How many changes were made to the Book of Mormon from the original version to the present version?

Answer 1

The answer depends on which version you consider original - the original handwritten manuscript or the printer's version.

The original manuscript had a number of misspellings, punctuation errors, and grammar mistakes that were edited by the first printer (Joseph Smith had very little formal education at the time it was published). A few possible typo's were inserted at the same time as well as some transcription errors. The current version was a best attempt to produce the most accurate version possible with the grammar errors of the manuscript corrected but also fixing transcription errors based on recovery of some of the original handwritten manuscript that had been thought lost. Nearly all of the myriad corrections were so inconsequential that they are difficult to find. Apparently all the changes of consequence brought the current version closer to the original handwritten manuscript.

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To ask of faith requires faith. it does not matter if you agree or disagree. it only matters that you are looking in earnest. which of the two responses below. has more thought and which has the rhetoric. If you wish to know what the Book of Mormon, or bible say read them. If you wish to know the truth of it. should you take the words written here? or that of a loving father. Now please reference the 4000 revisions, and no I will not take the Tanners word for it. So is there a cure for cancer? there most certainly is. We do not yet have a grasp on it, but, I have faith that we someday will.

The answer below was obviously contributed by a believing member of the LDS church. I will answer the question using facts and without all the ridiculous attempts to try and defend the truthfulness of the book.

There have been almost 4,000 revisions and changes to the Book of Mormon since its original publishing.

Now that I have actually answered the question, I address this to the person who "answered" this question before me:

I disagree that "One must read the book, then ask in faith, not wavering if it be true." This is not how you determine the truthfulness of something. If we all sat around asking in faith if things were true, we'd still be in the dark ages waiting for signs and miracles to determine the truth in the world around us.

If you really want to ask something in faith, not wavering, and get an answer: how about you ask for a cure for cancer. See if that works and get back to me.

ORIGINAL ANSWER: I do not know the exact number of changes to the original text of The Book of Mormon, though some have suggested that well over 3000 changes were made up until the last printing in about 1979. Then a compilation of The Bible, Book of Mormon, Pearl of Great Price and the Doctrine and Covenants was published.

As every author will know that there will be certain changes that will have to be made to every book which is published. I doubt if such a book ever existed that has passed through the printing press that has not had to be reprinted because of some errors.

The Book of Mormon is no exception when one must remember that there were many scribes who took part in writing what came from Joseph Smiths lips. Spelling, punctuation, misunderstanding a word or sentence. Then there is the original publisher of The Book of Mormon, a man not to friendly towards the Mormons.

What changes were made where done under the direction of the Spirit, thus making The Book of Mormon the most correct book of its kind.

The question one now has to ask oneself is "Is the book true"? If it is not then it does not matter how many corrections were made, so one may cast it aside as fiction. If it be true, then one has the way to salvation through its teachings.

One must read the book, then ask in faith, not wavering if it be true. The only conclusion one may come to if finding that the book is true, is that the church is also true.

Answer 2

There is only one version, unless you are asking how many languages it is in, in which case, the Book Of Mormon is translated into 87 different languages, one of which is now extinct.

Another answer

Regarding the languages the Book of Mormon, it has been fully translated into 87 languages, including English and Spanish Braille and American Sign Language. A Deseret Alphabet version and Hebrew version are currently out of print. Selections of the Book of Mormon have been published in an additional 25 languages.

The different versions or editions of the Book of Mormon currently published are:

The Book of Mormon - Another Testament of Jesus Christ (published by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)

The Revised Authorized Edition (published by the Community of Christ)

The Record of the Nephites - Restored Palmyra Edition (published by The Church of Christ with the Elijah Message)

The Independence Edition (published by the Church of Christ- Temple Lot)

Restored Covenant Edition (published by the Zarahemla Research Foundation)

The Book of Mormon Earliest Text (published by Yale University Press)

The Book of Mormon Readers Edition (published by University of Illinois Press)

a Plain English Version is available online a plainbookofmormon.com, but not published

Answer 3

The most major changes in the Book of Mormon have been organizing the text into chapters and verses, adding chapter headings/summaries, and footnotes. Also, what is included in the front pages (introduction, history, testimonies, paintings, etc) has changed several times.

The actual scriptural text of the Book of Mormon is fundamentally the same, although some spelling and grammar mistakes have been fixed over the years. There have been no major changes that would change the meaning or interpretation of the text. You are welcome to compare the original 1830 version of the Book of Mormon with the current version to verify this. Links to both versions are found at the "Related Links" below.

Here are some examples of changes in the Book of Mormon (differences in bold):

1830:

"How that after they were destroyed, yea, even that great city Jerusalem; and that many were carried away captive into Babylon; that according to the own due time of the Lord, they should return again; yea, even be brought back out of captivity; and after they are brought back out of captivity, to possess again the land of their inheritance."

Current:

"That after they should be destroyed, even that great city a Jerusalem, and many be carried away captive into Babylon, according to the own due time of the Lord, they should return again, yea, even be brought back out of captivity; and after they should be brought back out of captivity they shouldpossess again the land of their inheritance."

1830:

"…he also spake, that he should baptise with water; yea, even that he should baptise the Messiah with water. And after that he had baptised the Messiah with water, he should behold and bear record, that he had baptised the Lamb of God, which should take away the sins of the world."

Current:

"…he also said he should baptize with water; even that he should baptize the Messiah with water. And after he had baptized the Messiah with water, he should behold and bear record that he had baptized the Lamb of God, who should take away the sins of the world."

Answer 4

The original printed Book of Mormon contained the erroneous plurals 'cherubims' and 'seraphims' (for example Alma 12:21, 42:2,3). These were so numerous that they could not have been the result of scribal miscopying of the original English translations. It was soon pointed out that not only was the Book of Mormon written in an 'olde Englishe' style reminiscent the KJV Bible, but that it shared these errors with the KJV Bible (for example Genesis 3:24; Exodus 25:18, 19, 20, 22; Isaiah 6:2, 6; Hebrews 9:5), implying that the Book of Mormon was written by someone with a knowledge of the King James Version.

Qite a few corrections were made in later editions, to replace 'cherubims' and 'seraphims' by the proper Hebrew plurals 'cherubim' and 'seraphim'.

Answer 5

The Book of Mormon was written in an 'olde Englishe' style reminiscent of the KJV Bible and shared some errors ('cherubims' and 'seraphims') found in the KJV Bible (for example Genesis 3:24; Exodus 25:18, 19, 20, 22; Isaiah 6:2, 6; Hebrews 9:5), implying that the Book of Mormon was written by someone with a knowledge of the King James Version. The errors were corrected in later editions of the Book of Mormon and some of the language was updated to more modern forms at the same time. These changes were made in the course of around five editions after first publication.