Book of Mormon - wikipedia Book of Mormon For other uses, see Book of Mormon ( disambiguation ). Part of a series on the Book of Mormon Origin Angel Moroni Golden plates Joseph Smith Oliver Cowdery Sidney Rigdon Book of Mormon witnesses Reformed Egyptian Prophets and people Jacob Abinadi Ammon Alma the Elder Alma the Younger King Benjamin Brother of Jared Samuel the Lamanite Captain Moroni Enos Ether Helaman Lehi Limhi Nephi Mormon Moroni Historical authenticity and criticism Anachronisms Archaeology Genetics Linguistics Limited geography model Origin Proposed geographical setting Heartland Model LDS Church films and LDS cinema The Life of Nephi How Rare a Possession The Testaments of One Fold and One Shepherd The Book of Mormon Movie Passage to Zarahemla Outline of the Book of Mormon Book of Mormon portal Book : Book of Mormon The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement, which adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2200 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith as The Book of Mormon : An Account Written by the Hand of Mormon upon Plates Taken from the Plates of Nephi. According to Smith 's account and the book 's narrative, the Book of Mormon was originally written in otherwise unknown characters referred to as `` reformed Egyptian '' engraved on golden plates. Smith said that the last prophet to contribute to the book, a man named Moroni, buried it in the Hill Cumorah in present - day Manchester, New York, then returned to Earth in 1827 as an angel, revealing the location of the plates to Smith, and instructing him to translate it into English for use in the restoration of Christ 's true church in the latter days. Critics claim that it was fabricated by Smith, drawing on material and ideas from contemporary 19th - century works rather than translating an ancient record. 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 and spiritual death, and the organization of the latter - day church. The pivotal event of the book is an appearance of Jesus Christ in the Americas shortly after his resurrection. The Book of Mormon is the earliest of the unique writings of the Latter - day Saint movement, the denominations of which typically regard the text primarily as scripture, and secondarily as a historical record of God 's dealings with the ancient inhabitants of the Americas. The Book of Mormon is divided into smaller books, titled after the individuals named as primary authors and, in most versions, divided into chapters and verses. It is written in English very similar to the Early Modern English linguistic style of the King James Version of the Bible, and has since been fully or partially translated into 108 languages. As of 2011, more than 150 million copies of the Book of Mormon had been published. Contents 1 Origin 2 Content 2.1 Title 2.2 Organization 2.3 Chronology 2.4 Doctrinal and philosophical teachings 2.4. 1 Jesus 2.4. 2 Teachings about political theology 3 Religious significance 3.1 Joseph Smith 3.2 The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter - day Saints 3.3 Community of Christ 3.4 Greater Latter Day Saint movement 4 Historical authenticity 5 Manuscripts 5.1 Ownership history : Book of Mormon printer 's manuscript 6 Editions 6.1 Chapter and verse notation systems 6.2 Current 6.3 Historic 6.4 Non-print editions 6.5 Textual criticism 6.6 Non-English translations 7 Representations in media 8 Distribution 9 Literary criticism 10 See also 11 Notes 12 References 13 Further reading 14 External links Origin A page from the original manuscript of the Book of Mormon, covering 1 Nephi 4 : 38 - 5 : 14 Main articles : Origin of the Book of Mormon, Golden plates, and Criticism of the Book of Mormon According to Joseph Smith, he was seventeen years of age when an angel of God named Moroni appeared to him and said that a collection of ancient writings was buried in a nearby hill in present - day Wayne County, New York, engraved on golden plates by ancient prophets. The writings were said to describe a people whom God had led from Jerusalem to the Western hemisphere 600 years before Jesus ' birth. According to the narrative, Moroni was the last prophet among these people and had buried the record, which God had promised to bring forth in the latter days. Smith stated that this vision occurred on the evening of September 21, 1823 and that on the following day, via divine guidance, he located the burial location of the plates on this hill ; was instructed by Moroni to meet him at the same hill on September 22 of the following year to receive further instructions ; and that, in four years from this date, the time would arrive for `` bringing them forth '', i.e., translating them. Smith 's description of these events recounts that he was allowed to take the plates on September 22, 1827, exactly four years from that date, and was directed to translate them into English. Accounts vary of the way in which Smith dictated the Book of Mormon. Smith himself implied that he read the plates directly using spectacles prepared for the purpose of translating. Other accounts variously state that he used one or more seer stones placed in a top hat. Both the special spectacles and the seer stone were at times referred to as the `` Urim and Thummim ''. During the translating process itself, Smith sometimes separated himself from his scribe with a blanket between them. Additionally, the plates were not always present during the translating process, and when present, they were always covered up. Smith 's first published description of the plates said that the plates `` had the appearance of gold ''. They were described by Martin Harris, one of Smith 's early scribes, as `` fastened together in the shape of a book by wires. '' Smith called the engraved writing on the plates `` reformed Egyptian ''. A portion of the text on the plates was also `` sealed '' according to his account, so its content was not included in the Book of Mormon. In addition to Smith 's account regarding the plates, eleven others stated that they saw the golden plates and, in some cases, handled them. Their written testimonies are known as the Testimony of Three Witnesses and the Testimony of Eight Witnesses. These statements have been published in most editions of the Book of Mormon. A depiction of Joseph Smith dictating the Book of Mormon by peering at a seer stone in a hat. Smith enlisted his neighbor Martin Harris as a scribe during his initial work on the text. ( Harris later mortgaged his farm to underwrite the printing of the Book of Mormon. ) In 1828, Harris, prompted by his wife Lucy Harris, repeatedly requested that Smith lend him the current pages that had been translated. Smith reluctantly acceded to Harris 's requests. Lucy Harris is thought to have stolen the first 116 pages. After the loss, Smith recorded that he had lost the ability to translate, and that Moroni had taken back the plates to be returned only after Smith repented. Smith later stated that God allowed him to resume translation, but directed that he begin translating another part of the plates ( in what is now called the Book of Mosiah ). In 1829, work resumed on the Book of Mormon, with the assistance of Oliver Cowdery, and was completed in a short period ( April -- June 1829 ). Smith said that he then returned the plates to Moroni upon the publication of the book. The Book of Mormon went on sale at the bookstore of E.B. Grandin in Palmyra, New York on March 26, 1830. Today, the building in which the Book of Mormon was first published and sold is known as the Book of Mormon Historic Publication Site. Since its first publication and distribution, critics of the Book of Mormon have claimed that it was fabricated by Smith and that he drew material and ideas from various sources rather than translating an ancient record. Works that have been suggested as sources include the King James Bible, The Wonders of Nature, View of the Hebrews, and an unpublished manuscript written by Solomon Spalding. FairMormon maintains that all of these theories have been disproved and discredited, arguing that both Mormon and non-Mormon historians have found serious flaws in their research. The position of most adherents of the Latter Day Saint movement and the official position of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter - day Saints ( LDS Church ) is that the book is an accurate historical record. Content Books of the Book of Mormon Small Plates of Nephi First Nephi Second Nephi Book of Jacob Book of Enos Book of Jarom Book of Omni Contribution of Mormon Words of Mormon Mormon 's abridgment of the Large Plates of