Although historians and archaeologists consider the book to be an anachronistic invention of joseph smith, many members of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints lds church and other denominations of the latter day saint movement believe that it. Critics of the book of mormon have claimed that a variety of linguistic anachronisms exist in it which cast doubt upon its historical authenticity. But it is worth plowing through it to the rest of this amazing book. Since then the book of mormon has been translated into 110 languages, and more than 170 million copies have been printed. Book of mormon reaches 150 million copies church news.
But over the past few decades, translation has accelerated. What is the original language of the book of mormon. The number of subscriptions for the book of mormon has almost reached 1500, not counting the order from liverpool for 200 after it is finished. The book of mormon has been published in its entirety in 82 languages, with selections of the book available in an additional 25 languages. Oct 12, 2017 in the letter attached, the lds church provided a list of numbers of available languages in the book of mormon, bible doctrine and covenants and the pearl of great price. These tables show all the versions of the book of mormon that have been translated. Deanna draper buck was a support specialist for seminaries and institutes of religion in louisville, kentucky when this was written. Litster, administrator for established languages, church distribution and translation services since the publication of the first five thousand copies in. For twenty years, the book of mormon was printed only in english. Bookcraft, 1952, an approach to the book of mormon, 2d ed.
Book of mormonanthropologylanguagenames fairmormon. Book of mormon 1981 wikisource, the free online library. Book of mormon central evidences of the book of mormon. However, while precolumbian tribes used metal, often beaten, there is no accepted evidence of hightemperature melting. Are translations of the book of mormon into other languages.
As of 2020, the current number of languages the book of mormon in its entirety has been translated. The book of mormon is currently printed by the church of jesus. The book of mormon mentions a number of metals, and the use of metal. The translators of the book of mormon deseret news. With recent publication in the kosraean language, the book of mormon has now been translated into 110 languages. Early in the book of mormon, the lehite tribes are numbered at seven, consisting of the nephites, jacobites, josephites, zoramites, lamanites, lemuelites, and ishmaelites. The word yea in the bible and in the book of mormon. Mormons believe that the bible and the book of mormon are complementary books of scripture, both. It gets a little hard to follow in 2nd nephi where nephi quotes from isiah quite a bit. The book of mormon describes a number of individuals unique to its narrative as prophets. Deanna draper buck, internal evidence of widespread literacy in the book of mormon, religious educator 10, no. Church to translate scriptures in 34 more languages. The book of mormon has a number of original and distinctive doctrinal discussions on subjects such as the fall of adam and eve, the nature of the christian atonement, eschatology, redemption from physical and spiritual death, and the organization of the latterday church. Here, the prophets included are those who, according to the narrative, inherited the plates of nephi and who otherwise are called prophets within the text.
The most common belief of adherents is that promoted by joseph smith, who said he translated ancient golden plates inscribed by prophets. The first edition of the book of mormon after english was danish in 1851, followed by french, italian, welsh, and german in 1852. The book of mormon makes clear references to a number of things that the best anthropologists and archaeologists insist couldnt have been present in the new world at that time, things ranging. The existence of so many hebrew and egyptian names and phrases in the book of mormon is strong evidence of its truthfulness. As of 2015, the book of mormon has been translated into 110 different languages spoken by over 76 percent of the worlds population, truly beginning to bring the book of mormon to, all nations, kindreds, tongues and. A page about the wonderful worldwide diversity of the church. Book of mormon in 110 languages, ensign, may 2015, 7. Oct 16, 2005 recognizing that the book of mormon is the key to missionary work, that the gospel message must go to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, and that the first few years in every newly opened nation represent a time of exceptional receptivity, it would seem that the need for book of mormon translations in major world languages could be. To guard against these risks, the first presidency and council of the twelve give close personal supervision to the translation of scriptures from english into other languages and have not authorized efforts to express the doctrinal content of the book of mormon in familiar or modern english.
Abish corresponds to the hebrew name bs, found on a seal from preexilic times prior to 587 bc in the hecht museum in haifa. Comments made by philip barlow on book of mormon language for an. The full book of mormon is available in 90 languages, plus american sign language, english braille, spanish braille, and language study editions not. How many languages has the book of mormon been translated into. Although the same factors that led to the retranslation of the book of mormon into other modern languages are somewhat applicable to english, i dont know whether or not a translation from english into english will ever be. The book of mormon text is unaltered and only arranged so that the reader does not need to go back and forth between two copies of the book of mormon in different languages. The lds version of the book of mormon has been translated into 83 languages and selections have been translated into an additional 25 languages. There are at least185 quotations and 2,500 unique vocabulary words from the new testame. Also included are the high priests mentioned and the missionaries. The language of the original text of the book of mormon byu. My journal entries about offering copies of the book of mormon, the bible, and other lds church books, mainly to immigrants in their native language, mainly in indianapolis, indiana. In march 1830, 5,000 copies of the book of mormon were printed in the e. As said in the title page of the 1908 rlds book of mormon, the text contained in this android app is faithful copy from the original translation by joseph smith jr. The book of mormon has been translated in its entirety into 97 languages.
