Matthew A. Paulson argues that the Book of Mormon, when quoting Isaiah, Malachi, and Matthew, uncritically follows the later chapter and verse divisions.

Date
2009
Type
Book
Source
Matthew A. Paulson
Critic
Non-LDS
Hearsay
Direct
Reference

Matthew A. Paulson, Breaking the Mormon Code: A Critique of Mormon Scholarship Regarding Classical Christian Theology and the Book of Mormon (Livermore, California: WingSpan Press, 2009), 218, 224, 265

Scribe/Publisher
WingSpan Press
People
Matthew A. Paulson
Audience
Reading Public
PDF
Transcription

Wright and Tvedtnes have missed something very important in comparing the Book of Mormon to the KJV Bible. They both neglect discuss on chapter and verse separations. Many quotations in the Book of Mormon begin and terminate at the KJV verse separations. Punctuations, chapters, and verses were established long after the text was written. In AD 1228, the Bible text was divided into chapters. Bible verse notations were established by AD 1551. Interestingly, the Book of Mormon author was able to begin and finish on many of the partitions of Isaiah, and Matthew. It is an additional evidence that the source of the Isaiah quotations was the AD 1611 KJV Bible.

. . .

It is stated and not denied that the Book of Mormon closely quotes 15 whole chapters the KJV Bible. In doing so, the Book of Mormon redactor frequently begins and ends at the Bible chapter divisions, which were decided in the 14th century. This evidence provides the most damaging evidence against the Book of Mormon.

. . .

All Isaiah quotations in the Book of Mormon begin and terminate at the KJV verse separations. The Greek language has no punctuation in the manuscripts. The chapter and verses for the KJV Bible were established long ago. In AD 1228, Stephen Langton divided the Bible text into chapters. The verses were established by AD 1551; these separations were educated guesses. The Book of Mormon author was able to begin and finish on many of the educated guesses of Isaiah, Malachi and Matthew. This is additional evidence that the source of Isaiah quotations was the AD 1611 KJV Bible!

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