The Book of Mormon & Alterations: The Father & Son
Overview
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Many Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) are not aware that the 1830 edition of the Book of Mormon reads differently from modern editions and some of these differences significantly change the meaning of the text.​​
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According to the 1830 edition of the Book of Mormon (1 Nephi 11:18-19 & 11:32-33), God the Father became human and died for the sins of the world. According to the 2012 edition, this role was changed to the Son. The text of the Book of Mormon was therefore altered after its publication in 1830 to shift the emphasis from the Father to the Son in regard to God becoming human.
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The most obvious explanation for this alteration is that Joseph Smith's understanding of God changed. Joseph initially believed that Jesus Christ (or the 'Son') was the human appearance or manifestation of God the Father. In other words, Joseph initially believed that Jesus Christ is God the Father in human form. At a later date, however, Joseph began to believe in the distinct personhoods of the Father and Son and edited the Book of Mormon to express this belief. Nevertheless, some passages in the Book of Mormon (2 Nephi 11:7, Mosiah 15:1-9, Alma 11:26-46 & Either 3:6-16) still express Joseph's original belief in the joint personhood of the Father and Son. This is why the Book of Mormon states that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are One Eternal God (2 Nephi 31:21, Alma 11:44, Mormon 7:7 and Testimony of Three Witnesses), meaning they are One Person.
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Another possible explanation is that either Nephi or Joseph Smith made a mistake. For instance, did Nephi incorrectly write in 1 Nephi 11 that God the Father became human and died for the sins of the world and Joseph corrected Nephi's error? Alternatively, did Joseph wrongly translate 1 Nephi 11 but corrected himself in later editions of the Book of Mormon? The question in either case is why Joseph would wait until after the Book of Mormon was first published to fix the error. In other words, approving the Book of Mormon for publication in 1830 implies that Joseph was initially happy with its contents and therefore believed what was said about the Father and Son in 1 Nephi 11.
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Either explanation (Joseph Smith reworking his theology or mistakes made when writing and translating the Book of Mormon) is problematic and challenges the common Latter-Day Saint understanding of what the Book of Mormon is and where it came from.
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​Book of Mormon Passages​
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1 Nephi 11:18-19 (1830 Edition)
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And he said unto me, Behold, the virgin which thou seest, is the mother of God, after the manner of the flesh.
And it came to pass that I beheld that she was carried away in the spirit; and after that she had been carried away in the spirit for the space of a time, the angel spake unto me, saying, look!
And I looked and beheld the virgin again, bearing a child in her arms.
And the angel said unto me, behold the Lamb of God, yea, even the Eternal Father! Knowest thou the meaning of the tree which thy father saw?
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1 Nephi 11:18-19 (2012 Edition)
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(18) And he said unto me: Behold, the virgin whom thou seest is the mother of the Son of God, after the manner of the flesh.
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(19) And it came to pass that I beheld that she was carried away in the Spirit; and after she had been carried away in the Spirit for the space of a time the angel spake unto me, saying: Look!
(20) And I looked and beheld the virgin again, bearing a child in her arms.
(21) And the angel said unto me: Behold the Lamb of God, yea, even the Son of the Eternal Father! Knowest thou the meaning of the tree which thy father saw?
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1 Nephi 11:32-33 (1830 Edition)
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And it came to pass that the angel spake unto me again, saying, look! And I looked and beheld the Lamb of God, that he was taken by the people; yea, the Everlasting God, was judged of the world; and I saw and bear record.
And I, Nephi, saw that he was lifted up upon the cross, and slain for the sins of the world.
1 Nephi 11:32-33 (2012 Edition)
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(32) And it came to pass that the angel spake unto me again, saying: Look! And I looked and beheld the Lamb of God, that he was taken by the people; yea, the Son of the everlasting God was judged of the world; and I saw and bear record.
(33) And I, Nephi, saw that he was lifted up upon the cross and slain for the sins of the world.​​
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2 Nephi 11:7
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(7) For if there be no Christ there be no God; and if there be no God we are not, for there could have been no creation. But there is a God, and he is Christ, and he cometh in the fulness of his own time.
