The errors in the king james bible kindle edition by ruckman, dr. Why i do not think the king james bible is the best. However, the book of mormon is not written in elizabethan english, except for the copies of the twenty chapters of isaiah that are found in the book. This is a clear case of plagiarism, with no other purpose than adding volume to the book of mormon without too much effort.
The book of mormon contains many linguistic similarities to the king james bible kjv. An account written by the hand of mormon upon plates taken from the plates of nephi. However, when confronted with the presence of 1769 kjv errors and 17th century italics in the book of mormon, many of the same apologists will revert to the loose translation by claiming that maybe joseph smith indeed used a 1769 kjv bible to borrow verses over into the book of mormon. This claim, as well as all claims to historical authenticity of the book of mormon, are rejected by nonlatter day saint historians and scientists. It was first published in march 1830 by joseph smith as the book of mormon. Fairmormons response to presence of 1769 kjv errors in book of mormon. Why would these errors exist in the book of mormon. The original text of the book of mormon contains complex hebrewlike constructions that have been subsequently removed from the text because of their nonenglish character. Upstate new york dialect, king james english, or hebrew. There are specific quotes in the book of mormon that are found in the king james bible and other modern works that joseph smith had access to. Along the way, weve noticed that joseph smith quotes directly from the king james bible kjv or paraphrases it in a handful of places in the book of mormon which was allegedly revealed to him.
The joseph smith translation is josephs supposedly inspired revision of the king james bible. King james version were not in the original text but were added by the translators to give clarity of thought. What are 1769 kjv edition errors doing in book of mormon. This statement tells us that the bible is not as it ought to be, something that the prophet emphasized in numerous ways throughout his life. One author makes the point that certain portions of the greek manuscripts of matthew 57 do not agree with the kjv of the text, and concludes that the book of mormon version of the sermon should not contain text similar to the kjv. Mormons, why is it the book of mormon plagiarises 1611. A reader without access to the original manuscripts could then never be sure if a difference between the dss translation and the king james or any other translation represented a true difference in the dss text, or simply the choice of the dss translators to improve existing translations. This book is tremendously educational yet very fascinating to read. His early work on the translation, with emma smith and martin harris serving as the main scribes, was lost in 1828.
However, the official lds church doctrine is that when the bible and the book of mormon contradict each other which they do, it is the book of mormon that is correct. The book of mormon derives its names from a book that has semitic sources, i. The king james bible and the book of mormon its obvious even to the casual reader that the book of mormon, in its original 1830 translation, is written in the language of the king james version bible hereafter kjv. For the first 150 years of mormonisms existence, everyone thought it was a story about a people who left the middle east and came to south or central america, and who fought wars clear up into new york state where. The book of mormon incorporates text which seems to be taken from the king james version, including passages which are now considered to be mistranslations in the king james version. The king james version was completed in 1611 ad and the book of mormon published in 1830. Debunking fairmormon letter to a ces director book of. Top 10 embarrassments of the mormon religion listverse. That said, the bible verses embedded in the book of mormon do show a clear reliance on the 1769 king james version of the bible and noton the 1611 version. Do the errors exclusively found in the 1769 king james. The book of mormon is supposed to be a history of real people living in a real place.
The critics have been quick to condemn the book of mormon because of this fact. The verses in question are given first and then what is the correct or better translation. Jeremy runnells, a formerly committed mormon and byu grad, in his now famous letter to a ces director, asks at the very beginning of his paper. For example, critics of mormonism have shown convincing proof that the book of mormon is a synthesis of earlier works written by other men, of the vivid imaginings of joseph smith, and of plagiarisms from the king james bible. Generally, we find that when the king james version commits a translation error, the book of mormon usually follows. The kjv inconsistently translated the word pneuma as spirit or ghost, with 91 instances of ghost or ghost referring to god. This article explains that joseph claimed to be restoring the true, original meaning of the bible, and looks at examples of josephs changes to the gospel of john proving this claim to have been false. What are the errors in the king james version bible. That errors of grammar and faults in dictation do exist in the book of mormon and more especially and abundantly in the first edition must be conceded. The king james version of the bible and the book of mormon. Why is the book of mormon written in king james english. Many adherents to the theory of an inerrant translation of scripture, namely those referred to as kjvonlyists, are thoroughly convinced that yahuwah has preserved his sacred written word in the english language through the translation of the king james version, which is also called the authorized version. However, nowhere in the bible am i told that only one translation of it is the correct one.
