The Book of Mormon Paraphrased

[_Dr. Shades]

What's the point of this? Why would anyone read a paraphrase when they can just as easily read the original?

[_LittleNipper]

What's the point of this? Why would anyone read a paraphrase when they can just as easily read the original?

Me LittleNipper, thinkist that of most English speaking peoples throughout the said world, that they would so much rather readieth said book in MODERN ENGLISH and not a pseudo King James Anglican.

Honestly, no one can read the "original" as the alleged "original," plates (presumably in Hebrew and "reformed" Egyptian) don't exist. The Bible has many English translations. I see not logical reason the Book of Mormon should remain in colloquial King James --- would not thou agreeist?

"Belief is driven by psychology, not intelligence."

--Analytics, 09-11-2019

[_Maksutov]

What's the point of this? Why would anyone read a paraphrase when they can just as easily read the original?

Me LittleNipper, thinkist that of most English speaking peoples throughout the said world, that they would so much rather readieth said book in MODERN ENGLISH and not a pseudo King James Anglican.

Honestly, no one can read the "original" as the alleged "original," plates (presumably in Hebrew and "reformed" Egyptian) don't exist. The Bible has many English translations. I see not logical reason the Book of Mormon should remain in colloquial King James --- would not thou agreeist?

"Belief is driven by psychology, not intelligence."

--Analytics, 09-11-2019

Why didn't you paraphrase the Bible? Looks like you're biased. Satan has you in his claws.

[_LittleNipper]

Me LittleNipper, thinkist that of most English speaking peoples throughout the said world, that they would so much rather readieth said book in MODERN ENGLISH and not a pseudo King James Anglican.

Honestly, no one can read the "original" as the alleged "original," plates (presumably in Hebrew and "reformed" Egyptian) don't exist. The Bible has many English translations. I see not logical reason the Book of Mormon should remain in colloquial King James --- would not thou agreeist?

"Belief is driven by psychology, not intelligence."

--Analytics, 09-11-2019

Why didn't you paraphrase the Bible? Looks like you're biased. Satan has you in his claws.

If you take a look back at the Bible verse by verse, that is what I did along with Young's Literal Translation. The real bias is that the Book of Mormon would be allowed to remain in archaic pseudo "King James" English for nearly 200 years...

[_Maksutov]

That won't be happening.

[_LittleNipper]

I Nephi CHAPTER 10


Presently I, Nephi, will start to give an account on these plates of my endeavors, my reign and ministry; accordingly, to continue with my account, I must speak a little of the things of my dad, and my brothers.

Note, it so happened that after my dad had ceased speaking regarding the dream, and encouraging them to be diligent, he spoke to them concerning the Jews—

That after they should be destroyed, including the great city Jerusalem, and many taken into captivity to Babylon, in the Lord's timing, they would return again from captivity; and afterwards they will repossess the land of their inheritance.

Yes, 600 hundred years from the time that my dad left Jerusalem, the Lord God would raise up a prophet among the Jews—even a Messiah --- in other words, a Savior of the world.

And he also spoke concerning the prophets, how a large number had testified of these things, regarding this Messiah, of whom he spoke, or this Redeemer of the world.

Therefore, all mankind was lost and in a fallen state, and forever would be unless they rely on this Redeemer.

And he spoke also concerning a prophet who should arrive before the Messiah, to stage the way of the Lord—

Yes, He will go out and cry in the wilderness: "Prepare you the way of the Lord, and make his paths straight; for there exists one among you whom you don't know; and he is mightier than I, whose shoe’s buckle I am not worthy to unloose." And my Dad said more concerning this.

My dad said he should immerse in Bethabara, beyond Jordan; and he also said he should immerse with water; even immersing the Messiah with water.

After immersing the Messiah with water, he will note and bear record that he had immersed the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world.

And it happened that after my dad had said these words he spoke to my brothers regarding the gospel which should be preached among the Jews, and also the dwindling of the Jews in unbelief. And after they had slain the Messiah, who came, and being slain would rise from the dead, and should reveal himself through the Holy Ghost to the Gentiles.

