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Introduction
According to Joseph Smith:
the Book of Mormon was the most correct 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
History of the Church, Vol. 4, p. 461
According to Mormonism, the Book of Mormon was translated by the power of God, so it's translation should be absolutely correct. If this is true, then why are there over 3000 non-punctuative changes to the Book of Mormon? Why has its content changed, and how can we trust the content of a book that is constantly changing?
Following are some of the changes to the Book of Mormon (note that the original Book of Mormon did not contain verse divisions):
Book of Mormon
Content Changes
1830 Book of Mormon |
Altered Book of Mormon |
1 Nephi 3 (p. 25) And he said unto me, Behold, the virgin whom thou seest is the mother of God, after the manner of the flesh |
1 Nephi 11:18 And he said unto me, Behold, the virgin whom thou seest is the mother of the Son of God. |
1 Nephi 3 (p. 25) And the angel said unto me, behold the Lamb of God, even the Eternal Father! |
1 Nephi 11:21 And the angel said unto me, behold the Lamb of God, even the Son of the Eternal Father! |
1 Nephi 3 (p. 26) And I looked and beheld the Lamb of God, that he was taken by the people; yea, the Everlasting God, was judged of the world. |
1 Nephi 11:32 And I looked and beheld the Lamb of God, that he was taken by the people; yea, the Son of the Everlasting God, was judged of the world.. |
1 Nephi 3 (p. 32) These last records ... shall make known to all kindreds, tongues, and people, that the Lamb of God is the Eternal Father and the Savior of the world. |
1 Nephi 13:40 These last records ... shall make known to all kindreds, tongues, and people, that the Lamb of God is the Son of the Eternal Father and the Savior of the world. |
Alma 15 (p. 303) yea, I know that he alloteth unto men, yea, decreeth unto them decrees which are unalterable, according to their wills. |
Alma 29:4 yea, I know that he alloteth unto men, |
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* These words were absent from the Book of Mormon from roughly 1840 to 1980, but were re-inserted in 1981. Joseph Smith probably had this selection removed because it conflicted with what he supposedly received in revelation in 1831:
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Mosiah 9 (p. 200) ...King Benjamin had a gift from God, whereby he could interpret such engravings... |
Mosiah 21:28 ...King Mosiah had a gift from God, whereby he could interpret such engravings... |
Esther 1 (p. 546) ...and for this cause did King Benjamin keep them... |
Esther 4:1 ...and for this cause did King Mosiah* keep them... |
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* The Book of Mormon's chronology says King Benjamin was already dead by the time the events described here took place. The change was likely made to fix this problem. |
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2 Nephi 8 (p. 87) ...and the mean man boweth down, and the great man humbleth himself not... |
2 Nephi 12:9 ...and the mean man boweth not down, and the great man humbleth himself not... |
1 Nephi 5 (p. 52) ...O house of Jacob, which are called out of the waters of Judah, which swear by the name of the Lord... |
1 Nephi 20:1 ...O house of Jacob, which are called out of the waters of Judah, or out of the waters of baptism, which swear by the name of the Lord... |
2 Nephi 12 (p. 117) ...and many generations shall not pass away among them, save they shall be a white and a delightsome people. |
2 Nephi 30:6 ...and many generations shall not pass away among them, save they shall be a pure* and a delightsome people. |
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* This change is found in all editions since 1981. |
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Changes in Grammar, Spelling, etc
Aside from the content changes listed above, there are more superficial changes the LDS church has had to correct over time. The problem is that even these surface errors should not have existed, because according to Mormonism, the Lord revealed the exact words to Joseph Smith by making them appear on magic stones, and the stones would not reveal the next words until the first words were both spoken and written down properly:
I went to Provo to a quarterly Stake Conference. Heard Joseph F. Smith describe the manner of translating the Book of Mormon by Joseph Smith the Prophet and Seer, which was as follows as near as I can recollect the substance of his description. Joseph did not render the writing on the gold plates into the English language in his own style of language as many people believe. But every word and every letter was given him by the gift and power of God. So it is the work of God and not of Joseph Smith, and it was done in this way ... The Lord caused each word spelled as it is in the book to appear on the stones in short sentences or words, and when Joseph had uttered the sentence or word before him and the scribe had written it properly, that sentence would disappear and another appear. And if there was a word wrongly written or even a letter incorrect the writing on the stone would remain there.
Journal of Oliver B. Huntington, p. 168 of typed copy at the Utah State Historical Society
The fact that these mistakes existed in the original Book of Mormon proves that the Book or Mormon is simply a human lie:
Improper "was" (1830) changed to "were"
...Adam and Eve, which was our first parents... (p. 15)
...the bands which was upon my wrists... (p. 49)
...the priests was not to depend... (p. 193)
...they was angry with me... (p. 248)
...there was no wild beasts... (p. 460)
Improper "is" (1830) changed to "are"
...the words which is expedient... (p. 67)
...But great is the promises of the Lord... (p. 85)
...And whoredoms is an abomination... (p. 127)
...here is our weapons of war... (p. 346)
Improper "a" (1830) removed
...As I was a journeying... (p. 249)
...he found Muloki a preaching... (p. 284)
...had been a preparing the minds... (p. 358)
...Moroni was a coming against them... (p. 403)
Improper or slang words (1830) removed
Behold the Scriptures are before you; if ye will arrest them, it shall be to your own destruction. (p. 260)
arrest changed to wrest (Alma 13:20)
...they were exceeding fraid... (p. 354, 392, 415)
exceeding fraid changed to exceedingly afraid (Alma 47:2, 58:24, Helaman 4:3)
...my soul was wrecked with eternal torment... (p. 214)
wrecked changed to racked (Mosiah 27:29)
The True Word Endures
How can all of this be at all comparable to the perfect, inspired, inerrant Word of God?
- 1 Peter 1:25 ...but the word of the Lord endures forever.