Nephi Book of Mosiah Book of Alma Book of Helaman Third Nephi Fourth Nephi Book of Mormon Additions by Moroni Parts of the Book of Mormon Book of Ether Book of Moroni Book of Mormon Portal Latter Day Saints Portal LDS Church Portal Book : Books of the Book of Mormon Cover page of The Book of Mormon from an original 1830 edition, by Joseph Smith ( Image from the U.S. Library of Congress Rare Book and Special Collections Division. ) Title Smith stated that the title page, and presumably the actual title of the 1830 edition, came from the translation of `` the very last leaf '' of the golden plates, and was written by the prophet - historian Moroni. The title page states that the purpose of the Book of Mormon is `` to unto the remnant of the house of Israel what great things the Lord hath done for their fathers ;... and also to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the eternal God, manifesting himself unto all nations. '' Organization The Book of Mormon is organized as a compilation of smaller books, each named after its main named narrator or a prominent leader, beginning with the First Book of Nephi ( 1 Nephi ) and ending with the Book of Moroni. The book 's sequence is primarily chronological based on the narrative content of the book. Exceptions include the Words of Mormon and the Book of Ether. The Words of Mormon contains editorial commentary by Mormon. The Book of Ether is presented as the narrative of an earlier group of people who had come to America before the immigration described in 1 Nephi. First Nephi through Omni are written in first - person narrative, as are Mormon and Moroni. The remainder of the Book of Mormon is written in third - person historical narrative, said to be compiled and abridged by Mormon ( with Moroni abridging the Book of Ether ). Most modern editions of the book have been divided into chapters and verses. Most editions of the book also contain supplementary material, including the `` Testimony of Three Witnesses '' and the `` Testimony of Eight Witnesses ''. Chronology Main article : Book of Mormon chronology The books from First Nephi to Omni are described as being from `` the small plates of Nephi ''. This account begins in ancient Jerusalem around 600 BC. It tells the story of a man named Lehi, his family, and several others as they are led by God from Jerusalem shortly before the fall of that city to the Babylonians in 586 BC. The book describes their journey across the Arabian peninsula, and then to the promised land, the Americas, by ship. These books recount the group 's dealings from approximately 600 BC to about 130 BC, during which time the community grew and split into two main groups, which are called the Nephites and the Lamanites, that frequently warred with each other. Following this section is the Words of Mormon. This small book, said to be written in AD 385 by Mormon, is a short introduction to the books of Mosiah, Alma, Helaman, Third Nephi, and Fourth Nephi. These books are described as being abridged from a large quantity of existing records called `` the large plates of Nephi '' that detailed the people 's history from the time of Omni to Mormon 's own life. The Book of Third Nephi is of particular importance within the Book of Mormon because it contains an account of a visit by Jesus from heaven to the Americas sometime after his resurrection and ascension. The text says that during this American visit, he repeated much of the same doctrine and instruction given in the Gospels of the Bible and he established an enlightened, peaceful society which endured for several generations, but which eventually broke into warring factions again. The portion of the greater Book of Mormon called the Book of Mormon is an account of the events during Mormon 's life. Mormon is said to have received the charge of taking care of the records that had been hidden, once he was old enough. The book includes an account of the wars, Mormon 's leading of portions of the Nephite army, and his retrieving and caring for the records. Mormon is eventually killed after having handed down the records to his son Moroni. According to the text, Moroni then made an abridgment ( called the Book of Ether ) of a record from a previous people called the Jaredites. The account describes a group of families led from the Tower of Babel to the Americas, headed by a man named Jared and his brother. The Jaredite civilization is presented as existing on the American continent beginning about 2500 BC, -- long before Lehi 's family arrived shortly after 600 BC -- and as being much larger and more developed. The Book of Moroni then details the final destruction of the Nephites and the idolatrous state of the remaining society. It also includes significant doctrinal teachings and closes with Moroni 's testimony and an invitation to pray to God for a confirmation of the truthfulness of the account. Doctrinal and philosophical teachings A depiction of Joseph Smith 's description of receiving the golden plates from the angel Moroni at the Hill Cumorah The Book of Mormon contains doctrinal and philosophical teachings on a wide range of topics, from basic themes of Christianity and Judaism to political and ideological teachings. Jesus is mentioned every 1.7 verses and is referred to by one hundred different names. Jesus Stated on the title page, the Book of Mormon 's central purpose is for the `` convincing of the Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God, manifesting himself unto all nations. '' The book describes Jesus, prior to his birth, as a spirit `` without flesh and blood '', although with a spirit `` body '' that looked similar to how Jesus would appear during his physical life. Jesus is described as `` the Father and the Son ''. He is said to be : `` God himself ( who ) shall come down among the children of men, and shall redeem his people... ( b ) eing the Father and the Son -- the Father, because he was conceived by the power of God ; and the Son, because of the flesh ; thus becoming the Father and Son -- and they are one God, yea, the very Eternal Father of heaven and of earth. '' Other parts of the book portray the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost as `` one. '' As a result, beliefs among the churches of the Latter Day Saint movement encompass nontrinitarianism ( in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter - day Saints ) to trinitarianism ( particularly among the Community of Christ ). See Godhead ( Latter Day Saints ). In furtherance of its theme of reconciling Jews and Gentiles to Jesus, the book describes a variety of visions or visitations to some early inhabitants in the Americas involving Jesus. Most notable among these is a described visit of Jesus to a group of early inhabitants shortly after his resurrection. Many of the book 's contributors described other visions of Jesus, including one by the Brother of Jared who, according to the book, lived before Jesus, and saw the `` body '' of Jesus ' spirit thousands of years prior to his birth. According to the book, a narrator named Nephi described a vision of the birth, ministry, and death of Jesus, including a prophecy of Jesus ' name, said to have taken place nearly 600 years prior to Jesus ' birth. In the narrative, at the time of King Benjamin ( about 130 BC ), the Nephite believers were called `` the children of Christ ''. At another place, the faithful members of the church at the time of Captain Moroni ( 73 BC ) were called `` Christians '' by their enemies, because of their belief in Jesus Christ. The book also states that for nearly 200 years after Jesus ' appearance at the temple in the Americas the land was filled with peace and prosperity because of the people 's obedience to his commandments. Later, the prophet Mormon worked to convince the faithless people of his time ( AD 360 ) of Christ. Many other prophets in the book write of the reality of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. In the Bible, Jesus spoke to the Jews in Jerusalem of `` other sheep '' who would hear his voice. The Book of Mormon claims this meant that the Nephites and other remnants of the lost tribes of Israel throughout the world were to be visited by Jesus after his resurrection. Teachings about political theology The book delves into political theology within a Christian or Jewish context. Among these themes are American exceptionalism. According to the book, the Americas are portrayed as a `` land of promise '', the world 's most exceptional land of the time. The book states that any righteous society possessing the land would be protected, whereas if they