My dad spoke much concerning the Gentiles, and the house of Israel, that they will be compared to an olive tree, whose branches will be broken off and scattered upon all the face of the earth.

Therefore, he said it has to be that we should be led with together into the land of promise, fulfilling of the word of the Lord, that we should be scattered upon all the face of the earth.

And after the house of Israel is scattered they will be regathered again; or, finally, after the Gentiles had received the fullness of the Gospel, the natural branches of the olive tree, or remnants of the house of Israel, should be grafted in -- coming to the knowledge of the true Messiah, their Lord and Redeemer.

And in this way did my father prophesy and speak to my brothers, and also many more things which I do not record in this book; for I have written as many of them as were necessary for me in my other book.

And all these things, which I have spoken, were done when my father lived in a tent, in the valley of Lemuel.

And it happened after I, Nephi, having heard the words of my dad, concerning the things which he saw in a vision, and also the things he spoke by the power of the Holy Ghost, which power he received by faith on the Son of God— the Messiah who should come—I, Nephi, was desirous that I might see, hear, and know of these things, by the power of the Holy Ghost, which is the gift of God to all those who diligently seek him, as well as in the past, that he should reveal himself to the children of men.

Because he is the same yesterday, today, and forever; and the way is prepared for all men from the beginning of the world, if they repent and come to him.

For he that diligently searches shall find; and the mysteries of God shall be revealed to them, by the power of the Holy Ghost, as well today as yesterday and as well as yesterday as tomorrow. Therefore, the direction of the Lord is one eternal circle.

So human, remember all the things you do shall be brought to judgment.

Therefore, if you seek to be wicked in the days of your probation, then you will be unclean before the judgment-seat of God; and no unclean thing can dwell with God; therefore, you must be cast off forever.

And the Holy Ghost provides authority that I should speak these things without denial.

[_Brackite]

And he spoke also concerning a prophet who should arrive before the Messiah, to stage the way of the Lord—

Yes, He will go out and cry in the wilderness: "Prepare you the way of the Lord, and make his paths straight; for there exists one among you whom you don't know; and he is mightier than I, whose shoe’s buckle I am not worthy to unloose." And my Dad said more concerning this.

My dad said he should immerse in Bethabara, beyond Jordan; and he also said he should immerse with water; even immersing the Messiah with water.

After immersing the Messiah with water, he will note and bear record that he had immersed the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world.

Here is some information about Bethabara.

According to the King James Version (following Textus Receptus of the New Testament, which follows the New York and Moscow uncials, corrected forms of Ephraemi and Athos, along with uncial fragments from St Petersburg, Paris, minuscule 1, and family 13, backed up by Eusebius, Cyril, some Byzantine texts and lectionaries, and the Curetonian Old Syriac, Aramaic Peshitta, Armenian, and Georgian manuscripts, among others),[3] "Bethabara" is the place where John the Baptist baptized those who came to hear him preach. The word only appears once in the New Testament, at John 1:28, and is used in modern texts based on the King James Version, in the Geneva Bible and in the Jubilee Bible 2000. It is also mentioned in the writings of The Book of Mormon prophet Nephi (1 Nephi 10:9). However, the same verse in the Revised Version, the New International Version and the English Standard Version reads "Bethany".[4] It is distinguished in some text versions from the Bethany of Lazarus and his sisters with a footnote stating that these are distinct locations.[5]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bethabara

A town on the E bank of the Jordan River.

The only mention of this town is in connection with John the Baptist’s activity at the Jordan River (John 1:28). The word Bethabara is supported only by inferior MSS and appears in the KJV. The weight of MS evidence supports the name “Bethany” (Aleph, A, and B, plus many early minuscules, VSS, and the church fathers).

This cannot be the same Bethany which is the home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus since that is not “beyond the Jordan” as John 1:28 states. A scribal correction in Aleph renders it “Beth-araba,” which is a place on the plain of the Jordan not far from Jericho on the W bank (Josh 15:6, 61; 18:18). This name may be tr. as “house of the Arabah,” i.e., “desert,” while Bethabara means “house of the crossing” or “ford.” There are no solutions for the location of any Bethabara, but Beth-araba may be the modern ’Ain-el-Gharabeh in the Wadi Qelt.

https://www.biblegateway.com/resources/ ... /Bethabara



John 1:28 These things were done in [j]Bethabara beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing. (NKJV)

J. John 1:28 NU, M Bethany


John 1:28 This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing. (NIV)


John 1:28 These things took place in Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing. (NASB)



1st Nephi 10:9 And my father said he should baptize in Bethabara, beyond Jordan; and he also said he should baptize with water; even that he should baptize the Messiah with water.


