Changing the bible?

Question

If Christians believe you should not add to or take away from the bible, then why are there so many different copys of the bible in print. Every church I visit seems to have their own verson of the bible. The scary part is that some of them don't read the same! What is really funny is that I'm Mormon and every one is telling me that Joseph Smith changed the bible. Guess what, there are all kinds of different bibles. ( and by the way, the book of Mormon doesn't add to the bible any more then the Dead Sea Scrolls)

Answer 1

its so true jd
i got more than one bible to prove it
i got the life apliccations bible, the niv bible
the quad
then a couple of king james versions
in fact i got a bible from the jehovahs witnesses
relax im not joining them lol it was actually funny my friends who is a jehov gave it to me as a gift
and btw i am so mormon. the fact is that its still gods word and its sacred.
blessed be the name of the lord
ctr

Answer 2

There are so many versions of the Bible because some Christians have added and taken away from it - as you stated. The problem started in the sixteenth century when Martin Luther didn't like some of the teachings of the Catholic Church (the church that gave us the Bible). So he removed many of the books. He reluctantly put the New Testament books back in because of pressure from his supporters, but not the Old Testament books that he removed.

Since that time, there have been many translations done of both the Catholic and Protestant versions of the Bible. Most are pretty much faithful translations with the noted exception of the King James version. But there is still the question of the missing books.

The Dead Sea scrolls have nothing to do with what books are in the Bible. They were only discovered in the 1940's. They have done much to shed light on the history of the Bible and the fact that the books once removed by Luther actually belong. But, no books have been added or taken away, nor have any translations changed because of this discovery. I suggest you do some research and get an objective point of view rather than listen to someone who has an agenda.

Good luck, and God bless.

Answer 3

Actually, a translation is not a "change". A translation merely presents a document in a way that can be understood by the reader. A translator does their best to accurately represent the intent of the author to the reader.

With some languages, this isn't entirely possible. For example, the Tao Te Ching has many seemingly different English translations, but each of them reveals subtleties that cannot be represented by a single English translation. Such is also true when translating from Hebrew or Greek to English.

One example might be a needle's eye. It might have been more accurately translated as "a small gate", as that's what it was, but the idiom was a needle's eye, and the literal translation can be misleading.

As for Joseph Smith, he has his own translation of what he considered to be troublesome verses. Such verses that would confirm the Christian version of the trinity were altered. You can find the "Joseph Smith 'translation'" at LDS churches or bookstores. Of interst might be the first part of the first chapter of John. The difference is that Joseph Smith didn't work from original manuscripts. (To the best of my knowledge) His claim was inspiration.

In any event, I'm not a Christian, so this really doesn't matter to me.

Answer 4

Joseph Smith did indeed write his own version of the Bible.
He stated the the book of mormon was the most correct book on the earth. He also stated that the Bible, when it is translated correctly is also a correct book( or something like that).
Whole parts of the book of mormon are taken out of the King James Version of the Bible. If the angel moroni hid the golden plates that contained the book of mormon than the language would not have been King James English when they were translated into English.

Answer 5

I have no experience with the "different versions" of the Bible. Which I'm assuming you mean, the NIV,NASB and such. I prefer the KJV,myself. The Book of Mormon, now that's a whole other ball of wax. The BOM is made up, get a clue. If you would bother to read the Bible, I mean any version, KJV,NIV or NASB you would learn the same thing. The Mormon doctrine is not Biblical. Jesus does not change,God does not change. If the doctrines the Mormons hold up so high, were so important, Jesus would have made mention of them. He didn't. You can't say "Well, Now our Prophet so and so said God told him this, so what the Bible says doesn't matter." God does not change, say it ,learn it, deal with it. Joseph Lied!

Answer 6

I have never seen a different bible used in different churches of the Christian Denomination. There is a difference in translating and changing. Smith literally changed and omitted scripture and added his own. What Smith did was change words and ideas and the message, not translate to language for understanding. There are a few exceptions to this, but they are not used in churches. KJV and NIV are the standard Bibles used in pretty much all the Christian churches. Though the language is a little different, the message and meaning are the same, unlike Smith's .

Answer 7

Joseph Smith had the education of a third grader when he 'wrote' the Book of Mormon. If you've ever actually read it, you'd know no man could come up with it on his own.
The LDS church is the only church organized the same as Christ's primitive church.

Please pray about the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon.
James 1:5-6
5. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
6. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
God has promised you can know for yourself. Take Him up on the promise.
Also see Ezekiel 37:15-16.

Answer 8

The Dead Sea scrolls didn't add anything. They are the nearest to the original OT Scripture we have - or at least some of them. The church changed many of the original manuscripts of the New Testament - adding to some, subtracting from others, destroying some altogether according to church doctrine. There are differences in translations between many Bibles, old and new. Mormons shouldn't be singled out. The Catholic Church raped the Bible repeatedly for the first 1000 years of Christianity.

Answer 9

Actually, each Bible is almost the same. It's the translations vary slightly. Some versions may have different wording, but in the end, the main thesis is still accurate.

And I know that Mormons didn't change the Bible. They just use the Book of Mormon in addition to the Bible.

Answer 10

Some smart guys named Wescott and Hoyt decided the Greek needed to be updated and so they translated the manuscripts according to what they believed. Sadly, a lot of churches did attach themselves to this new Greek. I don't suppose they realized the two men were kicked out of the church and started a group called the Ghostly Guilde, where they actually searched for ghosts. Hoyt was gay and smoked pot and Wescott posed for beer posters! You'd think people would realize that they were not the kind of men to trust. And, so I don't offend you, I won't say what I think about Joseph Smith and him saying God and Jesus came to him as black figures. I know that is what he said because I read it in a book and it was a quote!