“Lesson 49—Doctrine and Covenants 35: The Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible,” Doctrine and Covenants Seminary Teacher Manual (2025)
“Doctrine and Covenants 35,” Doctrine and Covenants Seminary Teacher Manual
Lesson 49: Doctrine and Covenants 30–36
Doctrine and Covenants 35
The Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible
In the summer of 1830, the Prophet Joseph Smith began working on an inspired revision, or translation, of the King James Bible. He considered this project an important part of his calling as a prophet of God. This lesson can help students feel gratitude for what the Lord has revealed through the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible.
Possible Learning Activities
The Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible
To introduce students to the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible, consider providing them with the following statements. Invite students to guess whether each statement is true or false.
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Soon after the Book of Mormon was published in 1830, the Lord directed Joseph Smith to begin a translation of the Bible.
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Joseph Smith looked at original Hebrew and Greek writings to make a new English translation of the Bible.
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The Lord revealed the books of Moses and Joseph Smith—Matthew in the Pearl of Great Price as part of the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible.
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The Lord revealed some of the doctrinal truths taught by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to Joseph Smith as he translated the Bible.
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The Lord has blessed your life through the Joseph Smith Translation.
Invite students to seek answers to these statements and to other questions they have on the subject throughout the lesson. Have them ponder specifically whether the fifth statement is true for them.
Consider inviting students to draw a book in their study journal and title it “Joseph Smith Translation.” Throughout the lesson, encourage students to write around the outside of their drawing the reasons they are grateful for the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible or insights they find meaningful.
Blessings of the Joseph Smith Translation
After being baptized by Oliver Cowdery in Kirtland, Ohio, a former preacher named Sidney Rigdon traveled to Fayette, New York, to meet the Prophet Joseph Smith. Doctrine and Covenants 35 is a revelation from the Lord to Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon.
Read the section heading of Doctrine and Covenants 35 and verses 17–20, looking for what we can learn regarding the Joseph Smith Translation.
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What did you learn from these verses?
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What purpose did the Lord give for the inspired changes to the Bible (see verse 20)?
One truth the Lord taught in these verses is that through the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible, Jesus Christ revealed additional truths to help lead us to salvation. You might want to relate the following information to students to help answer the second question.
In obedience to this revelation, Sidney Rigdon began to serve as scribe as the Lord revealed inspired corrections and additions to the Bible through the Prophet Joseph Smith. The work was not a literal translation from one language to another. Joseph used a copy of the King James Bible as a starting point as he sought revelation and dictated inspired corrections and additions.
The following activity can help students better understand the bolded principle and become familiar with the Joseph Smith Translation. Consider distributing the handout titled “The Joseph Smith Translation.” Invite students to choose one or more sections to study on their own and to prepare to teach their classmates what they learned. As students study, remind them to write meaningful insights or reasons they are grateful for the Joseph Smith Translation around the drawing they created in their study journals.
The Joseph Smith Translation
The Lord restored additional teachings through the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible.
Can you find the book of Moses in your scriptures? The Lord restored additional knowledge through the Joseph Smith Translation, including visions and teachings of Moses and others. These are contained in the Book of Moses in the Pearl of Great Price.
Read Moses 1:3–4, 6, 8, 39. Look for what Moses learned about himself and the Lord during his visions. (You could also search for favorite verses in the Book of Moses.)
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How can the teachings in these verses help us as we strive to follow the Savior?
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Why might someone feel grateful for what the Lord revealed in these verses?
The Lord restored “plain and precious” truths through the Joseph Smith Translation.
Have you ever heard that some important truths may be missing or unclear in the Bible? The Bible is a trusted and inspired book. However, Nephi taught that some “plain and precious things” are missing or unclear (1 Nephi 13:28–29). For example, baptism is not directly mentioned in the Bible until the New Testament, and the biblical account of Noah doesn’t explain that the Lord warned the people and gave them a chance to repent before sending the flood.
Read Moses 6:64–66; 8:16–17, 20 to see how the Lord restored precious truths in the Joseph Smith Translation.
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How can it help us today to know that the baptism was a commandment since the days of Adam?
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How can it help us to know that the Lord always invites us to repent and is willing to forgive us?
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How do these truths help lead us to salvation through Jesus Christ?
The Lord’s revelations in the Joseph Smith Translation led to further revelations in the Doctrine and Covenants.
Has scripture study ever helped you receive additional revelation? It did for Joseph. Soon after he learned in the inspired translation about Enoch and his people establishing Zion (see Moses 7:18–21), the Lord revealed instructions to Joseph to help the Saints become a Zion people (see Doctrine and Covenants 38, 42, 45).
Another example of this happened when Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon were translating John 5:29. They had questions about heaven and hell that led to a remarkable vision now recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 76. This vision included truths about the three degrees of glory people can inherit after this life.
Read Doctrine and Covenants 76:22–24, 50–53, and 58–62, and mark what you learn about Jesus Christ and how we can return to live with Him and Heavenly Father.
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What words or phrases did you mark? Why?
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Why might someone feel grateful to know these truths?
The Lord provided doctrinal clarity and additional insights into verses of the Bible through the Joseph Smith Translation.
Other than in the Pearl of Great Price, do you know where to find Joseph Smith Translations of the Bible? Many are located in Selections from the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible in the back of the scriptures or in the Joseph Smith Translation Appendix found in the Study Helps section in the Gospel Library app. Learn how to use these resources by looking at the example and explanation below.
In some languages, passages of the Joseph Smith Translation can be found in the footnotes of the Latter-day Saint edition of the Bible or in “Related Content” on digital devices.
Read the following passages in the Bible, then use the Joseph Smith Translation to identify the inspired changes.
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What do these inspired changes teach you about Jesus Christ?
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Why is it a blessing to better understand these things?
Invite students to share what they learned and felt as they studied. As needed, provide students with the answers to the first four statements of the opening activity (1. True, 2. False, 3. True, 4. True). Consider giving students a few more minutes to write in their study journal any insights they have gained or why they are grateful for the Joseph Smith Translation. Invite a few volunteers to share what they wrote or why the fifth statement from the beginning of class is true for them. Consider sharing your testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith and how his work helps us come to know Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.