Evidence from the book of mormon manuscript mormonthink. The book of mormons old testament portion bmot quotes heavily from the new testament of the bible. These take the form of such things as double negatives, incorrect adverbs and adjectives, and incorrect tenses. In reality, the original text and current text of the book of mormon is a mixture of nineteenthcentury nonsense, plagiarism, and selected existing kjv scripture verses including its 1769 kjv edition errors as well as 17th century italics made by 17th century translators. The last of the plates of mormon was the title page.
The book of mormon is supposed to be a history of real people living in a real place. The original book of mormon contains literally thousands of such errors, most of which have since been corrected. More than a decade of meticulous research revealed such insights as royal skousen prepared transcripts of the original and printers manuscripts of the book of mormon for publication. Book of mormon difficulties, contradictions and explanations. A photograph of the original manuscript of the book of mormon which is published in the book, a new witness for christ in america, vol. Royal skousen with facsimile of the original manuscript. The annotated edition of the book of mormon aebom is riddled with misinformation, misrepresentation, special pleading, and a host of additional dubious and erroneous claims. Smith claimed the angel moroni, a prophet in the book of mormon. The first group left the tower of babel about 2250 bc, crossing to europe and sailing to central america. Any mistakes and changes are the mistakes of mortals. In summary, the real task for those wishing to claim that the nonbiblical language of the book of mormon is joseph smiths english will be to concentrate on the 80 or so examples of archaic language that have thus far been identified in the original text of the book of mormon, that is, the word uses, phrases, expressions, and grammatical.
Because they were all relatively minor, most of the errors thus introduced into the text have remained in the printed editions of the book of mormon and have not been detected and corrected except by reference to the original manuscript. The significance of the work, in literary terms, is that the text of the book of mormon represents a first draft one with little revision to. Book of mormon manuscripts the encyclopedia of mormonism. Manuscripts of the book of mormon the book of mormon. Godhead changes were made to the book of mormon after joseph smith. In fact, we think of a pitched battle as a fullfledged one, but originally what it referred to was a fully set battle. The book of mormon came about a little differently. The book of mormon is a book of scripture similar to the bible. Understanding the nature of the thousands of small changes in the book of mormon may be helpful and interesting. What is the original language of the book of mormon. For example, in the 1830 edition, the first chapter of 1 nephi included all of what is now labeled 1 nephi 15 the entire episode of obtaining the brass plates. From this perspective, joseph smiths editing for the second edition of the book of mormon may be viewed as translating the text into standard english rather than cleaning up grammatical errors.
In english, we have conditional clauses like if you come, then i will come, with then being optional. In the museum exhibit case, next to the original manuscript page, is an uncut proof sheet from the first printing of the book of mormon, which includes the title page. And now if there be fault, it be the mistake of men. Below is the modern map of the area of smiths youth.
For the latest detailed report, see royal skousen, towards a critical edition of the book of mormon, byu studies 30 winter 1990. It seems reasonable to assume that if smith was a prophet of god and was translating the book of mormon under divine inspiration, he would have known about the errors found in the king james version, and would have corrected them for when passages from the king james version appeared in the book of mormon. Top 10 embarrassments of the mormon religion listverse. Most adherents to the latter day saint movement view the book as a work of inspired scripture. I do testify that the uncut sheets of the complete first edition of the book of mormon have been reproduced in its original unchanged condition. Royal skousen explains the significance of the original and printers manuscripts of the book of mormon. Book of mormon manuscript excerpt, circa june 1829 1.
