Second Nephi 29:3 mocks the trust of the Bible believer by having him say mindlessly, “A Bible! A Bible! We have got a Bible, and there cannot be any more Bible,” with the Lord responding by calling such a man a “fool” (v. 6). Actually, says the Book of Mormon, the Bible is so imperfect that, instead of leading men to God, it actually causes them to stumble and gives Satan power over them (1 Nephi 13:29.)
The Eighth Article of Faith formulated by Joseph Smith states that the Bible is the word of God as far as it is translated correctly. To this might be added, “And as far as it seems to agree with current LDS theology.” In my experience, there are only two places where the LDS Church will directly say that the Bible is mistranslated. The first is found at the end of Deuteronomy where the death and burial of Moses is recorded. This doesn”‘t fit with LDS doctrine that states that Moses never died, but was taken to heaven as was Elijah (Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1954-1956), II, 107. See also Alma 45:19.) Secondly, the words of John 4:24 where Jesus declares that “God is a Spirit, and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth” (KJV) appears in the Joseph Smith Translation as “For unto such hath God promised his Spirit. And they who worship him, must worship him in spirit and in truth,” supporting the LDS contention that God the Father has a physical body.