became wicked they would be destroyed and replaced with a more righteous civilization. On the issue of war and violence, the book teaches that war is justified for people to `` defend themselves against their enemies ''. However, they were never to `` give an offense, '' or to `` raise their sword... except it were to preserve their lives. '' The book praises the faith of a group of former warriors who took an oath of complete pacifism, refusing to take arms even to defend themselves and their people. However, 2,000 of their descendants, who had not taken the oath of their parents not to take up arms against their enemies, chose to go to battle against the Lamanites, and it states that in their battles the 2,000 men were protected by God through their faith and, though many were injured, none of them died. The book recommends monarchy as an ideal form of government, but only when the monarch is righteous. The book warns of the evil that occurs when the king is wicked, and therefore suggests that it is not generally good to have a king. The book further records the decision of the people to be ruled no longer by kings, choosing instead a form of democracy led by elected judges. When citizens referred to as `` king - men '' attempted to overthrow a democratically elected government and establish an unrighteous king, the book praises a military commander who executed pro-monarchy citizens who had vowed to destroy the church of God and were unwilling to defend their country from hostile invading forces. The book also speaks favorably of a particular instance of what appears to be a peaceful Christ - centered theocracy, which lasted approximately 194 years before contentions began again. The book supports notions of economic justice, achieved through voluntary donation of `` substance, every man according to that which he had, to the poor. '' In one case, all the citizens held their property in common. When individuals within a society began to disdain and ignore the poor, to `` wear costly apparel '', and otherwise engage in wickedness for personal gain, such societies are repeatedly portrayed in the book as being ripe for destruction. Religious significance Joseph Smith Joseph Smith characterized the Book of Mormon as the `` keystone '' of Mormonism, and claimed that it was `` the most correct of any book on earth ''. Smith produced a written revelation in 1832 that condemned the `` whole church '' for treating the Book of Mormon lightly. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter - day Saints The Book of Mormon is one of four sacred texts or standard works of the LDS Church. Church leaders have frequently restated Smith 's claims of the book 's significance to the faith. Church members believe that the Book of Mormon is more correct than the Bible because the Bible was the result of a multiple - generation translation process and the Book of Mormon was not. For most of the history of the LDS Church, the Book of Mormon was not used as much as other books of scripture such as the New Testament and the Doctrine and Covenants. This changed in the 1980s when efforts were made to reemphasize the Book of Mormon. As part of this effort, a new edition was printed with the added subtitle `` Another Testament of Jesus Christ ''. The importance of the Book of Mormon was a focus of Ezra Taft Benson, the church 's thirteenth president. Benson stated that the church was still under condemnation for treating the Book of Mormon lightly. In an August 2005 message, LDS Church president Gordon B. Hinckley challenged each member of the church to re-read the Book of Mormon before the year 's end. The book 's importance is commonly stressed at the twice - yearly general conference, at special devotionals by general authorities, and in the church 's teaching publications. Since the late 1980s, church members have been encouraged to read from the Book of Mormon daily. The LDS Church encourages discovery of the book 's truth by following the suggestion in its final chapter to study, ponder, and pray to God concerning its veracity. This passage is sometimes referred to as `` Moroni 's Promise ''. As of April 2011, the LDS Church has published more than 150 million copies of the Book of Mormon. Community of Christ The Community of Christ, formerly known as the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, views the Book of Mormon as an additional witness of Jesus Christ and publishes two versions of the book through its official publishing arm, Herald House : the Authorized Edition, which is based on the original printer 's manuscript, and the 1837 Second Edition ( or `` Kirtland Edition '' ) of the Book of Mormon. Its content is similar to the Book of Mormon published by the LDS Church, but the versification is different. The Community of Christ also publishes a 1966 `` Revised Authorized Edition '', which attempts to modernize some language. In 2001, Community of Christ President W. Grant McMurray reflected on increasing questions about the Book of Mormon : `` The proper use of The Book of Mormon as sacred scripture has been under wide discussion in the 1970s and beyond, in part because of long - standing questions about its historical authenticity and in part because of perceived theological inadequacies, including matters of race and ethnicity. '' At the 2007 Community of Christ World Conference, President Stephen M. Veazey ruled out - of - order a resolution to `` reaffirm the Book of Mormon as a divinely inspired record. '' He stated that `` while the Church affirms the Book of Mormon as scripture, and makes it available for study and use in various languages, we do not attempt to mandate the degree of belief or use. This position is in keeping with our longstanding tradition that belief in the Book of Mormon is not to be used as a test of fellowship or membership in the church. '' Greater Latter day Saint movement There are a number of other churches that are part of the Latter Day Saint movement. Most of these churches were created as a result of issues ranging from differing doctrinal interpretations and acceptance of the movement 's scriptures, including the Book of Mormon, to disagreements as to who was the divinely chosen successor to Joseph Smith. These groups all have in common the acceptance of the Book of Mormon as scripture. It is this acceptance which distinguishes the churches of the Latter Day Saint movement from other Christian denominations. Separate editions of the Book of Mormon have been published by a number of churches in the Latter Day Saint movement, along with private individuals and foundations not endorsed by any specific denomination. Historical authenticity Main article : Historical authenticity of the Book of Mormon See also : Criticism of the Book of Mormon, Archaeology and the Book of Mormon, Genetics and the Book of Mormon, Linguistics and the Book of Mormon, Origin of the Book of Mormon, and Book of Mormon anachronisms The archaeological, historical and scientific communities are generally skeptical of the claims that the Book of Mormon is an ancient record of actual historical events. This skepticism tends to focus on four main areas : The lack of correlation between locations described in the Book of Mormon and known, intact American archaeological sites. References to animals, plants, metals and technologies in the Book of Mormon that archaeological or scientific studies have found no evidence of in post-Pleistocene, pre-Columbian America, frequently referred to as anachronisms. Items typically listed include cattle, horses, asses, oxen, sheep, swine, goats, elephants, wheat, steel, brass, chains, iron, scimitars, and chariots. The lack of widely accepted linguistic connections between any Native American languages and Near Eastern languages. The lack of DNA evidence linking any Native American group to the ancient Near East. Most adherents of the Latter Day Saint movement consider the Book of Mormon to generally be a historically accurate account. Within the Latter Day Saint movement there are several apologetic groups that disagree with the skeptics and seek to reconcile the discrepancies in diverse ways. Among these apologetic groups, much work has been published by Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies ( FARMS ), and Foundation for Apologetic Information & Research ( FAIR ), defending the Book of Mormon as a literal history, countering arguments critical of its historical authenticity, or reconciling historical and scientific evidence with the text. One of the more common recent arguments is the limited geography model, which states