Joseph Smith Translation
Revelatory revision of the King James Bible (1830s CE)
About This Tradition
The Joseph Smith Translation (JST) is a revision of the King James Bible produced by Joseph Smith between 1830 and 1844. It is not a translation from Hebrew or Greek manuscripts but a revelatory reworking of the English text. The JST ranges from minor word changes (published as footnotes in the LDS Bible) to entirely new chapters (the Book of Moses) and restructured discourses (Joseph Smith—Matthew).
TCR presents the JST as an interpretive tradition alongside the Masoretic Text, Septuagint, Dead Sea Scrolls, Targumim, and Samaritan Pentateuch. It is catalogued in the Extended Library under "How traditions read this passage" and is not treated as a manuscript witness.
Book of Moses (8 Chapters)
Moses 1 is entirely absent from the Hebrew Bible and KJV Genesis. It presents a visionary prologue in which Moses speaks with God face to face on an exceedingly high mountain, learns that he is made in the similitude of God's Only Begotten, and then endures a direct confrontation with Satan before receiving a panoramic vision of the earth and all its inhabitants.
Moses 2 parallels Genesis 1, presenting the six-day creation account and the seventh-day rest. The key distinction is that every creative act is attributed to God speaking to his Only Begotten, and the repeated formula shifts from 'And God said' to 'And I, God, said.'
Moses 3 parallels Genesis 2, presenting the Sabbath rest, the spiritual creation preceding the natural, the forming of Adam from dust, the planting of Eden, the naming of animals, and the creation of Eve. Smith's key addition is the doctrine that all things were created spiritually before they were naturally upon the earth.
Moses 4 parallels Genesis 3, presenting the Fall of Adam and Eve. Smith's major additions identify Satan's pre-mortal rebellion as the backdrop to the temptation, making the serpent explicitly Satan rather than merely a crafty animal. The Fall narrative itself closely follows Genesis 3 but is framed as God's narration to Moses.
Moses 5 massively expands Genesis 4. It begins with Adam and Eve's post-Eden life, introduces the gospel being preached to them by angels, their baptism and reception of the Holy Ghost, and then narrates the Cain and Abel story with extensive additions about secret combinations, Satan's oaths, and the spread of wickedness. The chapter covers material from Genesis 4:1 through approximately Genesis 4:26.
Moses 6 covers the genealogy from Adam to Enoch, the institution of a book of remembrance and a written language, the doctrine of the Fall and redemption taught to Adam, Adam's baptism, and the calling and early ministry of Enoch. It parallels portions of Genesis 5 but massively expands the theological content.
Moses 7 is the most dramatically expanded chapter in the Book of Moses, corresponding loosely to JST Genesis 5-6. It contains Enoch's great vision: he sees all nations, builds a city of Zion that is taken to heaven, witnesses God weeping over the wickedness of humanity, sees the Flood, the coming of Christ, and the last days. This chapter has no meaningful parallel in Genesis — it is essentially new scripture.
Moses 8 corresponds to JST Genesis 6-8 (primarily Genesis 6) and covers the period from Methuselah through Noah's preaching and the onset of the Flood. It portrays Noah as a gospel preacher who baptizes and calls the people to repentance before the Flood — a significant expansion of Genesis 6's brief mention of Noah as righteous.
Joseph Smith—Matthew
JST Appendix (14 passages)
The JST Appendix contains passages too long for footnotes, published in the back of the LDS Bible. These are Joseph Smith's longer revisions of the KJV text.
Genesis 9:4-15 — Noah covenant — blood prohibition expanded theological
JST Reading
The JST expands the Noahic covenant to clarify the prohibition against eating blood and to elaborate the context of the covenant sign (the rainbow). Smith's revision makes the prohibition against consuming blood more explicitly tied to the sanctity of life and the distinction between animal flesh and blood, and reshapes the covenantal speech attributed to God to give it a more conditional, instructional character. The promise of the rainbow covenant is retained but reframed with expanded explanatory language.
KJV Reading
Genesis 9:4-15 in the KJV records God's covenant with Noah after the flood: forbidding the eating of blood, instituting accountability for bloodshed, and establishing the rainbow as the sign of the covenant that God will never again destroy the earth by flood.
Notes
The JST treatment of the blood prohibition anticipates later Latter-day Saint dietary teachings and reflects Smith's broader concern with connecting Mosaic-era law to primordial covenant.
The expanded rainbow covenant language harmonizes with the JST's general tendency to present God's dealings as consistently covenantal and instructional rather than simply declarative.
This passage is relevant for TCR's tracking of how JST handles primordial law codes that differ from the Documentary Hypothesis source-critical reading of the same material.
Genesis 14:25-40 — Melchizedek expansion theological
JST Reading
The JST adds approximately fifteen verses to the Melchizedek episode in Genesis 14, transforming a brief encounter into a substantial theological narrative. The expansion describes Melchizedek as a great high priest who exercised faith and repentance from his youth, who obtained the high priesthood by his faithfulness, and whose city of Salem was a righteous community that was eventually translated (taken into heaven). The JST explicitly connects Melchizedek's priesthood to that of Abraham, explains why Abraham paid tithes to him, and characterizes Melchizedek as one who 'wrought righteousness' and 'obtained heaven.' The passage establishes a doctrine of the Melchizedek Priesthood as a distinct and superior order.
KJV Reading
Genesis 14:18-20 in the KJV briefly records that Melchizedek, king of Salem and priest of the Most High God, brought bread and wine to Abram after his victory, blessed him, and received tithes from him. The passage is only three verses and offers almost no biographical or theological elaboration.
Notes
This is one of the most theologically significant JST expansions. It forms the primary LDS scriptural basis for the doctrine of the Melchizedek Priesthood as a named and distinct order predating the Levitical system.
The description of Salem as a translated community parallels the JST/Book of Moses account of Enoch's city (Zion) also being translated, establishing a pattern of righteous-city translation in Smith's broader theological system.
Hebrews 7 (especially the JST revision of Hebrews 7:3, also in this appendix) is the NT counterpart to this passage; the two JST revisions should be read together.
The phrase 'obtained heaven' for Melchizedek's city resolves the apparent mystery in the KJV about Melchizedek's ultimate fate and connects to the LDS doctrine of translation.
For TCR purposes, this expansion is catalogued as a major interpretive departure with no direct Hebrew Vorlage support; it belongs to the 'revelatory expansion' category of JST changes.
Genesis 48:5-11 — Jacob's blessing of Joseph's sons — expanded with prophetic content theological
JST Reading
The JST expands Jacob's blessing of Ephraim and Manasseh with additional prophetic speech in which Jacob articulates a vision of future blessing for Joseph's lineage. The revision adds language about the preservation and gathering of Israel, introduces more explicit covenantal framing, and heightens the sense of prophetic foreknowledge attributed to Jacob. Smith's revision gives Jacob's blessing a more eschatological scope, pointing toward future restoration rather than merely immediate tribal prosperity.
