{"id":1346,"date":"2014-03-05T12:09:52","date_gmt":"2014-03-05T18:09:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mrm.org\/?p=1346"},"modified":"2025-05-31T12:49:47","modified_gmt":"2025-05-31T18:49:47","slug":"smith-inspired-version","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mrm.org\/smith-inspired-version","title":{"rendered":"The Inspired Version: Why Isn\u2019t It Officially Used Today?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Joseph Smith, the founder of the Mormon religion, made a number of changes to the King James Bible that is known today as either the Inspired Version or Joseph Smith\u2019s New Translation of the Bible. To call this version a \u201ctranslation\u201d gives a false impression. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Technically, a \u201ctranslation\u201d means taking the words from one language (in the case of the Bible, Hebrew or Aramaic in the Old Testament or koine Greek in the New Testament) and putting them into another language, such as English. Since there is no indication that Smith used biblical manuscripts or even had a fluent understanding of the three biblical languages, his version is not a \u201ctranslation\u201d that was put together like other biblical versions, including the New International Version or the New Living Translation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

About half of the Old Testament changes were made to the book Genesis while close to 80% of the New Testament changes were made to the four Gospels. Scattered changes were made throughout the rest of the Bible. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One insertion made in Genesis chapter 50 added twelve new verses after verse 24a in the King James Version, including a conveniently placed prophecy about Smith! According to verse 33 in the Inspired Version, \u201c. . . his name shall be called Joseph, and it shall be after the name of his father. . .\u201d Needless to say, no Hebrew manuscript ever discovered supports this addition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Smith claimed that he received a revelation on January 10, 1832 commanding him \u201cto continue the work of translation until it be finished\u201d (D&C 73:4b). A year and a half later, Joseph Smith said his translation was completed. On July 2, 1833, History of the Church<\/i> 1:368 reported,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\u201cWe this day finished the translating of the Scriptures, for which we return gratitude to our Heavenly Father.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

The corrections made by Smith were lauded by Mormon apostle Bruce R. McConkie, who wrote:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\u201cThe Joseph Smith Translation, or Inspired Version, is a thousand times over the best Bible now existing on earth. It contains all that the King James Version does, plus pages of additions and corrections and an occasional deletion. It was made by the spirit of revelation, and the changes and additions are the equivalent of the revealed word in the Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants. For historical and other reasons, there has been among some members of the Church in times past some prejudice and misunderstanding of the place of the Joseph Smith Translation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I hope this has now all vanished away. Our new Church Bible footnotes many of the major changes made in the Inspired Version and has a seventeen-page section which sets forth excerpts that are too lengthy for inclusion in the footnotes. Reference to this section and to the footnotes themselves will give anyone who has spiritual insight a deep appreciation of this revelatory work of the Prophet Joseph Smith. It is one of the great evidences of his prophetic call\u201d (Sermons and Writings of Bruce R. McConkie<\/em>, p. 289).<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

If Joseph Smith truly finished his translation of the Bible and made corrections to a book that he claimed was true \u201conly as far as it was translated correctly,\u201d and if these changes are as good as McConkie says they are, then why doesn\u2019t the LDS Church officially use the Inspired Version rather than the King James Bible?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In an authorized gospel manual published in the early 1970s, tenth president Joseph Fielding Smith explained the LDS leadership\u2019s view on this issue:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\u00a0\u201cThe reason why the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has not published the entire manuscript is not due to any lack of confidence in the integrity of Joseph Smith, or doubt as to the correctness of the numerous additions and changes which are not in the Authorized Version of the Bible. The members of the Church do accept fully all of these (changes) as having come by divine revelations of the Prophet Joseph Smith. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The reason that is has not been published by the Church is due to the fact that this revision was not completed. It was the intention of Joseph Smith, while at Nauvoo, to take the scriptures up again and complete his labors, making numerous corrections which had not been made by him in the earlier revision. Due to persecution and mobbing this opportunity never came, so that the manuscript was left with only a partial revision\u201d (Joseph Fielding Smith, Selections from Answers to Gospel Questions: A Course of Study for the Melchizedek Priesthood Quorum 1972-73<\/em>, p. 312).<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Smith\u2019s reasoning is inadequate for several reasons:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. If Smith did not finish the Bible as God supposedly told him to do so 1832 (D&C 73:4b), should Smith\u2019s negligence to do what God commanded be considered a sin? After all, Smith lived for twelve more years after he was told to do this. Did he never have the chance to sit down and complete this reasonable task set forth by God?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. If the translation wasn\u2019t finished, then why did Smith say that he finished it in 1833?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. If the Bible was only partially revised, does this mean the words that were <\/em>revised or added by Smith are no better than what the King James Version has to offer?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Finally, why doesn\u2019t the current LDS leadership\u2014whom members believe possess \u201ckeys\u201d and serve as God\u2019s mouthpiece upon the earth\u2014finish the work themselves? McConkie wrote that \u201cup to the present time none of his successors have been directed by the Lord to carry the work forth to its final fruition\u201d (Mormon Doctrine<\/em>, 1966, p. 383). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    However, he promised, <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n

