Joseph Smith’s Inspired Version of the Bible

“Do not add to his [God’s] words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar” –Proverbs 30:6

The Purpose of the Inspired Version

Joseph Smith claimed his new translation of the Bible was written by command of God in order to correct numerous errors in the King James Version. An article written in 1833 in the official church newspaper, The Evening and Morning Star, reveals Joseph Smith’s belief that the Bible was corrupted. It states that both the Old and New Testaments were, “filled with errors, obscurities, italics and contradictions, which must be the work of men.” (Evening and Morning Star, July 1833, Vol. 2, no. 14, p. 106)

When reading through the Inspired Version, it becomes obvious that Joseph’s main intent in writing it was:

  1. To substantiate the claim in the Book of Mormon that “many plain and precious things” had been taken away from the Bible
  2. To make necessary changes that would agree with his new teachings
  3. To establish himself as a modern-day prophet like Moses called by God to restore true Christianity to earth.

In his Inspired Version, Joseph made additions, deletions and revisions to the King James Version numbering well over 2,000. He made approximately 693 changes in the Old Testament, 1,453 changes in the New, and totally deleted the Song of Solomon! In Genesis alone, he added over 150 verses.

Listed below are examples of scriptural changes Joseph Smith made in the King James Bible.

Inspired Version
King James Version
Editor’s Comments
Gen. 2:5: “For I the Lord God created all things … spiritually before they were naturally upon the face of the earth.” Gen. 6:52: “I am God; I made the world and men before they were in the flesh.”
No corresponding verse
It appears that these verses were added to validate Joseph Smith’s doctrine of pre-existence. However, it contradicts 1 Cor. 15:46, “The Spiritual did not come first but the natural and after that the Spiritual.”
Gen. 2:11 “And out of the ground, made I, the Lord God, to grow every tree naturally, that is pleasant to the sight of man, and man could behold it, and it became also a living soul; for it was spiritual in the day that I created it…and man saw that it was good for food.”
Corresponding verse: Gen. 2:9, “And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food;”
That trees have living souls is an ancient pagan belief still seen today in Hinduism and in the New Age Movement.
Gen. 4:10 “And in that day Adam blessed God, and was filled, and began to prophesy concerning all the families of the earth; saying, Blessed be the name of God, for because of my transgression my eyes are opened, and in this life I shall have joy…”
No corresponding verse
In this verse Adam implies that the Fall was a good thing, and that were it not for his sin he would not have joy.
Gen. 4:11 “And Eve, his wife, heard all these things and was glad, saying, were it not for our transgression, we never should have had seed, and never should have known good and evil, and the joy of our redemption, and the eternal life which God giveth unto all the obedient.”
No corresponding verse
Eve is saying that the fall was a good thing, because without it she would never have had children. However, this contradicts Gen. l:30 (Inspired Version) where God told Adam and Eve to be fruitful and multiply before the fall. Eve makes another inexplicable remark saying that had they not sinned by disobeying God, they would never have had eternal life! Why would this act of disobedience earn them eternal life? It was because of their sin of disobedience that all men became sinners and were brought under condemnation! (Rom. Ch. 5)
Gen. 6:9 “…In the day that God created man …in the image of his own body, male and female created he them and blessed them, and called their name Adam.”
Corresponding verse: Gen. 5:l “…In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him;”
This scripture in the Inspired Version supports Joseph Smith’s teaching that God had a body of flesh and bones like man. But John 4:24 says God is Spirit.
Gen. 7:75 “And the Lord showed Enoch all things, even unto the end of the world. And he saw the day of the righteous, the hour of their redemption…”
No corresponding verse
Jesus said no one knows the day nor the hour of his coming (day of redemption at the end of the age), not the angels in heaven nor even Himself. (Matthew 24:36)
Genesis 8:11-12 “And it came to pass, that Noah continued his preaching unto the people, saying, Hearken and give heed unto my words, believe and repent of your sins and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, the Son of God even as our fathers did, and ye shall receive the Holy Ghost…”
No corresponding verse
Christian baptism was not practiced in the Old Testament since Christ had not yet come. Also, Christ is a Greek word not found in the Old Testament. The Holy Ghost wasn’t given until the day of Pentecost.
Gen. 7:57-58 “…Enoch continued his cry unto the Lord saying, I ask thee, O Lord, in the name of thine Only Begotten, even Jesus Christ, that thou wilt have mercy upon Noah and his seed, that the earth might never more be covered by the floods. And the Lord could not withhold; and he covenanted with Enoch, and sware [sic] unto him with an oath, that he would stay the floods.”
No corresponding verse
The Lord made this covenant with Noah, not Enoch.
Gen. 7:27-30 “…the Lord showed unto Enoch all the inhabitants of the earth, and he beheld, and lo! Zion… was taken up into heaven…and Enoch also beheld the residue of the people… and they were a mixture of all the seed of Adam, save it were the seed of Cain for the seed of Cain were black, and had not place among them.”
No corresponding verse
