Changed LDS Scripture/Part 37
| By: Marvin W. Cowan; ©2012 |
| Historically, Christians have gotten their beliefs from the Bible, but no honest Christian begins with his beliefs first and then tries to make the Bible support them. But in the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible so many texts that were changed support LDS beliefs that it looks like Smith was trying to make the Bible say what he already believed. |
Historically, Christians have gotten their beliefs from the Bible, but no honest Christian begins with his beliefs first and then tries to make the Bible support them. But in the Joseph Smith Translation (JST) of the Bible so many texts that were changed support LDS beliefs that it looks like Smith was trying to make the Bible say what he already believed. We have given many examples of this, but another example is 1 Peter 4:6 in the JST. It says, “Because of this, is the gospel preached to them who are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live in the spirit according to the will of God.” But the King James Version (KJV) of that verse says, “For, for this cause was the gospel preached to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.”
The KJV and all real translations show that the gospel was preached to men (when they were alive and) who are now dead. But Mormonism believes the gospel is now being preached to men who are dead, so the JST changed “the gospel was preached” to “is preached.” But like all other changes in the JST, no original manuscript supports that change.
Another example of Smith changing scripture to fit his beliefs is 1 John 4:12 in the JST which says, “No man hath seen God at any time, except them who believe. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and His love is perfected in us.” But the KJV of that verse says, “No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and His love is perfected in us.” All real translations convey the same message as the KJV. But Smith claimed that he saw God, so he changed this verse as well as in John 1:18 and Exodus 33:20, all of which say God can’t be seen. But the Bible also says that God is invisible in 1 Timothy 1:17. If one can see the invisible God, then God isn’t invisible! To see the invisible is a contradiction!
When Mormons try to get Christians to accept the Book of Mormon, Christians often use Revelation 22:18-19 as a rebuttal. But LDS say that text applies only to “The Revelation” in the Bible, and the Book of Mormon is a separate book. There are good arguments against that LDS claim, but we can’t discuss them now. Revelation 22:18-19 is exactly the same in the KJV and JST. Both say, “For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book; And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.” So, the question is, did Smith’s JST add or delete anything in “The Revelation?” Every verse in Revelation 1:1-8 has some change in it!
For example, Revelation 1:4-7 in the KJV says, “John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne; And from Jesus Christ who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten from the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Behold he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so. Amen.”
But the JST of that text in says, “Now this is the testimony of John to the seven servants who are over the seven churches in Asia. Grace unto you and peace from him who is, and who was, and who is to come; who hath sent forth his angel from before his throne, to testify unto those who are the seven servants over the seven churches. Therefore, I, John, the faithful witness, bear record of the things which were delivered me of the angel, and from Jesus Christ the first begotten of the dead, and the Prince of the kings of the earth. And unto him who loved us, be glory; who washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father. To him be glory and dominion, for ever and ever. Amen. For behold he cometh in the clouds with ten thousand of his saints in the kingdom, clothed with the glory of his Father. And every eye shall see him; and they who pierced him, and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so. Amen.” The words in bold italics were added in the JST, but other words were also left out. Those changes show that the author of the JST is condemned even by his own “translation” of Revelation 22:18-19.
The KJV of Revelation 19:15 says, “And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.” But the JST of that verse says, “And out of his mouth proceedeth the word of God, and with it he will smite the nations; and he will rule them with the word of his mouth; and he treadeth the wine-press in the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.” The words in bold italics were added in the JST while others were deleted. These examples show that Smith did make changes the JST of “The Revelation.”
Those interested in knowing more about the JST or Inspired Version can find it online. Next time we will conclude our review of the JST with some final observations.
