This is the full text of Joel Groat’s M.T.S. thesis, Grand Rapids Theological Seminary, 1990, updated for this website in 2001. Click here to download a free PDF of the entire thesis. A more lay-friendly summary article is also available on this website.

Table of Contents

Introduction and Purpose

1. Historical Background and Significance of the

        1.A. Joseph Smith’s Reasons for Making a  New Translation

        1.B. Joseph Smith’s View of the Revision Work

        1.C. Significance Of The JST To Early Latter-day Saints

        1.D. Historical Note: Differing Views of LDS and RLDS Churches

        1.E. Significance of the JST to Contemporary Latter-day Saints

2. Grounds for Testing the Joseph Smith Translation

        2.A. Historical Grounds for Verifying the JST

        2.B. Textual-Critical Grounds For Verifying The JST

        2.B.i. Why Biblical Textual Criticism is Possible

        2.B.ii. Why Biblical Textual Criticism Is Necessary

3. Textual Comparison: Key John Passages Changed in the JST

        3.A. Textual Changes for Clarification and Grammatical Improvements

                Representative Texts: John 5:36a; John 6:54b; John 7:24

        3.B. Textual Changes for Harmonization or Better Logic

                3.B.i. Text 1 - John 4:2 Jesus and Baptizing

                3.B.ii. Text 2 - John 1:27 Who is Elias, Jesus or John?

        3.C. Textual Changes for Alteration of Doctrinal Teachings

                3.C.i. Text 1 - John 1:1,4 Emphasizing the Gospel

                3.C.ii. Text 2 - John 1:42 Introducing Occultism

                3.C.iii. Text 3 - John 4:24 Eliminating a God of  Spirit

                3.C.iv. Text 4 - John 5:29 Removing Eternal Punishment

Conclusion

Appendix A: “Inspired Version” Manuscript Pages For Johanine Passages Analyzed

Appendix B: Noah Webster’s First Edition [1828] Dictionary (Entries for “TRANSLATE”)

Bibliography