Joseph smith stated that the book of mormon was the keystone of our religion, to which the former lds. One of the most amazing facts about the book of mormon is that it took joseph smith only about sixtyfive working days to translate a book that, in the current edition, is 531 pages long. This would occur most prominently when nephi quotes from isaiah. Book of mormon translation by joseph smith book of mormon. On june 15, 1828, joseph and emmas first son was born but died a few hours later. Joseph smith and the beginning of book of mormon archaeology did the prophet joseph smith in 1842 locate book of mormon lands in middle america. Joseph smith received with the breastplate and the plates of the book of mormon, the urim and thummim, which were hid up by moroni to come forth in the last days as a means by which the ancient record might be translated, which urim and thummim were given to the brother of jared. He identified himself as a messenger from the presence of god, named moroni. Did joseph smith use a hat during the translation of the book. Historical details about the time it took to translate the book are remarkably well preserved. Mormons argue that joseph smith never finished his translation, and so we.
The joseph smith translation jst, also called the inspired version of the holy scriptures iv, is a revision of the bible by joseph smith, the founder of the latter day saint movement, who dictated inspired changes and additions to scribes. So, joseph made the changes to clear up this confusion. Heres a great article written on this twenty years ago by joseph fielding mcconkie and craig j. We believe the book of mormon to be the word of god.
It was first published in march 1830 by joseph smith as the book of mormon. I told the brethren that the book of mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man wold get nearer to god by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book. In 1844 joseph smith declared that the book of mormon was the most correct book of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to god by abiding by its precepts than by any other book. Most all of the current text of the book of mormon was dictated to a scribe over a period of somewhere between a total of 60 and 90 days, interspersed with other daily activities that sometimes would take joseph smith and oliver cowdery away from.
He studied the historical documents claiming that joseph smith translated the book of mormon using a seer stone in a hat and he concluded joseph smith did not use a seer stone to translate. Who translated the book of mormon text into english for joseph smith to read. How long did it take to translate the book of mormon. Subtract 11 full days for trips or times when joseph was identifiably occupied, leaving 74. Brothers 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. How exactly did joseph smith translate the book of mormon. How long did it take joseph smith to translate the book of mormon. Why did joseph smith translate the book of mormon into jacobean english, not in use in 1830.
I cant remember the exact verse right now, but a classic example of one of these changes was a place where he substituted the word light for white. Did joseph smith use a hat during the translation of the. Joseph smith claimed that the book of mormon is his translation of reformed egyptian. Joseph smith translated the book of mormon by the power of. As joseph was translating the text of the book of mormon, he would find himself translating something that he recognized as being roughly similar to texts from the bible. This is also true when it comes to joseph smith s inspired version of the bible, otherwise known as the joseph smith translation that he claimed he finished in 1833 history of the church 1. Not the chronological passing of time from when joseph smith started to when it ended. By the power of god, through the holy spirit, how else. The first group, referred to as jaredites, is said to have made. Details of the translation process joseph smith used for translating the book of mormon from the plates can be adduced from statements of witnesses and from evidence in the original and printers manuscripts. The gold plates and the translation of the book of mormon. A personage appeared in the light and began to speak to joseph.
Historians both in and out of the church agree that it took approximately 65 days to translate the book once joseph smith and his scribe oliver cowdery began. Be familiar with the prophet joseph smith s famous statement about the book of mormon quoted in the introduction. Smith considered this work to be a branch of his calling as a prophet. Using thursday june 25, 1829 as the day translation was completed. I am intrigued, as you are, with the process joseph smith used to translate the book of mormon, which he said was done through the gift and power of god.
Members of the church call him a prophet because, according to the traditional role of prophets recorded in the old and new testaments in the bible, he relied on revelation from god for teaching the people, and not on his own wisdom or learning. And i often sat by and saw and heard them translate and write for hours together. My purpose, i hope, is to get us all thinking more specifically than. Jul 20, 2018 what a about our 10 president of the church, president joseph fielding smith. An account written by the hand of mormon upon plates taken from the plates of nephi. He returned fully satisfied that joseph was telling the truth, and from april 12 to june 14, 1828, harris acted as scribe while joseph smith translated the book of lehi. Its amazing to me that there are still people who say that joseph smith made up the book of mormon. The book of mormon is set in north america in the first century. 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. Did joseph smith change his translation of the book of mormon.
The three witnesses and the eight witnesses signed their names as a testimony to the world of the authenticity of the book of mormon and it has been published in every book of mormon since the first edition in 1830. By the end of may, they had completed the books of 4 nephi, mormon, ether. To ask if joseph smith produced the book of mormon seems unnecessary. The first mormon, was born in salt lake city, earned a masters degree in library science at columbia university, worked at the new york public library, and became an assistant professor and head of the teachers central laboratory at hunter college library, new york. Lds members told me that the book of mormon was the most correct book ever written. Although ancient prophets wrote it, it did not come to us as the bible did. In 1827, smith began to gather a religious following after announcing that an angel had shown him a set of golden plates describing a visit of jesus to the indigenous peoples of. Excerpts from joseph smith the prophet by preston nibley.
