The following article is an excellent treatment of the king james bible, often called the authorized version, versus other english bible translations debate. If the book of mormon were inspired, not only would it refrain from incorporating the king james version within its pages, it also would not include in those sections the manuscript errors. Here is emma smiths description of how joseph translated the book of mormon. The book of mormon contains extensive quotes from isaiah some twentytwo chapters of the prophet are found in the book, in many cases quoted verbatim from the king james version. After all the words of high praise spoken for this version, it may seem strange to pass to an extended discussion of its defects. Questions related to the book of mormon and other items on. The book of mormon and the king james bible wikipedia. However, the book of mormon is not written in elizabethan english, except for the copies of the twenty chapters of isaiah that are found in the book.
All of the italic words that the book of mormon does include are universally reasonable additions for any english translation. What are 1769 kjv edition errors doing in book of mormon. Two chapters of the prophet malachi are quoted by jesus in iii nephi 24 and following. May 04, 2012 at the time and up until just recently christians respect for the bible included the idea of not modernizing its language. Apr 28, 2012 a question for my mormon friends series. In 1604 for example, king james i, who was not only the king of england, but head of the church of england, commissioned fiftyfour hebrew and greek scholars to give englishspeaking people the official version of the bible. The book of mormon contains many linguistic similarities to the king james bible kjv. First, i want to affirm with all evangelical christians that the bible is the word of god, inerrant, inspired, and our final authority for faith and life. Specific bible studies king james translation errors. When king james translators were translating the kjv bible between 1604 and 1611, they would occasionally put in their own words into the text to make the english more readable.
However, the story behind the creation of this bible translation is little known and reveals an amazing interplay of faith and politics, church and state. Many people find problematic the extent to which the book of mormon quotes the king james version of the bible, because this practice can make the book of mormon look more like a cobbledtogether 19thcentury text than a translation of an ancient artifact bearing in mind joseph smiths idiosyncratic usage of translation. This page shows the book of mormon verses that incorporate text from the king james version of the bible. Joseph smiths inspired revisions to the king james bible. There are two possible explanations for the origin of the book of mormon. Sometimes the translators italic words appear in the book of mormon verses and sometimes. Notwithstanding, it is available through deseret book. The book of mormon is a literary hoax drafted early in the 19th century in selfconscious imitation of the king james version of the bible of 1611. Sometimes the quotation is explicit, as in the second book of nephi, which contains 18 quoted chapters of the book of isaiah. Jan 15, 2008 the book of mormon was translated by joseph smith using some unusual tools, but for the most part translated in terms of language, word for word, grammar is a diff story, lol. And yet it must be confessed that this highly esteemed version is excellent, but defective. Thou in the book of mormon and the king james version the.
Mormons accept the authorized king james version of the bible kjv as canonical. Large portions of the book of mormon are very similar to the king james version of the bible, which of course was about the only english bible available to joseph smith in the 1820s. If this is true, then the book of mormon should be full of errors. In verses that directly quote the bible, whether attributed by book of mormon narrators or not, the table shows which words were deleted from the source kjv verse and which words were added by the book of mormon verse. Kjv verses in the book of mormon book of mormon depot. Sometimes the quotation is explicit, as in the second book of nephi, which contains 18 quoted chapters of the book of isaiah other significant connections between the two books include book of mormon words and phrases that only appear in. The naming of this version is another interesting story that i will not go into here. King james english in the book of mormon an oddity in the book of mormon, published in 1830, is that it uses antiquated english resembling the style of the king james version kjv bible. Nowhere am i told that the king james bible is the best or only holy bible. May 26, 2012 the mormon version of the bible is the king james bible, every verse exact. Im sure that the revised standard has the same power and hold upon a person introduced to the bible through that translation. Mormons are big on the issue of translation we are taught that the bible is correct so far as it is translated correctly and.
The king james version contains certain translation and textual errors which will facilitate a global transition from the true gospel of jesus christ to the false gospel of the antichrist. The book of mormon has the structure of a translation from the hebrew language. Why is the book of mormon written in king james english. The book of mormon contains a version of the sermon on the mount, which some authors have claimed to be the achilles heel of the book of mormon. This article contains very valuable information not found in most material on this subject. Oct, 2017 and the book of mormon just happens to omit this word. The mormon version of the bible is the king james bible, every verse exact. Joseph smith indisputably qualified as the author of the book of mormon by contemporary usage of the word. The book of mormon and the king james version by common. The joseph smith translation is josephs supposedly inspired revision of the king james bible. The book of mormon is a book of mormon not a bible.
The book of mormon contains many linguistic similarities to the king james bible. If the book of mormon is an accurate translation, why would it contain translational errors that exist in the king james bible. Jan 26, 2014 the book of mormon and the king james version january 26, 2014 by jason k. It is also written by prophets that share a heritage with biblical prophets so they would have similar traditions in terms of writing.