that the people of the Book of Mormon covered only a limited geographical region in either Mesoamerica, South America, or the Great Lakes area. The LDS Church has published material indicating that science will support the historical authenticity of the Book of Mormon. Manuscripts Book of Mormon printer 's manuscript, shown with a 19th - century owner, George Schweich ( grandson of early Latter Day Saint movement figure David Whitmer ) The Book of Mormon was dictated by Joseph Smith to several scribes over a period of 13 months, resulting in three manuscripts. The 116 lost pages contained the first portion of the Book of Lehi ; it was lost after Smith loaned the original, uncopied manuscript to Martin Harris. The first completed manuscript, called the original manuscript, was completed using a variety of scribes. Portions of the original manuscript were also used for typesetting. In October 1841, the entire original manuscript was placed into the cornerstone of the Nauvoo House, and sealed up until nearly forty years later when the cornerstone was reopened. It was then discovered that much of the original manuscript had been destroyed by water seepage and mold. Surviving manuscript pages were handed out to various families and individuals in the 1880s. Only 28 percent of the original manuscript now survives, including a remarkable find of fragments from 58 pages in 1991. The majority of what remains of the original manuscript is now kept in the LDS Church 's Archives. The second completed manuscript, called the printer 's manuscript, was a copy of the original manuscript produced by Oliver Cowdery and two other scribes. It is at this point that initial copyediting of the Book of Mormon was completed. Observations of the original manuscript show little evidence of corrections to the text. Shortly before his death in 1850, Cowdery gave the printer 's manuscript to David Whitmer, another of the Three Witnesses. In 1903, the manuscript was bought from Whitmer 's grandson by the Community of Christ, known at the time as the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter - day Saints. On September 20, 2017, the LDS Church purchased the manuscript from the Community of Christ at a reported price of $35 million. The printer 's manuscript is now the earliest surviving complete copy of the Book of Mormon, being nearly 100 percent extant. The manuscript was imaged in 1923 and was recently made available for viewing online. Critical comparisons between surviving portions of the manuscripts show an average of two to three changes per page from the original manuscript to the printer 's manuscript, with most changes being corrections of scribal errors such as misspellings or the correction, or standardization, of grammar inconsequential to the meaning of the text. The printer 's manuscript was further edited, adding paragraphing and punctuation to the first third of the text. The printer 's manuscript was not used fully in the typesetting of the 1830 version of Book of Mormon ; portions of the original manuscript were also used for typesetting. The original manuscript was used by Smith to further correct errors printed in the 1830 and 1837 versions of the Book of Mormon for the 1840 printing of the book. Ownership history : Book of Mormon printer 's manuscript In the late 19th century the extant portion of the printer 's manuscript remained with the family of David Whitmer, who had been a principal founder of the Latter Day Saints and who, by the 1870s, led the Church of Christ ( Whitmerite ). During the 1870s, according to the Chicago Tribune, the LDS Church unsuccessfully attempted to buy it from Whitmer for a record price. LDS president Joseph F. Smith refuted this assertion in a 1901 letter, believing such a manuscript `` possesses no value whatever. '' In 1895, David Whitmer 's grandson George Schweich inherited the manuscript. By 1903 Schweich had mortgaged the manuscript for $1,800 and, needing to raise at least that sum, sold a collection including 72 - percent of the Book of the original printer 's manuscript ( John Whitmer 's manuscript history, parts of Joseph Smith 's translation of the Bible, manuscript copies of several revelations, and a piece of paper containing copied Book of Mormon characters ) to the RLDS church ( now the Community of Christ ) for $2,450, with $2,300 of this amount for the printer 's manuscript. The LDS Church had not sought to purchase the manuscript. In 2015 this remaining portion was published by the Church Historian 's Press in its Joseph Smith Papers series, in Volume Three of `` Revelations and Translations '' ; and, in 2017, the LDS Church bought the printer 's manuscript for US $ 35,000,000. Editions Chapter and verse notation systems The original 1830 publication did not have verse markers, although the individual books were divided into relatively long chapters. Just as the Bible 's present chapter and verse notation system is a later addition of Bible publishers to books that were originally solid blocks of undivided text, the chapter and verse markers within the books of the Book of Mormon are conventions, not part of the original text. Publishers from different factions of the Latter Day Saint movement have published different chapter and verse notation systems. The two most significant are the LDS system, introduced in 1879, and the RLDS system, which is based on the original 1830 chapter divisions. The RLDS 1908 edition, RLDS 1966 edition, the Church of Christ ( Temple Lot ) edition, and Restored Covenant editions use the RLDS system while most other current editions use the LDS system. Current The Book of Mormon is currently printed by the following publishers : Church publishers Year Titles and notes Link The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter - day Saints 1981 The Book of Mormon : Another Testament of Jesus Christ. New introductions, chapter summaries, and footnotes. 1920 edition errors corrected based on original manuscript and 1840 edition. Updated in a revised edition in 2013. link Community of Christ 1966 `` Revised Authorized Version '', based on 1908 Authorized Version, 1837 edition and original manuscript. Notable for the omission of repetitive `` it came to pass '' phrases. The Church of Jesus Christ ( Bickertonite ) Compiled by a committee of Apostles. It uses the chapter and verse designations from the 1879 LDS version. Richard Drew Photo - enlarged facsimile of the 1840 edition Church of Christ ( Temple Lot ) Based on 1908 RLDS edition, 1830 edition, printer 's manuscript, and corrections by church leaders. link Church of Christ with the Elijah Message 1957 The Record of the Nephites, `` Restored Palmyra Edition ''. 1830 text with 1879 LDS chapters and verses. link Other publishers Year Titles and notes Link Herald Heritage 1970 Facsimile of the 1830 edition. Zarahemla Research Foundation 1999 The Book of Mormon : Restored Covenant Edition. Text from Original and Printer 's Manuscripts, in poetic layout. link Bookcraft 1999 The Book of Mormon for Latter - day Saint Families. Large print with numerous visuals and explanatory notes. University of Illinois Press 2003 The Book of Mormon : A Reader 's Edition. Based on the 1920 LDS edition. link Doubleday 2006 The Book of Mormon : Another Testament of Jesus Christ. Text from the current LDS edition without footnotes. First Doubleday edition was in 2004. Experience Press 2006 Reset type matching the original 1830 edition in word, line and page. Fixed typographical errors. Stratford Books 2006 Facsimile reprint of 1830 edition. Penguin Classics 2008 Paperback with 1840 text. link Yale University Press 2009 The Book of Mormon : The Earliest Text. First edition text with hundreds of corrections from Royal Skousen 's study of the original manuscripts. link Historic The following non-current editions marked major developments in the text or reader 's helps printed in the Book of Mormon. Publisher Year Titles and notes Link E.B. Grandin 1830 `` First edition '' in Palmyra. Based on printer 's manuscript copied from original manuscript. link Pratt and Goodson 1837 `` Second edition '' in Kirtland. Revision of first edition, using the printer 's manuscript with emendations and grammatical corrections. Robinson and Smith 1840 `` Third edition '' in Nauvoo. Revised by Joseph Smith in comparison to the original manuscript. link Young, Kimball and Pratt 1841 `` First European edition ''. 