Translation references to the Urim and Thummim and the gift and power of God.
The table below lists the known references to the translation of
the Book of Mormon written, published or recorded during the lifetime of Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery, categorizing them by reference to “Urim and Thummim” only, “gift
and power of God” only, and both.
It turns out that most references to the translation refer
only to the Urim and Thummim. A few refer only to “gift and power of God,” while
other refer to both.
Those who write or speak on this topic should consider whether it is accurate to say only that "Joseph Smith translated an ancient text “by the gift and power of God” to produce the Book of Mormon." [E.g., see the Gospel Topics Essay on Book of Mormon Translation, discussed here: https://www.ldshistoricalnarratives.com/p/gospel-topics-essay-on-translation.html]
When discussing the translation, Joseph and Oliver Cowdery most often referred to the Urim and Thummim. To omit the Urim and Thummim when discussing the translation is a disservice to readers.
Joseph and others also combined the two concepts a few times, such as in the Wentworth Letter: "Through the medium of the Urim and Thummim I translated the record by the gift, and power of God."
In the Wentworth letter and elsewhere, Joseph explained that the Urim and Thummim came with the plates and were created and preserved for the purpose of translation. To claim Joseph used another instrument, such as a stone he found in a well, contradicts the plain language Joseph and Oliver used to explain the translation.
This table is a work in progress that will be updated with links and additions. Send suggestions to lostzarahemla@gmail.com.
Updated Feb 15, 2025
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Urim and Thummim only |
Gift and power of God only |
Both |
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Scripture |
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[1829] you
had power given unto you to translate by the means of the Urim and
Thummim (D&C 10:1) |
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[1838,
relating back to 1823] there were two stones in silver bows—and these stones,
fastened to a breastplate, constituted what is called the Urim and Thummim—deposited
with the plates; and the possession and use of these stones were what
constituted “seers” in ancient or former times; and that God had prepared
them for the purpose of translating the book. (Joseph
Smith—History 1:35) https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/history-circa-june-1839-circa-1841-draft-2/5 |
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[1838,
relating back to 1823] I commenced copying the characters off the plates. I
copied a considerable number of them, and by means of the Urim and Thummim
I translated some of them (Joseph
Smith—History 1:62) |
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[1834,
relating back to 1829] Day after day I continued, uninterrupted, to write
from his mouth, as he translated with the Urim and Thummim, or,
as the Nephites would have said, ‘Interpreters,’ the history or record called
‘The Book of Mormon.’ (Oliver
Cowdery in Joseph Smith—History, Note, 1) |
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[1844,
relating back to 1829] “he has brought forth the Book of Mormon, which he
translated by the gift and power of God” John Taylor
in D&C 135:3 |
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Published historical
references |
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[1830] “I
translated, by the gift and power of God, and caused to be written,
one hundred and sixteen pages, the which I took from the Book of Lehi,
which was an account abridged from the plates of Lehi, by the hand of Mormon.”
