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book of moromon critical text full set

Book of Mormon Critical Text Project

About the project

Professor Royal Skousen has spent more than 30 years meticulously researching the original and printer’s manuscripts of the Book of Mormon, revealing discrepancies and making a case for the type of translation the Book of Mormon is. Every page, every sentence, every word, letter, and mark are accounted for in the landmark Critical Text Project, arguably the most important Book of Mormon research to date.

Each massive volume in the critical text averages nearly 670 oversize pages of research and analysis that reward careful examination with expanded views of the founding text of Mormonism. In seeking to recover the original English-language text, this ambitious project has identified many variant readings and yielded new insights into the translation process and the systematic nature of the text. These findings will keep serious students of the Book of Mormon profitably engaged in assessing the ramifications for many years to come. As an essential scholarly tool, the critical text promises to boost the professional rigor and overall quality of Book of Mormon scholarship to a new level.

The Critical Text Project is an invaluable resource for any scholar or student of the Book of Mormon.

Volume I

The Original Manuscript of the Book of Mormon

Volume I

Volume I examines the original phrasing of the Book of Mormon, providing evidence on the process by which Joseph Smith translated, and shows how editors and printers have modified the wording to make it conform to the expectations of contemporary English readers.

Volume I is out of print.

Volume II

The Printer's Manuscript of the Book of Mormon

Volume II

Only 28 percent of the original manuscript of the Book of Mormon has survived, but the handwritten printer’s manuscript used to prepare it for publication is virtually 100 percent extant. Volume two presents an exact typographic reproduction of the printer’s manuscript in two parts.

Volume II is available.

Volume III

The History of the Text of the Book of Mormon

Volume III

Parts 1 and 2: Grammatical Variation.
Parts 3 and 4: Nature of the Original Language.
Part 5: The King James Quotations in the Book of Mormon.
Part 6: Spelling in the Manuscripts and Editions.
Parts 7 and 8 are forthcoming.

Volume III is available.

Volume IV

Analysis of Textual Variants of the Book of Mormon

Volume IV

This six-book set, titled Analysis of Textual Variants of the Book of Mormon, fulfills the central task of the critical text project, to restore the original text of the Book of Mormon to the extent possible using scholarly means.

Volume IV is available.

Volume V

A Complete Electronic Collation of the Book of Mormon

Volume V

This volume is not yet complete. It will be a digital collation of the work of the Book of Mormon Critical Text Project.

Learn More

Watch a series of video lectures summarizing findings from the Book of Mormon Critical Text Project.

Royal Skousen

Royal Skousen was Professor of Linguistics and English Language at Brigham Young University until his retirement in 2020. Skousen began working on the critical text of the Book of Mormon in 1988. He published the first two volumes of the Critical Text Project, namely, typographical facsimiles for the original and printer’s manuscripts of the Book of Mormon in 2001.

Publications Related to the Critical Text Project

Audiovisual

  • Skousen, Royal. Celebrating the New Edition of Royal Skousen's Analysis of Textual Variants. Provo: The Interpreter Foundation, 2017.
  • Skousen, Royal. Do We Need to Make Changes to the Book of Mormon Text? In FAIR Conference 2012. Fair Mormon, 2012.
  • Skousen, Royal, and Stanford Carmack. Editing Out the "Bad Grammar" in the Book of Mormon. Provo: BYU Studies, 2016.
  • Skousen, Royal. History of the Text of the Book of Mormon - Royal Skousen - Volume 3 parts 5 and 6 - 1/15/20. In Lecture at BYU. BYU, 2020.
  • Skousen, Royal. Hypotheses and Evidence in Book of Mormon Research In Book of Mormon Archaeological Forum Conference. Fair Mormon, 2013.
  • Skousen, Royal, and Stanford Carmack. Nature of the Original Language of the Book of Mormon (Royal Skousen and Stanford Carmack)., 2018.
  • Skousen, Royal. The Nature of the Original Text In 25 Years of Research: What We Have Learned About the Book of Mormon Text., 2013.
  • Skousen, Royal. The Original and Printer's Manuscript In 25 Years of Research: What We Have Learned About the Book of Mormon Text., 2013.
  • Skousen, Royal. The Original Book of Mormon In Book of Mormon Archaeological Forum Conference. Book of Mormon Archaeological Forum, 2003.
  • Skousen, Royal. The Printed Editions In 25 Years of Research: What We Have Learned About the Book of Mormon Text., 2013.
  • Skousen, Royal. Restoring the Original Text of The Book of Mormon In FAIR Conference 2010. Fair Mormon, 2010.
  • Skousen, Royal. Royal Skousen on Book of Mormon Critical Text Project and Mary Whitmer Witness to the Gold Plates. Fair Mormon, 2014.
  • Skousen, Royal, and Robin Jensen. Royal Skousen & Robin Jensen--JS Papers, Rev & Trans, vol. 3 (8/19/15). Salt Lake City, Ut.: Benchmark Books, 2013.
  • Skousen, Royal. A Theory! A Theory! We have already got a theory, and there cannot be any more theories!. Provo, Ut.: The Interpreter Foundation, 2015.

