Questions about Joseph Smith's "inspired" revision of the KJV Bible, and why LDS doesn't use it?

Question

Joseph Smith claims he was commanded by God to "retranslate" the Bible because the existing translation (KJV) contained nonspecific "errors". He completed his translation in 1833, but the church still uses the King James Version of the Bible. Why don't they use the "Inspired Revision" of the King James Version Bible that their original leader created? Don't they consider it God "inspired" like they do all their other books?

What other churches use the JSV in their services? Are any LDS or their various splinter groups required to use it?

Why do they seldom speak about what got changed in this bible version? Is it a copyright issue? Who owns the copyrights to this revision? Who should own the copyrights to it?

Answer 1

I could be wrong but I think the Church of Christ uses the JST bible and Brigham Young just ran to UT with "Notes" to the translation...Emma kept the whole translation herself, while Brigham just had notes so the mormons still say "As far as it is translated."



Well this is what i remember from my Mormon history...let me wicked-pedia it, as my college does not except this kind of info and see what they say.



From wikepedia:

Smith was killed prior to the publication of the translation. At the death of Joseph Smith Jr. the manuscripts and documents pertaining to the translation were retained by his widow, Emma Smith, who would not give them to the Quorum of the Twelve although Willard Richards, apparently acting on behalf of Brigham Young, requested the new translation from her. Consequently, when Young's followers moved to the Salt Lake Valley, they did so without the new translation of the Bible.



Following Joseph Smith's death, John Milton Bernhisel asked permission of Emma Smith to copy the notes that were made into his own Bible. He spent much of the spring of 1845 working on this project. The LDS Church has this in its offices in Salt Lake City, but it contains less than half of the corrections and is not suitable for publication. For many years the Bernhisel Bible was the only source for LDS Church members living in the Salt Lake Valley.



In 1866, Emma Smith gave the manuscripts into the custody of the RLDS church, to which she was a member and her son Joseph Smith III the prophet-president. In 1867 the RLDS published the first edition of the translation and obtained a copyright for it. The RLDS Church (now Community of Christ) still retains the original manuscripts and publishes the Inspired Version through its publishing arm, Herald House Publishing. The copyright has expired on the 1867 edition[14] and a bound photo reproduction of that edition is published by a private concern. In 1944, the RLDS Church brought out a carefully prepared “new corrected edition.”



See the entry on the Community of Christ for information on current views and use within the church.

Answer 2

Nonspecific? Lol you keep thinking that old lady. The JST is to help clarify what the Bible says.



Yes, as far as it's translated correctly. Seeing how the Great Isaiah Scroll showed there were parts of Isaiah missing in the Bible that showed the Bible didn't have everything when it was first translated. Who's to say the translators didn't make any more mistakes? The translators of the Bible weren't of God, they just had some knowledge of the original language it was in. The Bible and the Book of Mormon are the word of God but the Bible had translators not of God while the Book of Mormon only had one translator that was of God but then again you don't believe in the truth.

Answer 3

primarily we don't use it because there has been no revelation TO use it. it is available as footnotes - and the book of moses and JST matthew are canonized.



but also because the original manuscripts were kept by the RLDS (now the COC) and not by the LDS. there was some mistrust between the two (BY believed the manuscripts had been tampered with). BRM smoothed most of that over in the 70's.



one must realize that the LDS do not believe in a fixed/"perfect" rendering of a scripture or doctrinal concept. often others impose their own inerrantist assumptions on LDS scriptures --- but these assumptions simply do not apply to LDS doctrine or scripture.

the JST is a harmonization, expansion, commentary, and clarification of doctrinally important points.....not intended as "the final word" on a given concept or passage—continuing revelation, adapted to the circumstances in which members of the church find themselves would preclude such intent.

Answer 4

We now fully use and accept the "Inspired Version" (often called the JST or "Joseph Smith Translation").



Originally, the manuscript of the Inspired Version was in the hands of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (RLDS) and thus we could not be sure that their documentation was accurate. Recently, however, they have given us access to the original manuscripts and we could verify the veracity of their information.



We will probably continue to use the KJV primarily, however, for two reasons:



1) It helps us communicate better with the rest of the world



2) The KJV is in remarkably good condition considering how many translations, etc. it went though to get to us.



So, what we have done is provide the JST in the footnotes of our KJV. For example, look at Matthew 4:19.



Here is a link to the verse in the digital edition of the LDS scriptures: http://lds.org/scriptures/nt/matt/4.19?lang=eng#18



You'll note that there is a footnote ("a") in front of the word "Follow." If we look at that footnote, we see the following:



"JST Matt. 4:18 ...I am he of whom it is written by the prophets; follow me..."



Thus, Joseph Smith "repaired" the verse that reads



"And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men."



in the KJV to read



"And he saith unto them, I am he of whom it is written by the prophets; follow me, and I will make you fishers of men."



in the JST.



There are two primary reasons the Spirit seemed to direct Joseph to change a verse:



1) The verse in the KJV is corrupted either through mistranslation or deceit.



2) The Lord wanted to clarify the meaning of the verse.



The change in Matthew 4 above is likely of the first kind. It seems, for whatever reason, part of this verse was left out at some point in the many translation processes.



I added all of that above to show that we have used the JST for quite some time. A pictorial example of the above may be found here:



http://seminary.lds.org/manuals/old-testament-seminary-student-study-guide/ot-ssg-2-iv.asp



Many who read this may also be interested in this video:



http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?autoplay=true&index=2&locale=0&sourceId=1a98747631f92210VgnVCM100000176f620a____&vgnextoid=bd163ca6e9aa3210VgnVCM1000003a94610aRCRD



We do not "seldom speak about what got changed in this bible version." In fact, I've had several lessons on it in the church. It is most often used as a study tool. The change is generally done to teach us something. In this vein, you may want to read this account of how the Lord showed Joseph to change a verse in the Book of John:



http://lds.org/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/76?lang=eng



(particularly note verses 11-12 and 15-19)



After the change in the verse was given, it caused Joseph to marvel and he began to ponder on what had been given. Upon doing this, the Spirit gave him further revelation and we have the rest of the verses after 19. This is generally the same reason we have the JST - to provide us something to examine, ponder, pray about, and to seek knowledge and revelation about.



I hope that helps! Please feel free to e-mail me! You may also be interested in the following:



http://lds.org/scriptures/gs/joseph-smith-translation-jst?lang=eng



http://lds.org/ensign/1997/08/the-joseph-smith-translation-plain-and-precious-things-restored?lang=eng



http://lds.org/liahona/1980/09/the-bible-and-its-role-in-the-restoration?lang=eng



http://lds.org/ensign/1981/10/the-church-publishes-a-new-triple-combination?lang=eng (scroll down to the section on "footnotes.")

Answer 5

Andy Schlafly is currently rewriting the bible to take out all that liberal "brotherly love" nonsense..... How may home schoolers will fall for his version?