1837 reprint with British spellings. Future LDS Church editions descended from this, not the 1840 edition. Franklin D. Richards 1852 `` Third European edition ''. Edited by Richards. Introduced primitive verses ( numbered paragraphs ). link James O. Wright 1858 Unauthorized reprinting of 1840 edition. Used by the early RLDS Church in 1860s. link Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 1874 First RLDS edition. 1840 text with verses. link Deseret News 1879 Edited by Orson Pratt. Introduced footnotes, new verses, and shorter chapters. link Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 1908 `` Authorized Version ''. New verses and corrections based on printer 's manuscript. link The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter - day Saints 1920 Edited by James E. Talmage. Added introductions, double columns, chapter summaries, new footnotes, pronunciation guide. link Non-print editions The following versions are published online : Online editions Year Description and notes Link LDS Church internet edition 2013 Official Internet edition of the Book of Mormon for the LDS Church. link LDS Church audio edition Official LDS version of the Book of Mormon in mp3 audio format, 32 kbit / s link Textual Criticism In 1989, scholars at Brigham Young University began work on a critical text edition of the Book of Mormon. Volumes 1 and 2, published in 2001, contain transcriptions of all the text variants of the English editions of the Book of Mormon, from the original manuscript to the newest editions. Volume 4, which is being published in parts, is a critical analysis of all the text variants. Volume 3, which is not yet published, will describe the history of all the English - language texts from Joseph Smith to today. Differences between the original and printer 's manuscript, the 1830 printed version, and modern versions of the Book of Mormon have led some critics to claim that evidence has been systematically removed that could have proven that Smith fabricated the Book of Mormon, or are attempts to hide embarrassing aspects of the church 's past with Mormon apologists viewing the changes as superficial, done to clarify the meaning of the text. Non-english Translations Translations of the Book of Mormon See also : List of Book of Mormon translations The LDS version of the Book of Mormon has been translated into 83 languages and selections have been translated into an additional 25 languages. 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 Latter - day Saints and 87 percent of the world 's total population. Translations into languages without a tradition of writing ( e.g., Kaqchikel, Tzotzil ) are available on audio cassette. Translations into American Sign Language are available on videocassette and DVD. Typically, translators are members of the LDS Church who are employed by the church and translate the text from the original English. Each manuscript is reviewed several times before it is approved and published. In 1998, the LDS Church stopped translating selections from the Book of Mormon, and instead announced that each new translation it approves will be a full edition. Representations in media A scene from the Book of Mormon being depicted in the Hill Cumorah Pageant Events of the Book of Mormon are the focus of several LDS Church films, including The Life of Nephi ( 1915 ), How Rare a Possession ( 1987 ) and The Testaments of One Fold and One Shepherd ( 2000 ). Such films in LDS cinema ( i.e., films not officially commissioned by the LDS Church ) include The Book of Mormon Movie, Vol. 1 : The Journey ( 2003 ) and Passage to Zarahemla ( 2007 ). Second Nephi 9 : 20 -- 27 from the Book of Mormon is quoted in a funeral service in Alfred Hitchcock 's film Family Plot. In 2003, a South Park episode titled `` All About Mormons '' parodied the origins of the Book of Mormon. In 2011, a long - running religious satire musical titled The Book of Mormon, by the South Park creators, premiered on Broadway, winning 9 Tony Awards, including best musical. Its London production won the Olivier Award for best musical. Distribution The LDS Church, which distributes free copies of the Book of Mormon, reported in 2011 that 150 million copies of the book have been printed since its initial publication. The initial printing of the Book of Mormon in 1830 produced 5000 copies. The 50 millionth copy was printed in 1990, with the 100 millionth following in 2000 and reaching 150 million in 2011. Literary Criticism This article is missing information about further criticism ( positive or negative ). Please expand the article to include this information. Further details may exist on the talk page. ( July 2018 ) The Book of Mormon has occasionally been analyzed in a non-religious context for its literary merits. The author labored to give his words and phrases the quaint, old - fashioned sound and structure of our King James 's translation of the Scriptures ; and the result is a mongrel -- half modern glibness, and half ancient simplicity and gravity. The latter is awkward and constrained ; the former natural, but grotesque by the contrast. Whenever he found his speech growing too modern -- which was about every sentence or two -- he ladled in a few such Scriptural phrases as `` exceeding sore, '' `` and it came to pass, '' etc., and made things satisfactory again. `` And it came to pass '' was his pet. If he had left that out, his Bible would have been only a pamphlet. -- Mark Twain, Roughing It, Chapter XVI Terryl Givens wrote, `` Searching for literary wonders in the Book of Mormon is a bit like seeking lyrical inspiration in the books of Chronicles or Judges. '' Grant Hardy wrote, `` If the primary purpose of the Book of Mormon were to function as a sign -- as tangible evidence that Joseph Smith was a true prophet of God -- that mission could have been accomplished much more concisely. '' True or not, the Book of Mormon is a powerful epic written on a grand scale with a host of characters, a narrative of human struggle and conflict, of divine intervention, heroic good and atrocious evil, of prophecy, morality, and law. Its narrative structure is complex. The idiom is that of the King James Version, which most Americans assumed to be appropriate for divine revelation... The Book of Mormon should rank among the great achievements of American literature, but it has never been accorded the status it deserves, since Mormons deny Joseph Smith 's authorship, and non-Mormons, dismissing the work as a fraud, have been more likely to riducule than to read it. -- Daniel Walker Howe, What Hath God Wrought : The Transformation of America, 1815 -- 1848, Pg. 314 See also Main article : Outline of the Book of Mormon Book : Book of Mormon Book : Books of the Book of Mormon Book : Book of Mormon : Prophets, People, Places, Words Book : Book of Mormon witnesses Christianity portal LDS Church portal Community of Christ portal Book of Mormon portal Copyright on religious works Mulekites Studies of the Book of Mormon Notes Jump up ^ Hinckley, Gordon B. ( November 4, 1979 ). `` Joseph Smith : ' Praise to the Man ' ''. BYU.edu. Retrieved July 30, 2018. Jump up ^ Church Educational System ( 1996, rev. ed. ). Book of Mormon Student Manual ( Salt Lake City, Utah : The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter - day Saints ), ch. 6. Jump up ^ Smith ( 1830, title page ). Jump up ^ Mormon 9 : 32 Jump up ^ Roberts ( 1902, pp. 11, 18 -- 19 ). ^ Jump up to : Tanner, Jerald and Sandra ( 1987 ). Mormonism - Shadow or Reality ?. Utah Lighthouse Ministry. p. 91. ISBN 99930 - 74 - 43 - 8. ^ Jump up to : Brody, Fawn ( 1971 ). No Man Knows My History : The Life of Joseph Smith ( 2d ed. ). New York : Alfred A. Knopf. ^ Jump up to : Krakauer, Jon ( 2003 ). Under the Banner of Heaven : A Story of Violent Faith. New York : Doubleday. Jump up ^ E.g. 2 Nephi 2 Jump up ^ E.g. 2 Nephi 9 Jump up ^ E.g. Alma 12 ^ Jump up to : `` Introduction ''. Jump up ^ Ash, Michael R. ( 1997 ). `` The King James Bible and the Book of Mormon ''. Mormon Fortress. Archived from the original on 2013 - 01 - 17. Retrieved 2013 - 01 - 01. ^ Jump up to : `` Book of Mormon Reaches 150 Million Copies '', lds.org, 2011 - 04 - 20. ^ Jump up to : `` The Life and Ministry of Joseph Smith '', Teachings of Presidents of the Church : Joseph Smith ( 2007 ), xxii -- 25. Jump up ^ Pearl of Great Price, Joseph Smith -- History 1 : 59 Jump up ^ Rathbone, Tim ; Welch, John W. ( 1992 ), Ludlow, Daniel H, ed., `` Book of Mormon Translation By Joseph Smith '', Encyclopedia of Mormonism, New York : Macmillan Publishing, pp. 210 -- 213, ISBN 0 - 02 - 879602 - 0, OCLC 24502140 ^ Jump up to : `` Book of Mormon Translation '', LDS.org, LDS Church, n.d. ^ Jump up to : Brodie, Fawn M. ( 1995 ). No man knows my history : the life of Joseph Smith, the Mormon prophet ( rev. and enl. 2nd ed. ). New York : Vintage Books. pp. 53, 61. ISBN 0679730540. Jump up ^ Smith, Joseph, Jr. ( March 1, 1842 ). `` Wentworth Letter / Church History ''. Times and Seasons. Nauvoo, Illinois. 