The joseph smith translation, or inspired version, is a thousand times over the best bible now existing on earth. How could joseph smith possibly have written the book of. This assertion can mislead people into believing the book of mormon production process was nothing short of miraculous. Book of mormon translation by joseph smith the encyclopedia. Joseph smith could not miraculously translate the bible. How did joseph smith translate the plates from which the. Joseph smith placing the interpreters either the urim and thummim or the seer stone in a hat and placing his face into the hat joseph smith dictating for long periods of time without reference to any books, papers, manuscripts, or even the plates themselves joseph. For most of my life i have been confused about how joseph smith translated the book of mormon. Did joseph smith describe the book of mormon translation. I believe the book of mormon is the word of god and joseph smith is and was a prophet and most events of the book of mormon happened in north america in the heartland of the united states. However, joseph smith did speak on the translation, and that his statements plainly contradict the seer stone hypothesis in every respect. Not the chronological passing of time from when joseph smith started to when it ended.
Early this week i posted a brief notice for the book from darkness unto light. His early work on the translation, with emma smith and martin harris serving as the main scribes, was lost in 1828. Artwork of joseph smith translating the book of mormon. When joseph smith uncovered the urim and thummim with the gold plates, he began using them and other interpreters to translate the ancient record. Much of the translation was done in the whitmer home in plain view of others, as described by elizabeth ann whitmer cowdery. If we really did have a succession of prophets since joseph smith, this important work would have been finished and published as god commanded joseph to do. At first joseph spent a lot of time becoming familiar with the plates and the language in which they were written.
The corrections made by smith were lauded by mormon apostle bruce r. December 23, 1805 june 27, 1844 was an american religious leader and founder of mormonism and the latter day saint movement. What happened to the golden plates after joseph smith. Oliver begins writing as scribe to joseph smith and will remain so for the vast majority of the remaining book of mormon translation. It was completed within eightyfive days, from 7 april to 30 june. Joseph smith said that the book of mormon was the most correct of any book on.
Much can be known about the coming forth of the english text of the book of mormon through a careful. By the time joseph smith finished dictating his translation of the book of mormon to scribes in mid1829, the meaning of seer had been further clarified in the text. It is at this point that initial copyediting of the book of mormon was completed. Urim and thummim places the book of mormon translation on trial, presenting the latest research in one of the most comprehensive treatments of the translation process to date providing encouragement for latterday saints who fear they have been betrayed by the translation history taught by the church for over 190 years. In the opinion of the writer, the prophet used no seer stone in translating the book of mormon, neither did he translate in the manner described by david whitmer and martin harris. Jan 09, 2020 this is an attempt to explain the alleged power of joseph smith to translate the plates by a person who denounced him as a fraud and an ignorant deceiver. He didnt have the time, education or wherewithal to do this. As oliver cowdery a few years afterwards testified, these were days never to be forgotten. One of the most amazing facts about the book of mormon is that it took joseph smith only about sixtyfive working days to translate a book that, in the current edition, is 531 pages long.
The bible dictionary in the english lds bible states that joseph smith continued to make modifications in the translation until his death in 1844. Nov 11, 2019 people are sometimes surprised to discover that the plates of the book of mormon were not regularly used during the process of its translation. Joseph smith translating the book of mormon, gospel art book 2009, no. After those pages of manuscript were lost, joseph was unable to translate for a period of time. Did joseph smith finish his translation of the bible. Joseph smith book of mormon translation video youtube. Almost all of the book of mormon as we now have it was translated between 7 april and. When joseph smith was entrusted with the golden plates, he was also given a set of nephite interpreters and a breastplate.
Did the church try to hide josephs use of a seer stone to. Joseph smith translated two sets of plates book of. There are many proofs that joseph smith was a false prophet, but mormons typically will not accept them. I believe from the book of mormon musical on the 65th tony awards. Joseph smith translated an ancient text by the gift and power of god to produce the book of mormon. He studied the historical documents claiming that joseph smith translated the book of mormon using a seer stone in a hat and he concluded joseph smith did not use a seer stone to translate. Only by the fourth century after jesus christ were these separate books combined and. Latterday saints otherwise known as mormons refer to this collection of.
Lds video encyclopedia what is mormonism translating. Joseph had different purposes in mind in his different translations. From when joseph first physically visited the plates its 4 years 9 months or. Who translated the book of mormon text into english for. Using thursday june 25, 1829 as the day translation was completed. Byu professors lecture examines the timeline of joseph smiths. In 1832, joseph smith stated that the lord had answered olivers prayer. I cheerfully certify that i was familiar with the manner of joseph smiths translating the book of mormon. Oliver cowdery, who is boarding with the joseph smith sr. People are sometimes surprised to discover that the plates of the book of mormon were not regularly used during the process of its translation. From when joseph first saw the plates it was 5 years 9 months. The translation of the book of lehi is completed, resulting in 116 pages of translated text. Joseph smith to translate the book of mormon a lecture wednesday. What happened to the golden plates after joseph smith finished.
