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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. 4, page 461). Allegedly
it was translated by the power of God. Nevertheless, it has some
4,000 changes in it. Some are mere spelling corrections, but others
are significant changes. Why is this so if the book of Mormon was
translated accurately by the hand of God? Why would the Mormon Church
continue to change the work even after Joseph Smith's death?
Following is a very
small sample of the changes in the Book of Mormon.
Check them out for yourself.
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1830
Edition of the Book of Mormon
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1981
Edition of the Book of Mormon
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1
Nephi 11:18
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"And he said unto
me, Behold, the virgin which thou seest, is the mother
of [. . . . ] God, after the manner of the flesh |
"And he said unto
me: Behold, the virgin whom thou seest is the mother
of the Son of God, after the manner of the flesh." |
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1
Nephi 11:21
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"And the angel said
unto me, behold the Lamb of God, yea, even the [. .
. . ] Eternal Father!..." |
"And the angel said
unto me: Behold the Lamb of God, yea, even the Son
of the Eternal Father!..." |
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1
Nephi 11:32
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"...And I looked and
beheld the Lamb of God, that he was taken by the people;
yea, [. . . . ] the Everlasting God, was judged of the
world..." |
"...And I looked and
beheld the Lamb of God, that he was taken by the people;
yea, the Son of the everlasting God was judged
of the world..." |
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1
Nephi 13:40
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"...and shall make
known to all kindreds, tongues, and people, that the
Lamb of God is [. . . . ] the Eternal Father and the
Savior of the world..." |
"...and shall make
known to all kindreds, tongues, and people that the
Lamb of God is the Son of the Eternal Father,
and the Savior of the World..." |
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1
Nephi 19:20
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"...for had not the
Lord been merciful, to shew unto me concerning them,
even as he had prophets of old; [. . . . ] for he surely..." |
"...for had not the
Lord been merciful, to show unto me concerning them,
even as he had prophets of old, I should have perished
also." |
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1
Nephi 20:1
changed in 1964 ed.
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"Hearken and hear
this, O house of Jacob, which are called by the name
of Israel, and are come forth out of the waters of Judah,[.
. . . ] which swear..." |
"Hearken and hear
this, O house of Jacob, who are called by the name of
Israel, and are come forth out of the waters of Judah,
or out of the waters of baptism, who swear..." |
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Mosiah
21:28
changed in 1964 ed.
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"...king Benjamin
had a gift from God, whereby he could interpret such
engravings;..." |
"...king Mosiah
had a gift from God, whereby he could interpret such
engravings;..." |
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Alma
29:4
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"...yea, I know that
he allotteth unto men, yea, decreeth unto them decrees
which are unalterable, according to their wills..." |
"...yea, I know that
he allotteth unto men [ . . . .]according to their wills..." |
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Alma
46:40
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"...because of the
excellent qualities of the many plants and roots which
God had prepared, to remove the cause of diseases
which was subsequent to man by the nature of the
climate." |
"...because of the
excellent qualities of the many plants and roots which
God had prepared to removed the cause of diseases,
to which men were subject by the nature of the
climate." |
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3
Nephi 3:23
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"And the land which
was appointed was the land of Zarahemla, and the
land which was between the land of Zarahemla and
the land Bountiful." |
"And the land which
was appointed was the land of Zarahemla [ . . . .] and
the land Bountiful..." |
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3
Nephi 10:4
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"O ye people of these
great cities which have fallen which are a descendant
of Jacob; yea which are of the house of Israel; O
ye people of the house of Israel, how oft have I
gathered you..." |
"O
ye people of these great cities which have fallen, who
are descendants of Jacob, yea, who are of the house
of Israel, [. . . . ] how oft have I gathered you..." |
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3
Nephi 16:10
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"and thus commandeth
the Father that I should say unto you at that day, When
the Gentiles shall sin against my Gospel, and shall
subject the fulness of my Gospel, and shall be lifted
up..." |
"And thus commandeth
the Father that I should say unto you: At that day when
the Gentiles shall sin against my gospel,[. . . . ]
and shall be lifted up..." |
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3
Nephi 22:4
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"...for thou shalt
forget the shame of thy youth, [. . . . ] and shalt
not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more." |
"...for thou shalt
forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember
the reproach of thy youth, and shalt not remember
the reproach of thy widowhood any more." |
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Ether
9:2
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"...nevertheless,
the Lord was merciful unto Omer, and also to his sons
and to his daughters, which were not, or which
did not seek his destruction." |
"Nevertheless, the
Lord was merciful unto Omer, and also to his sons, and
to his daughters [. . . . ] who did not seek his destruction." |
As you can see, the Book of Mormon is a changing document.
Where will the Mormon Church change it next?
The primary research for this information was taken from the book
3913 Changes in the Book of Mormon by Jerald and Sandra Tanner.
To obtain copies of their work please write to Utah Lighthouse
Ministry P.O. Box 1884 Salt Lake City, Utah 84110.
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