Just as in the Book of Mormon, Joseph makes a comparison between black and white skin, dark or black representing wickedness and white representing goodness. The Bible makes no such comparison.
Gen. 5:44 “ And thus the gospel began to be preached from the beginning, being declared by holy angels.”
No corresponding verse
The gospel of salvation was veiled in the Old Testament and only fully understood after the advent of Christ (see Eph. 3).
Isaiah 29:11-12 “And it shall come to pass, that the Lord God shall bring forth unto you the words of a book; and they shall be the words of them which have slumbered. And behold, the book shall be sealed; and in the book shall be a revelation from God, from the beginning of the world to the ending thereof.”
No corresponding verse
Joseph Smith added these verses to support the idea that Isaiah was referring to the Book of Mormon.
Gen. 7:78 “And all the days of Enoch were four hundred and thirty years.”
Gen. 5:23 “And all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty five years.”
John 1:1 “In the beginning was the gospel preached through the Son and the gospel was the word, and the word was with the Son, and the Son was with God, and the Son was of God.”
John 1:1 “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the word was God.”
Joseph Smith changed this scripture seemingly to avoid a tenant of essential Christian doctrine that Jesus is God.
John 1:30-31 “…this is he of whom I said; After me cometh a man who is preferred before me …and I knew him…”
John 1:30-31, “This is he of whom I said, after me cometh a man which is preferred before me… and I knew him not.”
This is one of many examples where Joseph Smith reversed the Biblical meaning of scripture.
John 4:25-26 “And the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth; for the Father seeketh such to worship him. For unto such hath God promised his Spirit. And they who worship him, must worship in spirit and in truth.”
Corresponding verses, John 4:23-24 read, “But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is spirit, and they that worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in truth.
Because Joseph Smith taught that God had a body of flesh and bones (see Gen. 6:9 I.V.) he found it was necessary to change verses that refer to God as spirit.
Rom. 4:5 “But to him that seeketh not to be justified by the law of works, but believeth on him who justifieth not the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.”
Rom. 4:5 “But to him that worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.”
This verse in the Inspired Version denies the justification of the ungodly.
Rom. 1:5 “By whom we have received grace and apostleship, through obedience and faith in his name to preach the gospel among all nations.”
Rom. 1:5 “By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name.”
Joseph attempted to re-define this scripture in order to add works to faith.
Rom. 4:16 “Therefore ye are justified of faith and works through grace, to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed…”
Rom. 4:l6 “For this reason it is by faith, that it might be in accordance with grace, in order that the promise may be certain to all the descendants….”
In this verse Joseph teaches salvation by faith and works which contradicts the Biblical teaching of salvation by grace alone.
Heb. 6:1 “Therefore not leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ let us go on unto perfection…”
Heb. 6:1“Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection….”
The Apostle Paul was telling his listeners not to continue to dwell on the ABC’s of the gospel (because they should have already known those basic principles) but to go on to perfection or maturity.
I John 4:12 “No man hath seen God at anytime, except them who believe…”
John 6:46 “No man hath seen the father, except the one who is from God [Jesus]; only he has seen the Father.”
Joseph changed this verse to justify his first vision account in which both God and Christ appeared to him at the same time.
Rev. 1:1 “The revelation of John, a servant of God, which was given unto him of Jesus…”
Rev. 1:1 “The revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave unto him.”
The admonition in Ch. 22 of the Book of Revelation forbids altering the words of the book. Yet Joseph Smith repeatedly did this.
Rev. 1:5 “Therefore, I John, the faithful witness…”
Rev.1:5 “…And from Jesus Christ who is the faithful witness…”
Rev. 5:6 “… and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having twelve horns and twelve eyes, which are the twelve servants of God sent forth into all the earth.”
Rev. 5:6, “And I beheld…seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.”
Rev. 2:27 “And he shall rule them with the word of God.”
Rev. 2:27,“And he shall rule them with a rod of iron…”
Rev. 9:14 “Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, loose the four angels which are bound in the bottomless pit.”
Rev. 9:14 “Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates.”
Gen. 8:13 “And it repented Noah and his heart was pained, that the Lord had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.”
Gen. 6:6 “And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.”
“It repented the Lord” means He changed his mind. The NIV reads, “The Lord was grieved that he had made man…so the Lord said, ‘I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth…’”
I John 2:7 “Brethren, I write a new commandment unto you, but it is the same commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning.”
I John 2:7 “Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning.”
Ex. 33:23 “And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts, but my face shall not be seen, as at other times, for I am angry with my people Israel.”
Ex. 33:23 “And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.”
Joseph changed this verse in order to justify his first vision story in which he claims to have seen both God and Christ face to face.
