BM-KJV and JE-Mosiah 4

Annotation of Mosiah 4 – preliminary

Mosiah 4 is a good example because it shows that a high percentage of Joseph Smith’s language is also KJV language. Few of the KJV words/phrases are not also found in Edwards, including the so-called "blended" passages.

The blue D&C words/phrases in the annotation are nonbiblical and also not found in Edwards. In some cases noted below, the nonbiblical language is close to Edwards (e.g., plural instead of singular). There are several examples in the Book of Mormon and D&C of paraphrased or misquoted passages from the KJV that are identical to paraphrased or misquoted KJV passages in Edwards' works.

The red words/phrases are nonbiblical D&C wording that are also found in Edwards' works.

Purple are biblical or nonbiblical D&C words/phrases similar to Edwards.

Passages where the Lord is speaking directly are generally not found in Edwards.

Naturally, Edwards is not the only person who ever used this nonbiblical Book of Mormon terminology. English is a common language or we couldn't understand one another. But the ready availability of Edwards' works in Palmyra during Joseph's youth indicates that Edwards was a possible source for Joseph's vocabulary that he used when translating the plates and receiving revelations. Passages with the Lord’s personal pronouns obviously are not usually found in Edwards.

Bold = KJV 

Blue = nonbiblical BofM/D&C w/o JE (If unique to this instance, no footnote is given)

Red = nonbiblical BofM/D&C and JE 

Purple = biblical/nonbiblical BofM/D&C similar to JE

Chapter 4

King Benjamin continues his address—Salvation comes because of the Atonement—Believe in God to be saved—Retain a remission of your sins through faithfulness—Impart of your substance to the poor—Do all things in wisdom and order. About 124 B.C.

1 And now, it came to pass that when king Benjamin had made an end of speaking[1] the words[2] which had been delivered[3] unto him by the angel of the Lord[4], that he cast his eyes[5] round about[6] on the multitude[7], and behold they had fallen to the earth[8], for the fear of the Lord[9] had come upon them.

2 And they had viewed themselves in their own carnal state[10], even less than the dust of the earth[11]. And they all cried aloud[12] with one voice[13], saying: O have mercy[14], and apply[15] the atoning[16] blood of Christ[17] that we may receive forgiveness[18] of our sins, and our hearts may be purified[19]; for we believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who created heaven and earth, and all things; who shall come down[20] among the children of men[21].

3 And it came to pass that after they had spoken these words[22] the Spirit of the Lord[23] came upon them, and they were filled with joy[24], having received[25] a remission[26] of their sins[27], and having peace of conscience[28], because of the exceeding faith[29] which they had in Jesus Christ who should come[30], according to the words[31] which king Benjamin had spoken unto them.

4 And king Benjamin again opened his mouth[32] and began to speak[33] unto them, saying: My friends and my brethren, my kindred[34] and my people, I would again call your[35] attention[36], that ye may hear and understand[37] the remainder of[38] my words[39] which I shall speak unto you.

5 For behold, if the knowledge of the goodness[40] of God[41] at this time has awakened you[42] to a sense of[43] your nothingness[44], and your worthless[45] and fallen state[46]—

6 I say unto you, if ye have come to a knowledge[47] of the goodness of God, and his matchless[48] power, and his wisdom, and his patience, and his long-suffering[49] towards the children of men[50]; and also, the atonement[51] which has been prepared[52] from the foundation of the world[53], that thereby salvation[54] might come[55] to him that should put his trust in the Lord[56], and should be diligent[57] in keeping[58] his commandments[59], and continue in the faith[60] even unto the end of his life[61], I mean[62] the life of the mortal body[63]—

7 I say, that this is the man[64] who receiveth salvation, through the atonement[65] which was prepared from the foundation of the world for all mankind[66], which ever were[67] since the fall of Adam[68], or who are, or who ever shall be[69], even unto the end of the world[70].

8 And this is the means[71] whereby[72] salvation cometh. And there is none other salvation save this which hath been spoken of; neither are there any conditions[73] whereby man can be saved[74] except the conditions which I have told you[75].

9 Believe in God[76]; believe that he is[77], and that he created all things[78], both in heaven and in earth[79]; believe that he has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend[80] all the things which the Lord can comprehend[81].

