Mormon Bible
Two rumors that circulate among the population at large and which are propagated by anti-Mormons are 1) That Mormons do not use the Holy Bible at all, but have substituted the Book of Mormon for it; or that 2) the Mormons have changed the Bible and have their own version. Both rumors are false.
Mormons (members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) are Bible-believing Christians. Their scriptures include the Holy Bible[1], the Book of Mormon:Another Testament of Christ[2], the Doctrine and Covenants[3] (a collection of modern revelations), and the Pearl of Great Price[4] (selections of scriptures about Moses and Abraham, a history of Joseph Smith, his translation of the Book of Matthew, and statements of belief called the Articles of Faith[5]). The version of the Bible used by most Latter-day Saints is the King James Version. No changes have been made to the text of the King James Version.
Joseph Smith worked on a translation of the Bible. His revelations on Moses' account are found in the Pearl of Great Price. His translation of the Book of Matthew is also found there. Other changes are included as footnotes to the King James Version in an edition published by the Church. The edition published by the Church in 1979 (and still used) has the standard King James, footnotes that cross-reference to other scriptural records, a Bible Dictionary, Maps, a Gazetteer, and a Topical Guide.
A sample of how Joseph Smith's translation and Bible Guides are referred to is as follows:
In the book of Exodus, chapter 14, verse 17, we read,
- (a)And I, behold, I will (b)harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them: and (c)I will get me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.
The footnotes for this verse are as follows:
- 17a JST (Joseph Smith Translation) Ex. 14:17 And I say unto thee the hearts of the Egyptians shall be hardened, and they...
- b TG (Topical Guide) Hardheartedness.
- c HEB (Hebrew) I will be honored by Pharaoh and by all his army, etc.
A sample of how other Mormon scriptures are refered to follows:
In St. Matthew, chapter 25, verse 40, we read,
- And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have (a)done it unto one of the (b)least of these my (c)brethren, ye have done it unto me.
In the footnotes, it reads as follows:
- 40a Mosiah 2:27; D&C 42:38
- b TG Good Works; Neighbor; Poor
- c TG Welfare
Following the cross reference, Mosiah 2:27 reads as follows:
- Therefore, as I said unto you that I had (a)served you, (b)walking with a clear conscience before God, even so I at this time have caused that ye should assemble yourselves together, that I might be found blameless, and that your (c)blood should not come upon me, when I shall stand to be judged of God of the things whereof he hath commanded me concerning you.
In Doctrine and Covenants 42:38, it says,
- For inasmuch as ye (a)do it unto the least of these, ye do it unto me.
The references in the other scriptures refer back to the Bible.
The Topical Guide gives scriptural references by topic. A sample follows—
- Voluntary
- Lev. 1:3 offer it of his own v. will; 7:16 if...a v. offering, it shall be eaten; Col. 2:18 Let no man beguile you of your reward in a v. humility.
The Bible Dictionary explains various topics. Here's a sample.
- Abba. A personal, familial term for father as used in Hebrew. It is Aramaic for father, and in Talmudic times was used as a title of honor. It was used in the language of Jesus and the apostles, and later by Greek-speaking Christians, as an intimate name for the Father in Heaven. See Mark 14:36; Rom. 8:15; Gal. 4:6.
