---
title: Improvement Era
description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930.
authors:
  - Joseph F. Smith, Jr.
collections:
  - periodicals
tags:
  - magazine
  - improvement-era
periodical: Improvement Era
volume: 17
number: 6
published: 1914-04
publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations
publisher_place: Salt Lake City
language: en
type: magazine
reference: "Joseph F. Smith, Jr., \"Editors' Table—Joseph Smith's “Translation” of the Scriptures,\" *Improvement Era* 17, no. 6 (April 1914): 590–596."
source:
  url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera176unse
  transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers.
  identifier: improvementera176unse
start_page: 590
end_page: 596
rights:
  status: public-domain
  basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1914-04)
  source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera176unse
  publication_year: 1914
  note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1914, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright.
---

# Editors' Table—Joseph Smith's “Translation” of the Scriptures

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Editors' Table
Joseph Smith's "Translation" of the Scriptures
A communication has been received from Battleground,
Washington, in which the enquirer says :
"I have met at different times elders of your Church that have
made denials of matters pertaining to their doctrines which [are]
either done through ignorance or deceit. Recently two of them denied
before several witnesses, that Joseph Smith, Jr., ever translated the
Bible. I charged them with only believing the King James translation
in so far as that agreed with that which it is claimed Smith translated,
or the Book of Mormon. I then produced the Doctrine and Covenants
in which it is stated that he did translate the scriptures, especially
mentioning the Apocrypha and other parts and therefore the Times
and Seasons, of 1844, (I have the bound volume of said paper for that
year) Smith in his history of the doctrine plainly states that he was
engaged at different times in the translation of the scriptures. These
elders after I had produced such evidence they then stated that they
had heard that he did translate it, and that it was kept for sale in your
city but that they had never seen a copy of it. * * *
"After various experiences of this kind it seems necessary to get
some information from one in authority in your organization, for the
sake of truth. If you will kindly answer the following, it will greatly
oblige me and place some matters beyond controversy:
"1. Did Joseph Smith, Jr., translate the Bible as he claimed that
he did, with his own hand signature?
"2. What is the price of said book which these elders said is sold
by your Church?
"3. Does this translation that you have differ from the one sold
by the Reorganized Church, of which I have a copy?
"4. Was not the Times and Seasons the official paper of the Latter-day Saints, in 1844, inasmuch as it has the recorded minutes of
the conference of that year?
"5. Are not the letters of Joseph Smith, above his signature, as
printed in that volume, authentic, or are they a forgery?"
The writer of this inconsistent communication, if he had been
indeed searching "for the sake of truth," would not be under the
necessity of writing to the President of the Church for answers
to his questions. There are in each of the mission fields many
elders who are capable of answering clearly and truthfully these
questions, as far as answers are merited, for it is quite obvious
that they were not asked "for the sake of truth."
It may be possible that some one or two, perhaps, of the
elders have been approached with some catch-questions in regard
to particulars relating to the revision of the scriptures by the
Prophet Joseph Smith, or other matters, with which they were

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EDITORS' TABLE. 591
not familiar; but they would not try to deceive, or in any way
act dishonorably. Of this we are positive. The elders, quite generally, are capable of answering any honest questions asked "for
the sake of truth."
We find, however, a class of individuals in the world, who
spend much of their time seeking out the young, inexperienced
elders as soon as they reach their fields and are not fully accustomed to the work of the ministry, with the object in view of
confusing and discouraging them, if possible, in their labors. It
is a cunning trick of the adversary who rages because of the
progress of the work, which he would destroy if he could. It is
the hope of such individuals that the young, inexperienced elders
may have their faith impaired or destroyed by the assaults made
upon them, before they become firmly entrenched in a knowledge
of the gospel and have a clear testimony of the truth. Those
who resort to such tactics very studiously avoid elders of experience who could fully answer their sophistical questions. They are
not seekers after truth ; it is not truth they desire to see established ; but, on the contrary, the overthrow of truth.
In answering the questions propounded, it is not necessary to
take them up seriatim. In fact, some of them are stated so palpably with the intent, and the intent only, to imply that we, the
Latter-day Saints, are in opposition to the teachings of the Prophet
Joseph Smith, that they deserve no answer. The explanation and
evidence given here, are not presented so much for the benefit of
the questioner, as to correct ideas that may possibly be held by
some who have been misinformed regarding the facts connected
with the revision of the Bible by Joseph Smith, and otherwise deceived in relation to the accepted teachings of the Latter-day
Saints.
We are not out of harmony with the doctrines promulgated
by Joseph Smith, neither do we, or have we, denied the teachings that he declared, whether over his signature or otherwise.
We have never accused him of being a fallen prophet, as some others have done who apparently profess a belief in his mission, but
oppose the Church which was established through his instrumentality by the Lord. To us, he was, and is, a prophet of God, who
sealed his testimony with his blood, after faithfully performing
the work the Lord required at his hands.
No clear idea is expressed in these questions as to what
communications in the Times and Seasons are referred to. The
Times and Seasons was considered an official publication of the
Church and at one time Joseph Smith was the editor. It was
while hi was editor, in 1842, that he published the Book of Abraham, which he translated by the power and gift of God, from
the Egyptian papyrus which came into his hands. Thus, some of
the lost scriptures which were not had in the Bible were re-