Weapons used from 544 bc to 52 bc p107359 are listed as bows and arrows, steel swords, axes. Experience the book of mormon just as early converts such as emma smith, brigham young, and parley p. Rather than ascribe these errors to deity, either through direct or indirect means, men will reject the claims of the book of mormon. Translation errors in the king james bible appearing in the book of mormon. One of the bigger errors occurred on the title page, which includes the preface written by moroni. For information about the more recent discovery of several fragments of the original manuscript. This process of translation of scripture is the only time known to man, when god inspired the translator. Typographical facsimile of the extant text provo, ut. Welch discovered a variety of instances of chiasmus in the book of mormon and along with his discovery came attention to the phenomenon. Errors have crept into the text, skousen acknowledges, but no errors. Mormonism is a religion less than two centuries old, but in this short time it has managed to accrue a long list of embarrassments which the church leaders would. Jerald and sandra tanner of the utah lighthouse ministry have identified nearly 4,000 changes when comparing the original 1830 edition to the 1964 edition. On page 236 of the myth of mormon inspiration by william brodie crouch, we copy as follows. These many problems are not simply innocuous mistakes.
The original 1830 edition, book of mormon had s of errors. Changes to latterday scripture lds leaders have made. There are several theories as to the origin of the book of mormon. Foundation for ancient research and mormon studies, brigham young university, 2001. According to joseph smith, the book of mormon is more correct than the bible history of the church, vol. Third, it is noteworthy that the original book of mormon chapter divisions of the isaiah quotations follow a larger thematic grouping, not the interruptive chapter system found in the king james bible. Now, however, the 1981 edition of the book of mormon has made it obsolete, for it has over two hundred additional changes. The book of mormon agrees with the textus receptus not the original text and includes the later phrase by them of old time. During the few years between the publication of the book of mormon 1830, and the death of its author and proprietor, joseph smith 1844, much effort was put forth to convince the doubtful world of the truth, accuracy and integrity of the book of mormon. They are the original manuscript of the book of mormon typographical. In the words of latterday saints president wilford c. A complete transcript of the extant parts of the original manuscript of the book of mormon has been published as royal skousen, ed. Errors in grammar there are literally thousands of grammatical errors in the original edition of the book of mormon errors that gradually have been changed in later editions. Despite these errors, manmade decisions, and complications, mormons revere the bible as the word of god.
Welch, a byu professor of law, admits that the best early manuscripts lack tois archaiois in matthew 5. The writer has an obsession with warfare and killing, with killings starting from chapter 4. Certainly the book of mormon should not have the same errors which displaced the original and crept into the text over the centuries. The goal of textual accuracy has led later editors to earlier editions and, when available, to the original and printers manuscripts see book of mormon manuscripts. They represent an egregious disregard for the even the most basic standards of scholarship. Royal skousen collected and examined the existing fragments of the original manuscript of the book of mormon to produce a critical text. Edits and changes to the book of mormon will occasionally b. There are at least185 quotations and 2,500 unique vocabulary words from the new testame. Why has the church found it necessary to make changes any. The book of mormon is supposed to be the account of people who came from the middleeast to the americas. The original 1830 first printed edition of the book of mormon exists.
Did the original book of mormon manuscript contain many errors that needed correction like the early draft of most books that are eventually printed. The book of mormon is a sacred text of the latter day saint movement, which adherents. All three of smiths witnesses became apostates by 1838, some eight years after the publication of the book of mormon. In reality, though, the kind of stylistic accuracy achieved by these changes has little to do with what joseph meant when he called the book of mormon the most correct of any book on earth. There were 5,000 original book of mormon copies published in 1830 in palmyra, new york. What are 1769 kjv edition errors doing in book of mormon. The origin of the hill comora wildly racial statements in mormon. I told the brethren that the book of mormon was the most correct of any book on the earth. Errors of mormonism by keith piper but though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. Doctrinal changes a selection of doctrinal changes in the book of mormon. Is the book of mormon really inspired like the bible. It is mostly a book of wars, oppression, slavery, treachery, bloodshed. Thus the old testament passages from isaiah display a particular choice of.
The book of mormon claims to be the original writings of nephite leaders in ancient. In hebrew this same clause is expressed as if you come and i will come. The original book of mormon transcript the book of mormon. A stray ink drop and a quirk of nineteenthcentury script make the difference between retain that wrong and repair that wrong.
