Will we ever get the rest of the Book of Joseph or more of the Book of Abraham?

Question

 

Gramps,

Will the book of Joseph that Joseph Smith founded, along with the book of Abraham, ever get a chance to be translated? I heard that the Book of Joseph papyrus was burned in the great Chicago fire. Yet,  is there a possibility that someday we miraculously somehow get a translation of it? For that matter, I heard that there was more to the book of Abraham that was translated but hadn’t been publicly. Are we going to possibly have it someday, or what? Thanks.

Beverly

 

Answer

 

Beverly,

We simply don’t know. But there are some interesting things we do know that can help put these questions into perspective.

When Joseph Smith purchased several Egyptian mummies and papyri in 1835, he taught that some of the papyri contained the writings of Abraham and Joseph, the son of Jacob, who was sold into Egypt. The Book of Abraham was translated and eventually became part of the Pearl of Great Price. Joseph Smith also spoke of a “Book of Joseph,” but unlike the Book of Abraham, no translation of that record was ever published.

That naturally raises the question: What happened to it?

For many years, people believed that nearly all of the Egyptian papyri owned by Joseph Smith had been destroyed in the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. The papyri had passed through several owners after Joseph Smith’s death, and it was widely assumed they were lost forever.

Then something unexpected happened.

In 1967, several fragments of the original papyri surfaced in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and were returned to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This was an exciting discovery because it showed that not everything had been destroyed after all.

However, these surviving fragments appear to represent only a small portion of the original collection. Church historians estimate that much of what Joseph Smith originally possessed is still missing. Whether those missing portions were destroyed in Chicago or survived somewhere else simply isn’t known.

So could the Book of Joseph still exist?

It’s certainly possible.

No one has evidence that it does, but no one can prove that every missing fragment was destroyed either. History has surprised us before. Ancient manuscripts have been discovered in caves, forgotten libraries, and private collections centuries after they were thought to be lost. The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls is a great example of records surviving far longer than anyone expected.

That doesn’t mean the Book of Joseph will someday be found—but it does mean the possibility can’t be completely ruled out. Even if the papyrus itself no longer exists, that doesn’t necessarily mean the Lord couldn’t reveal its contents again. The Restoration itself gives us examples of scripture coming through revelation rather than through surviving manuscripts.

Much of the Book of Moses came through revelation to Joseph Smith, not from an ancient document sitting on his desk. The Book of Mormon was translated through divine power. Joseph Smith’s inspired revision of the Bible also came through revelation. If the Lord wanted His children to have the Book of Joseph, He has many ways to provide it.

President Russell M. Nelson has repeatedly taught that revelation is ongoing. In his April 2018 General Conference address, “Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives,” he said:

“Our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ, will perform some of His mightiest works between now and when He comes again.”

That statement reminds us that the Restoration is still underway. We shouldn’t assume that God has already revealed everything He intends to reveal.

What about the Book of Abraham? Is there more of it that we haven’t received?

Again, the answer is: possibly.

The Book of Abraham we have today consists of five chapters. Joseph Smith died before completing many of his projects, so it’s impossible to know exactly how much of Abraham’s writings he intended to publish.

Some historians have pointed out that early references from Joseph Smith’s associates suggest additional translation work may have existed beyond what appears in the Pearl of Great Price. There are also surviving manuscripts indicating that Joseph Smith was actively working with the Egyptian papyri over time.

However, there is no official Church statement saying that additional chapters of the Book of Abraham were completed and are simply being withheld. Sometimes you’ll hear people confidently claim that the Church has more of the Book of Abraham locked away in a vault. There simply isn’t evidence to support that claim. It’s certainly possible that Joseph Smith translated additional material that has since been lost, or perhaps he intended to continue translating but never had the opportunity. We just don’t know. The important thing is that the Church has never claimed the current Book of Abraham represents every word Abraham ever wrote.

In fact, the scriptures themselves prepare us to expect additional revelation in the future.

The Lord declared:

“For I command all men, both in the east and in the west…that they shall write the words which I speak unto them…for out of the books which shall be written I will judge the world” (3 Nephi 27:25).

The Book of Mormon also teaches that God has given scripture to many nations and peoples.

In 2 Nephi 29:12, the Lord says:

“I shall also speak unto all nations of the earth and they shall write it.”

That passage reminds us that there are likely many sacred records that have never been revealed to the world.

Perhaps the clearest promise comes in the Ninth Article of Faith:

“We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.”

Notice that it doesn’t specify what those “many great and important things” will be. They could include additional scripture, greater understanding of existing scripture, or truths we haven’t even imagined yet.

Whether that includes the Book of Joseph or more of the Book of Abraham remains to be seen. It’s also worth remembering that God’s timing isn’t always our timing.

People waited centuries for the Book of Mormon to come forth. The Dead Sea Scrolls remained hidden for nearly two thousand years before they were discovered. If the Lord intends for additional ancient records to come forth, He will reveal them when the time is right. Until then, it’s probably wiser to appreciate what we already have than to become overly focused on what we don’t.

The Book of Abraham already teaches profound truths about the premortal life, the Council in Heaven, the Creation, and God’s eternal purposes. Those teachings have greatly expanded our understanding of the plan of salvation. Rather than worrying about what might be missing, we can continue studying the remarkable truths the Lord has already given us.

So, will we someday receive the Book of Joseph? Maybe. Could more of the Book of Abraham someday come forth? That’s also possible. Nothing in LDS doctrine rules out either possibility. At the same time, no prophet has promised that either will happen, and the Church has never officially stated that additional translations currently exist waiting to be released. For now, the honest answer is simply that we don’t know.

But if there’s one thing the Restoration teaches, it’s that God is still speaking. He has revealed scripture in remarkable ways before, and He can do so again whenever He chooses. Whether through the discovery of ancient records, modern revelation, or some entirely unexpected means, the Lord is fully capable of revealing whatever His children need, exactly when they need it.

And that’s one of the most exciting parts of being a Latter-day Saint—we believe the story of revelation isn’t finished yet.

Gramps