Almost all of the present book of mormon text was translated during a threemonth period between april and june 1829 with. There are a couple of circumstances that bear on the similarity to the king james version. Joseph smiths inspired revisions to the king james bible. Church members believe that the book of mormon is more correct than the bible because the bible was the result of a multiplegeneration translation process and the book of mormon was not. Aug 17, 2011 the joseph smith translation is josephs supposedly inspired revision of the king james bible. The jst is significant in mormon history because it contains some evidence that what joseph said was the correct translation of the bible actually contradicts several sections of the book of mormon which deliberately mirror the king james bible. Aug 11, 2010 secondly, more than half of the verses in the book of mormon isaiah differ from the kjv isaiah. The situation with the book of mormon is likely analogous.
This chapter will explore the relationship between the king james bible and the joseph smith translation. Below is the modern map of the area of smiths youth. In an effort to try to discredit the book of mormon, antilds claim that the book of mormon contains errors unique to the king james version. Much of what makes the kjv recognizable, and even iconic, is its external expression, such as its words, grammar, organization, and the way it is presented on the printed page. Critics wonder why many of the quotes from isaiah in the book of mormon are identical to the king james version.
The book of mormon includes what appears to be mistranslated biblical passages that were later changed in joseph smiths translation of the bible. The naming of this version is another interesting story that i will not go into here. Blomberg has pointed out several verses in the book mormon apparently similar to biblical verses in the king james version of the bible. At red door church weve been taking a look at the church of jesus christ of latterday saints lds. If the book of mormon is an accurate translation, some claim that it shouldnt contain these translational errors. The original 1830 edition, book of mormon had s of. The errors are unique to the 1769 edition that joseph smith owned. Supposed errors in the 1769 king james version lds.
The book of mormon and the king james version secular web. Smith plagiarized 478 verses from the book of isaiah, and 201 are identical to the king james bible. During the early 1970s, a practical need arose for a latterday saint edition of the king james bible. What is more, the bom quotes sections of the kjv which scholars now know to contain errors. In responding to the ces letters book of mormon section, fairmormon makes a few critical concessions, including that errors unique to the 1769 version of the king james version bible are included in the current version of the book of mormon.
Large portions of the book of mormon are very similar to the king james version of the bible, which of course was about the only english bible available to joseph smith in the 1820s. No, the book of mormon does not contain unique errors from the king james version bible. Ces letter provides zero examples or evidence to back up their false claim that kjv translation errors appear in the book of mormon. According to most adherents of the latter day saint movement, the book of mormon is a 19thcentury translation of a record of ancient inhabitants of the american continent, which was written in a script which the book refers to as reformed egyptian. Tvedtness analysis and evidence was highly ambiguous, substantially incomplete, strained, or simply in error. The word ghost with reference to god, which is used in all english bibles predating the king james version, can be traced to the wycliffe translation 95. According to chronology found in the book of mormon, king benjamin should have been dead at this time. Peter s download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. If the book of mormon is an accurate translation, some claim that it shouldnt contain. Dec 19, 2018 yes, and we can only speculate as to why. The heavy use of the bible in the book of mormon raises some difficult questions about the authenticity of the book of mormon as a translation of ancient historical documents. In short, there can be very little doubt that the king james version inspired large sections of the book of mormon. He quotes king james translation errors again and again. There is no verse that tells me how god will preserve his word, so.
Book of mormon difficulties, contradictions and explanations. Aug 27, 2008 there are a couple of circumstances that bear on the similarity to the king james version. Mormons, why is it the book of mormon plagiarises 1611 king. Somehow the divine process guiding josephs translation of the book of mormon didnt prevent him from making identical translation errors.
Much of the dead sea scrolls has been translated in the same fashion. And it tells us that the origina the prophet also stated, we believe the bible to be the word of god as far as it is. In several cases, the book of mormon follows king james version translation errors. The king james version of the bible and the book of. The book of mormon and the bible mormons in transition.
Secondly, more than half of the verses in the book of mormon isaiah differ from the kjv isaiah. This is indisputable proof that the book of mormon was. For example, in 3 nephi 1214, the book of mormon presents jesus preaching the sermon on the mount, no more than about a year after his resurrection, nearly verbatim as. Jerald and sandra tanner list 400 clear examples in their book the case against mormonism vol. Despite claiming to predate the king james bible by ten centuries, the book of mormon contains scribal errors that are unique to the king james bible. Ergo, the book of mormon could not be based on plates buried in 421 a.