KJV Reading
Genesis 48:5-11 in the KJV records Jacob adopting Ephraim and Manasseh as his own sons, equal in inheritance to Reuben and Simeon, and Jacob's recollection of Rachel's death near Ephrath. The passage is largely procedural and retrospective.
Notes
The expanded blessing aligns with the LDS theology of the 'stick of Joseph' and the gathering of scattered Israel, making this passage a prooftext within Latter-day Saint prophetic reading of Genesis.
The heightened prophetic register of Jacob's speech in the JST revision mirrors similar expansions elsewhere in Smith's Genesis work (cf. Genesis 50 below), establishing Jacob and Joseph as major prophetic figures rather than primarily tribal patriarchs.
TCR should note that the JST expansion here does not have LXX or DSS parallel support.
Genesis 50:24-38 — Joseph's prophecy of Moses and the 'choice seer' messianic
JST Reading
The JST transforms the brief notice of Joseph's death and his request for his bones to be carried out of Egypt into an extended prophetic discourse. Joseph is depicted prophesying of Moses by name, foretelling the Exodus, and predicting the coming of a 'choice seer' in the last days who will be named Joseph (after his father) and whose words will 'grow forth' to confound false doctrine and bring the descendants of Joseph to a knowledge of their ancestors' covenants. The passage also prophesies of Aaron as Moses's spokesman. This seer is understood by Latter-day Saints to be Joseph Smith.
KJV Reading
Genesis 50:24-26 in the KJV records Joseph, near death, telling his brothers that God will visit them and bring them out of Egypt to the promised land, and requesting an oath that his bones be carried with them. The KJV passage is three verses with no extended prophetic speech.
Notes
This is the most explicitly self-referential of all JST passages in Latter-day Saint interpretation, understood as a prophecy of Joseph Smith embedded in the words of the patriarch Joseph.
The passage has a close parallel in 2 Nephi 3 in the Book of Mormon, where Lehi quotes what he says is a prophecy of Joseph of Egypt, including nearly identical language about the 'choice seer.' The JST and Book of Mormon versions mutually reinforce each other within LDS hermeneutics.
The prophecy of Moses by name in Genesis is a significant departure; the KJV does not attribute this foreknowledge to the patriarch Joseph.
TCR catalogues this as a 'revelatory insertion' — new prophetic content without precedent in the MT, LXX, Targums, or known pseudepigrapha, originating in Smith's revision process.
Exodus 33:20; 34:1-2 — Seeing God's face — made conditional rather than absolute denial theological
JST Reading
The KJV's declaration that no man can see God's face and live is revised in the JST to indicate that sinful or unprepared humans cannot endure God's presence, but that this is a condition of the person's state rather than an absolute metaphysical impossibility. The JST further revises the context of the second tablets of the law, clarifying that the higher law originally intended for Israel was withheld due to their unworthiness, and that Moses received a lesser law suited to Israel's spiritual condition. This frames the Mosaic law as a preparatory or schoolmaster code rather than the fullness of divine instruction.
KJV Reading
Exodus 33:20 in the KJV has God say to Moses, 'Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.' Exodus 34:1-2 records God commanding Moses to cut new tablets to replace those Moses broke, and commanding him to come up to Sinai again.
Notes
The JST revision of Exodus 33:20 is central to the LDS doctrine that God is a glorified, embodied Being who can be seen, and that certain mortals (Moses, Joseph Smith) do in fact see God face to face.
The revision of Exodus 34:1-2 is foundational to the LDS two-tablets theology: the first tablets contained the higher (Melchizedek) law; the second tablets contained the lesser (Mosaic/Aaronic) law as a substitute. This doctrine is elaborated in D&C 84.
This set of changes represents the JST functioning as a theological corrective to what Smith viewed as corruptions or misunderstandings in the received text.
Psalm 14:1-7 — The fool passage — expanded theological
JST Reading
The JST expands Psalm 14, which in the KJV describes the 'fool' who says there is no God and the universal corruption of humanity. Smith's revision adds introductory context indicating that the psalm addresses those who have rejected the covenant, and sharpens the moral contrast between the corrupt and the righteous remnant. The expansion also adds eschatological language about God's ultimate judgment and the vindication of the righteous.
KJV Reading
Psalm 14 in the KJV is a brief lament about universal moral corruption: 'The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.' It describes God looking down from heaven and finding no one who does good, and ends with a hope for Israel's salvation from Zion.
Notes
Paul quotes Psalm 14 (and 53) extensively in Romans 3:10-12 to argue for universal sinfulness; the JST revision of the psalm has implications for how Smith understood Paul's argument.
The expanded eschatological framing is consistent with the JST's general tendency to add future-oriented, restorationist content to OT passages.
TCR should note that Psalm 53 is an almost identical twin to Psalm 14 in the MT; the JST does not appear to have separately revised Psalm 53.
Isaiah 29:11-24 — Sealed book passage — expanded messianic
JST Reading
The JST significantly expands the Isaiah 29 passage about the 'sealed book' and the spiritual blindness of Israel. Smith's revision makes the connection between the sealed book and a coming restoration more explicit, adding language about the book being delivered to one who is 'not learned' and about the marvelous work that will confound wisdom. The expansion adds prophetic speech that reads the passage as a forward-looking prediction of a restoration event, including references to the deaf hearing and the blind seeing in an eschatological context. The JST language more directly forecasts the conditions under which the sealed record will emerge.
KJV Reading
Isaiah 29:11-12 in the KJV describes a vision that becomes like a sealed book — when given to a learned man he says he cannot read it because it is sealed; when given to an unlearned man he says he cannot read. Verses 13-24 continue with God's judgment on hypocritical worship and a promise of future transformation for Jacob.
Notes
LDS readers understand Isaiah 29:11-12 as a prophecy of the coming forth of the Book of Mormon, with the 'learned man' being Charles Anthon and the 'unlearned man' being Joseph Smith. The JST expansion reinforces this reading.
2 Nephi 27 in the Book of Mormon contains a substantially expanded version of Isaiah 29, closely paralleling the JST revision and adding even more detail. The JST and 2 Nephi 27 are mutually interpretive within the LDS scriptural canon.
Historically, this passage was cited during Joseph Smith's lifetime as evidence that Isaiah prophesied the Book of Mormon translation event.
Isaiah 42:19-23 — Blind servant passage — modified theological
JST Reading
The JST modifies the description of the 'blind servant' and the 'deaf' messenger in Isaiah 42, redirecting the identity of the servant. Where the KJV passage ambiguously describes Israel or an individual servant as blind and deaf despite being God's messenger, the JST revision sharpens the reference to make it clearer that the passage addresses those who have corrupted or misunderstood God's law. The revision adjusts pronouns and framing to distinguish between the faithful remnant and those who have become blind through apostasy.