10 And again, believe that ye must repent[82] of your sins[83] and forsake them, and humble yourselves[84] before God; and ask in sincerity of heart[85] that he would forgive you; and now, if you believe all these things[86] see that[87] ye do them.

11 And again I say unto you as I have said before, that as ye have come to the knowledge[88] of the glory of God[89], or if ye have known of his goodness and have tasted of his love[90], and have received a remission[91] of your sins[92], which causeth such exceedingly[93] great joy[94] in your souls[95], even so I would that ye should remember, and always retain in remembrance[96], the greatness of God[97], and your own nothingness, and his goodness[98] and long-suffering towards you, unworthy creatures[99], and humble yourselves[100] even in the depths of humility[101], calling on the name of the Lord[102] daily, and standing steadfastly in the faith[103] of that which is to come[104], which was spoken by the mouth of the angel.

12 And behold, I say unto you that if ye do this ye shall always rejoice[105], and be filled with the love of God[106], and always retain a remission of your sins; and ye shall grow in the knowledge[107] of the glory of him that created you, or in the knowledge of that which is just and true[108].

13 And ye will not have a mind[109] to injure one another[110], but to live peaceably[111], and to render to every man[112] according to that which is his due[113].

14 And ye will not suffer your children[114] that they go hungry[115], or naked; neither will ye suffer that they transgress the laws of God[116], and fight and quarrel[117] one with another, and serve the devil[118], who is the master of sin, or who is the evil spirit which hath been spoken of by our fathers, he being an enemy to all righteousness[119].

15 But ye will teach them to walk in the ways[120] of truth and soberness[121]; ye will teach them to love one another[122], and to serve one another[123].

16 And also, ye yourselves will succor[124] those that stand in need[125] of your succor; ye will administer[126] of your substance[127] unto him that standeth in need[128]; and ye will not suffer that the beggar[129] putteth up his petition[130] to you in vain, and turn him out[131] to perish[132].

17 Perhaps[133] thou shalt say: The man has brought upon himself[134] his misery; therefore I will stay my hand[135], and will not give unto him of my food[136], nor impart[137] unto him of my substance that he may not suffer[138], for his punishments are just—

18 But I say unto you, O man, whosoever doeth this the same hath[139] great cause[140] to repent[141]; and except he[142] repenteth of that which he hath done he perisheth forever[143], and hath no interest[144] in the kingdom of God[145].

19 For behold, are we not[146] all beggars? Do we not[147] all depend upon[148] the same Being[149], even God, for all the substance[150] which we have, for both food and raiment[151], and for gold, and for silver, and for all the riches[152] which we have of every kind[153]?

20 And behold, even at this time[154], ye have been calling on his name[155], and begging[156] for a remission of your sins. And has he suffered that ye have begged in vain? Nay; he has poured out his Spirit[157] upon you, and has caused that[158] your hearts should be filled with joy, and has caused that your mouths should be stopped that ye could not find utterance[159], so exceedingly great[160] was your joy.

21 And now, if God[161], who has created you[162], on whom you are dependent for your lives and for all that ye have and are, doth grant unto you[163] whatsoever ye ask that is right[164], in faith, believing[165] that ye shall receive, O then, how ye ought to impart of the substance that ye have one to another[166].

22 And if ye judge the man who putteth up his petition to you for your substance that he perish not, and condemn him[167], how much more just will be your condemnation[168] for withholding[169] your substance, which doth not belong to you[170] but to God, to whom also your life belongeth; and yet ye put up no petition, nor repent[171] of the thing which thou hast done.

23 I say unto you, wo be unto that man, for his substance shall perish with him; and now, I say these things unto those who are rich as pertaining to[172] the things of this world[173].

24 And again, I say unto the poor, ye who have not and yet have sufficient[174], that ye remain from day to day[175]; I mean all you who deny the beggar, because ye have not; I would that ye say in your hearts that: I give not because I have not, but if I had I would give.

25 And now, if ye say this in your hearts[176] ye remain guiltless[177], otherwise ye are condemned; and your condemnation is just for ye covet that which ye have not received.

