New Testament Revision 2
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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.
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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.
they returned into Gallilee, to unto their own City, Nazereth. and the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, being filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him. 10/ Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the passover. and when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom, to the feast. and when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem: and Joseph and his mother knew not that he tarried; but they, supposing him to have been in the company, went a days journey; and they sought him among his kindred and acquantence. and when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him. 11/ and it came to pass, after three days they found him in the Temple, sitting in the midst of the Doctors, and they were hearing him, and asking him questions. and all who heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers. 12/ and when his parents saw him they were amazed; and his Mother said unto him, son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? Behold thy father and I have saught thee sorrowing. and he said unto them, why is it that ye saught me? knew ye not that I must be about my Fathers business and they understood not the saying which he spake unto them. 13/ and he went down with them, and he came to Nazereth, and was subject unto them. and his Mother kept all these sayings in her heart. and Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.
Chapter 3rd
Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Ceaser, Ponteus Pilate being governer of Judeah, and Herod being Tetrarch of Gallilea, and his brother Phillip Tetrearch of Ituriah and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the Tetrarch of Abilene, Annas and Caiaphas being the high Priests. 2/ / Now, in this same year, the word of God came unto John, the son of Zacharias, in the willderness. and he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentence, for the rimission of sins, as it is written in the book of the prophet Esais; and these are the words saying the voice of one crying in the willderness, prepare ye the way of the Lord, and make his paths straight. 3/ For behold, and lo, he shall come as it is written in the book of the prophets, to take away the [p. 51 (second numbering)]
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