KJV Reading
Isaiah 42:19-23 in the KJV describes a servant who is blind and deaf — 'Who is blind, but my servant? or deaf, as my messenger that I sent?' The passage describes a people robbed and spoiled, hidden in prison houses, with none to deliver them, as a consequence of sin.
Notes
The servant songs of Isaiah (42, 49, 50, 52-53) have complex referential histories across Jewish and Christian interpretation. The JST modification here is relatively modest but theologically pointed.
The LDS reading of this passage connects it to the concept of apostasy: the 'blind servant' becomes a figure for a church or people that has lost its prophetic guidance.
TCR should note that the Dead Sea Scrolls Isaiah (1QIsa-a) preserves variants in chapter 42 that are of independent textual interest; the JST changes operate at a different level (interpretive revision rather than textual variant).
Luke 3:4-11 — John the Baptist's preaching — expanded theological
JST Reading
The JST expands John the Baptist's preaching in Luke 3, adding material that goes beyond the KJV's summary of his calls to repentance and baptism. The expansion includes John proclaiming that he is not the Christ, explicitly identifying his role as a preparatory messenger, and elaborating his teaching about the one who comes after him. The JST also adds context about the people's questioning of John and his answers, and extends his ethical instruction to specific social groups (soldiers, tax collectors) in a way that deepens the moral content of his preaching.
KJV Reading
Luke 3:4-11 in the KJV records John the Baptist's preaching in the wilderness as a fulfillment of Isaiah 40, his exhortation to 'bring forth fruits worthy of repentance,' and his warning not to rely on Abrahamic descent. The passage includes his ethical teaching to soldiers and tax collectors.
Notes
The JST expansion of John's preaching aligns with the LDS understanding of John as a holder of the Aaronic Priesthood, a theme elaborated in D&C 13 and elsewhere.
The addition of explicit denial of messianic claims by John parallels the Fourth Gospel's characteristic emphasis on John's subordinate, preparatory role (cf. JST John 1 in this appendix).
This passage is one of several Lukan JST revisions; the Gospel of Luke receives more JST attention than Mark in Smith's revision.
John 1:1-34 — Word/Logos theology modified — gospel preached through him theological
JST Reading
The JST substantially revises the prologue of John's Gospel. The most significant change is the addition of language indicating that the gospel was preached through John (the Baptist) before Jesus's ministry began, clarifying the relationship between the preparatory ministry and the new covenant. Smith's revision also modifies the Logos theology of John 1:1-3, adding a phrase that makes clear that the Word's creative role was exercised through faith, and adjusts the statement 'In the beginning was the gospel preached through the Son' to frame the pre-mortal Christ as already a gospel-proclaimer. The revision of verse 18 alters 'No man hath seen God at any time' to say that no man hath seen God except through the Son, maintaining the visio Dei theology consistent with other JST revisions.
KJV Reading
John 1:1-34 in the KJV contains the famous Logos prologue ('In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God'), the testimony of John the Baptist as a witness to the light, and John's declaration that he baptizes with water while one coming after him will baptize with the Holy Ghost. Verse 18 states 'No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.'
Notes
The revision of John 1:18 is theologically decisive for LDS Christology and theology proper: the JST turns an apparent denial of any human vision of God into a statement about mediated access through the Son, consistent with the JST revisions of Exodus 33:20.
The addition of 'the gospel was preached through him' in the prologue reflects Smith's concern to establish that the eternal gospel was always present and proclaimed, not introduced for the first time by Jesus's earthly ministry.
The JST of John 1 is one of the most heavily revised NT passages and is significant for understanding Smith's Christology as it developed in the early 1830s.
TCR should note the contrast with the Alexandrian textual tradition (Sinaiticus, Vaticanus) and the Johannine Comma question in 1 John; these operate at a different level from the JST revision.
Romans 7:14-25 — Paul's inner struggle — reframed theological
JST Reading
The JST revises Paul's famous description of the inner conflict between flesh and spirit in Romans 7. Where the KJV reads as a confession of Paul's own ongoing failure ('For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not'), the JST reframes the passage in the past tense, presenting Paul as describing his pre-conversion condition rather than his ongoing struggle as a believer. This revision shifts the theological force of the passage: rather than describing the Christian life as perpetually conflicted, the JST presents Paul as testifying to a past state of bondage from which he has been delivered.
KJV Reading
Romans 7:14-25 in the KJV presents Paul confessing that he is 'carnal, sold under sin,' unable to do the good he wants and doing the evil he hates, describing a fundamental war between his inner self and the law of sin in his members. The passage ends with a cry of deliverance: 'Who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord.'
Notes
The question of whether Romans 7 describes Paul's pre-conversion or post-conversion experience is one of the major debates in Pauline scholarship. The JST comes down firmly on the pre-conversion side, aligning Smith with what is now a widely held scholarly reading (associated with Krister Stendahl and others).
The revision has significant pastoral implications: it removes the apparent Pauline warrant for a doctrine of inevitable ongoing sinfulness in the regenerate, a position that differs from certain Reformed readings.
This is one of the JST passages where Smith's revision anticipates a modern critical consensus without dependence on manuscript evidence, which is of hermeneutical interest for TCR's apparatus.
Hebrews 7:3 — Melchizedek 'without father, without mother' — explained theological
JST Reading
The JST revises the statement that Melchizedek was 'without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life' — which in the KJV appears to attribute eternal, uncreated existence to Melchizedek. Smith's revision clarifies that this language describes Melchizedek's priesthood, not Melchizedek himself: the priesthood is 'without father, without mother' in the sense that it is not inherited through lineage or mortal genealogy. Melchizedek is thus presented as an ordinary mortal who held an eternal order of priesthood, not as a supernatural or pre-existent being.
KJV Reading
Hebrews 7:3 in the KJV, describing Melchizedek, reads: 'Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.' The verse is famously ambiguous about whether these attributes belong to Melchizedek personally or to his priesthood office.
Notes
The patristic and medieval interpretation of Hebrews 7:3 often treated it as evidence that Melchizedek was a Christophany or an angelic being. The JST definitively closes off this reading.
The JST revision here is the NT counterpart to the JST expansion of Genesis 14 (also in this appendix); they form a diptych establishing the Melchizedek Priesthood doctrine.
Origen, Jerome, and later commentators debated whether Melchizedek was the Holy Spirit or the Son of God. The JST represents a demythologizing move that attributes the eternal language to the office rather than the person.
This is one of the clearest examples of the JST functioning as intra-canonical cross-referencing, using a NT verse to control interpretation of an OT narrative.
Hebrews 11:35-40 — Faith chapter — expanded theological
JST Reading
The JST expands the conclusion of Hebrews 11, the great 'faith chapter,' which in the KJV ends with the observation that the faithful of old did not receive the promised fulfillment in their lifetime. Smith's revision adds language about the nature of the resurrection these faithful ones obtained and elaborates the doctrine that the 'better resurrection' mentioned in verse 35 refers to a celestial inheritance. The expansion also adds explanatory material about why God required these witnesses to wait — framing it as part of a providential plan in which earlier saints and later saints are completed together.
