The manuscript joseph smith dictated to oliver cowdery and others is known today as the original manuscript, about 28 percent of which still survives. Joseph remains with emma for two weeks after the death. In an article in his defending the faith column in the deseret news, byu scholar daniel c. 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. He reportedly placed the instrument whether it was always the urim and thummim, or interpreters, or sometimes some other seer stone, is. However, the faithful assurance that it is a translation has not had an accompanying understanding of how that translation took place. Mar 07, 2011 and with the entire book of lehi and the forepart of mosiah irretrievably lost, per lds sources, the book of mormon is rather incomplete. Unless otherwise indicated, the translation was financed and the resulting text published by the church of jesus christ. She, like the three and eight witnesses of the book of mormon, never wavered in her testimony of the book s authenticity. Joseph smith would put the seer stone into a hat, and put his face in the hat, drawing it closely around his face to exclude the light. The writer, josiah jones, claims as his source the first latterday saint missionaries to that te ritory elde s cowdery, pratt, whitmer, and peterson, from whom he learned that the book w translated by looking. He moved in with the smiths in the winter of 1828 to act as scribe for joseph smith. Perhaps the matter can be treated most directly in a question and answer format. I will suggest another explana tion later in this essay, but let me first use the presence of kjv language in the book of mormon as a jumpingoff point for discussing gardners rather complex theory on how the book of mormon was translated.
The translation process of the book of mormon daniel c. A compilation of published statements on the book of mormon translation method in both church and nonchurch publications. In this article i discuss what the original manuscript of the book of mormon tells us about how joseph smith translated the book of mormon. Mormons chronological summary of the period from the 19th regnal year of the reign of mosiah i to the coming of the limhites and mormons synopsis of the book of mormon prophetic calendar. Firsthand witness accounts of the translation process religious. Parallels drawn by nibley between egyptian names and book of mormon.
But the gospel topics essays dont always validate beliefs. Matthews and benjmins translation method is particularly interesting for book of mormon translation theories, since some of the biggest issues in discussions of book of mormon translation are. Book of mormon definition, a sacred book of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints, believed by members of the church to be an abridgment by a prophet mormon of a record of certain ancient peoples in america, written on golden plates, and discovered and. The translation of the book of mormon, from dan vogel, ed. To display the annotation, click on the note numbers at the end of a paragraph note 1, note 2, etc. And with the entire book of lehi and the forepart of mosiah irretrievably lost, per lds sources, the book of mormon is rather incomplete. Professor figures out book of mormon translation timeline. For further discussion on the book of mormon and the translation process, see the introduction to documents, volume 1. The king james quotations in the book of mormon, the history of the text of the book of mormon.
An account written by the hand of mormon upon plates taken from the plates of nephi, who claimed that it had been. However, after a fair and candid examination of the evidence, many thousands of. Peterson wrote an excellent article in which he cites witnesses to the book of mormon translation process, giving modern readers insight into what eyewitnesses saw regarding how joseph smith translated the book of mormon. Why was joseph smith so reluctant to disclose details relative to the process of translation. From time to time there are those who wish to rewrite the book of mormon into familiar or modern english.
In an interview conducted by her son joseph smith iii in 1879, emma smith, wife of the prophet joseph smith, expressed her faith in the restored church of jesus christ, which was established in 1830 after the prophet had translated the book of mormon and published it to the world. Historical statements by witnesses of the translation process also. Joseph and emmas first child, alvin, was born but died shortly thereafter. The process of translating the book of mormon brs home page. Portions of the book have been translated into another 20 languages. The book of mormon and the bible are available in english in epub, mobi, pdf, and audio format for ereaders and mobile devices. From lds church news within the first few pages of the book of mormon, readers come across the names of 11 witnesses, each who has signed his name as someone who has either seen or felt the ancient plates that joseph smith used to translate the book of mormon. Some had waited all of their lifetimes to read the book of mormon in afrikaans. These pages, which had not been copied, were lost by smiths scribe, martin harris, during the summer of 1828 and are presumed to have been destroyed.
Book of mormon translation response to an essay on the mechanical process in which the book of mormon was translated was put in the topical guide of the website on 1230. I will now give you a description of the manner in which the book of mormon was translated. Welch, the miraculous translation of the book of mormon, in opening the heavens. Above all, were these words given by the gift and power of god. The other day i got to thinking about all the different stories ive read about smiths method of translation, and of course i wondered if my mother knows about them. Why new testament words and phrases are in the book of mormon part 9. Emma smith on the book of mormon translation process. The translation of the book of lehi is completed, resulting in 116 pages of translated text. From contemporary accounts of others, including his wife, emma, oliver cowdery, and martin harris, all whom acted as scribes during the translation, it is possible to piece.