3 ( 9 ) : 906 -- 936. CS1 maint : Multiple names : authors list ( link ) Jump up ^ Smith ( 1842, p. 707 ). Jump up ^ `` Testimony of Three Witnesses ''. Jump up ^ `` Testimony of Eight Witnesses ''. ^ Jump up to : Hitchens 2007, pp. 163, Givens 2002, pp. 33, Givens 2002, pp. 33 Jump up ^ Doctrine and Covenants, section 3 and ^ Jump up to : Brodie 1971 Jump up ^ Givens 2002 Jump up ^ Hitchens 2007, pp. 163 -- 164 Jump up ^ Joseph Smith : Rough Stone Rolling ( New York : Alfred A. Knopf, 2005 ), 70. '' Jump up ^ `` Testimony of Joseph Smith '' Hitchens 2007, pp. 164 Jump up ^ Kunz, Ryan ( March 2010 ). `` 180 Years Later, Book of Mormon Nears 150 Million Copies ''. Ensign. LDS Church : 74 -- 76. Retrieved 2011 - 03 - 24. Jump up ^ Abanes, Richard ( 2003 ). One Nation Under Gods : A History of the Mormon Church. Thunder 's Mouth Press. p. 72. ISBN 1 - 56858 - 283 - 8. Jump up ^ Tanner, Jerald and Sandra ( 1987 ). Mormonism - Shadow or Reality ?. Utah Lighthouse Ministry. pp. 73 -- 80. ISBN 99930 - 74 - 43 - 8. Jump up ^ Abanes, Richard ( 2003 ). One Nation Under Gods : A History of the Mormon Church. Thunder 's Mouth Press. p. 68. ISBN 1 - 56858 - 283 - 8. Jump up ^ Tanner, Jerald and Sandra ( 1987 ). Mormonism - Shadow or Reality ?. Utah Lighthouse Ministry. pp. 84 -- 85. ISBN 99930 - 74 - 43 - 8. Jump up ^ Roberts, Brigham H. ( 1992 ). Brigham D. Madsen, ed. Studies of the Book of Mormon. Salt Lake City, UT : Signature Books. ISBN 1 - 56085 - 027 - 2. Jump up ^ Howe, Eber D ( 1834 ). `` Mormonism Unvailed ''. Painesville, Ohio : Telegraph Press. Jump up ^ Spaulding, Solomon ( 1996 ). Reeve, Rex C, ed. Manuscript Found : The Complete Original `` Spaulding '' Manuscript. Provo, Utah : Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University. Jump up ^ Roper, Matthew ( 2005 ). `` The Mythical `` Manuscript Found '' ``. FARMS Review. Provo, Utah : Maxwell Institute. 17 ( 2 ) : 7 -- 140. Archived from the original on 2007 - 02 - 18. Retrieved 2007 - 01 - 31. Jump up ^ `` Book of Mormon / Plagiarism accusations - FairMormon ''. en.fairmormon.org. Retrieved 2016 - 01 - 13. Jump up ^ `` Criticism of Mormonism / Books / One Nation Under Gods - FairMormon ''. en.fairmormon.org. Retrieved 2016 - 01 - 13. Jump up ^ `` Review of Mormonism : Shadow or Reality ? ''. Review of Books on the Book of Mormon 4 / 1 ( 1992 ) > Mormonism : Shadow or Reality ?. Retrieved 2016 - 01 - 13. Jump up ^ `` Criticism of Mormonism / Books / No Man Knows My History : The Life of Joseph Smith - FairMormon ''. en.fairmormon.org. Retrieved 2016 - 01 - 13. Jump up ^ `` Criticism of Mormonism / Books / Under the Banner of Heaven / Index - FairMormon ''. en.fairmormon.org. Retrieved 2016 - 01 - 13. Jump up ^ `` The Historical Case against Sidney Rigdon 's Authorship of the Book of Mormon ''. Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship. Retrieved 2016 - 01 - 13. ^ Jump up to : `` The limited success so far in swaying popular LDS opinion is a constant source of frustration for Mormon apologists... It appears that Mormons are generally content to picture the Book of Mormon story in a setting that is factually wrong. For most Mormons, the limited geography models create more problems than they solve. They run counter to the dominant literal interpretation of the text and contradict popular folklore as well as the clear pronouncements of all church presidents since the time of Joseph Smith '', Simon G. Southerton ( 2004, Signature Books ), Losing a Lost Tribe, pp. 164 - 165. `` Some of the ( Community of Christ ) 's senior leadership consider the Book of Mormon to be inspired historical fiction. For leaders of the Utah church, this is still out of the question. ( The leadership ), and most Mormons, believe that the historical authenticity of the Book of Mormon is what shores up Joseph Smith 's prophetic calling and the divine authenticity of the Utah church '', Southerton ( 2004 ), pg. 201. Quotations from temple dedicatory sermons and prayers in Central and South America by President Gordon B. Hinckley in 1999 - 2000 continually refer to Native LDS members in attendance as `` children of Lehi '' ( Southerton ( 2004 ), pp. 38 - 39 ). `` Latter - Day Saints believe their scripture to be history, written by ancient prophets '', Grant Hardy ( 2009, Yale University Press ), `` Introduction, '' The Book of Mormon : The Earliest Text, ed. Royal Skousen, pg. x. Jump up ^ Joseph Smith stated that the `` title page is not by any means a modern composition either of mine or of any other man 's who has lived or does live in this generation. '' Jump up ^ Smith, Joseph ( October 1842 ). `` Truth Will Prevail ''. Times and Seasons. III ( 24 ) : 943. Retrieved 2009 - 01 - 30. Jump up ^ Book of Mormon Title Page. Jump up ^ Book of Mormon, Words of Mormon 1 : 3 Jump up ^ 1 Nephi 18 : 23 ^ Jump up to : `` A Brief Explanation about the Book of Mormon ''. Jump up ^ Ether 1 : 3 Jump up ^ Joseph L. Allen, Sacred Sites : Searching for Book of Mormon Lands ( 2003 ) p. 8. Jump up ^ `` Book of Moroni ''. Jump up ^ Moroni 10 : 4 Jump up ^ Gary J. Coleman, `` The Book of Mormon : A Guide for the Old Testament '', Ensign, January 2002. Jump up ^ Susan Ward Easton, `` Names of Christ in the Book of Mormon '', Ensign, July 1978. Jump up ^ Smith ( 1830, Title Page ) ^ Jump up to : Ether 3 : 16. Jump up ^ Ether 3 : 14. Jump up ^ Mosiah 15 : 1 -- 14 Jump up ^ 3 Nephi 19 : 22 -- 23 Jump up ^ See 3 Nephi 11 to 3 Nephi 26 Jump up ^ 1 Nephi 11 Jump up ^ Mosiah 3 : 8 Jump up ^ See 1 Nephi 10 : 4, 1 Nephi 19 : 8 ; See also 3 Nephi 1 Jump up ^ Mosiah 5 : 7 Jump up ^ Alma 46 : 13 -- 15 Jump up ^ 4 Nephi 22 - 23 Jump up ^ 4 Nephi 1 Jump up ^ See John 10 : 16 in the King James Version of the Bible Jump up ^ 3 Nephi 15 : 13 -- 24, 3 Nephi 16 : 1 -- 4, 2 Nephi 29 : 7 -- 14 Jump up ^ 1 Nephi 2 : 20 ; 1 Nephi 13 : 30 ; 2 Nephi 1 : 5 ; 2 Nephi 10 : 19 ; Jacob 5 : 43 ; Ether 1 : 38 -- 42 ; Ether 2 : 7, 10 - 15 ; Ether 9 : 20 ; Ether 10 : 28 ; Ether 13 : 2. Jump up ^ 1 Nephi 2 : 20 ; 1 Nephi 4 : 14 ; 2 Nephi 1 : 20 ; 2 Nephi 4 : 4 ; Jarom 1 : 9 ; Omni 1 : 6 ; Mosiah 1 : 7 ; Mosiah 2 : 22, 31 ; Alma 9 : 13 ; Alma 36 : 1, 30 ; Alma 38 : 1 ; Alma 48 : 15, 25. Jump up ^ Alma 48 : 14 ^ Jump up to : Alma 24 Jump up ^ Alma 56 : 47 - 56 Jump up ^ Mosiah 29 : 13 Jump up ^ Mosiah 29 : 18 - 22 Jump up ^ Mosiah 29 Jump up ^ Helaman 6 : 17 Jump up ^ Alma 62 : 9 -- 11 ^ Jump up to : 3 Nephi 26 : 19. Jump up ^ Alma 1 : 26 -- 27. Jump up ^ Jacob 2 : 13 -- 13 ; Alma 4 : 6 ; Alma 5 : 53 ; 4 Nephi 1 : 24. Jump up ^ Joseph Smith, B.H. Roberts, ed., History of the Church, 4, p. 461 Jump up ^ Millet, Robert L. ( 2007 ). Strathearn, Gaye ; Swift, Charles, eds. The Most Correct Book : Joseph Smith 's Appraisal. Provo, Utah : Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University. pp. 55 -- 71. ISBN 978 - 1 - 59038 - 799 - 3. Jump up ^ Doctrine and Covenants 84 : 54 -- 57. Jump up ^ The other texts are the Bible ( King James Version ), the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price : Nelson, Russell M. ( November 2000 ), `` Living by Scriptural Guidance '', Ensign : 16 -- 18 ( discussing how the four standard works of the church can provide guidance in life ). ^ Jump up to : Ezra Taft Benson, `` The Book of Mormon -- Keystone of Our Religion '', Ensign, November 1986. Jump up ^ James E. Faust, `` The Keystone of Our Religion '', Ensign, January 2004. Jump up ^ `` Which GAs Prefer Which Books of Scripture ? ''. Zelophads Daughters. Retrieved 14 April 2016. first1 = missing last1 = in Authors list ( help ) Jump up ^ `` Since 1982, subtitle has defined book as ' another testament of Jesus Christ ' '', Church News, 1988 - 01 - 02. Jump up ^ `` Book of Mormon : Another Testament of Jesus Christ '', mormonnewsroom.org. Jump up ^ Boyd K. Packer, `` Scriptures '', Ensign, November 1982. Jump up ^ Ezra Taft Benson, `` Cleansing the Inner Vessel '', Ensign, May 1986. ^ Jump up to : Ezra Taft Benson, `` Flooding the Earth with the Book of Mormon '', Ensign, November 1988. Jump up ^ Dallin H. Oaks, `` ' Another Testament of Jesus Christ ' '', Ensign, March 1994 ( reporting that Benson told a meeting of church leaders on 5 March 1987 that `` ( t ) his condemnation has not been lifted, nor will it be until we repent '' ). Jump up ^ Gordon B. Hinckley, `` A Testimony Vibrant and True '', Ensign, August 2005. Jump up ^ Moroni 10 : 3 -- 5 ; see Cook, Gene R. ( April 1994 ), `` Moroni 's Promise '', Ensign : 12 Jump up ^ `` Book of Mormon : 150 Million Copies ''. