The first group left the tower of babel about 2250 bc, crossing to europe and sailing to central america. Beyond historical problems, the book of mormon also contains errors specific to the king james bible the smith family owned. 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. While other books were attempted to be added, they were considered noncanonical due to the lack of eyewitnesses, the heavy gnostic heresy content, historical errors, etc. Most lds church members were taught that joseph smith used seer stones referred to as the urim and thummim nephite interpreters to translate the book of mormon bom 1 to various scribes. Errors which are unique to the 1769 edition that joseph smith owned. Ces letter no translation errors i dont think you can say that the book of mormon contains unique errors from the king james version bible. Mormon inserts his explanation about the large and small plates about 380 ad. Joseph smith translates some of the characters himself. In fact, the book of mormon translation process was performed entirely without looking at the plates, which were either out of the room or said to have been covered with a cloth. It contained a lengthy historical chronology of the events in 182829. When he sat down in 1832 to write his own history for the first time, he began by promising to include an account of his marvelous experience. Title page if there be fault it be the mistake of men.
A personage appeared in the light and began to speak to joseph. 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. Somehow the divine process guiding josephs translation of the book of mormon didnt prevent him from making identical translation errors. The approximate book of mormon translation timeline was an interesting article to research. Book of mormon charts charting the book of mormon is a collection of more than 175 visual aids that promote deeper understanding and appreciation of the book of mormon. Id say this was highly improbable, and creates additional problems see the note below. Approximate book of mormon translation timeline elden watsons.
For example, it includes errors that suggest the scribe heard words incorrectly. Welch, a byu law professor and author who served as the founding president of farms the foundation for ancient research and mormon studies, examined the timing of the book of mormon translation as he gave the 2017 book of mormon lecture for the laura f. Joseph smith said that the book of mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to god by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book history of the church, vol. A book of mistakes, error, and fraud by jon gary williams introduction the mormon church promotes the book of mormon as an inspired writing. He said at the time that it was translated from plates by the power of god, and. Like a crime scene, we do not need a video recording or an affidavit from the suspect or a witness to show whether or not the suspect murdered with a. Understanding the timeline of book of mormon translation. The urim and thummim was preserved in a stone box, along with the gold plates, for over 1,500 years for the purpose of enabling joseph to translate the writings on the.
The book of mormon presents itself to the world as a miracle and as a sign that god has begun the process of gathering scattered israel, as he anciently covenanted to do see 3 nephi 21. It asks readers to understand that if there be fault in the book of mormon it be the mistake of men. Accounts of divine manifestations, 18201844, edited by john w. According to chronology found in the book of mormon, king benjamin should. 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. First significant anti mormon book, mormonism unvailed printed, with no mention of first vision, peter, james, john or priesthood.
There are two possible explanations for the origin of the book of mormon. Which scribes worked on which portions in the book of mormon. Willes center for book of mormon studies wednesday at the gordon b. Professor figures out book of mormon translation timeline book. It is the meaning that is most important in the book of mormon, not the words. I wish also to mention here, that the title page of the book of mormon is a literal translation, taken from the very last leaf, on the left hand side of the collection or book of plates, which contained the record which has been translated. The original 1830 edition, book of mormon had s of. Joseph, or someone else involved in the translation, heard or remembered or read the phrase. However, what they fail to say is this claim means 60 different individual days translation. Book of mormontranslation errors from the kjv fairmormon. While a select few did hear joseph refer to magical items, nobody ever saw a breastplate, spectacles, or ancient interpreter stones. More details can now be known about the key events that anchor our historical understandings of the pace of translation, about witness testimonies that credibly document the impressive work, and other considerations regarding the keystone restoration scripture.
David whitmer, one of the three witnesses to the book of mormon, made this statement. Top 10 embarrassments of the mormon religion listverse. From the approximate book of mormon translation timeline. Emma hale smith, and perhaps her brother reuben hale, help as scribes for a portion of the book. Welch meticulously tracks the timeline of the book of mormon s translation. If this is true, then the book of mormon should be full of errors. The last of the plates of mormon was the title page. 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. Book of mormon difficulties, contradictions and explanations. It is either of divine or human origin, and if it is of human origin that means that joseph smith concocted the book.
Concerns of the historicity and origin of the book of mormon. Designed for multiple use as study guides, handouts, and masters for creating projectable images, the charts convey a wealth of information that will enrich personal study and teaching. This means that either joseph simply plagiarized directly from the bible which means he could have easily also used a document to help dictate other portions or the lord gave him the same biblical errors that the book of mormon claims were made by the great and. In this study we will show that there have been at least 3,9 changes made in the book of mormon from the time it was first published in 1830.
Joseph smith translated an ancient text by the gift and power of god to produce the book of mormon. This chronology outlines the major events in the history of the book of mormon, according to the text. Joseph smith said that the book of mormon was the most correct of any book. This paper aims to stimulate specific thinking about the intense and complex events during which the book of mormon was translated in 1829. The original book of mormon transcript the book of. Maxwell, 1 and building on my chapter in the second edition of opening the heavens, 2 this article strives to be as precise as possible about the timing of the events and progress of the book of mormon translation. Debunking fairmormon letter to a ces director book of. Kjv does not take the word for rock and accidentally translate. Unless otherwise indicated, the translation was financed and the resulting text published by the church of jesus christ of latterday saints lds church. It is mostly a book of wars, oppression, slavery, treachery, bloodshed. Joseph smith claimed to have translated the book of mormon from a. The miraculous translation of the book of mormon book of.
