Changes to the Doctrine & Covenants
The Mormon scripture called the Doctrine and Covenants is a series of revelations which Joseph Smith and other LDS prophets claimed to receive directly from God. The first of these revelations were printed in The Book of Commandments in the year 1833. Since that time many of these revelations have been radically altered, with words and even whole sentences deleted. In other places later doctrinal innovations were written back into earlier revelations to hide the glaring contradictions that would otherwise result. In this way, events that were previously unheard of suddenly become part of the historical record as a revelation from God.
Here are some specific examples representative of thousands of changes:
The Mormon scripture called the Doctrine and Covenants is a series of revelations which Joseph Smith and other LDS prophets claimed to receive directly from God. The first of these revelations were printed in The Book of Commandments in the year 1833. Since that time many of these revelations have been radically altered, with words and even whole sentences deleted. In other places later doctrinal innovations were written back into earlier revelations to hide the glaring contradictions that would otherwise result. In this way, events that were previously unheard of suddenly become part of the historical record as a revelation from God.
Here are some specific examples representative of thousands of changes:
| Original 1833 Book of Commandments | Current, Altered Doctrine & Covenants |
BC 4:2, p. 10 — and he has a gift to translate the book [of Mormon], and I have commanded him that he shall pretend to no other gift, for I will grant him no other gift.
[Harmony, Pennsylvania March 1829]
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D&C 5:4 — And you have a gift to translate the plates;[and this is the first gift that I bestowed upon you;] and I have commanded that you should pretend to no other gift [until my purpose is fulfilled in this;] for I will grant unto you no other gift [until it is finished].
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BC 28:6-7, p. 60 — Behold this is wisdom in me, wherefore marvel not, for the hour cometh that I will drink of the fruit of the vine with you, on the earth, and with all those whom my Father hath given me out of the world:
Wherefore lift up your hearts and rejoice, and gird up your loins and be faithful until I come: even so. Amen.
[Harmony, Pennsylvania September 4, 1830]
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D&C 27:5ff — Behold this is wisdom in me, wherefore marvel not, for the hour cometh that I will drink of the fruit of the vine with you, on the earth, and with[Moroni, whom I have sent unto you to reveal the Book of Mormon, containing the fulness of the everlasting gospel…]
[Harmony, Pennsylvania first part August 1830, remainder September 1830]
Note: At this point in the revelation over 300 words are added regarding the restoration of the Mormon priesthood by means of divine ordination. By making the account part of a revelation that is dated to 1830, it appears the story has been known since then. However, it is not a part of any revelation until the 1835 edition of the Doctrine & Covenants (section L(50) v. 2, p. 180). Apparently Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery, who were in charge of editing the 1835 D&C, inserted this material so that the concept of the Aaronic and Melchizedek priesthoods being restored and the office of high priest would appear to have been in place from the start and would appear to have been given directly by God. The revelation concludes with over 130 additional words, taken from the Bible copied almost verbatim from Ephesians 6:13-17. No explanation is given for the dating discrepancy.
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BC 44:26, p. 92 — If thou lovest me thou shalt serve me and keep all my commandments; and behold, thou shalt consecrate all thy properties, that which thou hast unto me, with a covenant and a deed which can not be broken; and they shall be laid before the bishop of my church, and two of the elders, such as he shall appoint and set apart for that purpose.
[Kirtland, Ohio February 1831]
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D&C 42:29-30 — If thou lovest me thou shalt serve me and keep all my commandments; and behold,[thou wilt remember the poor, and] thou shaltconsecrate [of] all thy properties [for their support] that which thou hast [to impart] unto me [them] with a covenant and a deed which can not be broken. [And inasmuch as ye impart of your substance unto the poor, ye will do it unto me] and they shall be laid before the bishop of my church [and his counselors], two of the elders [or high priests], such as he shall appoint [or has appointed] and set apart for that purpose. (February 1831)
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| Note: By 1835 when the D&C was printed Joseph Smith had given up on the idea of communalism. Therefore this revelation was changed so that Mormons were no longer told by God to consecrate all their properties, but instead the emphasis is shifted to a command to remember the poor and give "of your property". Also, at the time the revelation was originally given there was no office of "counselor" or "high priest" in the Mormon church, so these also had to be added to the revelation retroactively, once again giving the appearance these offices were there from the beginning. | |
| BC 9:1, p. 22 — Now, behold I say unto you, that because you delivered up so many writings, which you had power to translate, into the hands of a wicked man, you have lost them, and you also lost your gift at the same time … [Harmony, Pennsylvania May 1829] [View Book of Commandments text.] | D&C 10:1 9:1 — Now, behold I say unto you, that because you delivered up so many [those] writings, which you had power [given unto you] to translate [by the means of the Urim and Thummim], into the hands of a wicked man, you have lost them. (v.2) And you also lost your gift at the same time, [and your mind became darkened]. Note: There is no mention of the Old Testament Urim and Thummim in the Book of Mormon nor is there any connection of the Urim and Thummim to the translation of the Book of Mormon until 1833, which is four years after this revelation was supposedly given. |
| Another example of a revelation that has undergone hundreds of changes was first published in The Evening & Morning Star in October 1832. The revelation was said to have been received in November of 1831. | This revelation is now D&C 68 and contains multiple references to the Melchizedek priesthood, high priests and the First Presidency. Once again the attempt is made to write later developments into previously given revelations to make them fit Joseph’s evolving church structure. |
