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Why do accounts of the vision written by Joseph Smith differ in whether he was in his “sixteenth year” at the time of the vision or whether he was “about fourteen years old”?

“Why do accounts of the vision written by Joseph Smith differ in whether he was in his ‘sixteenth year’ at the time of the vision or whether he was ‘about fourteen years old’?,” First Vision Accounts (2022)

“Why do accounts of the vision written by Joseph Smith differ in whether he was in his ‘sixteenth year’ at the time of the vision or whether he was ‘about fourteen years old’?,” First Vision Accounts

Why do accounts of the vision written by Joseph Smith differ in whether he was in his “sixteenth year” at the time of the vision or whether he was “about fourteen years old”?

As you seek answers, it is important to read sources carefully and assess their strength and reliability. Learn more about this and other principles for seeking answers and helping others with their questions.

Joseph Smith composed his vision accounts from memory at different times in his life. He wrote parts of his earliest account in his own handwriting. After Joseph finished his portion, a scribe added detail about his age in between the lines, indicating that Joseph was in his “sixteenth year” (or age 15) at the time of the vision. We don’t know whether the scribe consulted with Joseph about this addition. In each of his subsequent accounts, Joseph said that he was 14.

Even if Joseph did direct his scribe to write that he was in his 16th year, it appears that after more careful reflection he concluded that he was 14 years old at the time of the vision. Most of us can relate to the difficulty of remembering precise dates, even for some of the important events in our lives. Historians expect to find discrepancies such as these when people recount their lives from memory. In any event, the fact of the vision is more important than the precise date of its occurrence.