It borrows themes and language from josiah priests wonders of nature, ethan smiths view of the hebrews, charles spurgeons manuscript story, and even captain kidds tales of buried treasure. Apr 28, 2010 even today, many consider the king james bible the ultimate translation in english and will allow none other for use in church or personal devotions. It is very likely that the king james bible may have been used as a model for the translation of the book of mormon, but the authorship of the book is attributed to the man mormon, who is reported to have compiled the book around 400 a. Why do italic translator words from the kjv bible appear in. Brackets in the kjv are italicized to avoid confusion. Why is the book of mormon written in a pseudo king james type. Jun 19, 2008 b the book of mormon is a nineteenth century work, and joseph smith simply copied the king james version into the book of mormon. Excluding the triple combination book 1 kindle edition by smith, joseph, latter day saints texts, church of jesus christ of. Thou in the book of mormon and the king james version. Book of mormontranslation errors from the kjv fairmormon. Conclusion there really is only one theory which fully accounts for all the features of the phenomenon. Proof the book of mormon isnt true the book of mormon contradicts the bible and was actually a work of fiction written by joseph smith in the 1800s, who copied much of it from the king james version, trying to make it look like an ancient manuscript. In addition, at the front of the book of mormon, in the section titled. Kjv does not take the word for rock and accidentally translate.
What is less well known is that the book of mormon makes a large number of unacknowledged biblical quotes. Englishspeaking mormons use the authorized king james version. This article explains that joseph claimed to be restoring the true, original meaning of the bible, and looks at examples of josephs changes to the gospel of john proving this claim to have been false. King james version were not in the original text but were added by the translators to give clarity of thought.
Although few in number, the king james version does contain a number of undeniable incorrect translations. Sometimes the source is acknowledged, as in the book of second nephi, where 18 chapters of isaiah are quoted. The book of mormon, too, contains much on faith, hope and charity, including a protracted quotation from i corinthians. There exist 478 verses in the book of mormon which are quoted in some form or other from the book of isaiah. The word translated was is hayah, and denotes a condition different than a former condition, as in genesis 19. Ces letter provides zero examples or evidence to back up their false claim that kjv translation errors appear in the book of mormon. If the book of mormon is an accurate translation, some claim that it shouldnt contain these translational errors. However, nowhere in the bible am i told that only one translation of it is the correct one. Thus the book of mormon was translated by the gift and power of god and not by the power of man address to all believers in christ, richmond, missouri, 1887, p. One author makes the point that certain portions of the greek manuscripts of matthew 57 do not agree with king james version of the text, and concludes that the book of mormon version of the. There is no verse that tells me how god will preserve his word, so. Strikethrough denotes words that are included in the kjv but not the bom. The lds edition of the bible was soon followed by a new edition of the book of mormon which corrects errors that propagated in previous texts due to copyist or typesetting errors. The jst is significant in mormon history because it contains some evidence that what joseph said was the correct translation of the bible actually contradicts several sections of the book of mormon which deliberately mirror the king james bible.
Why do italic translator words from the kjv bible appear. The king james version is a version, not edition, of the bible. Id say this was highly improbable, and creates additional problems see the note below. Why does the book of mormon appear to paraphrase from the preface to the king james version of the bible in helaman 5.
Many people find problematic the extent to which the book of mormon quotes the king james version of the bible, because this practice can make the book of mormon look more like a cobbledtogether 19thcentury text than a translation of an ancient artifact bearing in. The book of mormon does not include the italicized word her, which is further proof that the book of mormon does not copy italicized portions word for word. What are these 17th century italicized words doing in the book of mormon. Yet because the book of mormon was originally written in king james language, we are confronted with the fact that the kjv, regardless of what bible translation. Bible the story of the king james version 16112011 oxford, gordon campbell, oxford university press 2010. In some cases, entire passages are duplicated in the book of mormon. Volumes have been written on its distinctive and rhythmic style, and it is still regarded as a triumph of modern english literature. Walter martins religious infonet kingdom of the cults. The formality of king james english adds to the power of the wordsagain personal opinion. In the church of jesus christ of latter day saints, sometimes erroneously referred to as the mormon church, they have adopted the authorized king james version kjv of the bible. In some cases, entire passages of scripture are duplicated in the book of mormon. Ces letter no translation errors i dont think you can say that the book of mormon contains unique errors from the king james version bible.
The king james version was completed in 1611 ad and the book of mormon published in 1830. If the book of mormon were inspired, not only would it refrain from incorporating the king james version within its pages, it also would not include in those sections the manuscript errors that have crept into the text. The king james bible and the book of mormon its obvious even to the casual reader that the book of mormon, in its original 1830 translation, is written in the language of the king james version bible hereafter kjv. On the king james bible versus other translations controversy. It does not require much reasoning to see which solution is the simplest. Joseph smith held a great respect for the bible and much of his education came from the bible and so it was only natural for him to translate the book of mormon into a language that he not only respected but was familiar with. The book of mormon is a musical comedy with music, lyrics and book by trey parker, robert lopez, and matt stone first staged in 2011, the play is a satirical examination of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints beliefs and practices that ultimately endorses the positive power of love and service. Errors which are unique to the 1769 edition that joseph smith owned. It is either of divine or human origin, and if it is of human origin that means that joseph smith concocted the book. Here was the perfect opportunity in 1830 for god to correct the mistakes that had accumulated during the previous 200 years. In several cases, the book of mormon follows king james version translation errors. Did joseph smith plagiarize from the king james bible. One author makes the point that certain portions of the greek manuscripts of matthew 57 do not agree with the kjv of the text, and concludes that the book of mormon version of the sermon should not contain text similar to the kjv.