26 And now, for the sake of[178] these things which I have spoken unto you—that is, for the sake of retaining[179] a remission of your sins from day to day, that ye may walk guiltless before God—I would that ye should impart of your substance to the poor, every man according to that which he hath, such as feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and administering to their relief, both spiritually and temporally[180], according to their wants[181].

27 And see that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite[182] that a man should run faster[183] than he has strength. And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent[184], that thereby he might win the prize[185]; therefore, all things must be done in order[186].

28 And I would that ye should remember, that whosoever among you borroweth of his neighbor[187] should return the thing that he borroweth, according as he doth agree, or else thou shalt commit sin; and perhaps thou shalt cause thy neighbor to commit sin[188] also.

29 And finally, I cannot tell you all the things whereby ye may commit sin; for there are divers ways[189] and means[190], even so many that I cannot number them.

30 But this much[191] I can tell you[192], that if ye do not watch yourselves, and your thoughts, and your words, and your deeds, and observe the commandments of God, and continue in the faith[193] of what ye have heard concerning[194] the coming of our Lord[195], even unto the end of your lives[196], ye must perish[197]. And now, O man, remember, and perish not.

(Mosiah 4–4:30)

[1] OT (9) BM (20) DC (1)

[2] “end of speaking  the words” BM (2)

[3] BM (6) JE (5) JE: “We read, Exodus 24:4, Exodus 24:7–8, that "Moses wrote all the words of the Lord," that before that had been delivered from Mt. Sinai”

[4] OT (50) NT (9) BM (9) PGP (1)

[5] BM (5) PGP (1)

[6] OT (5) NT (36) BM (86) DC (33)

[7] NT (2) BM (4)

[8] OT (1) NT (1) BM (14)

[9] OT (29) NT (1) BM (10) PGP (1)

[10] BM (3)

[11] OT (10) BM (6) DC (1)

[12] OT (4) BM (1)

[13] OT (1) NT (2) BM (5)

[14] OT (34) NT (1) BM (16) DC (8) PGP (1)

[15] OT (4) BM (1) DC (1)

[16] BM (3) DC (1)

[17] NT (4) BM (6) DC (1)

[18] NT (1) BM (1) NT: “that they may receive forgiveness of sins” (Acts 26:18)

[19] BM (4)

[20] OT (12) NT (1) BM (4) DC (4)

[21] OT (2) BM (30) DC (9) PGP (5)

[22] OT (1) NT (1) BM (31) DC (1)

[23] OT (26) NT (5) BM (40) DC (2) PGP (1)

[24] NT (2) BM (9) DC (2)

[25] NT (9) BM (5) DC (3) PGP (2) JE (50)

[26] NT (10) BM (28) DC (19) PGP (3) JE (170+)

[27] «remission  of their sins« NT (1) BM (8) DC (3) JE (5)

[28] BM (1) JE (50) JD: “Which pleasures are very many as well as exceeding great, but are all implied under these three heads: peace of conscience , and the pleasure of communion with God, and a joyful hope of glory.”

[29] BM (11)

[30] BM (10) DC (1) JE (2) JE: “who should come in the spirit and power of the prophet Elijah, and be in many respects much like him”

[31] BM (40) DC (1) JE (2) JE: “so they never were brought in, according to the words of Christ”

[32] NT (5) BM (5) JE (8)

[33] NT (6) BM (7) JE (4)

[34] OT (7) BM (2) JE (1)

[35] “call your” BM (5) DC (4) JE (10)

[36] “attention” BM (2) PGP (1) JE (400) JE: “here I request your attention to a few things…”

[37] NT (1) BM (1) JE (1) JE: “that they may be made to hear and understand”

[38] OT (3) BM (45) DC (3) PGP (1) JE (50)

[39] “remainder of my words” BM (2)

[40] BM (3)

[41] “the goodness  of God” OT (1) NT (1) BM (8) JE (80) NT: “not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? (Romans 2:4)

[42] “awakened you” BM (1) “awaken you” BM (1) JE (20) JE: “If you are awakened and afterwards lose your convictions, it will be a harder thing to awaken you again”

[43] BM (3) JE (200+)