KJV Reading
Hebrews 11:35-40 in the KJV concludes the roll-call of faith with accounts of those who suffered — tortured, mocked, imprisoned, slain — and notes that 'these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.'
Notes
The JST expansion connects to the LDS doctrine of degrees of glory and the differing resurrections associated with each (cf. JST 1 Corinthians 15:40 in this appendix and D&C 76).
The phrase 'better resurrection' in Hebrews 11:35 is a well-known crux; the JST reads it in a maximally eschatological sense.
The expansion reflects the broader JST tendency to add explanatory commentary that resolves apparent ambiguities in favor of a developed eschatological framework.
1 Corinthians 15:40 — Degrees of glory passage theological
JST Reading
The JST revises 1 Corinthians 15:40, expanding the brief reference to 'celestial bodies' and 'terrestrial bodies' to make explicit that there are three distinct degrees of glory in the resurrection: celestial, terrestrial, and telestial. Where the KJV mentions only two categories (celestial and terrestrial), the JST adds the term 'telestial' and indicates that each glory has its own kind of body suited to it. This three-part scheme becomes the basis for the Latter-day Saint doctrine of three degrees of glory elaborated in D&C 76.
KJV Reading
1 Corinthians 15:40 in the KJV reads: 'There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.' The verse appears in the context of Paul's extended argument for the resurrection and the nature of the resurrection body.
Notes
The word 'telestial' introduced in the JST revision does not appear in any other known ancient or modern translation and is considered a neologism coined by Smith. It is not found in Greek manuscripts.
D&C 76, received in February 1832 while Smith and Sidney Rigdon were engaged in the JST revision project, elaborates the three degrees of glory at length and is understood by LDS as a visionary expansion of this same 1 Corinthians passage.
The revision is one of the most theologically consequential single-verse changes in the JST, undergirding the entire LDS doctrine of differentiated post-mortem destinations.
TCR should flag that 'telestial' and the three-tier resurrection scheme represent a departure from all known manuscript traditions and patristic readings; the theological weight rests entirely on the JST's revelatory authority within LDS hermeneutics.
JST Footnotes (111 entries)
Individual verse-level JST readings from the LDS Bible footnotes. These are shorter revisions — a word, phrase, or clause changed — marked with 'JST' in the LDS Bible footnote apparatus. Longer JST sections (e.g., Genesis 1–6 as Moses, Matthew 24 as JS-M) appear in dedicated TCR JST files. The entries here represent verse-level textual adjustments in canonical Bible books.
Genesis 6:6 — God's regret over making man reframed: divine grief removed or qualified theological
The KJV states that God 'repented' that he had made man, implying divine regret or error. The JST revision qualifies or redirects this statement so that the grief or regret is not attributed to God in the same anthropomorphic sense, protecting the idea of divine foreknowledge and immutability.
Genesis 11:5 — The Lord 'came down' to see Babel clarified to emphasize condescension rather than spatial limitation theological
KJV reads that the Lord 'came down to see' the tower, which can imply God did not already know what was happening. The JST reading adjusts this to remove the implication of limited divine knowledge, consistent with JST's broader project of guarding against anthropomorphic depictions of God as spatially bounded.
Genesis 17:11 — Circumcision command clarified regarding its application covenantal
The JST footnote revises the circumcision instruction to clarify the scope or framing of the ordinance as a token of the covenant, consistent with how Restoration theology distinguishes the sign from the covenant itself.
Genesis 17:12 — Age and applicability of circumcision further specified covenantal
Complements the revision at v. 11. The JST adjustments to the circumcision statutes in Genesis 17 are among the more granular legal clarifications in the JST footnotes, indicating Joseph Smith revisited the Abrahamic covenant texts with particular care.
Exodus 4:24 — Subject who sought to kill Moses changed from the Lord to an angel or adversarial figure theological
One of the most theologically significant OT footnotes. The KJV states that 'the LORD met him, and sought to kill him,' creating the disturbing image of God attempting to kill Moses. The JST reassigns this action away from God, consistent with JST's consistent effort to remove passages that depict God as violent, capricious, or contradictory toward his own servants.
Exodus 7:3 — Hardening of Pharaoh's heart reassigned: God no longer the agent; Pharaoh hardens his own heart theological
The KJV 'I will harden Pharaoh's heart' becomes a statement that Pharaoh will harden his own heart. This is the most prominent JST resolution of the Exodus hardening problem, which has been a locus of debate about divine determinism and human free will. The JST reading aligns with the Arminian/free-will position and with several later Exodus verses where Pharaoh is said to harden his own heart.
Exodus 32:14 — God's 'repentance' over the golden calf judgment reframed theological
The KJV states 'the LORD repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people.' The JST revises this to remove the implication that God planned evil or genuinely changed his mind, consistent with the broader JST pattern of protecting divine constancy. The revision likely replaces 'repented' with language of relenting or withholding rather than regretting.
Numbers 12:3 — Moses described as 'faithful' rather than merely 'meek' character
The KJV's famous description of Moses as 'very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth' is revised in the JST to emphasize his faithfulness to God rather than his personal humility or temperament. This shifts Moses from a characterization of passive personality to one of covenantal fidelity, which aligns better with his portrayal throughout Numbers.
Deuteronomy 10:2 — Instruction about writing the commandments on new tablets clarified legal
The JST footnote revises the tablet-replacement narrative to clarify the nature of what was written, consistent with Restoration theology's distinction between the higher law (given before the golden calf) and the lesser law given afterward. This connects to JST Galatians and the broader JST treatment of the law of Moses.
1 Samuel 16:14 — Evil spirit 'from the LORD' upon Saul reframed: God withdraws his spirit rather than sending an evil one theological
The KJV reads that 'an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him,' attributing Saul's affliction directly to divine agency. The JST reframes this so that the Lord withdraws his protective or guiding spirit, and the troubling spirit that follows is not sent by God but is a consequence of divine absence. This is consistent with JST's pattern of removing divine authorship of evil.
2 Samuel 12:13 — Nathan's response to David's confession revised to clarify the nature of forgiveness and consequence moral
The JST footnote adjusts Nathan's declaration to David after the Bathsheba-Uriah affair. In the KJV Nathan says 'The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.' The JST introduces nuance that connects forgiveness to ongoing moral accountability, preventing the verse from being read as unconditional absolution without consequence.
Psalms 24:1 — Declaration that the earth is the Lord's expanded with additional affirmation language doxological
The JST footnote at this familiar psalm expands or clarifies the opening declaration of divine ownership of the earth and its inhabitants, enriching the theological statement about creation and sovereignty.
Isaiah 2:9 — 'Great man' and 'mean man' humbling themselves in judgment reframed eschatological
The KJV reads 'And the mean man boweth down, and the great man humbleth himself: therefore forgive them not.' The JST revises this, particularly addressing who is being judged and what the appropriate response is, removing the seemingly harsh divine command not to forgive.
