FAIR is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing well-documented answers to criticisms of the doctrine, practice, and history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The Bible
The Bible as part of Latter-day Saint canon
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Gospel Topics (lds.org), "Bible: The Word of God"
Gospel Topics (lds.org)The Holy Bible literally contains within its pages the converting, healing Spirit of Christ, which has turned men’s hearts for centuries, leading them to pray, to choose right paths, and to search to find their Savior.
The Holy Bible is well named. It is holy because it teaches truth, holy because it warms us with its spirit, holy because it teaches us to know God and understand His dealings with men, and holy because it testifies throughout its pages of the Lord Jesus Christ.
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Topics
Bible overview
Basics
Summary: Latter-day Saints consider the Bible to be holy scripture.Biblical accuracy
Inerrancy and the Bible
Summary: It is claimed the Bible texts, at least in their pristine form, were inerrant. Therefore, it is incorrect for Joseph Smith to teach that the Bible contains errors, mistakes, or omissions.Textual criticism
Summary: What can textual criticism tell us about the Bible? Does it have anything to say about the Bible being without error, as some Christians claim?Translations
Summary: The Church insists on using the Authorized ("King James") Version as its official Bible, even though more modern translations are easier to read, are more accurate, and include more recent manuscript discoveries. Critics sometimes complain that the eight Article of Faith about believing the Bible "as far as it is translated correctly," implies that Bible translators are trying to hide God's truth.Transmission versus translation
Summary: Critics try to show that by the term translation in the eighth Article of Faith, we really mean transmission.Trustworthy?
Summary: It is claimed that Latter-day Saint leaders diminish the Bible as untrustworthy.Biblical completeness
Completeness and sufficiency
Summary: It is claimed the Bible contains all necessary or essential knowledge to assure salvation. Therefore, things like modern prophets or additional scripture (such as the Book of Mormon) are unnecessary or even blasphemous."Adding to" or "taking away" from the Bible
Summary: It is claimed that the Book of Mormon cannot be true because nothing should be "added to" or "taken away from" the Holy Bible.Biblical inerrancy
Summary: Does the Bible teach that it is "inerrant"? Is this an idea with any meaning?Insufficient?
Summary: Critics interpret a statement by Orson Pratt to mean that Latter-day Saints believe that the Bible is "insufficient."Lost scripture
Summary: I've heard about "lost scripture" mentioned in the Bible. What does the Book of Mormon mean when it says that "plain and precious" things have been taken out of the bible? What is this about, and what implications does it have for the doctrine of Biblical inerrancy and sufficiency?Open canon vs. closed canon
Summary: It is claimed that the Church is in error because Christianity requires a "closed canon" (no more authoritative revelation) instead of the Church's "open canon" (potential for more binding revelation).Biblical interpretation by Latter-day Saints and critics
Being "born again"—what does the Bible mean?
Summary: When the Bible talks about being "born again," what does this mean? How did the first Christians understand this concept?Christianity is a mystery
Summary: Members of the Church believe that the gospel of Christ has been known since the days of Adam. It is claimed that the New Testament teaches that the Gospel of Christ was a mystery unknown until the advent of Christ. (In defense of this claim, they often cite such scriptures as Rom. 16:25; 1 Cor. 2:7, 1 Cor. 4:1; Eph. 3:1-10; Col. 1:25-27).Cosmology of the Bible
Summary: What do we know about how Bible authors viewed the earth and the universe?Genealogy, condemnation of
Summary: Critics of Mormonism charge that the Bible condemns genealogy, and therefore the Latter-day Saint practice of compiling family histories is anti-Biblical, often citing 1 Timothy 1:4 or Titus 3:9."Eternal" commands in the Bible that were changed by later revelation.
Summary: Critics of Mormonism attack Joseph Smith for altering things that were "eternal," while ignoring other matters labeled "eternal" that were later changed by biblical prophets.Hebrews 7 and the Aaronic Priesthood
Summary: Hebrews 7 states that the Aaronic/Levitical Priesthood was "changed" to the unique priesthood "after the order of Melchizedek" held by Jesus Christ. Why then do Latter-day Saints still use the Aaronic Priesthood?On-going divine revelation not necessary
Summary: Critics of Mormonism claim that there is no need for on-going divine revelation today; some even charge that claims of visions from God or revelations to a modern prophet is a blasphemous idea.Three degrees of glory not biblical
Summary: Critics of Mormonism claim that the doctrine of three heavens has no basis in the Bible.Peleg and the "division of the earth"
Summary: Is the reference in Genesis to Peleg and the earth being "divided" a reference to an abrupt separation of the continents?Textual criticism
Summary: What can textual criticism tell us about the Bible? Does it have anything to say about the Bible being without error, as some Christians claim?Translations
Summary: What are the merits of various biblical translations?Transmission versus translation
Summary: LDS doctrine expresses belief in the Bible "as far as it is translated correctly." Does translated have a broader sense than the modern one?Trustworthy?
