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.
And the high Priest stood up in the midst, and asked Jesus, saying, Answerest thou nothing? Knowest thou not what these wittness against thee? But he held 23 his peace, and answered nothing. 23 Again the high Preist asked him and said unto him, Art thou the christ, the son of the blessed? And Jesus said, I am; and ye shall see the son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. Then the high Priest rent his cloaths and said What need we of any farther wittnesses? Ye have heard the blasphemy; what 24 think ye? And they all condemned him to be guilty of death. 24 And some began to spit on him, and to cover his face, and to buffet him, and to say unto him, Prophecy; and the servents did strike him with the palms of their hands. 25 And as Peter was beneath in the pallace, there cameth one of the maids of the high Priest, and when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked upon him and said, Thou also wast with Jesus of Nazereth. But he denyed, saying, I know not, neither understand I what thou saith. And he went out into the poarch; and the cock crew. And a maid saw him again, and began to say to them who stood by, This is one of them. And he denied it again. And a little after, they who stood by, said again to Peter, Surely thou art one of them; for thou art a Gallileean, thy speech agreeth thereto. But he began to curse and to swear, saying, I know not this man of whom ye speak. And the second time the cock crew; and Peter called to mind the words which Jesus said unto him, Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and fell upon his face, & wept bitterly.
Chapter 15th
1 And straightway in the morning, the cheif Priests held a consultation with the Elders and Scribes; and the whole council condemned him, and bound him, and carried him away and delivered him to Pilate. And Pilate asked him, Art thou the king of the Jews? 2 And Jesus answering said unto him, I am even as thou sayest. 2 And the cheif Priests accused him of many things; but he answered nothing. And Pilate asked him again, saying, Answerest thou nothing? Behold how many things they wittness against thee. But Jesus yet answered no 3/ thing; so that Pilate marveld. 3/ now it was common at the feast, for Pilate to release unto them one prisoner, whomsoever they desired. And there was a man named Barabbas, bound with them who hade made insurection with him, who had committed murder in the insurection. And the [p. 42 (second numbering)]
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