen, as well as a comment about Jesus sending the apostles forth to proclaim the sacred and imperishable eternal salvation, before giving the text found in verses 9–20. One quite early source, Codex Washingtonianus (fouth-fifth century), includes a substantial addition after verse 14, mentioning “this age of lawlessness and unbelief,” “Satan,” and “unclean spirits,” and how to obtain the “true power of God” to limit the authority of Satan, and how sinners can “return to the truth and no longer sin,” to inherit the “imperishable glory” which is in heaven; interestingly not unlike Moroni’s words “unbelieving,” “power of God,” and “redemption of man” in Mormon 9:6, 13.
  8. ↑ See Thomas A. Wayment, “The Endings of Mark and Revelation,” The King James Bible and the Restoration, ed. Kent P. Jackson (Salt Lake City and Provo, UT: Deseret Book and BYU Religious Studies Center, 2011), 77–81.
  9. ↑ Julie M. Smith, The Gospel according to Mark, BYU New Testament Commentary (Provo, UT: BYU Studies, 2018), 871–874. These words may have existed independently as memories of words spoken by Jesus during his Forty-day Ministry.
  10. ↑ See N. T. Wright, The Resurrection of the Son of God (Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 2003), 618–619; Smith, The Gospel according to Mark, 874.
  11. ↑ Julie M. Smith, The Gospel according to Mark, BYU New Testament Commentary (Provo, UT: BYU Studies, 2018), 871–874..
  12. ↑ See note 6. See also Robert H. Stein, “The Ending of Mark,” Bulletin for Biblical Research 18, no. 1 (2008): 79–98; Metzger and Ehrman, Text of the New Testament, 222–227.
  13. ↑ Wright, Resurrection of the Son, 619–624. Mann, Mark, 673 mentions that one scholar has actually argued that Mark 16:15–18 was part of the original, now lost ending of Mark, though Mann himself rejects that view.
  14. ↑ See Book of Mormon Central, “Why Does Part of the Long Ending of Mark Show Up in the Book of Mormon? (Mormon 9:24),” KnoWhy 522 (27 June 2019).
  15. ↑ It is unreasonable to believe, and there is no evidence, that Joseph either opened a Bible to the ending of Mark and read these words, or had memorized them, and then wove them smoothly into the flow of the translation of Mormon 9. See Interpreter Foundation Administration, "The History of the Text of the Book of Mormon," <https://interpreterfoundation.org/the-history-of-the-text-of-the-book-of-mormon/> (26 January 2019).
  16. ↑ Ibid.
  17. ↑ Jean Pierre Ruiz, “The Revelation of John” in The New Oxford Annotated Study Bible, eds. Michael Coogan, Marc Z. Brettler, Carol A. Newsom, and Pheme Perkins, 5th ed. (New York: Oxford University Press, 2018), 1805.
  18. ↑ Thomas A. Wayment, The New Testament: A Translation for Latter-day Saints (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company; Provo, UT: BYU Religious Studies Center, 2019), 455.
  19. ↑ See esp. the commentary in Ian Boxall, "The Revelation of Saint John," in Black's New Testament Commentary (Ada, MI: Baker Academic Press, 2009).
  20. ↑ John H. Walton and Craig S. Keener, eds., NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible: Bringing to Life the Ancient World of Scripture (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2016), 2216.
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