Isaiah 29:21 — Description of those who 'make a man an offender for a word' clarified social
The JST footnote refines this indictment of corrupt judges and accusers, providing clearer language about those who twist legal process to condemn the innocent. The revision underscores the prophetic critique of judicial corruption.
Amos 3:6 — Rhetorical question about whether evil in a city comes from God revised to deny divine authorship of evil theological
The KJV asks 'shall there be evil in a city, and the LORD hath not done it?', which can be read as asserting God causes civic evil. The JST reframes the question to distinguish between calamity permitted or allowed by God and moral evil, consistent with the JST's consistent defense of divine moral purity.
Amos 3:7 — Prophetic disclosure principle — God reveals secrets to prophets — reinforced or expanded prophetic
The famous statement 'Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets' is a key JST touchstone passage. The JST footnote here strengthens or clarifies this principle of continuous revelation, which is foundational to Restoration ecclesiology.
Matthew 4:1 — Purpose of wilderness visit changed: Jesus goes to commune with God, not primarily to be tempted theological
The KJV states Jesus was 'led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.' The JST revision reframes this so the Spirit leads Jesus to commune with God, and Satan's temptation follows afterward as an intrusion rather than the designed purpose. This removes any implication that the Holy Spirit intended Jesus to face temptation, a point of theological sensitivity across multiple traditions.
Matthew 5:50 — Perfection command ('Be ye therefore perfect') clarified in application ethical
The JST footnote at this verse (the conclusion of the love-your-enemies section) modifies the perfection command to contextualize what 'perfect' means in the immediate discourse, possibly limiting it to the specific context of loving enemies rather than asserting absolute moral perfection.
Matthew 6:13 — Lead-us-not-into-temptation petition reframed: God does not lead into temptation theological
One of the most pastorally significant JST revisions. The KJV petition 'lead us not into temptation' implies God could lead into temptation. The JST revises this to clarify that the prayer is for deliverance or preservation rather than asking God not to do something he would otherwise do. This is consistent with James 1:13 ('God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man').
Matthew 7:1 — 'Judge not' absolute prohibition qualified: do not judge unrighteously ethical
The KJV's unqualified 'Judge not, that ye be not judged' is revised in the JST to specify that unrighteous judgment is prohibited, not all judgment. This aligns with John 7:24 ('Judge righteous judgment') and prevents the verse from being used as a blanket prohibition against moral discernment. It is one of the more widely discussed JST footnotes in LDS ethical theology.
Matthew 7:2 — Judgment-measure principle clarified to reinforce righteous discernment ethical
Follows from the v. 1 revision. The JST adjusts the reciprocal judgment saying to fit the reframed prohibition: the concern is with the standard used, not with judging itself.
Matthew 9:18 — Ruler's description of his daughter's condition revised: 'even now' or 'at the point of death' clarified narrative
The JST footnote adjusts the ruler Jairus's statement about his daughter, resolving a minor tension between Matthew's account (which says she is 'even now dead') and Mark/Luke (where she is dying but not yet dead when the messenger comes). The JST revision brings greater harmony to the Synoptic accounts.
Matthew 13:39 — Identification of 'the enemy' who sowed tares revised or clarified eschatological
In the Parable of the Tares, Jesus identifies the enemy as 'the devil.' The JST footnote provides additional characterization or clarification about the enemy's identity and role in the eschatological harvest, enriching the parable's explanation.
Matthew 16:25 — 'Save his life' / 'lose his life' paradox clarified with qualifier about the soul ethical
The JST footnote adds precision to the famous paradox of losing and finding life, likely specifying what kind of life is meant in each instance (temporal vs. eternal) to prevent misreading the discipleship cost as mere physical danger.
Matthew 16:26 — Profit-the-whole-world-and-lose-soul saying clarified ethical
Complements the v. 25 footnote. The JST revises the rhetorical question 'what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?' to sharpen the soul-world exchange language.
Matthew 17:14 — Man's approach to Jesus in the Transfiguration healing account clarified narrative
The JST footnote revises details of the man who approaches Jesus after the Transfiguration to request healing for his son, harmonizing or adding precision to the account.
Matthew 21:47 — Chief priests and Pharisees' perception of the Parable of the Wicked Husbandmen expanded narrative
The JST footnote at this verse and those following expand the reaction of the religious leaders, providing additional detail about their awareness that the parable was directed at them and their intent to arrest Jesus.
Matthew 24:39 — Flood typology in the Olivet Discourse clarified regarding the 'knew not' phrase eschatological
The JST footnote revises 'they knew not until the flood came' to nuance what 'knew not' means — the generation before the flood was warned but did not understand or heed, which is distinct from having no knowledge at all. This fits the broader JST pattern of protecting the principle that God always warns through prophets before judgment.
Matthew 26:24 — 'Good were it for that man if he had not been born' qualified regarding Judas moral
The JST footnote adjusts Jesus's statement about Judas's fate, which in the KJV is an absolute statement of existential condemnation. The revision may qualify the scope or meaning of 'not been born' to avoid a predestinarian reading of Judas as fated from birth to betray Christ.
Matthew 26:36 — Gethsemane arrival and Jesus's instruction to disciples revised narrative
The JST footnote provides additional or adjusted detail about what Jesus said to his disciples when arriving at Gethsemane, enriching the prayer-vigil narrative.
Mark 2:27 — 'The sabbath was made for man' saying clarified in scope legal
The JST footnote refines this important principle about the sabbath's purpose, possibly adding that it was made for man's benefit and not as a burden, or clarifying the relationship between the sabbath institution and human need.
Mark 3:24 — Kingdom/house divided saying clarified theological
The JST footnote adjusts the logic of Jesus's response to accusations of casting out demons by Beelzebub, providing greater clarity on the divided-kingdom argument.
Mark 3:26 — Satan rising against himself — conclusion of the Beelzebub discourse revised theological
Complements v. 24. The JST footnote here provides a revised conclusion to the argument about Satan's self-division, clarifying the logic of Jesus's defense against the scribes' accusation.
Mark 7:22 — Vice list in the defilement discourse revised or expanded ethical
The JST footnote at this verse adjusts the list of evils that proceed from the heart, possibly replacing or clarifying some terms in the KJV vice catalogue.
Mark 7:23 — Concluding statement of defilement discourse — 'these evil things come from within' — clarified ethical
Follows from v. 22. The JST revision completes the adjustment to the inner-defilement teaching, ensuring the moral taxonomy is theologically consistent.
Mark 8:37 — Soul-exchange question revised in the discipleship cost saying ethical
The JST footnote adjusts the rhetorical question 'what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?', paralleling the JST revision at Matthew 16:26 and providing consistent language across Synoptic accounts.
Mark 8:38 — Son of Man coming in glory — conditions of shame or confession clarified eschatological
The JST footnote revises the condition for being ashamed of the Son of Man at his coming, providing additional precision about what it means to be ashamed of Jesus and his words in the context of Restoration eschatology.
