Who Wrote the Book of Mormon? Ancient Prophets Wrote It; Joseph Smith Translated It

The short versionMany ancient writers, one translator

The Book of Mormon names its own authors. Its title page says it is “an abridgment of the record of the people of Nephi, and also of the Lamanites … Sealed by the hand of Moroni, and hid up unto the Lord” and brought forth “by the gift and power of God unto the interpretation thereof” (Title Page). Prophets wrote the original records on metal plates. Mormon abridged them. His son Moroni finished and buried them. Joseph Smith translated them in 1829, a book “delivered to him that is not learned” (Isaiah 29:11–12). The four Gospels, by contrast, never name their authors in the text; see who wrote the Gospels.

Joseph never claimed to be the author in the sense of composing it. The Lord told the Three Witnesses, “he has translated the book, even that part which I have commanded him, and as your Lord and your God liveth it is true” (D&C 17:6).

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The writersNephi, Mormon and Moroni

The book opens in the first person: “I, Nephi, having been born of goodly parents … I make a record in the language of my father, which consists of the learning of the Jews and the language of the Egyptians. And I know that the record which I make is true; and I make it with mine own hand” (1 Nephi 1:1–3).

Around A.D. 385, the prophet Mormon abridged a thousand years of records: “I, Mormon, proceed to finish out my record, which I take from the plates of Nephi; and I make it according to the knowledge and the understanding which God has given me” (Words of Mormon 1:9). When he found the small plates of Nephi, he included them whole “because of the prophecies of the coming of Christ” (Words of Mormon 1:3–5).

His son finished alone: “Behold I, Moroni, do finish the record of my father, Mormon … I even remain alone to write the sad tale of the destruction of my people … Therefore I will write and hide up the records in the earth” (Mormon 8:1–4). Moroni explained the script: “we have written this record according to our knowledge, in the characters which are called among us the reformed Egyptian” (Mormon 9:32–33).

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The translationHow Joseph Smith translated it

In 1823 the angel Moroni told Joseph Smith “there was a book deposited, written upon gold plates, giving an account of the former inhabitants of this continent,” along with interpreters “that God had prepared … for the purpose of translating the book” (Joseph Smith—History 1:34–35). The Lord later said He “gave him power from on high, by the means which were before prepared, to translate the Book of Mormon” (D&C 20:8–11).

The Church’s Gospel Topics essay explains that “almost all of the present Book of Mormon text was translated during a three-month period between April and June” 1829. Oliver Cowdery, the main scribe, wrote: “These were days never to be forgotten—to sit under the sound of a voice dictated by the inspiration of heaven.” The surviving part of the original manuscript “includes errors that suggest the scribe heard words incorrectly rather than misread words copied from another manuscript” (Book of Mormon Translation). For details on the interpreters and the seer stone, see How the Book of Mormon Was Translated.

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Could Joseph have written it?The question critics ask

The essay says Joseph “had very little formal education and was incapable of writing a book on his own.” His wife Emma, who served as a scribe, insisted that at the time Joseph “could neither write nor dictate a coherent and well-worded letter, let alone dictat[e] a book like the Book of Mormon” (Book of Mormon Translation). In 1879, months before her death, she told her son that Joseph would “dictate to me hour after hour; and when returning after meals, or after interruptions, he would at once begin where he had left off, without either seeing the manuscript or having any portion of it read to him” (see Emma Smith’s Last Testimony).

The Bible’s standard for truth is witnesses: “In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established” (2 Corinthians 13:1). Eleven witnesses signed published statements about the plates. The Eight Witnesses wrote: “Joseph Smith, Jun., the translator of this work, has shown unto us the plates … and as many of the leaves as the said Smith has translated we did handle with our hands” (Testimony of Eight Witnesses). The Three Witnesses testified that “they have been translated by the gift and power of God, for his voice hath declared it unto us” (Testimony of Three Witnesses). None of them ever denied it (the witnesses never recanted). For other authorship theories and why they fail, see the “someone else wrote it” problem and one draft.

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Test itHow to know for yourself

Nephi pointed past himself to the real source: “believe in Christ … for they are the words of Christ, and he hath given them unto me … and ye shall know that I have been commanded of him to write these things, notwithstanding my weakness” (2 Nephi 33:10–11).

Moroni’s closing promise lets every reader test it: “ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost” (Moroni 10:3–5).

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Check the premiseThe presuppositions baked into the question

Before this question can be answered fairly, the person asking has to justify a few assumptions packed inside it:

1. That Joseph Smith claims to be the author. The first edition listed him as “Author and Proprietor,” a legal copyright term, but the book itself, the witnesses and the revelations all call him the translator (D&C 17:6; Testimony of Eight Witnesses).
2. That a farm boy with little schooling could easily write it. His scribe and wife said he “could neither write nor dictate a coherent and well-worded letter,” and the main text was dictated in about three months (Gospel Topics essay).
3. That someone else must have written it. The scribes describe live dictation without notes, and the original manuscript shows errors of hearing, not copying (Gospel Topics essay).
4. That you can’t test the authorship question. Moroni invites every reader to ask God directly (Moroni 10:4–5).

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FAQQuick answers

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Sources

• King James Bible (churchofjesuschrist.org): 2 Corinthians 13:1 · Isaiah 29:11–12
• Book of Mormon: Title Page · Testimony of Three Witnesses · Testimony of Eight Witnesses · 1 Nephi 1:1–3 · 2 Nephi 33:10–11 · Words of Mormon 1:3–9 · Mormon 8:1–4 · Mormon 9:32–33 · Moroni 10:3–5
• Doctrine and Covenants: D&C 17:6 · D&C 20:8–11
• Pearl of Great Price: Joseph Smith—History 1:34–35
• “Book of Mormon Translation,” Gospel Topics Essays, churchofjesuschrist.org
• Joseph Smith III, “Last Testimony of Sister Emma,” Saints’ Herald 26 (Oct. 1, 1879): 289–90

• Featured image and in-article graphic: original graphics by thebookofmormon.ai (painterly backgrounds; no photographs or likenesses of real people).