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New Testament Revision 1

Matthew, Chapter 1 Page 1 Matthew, Chapter 2 Page 2 Matthew, Chapter 3 Page 4 Matthew, Chapter 4 Page 6 Matthew, Chapter 5 Page 8 Matthew, Chapter 6 Page 12 Matthew, Chapter 7 Page 15 Matthew, Chapter 8 Page 18 Matthew, Chapter 9 Page 21 Matthew, Chapter 10 Page 24 Matthew, Chapter 11 Page 27 Matthew, Chapter 12 Page 29 Matthew, Chapter 13 Page 33 Matthew, Chapter 14 Page 36 Matthew, Chapter 15 Page 38 Matthew, Chapter 16 Page 40 Matthew, Chapter 17 Page 41 Matthew, Chapter 18 Page 43 Matthew, Chapter 19 Page 45 Matthew, Chapter 20 Page 47 Matthew, Chapter 21 Page 48 Matthew, Chapter 22 Page 52 Matthew, Chapter 23 Page 54 Matthew, Chapter 24 Page 56[a] Matthew, Chapter 25 Page 57[b] Matthew, Chapter 26 Page 59

Source Note

New Testament Revision 1, 8 Mar.–ca. June 1831; handwriting of ; 65 pages; CHL. Includes redactions.
The Bible revision manuscripts remained in JS’s possession throughout his life—except during a brief period in 1838 and another in 1839. Upon the death of JS, the manuscript was in possession of his wife for over twenty years, until 1867 when she gave it to her son so that the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (RLDS church) could publish it. It was in the possession of the RLDS church (now Community of Christ) until 2024, when The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints acquired it. The manuscript is now held at the Church History Library in Salt Lake City.
Note: The transcript of New Testament Revision 1 presented here is used with generous permission of the Brigham Young University Religious Studies Center. It was published earlier, with some differences in style, in Scott H. Faulring, Kent P. Jackson, and Robert J. Matthews, eds., Joseph Smith's New Translation of the Bible: Original Manuscripts (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 2004), 153–228.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    Call, “Copied from the Journal of Anson Call,” 9 and Cooper, “Spiritual Reminiscences, No. 2,” Autumn Leaves (January 1891): 18.

    Call, Anson. “Copied from the Journal of Anson Call,” 1879. CHL. MS 4783.

    Cooper, F. M. “Spiritual Reminiscences.—No. 2,” Autumn Leaves 4, no. 1 (Jan. 1891): 17–20.

  2. [2]

    Emma Smith Bidamon, Nauvoo, IL, to Joseph Smith III, Plano, IL, 10 Feb. 1867, CCLA.

    Bidamon, Emma Smith. Materials, 1842–1871. CCLA.

  3. [3]

    The Holy Scriptures: Translated and Corrected by the Spirit of Revelation ([Plano, IL]: [Reorganized] Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 1867).

