The Book of Mormon

Alma 40:11

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~73 BC

1830 Edition

Now concerning the state of the soul between death and the resurrection. Behold, it hath been made known unto me, by an angel, that the spirits of all men, as soon as they are departed from this mortal body; yea, the spirits of all men, whether they be good or evil, are taken home to that God who gave them life.

Influences

Westminster Confession chapter 32
Of the State of Men after Death, and of the Resurrection of the Dead.
Acts 17:18 (KJV)
Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, encountered him. And some said, What will this babbler say? other some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection.
Westminster Confession chapter 32:1
The bodies of men after death return to dust and see corruption; but their souls, (which neither die nor sleep,) having an immortal subsistence, immediately return to God who gave them. The souls of the righteous, being then made perfect in holiness, are received into the highest heavens, where they behold the face of God in light and glory, waiting for the full redemption of their bodies; and the souls of the wicked are cast into hell, where they remain in torments and utter darkness, reserved to the judgment of the great day. Besides these two places for souls separated from their bodies, the scripture acknowledgeth none.

Changes

Now, concerning the state of the soul between death and the resurrection. —Behold, it haths been made known unto me, by an angel, that the spirits of all men, as soon as they are departed from this mortal body;, yea, the spirits of all men, whether they be good or evil, are taken home to that God who gave them life.

Simple English

About what happens to spirits between death and resurrection. An angel told me this. The spirits of all people go back to God who gave them life. This happens as soon as they leave their bodies. The spirits of all people go back to God, whether they are good or evil.

Paraphrase

About the state of the soul between death and resurrection—an angel revealed this to me: the spirits of all people, as soon as they leave this mortal body, whether they’re good or evil, are taken home to the God who gave them life.

Notes

40:11-20

"After some of Joseph Smith's family joined the Presbyterian faith in the mid-1820's, he evidently spent some time reading the Westminster Confession and Catechism, a vital part of that church. The Confession was formally adopted by the Presbyterian Church in the United States in 1729. Significantly, many phrases that are peculiar to that document appear in the Book of Mormon. The Westminster Confession, chapter 32, appears to be the source for Alma, chapter 40." -Jerald and Sandra Tanner, Joseph Smith's Plagiarism of the Bible in the Book of Mormon, p. 28.

See Footnotes on Alma 40:11, 12, 13, 14, 20.

Additionally, compare the following:
Mosiah 3:5-"The Lord... from all eternity"
Westminster Confession, ch. 3:1-"God from all eternity"

The word eternity is only used once in the KJV (Isaiah 57:15) and not in connection with the words from all.

Mosiah 5:3-"infinite goodness of God"
Westminster Confession, ch. 5:4-"infinite goodness of God"

The word infinite is found only three times in the Bible and never in connection with goodness of God.

Alma 42:2-"our first parents"
Westminster Confession, ch. 6:1-"our first parents"

All three of these words are found in the Bible, but they are never used in that order.

Alma 5:18-"before the tribunal of God"
Westminster Confession, ch. 33:1-"before the tribunal of Christ"

The word tribunal is never used in the KJV.

Mosiah 4:30-"thoughts, and your words, and your deeds"
Westminster Confession, ch. 33:1-"thoughts, words, and deeds"

Although these words are used in the Bible, they are not found in this order.

2 Nephi 28:21-"carnal security"
Westminster Confession, ch. 33:3-"carnal security"

Although both these words are found in the Bible, they are not found together.