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2 Nephi 31:21
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(21) And now, behold, my beloved brethren, this is the way; and there is none other way nor name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God. And now, behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, and the only and true doctrine of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, which is one God, without end. Amen.
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Mosiah 15:1-9
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(1) And now Abinadi said unto them: I would that ye should understand that God himself shall come down among the children of men, and shall redeem his people.
(2) And because he dwelleth in flesh he shall be called the Son of God, and having subjected the flesh to the will of the Father, being the Father and the Son -
(3) The Father, because he was conceived by the power of God; and the Son, because of the flesh; thus becoming the Father and Son -
(4) And they are one God, yea, the very Eternal Father of heaven and of earth.
(5) And thus the flesh becoming subject to the Spirit, or the Son to the Father, being one God, suffereth temptation, and yieldeth not to the temptation, but suffereth himself to be mocked, and scourged, and cast out, and disowned by his people.
(6) And after all this, after working many mighty miracles among the children of men, he shall be led, yea, even as Isaiah said, as a sheep before the shearer is dumb, so he opened not his mouth.
(7) Yea, even so he shall be led, crucified, and slain, the flesh becoming subject even unto death, the will of the Son being swallowed up in the will of the Father.
(8) And thus God breaketh the bands of death, having gained the victory over death; giving the Son power to make intercession for the children of men -
(9) Having ascended into heaven, having the bowels of mercy; being filled with compassion towards the children of men; standing betwixt them and justice; having broken the bands of death, taken upon himself their iniquity and their transgressions, having redeemed them, and satisfied the demands of justice.
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Alma 11:26-46
(26) And Zeezrom said unto him: Thou sayest there is a true and living God?
(27) And Amulek said: Yea, there is a true and living God.
(28) Now Zeezrom said: Is there more than one God?
(29) And he answered, No.
(30) Now Zeezrom said unto him again: How knowest thou these things?
(31) And he said: An angel hath made them known unto me.
(32) And Zeezrom said again: Who is he that shall come? Is it the Son of God?
(33) And he said unto him, Yea.
(34) And Zeezrom said again: Shall he save his people in their sins? And Amulek answered and said unto him: I say unto you he shall not, for it is impossible for him to deny his word.
(35) Now Zeezrom said unto the people: See that ye remember these things; for he said there is but one God; yet he saith that the Son of God shall come, but he shall not save his people - as though he had authority to command God.
(36) Now Amulek saith again unto him: Behold thou hast lied, for thou sayest that I spake as though I had authority to command God because I said he shall not save his people in their sins.
(37) And I say unto you again that he cannot save them in their sins; for I cannot deny his word, and he hath said that no unclean thing can inherit the kingdom of heaven; therefore, how can ye be saved, except ye inherit the kingdom of heaven? Therefore, ye cannot be saved in your sins.
(38) Now Zeezrom saith again unto him: Is the Son of God the very Eternal Father?
(39) And Amulek said unto him: Yea, he is the very Eternal Father of heaven and of earth, and all things which in them are; he is the beginning and the end, the first and the last;
(40) And he shall come into the world to redeem his people; and he shall take upon him the transgressions of those who believe on his name; and these are they that shall have eternal life, and salvation cometh to none else.
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(41) Therefore the wicked remain as though there had been no redemption made, except it be the loosing of the bands of death; for behold, the day cometh that all shall rise from the dead and stand before God, and be judged according to their works.
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(42) Now, there is a death which is called a temporal death; and the death of Christ shall loose the bands of this temporal death, that all shall be raised from this temporal death.
(43) The spirit and the body shall be reunited again in its perfect form; both limb and joint shall be restored to its proper frame, even as we now are at this time; and we shall be brought to stand before God, knowing even as we know now, and have a bright recollection of all our guilt.
(44) Now, this restoration shall come to all, both old and young, both bond and free, both male and female, both the wicked and the righteous; and even there shall not so much as a hair of their heads be lost; but every thing shall be restored to its perfect frame, as it is now, or in the body, and shall be brought and be arraigned before the bar of Christ the Son, and God the Father, and the Holy Spirit, which is one Eternal God, to be judged according to their works, whether they be good or whether they be evil.