Terry the book of mormon translation puzzle 181 nephite idioms mormon actually used. Who translated the book of mormon text into english for. 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. Peterson offers a rebuttal to an objection he says some people make against treating the book of mormon as an ancient book. Critics have argued that the book of mormon cannot be true because joseph smiths claims about the book of mormon s translation seem unbelievable, but this new video seeks to put these criticisms to rest. Joseph smith translates the book of mormon, dictating the text to his scribe oliver cowdery. Interesting correspondence on the subject of the manual theory. Quitmormon and the tricky process of leaving the church the verge. Translation of the caractors document revised and updated translation and commentary by jerry d. Is the book of mormon like any other nineteenth century book. Smith dictated the text of the book of mormon, stating that it was a translation of the plates. Book of mormon translation this is an annotated version of the article book of mormon translation at.
These tables show all the versions of the book of mormon that have been translated. But beginning about 182728, smith and his followers began to change how they talked about the translation process, transforming it from magical treasure lore into christian epic. Shane jones shares before a mormon miracle pageant in manti in 2014. Can the book of mormon be considered a genuine translation if the plates werent even used during the translation process. Book of mormon translator converted the mormon urban. The gold plates and the translation of the book of mormon. Book of mormon translation process life after ministry. The prophet joseph smith said that the book of mormon was the most correct of any book on earth. The translation of the book of mormon by means of the interpreters and seer stone, was not merely a mechanical process, but required the utmost concentration of mental and spiritual force possessed by the prophet. Eyewitnesses to the process said smith translated the plates, not by. And also to the convincing of the jew and gentile that jesus is the christ, the eternal god, manifesting himself unto all nationsand now, if there are faults they are the mistakes of men. Nov 14, 2017 then, last year 2015, while speaking at the byu studies mormon interpreter conference on the book of mormon, where you also spoke, royal went even further.
An essay on the mechanical process in which the book of mormon was translated was published 30 december 20 and is now in the topical guide of the website. The book of mormons old testament portion bmot quotes heavily from the new testament of the bible. The record was translated from reformed egyptian into english through the gift and power of god. Timeline of the book of mormon translation scott woodward. At least three computer analyses have been completed to date in an effort to determine who wrote the book of mormon, and whether it was a single individual or a group. I is a awful resp onsib ility, j seph smith sad, t write. If the book of mormon is an accurate translation, some claim that it shouldnt contain these translational errors. All these comments atributing immutable perfection to the 1921 book of mormon resemble a statement that an elderly lady made to my father, who was a traveling elder in the methodist church. His critical text project of the book of mormon, launched officially in 1988, produced published transcripts of o and p 2001, a massive sixvolume analysis of textual variants of the book of mormon 20042009. Translation of the book of mormon mormonism, the mormon. Dynamically equivalent translation and the book of mormon. The book of mormon teaches about god and jesus christ. From that humble beginning, today the church prints over 3 million copies a year on large web presses. Nibley postulates that names do not match exactly due to the process of metathesis.
An account written by the hand of mormon upon plates taken from. The 116 pages of the book of lehi were borrowed and then lost by martin harris. Published in 1976, the thai language was the 24th language into which the full text of the book of mormon was translated excluding translations for languages for which there is no version currently in print. This 2001 ensign cover shows joseph smith translating the book of mormon by poring over the plates which is how many faithful latterday saints have been instructed to imagine the process. This chapter will help satisfy the rising interest in the translation of the book of mormon by analyzing what witnesses and close associates of joseph smith said. Welch of brigham young university, delivered a powerful address on wednesday, november 8 on the timing of the translation of the book of mormon.
How the book of mormon translation story changed over time. It was first published in march 1830 by joseph smith as the book of mormon. The process as described brings to mind a passage from the book of mormon that speaks of god preparing a stone, which shall shine forth in darkness unto. Aug 21, 2015 when joseph smith began the book of mormon translation, he acted in his capacity as a treasure seer and used the tools of that trade. From a 1993 statement from the first presidency of the church. Most lds church members were taught that joseph smith used seer stones referred to as the urim and thummim nephite interpreters to translate the book of mormon bom 1 to various scribes. Some argue that since we lack the original plates from which the book of mormon was translated, it should be read as a 19thcentury englishlanguage text rather than as an.