[44] BM (3) JE (40) JE (Brainerd): “ I have had so great a sense of your work and your own weakness and nothingness and the preciousness of dear immortal souls”

[45] BM (1) JE (130)

[46] BM (7) JE (50)

[47] BM (1) DC (2) JE (1) JE: “so far as he is come to a knowledge of him, so far is he let into the knowledge of other things, and so of himself as related to others and as standing among them”

[48] BM (8) JE (2) JE: “he sees it unmeet and unsuitable to his matchless highness and grandeur”

[49] “long-suffering” BM (17) DC (4) “longsuffering” OT (4) NT (11) DC (1) JE (50)

[50] BM (4) JE (10) JE paraphrasing Come and see the works of God: he is terrible in his doing toward the children of men. (Psalms 66:5)

[51] OT (80) NT (1) BM (28) DC (3) PGP (1) JE (300+)

[52] « prepared from the foundation of the world” BM (11) JE (1) JE: “probably 'tis to be understood to be prepared from the foundation of the world”

[53] NT (6) BM (22) DC (3) PGP (2) JE (50)

[54] BM (2)

[55] “salvation  might come” BM (4)

[56] OT (17) NT (2) BM (2) JE (35)

[57] OT (11) NT (4) BM (11) DC (13) JE (300+)

[58] “diligent in keeping” BM (4) DC (4) JE (1) JE: “as diligent in keeping this sabbath”

[59] “keeping  his commandments” OT (1) BM (4) JE (10)

[60] NT (2) BM (2) JE (2)

[61] BM (1) JE (25)

[62] NT (1) (italics) BM (8) JE (180)

[63] NT (1) BM (8) JE (7)

[64] OT (1) NT (1) BM (1) JE (1)

[65] BM (7) DC (1) PGP (1)

[66] BM (3) JE (10)

[67] BM (1) JE (2)

[68] BM (3) JE (10)

[69] NT (1) BM (1) DC (1) PGP (1) JE (10)

[70] OT (2) NT (5) BM (2) DC (3) PGP (4) JE (400)

[71] OT (1) NT (2) BM (12) DC (7) JE (900)

[72] “the means whereby“ BM (1) JE (2)

[73] BM (1) JE (3)

[74] BM (6) DC (1) JE (1) JE: “A treatise of that being born again without which no man can be saved.”

[75] NT (7) BM (7) DC (7) PGP (3) JE (25)

[76] NT (2) BM (2) PGP (1) JE (7)

[77] NT (1) BM (2) JE (17)

[78] NT (2) BM (7) PGP (1) JE (20)

[79] BM (4) DC (1) JE (2) JE: “All Christ's fullness is from the Father, although all the creatures' fullness be from him, and he filleth all in all, fills all things, both in heaven and in earth.”

[80] BM (1) JE (3) JE: “the Jews who required a sign, and would believe nothing that their own wisdom or reason could not comprehend.” “comprehend” OT (1) NT (1) BM (3) DC (2) PGP (1) JE (120)

[81] BM (2) JE (8)

[82] “must repent” BM (11) DC (5) PGP (3) JE (10) JE : «  if they come to Christ, they must repent and mourn for their sins, must have their hearts broken for it, must forsake and repent of all their former courses…”

[83] “repent  of your sins” BM (7) PGP (1) JE (2)

[84] OT (1) NT (2) BM (8) DC (2) JE (3)

[85] BM (1) JE (10) JE: “"He that walketh righteousness and speaketh uprightly," that is, with sincerity of heart…”

[86] BM (2) JE (1)

[87] OT (14) NT (10) BM (63) DC (12) PGP (3) JE (25+)

[88] NT (1) BM (10) DC (2) JE (25) JE: “ the world has come to the knowledge of the one only true God”

[89] knowledge  of the glory of God” NT (1) BM (1) JE (25)

[90] BM (1) JE: “ that soul that has tasted of the sweetness & Goodness of the light & Grace & Love of the Gospel will thirst for more & more of it”

[91] BM (4) DC (1)

[92] BM (9) DC (3)

[93] “exceedingly great joy” BM (11)

[94] “great joy” OT (4) NT ()7) BM (30) DC (4) JE (120)

[95] BM (1) JE (4)

[96] BM (3)

[97] BM (2) JE (28)

[98] OT (8) NT ()3) BM (5) DC (1) JE (300)

[99] BM (1) JE (14) JE: “Some have been so overcome with a sense of the dying love of Christ to such poor, wretched, and unworthy creatures, as to weaken the body.”

