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.
4 healed their sick, 4/ And when it was evening, his deciples came to him, saying, This is a desert place, & the time is now past; send the multitude away, that they may go into the vilages, & buy themselves victuals. But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat. And they said unto him, We have here but five loaves & two fishes. He said, Bring them hither to me. And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass; & he took the five loaves, & the two fishes; & looking up to Heaven, he blessed, & brake, & gave the loaves to the Deciples; & the Deciples to the multitudes; & they did all eat , & were filled. And they took up of the fragments that remained, twelve basketfuls. And they that had eaten were about 5/ five thousand men, besides women & children. 5/ And straitway Jesus constrained his Deciples to get into a ship, & to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away. And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart, to 6/ pray. 6/ And when the evening was come, he was there alone. but the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tosed with the waves; for the wind was contrary. And in the fourth watch of the night, Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. And when the Deciples saw him walking on the Sea, they were troubled, Saying, It is a spirit; & they cried out, for fear. But straitway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I, be not afraid. And Peter answered him & said, Lord if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; & begining to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand & caught him, & said unto him, Oh! thou of little faith; wherefore didst thou doubt? And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased. Then they that were in the ship came & worshiped him, 7/ saying, Of a truth, thou art the Son of God. 7/ And when they were gone over, they came into the land of Geneserat. And when the men of that place had knowledge of him, they sent out into all that country round about, & brought into him all that were diseased; & besought him that they might only touch the hem of his garment; & as many as touched, him were made perfectly whole.
Chapter XV Christ goeth into the cosst of Tye & Sidon & great multitudes came to Jesus & he healed their lame & dumb blind &c [p. 28 (first numbering)]
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