Book

  • Skousen, Royal. Analysis of Textual Variants of the Book of Mormon, 2nd Edition In The Book of Mormon Critical Text Project., 2017.
  • Skousen, Royal. The Book of Mormon: The Earliest Text. Yale University Press, 2009.
  • Skousen, Royal. Volume 3: The History of the Text of the Book of Mormon: Parts 1 and 2 Grammatical Variation., 2016.
  • Skousen, Royal. The Original Manuscript . Vol. 1 of The Critical Text of the Book of Mormon. Provo, Ut.: Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, 2001.
  • Skousen, Royal. The Printer's Manuscript: Part One, 1 Nephi 1–Alma 17. Vol. 2 of The Critical Text of the Book of Mormon. Provo, Ut.: Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, 2001.
  • Skousen, Royal. The Printer's Manuscript: Part Two, Alma 17–Moroni 10. Vol. 2 of The Critical Text of the Book of Mormon. Provo, Ut.: Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, 2001.
  • Skousen, Royal. The History of the Text of the Book of Mormon: Parts One and Two, Grammatical Variation. Vol. 3 of The Critical Text of the Book of Mormon. Provo, Ut.: Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies and BYU Studies, 2016.
  • Skousen, Royal. The History of the Text of the Book of Mormon: Parts Three and Four, The Nature of the Original Language. Vol. 3 of The Critical Text of the Book of Mormon. Provo, Ut.: Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies and BYU Studies, 2018.
  • Skousen, Royal. The History of the Text of the Book of Mormon: Part Five, The King James Quotations in the Book of Mormon. Vol. 3 of The Critical Text of the Book of Mormon. Provo, Ut.: Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies and BYU Studies, 2019.
  • Skousen, Royal. The History of the Text of the Book of Mormon: Part Six, Spelling in the Manuscripts and Editions. Vol. 3 of The Critical Text of the Book of Mormon. Provo, Ut.: Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies and BYU Studies, 2020.
  • Skousen, Royal. The History of the Text of the Book of Mormon: Part Seven, The Early Transmissions of the Text. Vol. 3 of The Critical Text of the Book of Mormon. Provo, Ut.: Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies and BYU Studies, 2024.
  • Skousen, Royal. The History of the Text of the Book of Mormon: Part Eight, Textual Criticism of the Book of Mormon. Vol. 3 of The Critical Text of the Book of Mormon. Provo, Ut.: Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies and BYU Studies, forthcoming.
  • Skousen, Royal. Analysis of Textual Variants of the Book of Mormon: Part One, 1 Nephi 1–2 Nephi 11. 2nd ed. Vol. 4 of The Critical Text of the Book of Mormon. Provo, Ut.: Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies and BYU Studies, 2017.
  • Skousen, Royal. Analysis of Textual Variants of the Book of Mormon: Part Two, 2 Nephi 12–Mosiah 13. 2nd ed. Vol. 4 of The Critical Text of the Book of Mormon. Provo, Ut.: Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies and BYU Studies, 2017.
  • Skousen, Royal. Analysis of Textual Variants of the Book of Mormon: Part Three, Mosiah 14–Alma 17. 2nd ed. Vol. 4 of The Critical Text of the Book of Mormon. Provo, Ut.: Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies and BYU Studies, 2017.
  • Skousen, Royal. Analysis of Textual Variants of the Book of Mormon: Part Four, Alma 18–51. 2nd ed. Vol. 4 of The Critical Text of the Book of Mormon. Provo, Ut.: Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies and BYU Studies, 2017.
  • Skousen, Royal. Analysis of Textual Variants of the Book of Mormon: Part Five, Alma 52–3 Nephi 7. 2nd ed. Vol. 4 of The Critical Text of the Book of Mormon. Provo, Ut.: Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies and BYU Studies, 2017.
  • Skousen, Royal. Analysis of Textual Variants of the Book of Mormon: Part Six, 3 Nephi 8–Moroni 10. 2nd ed. Vol. 4 of The Critical Text of the Book of Mormon. Provo, Ut.: Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies and BYU Studies, 2017.
  • Skousen, Royal. Volume 5: A Complete Electronic Collation of the Book of Mormon In The Book of Mormon Critical Text Project. Vol. 5. Provo, Ut.: FARMS, Forthcoming.