Welch and tim rathbone paper foundation for ancient research and mormon studies stephen david ricks on. Why does the book of mormon match the king james version kjv of the bible so closely. I told the brethren that the book of mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man wold get nearer. Jun 18, 2016 did joseph smith use this newly discovered book to write the book of mormon. His son, moroni, later buried the plates, where they remained until 1827, when moroni, as a. How did joseph smith translate the plates from which the. From when joseph first physically visited the plates its 4 years 9 months or.
I believe from the book of mormon musical on the 65th tony awards. Joseph smith translating the book of mormon was a great miracle, and the proof of its truth can be found in its contents. Byu professors lecture examines the timeline of joseph smiths. A day in the life of joseph smith, translator extraordinaire.
Messenger of the restoration joseph smith translates the gold plates another testament of. Joseph smithseer stonesrock in hat used for book of. The 116 lost pages contained the first portion of the book of lehi. If the gold plates never existed, how did joseph get numerous witnesses to stand by their stories until their dying day, even when some of them later became angry with joseph and left the church. Almost all of the book of mormon as we now have it was translated between 7. Almost all of the book of mormon as we now have it was translated between 7 april and 30 june 1829. John a widtsoe, did joseph smith write the book of mormon excerpt from. Be familiar with the prophet joseph smiths famous statement about the book of mormon quoted in the introduction. What happened to the golden plates after joseph smith finished. Much is known, however, about when and where the work of translation occurred. This book is much more entertaining if you read it as a historical novel rather than trying to read it as a religious text. Joseph smiths means and methods of translating the book. The same method he used for treasure digging compare jsh 1. After the translation was complete, smith said that he returned the plates to the angel moroni.
Is there anything that directly states what happened to them. How could joseph smith possibly have written the book of mormon so fast. How could joseph smith possibly have written the book of. Lets see if we can clear this argument up once and for all again. From when joseph first saw the plates it was 5 years 9 months. Joseph had different purposes in mind in his different translations. Oliver begins writing as scribe to joseph smith and will remain so for the vast majority of the remaining book of mormon translation. By its own terms, the book of mormon is a translation of an ancient book.
Did joseph smith use this newly discovered book to write. Sep 11, 20 the last nephite prophet in the book of mormon circa a. Joseph smith and his scribes used two instruments in the translation process. Joseph smith translating the book of mormon, gospel art book 2009, no. Joseph smiths plagiarism of the bible in the book of mormon the book of mormon, one of the books of scripture accepted by the church of jesus christ of latterday saints, is purported to be the record of ancient groups of people who migrated to the new world. Joseph smith book of mormon translation video youtube. Did joseph smith use this newly discovered book to write the book of mormon. Evidence from the original manuscript royal skousen journal of book of mormon studies 71 1998. The bulk of the translation work was finished less than three months after oliver began. Some people will not agree, but i submit to you that the prophet joseph smith in translating the book of mormon did a superhuman work. Who translated the book of mormon text into english for. I be lieve the prophet joseph smith was a prophet because he did many superhuman things.
Joseph smith book of mormon translation video ryan. Book of mormon translation by joseph smith the encyclopedia of. Eight other witnesses, most from the whitmer and smith families, were shown the gold plates by joseph smith. Yet, it may be worth while to examine into the widespread theory of antimormon writers that joseph wrote the book. Because joseph followed the instructions from heavenly father and translated the writings of ancient prophets, each of us can be blessed by reading the stories found in the book of mormon. I know that if we will read and pray about the book of mormon, we can know that it is true and that joseph smith was a true prophet of god. 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. Did joseph smith finish his translation of the bible. Joseph smiths means and methods of translating the book of.
Joseph smiths alleged ignorance of the bible mormonism. Book of mormon translation by joseph smith book of. Critics note that there is no physical proof of the existence of golden plates. Oliver cowdery, who is boarding with the joseph smith sr. How long did it take joseph smith to translate the book of. The last nephite prophet in the book of mormon circa a. The book of mormon was dictated by joseph smith to several scribes over a period of months, resulting in three manuscripts.
Joseph never had a curtain drawn between him and his scribe while he was translating. Many of you are experienced in the difficult task of translating written text from one language to another. On september 21, 1823, joseph smith, then seventeen years old, was in his bed praying when a light began to fill his room. The title page of the book of mormon declares that the book is a translation of. Mormons react to firstever photograph of joseph smiths. Before that, from 12 april to 14 june 1828, joseph had translated the 116 pages that martin harris lost when he borrowed them to show to members of his family. Joseph is writing madly on sheets of paper as oliver cowdery, martin harris, david whitmer, father smith joseph smith. Joseph and oliver completed the book of mormonin about sixtyfive working days, which averages out to eight pages a day, a seemingly impossible pace. In 1604, when king james commissioned a new translation of the bible, he appointed fortyseven scholars. Did joseph smith use this newly discovered book to write the.