Summary: Do LDS regard the Bible as "untrustworthy"?Old Testament practices
- Animal sacrifice—
Brief Summary: It is claimed that Joseph Smith favored "Old Testament practices" including "teaching animal sacrifice." (Click here for full article)∗ ∗ ∗ - Cursing of enemies—
Brief Summary: Critics charge that Joseph Smith focused on Old Testament ideas and concepts, such as the "cursing of enemies." Critics appeal to New Testament prohibitions of cursing enemies (e.g., Rom. 12:14, and then argue that restoration scriptures or remarks by Church leaders are inconsistent with the Christian command to "bless, not curse." (Click here for full article)∗ ∗ ∗
- Animal sacrifice—
Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible
Home > The Bible > The Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible
The Bible
Summary: Joseph Smith created an inspired "translation" of parts of the King James version of the Bible, mostly from 1830-1833, then continued until his death in 1844. It was complied into a book in 1867 by The Reorganized Church (now Community of Christ). In 1979 it was included in as footnotes in the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 1979 King James Version of the Bible.
The JST as compiled/published in 1867 is not considered scripture, but some of it has been canonized in the Pearl of Great Price, the Book of Moses, and the Book of Matthew. We believe some of it was restoring the original intent of some Biblical verses. Some of it was restoring missing scripture or missing events. Some was for clarifying or harmonizing similar verses. Some of the same verses have different interpretations for some temporary purpose. Some call it inspired commentary. See the JST on the church website.
[1]
Is the JST a restoration of lost Bible text?
The JST is not intended primarily or solely as a restoration of lost Bible text.
As expressed in the Bible Dictionary on churchofjesuschrist.org "The JST to some extent assists in restoring the plain and precious things that have been lost from the Bible."
Two main points should be kept in mind with regards to the Joseph Smith "translation" of the Bible:
- The JST is not intended primarily or solely as restoration of text. Many mainline LDS scholars who have focused on the JST (such as Robert J. Matthews and Kent Jackson) are unanimous in this regard. The assumption that it is intended primarily or solely as a restoration of text is what leads to expectations that the JST and Book of Mormon should match up in every case. At times the JST does not even match up with itself, such as when Joseph Smith translated the same passage multiple times in different ways. This does not undermine notions of revelation, but certainly challenges common assumptions about the nature and function of Joseph's understanding of "translation".
- One of the main tendencies of the JST is harmonization. Readers are well aware of differences in Jesus' sayings between different Gospels. For example, Jesus' statements about whether divorce is permitted and under what conditions differ significantly. Matthew offers an exception clause that Mark and Luke do not, and this has severely complicated the historical interpretation of Jesus' view of divorce.
- The JST often makes changes that harmonize one gospel with another. While one gospel says "judge not" (though this may not be as absolute as some make it out to be), John 7:24 has Jesus commanding to "judge righteous judgment." The JST change harmonizes the two gospels by making Matthew agree with John. If there is a real difference between being commanded to "Judge righteously" and being commanded to "Judge not", then it is a problem inherently present in the differing accounts of the Gospels, which the JST resolves.
FAIR Resources on the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible
- How was the JST translated?
- Was the JST ever completed?
- Why are there discrepancies between translations in the Book of Mormon, KJV, and the JST?
- Why is the JST Genesis creation account not more like the Book of Abraham?
- Why does the church use the KJV instead of the JST as its official Bible?
- Was the JST influenced by outside sources?
- Did Adam Clarke's Bible commentary influence the JST?
- Why does the Book of Mormon and Book of Moses use "God" while the Book of Abraham use "Gods"?
- Why does the Book of Moses contain New Testament language?
- What is the relationship between the JST and biblical manuscripts?
- Was Joseph Smith a "self certifying prophet" with JST Genesis 50:33?
- Is the church embarrassed by the JST?
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Notes
- ↑ Video published by BYU Religious Education