Historical Introduction

As noted in the introduction to Old Testament Revision 1, in June 1830, JS and began recording a revelation related to Moses and other prominent Old Testament figures. (See Visions of Moses, June 1830 [Moses 1].) Eventually this work expanded into what is now designated as the Book of Moses and a complete revelatory re-reading, reviewing, and revising of the Bible, an endeavor that came to be known as JS’s “New Translation,” or Bible revision. By March 1831, JS and his scribes created a sixty-one-page manuscript containing a narrative account of the visions of Moses and a revised version of the Old Testament book of Genesis, from the beginning to chapter 24, verse 41. (See Old Testament Revision 1.)
JS set that work aside when instructed in a March 1831 revelation to instead begin work on the New Testament. (Revelation, ca. 7 Mar. 1831 [D&C 45:60–61].) He and began the new document on 8 March 1831, titling it “A Translation of the New Testament translated by the power of God.” It is currently designated as New Testament Revision 1 and consists of sixty-five pages, all of it in Rigdon’s hand.
New Testament Revision 1, presented here, begins with Matthew 1:1 and continues through part of Matthew 26:71. It was copied almost immediately by , who had been directed by revelation to “write & keep a regulal [regular] history & assist my servant Joseph in Transcribing all things which shall be given him.” (Revelation, ca. 8 Mar. 1831–B [D&C 47:1].) Whitmer’s copy (New Testament Revision 2) became the working copy of the New Testament for the revision project, and JS’s subsequent corrections to the text were inscribed on it. Consequently, New Testament Revision 1 is largely free from later revisions and emendations. Although the exact date JS stopped work on New Testament Revision 1 is unknown, it was apparently prior to his and ’s journey to in June 1831. (JS History, vol. A-1, 126.) John Whitmer’s copying of the manuscript began in early April 1831 and continued until shortly after JS and Sidney Rigdon stopped working on New Testament Revision 1.
An analysis of both New Testament manuscripts indicates that JS made changes to about 2,100 New Testament verses (Faulring et al., Joseph Smith’s New Translation of the Bible, 5). He introduced several significant changes to the King James New Testament text in New Testament Revision 1. Among other revisions, he revised and clarified material related to Matthew 24, John the Baptist’s role, and some aspects of the Sermon on the Mount and the Beautitudes. (See, Faulring et al., Joseph Smith’s New Translation of the Bible, 157.)
Note: The transcript of New Testament Revision 1 presented here is used with generous permission of the Brigham Young University Religious Studies Center. It was published earlier, with some differences in style, in Scott H. Faulring, Kent P. Jackson, and Robert J. Matthews, eds., Joseph Smith's New Translation of the Bible: Original Manuscripts (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 2004), 153–228.
Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation. New Testament Revision 1 New Testament Revision 2

Page 57[a]

my name saying I am Christ, and shall deceive many then shall they deliver you up to <​be​> afflicted and shall kill you and you shall be hated of all men <​nations​> for my names sake and then shall many be offended and shall betray one another and shall hate one another and many fals prophets shall arise and <​shall​> deceive many and because iniquity shall abound the love of many shall wax cold but he that shall endure unto the end the same shall be saved. When you therefore shall <​see​> the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet concerning the distruction of Jerusalem then you shall stand in the holy place (whoso readeth let him understand) then let them which <​who​> be in<​to​> Judea flee to <​into​> the Mountaines let him who is on the house top not come down to take any thing thing out of the <​his​> house neither let him who is in the feild return back to take his clothes cloaths and wo unto them that are with child and unto them that give suck in those days and <​therefore​> pray ye <​you​> the Lord that your flight be not in the winter neither on the Sabath day for then in those <​days​> there shall be great tribulation on the Jews <​and upon​> the inhabitants of Jarusalem such as was not before <​sent​> <​upon Israel of the world​> since the begining of the world to <​their reign till​> this time no nor ever shall be and except those days should be shortened <​sent agait [again] upon Israel​> all these things are the beginings of sorrows and except those days should be shortened there should <​no​> flesh be saved but for the elects sake <​according to the covenent​> those days shall be shortened behold these things I have spoken unto you concerning the Jews and then immedeately <​after​> the tribelation of those days <​which shall come upon Jerusalem​> if any man shall say unto <​you​> Lo here is christ or there beleive him not for in those days there shall also arise fals Christs and fals prophets and shall shew great signs and wonders insomuch that if possable they shall deceive the very elect who are the elect according to the covenent behold I speak these things unto you for the elects sake and you also shall hear of wars and rumours of wars see that ye be not troubled for all I have told you must come to pass but the end is not yet behold I have told you before wherefore if they shall say unto you behold he is in the desert go not forth behold he is in the secret chambers beleive it not for as the light of the morning cometh out of the east and shineth even unto the west a <​and​> covereth the whole earth so shall also the coming of the son of man be and now I shew unto you a parable behold wheresoever the carcase is there will the Eagles be gathered together so likewise [p. 57[a]]
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Page 57[a]

Document Information

Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
New Testament Revision 1
ID #
7810
Total Pages
71
Print Volume Location
Handwriting on This Page
  • Sidney Rigdon

Footnotes

  1. [30]

    TEXT: First of two pages numbered “57”.

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