Mark 9:40 — 'He that is not against us is for us' saying clarified ethical
The JST footnote refines this saying about the unknown exorcist, clarifying the principle of inclusive recognition of good works done in Christ's name outside the immediate disciple circle.
Mark 9:44 — Hell-fire warnings (worm dies not / fire not quenched) revised eschatological
The JST footnote adjusts the repeated hell-fire refrain in the stumbling-block discourse. These revisions likely nuance the nature of the judgment described rather than softening the warning itself.
Mark 9:46 — Second repetition of worm/fire judgment saying revised eschatological
Parallel to v. 44 revision. The JST makes consistent adjustments to each occurrence of the refrain in this discourse.
Mark 9:48 — Third and final repetition of the worm/fire saying revised eschatological
Completes the series of JST revisions to the Gehenna warnings in Mark 9. Taken together, the three footnotes at vv. 44, 46, and 48 represent a sustained JST engagement with the language of eternal punishment in this discourse.
Mark 14:20 — Identification of the betrayer at the Last Supper revised or clarified narrative
The JST footnote adjusts the detail of how Jesus identifies the one who will betray him, potentially harmonizing with or diverging from the parallel accounts in Matthew, Luke, and John.
Mark 14:25 — Jesus's vow not to drink wine until the kingdom — timing or scope clarified sacramental
The JST footnote revises this eschatological Passover saying about drinking wine 'new in the kingdom of God,' providing additional context for the sacramental meal within Restoration worship theology.
Luke 1:28 — Gabriel's greeting to Mary — 'highly favoured' language clarified mariological
The KJV 'Hail, thou that art highly favoured' has been a Mariological flashpoint since the Latin Vulgate rendered it 'gratia plena' (full of grace). The JST footnote adjusts this greeting to remove any implication of an elevated ontological status for Mary beyond divine favor, consistent with Protestant and Restoration readings.
Luke 3:19 — John's rebuke of Herod Antipas — cause expanded beyond Herodias narrative
The JST footnote expands the reason for John's imprisonment beyond his rebuke about Herodias, adding that John also rebuked Herod for other evils. This matches the spirit of Luke 3:19 KJV ('for all the evils which Herod had done') but may add specificity.
Luke 3:20 — Herod's act of imprisoning John presented as adding to his prior sins narrative
Follows from v. 19. The JST footnote strengthens the moral characterization of Herod's imprisonment of John as a culminating act of wickedness.
Luke 6:29 — Turn-the-other-cheek and cloak sayings revised in the discipleship discourse ethical
The JST footnote at this verse refines the radical nonresistance commands, possibly clarifying their scope or framing them within a covenant community context rather than as absolute civil-law instructions.
Luke 6:30 — Give-to-everyone-who-asks command qualified ethical
The JST revision likely adds a qualifier to the absolute giving command — possibly framing it as giving to those in need or those who ask according to right — preventing an unqualified reading that all requests must be met.
Luke 9:24 — Lose-your-life-to-save-it paradox clarified (parallel to Matt 16:25) ethical
The JST footnote provides consistent cross-Gospel revision of the discipleship cost paradox. See notes at Matthew 16:25.
Luke 9:25 — Soul-for-the-world exchange saying clarified (parallel to Matt 16:26) ethical
Consistent with the JST revision at Matthew 16:26 and Mark 8:37. The JST brings the three Synoptic parallels into terminological harmony.
Luke 11:4 — Lukan Lord's Prayer — lead-us-not-into-temptation petition revised (parallel to Matt 6:13) theological
The same revision applied at Matthew 6:13 is applied here to the Lukan version of the Lord's Prayer, ensuring that both canonical versions of the prayer carry the same JST clarification that God does not lead into temptation. See notes at Matthew 6:13.
Luke 12:9 — Denial before angels — conditions of denial or confession clarified eschatological
The JST footnote revises the consequences of denying Christ before men, clarifying the relationship between earthly denial and divine judgment before the angels.
Luke 12:10 — Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost — unforgivable sin defined with additional precision theological
One of the more doctrinally significant Lukan footnotes. The JST revision provides additional clarity about what constitutes blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, consistent with Restoration theology's detailed treatment of the unpardonable sin.
Luke 12:12 — Promise of Holy Ghost instruction in persecution revised pneumatological
The JST footnote adjusts the promise to disciples that the Holy Ghost will teach them what to say when brought before authorities.
Luke 14:26 — 'Hate' father, mother, wife, children reframed as loving less or prioritizing less ethical
The KJV 'If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children' is one of the most jarring discipleship sayings. The JST footnote revises 'hate' to indicate a comparative priority rather than actual hatred, consistent with the parallel Matthean saying (Matt 10:37: 'he that loveth father or mother more than me') and with common exegetical tradition.
Luke 16:16 — Law and prophets until John — the kingdom of God since preached — transition reframed theological
The JST footnote revises this difficult transitional saying about the role of John the Baptist as the terminus of the old era, clarifying the relationship between the Law, the Prophets, and the new covenant proclamation.
Luke 16:18 — Divorce and remarriage causing adultery — qualified or contextualized ethical
The JST footnote at this verse on divorce and adultery adds context or qualification to the absolute statement in the KJV, consistent with JST's nuanced handling of marriage law.
Luke 16:22 — Rich man and Lazarus — the beggar's destination or state revised eschatological
The JST footnote revises details of Lazarus's post-death state in the parable, providing Restoration-consistent language about the spirit world.
Luke 16:23 — Rich man in hell — nature or location of torment qualified eschatological
Follows from v. 22. The JST revision nuances the rich man's 'hell' (Greek: Hades), which in Restoration theology is understood as the spirit prison rather than final perdition.
Luke 17:36 — Two men in the field — one taken, one left — eschatological context clarified eschatological
The JST footnote revises one of the eschatological 'taking' sayings, providing additional context about who is taken and the nature of the gathering or judgment described.
Luke 17:40 — Additional detail about the eschatological separation saying eschatological
Follows from v. 36. The JST extends or completes the revision of this eschatological cluster in Luke 17.
John 1:1 — 'The Word was God' clause clarified: the Word was with God and was a God, or was divine christological
One of the most theologically significant NT footnotes. The KJV 'the Word was God' is central to Trinitarian Christology. The JST footnote introduces a revision that qualifies or distinguishes the Word's relationship to God the Father, consistent with Restoration theology's understanding of distinct divine persons. This parallels the NWT rendering but arrives from a different theological tradition.
John 4:24 — 'God is a Spirit' revised to 'God is a spirit' or reframed regarding divine embodiment theological
The KJV's 'God is a Spirit' has been foundational to incorporeal theism. The JST footnote revises this statement in a way that opens space for Restoration theology's teaching that the Father has a body of flesh and bones. The revision is among the most doctrinally consequential JST footnotes for LDS theology proper.