Joseph smiths other writings, such as his history and diary, reflect the modern english era of his day. It is also true that the king james version contains some textual errors. 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. Jun 19, 2008 the kjv was a great piece of work, but has some translation errors. The king james version is a version, not edition, of the bible. The prophet joseph smith taught, i believe the bible, as it ought to be, as it came from the pen of the original writers. The book of mormon and the king james bible wikipedia. Joseph smith translated an ancient text by the gift and power of god to produce the book of mormon. John gilbert, compositor for the 1830 edition of the book of mormon, was apparently the first to. Translation errors in the king james bible appearing in the book of mormon summary. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the errors in the king james bible. Below is a partial listing of king james version kjv bible translation errors. In short, he read from the stone as he translated the texts. Translation errors in the king james bible appearing in the book of mormon.
The king james version contains certain translation and textual errors which will facilitate a global transition from the true gospel of jesus christ to the false gospel of the antichrist. The only bible that joseph smith relied on was the king james version. The kjv has been relentlessly attacked for 2 simple reasonsfor money and so scholars can become their own final authority and sit in judgement of gods words. Sometimes the quotation is explicit, as in the second book of nephi, which contains 18 quoted chapters of the book of isaiah other significant connections between the two books include book of mormon words and phrases that only appear in. Although few in number, the king james version does contain a number of undeniable. Is it similar to the book of mormon musical number, hello. The only explanation is that the book of mormon is not an ancient text, but rather came into being after the kjv i. King james english in the book of mormon an oddity in the book of mormon, published in 1830, is that it uses antiquated english resembling the style of the king james version kjv bible. The verses in question are given first and then what is. Absolutely thorough explanation of so called errors in the king james bible. Kjv does not take the word for rock and accidentally translate.
Kjv isaiah, bom 2nd nephi, correct translation, kjv bom translation. Book of mormontranslation errors from the kjv fairmormon. Do the errors exclusively found in the 1769 king james bible being the same exact errors found in the book of mormon damage the credibility of the book of mormons authenticity. Since joseph smith used no paper notes, scripts or other texts, whatever he produced in the book of mormon came from god. Are there errors from the 1769 king james version of the. The errors in the king james bible kindle edition by.
Although few in number, the king james version does contain a number of undeniable incorrect translations. Jul 18, 2015 the book of mormon and the king james bible at red door church weve been taking a look at the church of jesus christ of latterday saints lds. Along the way, weve noticed that joseph smith quotes directly from the king james bible kjv or paraphrases it in a handful of places in the book of mormon which was allegedly revealed to him by the angel moroni. The book of mormon has the structure of a translation from the hebrew language. Critics wonder why many of the quotes from isaiah in the book of. These book of mormon verses should match the inspired jst version instead of the incorrect kjv version that joseph later fixed. Smith copied the kjv blindly, not showing awareness of translation problems and. That said, the bible verses embedded in the book of mormon do show a clear reliance on the 1769 king james version of the bible and not on the 1611 version. What are 1769 king james version edition errors doing in the book of mormon. The best confirmation that the book of mormon used the kjv bible is the. Two chapters of the prophet malachi are quoted by jesus in iii nephi 24 and following. The book of mormon, translation, errors, and even the. In some cases, entire passages are duplicated in the book of mormon.
Joseph smiths inspired revisions to the king james. I dont think you can say that the book of mormon contains unique errors from the king james version bible. The king james bible and the joseph smith translation. While joseph smith described the book of mormon as a translation of text written on golden plates, smith had not.
So one of the talking points in the ces letter, which i have seen quoted in this sub as well, is that there are 1769 kjv bible edition errors unique to only that edition present in the book of mormon. First, i want to affirm with all evangelical christians that the bible is the word of god, inerrant, inspired, and our final authority for faith and life. What are 1769 king james versionedition errors doing in the book. The book of mormon contains a version of the sermon on the mount, which some authors have claimed to be the achilles heel of the book of mormon. Thirdly, this isnt the only example of a translation relying on the king james version for the bulk of translation while modifying it where the translations differ. Nowhere am i told that the king james bible is the best or only holy bible. Kjv translation errors our understanding of the hebrew language today is much more advanced than it was in the 1600s when king james authorized an english translation of the bible. The original 1830 edition, book of mormon had s of errors. Therefore, they say if the same errors found in the bible are also found in the book of mormon, it could not be a correct translation. He uses archaic king james vocabulary in a manner that shows he was not familiar with the true meaning of the words. Kjv translation errors as found in the book of mormon.
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