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Did Joseph Smith Translate JSP X–XI?
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Did Joseph Smith Translate JSP X–XI?
Summary: By far the most oft-repeated argument against Joseph Smith and his translation of the book of Abraham is that involving two papyrus fragments—refererred to as "JSP X" and "JSP XI." These fragments are so named because they are fragments #10 and #11 in a set of 11 fragments known to have been in Joseph Smith's possession at one point and, today, are owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
| Related article: | Provenance of the Book of Abraham Papyri Summary: See here for discussion of the origins of the 11 fragments of Egyptian papyri once-belonging to Joseph Smith that are now in the possession of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. |
This argument got its start near the time of the recovery of ten of these fragments in 1967 by the Church. Critics Gerald Tanner and Grant Heward put forth the theory that Joseph Smith translated JSP X and XI in an issue of Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought in 1968.[1] Their argument has been repeated in numerous works that are critical of the Church and there have been several pieces of evidence used to establish their theory. This page examines each piece of evidence.
The Negative Evidence
First we put forward all of the evidence used by critics to establish their theory regarding the alleged translation of JSP X and XI.
Matches Between JSP X and XI, the Earliest Book of Abraham Translation Manuscripts, and the GAEL
The Kinderhook Plates
Textual Allusions to the Facsimiles
Alleged Simultaneous Dictation of the Book of Abraham Translation Manuscripts
Did Joseph Smith Claim to Be Able To Translate Egyptian?
The Positive Evidence
Now we put forth positive evidence that Joseph Smith did not translate JSP X and XI. This evidence will usually go overlooked by critics when seeking to establish their theories.
Use in the Pure Language Project
The Length of the Scroll to Which JSP X and XI Were Likely Attached
Eyewitnesses to the Translation
Notes
- ↑ Grant S. Heward and Jerald Tanner, “The Source of The Book of Abraham Identified,” Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought 3, no. 2 (Summer 1968): 92–97.