From lds church news within the first few pages of the book of mormon, readers come across the names of 11 witnesses, each who has signed his name as someone who has either seen or felt the ancient plates that joseph smith used to translate the book. One former mormon tells me she began to have questions about church history when. Mormons chronological summary of the period from the 19th regnal year of the reign of mosiah i to the coming of the limhites and mormons synopsis of the book of. Critics have argued that the book of mormon cannot be true because joseph smiths claims about the book of mormons translation seem unbelievable, but this new video seeks to put these criticisms to rest. Book of mormon translation evidence book of mormon. Much can be known about the coming forth of the english text of the book of mormon through a careful study of statements made by joseph smith, his scribes, and others closely associated with the translation of. Jun 29, 2016 it was an interesting and challenging experience. The modern discovery, translation, and editions of the. How the book of mormon was translated let us reason. What is the original language of the book of mormon. According to those contemporaries of joseph smith who observed the book of mormon translation process, joseph smith did not look at or read from the golden plates while translating the book of mormon.
Book of mormontranslation errors from the kjv fairmormon. The second installment in book of mormon centrals evidence video series tackles the translation of the book of mormon. The book of mormon is published in 112 languages, and many of them are available in multiple formats online in march 1830, 5,000 copies of the book of mormon were printed in the e. Translations of the book of mormon in alphabetical order all languages are available in print. Willes center for book of mormon studies at the gordon b. Joseph smith was a seer able to translate the golden plates into the book of mormon by his seer abilities not by the plates themselves. The exact process by which the book of mormon was translated is known only to joseph smith he described it as through the gift and power of god, and attributed the urim and thummim as a vehicle for translation. When joseph smith began the book of mormon translation, he acted in his capacity as a treasure seer and used the tools of that trade.
Jul 03, 2008 the exact process by which the book of mormon was translated is known only to joseph smith he described it as through the gift and power of god, and attributed the urim and thummim as a vehicle for translation. The lost 116 pages were the original manuscript pages of what joseph smith, founder of the latter day saint movement, said was the translation of the book of lehi, the first portion of the golden plates revealed to him by an angel in 1827. This whole concept of finding the book of mormon on plates is a sham. The urim and thummim was preserved in a stone box, along with the gold plates, for over 1,500 years for the purpose of enabling joseph to translate the writings on the. Book of mormon written in modernday english grace for grace. This book details the story of the translation of the book of mormon into the thai language. For a compilation of accounts by joseph smiths contemporaries, see john w. Translation of the caractors document book of mormon.
To display the annotation, click on the note numbers at the end of a. As a firsthand witness of the translation process when she acted as his scribe, emma could testify that her husband had no notes, drafts, or books with him while he translated that ancient record. For a detailed description of the process by which joseph smith translated the book of mormon, read. Conflicting results of computer analyses of the book of mormon. Oct 07, 2017 the second installment in book of mormon centrals evidence video series tackles the translation of the book of mormon. The book of mormon is a sacred volume of scripture, a second testament and witness of jesus christ, the redeemer of the world.
Emma smith on the book of mormon translation process, quote 1. Interest in the manner of the translation of the book of mormon is still alive among many thoughtful students. The following letters on the subject are, therefore, both timely and engagingeditors. Answering a question posed by her son joseph smith iii in 1879, emma smith indicated that the prophet joseph smith could not have been the author of the book of mormon, for he had neither the writing abilities nor adequate knowledge of ancient israel. David whitmer, one of the book of mormon witnesses, explained the process. The miraculous translation of the book of mormon into ukrainian. He stated that the book of mormon translation into english appears to have been the product of a committee working over multiple centuries to translate the text into early modern english.
A book of mistakes, error, and fraud by jon gary williams introduction the mormon church promotes the book of mormon as an inspired writing. We discourage this type of publication and call attention to the fact that the book of mormon was translated by the gift and power of god, who has declared that it is true. The book of mormon text contains logical impossibilities. Welch gave the annual book of mormon lecture entitled hours never to be forgotten for the laura f. The book of mormon has been translated in its entirety into 97 languages. The book of mormon was presented to the world as the translation of an ancient text engraved on golden plates more than 180 years ago. Oct 07, 2017 for a detailed description of the process by which joseph smith translated the book of mormon, read. Book of mormon definition, a sacred book of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints, believed by members of the church to be an abridgment by a prophet mormon of a record of certain ancient peoples in america, written on golden plates, and discovered and translated 182730 by joseph smith. Today were looking at a vitally important piece of mormon history the translation process of the socalled golden plates. There are at least185 quotations and 2,500 unique vocabulary words from the new testame.