Why does the Book of Mormon quote the King James Bible?
Why the Book of Mormon quotes the King James Bible
The Book of Mormon was revealed and translated in English for a nineteenth-century audience, so the Lord communicated ‘after the manner of their language, that they might come to understanding’ (D&C 1:24). Joseph Smith’s language was deeply shaped by the King James Bible, making KJV wording a natural vehicle for expressing ancient prophetic teachings.
More importantly, many Book of Mormon passages are not simply copied from the Bible. Nephi explicitly records Isaiah from the brass plates (1 Nephi 20:1), and Book of Mormon prophets sometimes quote, adapt, or expand biblical language to testify of Christ (2 Nephi 11:2-3; 3 Nephi 15:2-5). The Sermon at the Temple also resembles the New Testament because the risen Christ taught the Nephites the same gospel He had taught in Jerusalem (3 Nephi 12:1-2).
The presence of KJV-style wording—including words italicized by KJV translators—therefore does not prove plagiarism. It reflects a translation rendered in Joseph’s linguistic environment, while the Book of Mormon also preserves distinctive teachings, expansions, and prophetic applications. The Lord’s revealed pattern is to give truth through the language people understand (D&C 1:24).
2. And now I, Nephi, write more of the words of Isaiah, for my soul delighteth in his words. For I will liken his words unto my people, and I will send them forth unto all my children, for he verily saw my Redeemer, even as I have seen him. 3. And my brother, Jacob, also has seen him as I have seen him; wherefore, I will send their words forth unto my children to prove unto them that my words are true. Wherefore, by the words of three, God hath said, I will establish my word. Nevertheless, God sendeth more witnesses, and he proveth all his words.
1. And it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these words unto Nephi, and to those who had been called, (now the number of them who had been called, and received power and authority to baptize, was twelve) and behold, he stretched forth his hand unto the multitude, and cried unto them, saying: Blessed are ye if ye shall give heed unto the words of these twelve whom I have chosen from among you to minister unto you, and to be your servants; and unto them I have given power that they may baptize you with water; and after that ye are baptized with water, behold, I will baptize you with fire and with the Holy Ghost; therefore blessed are ye if ye shall believe in me and be baptized, after that ye have seen me and know that I am. 2. And again, more blessed are they who shall believe in your words because that ye shall testify that ye have seen me, and that ye know that I am. Yea, blessed are they who shall believe in your words, and come down into the depths of humility and be baptized, for they shall be visited with fire and with the Holy Ghost, and shall receive a remission of their sins.
2. And it came to pass that when Jesus had said these words he perceived that there were some among them who marveled, and wondered what he would concerning the law of Moses; for they understood not the saying that old things had passed away, and that all things had become new. 3. And he said unto them: Marvel not that I said unto you that old things had passed away, and that all things had become new. 4. Behold, I say unto you that the law is fulfilled that was given unto Moses. 5. Behold, I am he that gave the law, and I am he who covenanted with my people Israel; therefore, the law in me is fulfilled, for I have come to fulfil the law; therefore it hath an end.
These passages when examined prove not to be “direct quotations” but rather indirect. Thoughts couched in New Testament phraseology, made up of bits from various texts,—as if the translator needed to rely upon memorized phrases to move from point to point,—are not infrequent. The quotation above noted, for instance, is made up of two; viz. Mark i, verse 3, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight;” and verse 7, “There cometh one mightier than I, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down to unloose.” But these same passages occur with slight variations respectively in Isaiah 5:27, and 40:3, which book was known to the Nephites. However, it is not my purpose to evade the idea that Joseph Smith’s translation was affected by the King James’ version of the Bible, for it probably was. This passage from Moroni 7 :45 is too nearly like Paul’s words in Corinthians 13, to be a mere coincidence: “And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.” We come, then, face to face with the question, of how the Book of Mormon,—part of it written 600 years before Christ, the rest of it 400 years after, and in a place completely isolated, so far as we know, from the eastern world,—could nevertheless be influenced by the writings of the New Testament,—and the King James’ version at that,—to the extent of both direct and indirect quotations. Bibliography Nels Lars Nelson, "Human Side of the Book of Mormon," The Mormon Point of View 1, no. 2 (April 1, 1904): 115-18
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