And this from the Tanners.

Moreover, he tells us that his father, Lehi, knew that John the Baptist would "baptize in Bethabara, beyond Jordan..." (1 Nephi 10:9), yet his small plates give us absolutely no information concerning rivers, lakes, hills and valleys in the New World.

http://www.utlm.org/newsletters/no72.htm

[_Brackite]

Here is the response about Bethabara in the Book of Mormon from Fair Mormon.org.

Question: Does the Book of Mormon erroneously claim that John the Baptist baptized people in the village of Bethabara?

The Book of Mormon uses the same term as the King James Bible

Alexander Campbell, an early Book of Mormon critic, complained that the Book of Mormon "makes John [the Baptist] baptize in the village of Bethabara."[1]

The critic may be engaging in an overly-hostile reading—assuming that the Book of Mormon says that John was baptizing in the middle of the village, or somesuch. But, the Book of Mormon text says nothing that the Bible text does not say.

The Book of Mormon uses the same term as the King James Bible:

"These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing." (John 1:28)
"And my father said he should baptize in Bethabara, beyond Jordan; and he also said he should baptize with water; even that he should baptize the Messiah with water." (1 Nephi 10:9)

And here is another response about Bethabara in the Book of Mormon.

Ironically, this criticism is usually raised by critics who believe the Bible is inerrant. Variants such as this are common in ancient Bible manuscripts. In this case, the reading Bethany (Greek Bethania) is found in more manuscripts than Bethabara, but the latter is known in a fair number of Greek manuscripts and in early versions such as the Syriac, Coptic, Armenian, and Georgian. It is also the name cited by several of the early Church Fathers.

But the real question is how plausible is the Book of Mormon’s use of Bethabara. There is, in fact, such a place on the Jordan River mentioned in other parts of the Bible. In Judges 7:24, we read of a place called Bethbarah in connection with the Jordan River. A metathesized form, Betharabah, is listed with the Jordan River in Joshua 15:5-6 as marking the border of the tribe of Benjamin. This was apparently where that tribe’s border met that of Judah (Joshua 18:21), on whose border it is listed in Joshua 15:61.
The name Beth-abarah means “house of the crossing,” and evidently denotes the ford near Jericho where the Israelites crossed the Jordan River into the Holy Land. The traditional baptismal site of Jesus is also shown in that region.[i]

https://bookofmormonresearch.org/1-neph ... -bethabara


Edited to add:
Here is Young's Literal Translation of John 1:28 from LittleNipper's Bible verse by verse thread.

28 These things came to pass in Bethabara, beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing, (YLT)

viewtopic.php?p=1039783#p1039783

[Guest]

I Nephi CHAPTER 11


So it transpired that as I desired to know what my dad had observed, and believing that the Lord was able to show them to me, while sitting in deepest thought I was carried away in the Spirit of the Lord, yes, to an exceedingly high mountain, which I never before saw, nor climbed.

And the Spirit said to me, "Now, what do you want?"

And I said, "I desire to see what my father saw."

And the Spirit said to me, "Do you believe that your father saw the tree of which he spoke?"

And I said, "Yes, you know that I believe everything my dad said."

And upon speaking these words, the Spirit cried out loudly, saying, " Salvation, to the Lord, the supreme God; for he is God over all the earth --- yes, above everything. And you are blessed, Nephi, because you have faith in the Son of the supreme God; as a result, you shall see what you desired.

And note this shall be provided to you as a sign --- after you see the tree which bore the fruit which your father tasted, you shalt also witness a man descending out of heaven. And after witnessing him you shall testify that it is the Son of God."