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter - day Saints. Retrieved 9 April 2012. Jump up ^ McMurray, W. Grant, `` They ' Shall Blossom as the Rose ' : Native Americans and the Dream of Zion, '' an address delivered February 17, 2001, cofchrist.org. Jump up ^ Andrew M. Shields, `` Official Minutes of Business Session, Wednesday March 28, 2007, '' in 2007 World Conference Thursday Bulletin, March 29, 2007. Community of Christ, 2007. Jump up ^ Robinson, B.A. ( June 8, 2010 ). `` The LDS Restorationist movement, including The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter - day Saints ''. ReligiousTolerance.org. Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance. Retrieved 2013 - 01 - 01. Jump up ^ Citing the lack of specific New World geographic locations to search, Michael D. Coe, a prominent Mesoamerican archaeologist and Professor Emeritus of Anthropology at Yale University, writes ( in a 1973 volume of Dialogue : A Journal of Mormon Thought ) : `` As far as I know there is not one professionally trained archaeologist, who is not a Mormon, who sees any scientific justification for believing ( the historicity of The Book of Mormon ), and I would like to state that there are quite a few Mormon archaeologists who join this group. '' Jump up ^ 1 Nephi 18 : 25 LDS scholars think that this may be a product of reassigning familiar labels to unfamiliar items. For example, the Delaware Indians named the cow after the deer, and the Miami Indians labeled sheep, when they were first seen, `` looks - like - a cow. '' John L. Sorenson, An Ancient American Setting for the Book of Mormon ( Salt Lake City, Utah : Deseret Book Co. ; Provo, Utah : Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, 1996 ( 1985 ) ), 294. ISBN 1 - 57345 - 157 - 6 http://www.mormonfortress.com/cows1.html Archived April 2, 2013, at the Wayback Machine. ^ Jump up to : 1 Nephi 18 : 25 Jump up ^ 1 Nephi 18 : 25 Smithsonian Institution statement on the Book of Mormon paragraph 4 Archived May 20, 2012, at the Wayback Machine. Jump up ^ Ether 9 : 19 Jump up ^ 1 Nephi 4 : 9 Jump up ^ Alma 18 : 9 Jump up ^ The traditional view of the Book of Mormon suggests that Native Americans are principally the descendants of an Israelite migration around 600 BC. However, DNA evidence shows no Near Eastern component in the Native American genetic make - up. For example : Simon G. Southerton. 2004. Losing a Lost Tribe : Native Americans, DNA, and the Mormon Church. Signature Books. The entire book is devoted to the specific topic of DNA evidence and the Book of Mormon. ''... ( T ) he DNA lineages of Central America resemble those of other Native American tribes throughout the two continents. Over 99 percent of the lineages found among native groups from this region are clearly of Asian descent. Modern and ancient DNA samples tested from among the Maya generally fall into the major founding lineage classes... The Mayan Empire has been regarded by Mormons to be the closest to the people of the Book of Mormon because its people were literate and culturally sophisticated. However, leading New World anthropologists, including those specializing in the region, have found the Maya to be similarly related to Asians. Stephen L. Whittington... was not aware of any scientists ' in mainstream anthropology that are trying to prove a Hebrew origin of Native Americans... Archaeologists and physical anthropologists have not found any evidence of Hebrew origins for the people of North, South and Central America. ' '' ( pg 191 ) Defenders of the book 's historical authenticity suggest that the Book of Mormon does not disallow for other groups of people to have contributed to the genetic make - up of Native Americans. Nevertheless, this is a departure from the traditional view that Israelites are the primary ancestors of Native Americans, and therefore would be expected to present some genetic evidence of Near Eastern origins. A recently announced change in the Book of Mormon 's introduction, however, allows for a greater diversity of ancestry of Native Americans. See, for example, the following Deseret News article published on November 9, 2007 : Intro Change in Book of Mormon Spurs Discussion Jump up ^ Peterson, Daniel C. ( January 2000 ), `` Mounting Evidence for the Book of Mormon '', Ensign Jump up ^ editor, Dennis L. Largey, general ( 2003 ). Book of Mormon reference companion. Salt Lake City, Utah : Deseret Book. ISBN 1573452319. ^ Jump up to : Skousen, Royal. `` Changes in the Book of Mormon '' ( Transcription of live presentation ). 2002 FAIR Conference : FAIR. Retrieved 2009 - 09 - 25. ^ Jump up to : Skousen, Royal Skousen ( 1992 ), Ludlow, Daniel H, ed., Encyclopedia of Mormonism, New York : Macmillan Publishing, pp. 185 -- 186, ISBN 0 - 02 - 879602 - 0, OCLC 24502140 ^ Jump up to : `` LDS FAQ : Changes in the Book of Mormon ''. JeffLindsay.com. November 27, 2012. Retrieved 2013 - 01 - 01. Jump up ^ Toone, Trent ( 2015 - 08 - 06 ). `` Recounting the preservation of the printer 's manuscript of the Book of Mormon ''. DeseretNews.com. Retrieved 2017 - 09 - 23. Jump up ^ `` Church Acquires Printer 's Manuscript of Book of Mormon ''. mormonnewsroom.org. Retrieved 2017 - 09 - 21. Jump up ^ Walch, Tad ( 20 September 2017 ). `` LDS Church buys printer 's manuscript of Book of Mormon for record $35 million ''. Deseret ( Salt Lake City ) News. Retrieved 22 September 2017. Jump up ^ There are three lines missing from the printer 's manuscript in its current condition, covering 1 Nephi 1 : 7 -- 8, 20. http://mi.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=15&num=1&id=401 Jump up ^ `` Printer 's Manuscript of the Book of Mormon, 1923 Photostatic Copies ''. josephsmithpapers.org. pp. 0 -- 464. Retrieved 2016 - 01 - 13. Jump up ^ `` 3. `` A History of All the Important Things '' ( D&C 69 : 3 ) : John Whitmer 's Record of Church History Religious Studies Center ``. Rsc.byu.edu. Retrieved 2017 - 09 - 25. Jump up ^ Montgomeryrmontgomery, Rick ( 2017 - 09 - 21 ). `` Book of Mormon manuscript may be world 's most expensive book The Kansas City Star ''. Kansascity.com. Retrieved 2017 - 09 - 25. Jump up ^ Mims, Bob ( 2017 - 09 - 21 ). `` Historian : At $35 M, original printer 's manuscript of Book of Mormon a bargain - The Salt Lake Tribune ''. Sltrib.com. Retrieved 2017 - 09 - 25. Jump up ^ The Zarahemla Research Foundation publishes a 48 - page booklet titled `` Book of Mormon Chapter & Verse : RLDS -- LDS Conversion Table '' to enable readers of an LDS edition to find references from an RLDS edition and vice versa. Jump up ^ The revised text was first published in 1981 and the subtitle was added in October 1982 : Packer, Boyd K. ( November 1982 ). `` Scriptures ''. Ensign. You should know also that by recent decision of the Brethren the Book of Mormon will henceforth bear the title ' The Book of Mormon, ' with the subtitle ' Another Testament of Jesus Christ. ' ^ Jump up to : Skousen, Royal ( 1992 ). `` Book of Mormon Editions ( 1830 -- 1981 ) ''. In Ludlow, Daniel H. Encyclopedia of Mormonism. New York : Macmillan Publishing. pp. 175 -- 6. ISBN 0 - 02 - 879602 - 0. OCLC 24502140. Jump up ^ `` Church Releases New Edition of English Scriptures in Digital Formats ''. lds.org. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter - day Saints. Retrieved 6 March 2013. Jump up ^ Reeve, W. Paul ; Parshall, Ardis E. ( August 13, 2010 ). Mormonism : A Historical Encyclopedia : A Historical Encyclopedia. ABC - CLIO. p. 74. ISBN 9781598841084. Retrieved March 24, 2018. Jump up ^ BYU Catalog for `` Book of Mormon. English. 1840 ( 1992 ) '' Jump up ^ Johnson, D. Lynn ( 2000 ). `` The Restored Covenant Edition of the Book of Mormon -- Text Restored to Its Purity ? ''. FARMS Review. Provo, Utah : FARMS. 12 ( 2 ). Archived from the original on 2008 - 10 - 16. Retrieved 2009 - 02 - 12. Jump up ^ Moore, Carrie A. ( November 9, 2007 ). `` Intro change in Book of Mormon spurs discussion ''. Deseret News. Retrieved 2009 - 08 - 26. Jump up ^ Moore, Carrie A. ( November 11, 2004 ). `` Doubleday Book of Mormon is on the way ''. Deseret News. Retrieved 2009 - 08 - 26. Jump up ^ Experience Press Jump up ^ `` The Book of Mormon - Skousen, Royal ; Smith, Joseph ''. Yale University Press. Retrieved 2009 - 09 - 22. Jump up ^ Crawley, Peter ( 1997 ). A Descriptive Bibliography of the Mormon Church, Volume One 1830 -- 1847. Provo, Utah : Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University. p. 151. ISBN 1 - 57008 - 395 - 9. Archived from the original on 11 June 2011. Retrieved 2009 - 02 - 12. Jump up ^ Woodger, Mary Jane ( 2000 ). `` How the Guide to English Pronunciation of Book of Mormon Names Came About ''. Journal of Book of Mormon Studies. Provo, Utah : FARMS. 