    \u201cThere will be a not too distant day when all necessary changes shall be made in the Bible, and the Inspired Version \u2014 as then perfected \u2014 shall go forth to the world\u201d (Mormon Doctrine<\/em>, 1966, p. 384).<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

    Just what did McConkie mean when he said there would be a \u201cnot too distant day\u201d when the translation would be complete? This statement was written five decades ago! More than half of everyone who would have read McConkie\u2019s words when his book was first published are now deceased.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Instead of hiding behind Article 8 and claiming that the Bible cannot be fully trusted because it has errors inserted by \u201ccorrupt\u201d translators, we call upon the LDS Church leadership\u2014if they truly are capable\u2014to once and for all finish the Inspired Version and include this as an official part of their canon. This would eliminate the use of the \u201ccorrupt\u201d King James Version. And if any of the changes could be supported with documented textual evidence, it would be greatly appreciated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n\n\n\n

    For a Viewpoint on Mormonism podcast series on this topic broadcast in April 2014, click on these links: Part 1<\/a>  Part 2<\/a>  Part 3<\/a>  Part 4<\/a>  Part 5<\/a>  Part 6<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    According to Mormonism history, Joseph Smith was commanded by God to make a new translation of the Bible. Then, a few years later, these compiled changes were finished in 1833. While Mormon leaders continually cite from Smith’s work, the Joseph Smith Translation (or Inspired Version) is not officially used by the church. Instead, the King James Version continues as the official version. If Smith corrected the errors in this version, it seems strange that the Inspired Version is not “official.” Why not?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":35106,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_crdt_document":"","inline_featured_image":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1373,1374],"tags":[80,364,409,412],"class_list":["post-1346","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bible-translation","category-joseph-smith-translation-bible","tag-bible","tag-inspired-version","tag-joseph-smith","tag-joseph-smtih-translation"],"yoast_head":"\nThe Inspired Version: Why Isn\u2019t It Officially Used Today? - Mormonism Research Ministry<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"According to Mormonism history, Joseph Smith was commanded by God to make a new translation of the Bible. Then, a few years later, these compiled changes were finished in 1833. While Mormon leaders continually cite from Smith's work, the Joseph Smith Translation (or Inspired Version) is not officially used by the church. Instead, the King James Version continues as the official version. If Smith corrected the errors in this version, it seems strange that the Inspired Version is not "official." Why not?\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/mrm.org\/smith-inspired-version\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Inspired Version: Why Isn\u2019t It Officially Used Today? - Mormonism Research Ministry\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"According to Mormonism history, Joseph Smith was commanded by God to make a new translation of the Bible. Then, a few years later, these compiled changes were finished in 1833. While Mormon leaders continually cite from Smith's work, the Joseph Smith Translation (or Inspired Version) is not officially used by the church. Instead, the King James Version continues as the official version. If Smith corrected the errors in this version, it seems strange that the Inspired Version is not "official." 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If Smith corrected the errors in this version, it seems strange that the Inspired Version is not \"official.\" Why not?","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/mrm.org\/smith-inspired-version#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/mrm.org\/smith-inspired-version"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/mrm.org\/smith-inspired-version#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mrm.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/image-1.png?fit=713%2C1024&ssl=1","contentUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mrm.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/image-1.png?fit=713%2C1024&ssl=1","width":713,"height":1024},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/mrm.org\/smith-inspired-version#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/mrm.org\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"The Inspired Version: Why Isn\u2019t It Officially Used Today?"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/mrm.org\/#website","url":"https:\/\/mrm.org\/","name":"Mormonism Research Ministry","description":"Challenging the claims of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints since 1979.","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/mrm.org\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/mrm.org\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/mrm.org\/#organization","name":"Mormonism Research Ministry","url":"https:\/\/mrm.org\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/mrm.org\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mrm.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/mrmLogo.png?fit=504%2C554&ssl=1","contentUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mrm.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/mrmLogo.png?fit=504%2C554&ssl=1","width":504,"height":554,"caption":"Mormonism Research Ministry"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/mrm.org\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/MormonismResearchMinistry","https:\/\/x.com\/mrmdotorg","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/mormonismresearchministry"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/mrm.org\/#\/schema\/person\/a094c8a2f0a219795a02ed0050e6f2b6","name":"Eric Johnson","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/018f8349fecd5fd000ad0ba13094f8e0cc04a974cfc9336d529399f07210d8a0?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/018f8349fecd5fd000ad0ba13094f8e0cc04a974cfc9336d529399f07210d8a0?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/018f8349fecd5fd000ad0ba13094f8e0cc04a974cfc9336d529399f07210d8a0?