Complete Joseph Smith Translation of the New Testament: A Side-by-side Comparison With the

by Thomas A. Wayment (editor)

In the late 1990s, a team of BYU scholars worked with the Community of Christ (formerly RLDS) Church to gain access to the complete Joseph Smith Translation manuscripts. This book utilizes that research to provide a concise, at-a-glance reference book that teachers and students of the scriptures can use to quickly find any and every change the Prophet made to the New Testament – compared side-by-side with the corresponding verse of the King James Version. This is the most correct and handy edition of the Joseph Smith Translation available. It will enrich your study of the New Testament and enhance your understanding of the principles it teaches.

Genres: Religion, Lds

272 pages, Hardcover

First published July 1, 2005

About the author

Dr. Wayment is an Associate professor of Ancient Scripture at Brigham Young University. He received his BA in Classics from the University of California at Riverside, and his MA and PhD in New Testament Studies from the Claremont Graduate School. He has been teaching full time at BYU since 2000.

Dr. Wayment's research interests include the historical life of Jesus, New Testament manuscript traditions, the life of Paul, and the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible. He has recently published a particularly cogent study that was published in Novum Testamentum that examines evidence culled from a third-century papyrus fragment, P. Oxy. 2383 (P69), which raises some important questions about current readings of Luke 22. This study has made a significant contribution to the wider academic conversation regarding the events germane to the suffering of the Savior in Gethsemane. The tripartite series The Life and Teachings of Jesus Christ: from Bethlehem through the Triumphal Entry, which Dr. Wayment edited with BYU colleague Richard N. Holzapfel, includes essays examining historical and doctrinal aspects surrounding the Savior's mortal ministry. His collaboration with BYU faculty has also produced Jesus Christ and the World of the New Testament, in which he, along with Dr. Holzapfel and Dr. Eric Huntsman, addresses the historical context in which the events related in the New Testament took place. He has also published a work dealing with the life of Paul, entitled: From Persecutor to Apostle: A Biography of Paul. His work with textual analysis and the Joseph Smith translation of the bible led him to edit The Complete Joseph Smith Translation of the New Testament, which was published by Deseret Book.

Reviews

[Tanya · Rating 4 out of 5]

While Wayment's editing of the JST was well-done, I was frustrated by the lack of flow in the book. It was presented in two parallel columns: the King James Version, and the JST, with words crossed out and others bolded to indicate changes that Joseph Smith made. The problem I found was that only those verses that had a change were included. I would be reading along through the Gospels when suddenly I would find a gap in the story. It would have been much more user-friendly had every verse been included.

Having now read the JST I understand why the church authorities have chosen to use the King James version. Joseph Smith was martyred before he had a chance to edit or polish his translation, leaving several variant scribed copies. Again, Wayment shows the differences between the manuscripts well.

[Dr. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very helpful resource.