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592 IMPROVEMENT ERA
stored in their plainness and are "had again among the children
of men — among as many as believe."
The fact that the Times and Seasons was an official publication of the Church, does not mean that every article appearing in
it was an official utterance of the Church, or even that these articles were endorsed as authentic by the councils of the Church.
It was official in the sense that it was used by the First Presidency as a medium in which official communications to the Saints
could be publicly proclaimed. Extracts from minutes were not
necessarily passed upon by the editors, or endorsed by the Church
authorities as authentic, but were printed as they were prepared
by secretaries and clerks for publication. The minutes of some
very important meetings appearing in the Times and Seasons
were abbreviated to fit the limited space that could be allotted to
them ; and it was fully understood by the authorities of the Church
that these printed minutes were but extracts of the official minutes
which were kept by the Church historians and recorders, appointed
to assist in the keeping of the journal of the Prophet Joseph
Smith, which was kept as the history of the Church. The presentation of such documents as the Book of Abraham, we accept not
only as authentic, but as the word of the Lord to us.
While we are not informed what letters are meant, it is natural
to suppose that any letters appearing in the Times and Seasons
over the signature of Joseph Smith, or any other man, for that
matter, are authentic. We have not heard that any of these
things have at any time been questioned and their authorship
disputed by Latter-day Saints.
The Articles of Faith, now officially received as standard doctrine of the Church, first appeared in a letter written March 1,
1842, to Mr. John Wentworth, editor and proprietor of the
Chicago Democrat — nearly eight years after the Prophet prepared
his revision of the Scriptures. The eighth article reads as follows:
"We believe the Bible to be the word of God, as far as it is
translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be
the word of God."
It will be generally conceded that the Bible has not been
correctly translated in all instances ; for we are informed by many
of the early writers, that in the various translations, the translators "have taken liberty to add thereunto, to retrench and correct divers things," which in their opinions needed correction, amplification or elimination. We learn from the Book of Mormon
that many plain and precious parts have been taken away from
the Hebrew Scriptures. Nephi wrote concerning the vision shown
him by an angel:
"The book that thou beholdest, is a record of the Jews, which contains the covenants of the Lord which he hath made unto the house of

