Bottom Line
The Book of Mormon’s use of the King James Bible is open, intentional, and theologically consistent. It claims to be another witness of Christ — not a standalone scripture. If God spoke to Nephi and Isaiah, it makes sense their revelations would sound the same. That’s not plagiarism. That’s the pattern of scripture.
| Podcast | YouTube Alyssa Grenfell |
|---|---|
| Episode | “Evidence the Book of Mormon Is False” |
| Title | “The Book of Mormon plagiarizes the King James Bible” |
| Category | Translation & Textual Origin |
| Quote | “Mosiah 14 is just a word-for-word copy of Isaiah 53. Third Nephi 13 copies Matthew 6 almost word for word. This is clearly plagiarism.” — 01:51:06 |
| Core Claim | The Book of Mormon is a fraud because it contains long passages copied directly from the King James Version of the Bible. |
| Conclusion | True (KJV Used) / Misrepresented Intent |
| Logical Questions |
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🔍 Core Findings
Yes, the Book of Mormon includes extended quotations from the KJV Bible. Isaiah, Malachi, and Matthew are prominent examples. But the text explicitly says that God gives the same revelations to different nations — and these teachings are included intentionally, not deceptively.
“God speaketh the same words unto all nations.”
— 2 Nephi 29:8
The Book of Mormon even tells readers why Isaiah is quoted so extensively:
“I did liken all scriptures unto us, that it might be for our profit and learning.”
— 1 Nephi 19:23
🧠 Why the KJV Language?
Joseph Smith and his audience knew and revered the King James Bible. Using that language made the text spiritually familiar. Scholars like Royal Skousen argue that the translation came through revelation but used Joseph’s biblical register to express sacred ideas.
“Translation is not about word-for-word equivalence, but about expressing sacred meaning in the hearer’s language.”
— Royal Skousen, The Earliest Text
📝 What About Italicized Words and KJV Errors?
Yes, even KJV artifacts like italicized words show up. But that may reflect the Lord using the language Joseph knew best to transmit ideas. This matches how revelation often comes in the language and capacity of the receiver (see D&C 1:24).
🔄 Are Repeated Scriptures Always Plagiarism?
The Bible quotes itself repeatedly. Christ quotes Isaiah. Paul quotes Psalms. The New Testament repeats Old Testament prophecies word-for-word. Using earlier scripture doesn’t imply deception — it shows continuity of God’s voice.
📚 Sources
- Book of Mormon: Mosiah 14 (Isaiah 53), 3 Nephi 13 (Matthew 6), 2 Nephi 29:8, 1 Nephi 19:23
- Royal Skousen, The Book of Mormon: The Earliest Text, Yale University Press (2009)
- Grant Hardy, Understanding the Book of Mormon, Oxford University Press (2010)
- John W. Welch, “Why Does the Book of Mormon Quote the KJV?”, Ensign, Sept. 1977
- Mormoner.org – Bible Quotations in the Book of Mormon