[100] OT (1) NT (2) BM (9) DC (2) JE (3)

[101] BM (5)

[102] NT (1) BM (1) DC (1) JE (4)

[103] BM (1) NT: “Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.” (1 Corinthians 16:13)

[104] NT (4) BM (11) DC (6) JE (25+)

[105] BM (1)

[106] BM (1)

[107] BM (1) JE (4) JE: “Resolved, To study the Scriptures so steadily, constantly and frequently, as that I may find, and plainly perceive myself to grow in the knowledge of the same.”

[108] NT (1) BM (6) DC (3) JE (7)

[109] BM (1) JE (60) JE: “If we have a mind to know whether a building stands strong or no, we must look upon it when the wind blows.”

[110] BM (1) JE (1) JE: “for men to Injure one another is what is done ten times “

[111] NT (1) BM (1) JE (50)

[112] OT (2) NT (1) BM (1) JE (8)

[113] OT (1) BM (1) JE (50)

[114] BM (1) JE (1) JE: “if this doctrine I preach be true, then in refusing to suffer your children to hear and judge for themselves, and so as it were forcing them to come blindfold to the Lord's table to eat and drink unworthily

[115] BM (1) DC (1) JE (2)

[116] BM (2)

[117] BM (1) JE (1) JE: “if we should take the liberty upon every occasion to fight and quarrel and contend with men from this excuse, that they are wicked men, the world would be full of nothing but fighting and strife”

[118] BM (1) JE (3) JE: “Do you ever intend to serve God at all, or do you intend to serve the devil all your lifetime?”

[119] BM (3) “enemy of all righteousness” NT (1) BM (1) JE (1)

[120] OT (2) BM (7) JE (10)

[121] NT (1) BM (3) NT: “But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus; but speak forth the words of truth and soberness.” (Acts 26:25)

[122] NT (13) BM (1) DC (1) PGP (1) JE (1

[123] NT (1) BM (2) JE (7)

[124] BM (7) DC (1) JE (6). Note: “succour” OT (2) NT (1). JE quoted this, but wrote it “succor.”  “For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.” (Hebrews 2:18) JE: “And if any of the members of the body are wounded, and languishing, and in pain, are not all the members of the body employed to succor that diseased member?” Note : Alma 7 :12 in 1830 is « suffer »

[125] BM (6) JE (200) JE: “ for the Relief of those that stand in need”

[126] BM (15) DC (23) PGP (4) JE (50)

[127] OT (1) BM (4) DC (1) JE (1)

[128] “in need” BM (11) “stood in need” BM (4) JE (20) “standeth in need” BM (1)

[129] OT (1) NT (2) BM (2) JE (80)

[130] OT (13) BM (4) DC (1) JE (100) JE: « every petition should be put up in a subordination to the advancement of God's kingdom and glory in the world”

[131] BM (1) JE (1) JE: “frowns of men Could Turn him out of it”

[132] OT (9) NT (1) BM (14) JE (150)

[133] NT (3) BM (43) DC (1) JE (1000+)

[134] BM (2) JE (2) JE: “And the curse that he brought upon himself by it was that he saw it with his eyes, and did not eat thereof, but miserably perished, and was trodden down as the mire of the streets” “the curse that she brought upon herself by it”

[135] BM (1) DC (3)

[136] BM (2)

[137] “nor impart” BM (1) “impart” NT (2) BM (16) DC (12) JE (50)

[138] BM (2) JE (1)

[139] NT (1) BM (2)

[140] BM (4) JE (70)

[141] “great cause to repent” BM (1)

[142] NT (4) BM (8) DC (9) PGP (1) JE (35)

[143] BM (1) “perish for ever” OT (5) “perish forever” JE (40) JE: “in Job 20 5.6 it is said that the wicked shall Perish forever like his own dung”

[144] BM (1) JE (60) JE: “He that rejects the covenant, and won't comply with it, has no interest in it: and he that has no interest in the covenant, has no right to the seals: for the covenant and its seals go together”

[145] “interest  in the kingdom of God” BM (1)

[146] OT (1) BM (3) PGP (1) JE (10) JE: “ have we not waxed worse and worse, and are we not still revolting more and more continually?”