Garth norman posted by permission of ancient america foundation and the author. The setting is the renowned though secretive west wing of the vast joseph smith frontier library, cleverly disguised as joseph smiths crude cabin in the frontier lands of new york. Nothing is magical, and the urim and thummim, the seer stone, etc. Sep 15, 2017 joseph smith book of mormon translation video ryan. The lds bible dictionary explains why italics are found in the king james bible. Hence, neither the book of mormon nor the joseph smith translation of the bible can be discounted because of seeming discrepancies with each other or with the king james version of the bible. Saxton, 4 january 1833, mentions the divine origin of the book of mormon. Relationship of the joseph smith translation of the bible to the book of mormon jump to subtopic. The book of mormon by joseph smith, paperback barnes.
Welch, foundation for ancient research and mormon studies farms. Did joseph smith change his translation of the book of. The mormon churchs push toward transparency about its roots and beliefs took another step forward with the first published pictures of a small sacred stone it. Dear gramps, i would like to know the exact way the prophet joseph translated the book of mormon. Nov 14, 2017 who translated the book of mormon text into english for joseph smith to read. As he studied and prayed, the urim and thummim helped him understand the characters on the plates. The book of mormon is a sacred text of the latter day saint movement, which, according to adherents, contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the american continent from approximately 2200 bc to ad 421. Mormons react to firstever photograph of joseph smiths seer. The use of objects in the translation were only to help focusing on the work. Messenger of the restoration joseph smith translates the gold plates another testament of jesus christ.
For instance, i read that at first he used a seer stone instead of the urim and thummim which he placed in his hat and buried his face into the hat to block out the light. There were a number of places were people were reading in unintended meanings. Actually, joseph smith did make some changes in the book of mormon after the original publication. This is not unique or unusual in scripture even the bible. According to latter day saint belief, the golden plates are the source from which joseph smith said he translated the book of mormon. Laurie mafflykipp, phd, is the archer alexander distinguished professor at the. When we do so, it becomes abundantly clear that smith did not have any. Joseph smiths means and methods of translating the book of mormon. It could be said that mormon history starts with the translation of the book of mormon. The essay book of mormon translation in the gospel topics section of topics.
I come on here often and definitely have my doubts but i want to know how joseph smith could write the bom so fast and in so much detail without being able to really read or write. The description of the book of mormon on the registration form is from the title page of the book of mormon, which joseph says is a literal translation taken from the very last leaf, on the left hand side of the collection or book of plates see pjs 1. They also tell me that when joseph smith translated the plates, he did so with great care under the direction of heavenly father himself using the urim and the thummim. Honestly, because of the sheer volume of anachronistic errors contained in joseph smiths book, even trying to read it as a novel is taxing. The church recently released an essay summarizing what we know about the process of translating the book of mormon.
He also gave a prophecy of himself that he was a translator. Of course, he was the translator unaided by mortal man. Smith said that the angel moroni reclaimed the plates once he had completed the. He as a church historian for 69 years and the president of the church. Heres a statement they give about david whitmers account. In 1823 moroni was sent as a resurrected being to reveal the book of mormon to joseph smith and finally delivered the plates to him in 1827 the guide to the scriptures, moroni, son of mormon, 16768. When i see the word translate, it means to me that a scribe read a manuscript written in one language e. How did joseph smith translate the plates from which the book. Oct 27, 2014 how did joseph smith translate the book of mormon from the golden plates.
Joseph smith to translate the book of mormon a lecture wednesday night at. I cheerfully certify that i was familiar with the manner of joseph smiths translating the book of mormon. How long did it take joseph smith to translate the bom. How did joseph know so much about the arabian peninsula. Smith was murdered before he ever deemed it complete, though most of his work. Aug 04, 2015 the mormon churchs push toward transparency about its roots and beliefs took another step forward with the first published pictures of a small sacred stone it believes founder joseph smith used. But the book of mormon does more than prove the bible is true, it also is the irrefutable witness that joseph smith was a prophet of god. Joseph smith clarifies what he means by very last leaf by specifying. The miracle of joseph smith translating the book of mormon. Could joseph smith have authored the book of mormon.
Mormonism and the biblejoseph smith translationrelationship. How did joseph smith translate the book of mormon from the golden plates. His chief scribe during these months was oliver cowdery, a schoolteacher from vermont who learned about the book of mormon while boarding with josephs parents in palmyra. Joseph smith said that the book of mormon was originally an ancient nativeamerican record written on golden plates, and that god gave him the power to translate it into english. I give unto you my servant joseph to be a presiding elder over all my church, to be a translator, a revelator, a seer, and prophet. Book of mormon translation as you will see from the article, joseph smith apparently alternated between using the urim and thummim which he obtained simultaneously with the plates, and a seer stone that he. Aug 29, 2014 the church recently released an essay summarizing what we know about the process of translating the book of mormon. Honestly, because of the sheer volume of anachronistic errors contained in joseph smith s book, even trying to read it as a novel is taxing. At first joseph spent a lot of time becoming familiar with the plates and the language in which they were written. Joseph began translating again in 1829, and almost all of the present book of mormon text was translated during a threemonth period between april and june of that year.