Book Chapter

  • Skousen, Royal. "Editions (1830-1981)." In To All the World: The Book of Mormon Articles from the Encyclopedia of Mormonism. Provo, Ut.: FARMS, 2000.
  • Skousen, Royal. "History of the Critical Text Project of the Book of Mormon." In Uncovering the Original Text of the Book of Mormon. Provo, Ut.: FARMS, 2002.
  • Skousen, Royal. "Jacob 4-6: Substantive Textual Variants between Manuscripts and Editions." In The Allegory of the Olive Tree: The Olive, The Bible, and Jacob 5. Provo, Ut.: FARMS, 1994.
  • Skousen, Royal. "John Gilbert's 1892 Account of the 1830 Printing of the Book of Mormon." In The Disciple as Witness: Essays on Latter-day Saint History and Doctrine in Honor of Richard Lloyd Anderson. Provo, Ut.: FARMS, 2000.
  • Skousen, Royal. "Manuscripts of the Book of Mormon." In To All the World: The Book of Mormon Articles from the Encyclopedia of Mormonism., 2000.
  • Skousen, Royal. "The Original Book of Mormon Transcript." In Reexploring the Book of Mormon: A Decade of New Research. Provo, Ut.: FARMS, 1992.
  • Skousen, Royal. "The Systematic Text of the Book of Mormon." In Uncovering the Original Text of the Book of Mormon: History and Findings of the Critical Text Project., 2002.
  • Skousen, Royal. "Translating and Printing the Book of Mormon." In Oliver Cowdery: Scribe, Elder, Witness., 2006.
  • Skousen, Royal. "Translating the Book of Mormon: Evidence from the Original Manuscript." In Book of Mormon Authorship Revisited: The Evidence for Ancient Origins., 1997.

Journal Article

  • Maxwell, Robert L. "Review of Royal Skousen, editor. The Book of Mormon: The Earliest Text. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2009." BYU Studies Quarterly 50:2 (2011): 178-182.
  • Reynolds, Noel B., and Royal Skousen. "Was the Path Nephi Saw 'Straight and Narrow' or 'Strait and Narrow'?" Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 10, no. 2 (2001): 30-33, 70.
  • Skousen, Royal. "The Archaic Vocabulary of the Book of Mormon." Insights 25, no. 5 (2005): 2-7.
  • Skousen, Royal. "Conjectural Emendation in the Book of Mormon." FARMS Review 18, no. 1 (2006): 187-231.
  • Skousen, Royal. "Critical Methodology and the Text of the Book of Mormon." Review of Books on the Book of Mormon 6, no. 1 (1994): 121-44.
  • Skousen, Royal. "The Critical Text of the Book of Mormon." FARMS Preliminary Reports (1994): 1-14.
  • Skousen, Royal. "The Earliest Textual Sources for Joseph Smith's 'New Translation' of the King James Bible." FARMS Review 17, no. 2 (2005): 451-70.
  • Skousen, Royal. "Findings About the Printer's Manuscript." Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 11, no. 2 (2002): 37.
  • Skousen, Royal. "History of the Critical Text Project of the Book of Mormon." Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 11, no. 2 (2002): 5-21.
  • Skousen, Royal. "How Joseph Smith Translated the Book of Mormon: Evidence from the Original Manuscript." Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 7, no. 1 (1998): 22-31.
  • Skousen, Royal. "Introducing the Dead Sea Scrolls to an LDS Audience." FARMS Review of Books 12, no. 2 (2000): 441-444.
  • Skousen, Royal. "Jacob 4-6: Subtantive Textual Variants." FARMS Preliminary Reports (1992): 1-22.
  • Skousen, Royal. "John Gilbert's 1892 Account of the 1830 Printing of the Book of Mormon." FARMS Preliminary Reports (1997).
  • Skousen, Royal. "The Original Language of the Book of Mormon: Upstate New York Dialect, King James English, or Hebrew?" Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 3, no. 1 (1994): 28-38.
  • Skousen, Royal. "The Pleading Bar of God." Insights 24, no. 4 (2004): 2-3.
  • Skousen, Royal. "Review of Avraham Gileadi, The Book of Isaiah: A New Translation with Interpretive Keys from the Book of Mormon." BYU Studies Quarterly 28:3 (1988): 124-127
  • Skousen, Royal. "Review of The Bible II." Review of Books on the Book of Mormon 6, no. 2 (1994): 1-2.
  • Skousen, Royal. "'Scourged' vs. 'Scorched' in Mosiah 17:13." Insights 22, no. 3 (2003): 2-3.
  • Skousen, Royal. "Some Textual Changes for a Scholarly Study of the Book of Mormon." BYU Studies Quarterly 51, no. 4 (2012): 99-117.
  • Skousen, Royal. "The Systematic Text of the Book of Mormon." Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 11, no. 2 (2002): 45-66.
  • Skousen, Royal. "Towards a Critical Edition of the Book of Mormon." BYU Studies Quarterly 30:1 (1990): 41-69.
  • Skousen, Royal. "Worthy of Another Look: John Gilbert's 1892 Account of the 1830 Printing of the Book of Mormon." Journal of Book of Mormon Studies and Other Restoration Scripture 21, no. 2 (2012): 58-72.