First published in 1830, the book of mormon is the authoritative scripture of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints and its estimated million members. Book of mormon editions 18301981 the encyclopedia of. And 4 it will get a man closer to god than any other book. There are literally thousands of grammatical errors in the original edition of the book of mormon errors that gradually have been changed in later editions. Two major goals of each published edition of the book of mormon have been 1 to faithfully reproduce the text. In general these transmission errors have not been caught by later editors of the text. It tells of the jaredites, people from the tower of babel who came to central america but perished because of their own immorality. Scribe 1oliver cowdery scribe 2 unknown scribe 3 unknown reply to critics. Yet the original 1839 book of mormon was full of all kinds. Book of mormontranslation errors from the kjv fairmormon. Introduction to 3,9 changes utah lighthouse ministry. Title page if there be fault it be the mistake of men.
It is appropriately named 3,9 changes in the book of mormon. Why thousands of errors in the original 1830 the book of mormon. Restoring the original text of the book of mormon fairmormon. The most common belief of adherents is that promoted by joseph smith, who said he translated ancient golden plates inscribed by prophets. The book of mormon incorporates text which seems to be taken from the king james version, including passages which are now considered to be mistranslations in the king james version. The original book of mormon transcript book of mormon. That errors of grammar and faults in dictation do exist in the book of mormon and more especially and abundantly in the first edition must be conceded. But the most embarrasing errors have to the do with the elizabethan language in the original book of mormon.
The most commonly cited example of chiasmus in the book of mormon is the prophet almas religious experience, as recorded in alma 36. The book of mormon is a sacred text of the latter day saint movement, which adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the american continent from approximately 2200 bc to ad 421. Wherefore condemn not the things of god, that ye may be found spotless at the judgment seat of christ. There is considerable evidence that these original chapter breaks were written on the gold. However, when confronted with the presence of 1769 kjv errors and 17th century italics in the book of mormon, many of the same apologists will revert to the loose translation by claiming that maybe joseph smith indeed used a 1769 kjv bible to. It asks readers to understand that if there be fault in the book of mormon it be the mistake of men. Over the past twentyone years, editor royal skousen has pored over joseph smiths original manuscripts and identified more than 2,000 textual errors in the 1830 edition. Fol lowing are several types of errors mitigating against the book of mormon being inspired. About twenty of these errors were corrected in the 1981 edition. So one of the talking points in the ces letter, which i have seen quoted in this sub as well, is that there are 1769 kjv bible edition errors unique to only that edition present in the book of mormon. The book of mormon text contains logical impossibilities. And again, the precision and accuracy of the book of mormon, moronis statement allowed for the possibility of error in the human aspects of writing, abridging. The church of jesus christ of latterday saints has stewardship over the book of mormon and will do everything in its power to put a copy of the book into your hands in your own language. The original 1830 edition, book of mormon had s of.
Book of mormon changes almost all spelling, grammar, and. In the original text of the book of mormon, there were at least fourteen occurrences of this nonenglish expression. This newlyreleased replica is a beautiful recreation of the original 1830 book of mormon printed in palmyra, new york. For the first 150 years of mormonisms existence, everyone thought it was a story about a people who left the middle east and came to south or central america, and who fought wars clear up into new. Critics of the book of mormon have assailed the books authenticity on the grounds that it has. Interestingly, the book of mormon uses the original, now archaic, syntactic expression in helaman 1. Palmyra collectors edition 1830 book of mormon replica. When joseph smith created the book of mormon, he evidently elected to use such kjvlike language throughout, even though that was not.
The earliest editions of the book of mormon did not have the same chapter divisions as our modern editions. Mission which compares the original 1830 edition of the book of mormon with the 1964 lds edition, noting all the changes. If so, its creation might not have required divine intervention or have been significantly different from other publications. They teach that as it was first written, it was perfect.
The book of mormon title page, which was translated by joseph smith, 1 ends with a rather intruiging disclaimer for a book of scripture. The book of mormon claims to be the history of 2 ancient civilizations on the american continent. The language of the original text of the book of mormon. How can you believe that the book of mormon is perfect. Understanding textual changes in the book of mormon. If the book of mormon is an accurate translation, some claim that it shouldnt contain these translational errors. The original book of mormon transcript the book of.