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Eric Johnson"},"description":"Eric Johnson\u00a0(Sandy, Utah) ministers full time with Mormonism Research Ministry (www.mrm.org). He has coauthored\u00a0Answering Mormons\u2019 Questions\u00a0(Kregel, 2012) and\u00a0Mormonism 101\u00a0(Baker, 2015) with Bill McKeever. He has also penned\u00a0Mormonism 101 for Teens\u00a0(MRM, 2016). Eric received his MDiv from Bethel Seminary San Diego in 1991 and spent nearly two decades in secondary and college education.","url":"https:\/\/mrm.org\/author\/eric"}]}},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mrm.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/image-1.png?fit=713%2C1024&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pglenf-lI","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1090,"url":"https:\/\/mrm.org\/inspired-version","url_meta":{"origin":1346,"position":0},"title":"Inspired Version (Joseph Smith Translation) (Defined)","author":"Eric Johnson","date":"January 25, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Inspired Version. \u00a0Also known as the\u00a0Joseph Smith Translation\u00a0(JST). According to\u00a0Doctrine and Covenants\u00a073, Smith was commanded by God to work on a new translation of the Bible. It is said this was accomplished by way of revelation. While Mormon leaders have argued that the translation was not finished, the\u00a0History of the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "A-Z Glossary"","block_context":{"text":"A-Z Glossary","link":"https:\/\/mrm.org\/category\/a-z-glossary"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":9010,"url":"https:\/\/mrm.org\/what-a-charred-lump-of-a-2000-year-old-scroll-can-tell-us-about-mormonism","url_meta":{"origin":1346,"position":1},"title":"What a Charred Lump of a 2,000-Year-Old Scroll Can Tell Us About Mormonism","author":"Sharon Lindbloom","date":"September 22, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"In June of 1843 Mormonism\u2019s founder, the Prophet Joseph Smith, told his followers, \u201cThere are many things in the Bible which do not, as they now stand, accord with the revelations of the Holy Ghost to me.\u201d (Jo\u00adseph Smith, Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 310. See also History\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Bible Archaeology"","block_context":{"text":"Bible Archaeology","link":"https:\/\/mrm.org\/category\/scripture\/bible\/biblical-archaeology"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mrm.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Biblical-Transmission.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":572,"url":"https:\/\/mrm.org\/bible","url_meta":{"origin":1346,"position":2},"title":"Bible Index","author":"Eric Johnson","date":"November 20, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"\u200e\"If I were the devil, one of my first aims would be to stop folk from digging into the Bible... I should do all I could to surround it with the spiritual equivalent of pits, thorns, hedges, and man traps to frighten people off.\" - J.I. Packer","rel":"","context":"In "About MRM"","block_context":{"text":"About MRM","link":"https:\/\/mrm.org\/category\/about-mrm"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1418,"url":"https:\/\/mrm.org\/joseph-smith-translation","url_meta":{"origin":1346,"position":3},"title":"The Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible","author":"Bill McKeever","date":"March 20, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"The Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible By Bill McKeever The following was originally printed in the March-April 2009 edition of\u00a0Mormonism Researched. To request a free subscription, please visit\u00a0here.\u00a0","rel":"","context":"In "Bible"","block_context":{"text":"Bible","link":"https:\/\/mrm.org\/category\/scripture\/bible"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mrm.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/4772990_JS_New_Translation.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1105,"url":"https:\/\/mrm.org\/king-james","url_meta":{"origin":1346,"position":4},"title":"King James Version of the Bible (Defined)","author":"Eric Johnson","date":"January 26, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"King James Version of the Bible. The official Bible version of the LDS Church. Although official Mormon sources also utilize the Joseph Smith Translation, or the Inspired Version, the church does not own the copyright and does not use this as its official version.For more information, see Joseph Smith Translation\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "A-Z Glossary"","block_context":{"text":"A-Z Glossary","link":"https:\/\/mrm.org\/category\/a-z-glossary"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":4002,"url":"https:\/\/mrm.org\/ignorant-translators-commit-many-errors","url_meta":{"origin":1346,"position":5},"title":"Ignorant Translators Commit Many Errors","author":"Sharon Lindbloom","date":"February 9, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"Christian apologist Rob Bowman at the Institute for Religious Research's Mormons in Transition web site has published a nine-page study of The Book of Hebrews and the Joseph Smith Translation. Mr. Bowman maintains, \"My argument here is simple: a comparison of the JST [Joseph Smith Translation] to the KJV [King\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Bible Translation"","block_context":{"text":"Bible Translation","link":"https:\/\/mrm.org\/category\/scripture\/bible\/bible-translation"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mrm.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1346","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mrm.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mrm.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mrm.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mrm.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1346"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/mrm.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1346\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":54207,"href":"https:\/\/mrm.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1346\/revisions\/54207"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mrm.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/35106"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mrm.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1346"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mrm.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1346"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mrm.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1346"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}