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EDITORS' TABLE. 593
Israel; and it also containeth many of the prophecies of the holy
prophets. * * * Wherefore, these things go forth from the Jews in
purity, unto the Gentiles, according to the truth which is in God; and
after they go forth by the hand of the twelve apostles of the Lamb,
from the Jews unto the Gentiles, thou seest the foundation of a great
and abominable church, which is most abominable above all other
churches; for behold, they have taken away from the gospel of the
Lamb, many parts which are plain and most precious; and also many
covenants of the Lord have they taken away; and all this have they
done, that they might pervert the right ways of the Lord; that they
might blind the eyes and harden the hearts of the children of men;
* * * because of these things which are taken away out of the
gospel of the Lamb, an exceeding great many do stumble, yea, insomuch that Satan hath great power over them."
We read in the Pearl of Great Price (Book of Moses ch.
1, v. 23):
"And now of this thing [the vision of Moses] Moses bore record;
but because of wickedness it is not had among the children of men."
And in verses 40, 41 :
"And now, Moses, my son, I speak unto thee concerning this earth
upon which thou standest; and thou shalt write the things which I
shall speak. And in a day when the children of men shall esteem my
words as naught and take many of them from the book which thou
shalt write, behold, I will raise up another like unto thee; and they
shall be had again among the children of men — among as many as
shall believe."
The fulfilment of this was seen when, in 1850, the Book of
Moses and the Book of Abraham were published by the Church
in the Pearl of Great Price, and were circulated among those who
believed. Because of the eliminations of things which were "plain
and most precious," the improper additions and mistranslations
in the Bible, and in fulfilment, in part, at least, of the predictions
and promises of old, Joseph Smith was directed by the Lord to
revise many parts of the Bible. He commenced this work shortly
after the organization of the Church, and revised from time to
time as opportunity permitted, completing the New Testament,
February 2, 1833, and the Old Testament, July 2 of that same year,
as far as he was directed and permitted by the Lord at that time,
to revise the Scriptures. The Apocrypha he did not revise, the
Lord in a revelation given March 9, 1833, instructing him not to
do so. (See section 91, Doc. and Cov.)
While this revision is spoken of as a "translation," it was
not a translation of the scriptures in the true meaning of that
term. The Prophet did not have any of the ancient manuscripts
or versions of the scriptures before him, from which we have
received the present King James and Douay translations of the
Bible. The work Joseph^Smith was directed to do was to revise
and correct such passages as he was led by the Spirit of the Lord
to correct, and to make such additions as he was given through

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594 IMPROVEMENT ERA
revelation to make. It was not a change from one language into
another, but a correction of the reading of the English text as
that text was found in the King James translation.
That Joseph Smith commenced with Genesis and went
through the Bible, verse by verse, to the Book of Revelation, is
believed by some. This is an error. He corrected various subjects and marked his corrections in the wide margin of a large
copy of the Bible. Where additions had to be made, or corrections were too lengthy for the margin, as we find in Genesis and
other parts, these were made in manuscript writing which was
carefully noted and preserved with this marked copy of the Bible.
The New Testament was taken up and finished first, several
months before the Old Testament revision was done. These are
the facts as asserted by those who were associated with the
Prophet while he performed this remarkable labor.
It is not true that he corrected every error in the scriptures.
There were many subjects that were never touched by him.
Some of these he intended to revise before his death. There are
still many "plain and precious things" that are still withheld from
the people, because of the hardness of their hearts and unbelief.
Evidence of this truth is found, both in the revelations given to
Joseph Smith, and in the Book of Mormon. Adam, Enoch, Moses,
Abraham, Joseph, and others of the prophets, received wonderful
manifestations, which they were commanded to write and seal up,
that are not found in any modern scriptures. The same thing is
true of the prophets spoken of in the Book of Mormon. Jared,
Nephi, Mormon, Moroni, and others of the Jaredite and Nephite
prophets, received revelations that have not yet been restored, but
are to be revealed in the due time of the Lord. We read in III
Nephi 26:
"And now there cannot be written in this book even a hundredth
part of the things which Jesus did truly teach unto the people;
but behold the plates of Nephi do contain the more part of the things
which he taught the people; and these things have I written which are
a lesser part of the things which he taught the people; and I have written them to the intent that they may be brought again unto this people,
from the Gentiles, according to the words which Jesus hath spoken.
"And when they shall have received this, which is expedient that
they should have first, to try their faith, and if it shall so be that they
shall believe these things, then shall the greater things be made manifest unto them. And if it so be that they will not believe these things,
then shall the greater things be withheld from them, unto their condemnation. Behold I was about to write them all which were engraven upon the plates of Nephi, but the Lord forbid it, saying, I will
try the faith of my people." (verses 6-11).
There are a number of inspired books spoken of in these
we now have in the Bible, that are not found among mankind
today, which contained many "plain and precious things" revealed
to the ancient prophets. Neither were these things given to the