Much can be known about the coming forth of the english text of the book of mormon through a careful study of statements. For this and other reasons, many people have naturally been interested in the details of its coming forth, including the timing of its translation. Book of mormon timeline brigham young universityidaho. Book of mormon translation timeline lds apologists like to say that the book of mormon was written in only 60 days and what a amazing feat this was. Although it serves primarily as a religious text, it is to be interpreted literally as being an actual, historical record of the inhabitants of the ancient americas. What are 1769 king james version edition errors doing in the book of mormon. The book of mormon claims to be the history of 2 ancient civilizations on the american continent. However, after a fair and candid examination of the evidence, many thousands of. Mormon is allegedly a prophethistorian who was the native american believed by mormons to have written the book of mormon the main religious text of the church of jesus christ of latter day saints mormonism. Brigham believed that the translation of the book of mormon was a miracle, but not that it was an infallible translation that could never be changed. It is an attempt to put an at least approximate date on each of those events which were recorded from the time joseph smith received the book of mormon plates, until the time that the translation was completed. On september 21, 1823, joseph smith, then seventeen years old, was in his bed praying when a light began to fill his room. Translating the book of mormon religious studies center. Ammaron instructs mormon concerning the sacred records.
Mormonism is a religion less than two centuries old, but in this short time it has managed to accrue a long list of embarrassments which the church leaders would prefer were kept. Kirkhams suggestion that the book of mormon was translated within seventyfive. The truth of the book of mormon and its divine source can be known today. As of march 2015, the lds church continues to publish at least portions of the book of mormon in 110 languages. I dont agree with this because of the other texts stated here and other reasons stated elsewhere. Fairmormons response to presence of 1769 kjv errors in book of mormon in terms of attempting to pinpoint the origin of the book of mormon, even more significant than book of mormon revisions are places where it follows the kjv into error, echoing mistranslations or including translations of late and derivative greek texts. While the translation of the book of mormon may come directly from god, this does not preclude the role that joseph would play in adapting the language of the book of mormon to a cultural and linguistic framework that would both establish that the text was authentic and inspired while also communicating the book s message clearly. Welch of brigham young university, delivered a powerful address on wednesday, november 8 on the timing of the translation of the book of mormon. Weapons used from 544 bc to 52 bc p107359 are listed as. Book of mormon problems lds church members are taught that the book of mormon bom is scripture, as well as a true record of the inhabitants of the americas from about 2200 bc to 420 ad. Byu professors lecture examines the timeline of joseph. The book of mormon is a sacred text of the latter day saint movement, which adherents.
The narrative dates itself from the tower of babel to about 421 ad. The book of mormon has no claim to validity due to its lack of incorporation into the biblical cannon. For more information, follow the links to the full articles. Introduction to the approximate book of mormon translation. In making this study we obtained photocopies of an original 1830 edition of the book of mormon. By allowing a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percent, a tolerable allowance for.
Dates given correspond to dates in the footnotes of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints lds church edition of the book of mormon. His early work on the translation, with emma smith and martin harris serving as the main scribes, was lost in 1828. If the book of mormon is an accurate translation, some claim that it shouldnt contain these translational errors. Furthermore, if a prophet so great as joseph smith needed a seer stone to translate, and even so made mistakes in his translation, how much worse off are the. For many years the mormons taught that the lord had given joseph smith a perfect translation of the book of mormon, and that all of the errors were errors which were made by the nephites on the original plates.
The original book of mormon transcript book of mormon. Many christians wonder if this passage speaks directly to the extra biblical books of mormonism, specifically the book of mormon. Kjv translation errors as found in the book of mormon. Welch gave the annual book of mormon lecture entitled hours never to be forgotten for the laura f. Willes center for book of mormon studies at the gordon b. Also with rare exception, the timeline does not cover mormon film history. If the book of mormon is an accurate translation, why would it contain translational errors that exist in the king james bible. Joseph smith claimed that the book of mormon is his translation of a book written in reformed egyptian engraven on gold plates, which is a record of the ancient inhabitants of the americas.
Welchs excellent article entitled the miraculous translation of the book of mormon, from opening the heavens, accounts of divine manifestations 18201844, p. Joseph completes the translation of the book of mormon and the three witnesses and eight witnesses see the gold plates. Professor figures out book of mormon translation timeline. That errors of grammar and faults in dictation do exist in the book of mormon and. It could be said that mormon history starts with the translation of the book of mormon. The translation of them which you have seen is cor rect history of the church, 1. Again, it is the rate of translation, approximately 6. These errors totally undermine the claim that joseph translated the book of mormon and the claim that the book of mormon is the most correct book on earth. The writer has an obsession with warfare and killing, with killings starting from chapter 4.
Ether 15, book of mormon student manual 2009 and book of mormon time line, ensign october 2011. The context of verse 18 seems to speak directly to the book of revelation, the last book of the bible written by the apostle john while he was in exile on the island of patmos. Why is the timing of the book of mormons translation so. Mulekite history represented by light pink on the timeline. Welch presenting on the translation of the book of mormon. April 06, 1829 to june 16, 1829 translation of the book of mormon at this point we move to a daily analysis of the translation of the book of mormon. What are 1769 kjv edition errors doing in book of mormon.