The Book of Mormon

Alma 40:15

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~73 BC

1830 Edition

Now there are some that have understood that this state of happiness, and this state of misery of the soul, before the resurrection, was a first resurrection. Yea, I admit it may be termed a resurrection; the raising of the spirit or the soul, and their consignation to happiness or misery, according to the words which have been spoken.

Changes

Now, there are some that have understood that this state of happiness, and this state of misery of the soul, before the resurrection, was a first resurrection. Yea, I admit it may be termed a resurrection;, the raising of the spirit or the soul, and their consignation to happiness or misery, according to the words which have been spoken.

Simple English

Some people have thought that this happy place and this sad place before resurrection was a first resurrection. I agree it may be called a resurrection. It is the raising of the spirit or the soul. They go to happiness or sadness. This is what was said.

Paraphrase

Some people have understood this state of happiness and this state of misery before the resurrection to be a first resurrection. I’ll admit it could be called a resurrection—the raising of the spirit or the soul and their assignment to happiness or misery according to what has been spoken.

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.