Changes Made to Doctrine and Covenants, Section 5

The volume of Mormon scripture titled The Doctrine and Covenants is a compilation of various revelations written down by Joseph Smith and a few other LDS prophets. The majority of these, however, came from the pen of Joseph Smith in the early 1830s. During these years Joseph founded the Mormon Church and moved it from New York to Ohio, and then again to Missouri. The Book of Commandments was printed by W.W. Phelps in 1833, from which Section IV is reproduced below with the blue, red, and strikethrough marks indicating discrepancies with the current edition (Section 5 of the Doctrine and Covenants.

The verse numbering has changed since the 1830s, however, it is not difficult to navigate and compare for differences. There is no doubt that Book of Commandments, Section IV is the earliest extant copy of this revelation. In the 1835 printing of Doctrine and Covenants, this Section is XXXII (32) which is included below. Many of the changes seem to have occurred between 1833 and 1835, during Joseph’s lifetime.

A Color Coordinated Illustration of Changes to D&C 5

KEY

Red Words have been added
Blue Words have been changed to (what is inside the parentheses)
Words with a line have been deleted

4:1 Behold, I say unto you, that as my servant Martin Harris has desired a witness from (at) my hand, that you, my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., has (have) got the things (plates) of which he (you) has (have) testified, and borne record that he (you) has (have) received of me.

4:2 And now, behold this shall you say unto him:–he who spake unto you, said unto you: I the Lord am God, and I have given these things unto you my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., and I have commanded him (you) that he (you) should stand as a witness of these things, nevertheless (and) I have caused him (you) that he (you) should enter into a covenant with me, that he (you) should not show them except to those persons to whom I command (commanded) him (you) and he (you) has (have) no power over them except I grant it unto him (you); and he (you) has (have) a gift to translate the book (plates); and this is the first gift that I bestowed upon you; and I have commanded him that he (you) shall (should) pretend to no other gift, until my purpose is fulfilled in this: for I will grant him unto you no other gift until it is finished.

4:3 And verily I say unto you, that wo (woe) shall come unto the inhabitants of the earth, if they will not hearken my words, for, hereafter you shall be ordained and go forth and deliver my words unto the children of men. behold, if they will not believe my words, they would not believe you my servant Joseph, if it were possible that he (you) could (should) show them all these things. O ye (this) unbelieving, ye (and) stiffnecked generation, mine anger is kindled against you (them)!

4:4 Behold, verily I say unto you, I have reserved the (those) things of which I have spoken, which I have intrusted (entrusted) to (unto) you my servant Joseph, for a wise purpose in me, and it shall be made known in future generations: But this generation shall have my words, yea and through you; And in addition to your testimony, the testimony of three of my servants, whom I shall call and ordain, unto whom I will show these things, and they shall go forth with my words unto this generation; that are given through you. yea, three (they) shall know of a surety that these things are true, for from heaven will I declare it unto them. I will give them power, that they may behold and view these things as they are, and to none else will I grant this power, to receive this same testimony among this generation, in this the beginning of the rising up and the coming forth of my church out of the wilderness–clear as the moon, and fair as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners. And the testimony of three witnesses will I send forth and (of) my word, and behold, whosoever believeth in (on) my word (words), them will I visit with the manifestation of my Spirit, and they shall be born of me, even of water and of the Spirit– And you must wait yet a little while, for ye are not yet ordained– and their testimony shall also go forth. unto the condemnation of this generation if they harden their hearts against them;

4:5 And thus, if the people of this generation harden not their hearts, I will work a reformation among them, and I will put down all lyings, and deceivings, and priestcrafts, and envyings, and strifes, and idolatries, and sorceries, and all manner of iniquities, and I will establish my church, like unto the church which was taught by my disciples in the days of old.

4:6 And now if this generation do harden their hearts against my word, behold I will deliver them up unto Satan, for he reigneth and hath power at this time, for he hath got great hold upon the hearts of the people of this generation: and not far from the iniquities of Sodom and Gomorrah, do they come at this time: and behold the sword of justice hangeth over their heads, and if they persist in the hardness of their hearts, the time cometh that it must fall upon them. For a desolating scourge shall go forth among the inhabitants of the earth, and shall continue to be poured out from time to time, if they repent not, until the earth is empty, and the inhabitants thereof are consumed away and utterly destroyed by the brightness of my coming. Behold I tell you these things even as I also told the people of the destruction of Jerusalem, and my word shall be verified at this time as it hath hitherto been verified..

4:7 And now I command you my servant, Joseph to repent, and walk more uprightly before me, and to yield to the persuasions of men no more; and that he (you) be firm in keeping the commandments wherewith I have commanded him (you); and if he (you) doeth (do) this, behold I grant unto him (you) eternal life, even if he (you) should be slain.

4:8 And now again I speak unto you, my servant Joseph, again concerning the man that desireth (desires) a (the) witness: behold I say unto him, he exalteth (exalts) himself and doth (does) not humble himself sufficiently before me, but if he will go out and bow down before me, and humble himself in mighty prayer and faith, in the sincerity of his heart, then I will grant unto him a view of the things which he desireth (desires) to know (see): and then he shall say unto the people of this generation, behold I have seen the things which the Lord hath shown unto Joseph Smith, Jun., and I know of a surety that they are true, for I have seen, and (for) they have been shown unto me by the power of God and not of man. And I the Lord command him, my servant Martin Harris, that he shall say no more unto them, concerning these things, except he shall say, I have seen them, and they have been shown unto me by the power of God.

4:9 And these are the words which he shall say.–But if he deny this, he will break the covenanted with me, and behold he is condemned. And now except he humble himself and acknowledge unto me the things that he has done, which are wrong, and covenant with me that he will keep my commandments, and exercise faith in me, behold I say unto him, he shall have no such views, for I will grant unto him no views of the things which I have spoken. And if this be the case, I command him (you), my servant Joseph, that he (you) shall say unto him, that he shall do no more, nor trouble me any more concerning this matter.

4:10 And if this be the case, behold I say unto you (thee), Joseph, when thou hast translated a few more pages, thou shalt stop for a season, even until I command thee again: then thou mayest translate again. And except thou do thou do this, behold thou shalt have no more gift, and I will take away the things which I have intrusted (entrusted) with thee.

4:11 And now, because I foresee the lying in wait to destroy thee: Yea, I foresee that if my servant Martin Harris humbleth not himself, and receive a witness from my hand, that he will fall into transgression; and there are many that lie in wait to destroy thee from off the face of the earth: And for this cause, that thy days may be prolonged, I have given unto thee these commandments; yea, for this cause I have said, stop and stand still until I command thee, and I will provide means whereby thou mayest accomplish the thing which I have commanded thee; and if thou art faithful in keeping my commandments, thou shalt be lifted up at the last day:– Amen.

1833 Book of Commandments, Section IV

Book of Commandments - Section IV - page 10

Book of Commandments - Section IV - page 11

Book of Commandments - Section IV - page 12

Book of Commandments - Section IV - page 13

1835 Doctrine and Covenants, Section XXXII

As noted above, the second printing of this revelation in the re-titled volume bears much more resemblance to the current version than the first edition. This indicates that Joseph was either behind the changes or aware of them. Either way there is no indication in the next nine years of his life that he took issue with these alteration to his original revelation.