Translating the book of mormon religious studies center. The same method he used for treasure digging compare jsh 1. Why did joseph smith translate the book of mormon into jacobean english, not in use in 1830. How could joseph smith possibly have written the book of mormon so fast. Brothers according to those contemporaries of joseph smith who observed the book of mormon translation process, joseph smith did not look at or read from the golden plates while translating the book of mormon. With martin harris as the scribe, joseph began translating what would later become the book of mormon.
How exactly did joseph smith translate the book of mormon. Welch, foundation for ancient research and mormon studies farms. How did joseph smith translate the plates from which the book. How long did it take to translate the book of mormon. When he was 24, smith published the book of mormon. In march i was privileged to be part of a conference at usu on new perspectives on joseph smith and translation, taking on some of the latest scholarship on smiths role in translating the book. Coincidentally, the same historians who claim that joseph smith didnt share any details are also those who claim that joseph smith translated the book of mormon using a seer stone in a hat. In other words, he used the same ouija board that he used in his days treasure hunting where he would put in a rock or a peep stone in his hat and put his face in the hat to tell his customers the location of buried treasure. The book of mormon contains a prophecy attributed to joseph of egypt declaring that one of his descendants. This website is not endorsed by the church of jesus christ of laterday saints. Were joseph smiths translation instruments like the. The joseph smith translation, or inspired version, is a.
Hence, neither the book of mormon nor the joseph smith translation of the bible can be discounted because of seeming discrepancies with each other or with the king james version of the bible. Jan 28, 2020 when joseph smith uncovered the urim and thummim with the gold plates, he began using them and other interpreters to translate the ancient record. Revelation given to joseph smith the prophet, at harmony, pennsylvania, likely around april 1829, though portions may have been received as early as the summer of 1828. Thus the book of mormon was translated by the gift and power of god, and not by any power of man.
Initially, in 1828, he utilized the nephite interpreters, which he described as. Jul 20, 2018 what a about our 10 president of the church, president joseph fielding smith. This is not unique or unusual in scripture even the bible. Joseph smith book of mormon translation video ryan. Nothing is magical, and the urim and thummim, the seer stone, etc. Joseph smith s response to skepticism, cites a personal interview emma smith bidamon gave to a committee of the reorganized church of jesus christ of latterday saints in 1879. Smith is the only source for a great deal of the story because much of it occurred while he was the only. How long did it take joseph smith to translate the book of mormon. As he studied and prayed, the urim and thummim helped him understand the characters on the plates. How long did it take joseph smith to translate the bom.
According to latter day saint belief, the golden plates are the source from which joseph smith said he translated the book of mormon. Heres a great article written on this twenty years ago by joseph fielding mcconkie and craig j. Joseph smith was called of god to translate the golden plates, resulting in the book of mormon. In the joseph smith papers, as in latterday saint usage and in the field of mormon studies, publication titles for mormon scriptures are usually rendered in shortened form, without italics, consistent with widespread editorial treatment of the titles of scriptural works. I come on here often and definitely have my doubts but i want to know how joseph smith could write the bom so fast and in so much detail without being able to really read or write. If smith truly was a prophet with the ability to decipher plates of an unknown language which were said to contain the story of jesus appearance in the americas, then this man should be revered and his translation of this ancient work. After some time, harris got permission from smith to borrow the manuscript of the first 116 pages of translation, which he took to his own house, where they were lost.
Apr 30, 2015 early this week i posted a brief notice for the book from darkness unto light. A seer stone and a hat translating the book of mormon. Sep 11, 2019 after joseph smith finished translating the book of mormon, he spent the next few years making revisions to the bible. How long did it take joseph smith to translate the book of. Recent research has shown more clearly than ever before that the book of mormon as we now have it was translated in a stunningly short amount of time. He as a church historian for 69 years and the president of the church. This article is found on page 557 of the annotated book of mormon. Where can i find out what happened to the golden plates when joseph smith finished the translation of the book of mormon.
The story of the golden plates consists of how, according to joseph smith and his contemporaries, the plates were found, received from the angel moroni, translated, and returned to the angel before the publication of the book of mormon. By the time of his death, 14 years later, he had attracted tens of thousands of followers and founded a religion that continues to the present with millions of global adherents. By the time of his death, 14 years later, he had attracted tens of thousands of followers and founded a religion that continues to the present. When i see the word translate, it means to me that a scribe read a manuscript written in one language e. Several investigations and studies which set out to prove that joseph wrote the book of mormon have actua. He did not have a prophetic ability to translate ancient texts, which means he did not translate any other books either, not even the book of mormon. Obviously, with so much work lost, smith was distraught. The title page of the book of mormon declares that the book is a translation of an ancient set of records. This is an attempt to explain the alleged power of joseph smith to translate the plates by a person who denounced him as a fraud and an ignorant deceiver.
