New Testament Revision 2
-
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.
-
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.
37 is divorced, commiteth adultery. 37 Again, it hath been written by them of old time, Thou shalt not foreswear thyself, but shall per38/form unto the Lord thine oaths. 38/ But I say unto you, swear not at all; neither by Heaven, for it is Gods throne; nor by the Earth, for it is his footstool; neither by Jerusalem, for it is the City of the great King; neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white 39/ or black. 39/ But let your communications be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay; 40 for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil. 40 You have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth 41/ for a tooth. 41/ But I say unto you, that ye resist not evil; but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, 42/ turn to him the other also. 42/ And if any man will sue thee at the law & take away thy coat, let him have it; and if 43/ he sue thee again, let him have thy cloak also. 43/ And whosoever shall compell thee to go a mile, go with him a mile; and whosoever shall compell thee to go with him twain, thou shalt go with 44/ him twain. 44/ Give to him that asketh of thee; & from him that 45 would borrow of thee, turn not thou away. 45 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy Neibour, & hate thine 46/ enemy. 46/ But I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, & pray for them 47/ which dispitefully use you and persecute you; 47/ That ye may be the children of your Father who is in Heaven; for he maketh his Sun to rise on the evil and on the good, & sendeth rain 48/ on the Just & on the unjust. 48/ For if ye love only them which love you, what reward have you? Do not even the publi49/cans the same? 49/ And if ye salute your brethren only, what do you more then others? Do not even the publicans the same? 50/ Ye 50/ are therefore commanded to be perfect, even as your Father who is in Heaven is perfect.
Chapter VI Christ’s teaching, continued.
And it came to pass, as Jesus taught his Deciples, he said unto them, Take heed that you do not your alms before men, to be seen of them; otherwise ye have no reward of your Father who is in Heaven. Therefore, when thou doest alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrits do, in the [p. 9 (first numbering)]
View entire transcript |
Cite this page
Cite this page