Preface to 1830 edition of the Book of Mormon |
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[1831, relating back to
1829] “During the trial it was shown that the Book of Mormon was brought to
light by the same magic power by which he pretended to tell fortunes,
discover hidden treasures, &c. Oliver Cowdery, one of the three witnesses to the
book, testified under oath, that said Smith found with
the plates, from which he translated his book, two
transparent stones, resembling glass, set in silver bows. That by looking through these, he was able to read in
English, the reformed Egyptian characters, which were engraved on the plates. So much for the gift and power of God, by which Smith says he
translated his book. Two transparent stones, undoubtedly of the same
properties, and the gift of the same spirit as the one in which he looked to
find his neighbor’s goods. (“Mormonites,”
Evangelical Magazine and Gospel Advocate, Utica, NY, April 9, 1831) at
http://www.sidneyrigdon.com/dbroadhu/NY/miscNYSe.htm#040931 |
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[1832,
relating back to 1829] Q. -- In what manner was the interpretation, or
translation made known, and by whom was it written? A. -- It was
made known by the spirit of the Lord through the medium of the Urim and
Thummim; and was written partly by Oliver Cowdery, and partly by Martin
Harris. Q. -- What do
you mean by Urim and Thummim? A. -- The
same as were used by the prophets of old, which were two crystal stones,
placed in bows, something in the form of spectacles, which were found with
the plates. Boston Investigator, Aug 10, 1832 |
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[1832, relating back to 1828] [Martin Harris] returned to me [from New York] and
gave them to <me to> translate and I said [I] cannot for I am not
learned but the Lord had prepared spectacles for to read the Book
therefore I commenced translating the characters and thus the Prop[h]icy
of Isaiah was fulfilled. (History, circa Summer 1832) https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/history-circa-summer-1832/5 |
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[1833,
relating back to 1829] It was translated by the gift and power of God,
by an unlearned man, through the aid of a pair of Interpreters, or
spectacles-(known, perhaps, in ancient days as Teraphim, or Urim and
Thummim).” W. W. Phelps, The Evening and The Morning Star, 1/8
(January 1833), 57) |
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[1834,
relating back to 1829] you sat day after day and wrote the history of the
second race that inhabited this continent, as the words were repeated to you
by the Lord’s prophet [Joseph Smith], through the aid of the “Urim and
Thumim,” “Nephite Interpreters,” or Divine Spectacles. (WW Phelps, Messenger
and Advocate I.5:65 ¶4) |
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[1835,
relating back to 1823] He [Moroni] said this history was written and
deposited not far from that place, and that it was our brother’s privilege,
if obedient to the commandments of the Lord, to obtain and translate
the same by the means of the Urim and Thummim, which were deposited
for that purpose with the record (Messenger
and Advocate I.5:80 ¶2). |
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[1835,
relating back to 1823] He [Moroni] said this history was written and
deposited not far from that place, and that it was our brother’s privilege,
if obedient to the commandments of the Lord, to obtain and translate
the same by the means of the Urim and Thummim, which were deposited
for that purpose with the record. Joseph Smith’s journal. |
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[1833,
relating back to 1829] “The Book of Mormon is a record of the fore-fathers of
our western tribes of Indians; having been found through the ministration of
an holy angel, and translated into our own language by the gift and power
of God…” Communication
from Joseph Smith, Jr., “Mormonism,” The American Revivalist and
Rochester Observer (Rochester, New York) 7, no. 6 (2 February 1833) |
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[1838,
relating back to 1823-9] Question 4th. How, and where did you obtain the Book
of Mormon? Answer.
Moroni, the person who deposited the plates, from whence the Book of Mormon
was translated, in a hill in Manchester, Ontario County, New York, being
dead, and raised again therefrom, appeared unto me and told me where they
were and gave me directions how to obtain them. I obtained them and
the Urim and Thummim with them, by the means of which I translated the plates and
thus came the Book of Mormon. (Elders’
Journal I.3:42 ¶20–43 ¶1) https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/elders-journal-july-1838/10 |
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[1840,
relating back to 1829] “Having provided himself with a home, he commenced translating
the record, by the gift and power of God, through the means of the Urim and
Thummim” Orson Pratt, Interesting Account of Several Remarkable Visions, https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/appendix-orson-pratt-an-interesting-account-of-several-remarkable-visions-1840/14
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[1840,
relating back to 1823] He [Moroni] said this history was written and
deposited not far from that place, and that it was our brother’s privilege,
if obedient to the commandments of the Lord, to obtain and translate
the same by the means of the Urim and Thummim, which were deposited
for that purpose with the record (Times and
Seasons II.4:243 ¶3) |
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[1841,
relating back to 1823] He [Moroni] said this history was written and
deposited not far from that place, and that it was our brother’s privilege,
if obedient to the commandments of the Lord, to obtain and translate
the same by the means of the Urim and Thummim, which were deposited
for that purpose with the record. Gospel Reflector |
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[1841,
relating back to 1823] He [Moroni] said this history was written and
deposited not far from that place, and that it was our brother’s privilege,
if obedient to the commandments of the Lord, to obtain and translate