Gen. 17:11 “And I will establish a covenant of circumcision with thee, and it shall be my covenant between me and thee, and thy seed after thee, in their generations; that thou mayest know forever that children are not accountable before me until they are eight years old.”
Gen. 17:7 “And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.”
This verse in the Inspired Version has nothing to do with children being accountable at eight years of age. God was simply telling Abraham that He would establish His covenant with him and his descendants and that He would be their God.
Gen.18:30 “And Abraham answered and said, Behold, now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which is able to destroy the city and lay all the people in dust and ashes;”
Gen. 18:27 “And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes.”
Abraham was humbly saying he was but dust and ashes. This was not speaking of the Lord destroying a city.
Matt. 24:27 “For as the light of the morning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west, and covereth the whole earth, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.”
Matt. 24:27 “For as the lightening cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.”
John 1:4 “In him [Jesus] was the gospel, and the gospel was the life, and the life was the light of men.”
John 1:4 “In him [Jesus] was life; and the life was the light of men.”
Gen. 19:1 “And it came to pass, that there came three angels to Sodom in the evening;”
Gen. 19:1 “And there came two angels to Sodom at even…”
Psalm 14:1 “The fool hath said in his heart, there is no man that hath seen God…Behold, they are corrupt; they have done abominable works, and none of them doeth good.”
Psalm 14:1 “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.”
Another example of Joseph trying to justify his first vision account where God and Christ appeared to him at the same time.
Gen. 6:67 “And it came to pass, when the Lord had spoken with Adam our father, that Adam cried unto the Lord, and he was caught away by the Spirit of the Lord, and was carried down into the water, and was laid under the water, and was brought forth out of the water, and thus he was baptized.”
No corresponding verse
The Bible says nothing about Adam being baptized.
Ex. 22:18 “Thou shalt not suffer a murderer to live.”
Ex. 22-18 “Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live”
Mark 9:3, “And there appeared unto them Elias with Moses, or in other words John the Baptist and Moses: and they were talking with Jesus.”
Mark 9:4, “And there appeared unto thee Elias with Moses: and they were talking with Jesus.”
Elias is the Greek word for Elijah. Joseph apparently believed Elias was John the Baptist.
Gen 50:30-33, “And again, a seer will I raise up…and his name shall be called Joseph, and it shall be after the name of his father…”
No corresponding verse
In this verse Joseph Smith is claiming to be the one who fulfills this scripture.
Gen. 6: 55-56, “And the Lord said unto Adam, Behold, I have forgiven thee thy transgression in the garden of Eden. Hence came the saying abroad among the people, that the Son of God hath atoned for original guilt, wherein the sins of the parents cannot be answered upon the heads of the children, for they are whole from the foundation of the world.”
No corresponding verse
Joseph Smith changed this verse to show that there is no original sin.
Nehemiah 7:l0-62 Joseph Smith’s numbering was wrong in sixteen of these fifty-two verses.
Nehemiah 7:10-62 These same verses give the correct list of the exiles that returned from Babylon.
If Joseph Smith was really inspired how could he have been mistaken in so much of his numbering? Who “inspired” him?
1 Cor. l5:40 “Also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial, and bodies telestial; but the glory of the celestial, one; and the terrestrial, another; and the telestial, another.
1 Cor. 15:40 “There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.”
Joseph Smith coined the word “telestial” in order to prove the doctrine of three glories as taught in the Doctrine and Covenants Sec. 76. In this passage, Paul is simply comparing the difference between our earthly bodies and our heavenly bodies.

In his Inspired Version, Joseph Smith changed approximately 83 verses in the book of Revelation, many of which altered the meaning entirely. In Revelation 22:18 the Lord gives this exhortation with which we are all familiar:

“For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book; And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.”

Even if Joseph didn’t heed the above warning as meaning the entire Bible, thinking that it applied only to the Book of Revelation, how could he justify 83 verse changes?

Conclusion

The Bible admonishes that we should, “Henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive, but speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ.” (Eph. 4:14-15).

Joseph Smith’s Inspired Version of the Bible contains many strange “winds of doctrine” that are completely foreign to reputable Bible translations. When it is compared with Greek manuscripts it is shown to be anything but an inspired translation.

“While it is true that no two translations of the Bible…agree l00% on every word, they do agree on the meaning and intent of the inspired writer…. We need not be deceived by those who alter the Bible, and should remember that God will hold us responsible for what we do with the knowledge He provides concerning Himself and His Word…. When historical evidence and textual criticism is applied to Joseph’s ‘new translation,’ ironically it is his ‘inspired version’ that is found to be full of errors, contradictions and fabricated stories.”
(Joel B. Groat, Institute for Religious Research, 1991, pp 47-48)