[147] OT (1) BM (3) JE (10) JE: “We keep a day of fasting to confess our covetousness and injustice, but when the day is over, do we not go to our covetousness and injustice? “

[148] BM (4) JE (100+)

[149] BM (6) JE (10)

[150] OT (5) BM (1) JE (1)

[151] OT (1) NT (1) BM (1) DC (2) JE (5)

[152] OT (1) BM (1) JE (15)

[153] OT (1) NT (1) BM (38) DC (1) JE (40)

[154] BM (8)

[155] BM (1) JE (3) JE: “trusting in God, hoping in his mercy, calling on his name , seeking him, laying hold on his mercy, calling on his name, seeking him, laying hold on his strength, looking to his holy temple and the like.”

[156] OT (1) NT (2) BM (3) DC (1) JE (100+)

[157] BM (1) JE (15)  JE: “And therefore if God has poured out his Spirit on a people, and afterward withdraws from them, it is the greatest loss that they can sustain.”

[158] NT (1) BM (90) DC (1) PGP (1) JE (4)

[159] BM (1) “utterance” NT (5) BM (6) DC (3) PGP (1) JE (15)

[160] BM (57) DC (2)

[161] OT (3) NT (11) BM (6) DC (2) JE (100+)

[162] BM (3)

[163] BM (9) DC (5)

[164] OT (2 ital) B (1) JE (10)

[165] BM (5) DC (3)

[166] OT (29) NT (20) BM (6) DC (4) JE (100+)

[167] OT (2) NT (2) BM (1) JE (25)

[168] BM (4) DC (1) JE (7)

[169] BM (4) JE (50) JE: “there having been, for so long a time, so great a withholding of the Spirit, from the greater part of the Christian world”

[170] BM (1) JE (2)

[171] OT (1) BM (1) JE (2)

[172] NT (2) BM (1) DC (10) PGP (1) JE (9)

[173] BM (3) DC (2) JE (40)

[174] NT (1) BM (1) JE (30)

[175] OT (5) NT (1) BM (1) JE (100+) JE: « to be in ill frame in a General way so as to be dest remain from day to day if not month to month”

[176] OT (2) NT (11) BM (17) DC (7) JE (50)

[177] “remain guiltless” BM (1) JE (1) “guiltless” OT (9) NT (1) BM (8) DC (2) JE (20) JE: “even many teachers in his church, can remain guiltless in his sight”

[178] BM (6) DC (2) PGP (1) JE (100+)

[179] “retaining” BM (3) DC (1) JE (20)

[180] BM (1) DC (2)

[181] BM (2)

[182] BM (1) JE (6) JE: “I am far from saying that it is not requisite that persons should give any sort of account of their experiences to their brethren”

[183] BM (1) DC (1)

[184] BM (2) JE (2) JE: “ministers should be diligent in their studies”

[185] BM (1) JE (5) JE: “Let us run, wrestle, and fight, that we may win the prize and obtain that complete happiness”

[186] BM (1) DC (4) JE (20) JE: “There were many things done in order to the Work of Redemption before that”

[187] BM (1) DC (1) JE (7)

[188] NT (2) BM (8) DC (1) JE (70)

[189] BM (3) JE (1)

[190] “divers ways and means” BM (1)

[191] “this much I can tell you” BM (1)

[192] BM (3) JE (1) JE: “But this I can tell you , that if I gain experience in no other point, yet I am sure I do in this, viz., that the present world has nothing in it to satisfy an immortal soul; and hence, that it is not to be desired for itself, but only because God may be seen and served in it”

[193] NT (2) BM (2) JE (2)

[194] BM (1) JE (5) JE: “Now 'tis evident by those things that you have heard concerning the church of Christ “

[195] NT (4) BM (2) DC (1) JE (8)

[196] BM (2) JE (1)

[197] BM (14) JE (18) JE: “Implying, that otherwise they must perish , or be destroyed.”