the same by the means of the Urim and Thummim, which were deposited
for that purpose with the record. Millennial Star. |
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[1842,
relating back to 1827-9] With the records was found a curious
instrument which the ancients called “Urim and Thummim,” which consisted
of two transparent stones set in the rim of a bow fastened to a breastplate. Through
the medium of the Urim and Thummim I translated the record by the gift,
and power of God. (Times and
Seasons III.9:707 ¶5–6) https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/church-history-1-march-1842/2
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[1839,
published in 1842, relating back to 1829] you shall have a view of the
plates, and also the breastplate, the sword of Laban, the Urim and Thummim,
which were given to the brother of Jared upon the mount, when he talked with
the Lord face to face… we heard a voice from out of the bright light above
us, saying, “These plates have been revealed by the power of God, and they
have been translated by the power of God; the translation of them
which you have seen is correct, and I command you to bear record of what you
now see and hear.” (Times and
Seasons III.21:897 ¶6, 898 ¶1) https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/history-circa-june-1839-circa-1841-draft-2/30
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[1842,
relating back to 1829] “the Book of Mormon had come forth as an “ensign to
the nations,” containing an account of the gospel in much plainness, being translated
by the gift and power of God by the use of the Urim and Thummim, that had
come forth with the plates that contain the record. (Times and
Seasons III.21:900 ¶1, reprinted from the Bostonian) https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/times-and-seasons-1-september-1842/6
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[1842, relating back to
1823 and 1829] The angel of the Lord
appeared to him fifteen years since, and shewed him the cave where the
original golden plates of the book of Mormon were deposited. He shewed him
also the Urim and Thummim, by which he might understand the meaning of
the inscriptions on the plates, and he shewed him the
golden breastplate of the high priesthood. My son received these precious
gifts, he interpreted the holy
record, and now the believers in that revelation are more than a
hundred thousand in number. I have myself seen and
handled the golden plates; they are about eight inches long, and six wide;
some of them are sealed together and are not to be opened, and some of them
are loose. They are all connected by a ring which passes through a hole at
the end of each plate, and are covered with letters beautifully engraved. I
have seen and felt also the
Urim and Thummim. They resemble two large
bright diamonds set in a bow like a pair of spectacles. My son puts these over his eyes when he
reads unknown languages, and they enable him to interpret them in English. I have likewise carried
in my hands the sacred breastplate. It is composed of pure gold, and is made
to fit the breast very exactly. Lucy Mack Smith, quoted by Henry Caswall, The City of the Mormons; or, Three
Days at Nauvoo, in 1842 (London: J. G. F. and J. Rivington, 1842), 26–27,
online at https://archive.org/details/cityofmormonsort00casw/page/26
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[1843,
relating back to 1829] [T]he fact
is, that by the power of God I translated the Book of Mormon from
hieroglyphics, the knowledge of which was lost to the world, in which
wonderful event I stood alone, an unlearned youth, to combat the worldly
wisdom and multiplied ignorance of eighteen centuries, with a new revelation,
which (if they would receive the everlasting Gospel,) would open the eyes of
more than eight hundred millions of people, and make “plain the old paths,”
wherein if a man walk in all the ordinances of God blameless, he shall
inherit eternal life. (letter, Nov. 13, 1843, in Times and
Seasons IV.24:373 ¶1 https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/history-1838-1856-volume-e-1-1-july-1843-30-april-1844/147 and https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/letter-to-james-arlington-bennet-13-november-1843/2 |
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[1844,
relating back to 1823] He [Moroni] said this history was written and
deposited not far from that place, and that it was our brother’s privilege,
if obedient to the commandments of the Lord, to obtain and translate
the same by the means of the Urim and Thummim, which were deposited
for that purpose with the record. The Prophet |
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[1844,
relating back to 1829, originally written in 1833] The Book of Mormon is a
record of the fore-fathers of our western tribes of Indians; having been
found through the ministration of an holy angel, and translated into our
own language by the gift and power of God, (Times and
Seasons V.21:707 ¶3) Nov. 15, 1844 |
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[1844,
relating back to 1827-9] With the records was found a curious
instrument which the ancients called “Urim and Thummim,” which consisted
of two transparent stones set in the rim of a bow fastened to a breastplate. Through
the medium of the Urim and Thummim I translated the record by the gift,
and power of God. https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/latter-day-saints-1844/3
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Unpublished statements |
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[1829] Now Joseph Smith Jr.,
certainly was the writer of the work, called the book of Mormon, which was
written in ancient Egyptian characters,--which was a dead record to us until
translated. And
he, by a gift from God, has translated it into our language…. This record which gives an account of the first
inhabitants of this continent, is engraved on plates, which have the
appearance of gold; and they are of very curious workmanship…. And after that
which was not sealed, was translated, the book should again be hid-up, unto
the Lord, that it might not be destroyed; and come forth again, in the own
due time of him, who knows all things unto the children of men. (Letter Oliver H.P.