Many adherents to the theory of an inerrant translation of scripture, namely those referred to as kjvonlyists, are thoroughly convinced that yahuwah has preserved his sacred written word in the english language through the translation of the king james version, which is also called the authorized version. This same version is also one of the most accepted by the majority of english speaking protestants. However, here i wish to address just one point, albeit a somewhat tangential point to carmacks overall project. Perhaps josephs knowledge of the king james version was used as tool by the lord to facilitate josephs translation of related book of mormon passages. What are 1769 king james version edition errors doing in the book of mormon. I do testify that the uncut sheets of the complete first edition of the book of mormon have been reproduced in its original unchanged condition. This edition of the standard works of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints contains the holy bible, book of mormon, doctrine and covenants, pearl of great price, and numerous references.
Why are the italicized words from the kjv of the bible words the translators added themselves, and so noted by italics also found in the book of mormon. The book of mormon and the king james bible textus receptus. Are there errors from the 1769 king james version of the bible. In the words of latterday saints president wilford c. This addendum hopes to present information which will enable the reader to understand what the gnostic doctrine teaches and which mistranslations in the kjv. Why i do not think the king james bible is the best. Aug 17, 2011 the joseph smith translation is josephs supposedly inspired revision of the king james bible. It is also true that the king james version contains some textual errors. Why are portions of isaiah quoted off of the plates of brass when these items werent written until after nephi supposedly got the plates out of labans treasury. Since joseph smith used no paper notes, scripts or other texts, whatever he produced in the book of mormon came. For such a diverse group, they worked together in harmony during a generally contentious time. I dont think you can say that the book of mormon contains unique errors from the king james version bible. Joseph smiths other writings, such as his history and diary, reflect the modern english era of his day.
As a point of comparison we may look at the same isaiah passage as found in the dead sea scrolls, translated from hebrew into english by two contemporary scholars, theodor gasler and geza. There are a couple of circumstances that bear on the similarity to the king james version. Kjv translation errors as found in the book of mormon. The original 1830 first printed edition of the book of mormon exists. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. For your free copy of the bible, go to free holy bible and for a free book of mormon, go to free book of mormon. Parker and stone were best known for creating the animated comedy south park.
Generally, we find that when the king james version commits a translation error, the book of mormon usually follows. These changes are thought to be the cause of many of the errors. Carmack correctly states that the kjv generally uses thou as a singular pronoun, but claims that the kjv at times clearly goes against this general stricture, citing isaiah 51. The point concerns the use of the english pronoun thou in the king james version kjv, a matter of some possible relevance to its usage in the book of mormon. He was the one who produced or brought into being the english text of the book of mormon, which he made clear was a translation no less than six times in the 1830 preface to. Why is some of the book of mormon identical to the bible. Anachronisms and contradictions not only does the book of mormon plagiarize heavily from the king james bible, but it betrays a great lack of information and background on the subject of world history and the history of the jewish people. The number of passages in the book of mormon that directly quote bible verses are still a minority of the total book of mormon text and hardly account for the book of mormon itself. Latterday saints use the king james bible along with other scripture to learn the. 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. The king james bible and the book of mormon religious studies. The book of mormon and the king james version secular web.
In the first place joseph smith did not copy the king james version of the bible in his translation. Very few mormons actually have a copy of the joseph smith translation of the bible, and it is not widely promoted by the church, because it is unnecessary. They had disagreements, to be sure, but they labored on, year after year. I dont agree with this because of the other texts stated here and other reasons stated elsewhere. The book of mormon with cowriters trey parker, matt stone, robert lopez duration. He translated the book of mormon by the gift and power of god, using the urim and thummim. Use of the term new testament instead of new covenant reduces gods relationship with the church to a book or a legal document, whereas gods covenant with israel was a binding relationship based on love, in fact, a marriage covenant. The mormon church distributes free copies of the king james version of the bible and the book of mormon. The critics have been quick to condemn the book of mormon because of this fact. Translation errors here is a partial listing of king james version translation errors. This is indisputable proof that the book of mormon was written after 1611 and not many centuries before this. On the king james bible versus other translations controversy author unknown tentmaker editor.
375 205 1377 618 321 263 752 1102 1289 598 905 223 757 136 1362 754 1039 678 1287 4 319 470 1488 706 765 194 1138 574 1082 1510 805 968 1225 283 394 1276 289 181 469 1451 365 448