(45) Now, behold, I have spoken unto you concerning the death of the mortal body, and also concerning the resurrection of the mortal body. I say unto you that this mortal body is raised to an immortal body, that is from death, even from the first death unto life, that they can die no more; their spirits uniting with their bodies, never to be divided; thus the whole becoming spiritual and immortal, that they can no more see corruption.
(46) Now, when Amulek had finished these words the people began again to be astonished, and also Zeezrom began to tremble. And thus ended the words of Amulek, or this is all that I have written.
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Mormon 7:7
(7) And he hath brought to pass the redemption of the world, whereby he that is found guiltless before him at the judgment day hath it given unto him to dwell in the presence of God in his kingdom, to sing ceaseless praises with the choirs above, unto the Father, and unto the Son, and unto the Holy Ghost, which are one God, in a state of happiness which hath no end.
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Either 3:6-16
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(6) And it came to pass that when the brother of Jared had said these words, behold, the Lord stretched forth his hand and touched the stones one by one with his finger. And the veil was taken from off the eyes of the brother of Jared, and he saw the finger of the Lord; and it was as the finger of a man, like unto flesh and blood; and the brother of Jared fell down before the Lord, for he was struck with fear.
(7) And the Lord saw that the brother of Jared had fallen to the earth; and the Lord said unto him: Arise, why hast thou fallen?
(8) And he saith unto the Lord: I saw the finger of the Lord, and I feared lest he should smite me; for I knew not that the Lord had flesh and blood.
(9) And the Lord said unto him: Because of thy faith thou hast seen that I shall take upon me flesh and blood; and never has man come before me with such exceeding faith as thou hast; for were it not so ye could not have seen my finger. Sawest thou more than this?
(10) And he answered: Nay; Lord, show thyself unto me.
(11) And the Lord said unto him: Believest thou the words which I shall speak?
(12) And he answered: Yea, Lord, I know that thou speakest the truth, for thou art a God of truth, and canst not lie.
(13) And when he had said these words, behold, the Lord showed himself unto him, and said: Because thou knowest these things ye are redeemed from the fall; therefore ye are brought back into my presence; therefore I show myself unto you.
(14) Behold, I am he who was prepared from the foundation of the world to redeem my people. Behold, I am Jesus Christ. I am the Father and the Son. In me shall all mankind have life, and that eternally, even they who shall believe on my name; and they shall become my sons and my daughters.
(15) And never have I showed myself unto man whom I have created, for never has man believed in me as thou hast. Seest thou that ye are created after mine own image? Yea, even all men were created in the beginning after mine own image.
(16) Behold, this body, which ye now behold, is the body of my spirit; and man have I created after the body of my spirit; and even as I appear unto thee to be in the spirit will I appear unto my people in the flesh.
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Testimony of Three Witnesses
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Be it known unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, unto whom this work shall come: That we, through the grace of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, have seen the plates which contain this record, which is a record of the people of Nephi, and also of the Lamanites, their brethren, and also of the people of Jared, who came from the tower of which hath been spoken. And we also know that they have been translated by the gift and power of God, for his voice hath declared it unto us; wherefore we know of a surety that the work is true. And we also testify that we have seen the engravings which are upon the plates; and they have been shown unto us by the power of God, and not of man. And we declare with words of soberness, that an angel of God came down from heaven, and he brought and laid before our eyes, that we beheld and saw the plates, and the engravings thereon; and we know that it is by the grace of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, that we beheld and bear record that these things are true. And it is marvellous in our eyes. Nevertheless, the voice of the Lord commanded us that we should bear record of it; wherefore, to be obedient unto the commandments of God, we bear testimony of these things. And we know that if we are faithful in Christ, we shall rid our garments of the blood of all men, and be found spotless before the judgment-seat of Christ, and shall dwell with him eternally in the heavens. And the honour be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, which is one God. Amen.
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Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer & Martin Harris
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