And it occurred that the Spirit said to me, "See!" And I looked and saw a tree, and it was like the tree which my dad observed. And the beauty of it exceeded of anything else; and the whiteness of it exceeded the whiteness of falling snow.

And it happened as I saw the tree, I said to the Spirit, "I note that you have shown to me the tree which is without equal."

And he said to me, "What do you what?"

And I replied, "To know what this means." I spoke to him as a man because he was in human form; yet nevertheless, I realized that it was the Spirit of the Lord; and he spake to me as men speak with each other.

And it occurred that he said to me, "See!" And I looked towards him, and I didn't see him; because he had left my presence.

And it happened that I looked and observed the great city of Jerusalem, and additional cities. And I beheld the city of Nazareth. And in the city of Nazareth I saw a virgin, and she was exceedingly fair and white.

And eventually I saw the heavens open, and an angel descended and stood before me; and he said to me, "Nephi, what do you see?"

And I replied, "A virgin, very beautiful and fair beyond all other virgins."

And he said to me, "Do you understand that God is condescending?"

And I answered him, "I know that he loves his children; however, I do not understand what it all means."

And he replied, "Note the virgin whom you saw is the mother of the Son of God, humanly speaking.

And it occurred that I saw that she was carried away in the Spirit; and after she had been carried away in the Spirit after a while the angel spoke to me, saying, "See!"

And I looked and saw the virgin again, carrying a child in her arms.

And the angel said to me, "See the Lamb of God, yes, even the Son of the Eternal Father! Understand the meaning of the tree which thy father saw?"

And I answered him, saying, "Yes, it is the God's love, which sheds itself openly in the hearts of the children of humans; making it is the most desirable above everything."

And he spoke to me, saying, "Yes, and the most joyous to the soul."

And upon saying these words, he said to me, "See!" And I looked, and I saw the Son of God going out among the children of humans; and I saw many fall down at his feet and worship him.

And it so happened that I understood that the rod of iron, which my father had seen, was the word of God, which led to the fountain of living waters, or to the tree of life; which waters represent the love of God; and I also understood that the tree of life represented God's love.

And the angel said to me again, "Note the condescension of God!"

And I looked and saw the Redeemer of the world, of whom my father had spoken; and also the prophet who should prepare the way before him. And the Lamb of God went out and was baptized of him; and after he was baptized, I observed the heavens open, and the Holy Ghost come down out of heaven and abide upon him in the form of a dove.

And I noticed that he went out ministering to the people, in power and great glory; and the multitudes were gathered together to hear him; and I saw that they tossed him out from among them.

And I also noticed twelve others following him. And it occurred that they were carried away in the Spirit from my view.

And it happened that the angel spoke to me again, saying, "See!" And I looked, and I noticed the heavens open again, and I saw angels descending upon the children of humans; and they did minister to them.

And he spoke to me again, saying, "See!" And I looked, and I saw the Lamb of God going out among the children of men. And I beheld loads of people who were sick, and who were afflicted with all types of illness, and with devils and unclean spirits; and the angel spoke and showed all these things to me. And they were healed by the power of the Lamb of God; and the devils and the unclean spirits were cast out.

And it occurred that the angel spake to me again, saying, "See! And I looked and saw the Lamb of God, that he was taken by the people. Yes, the Son of the eternal God was judged of the world; and I saw and so testify.

And I, Nephi, saw that he was lifted up upon the cross and slain for the sins of the world.

And after he was slain I saw those inhabiting the earth were gathered together to fight against the Lamb's apostles; for this is what the twelve were labeled by the angel of the Lord.

And those inhabiting the earth were gathered together; and I noted that they were in a large and spacious building, like the building which my dad saw. And the angel of the Lord spoke to me again, saying, "See the world and its wisdom, observe the house of Israel is banded together to fight against the Lamb's twelve apostles.

And so it occurred that I saw and witnessed, that the grand and spacious building was the pride of the world. And it collapsed, and the collapse of it was extreme. And the angel of the Lord spoke to me again, saying, "So shall be the destruction of all nations, families, languages, and people, that shall war against the twelve apostles of the Lamb."

[_Maksutov]

I dunno, I might have a burning in my bosom. Are you sure you want to go through with this?