Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible

The Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible, also called the Inspired Version of the Bible or the JST, is a version of the Bible dictated by Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. The work is the King James Version of the Bible (KJV) with some significant additions, clarifications, and revisions. It is a sacred text and is part of the canon of the Community of Christ and other Latter Day Saint churches, but the majority of it is not a canonical text in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). Smith considered this work to be "a branch of his calling" as a prophet.

Smith considered the translation necessary because of his view that the Bible was not always translated correctly, or contained interpolations by copyists. The work, however, was not a literal translation from ancient documents as the term "translation" is commonly used by scholars. While it is certain that Smith took Hebrew, Greek and German lessons in Kirtland, Ohio, as early as 1833, his "translation" of the Bible is a purportedly divinely-inspired rendering or restoration of the Bible to its original or intended meaning.

Process of translation

Smith's work on the volume took place from about 1830 until his death in 1844, when he was preparing the manuscript for publication. The bulk of the work took place from 1830 to 1833, and 3,410 Bible verses were in some way altered. There is some dispute among scholars as to whether Smith considered the translation to be complete and why he made changes to the manuscript as late as May 1844, a month prior to his death.

Smith's translation was a work in progress throughout his ministry. Some parts of the translation (parts of Genesis and the four Gospels) were dictated from beginning to end, including unchanged verses from the KJV; some parts were dictated more than once, and other parts were revised one verse at a time. The manuscripts were written, re-written, and in some cases, additional edits were written in the columns, pinned to the paper or otherwise attached. Smith relied on a version of the Bible that included the Apocrypha, and marked off the Bible as verses were examined (the Apocrypha was not translated). Skeptics view this nonlinearity as evidence that Smith's translation was not inspired; however, Latter Day Saints see Smith's translation as representing a gradual, developing inspiration.

It is unlikely that Smith's process of receiving "revealed text" was the same for this volume as it was for his earlier translation, The Book of Mormon, and his later translation, The Book of Abraham. These other works were dictated much more quickly from beginning to end, with little revision, and they were purportedly based on original ancient documents — metal plates and papyrus. Smith claimed that he used a seer stone, or a set of seer stones which were called the Urim and Thummim to translate hidden ancient documents written in hieroglyphics. According to most accounts, however, most of the translation of the Bible took place without any physical media, but by direct revelation through the Holy Spirit.

Content

The LDS Church does accept many of the changes as doctrinally significant. However, nearly 1000 of the more doctrinally significant passages from the translation are included as excerpts in the current LDS Church edition of the King James Version of the Bible.

The book Joseph Smith's New Translation of the Bible: Original Manuscripts was a culmination of ten years of joint research from both Community of Christ and LDS Church scholars, showing all of the known changes, notes and marks in margins and additional notes that were pinned on the pages of the manuscripts and Bible that were used.

Doctrinal development

Many of Smith's revisions to the Bible led to significant developments in the doctrines of Mormonism. During the process of translation, when he came across troubling Biblical issues, Smith often dictated revelations relevant to himself, his associates, or the church. About half of the revelations in the Doctrine and Covenants are in some way connected to this translation process, including background on the Apocrypha (LDS D&C section 91), the three degrees of glory (LDS section 76), the eternal nature of marriage and plural marriage (LDS section 132), teachings on baptism for the dead (LDS section 124), various revelations on priesthood (LDS sections 84, 88, 107) and others. In addition, many other works that have been considered canon by various Latter Day Saint faiths, including the Lectures on Faith and the Pearl of Great Price are largely the result of the translation.

For some of Smith's revisions, critics argue that the change has more to do with supporting Latter-day Saint theology than with restoring original meaning or intent. For example, one of Smith's revisions includes a prophecy about Joseph Smith himself. Latter-day Saints counter that this prophecy is a recapitulation of the Messiah ben Joseph tradition as described in the Talmud.

Publication and use

Smith was killed prior to the publication of the translation. He led some early Latter Day Saint leaders to believe that he had not completed his inspired translation, as he continued to work on the documents throughout his lifetime. Following Joseph Smith's death, John Milton Bernhisel asked permission of Emma Smith to copy the notes that were made into his own Bible. He spent much of the spring of 1845 working on this project. For many years the "Bernhisel Bible" was the only source for the LDS Church members living in the Salt Lake Valley.

The Community of Christ publishes Smith's translation as the "Inspired Version" of the Bible. Most Latter Day Saints scholars believe that this edition renders the manuscripts accurately, although it generally does not include most of Smith's later changes. Later editions of the Inspired Version include omitted portions that may have intentionally been discarded. It is apparent that the more recent editions published between 1920 and 1967 have preserved the majority of Smith's changes, although some passages had multiple, "conflicting translations" (meaning that there were more than one edit which were not consistent with each other— possibly showing the writer's intent versus actual writing versus modern interpretations) within the manuscripts. This is also indicative of the fact that many verses may be rendered accurately in more than one way. Most scholars who have studied the manuscripts also concur that recent editions do not attempt to push any particular theological agenda, although the published Inspired Version uses an earlier version (pre-1842 in most cases) of the manuscripts.

Possibly because of any uncertainties, and the fact that the Community of Christ owned the original copyright on the work, the LDS Church does not accept the work as part of its canon. However, the translation of Genesis 1:1–6:13 is canonized in the Pearl of Great Price as the Book of Moses, and Matthew 23:39–24:51 as Joseph Smith—Matthew.

References

• Joseph Smith's "New Translation" of the Bible, Herald Publishing House, 1970; ISBN 0-8309-0032-2 (all JS changes or additions to King James version shown in parallel columns - not the complete Bible)
• Robert J. Matthews, "A Plainer Translation:" Joseph Smith's Translation of the Bible: A History and Commentary, Brigham Young University Press, 1985. ISBN 0-8425-2237-9
• Robert L. Millet and Robert J. Matthews, Plain and Precious Truths Restored: The Doctrinal and Historical Significance of the Joseph Smith Translation, Bookcraft 1995. ISBN 0-88494-987-7
• Kent P. Jackson, Robert J. Matthews, Scott H. Faulring, editors, Joseph Smith's New Translation of the Bible: Original Manuscripts, Deseret Book Company, 2004. ISBN 1-59038-328-1

External links

• Full text of the Community of Christ's Inspired Version of the Bible
• Summary of Joseph Smith Translation footnotes in the LDS Bible
• Joseph Smith Translation in LDS Guide to the Scriptures - From The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints official website
• The Joseph Smith Translation for the e-Sword Bible program.