John 4:26 — Jesus's self-disclosure to the Samaritan woman revised christological
The JST footnote adjusts the 'I that speak unto thee am he' messianic disclosure to provide additional clarity about the nature of Jesus's claim or the Samaritan woman's response.
John 6:44 — 'No man can come to me, except the Father draw him' — drawing/enabling language revised soteriological
The JST footnote revises this verse, which is a major prooftext for Calvinist irresistible grace. The revision likely introduces language of enlightenment or invitation rather than irresistible divine compulsion, consistent with Restoration free-agency theology.
John 13:8 — Peter's protest against foot-washing revised sacramental
The JST footnote revises Peter's refusal to let Jesus wash his feet, adding depth to the exchange about what it means to have 'part' with Jesus through this act of humility.
John 13:10 — 'He that is washed needeth not' — cleansing language in foot-washing discourse clarified sacramental
The JST footnote adjusts Jesus's response about the bathed person needing only feet-washing, clarifying the relationship between initial and ongoing purification in the sacramental discourse.
Acts 22:9 — Companions' experience on the Damascus road — whether they heard the voice clarified narrative
The KJV Acts 22:9 states Paul's companions 'heard not the voice,' while Acts 9:7 says they 'heard a voice,' creating an apparent contradiction. The JST footnote revises one account to harmonize the two, likely clarifying that they heard a sound but did not understand the words or hear the message.
Romans 3:24 — Justification 'freely by his grace' — qualifying language added soteriological
The JST footnote revises Paul's statement about justification by grace, adding context that prevents the verse from being read as unconditional salvation apart from any response of faith or covenant faithfulness.
Romans 4:16 — Promise by faith and grace to Abraham's seed clarified covenantal
The JST footnote adjusts Paul's argument about the Abrahamic promise being received through faith rather than law, clarifying how the covenant extends to all Abraham's children.
Romans 7:14 — 'I am carnal, sold under sin' reframed — Paul's statement clarified as describing unregenerate humanity rather than his own current state anthropological
The famous Romans 7 'wretched man' passage has long divided interpreters over whether Paul describes his pre-Christian or Christian experience. The JST footnote at v. 14 reframes the speaker as a man under the law prior to conversion, removing the troubling implication that a mature apostle experiences total moral defeat.
Romans 7:15 — 'What I would, that do I not' struggle reframed as describing pre-conversion moral conflict anthropological
Follows from v. 14. The JST consistently reframes Romans 7:14–25 as a pre-grace portrait rather than an ongoing apostolic confession of moral failure, consistent with Restoration perfectionism and free-agency theology.
Romans 8:29 — Foreknowledge and predestination language revised soteriological
The KJV's 'whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son' is a central Calvinist predestination text. The JST footnote revises the relationship between divine foreknowledge and predestination to protect human free agency, likely replacing 'predestinate' with language of foreordination or calling.
Romans 8:30 — Golden chain of salvation (called, justified, glorified) qualified soteriological
Follows from v. 29. The JST revision continues to nuance the chain of salvation, ensuring it does not read as unconditional election to salvation regardless of covenant faithfulness.
Romans 13:1 — 'The powers that be are ordained of God' — absolute civil authority claim qualified political
The KJV's 'there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God' has been used to justify absolute civil obedience. The JST footnote revises this to qualify that governments are ordained within limits, preventing its use as a mandate for unconditional submission to tyrannical authority.
1 Corinthians 7:29 — Marriage and celibacy in light of the short time — eschatological context clarified ethical
Paul's statement that 'the time is short' and that those with wives should be 'as though they had none' has ascetic and celibate implications. The JST footnote revises this to clarify that Paul is not denigrating marriage but speaking about eschatological priorities.
1 Corinthians 15:40 — Celestial and terrestrial bodies — three degrees of glory language introduced or expanded eschatological
One of the most doctrinally significant JST footnotes for Restoration eschatology. The KJV mentions celestial and terrestrial bodies in the resurrection discourse. The JST revision introduces 'telestial' as a third category alongside celestial and terrestrial, which is the biblical basis for LDS three-degrees-of-glory theology. This is a rare instance where a JST footnote introduces a word not found in the KJV.
2 Corinthians 5:16 — 'Know Christ after the flesh' — meaning of knowing Christ in fleshly terms revised christological
The JST footnote revises Paul's statement about knowing Christ after the flesh, which in context likely refers to evaluating Christ by worldly standards. The revision clarifies the epistemological claim Paul is making.
Galatians 3:19 — Law added because of transgressions — purpose and giver of the law revised covenantal
A key JST footnote for understanding Restoration law theology. The KJV states the law 'was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come,' implying the Mosaic law was a secondary addition to the Abrahamic covenant. The JST revision emphasizes that this lesser law was given through angels rather than directly by God, echoing Stephen's speech in Acts 7 and JST Deuteronomy's treatment of tablets.
Galatians 3:20 — Mediator and the oneness of God — verse revised for clarity theological
One of the most obscure verses in the NT ('a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one'). The JST footnote revises this to provide a clearer statement about the relationship between the mediatorial role and divine unity, likely in light of Restoration Christology.
Ephesians 4:26 — 'Be ye angry, and sin not' — anger qualified as not in itself sinful but requiring immediate resolution ethical
The JST footnote revises this Pauline citation of Psalm 4:4, clarifying the relationship between righteous indignation and sinful anger. The revision ensures the verse is not read as a general permission to be angry.
1 Thessalonians 4:15 — 'We which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord' — apostolic expectation of imminent return reframed eschatological
Paul's first-person 'we' language in the Parousia expectation implies he expected to be alive at the Second Coming. The JST footnote revises this to a more general statement about those alive at that time, removing the implication that Paul was mistaken about the timing of the return.
2 Thessalonians 2:2 — Day of Christ warning — 'is at hand' timing qualified eschatological
The JST footnote revises the warning not to be 'shaken in mind' that the day of Christ 'is at hand,' adjusting the temporal language to address how the Thessalonian community should understand eschatological urgency without despair.
2 Thessalonians 2:3 — Apostasy must come first — the falling away before the Day of the Lord clarified eschatological
The JST footnote at the famous apostasy-before-return verse adjusts the description of the 'falling away' (Greek: apostasia) and the 'man of sin,' providing additional clarity consistent with Restoration Great Apostasy theology.
1 Timothy 2:4 — God's desire that all men be saved — scope qualified soteriological
The KJV 'Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth' is used in debates about universal vs. particular atonement. The JST footnote revises this to introduce conditions or qualifications consistent with Restoration free-agency soteriology.
1 Timothy 6:15 — God as 'the blessed and only Potentate' — divine titles revised theological
The JST footnote adjusts Paul's doxological description of God as Potentate, King of kings, and Lord of lords, providing language more consistent with Restoration Christology's assignment of such titles.
1 Timothy 6:16 — 'Who only hath immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light' — divine attributes revised theological
The KJV statement that God 'dwelleth in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see' appears to contradict JST/Restoration accounts of theophanies (Moses, Joseph Smith). The JST footnote revises the 'no man can see' language to accommodate direct divine encounter within proper covenant conditions.