Could joseph smith have authored the book of mormon. His early work on the translation, with emma smith and. We this day finished the translating of the scriptures, for which we return gratitude to our heavenly father. In 1829, when joseph smith was in the middle of translating the book of mormon, he and his family began to experience some serious problems. Sep 15, 2017 joseph smith book of mormon translation video ryan. When he was finished translating the book of mormon, joseph gave the translators back to the angel, along with the plates. Is there anything that directly states what happened to them. When he joseph smith had finished translating the book of mormon, he was still only a boy, yet in producing this book he developed historical facts, prophecies, revelations, predictions, testimonies and doctrines, precepts and principles that are beyond the power and wisdom of the learned word to duplicate or refute. The use of objects in the translation were only to help focusing on the work. Joseph smith translating the book of mormon was a great miracle, and the proof of its truth can be found in its contents.
After joseph smith finished translating the book of mormon, he spent the next few years making revisions to the bible. For instance, i read that at first he used a seer stone instead of the urim and thummim which he placed in his hat and buried his face into the hat to block out the light. Joseph smiths translation and publication of the book of mormon. Book of mormon translation by joseph smith book of. The very idea that a new york farm boy with limited education might translate an ancient document is so unimaginable that it could only have occurred through, as joseph himself declared, the gift and power of. Mormon scholars debate joseph smiths role in translation. Heres a statement they give about david whitmers account. By its own terms, the book of mormon is a translation of an ancient book. A better question since smith didnt translate anything nor do anything like unto it with his. With the resurfacing of the same papyri he used to do his book of abraham translation and the fact that he did not in any way do it correctly should be proof enough that joseph smith lied about his abilities from god. When he joseph smith had finished translating the book of mormon, he was still only a boy, yet in producing this book he developed historical facts, prophecies, revelations, predictions, testimonies and doctrines, precepts and principles that are beyond the power and wisdom of. May 20, 2019 when joseph smith obtained the plates containing the text of the book of mormon on september 27, 1827, he first translated the book of lehi. Considering the complexity, consistency, clarity, artistry, accuracy, density, and profundity of the book of mormon, the prophet joseph s translation is a phenomenal feat. When joseph smith obtained the plates containing the text of the book of mormon on september 27, 1827, he first translated the book of lehi.
Joseph smith placing the interpreters either the urim and thummim or the seer stone in a hat and placing his face into the hat joseph smith dictating for long periods of time without reference to any books, papers, manuscripts, or even the plates themselves joseph smith spelling out unfamiliar book of mormon names. Among the many amazing facts about the book of mormon is how little time it took for joseph smith to translate it. In what order did joseph smith translate the book of mormon. Did joseph smith study and master the nephite language. The actual translation of the portion we now have as the book of mormon did not take place until between april 7 and june 11, 1829.
Dear gramps, i would like to know the exact way the prophet joseph translated the book of mormon. Dear jack, the golden plates upon which the book of mormon was written have had quite a history, and it is rather well documented. The very idea that a new york farm boy with limited education might translate an ancient document is so unimaginable that it could only have occurred through, as joseph himself declared, the gift and power of god. But thanks to scholars who assembled the joseph smith papers, my own experience typing the book of mormon and the pearl of great price, and recently by reading saints, the story of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints, 18151846, i understand the word translate more clearly and i hope i. The mere existence of the book of mormon is one of the greatest miracles in history. Aug 04, 2015 the mormon churchs push toward transparency about its roots and beliefs took another step forward with the first published pictures of a small sacred stone it believes founder joseph smith used. With permission from professor anthony sweat, the artist behind the new artwork depicting joseph smiths translation of the book of mormon, the new pieces from the book are posted below. Joseph smith is not a prophet, and the mormon church is false. By the power of god, through the holy spirit, how else. Was joseph smith the author and proprietor of the book of mormon.
It was first published in march 1830 by joseph smith as the book of mormon. Joseph smith used a rock in a hat for translating the book of mormon. The mormon churchs push toward transparency about its roots and beliefs took another step forward with the first published pictures of a small sacred stone it. Smith said that he returned the plates to the angel moroni after he finished translating them. Who translated the book of mormon text into english for joseph smith to read. The book of mormon is a sacred text of the latter day saint movement, which, according to adherents, contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the american continent from approximately 2200 bc to ad 421. The question at hand, then, is whether or not smiths translation of the book of mormon plates is true.