Cowdery to Cornelius, C. Blatchly, Nov. 9, 1829, Gospel Luminary 2, no. 49
(Dec. 10, 1829): 194, in the Juvenile Instructor (blog), August 21, 2012, https://juvenileinstructor.org/1829-mormon-discovery-brought-to-you-by-guest-erin-jennings/) |
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[1835,
relating back to 1823 and 1829] “[The Angel told me] that the Urim and
Thumim, was hid up with the record, and that God would give me power to translate
it, with the assistance of this instrument… at which time I obtained
them, and translated them into the english language; by the gift and
power of God and have been preaching it ever since.” JS to Robert
Matthews, https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/conversations-with-robert-matthews-9-11-november-1835/4
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[1845, relating back to
1828] “After the angel left me’,
said he, “I continued my supplications to God without cessation; and, on the
22d of September, I had the joy and satisfaction of again receiving the Urim and Thummim; and have commenced translating again, and Emma writes for me; but
the angel said that the Lord would send me a scribe, and <I> trust his promise
will be verified. The angel He also seemed pleased with me, when he gave me back the Urim and Thummim; and he told me that the
Lord loved me, for my faithfulness and humility...” Lucy Mack Smith, in https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/lucy-mack-smith-history-1845/142 |
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[1844, relating back to
1829] In the meantime Joseph was 150 miles
distant and knew naught of the matter except an intimation that was given through the urim and thumim for as he
one morning applied them to his eyes to look upon the record instead of the words of
the book being given him he was commanded to write a letter to one David Whitmer this man
Joseph had never seen but he was instructed to say him that he must come with
his team immediately in order to convey Joseph and his family Oliver [Cowdery] back to his house which was 135 miles that they might
remain with him there until the translation should be
completed for that an evil designing people were seeking to take away
Joseph’s life in order to prevent the work of God from going forth among the
world. https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/lucy-mack-smith-history-1844-1845/100 |
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[1845,
relating back to 1829] “Not far from this time, as Joseph was translating
by means of the Urim and Thummim, he received instead of the words of the
Book, a commandment to write a letter to a man by the name of David Whitmer,
who lived in Waterloo; requesting him to come immediately with his team, and
convey them” Lucy Mack
Smith, https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/lucy-mack-smith-history-1845/156
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[1848,
relating back to 1829] “I wrote with my own pen the entire Book of Mormon
(save a few pages) as it fell from the lips of the Prophet as he translated
it by the gift and power of God by means of the Urim and Thummim, or as
it is called by that book, holy interpreters. I beheld with
my eyes and handled with my hands the gold plates from which it was
translated. I also beheld
the Interpreters. Oliver Cowdery, in Reuben Miller journal, https://catalog.churchofjesuschrist.org/assets?id=22222322-f4fe-41e3-aa86-bfc54b94df92&crate=0&index=14 |
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[1907, relating back to 1848, relating back to 1829] “[Oliver] represented Joseph as sitting at
a table with the plates before him, translating them by means of the Urim
and Thummim, while he
(Oliver) sat beside him writing every word as Joseph spoke them to him. This
was done by holding the ‘translators’ over the hieroglyphics, the translation appearing
distinctly on the instrument, which had been touched by the finger of God and
dedicated and consecrated for the express purpose of translating languages.
Every word was distinctly visible even to every letter; and if Oliver omitted
a word or failed to spell a word correctly, the translation remained on the
‘interpreter’ until it was copied correctly.” https://www.lds.org/study/ensign/1977/09/by-the-gift-and-power-of-god?lang=eng |
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