Book of mormon written in modernday english grace for grace. In no passage does the book of mormon decrease the number of occurrences of yea. The book of mormon contains 337 proper names and 21 gentilics or analogous forms based on proper names. The book of mormon also adds yea in four of its 14 biblical passages that do not have yea at all in the kjv. Lehis descendants used reformed egyptian to write on the metal plates for brevity, and the 2 languages cultures clearly influenced the book of mormon people. The book of mormon is probably the least read and most criticized of all books. Sixteen more, including the first in asian languages and several in south. Since the publication of the book of mormon in 1830, mormon archaeologists have attempted to find archaeological evidence to support it. By 1968, the book of mormon was translated in only 18 languages. Book of mormon translations the encyclopedia of mormonism. Christ of latterday saints in 82 languages, with selections of the. Unless otherwise indicated, the translation was financed and the resulting text published by the church of jesus christ.
Hugh nibley has researched hebrew and near eastern aspects of the book of mormon in detail. Most adherents to the latter day saint movement view the book as a work of inspired scripture. The book of mormon s old testament portion bmot quotes heavily from the new testament of the bible. English portuguese is a bilingual book for latterday saints in which the two languages are placed next to each other on the same page. As of 2015, the book of mormon has been translated into 110 different languages. Why you shouldnt pray about the book of mormon duration. In summary, the real task for those wishing to claim that the nonbiblical language of the book of mormon is joseph smiths english will be to concentrate on the 80 or so examples of archaic language that have thus far been identified in the original text of the book of mormon, that is, the word uses, phrases, expressions, and grammatical. Jun 07, 2004 flooding the earth with the book of mormon one drop at a time.
Making the book of mormon and other standard works available in many. How many languages is the book of mormon printed in answers. The book of mormon is published in 112 languages, and many of them are available in multiple formats online. As mormon told the people, the spirit of christ was sent forth by the power and gift of christ, echoing language used page 199 throughout the book of mormon in reference to the holy ghost. The book of mormon appears to do this very thing in at least three instances. Languages of the book of mormon church of jesus christ. The doctrine and covenants and the pearl of great price. Join us this year for book of mormon day 2017 book of mormon day commemorates the day that the first edition of the book of mormon was published in english on march 26, 1830. Language availability of latterday saint scriptures scripture tools. The book of mormon text contains logical impossibilities. Linguistic anachronisms in the book of mormon are words that represent concepts that are not believed to have existed in the americas between 2500 b.
In 2001, the lds church reported that all or part of the book of mormon was available in the native language of 99 percent of latterday saints and 87 percent of the worlds total population. Translations of the book of mormon the book of mormon is published in 112 languages, and many of them are available in multiple formats online. Included in this count are names that normally would not be called proper, such as nonenglish names of plants, animals, etc. Lds church to translate the book of mormon in 34 additional. In addition to meaning a byproduct of smelting, it can also mean waste matter. Kosrae is an island in the federated states of micronesia. The church of jesus christ of latterday saints, which has translated the full book of mormon into 90 languages selections are offered in 21 others since the work was first printed in 1830, also. There are several theories as to the origin of the book of mormon. The book of mormons old testament portion bmot quotes heavily from the new testament of the bible. The book of mormons old testament portion bmot quotes heavily from the new testament of the. During the next 127 years, thirty translations were made. Internal evidence of widespread literacy in the book of mormon.
Aug 12, 2014 the book of mormon appears to do this very thing in at least three instances. There are a number of instances of this in the 1611 bible and in the. The book of mormon has a number of original and distinctive doctrinal discussions on subjects such as the fall of adam and eve, the nature of the atonement, eschatology, redemption from physical. An awesome book detailing the spiritual, political and social events that took place in the americas. Portions of the book have been translated into another 20 languages. Even one prominent mormon apologist, john tvedtnes, has rejected such evidence for the book of mormon see dialogue. Book of mormon in 110 languages church of jesus christ. English spanish is a bilingual book for latterday saints in which the two languages are placed next to each other on the same page. The book of mormon says it was written in a reformed egyptian script by ancient prophets who preserve the culture and language of their hebrew ancestors, one of the best ways to test this claim is look at the names in the book of mormon of its 330 seven proper names, 180, eight or unique, meaning they can also be found in the bible because most words in the book of mormon are english. Since the lds church holds the book of mormon to be the word of god, just like the bible, what is the current total number of languages into which it has been translated. Mar 07, 2011 for other major languages such as japanese, the book of mormon has been retranslated to compensate for language drift. The book of mormon by church of jesus christ of latterday. Another testament of jesus christ an account written by the hand of mormon, upon plates taken from the plates of nephi 1830. There are a number of english editions by multiple publishers.
That number more than doubled during the 1980s, with either all or part of the book of mormon being translated into seventynine new languages. I would also be interested in statistics for the pearl of great price and the doctrines and covenants. From that humble beginning, today the church prints over 3 million copies a year on large web presses. Book of mormon numerology rational faiths mormon blog. The book of mormon is published in 112 languages, and many of them are available in multiple formats online in march 1830, 5,000 copies of the book of mormon were printed in the e. Chiasmus in the book of mormon religious studies center. This is the book of mormon, an account written by the hand of mormon upon plates taken from the plates of nephi. Many book of mormon names have authentic connections to the old world.
The publication history of the book of mormon bruce satterfield department of religious education, brigham young university idaho this article appeared in the church news, jan. Early on in the book of mormon, the lehite tribes are numbered at seven, consisting of the nephites, jacobites, josephites, zoramites, lamanites, lemuelites, and ishmaelites jacob 1. Book of mormon for android free download and software. On any traditional lds understanding of the process of translating the book of mormon, this phenomenon does not make sense.