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EDITORS' TABLE. 595
world through Joseph Smith, for the time has not come, because
of the unbelief of the people. Even in the restoration of the writing's of Enoch, it is quite evident that all his prophecies have not
yet been restored. Paul, Jude, and other early prophets, wrote
epistles which are not to be found today. In the Book of Mormon
(I Nephi 9) brief mention is made of remarkable prophecies uttered by three great prophets, Zenos, Neum and Zenock, evidently of the Hebrew race, who wrote some very "plain and precious things" relating to the ministry and mission of the Son of
God. Without a doubt the records of these prophets were
engraven upon the plates which Lehi and his sons carried with
them from Jerusalem to the promised land. But we fail to find
their prophecies in any of our modern Bibles. Even the names
of these prophets — who were surely remarkable men — are unknown in the Christian world today.
In stating these plain facts, which are beyond successful controversy, we do not discredit in the least the work of restoration
by Joseph Smith. He revised, as it is, a great deal more than the
world can, or will, receive. In the "translation" of the scriptures,
he gave to the world all that the Lord would permit him to give,
and as much as many of the members of the Church were able to
receive. He therefore finished all that was required at his hands,
or, that he was permitted to revise, up to July, 1833, when he discontinued his labors of revision.
It is also evident that he did not "translate" all which was incorrect in the Bible, when he finished his labors in 1833, from his
own statement made June 18, 1840, in a communication to the
High Council of Nauvoo. In this communication he stated that
he felt the time has fully come when he should devote himself exclusively to those things which relate to the spiritualities of the
Church, "and commence the work of translating the Egyptian records, the Bible, and wait upon the Lord for such revelations as
may be suited to the conditions and circumstances of the Church."
It stands to reason that if the Bible had been completely revised by Joseph Smith, in 1833, there would be no need to continue his work of revision, in 1840. That he did intend to continue his labors in this direction is clearly shown by the foregoing.
On this subject, President George O. Cannon records
(p. 142) , in his Life of Joseph Smith:
"We have heard President Brigham Young state that the prophet,
before his death, had spoken to him about going through the translation of the scriptures again and perfecting it upon points of doctrine
which the Lord had restrained him from giving in plainness and fulness at the time of which we write" (Feb. 2, 1833).
As previously noted, he did translate the Egyptian records,
or a goodly part of them, and that translation has been preserved,

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596 IMPROVEMENT ERA
as well as the revision of the Holy Scriptures. The Egyptian record— Book of Abraham — was published by Joseph Smith in the
Times and Seasons, in 1842, but the Reorganized Church rejects
these writings because they conflict with their doctrines. Nevertheless, this record also contains many of those things which are
mentioned in the Book of Mormon, as being most "plain and
precious," which have now been restored and given to the world.
The Prophet did not "translate" every passage in the King
James version of the Bible, which will be shown by a careful reading of the passages that are, according to his own statement, not
revised. For example, compare the 4th chapter of Malachi, which
is the same in the Prophet's revision as in the King James version,
with the account given by Joseph Smith in the History of the
Church, as the Angel Moroni quoted that chapter to him. This
is the way the angel quoted part of it :
"For behold, the day cometh that shall burn as an oven, and all
the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly shall burn as stubble; for
they that come shall burn them, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall
leave them neither root nor branch. * * *
"Behold, I will reveal unto you the Priesthood, by the hand of
Elijah the prophet, before the coming of the great and dreadful day of
the Lord.
"And he shall plant in the hearts of the children the promises
made to the fathers, and the hearts of the children shall turn to their
fathers; if it were not so, the whole earth would be utterly wasted at
his coming." — (See Doc. and Cov. sec. 2.)
Other passages could be mentioned, but this will be sufficient
for our purpose.
In regard to the manuscript of the "inspired translation," or
more properly, the revision that was made by Joseph Smith, we
have a complete copy of that work done by him, filed in the
archives of the Church in this city. This copy was made by Dr.
John M. Bernhisel, while he was living at the home of Joseph
Smith. It was carefully copied, preserved and brought to the
valleys of the mountains by the Latter-day Saints when they
were driven from Nauvoo. So far as publishing this revision is
concerned, we have not published it in full, but we have it and
can do so whenever the Lord indicates that it should be done.
We have published many of the most important parts in the Pearl
of Great Price, as early as 1850, and they have been published
in that book — which is a standard work of the Church — ever
since, together with the Egyptian record which was translated by
Joseph Smith and published by him in the Church paper, the
Times and Seasons, in 1842, as an official document and revelation from the Lord.
Joseph F. Smith, Jr.