Scripture
Scripture - The Mormon Holy Books
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints uses four holy books.
Replica of the original gold plates of the Book of Mormon ©
- The Holy Bible (King James Version)
- The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ
- Doctrine and Covenants A compilation of revelations and writings given since the restoration of the Church began.
- Pearl of Great Price A selection from the revelations, translations and writings of Joseph Smith.
The Holy Bible
Mormons believe the Christian Bible "to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly."
They believe that most versions of the Bible are full of mistakes or deliberate changes to the original text. These changes are thought to be the cause of many of the errors into which traditional Christianity has fallen.
Mormons use the Authorised King James Version of the Bible.
Bible ©
The Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is at the centre of Mormon faith and belief.
Mormons use the Book of Mormon alongside the Bible in teaching and study.
They believe that the Book of Mormon tells the story of God's dealings with the ancient inhabitants of the American Continent, including a visit by the risen Jesus to the people of the New World.
Mormon was an ancient American prophet who compiled the history of the ancient civilisation from old records.
The document was inscribed on plates of gold which Mormon's son Moroni buried for safety in what is now New York state.
Moroni returned in 1823 as an angel and showed Joseph Smith (founder of the Church) where the plates were hidden. Smith translated the plates into the Book of Mormon, which was first published in 1830.
Mormons believe that the Book of Mormon, unlike the Bible, was translated correctly and is the unaltered word of God.
Pearl of Great Price
The Pearl of Great Price contains Joseph Smith's translation and revision of the Bible - the Book of Moses and the Book of Abraham which he translated from Egyptian papyri.
It also includes his translation of Matthew 24, the story of his first vision, and the Thirteen Articles of Faith.
The book was first published in 1851 in Liverpool, England, and became officially regarded as scripture in 1880.