9 ( 1 ). Retrieved 2009 - 02 - 21. Jump up ^ Skousen & May 2001 ; Skousen & January 2001 ; Skousen & March 2001 Jump up ^ Skousen 2004 ; Skousen 2005 ; Skousen 2006 Jump up ^ `` Book of Mormon textual changes ''. Fairmormon. Fairmormon. Retrieved 18 December 2017. Jump up ^ `` Taking the Scriptures to the World '', Ensign : 24, July 2001 Jump up ^ Welcome ^ Jump up to : `` News of the Church : First Presidency Emphasizes Following Christ 's Example '', Ensign : 75 -- 76, February 2005 Jump up ^ `` Who 's Nominated ? -- All Categories ''. tonyawards.com. May 3, 2011. Retrieved May 3, 2011. Jump up ^ `` 150 Million and Counting : The Book of Mormon reaches another milestone '', Church News, 2011 - 04 - 18. Jump up ^ Givens, Terryl ( 2009 ). The Book of Mormon : A Very Short Introduction. Oxford : Oxford University Press. pp. 60 -- 61. ISBN 9780195369311. OCLC 301705600. CS1 maint : Date and year ( link ) Jump up ^ Hardy, Grant ( 2010 ). Understanding the Book of Mormon : a reader 's guide. Oxford : Oxford University Press. p. 5. ISBN 9780199731701. OCLC 436310425. References Brewster, Quinn ( 1996 ). `` The Structure of the Book of Mormon : A Theory of Evolutionary Development ''. Dialogue : A Journal of Mormon Thought. 29 ( 2 ) : 109 -- 140. Archived from the original on July 22, 2007... Brodie, Fawn M. ( 1971 ), No Man Knows My History : The Life of Joseph Smith ( 2nd ed. ), New York : Knopf, ISBN 0 - 394 - 46967 - 4 Bushman, Richard Lyman ( 2005 ). Joseph Smith : Rough Stone Rolling. New York : Knopf. ISBN 1 - 4000 - 4270 - 4. Dunn, Scott C ( 2002 ). `` Automaticity and the Dictation of the Book of Mormon ''. In Vogel, Dan ; Metcalf, Brent Lee. American Apocrypha : Essays on the Book of Mormon. Salt Lake City, Utah : Signature Books. pp. 17 -- 46. ISBN 1 - 56085 - 151 - 1. Faulring, Scott H ( June 2000 ). `` The Return of Oliver Cowdery ''. The Disciple as Witness : Essays on Latter - day Saint History and Doctrine in Honor of Richard Lloyd Anderson. Provo, Utah : Maxwell Institute. Archived from the original on 2007 - 10 - 13. Givens, Terryl ( 2002 ). By the Hand of Mormon : The American Scripture That Launched a New World Religion. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0 - 19 - 516888 - 7. Hitchens, Christopher ( 2007 ). god is not Great. New York : Twelve. Howe, Eber Dudley ( 1834 ). Mormonism Unvailed : Or, A Faithful Account of that Singular Imposition and Delusion, from its Rise to the Present Time. Painesville, Ohio : Telegraph Press. Jessee, Dean ( 1970 ). `` The Original Book of Mormon Manuscript '' ( PDF ). BYU Studies. 10 ( 3 ) : 1. Archived from the original ( PDF ) on September 10, 2008. Midgley, Louis C ( 1997 ). `` Who Really Wrote the Book of Mormon ? : The Critics and Their Theories ''. In Reynolds, Noel B. Book of Mormon Authorship Revisited : The Evidence for Ancient Origins. Provo, Utah : Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies. pp. 101 -- 139. ISBN 0 - 934893 - 25 - X. Persuitte, David ( 2000 ). Joseph Smith and the Origins of The Book of Mormon ( second ed. ). McFarland & Company. ISBN 0 - 7864 - 0826 - X. Price, Robert M ( 2002 ). `` Prophecy and Palimpsest ''. Dialogue : A Journal of Mormon Thought. 35 ( 3 ). Roberts, Brigham H ( 1985 ). Madsen, Brigham D., ed. Studies of the Book of Mormon. Urbana, Illinois : University of Illinois Press. ISBN 0 - 252 - 01043 - 4. Foundation for Ancient Research & Mormon Studies. ( 2001a ). `` Original manuscript of the Book of Mormon : typographical facsimile of the extant text ''. In Skousen, Royal. Book of Mormon Critical Text Project. Provo, Utah : Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies. ISBN 0 - 934893 - 04 - 7. Foundation for Ancient Research & Mormon Studies. ( 2001b ). Skousen, Royal, ed. Book of Mormon Critical Text Project. 2 -- 1. Provo, Utah : Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies. ISBN 0 - 934893 - 05 - 5. Foundation for Ancient Research & Mormon Studies. ( 2001b ). `` Printer 's manuscript of the Book of Mormon : typographical facsimile of the entire text in two parts ''. In Skousen, Royal. Book of Mormon Critical Text Project. 2 -- 2. Provo, Utah : Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies. ISBN 0 - 934893 - 06 - 3. Royal Skousen. ( 2004 ). `` Analysis of textual variants of the Book of Mormon ''. In Skousen, Royal. Book of Mormon Critical Text Project. 4 -- 1. Provo, Utah : Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies. ISBN 0 - 934893 - 07 - 1. Royal Skousen. ( 2005 ). `` Analysis of textual variants of the Book of Mormon ''. In Skousen, Royal. Book of Mormon Critical Text Project. 4 -- 2. Provo, Utah : Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies. ISBN 0 - 934893 - 08 - X. Skousen, Royal ( 2006 ). `` Analysis of textual variants of the Book of Mormon ''. In Skousen, Royal. Book of Mormon Critical Text Project. 4 -- 3. Provo, Utah : Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies. ISBN 0 - 934893 - 11 - X... Smith, Joseph, Jr. ( March 26, 1830b ). The Book of Mormon : An Account Written by the Hand of Mormon, Upon Plates Taken from the Plates of Nephi. Palmyra, New York : E.B. Grandin. Smith, Joseph, Jr. ( July 1838 ). `` Editor 's note ''. Elders ' Journal of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. 1 ( 3 ). Spaulding, Solomon ( 1996 ). Reeve, Rex C, ed. Manuscript Found : The Complete Original `` Spaulding '' Manuscript. Provo, Utah : Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University. Tvedtnes, John A ( 1984 ). `` Isaiah Variants in the Book of Mormon ''. Featured Papers. Provo, Utah : Maxwell Institute. Van Wagoner, Richard S. ; Walker, Steven C. ( Summer 1982 ). `` Joseph Smith : The Gift of Seeing ''. Dialogue : A Journal of Mormon Thought. 15 ( 2 ) : 48 -- 68. Vogel, Dan ( 2004 ). Joseph Smith : The Making of a Prophet. Salt Lake City : Signature Books. ISBN 1 - 56085 - 179 - 1. Further reading Paul C. Gutjahr ( 2012 ). The Book of Mormon : A Biography. Lives of Great Religious Books. Princeton University Press. ISBN 978 - 0 - 691 - 14480 - 1. JSTOR j. ctt7s5sf. Noel B. Reynolds ( 1997 ). Book of Mormon Authorship Revisited : The Evidence for Ancient Origins. Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies ( FARMS ). ISBN 0 - 934893 - 25 - X. OCLC 36877441. Roy A. Cheville ( 1964 ). Scriptures from Ancient America : a Study of the Book of Mormon. Harald Publishing House. Brent Lee Metcalfe, ed. ( 1993 ). New Approaches to the Book of Mormon : Explorations in Critical Methodology. Signature Books. ISBN 1 - 56085 - 017 - 5. OCLC 25788077. Dan Vogel and Brent Metcalfe, ed. ( 2002 ). American Apocrypha : Essays on the Book of Mormon. Signature Books. ISBN 1 - 56085 - 151 - 1. OCLC 47870060. Grant H. Palmer ( 2002 ). An Insider 's View of Mormon Origins. Signature Books. ISBN 1 - 56085 - 157 - 0. OCLC 50285328. Simon G. Southerton ( 2004 ). Losing a Lost Tribe : Native Americans, DNA, and the Mormon Church. Signature Books. ISBN 1560851813. OCLC 55534917. Daniel C. Peterson, ed. ( 2008 ). The Book of Mormon and DNA Research. Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship. ISBN 9780842527064. OCLC 226304684. Terryl L. Givens ( 2002 ). By the Hand of Mormon : The American Scripture that Launched a New World Religion. Oxford University Press. ISBN 019513818X. OCLC 47838555. John L. Sorenson ( 2013 ). Mormon 's Codex : An Ancient American Book. Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship ( BYU ) and Deseret Book. ISBN 9781609073992. OCLC 828334040. Reynolds, George ( 1888 ). The Story of the Book of Mormon. Salt Lake City, Utah : Jos. Hyrum Parry. p. 494. Ludlow, Daniel H., ed. ( 1992 ). `` Book of Mormon ''. Encyclopedia of Mormonism. New York, NY : Macmillan. pp. 139 -- 216. ISBN 0 - 02 - 904040 - X. OCLC 24502140. External links Works related to Book of Mormon ( 1830 Edition ) at Wikisource Media related to Book of Mormon at Wikimedia Commons Quotations related to Book of Mormon at Wikiquote Book of Mormon ( from LDS.org ) Facsimile of the 1830 edition Project Gutenberg has the full text of the Book of Mormon in various formats ( LDS chapters and numbering ) RLDS 1908 Book of Mormon ( RLDS chapters and numbering ) The Book of Mormon ; An Account Written By the Hand of Mormon Upon Plates Taken From the Plates of Nephi. 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Question: when was the book of mormon divided into chapters and verses
Answer: 1879