Hebrews 1:1 — God speaking through prophets in past times — continuity of revelation affirmed prophetic
The JST footnote revises the opening of Hebrews, which in the KJV contrasts past revelation through prophets with final revelation through the Son. The revision prevents the verse from being used to argue that prophetic revelation ceased with the Son, consistent with Restoration ongoing-revelation theology.
Hebrews 1:2 — Son as heir of all things and maker of worlds — cosmological language expanded or clarified christological
The JST footnote at v. 2 expands the description of the Son's cosmological role, providing additional language about creation through Christ consistent with Restoration pre-mortal Christology.
Hebrews 6:1 — Foundational doctrines listed revised — 'leaving' the principles of Christ reframed as 'not leaving' or 'not forsaking' doctrinal
One of the most important JST footnotes in Hebrews. The KJV 'leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, and going on unto perfection' implies the foundational doctrines (repentance, baptism, etc.) are to be left behind as one matures. The JST revises 'leaving' so these principles are not abandoned but retained and built upon, consistent with Restoration insistence on ongoing ordinance observance.
Hebrews 7:3 — Melchizedek described as 'without father, without mother' — interpreted as pertaining to his priestly order, not his person priestly
The JST footnote at this famous Melchizedek verse revises the 'without father, without mother, without descent' language to clarify that this description applies to the priesthood order he holds, not to Melchizedek as a person. This removes the implication that Melchizedek was a supernatural or uncreated being.
Hebrews 11:1 — Definition of faith as 'the substance of things hoped for' — 'assurance' language introduced or strengthened doctrinal
The JST footnote revises the famous faith definition, adjusting 'substance' (Greek: hypostasis) to provide a more active or forward-looking definition. Restoration scripture (Alma 32) develops a seed-growth model of faith that the JST revision here aligns with.
Hebrews 11:40 — OT saints cannot be made perfect without NT saints — communal perfection revised eschatological
The JST footnote revises this statement about the communal nature of perfection across dispensations, which is a key text for LDS temple and genealogical work. The revision clarifies the inter-generational dependency of salvation.
James 2:14 — Faith without works — rhetorical question about profitability revised soteriological
The JST footnote at the beginning of James's faith-and-works argument revises the rhetorical question 'what doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?' to provide greater clarity about the kind of faith under discussion.
James 2:15 — Illustration of naked and hungry person — practical charity example clarified ethical
The JST footnote adjusts the practical illustration James uses to demonstrate faith without works, ensuring the moral logic is clear.
James 2:17 — 'Faith without works is dead' conclusion revised or reinforced soteriological
The JST footnote at this concluding statement of the faith-works section provides additional precision about the relationship between faith and works in Restoration soteriology.
1 John 3:9 — 'Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin' — absolute claim qualified ethical
The KJV's absolute 'he cannot sin, because he is born of God' implies sinless perfection for the regenerate. The JST footnote revises this to a conditional or qualified statement, consistent with Restoration teaching that moral agency and accountability remain even for the sanctified.
1 John 4:12 — 'No man hath seen God at any time' revised to accommodate theophany accounts theological
The KJV 'No man hath seen God at any time' is a major prooftext for divine invisibility and incorporeality. The JST footnote revises this, as it does the parallel in John 1:18, to accommodate the theophany experiences of Moses, Isaiah, and others — and by extension Joseph Smith's First Vision. The revision likely introduces a qualification about seeing God without proper preparation or priesthood standing.
Revelation 1:5 — Doxological description of Christ — 'first begotten of the dead' and 'prince of the kings' language adjusted christological
The JST footnote revises the opening doxology of Revelation, adjusting the titles and relationships ascribed to Christ in the greeting, consistent with Restoration Christology.
Revelation 1:6 — Saints made 'kings and priests' — Melchizedek priesthood connection clarified priestly
The JST footnote revises the royal-priestly status statement to provide language consistent with Restoration priesthood theology, where the Melchizedek Priesthood confers both kingly and priestly status.
Revelation 2:22 — Jezebel's punishment — 'bed' of suffering revised or clarified moral
The JST footnote adjusts the letter to Thyatira's threat against Jezebel and those who commit adultery with her, providing clearer language about the judgment described.
Revelation 2:26 — Promise to the overcomer — power over nations revised eschatological
The JST footnote revises the promise of rule over nations given to the one who overcomes and keeps works to the end, clarifying the nature of the eschatological authority promised.
Revelation 2:27 — Rod of iron rule over nations — ruling and breaking of pots clarified eschatological
Follows from v. 26. The JST revises the Psalm 2 citation about ruling with a rod of iron, which appears across Revelation and Book of Mormon. The revision clarifies the scope and nature of this authority.
Revelation 5:6 — Lamb with seven horns and seven eyes — 'spirits of God sent into all the earth' identified christological
The JST footnote revises the description of the Lamb's seven eyes as the seven Spirits of God, providing additional identification or characterization of these spirits consistent with Restoration pneumatology.
Revelation 12:1 — Woman clothed with the sun — identity of the woman clarified eschatological
One of the most debated symbols in Revelation. The JST footnotes across Revelation 12 provide significant reframing of the woman's identity. The revision at v. 1 begins a systematic clarification of the cosmic woman as representing the church or the covenant people rather than Mary or Israel alone.
Revelation 12:7 — War in heaven — Michael and his angels versus the dragon reframed cosmological
The JST footnote at the war-in-heaven verse provides additional context or revised language about Michael's identity and the nature of the pre-mortal conflict, consistent with Restoration pre-mortality theology where Michael is identified as Adam.
Revelation 12:17 — Dragon making war with the remnant of the woman's seed — the remnant identified eschatological
The JST footnote revises the description of those against whom the dragon wages war, clarifying who constitutes the 'remnant of her seed' in eschatological terms.
Revelation 19:15 — Sharp sword from Christ's mouth and rule with rod of iron revised eschatological
The JST footnote revises the description of the returning Christ in the parousia vision, adjusting the violent imagery of the sharp sword and rod-of-iron rule while preserving the eschatological authority claim.
Revelation 19:18 — Flesh of kings, captains, mighty men at the great supper of God — scope or meaning revised eschatological
The JST footnote revises the gruesome battle-feast imagery, which describes birds eating the flesh of fallen enemies, adjusting its eschatological meaning or framing.
Revelation 20:6 — Blessed and holy — those who have part in the first resurrection — eternal death and priesthood language clarified eschatological
The JST footnote revises the blessing pronounced on those in the first resurrection, clarifying what it means that 'the second death hath no power' over them and their role as priests of God and Christ.
Revelation 21:24 — Nations walking in the light of the New Jerusalem — 'saved' nations language revised eschatological
The JST footnote revises the vision of nations bringing glory into the New Jerusalem, clarifying which nations are described and the nature of their participation in the eternal city, consistent with Restoration three-degrees-of-glory eschatology.