3 Nephi 12:26

Stan Larson, former LDS scholar, provided a review of Jesus' sermon in 3 Nephi 12-14. His conclusions led to his forced resignation (Salt Lake Tribune, Sept 28, 1985). His conclusions regarding the Sermon on the Mount's relationship to the Book of Mormon was printed in New Approaches to the Book of Mormon. He states:

"It is possible to identify places where errors, revisions, and additions have crept into the KJV. Published in 1611, the KJV relies on the Greek text of the New Testament available in the late sixteenth century. In the 381 years since then, hundreds of better and more ancient Greek, Latin, Syriac, and Coptic manuscripts have been discovered and brought us closer to the original Matthean text. This means that it is possible-given the opportunity of comparing the versions of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount in Matthew and 3 Nephi-to make tentative judgments about whether the Book of Mormon stands up to the tests of historicity Roberts, Sperry, and Nibley proposed. If the Book of Mormon varies from both the KJV and the earliest texts, one cannot pronounce judgment on the Book of Mormon version, since the Book of Mormon variation could be specific to its audience and setting in the New World. However, if the Book of Mormon text departs from the errors of the KJV and agrees with the most original Matthean texts, it supports the claim that the Book of Mormon is a genuine translation of an ancient document. On the other hand, if the Book of Mormon text sides with the later Greek text as seen in the KJV, this dependence would be strong evidence against its historicity. The reason for this is that the Book of Mormon on the American continent should know nothing of changes and additions to the Sermon on the Mount made in the Old World centuries after the original sermon, but should be a direct link to the real words of Jesus...Because the Book of Mormon version of the Sermon on the Mount agrees with the KJV rather than the earliest Greek text at these eight points, its dependence on the KJV is apparent. Wherever the Book of Mormon has revised or added to the KJV text, the variant in the Book of Mormon does not relate to the ancient variants known in the manuscripts. Not only do the distinctive Book of Mormon additions and revisions to the KJV never receive ancient support, but also the important Book of Moron omissions-except one-do not receive such support...It is significant to note that among the thirty-eight known variants and subvariants of these eight secure examples, the Book of Mormon always aligns with the derivative text found in the Textus Receptus which was printed by Stephanus in 1550 and never agrees with either the original text or any of the other well known variant readings. If the Book of Mormon were a genuinely ancient text, it would not always be expected to side with what modern scholarship concludes is the original text, but certainly there ought to be some agreement..." -Stan Larson, "The Historicity of the Matthean Sermon on the Mount in 3 Nephi," in New Approaches to the Book of Mormon, ed. Brent Metcalf (Salt Lake City: Signature Books, 1993), p. 116.