Chapter 72 (BOMP)

• The Bible = Original •
“And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” (Mark 16:15-18) – About A.D. 90.

• The Book Of Mormon = Plagiarism •
“For behold, thus said Jesus Christ, the Son of God, unto his disciples who should tarry, yea, and also to all his disciples, in the hearing of the multitude: Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature; And he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned; And these signs shall follow them that believe—in my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover.” (Mormon 9:22-24) – About A.D. 401-421

Verses from the King James Version of Mark, chapter 16, were copied and pasted into the Book of Mormon. These verses can be found in Mormon, chapter 9. Details of what took place can be found below…

The verses from Mark 16:15-18 and Mormon 9:22-24 share several similarities, which are the following…
1. Commission to Preach: Both verses contain the directive to "go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." This indicates a universal mission for the followers of Jesus Christ.
2. Both emphasize the importance of baptism and our belief in Jesus for salvation. "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned."
3. Signs Following Believers: Each passage describes miracles and signs that will accompany those who believe, such as casting out devils, speaking in new tongues, handling serpents, and healing the sick.
4. Miraculous Protection: Both verses include the promise of divine protection against harm, particularly in the context of drinking poison.

In contrast, here are the differences in the two verses…
1. Context and Origin: Mark 16 is part of the New Testament and is traditionally attributed to Mark the Evangelist, written around A.D. 90. In contrast, Mormon 9 is found in the Book of Mormon, believed to have been written in a different cultural and historical context (A.D. 401-421) and is attributed to Moroni.
2. Language and Structure: While the message is largely identical, the phrasing and structure vary slightly, reflecting different linguistic and stylistic choices. For example, the phrase "Go ye into all the world" appears at the beginning of both texts, but Mormon's version adds a slight emphasis by addressing "his disciples who should tarry."
3. Cultural Context: The Book of Mormon was written for a different audience with a different cultural background. While Mark's Gospel is directed at early Christians in the Roman Empire, Mormon's account is targeting the Nephite audience in the Americas.
4. Theological Emphasis: The theological implications may vary based on the surrounding texts and the traditions of the respective religious groups using these scriptures. The Book of Mormon incorporates additional doctrines and beliefs specific to Latter-day Saint theology.

These verses have similar messages when it comes to preaching the gospel, how to be saved, and our belief system, but they also differ in many ways. The problems lie in the historical context, authorship, language, and culture. This is a big problem if you are a Bible-believing Christian. When I see plagiarism like this in the Book of Mormon, it makes me upset. I think to myself, "why would Joseph Smith blatantly take the Biblical text and make it his own?" As you can see in the verses in Mark 16 and Mormon 9, the use of the KJV is seen in the Book of Mormon also. This is common all throughout the Book of Mormon when verses from the Bible are added in and even changed. Sure, having Bible verses in a work like this can make it sound like it is from God. This is until you look into the verses that were added. Yes, they are fillers to a book that would be much smaller if Bible verses didn't exist.

The verses of Mark 16 in Mormon 9 raise several issues when considering the manuscript controversy surrounding Mark and the historical context of Moroni's writings. Here are some key problems associated with this...
1. Manuscript Variations: The Gospel of Mark has a controversial ending. The earliest manuscripts do not include Mark 16:9-20, with some scholars arguing that these verses were added later. Since Mormon 9 closely mirrors that portion of Mark 16, this questions the authenticity of the Book of Mormon. Because Moroni would not have had access to the writings of Mark, we should question how he would have known what Jesus said. And because of the manuscript issue, how does the LDS church reconcile the verses of Mark 16 being in Mormon 9. If these verses in Mark 16 were added in a later manuscript, this is a big red flag.
2. Geographical and Cultural Separation: The Book of Mormon lacks direct access to the New Testament. Mark was written in a different geographic location (the Roman Empire), while the Book of Mormon is set in the Americas. Therefore, Moroni would not have had access to the New Testament texts or any concept of early Christianity during his time. We also see isolation from Early Christian Thought. The Nephite civilization, as described in the Book of Mormon, was separate from the developments of early Christianity. So how would Moroni, a prophet in the Americas, know the details about Jesus’s teachings recorded in Mark.
3. Anachronisms or Timing of Revelatory Content: If the passages in Mormon 9 derive from Mark, it implies Moroni had knowledge of texts that were contemporaneous with the early Christian church long after they had been written. This creates problems of chronology, as the events in the Book of Mormon supposedly unfolded long before the New Testament canon was established. Also, the gospel message is presented in a way that reflects Christian teachings of the first century, which the people of the Book of Mormon would not have access to.

In conclusion, the Mark 16 reference in Mormon 9 is concerning when it comes to our faith. These issues involve problems with the original manuscript, geographical setting, and other related matters. There are also challenges in terms of theological and historical aspects in the case of Mark's writings. My friends, my life is dedicated to knowing the truth of God. Therefore, what I am seeing in the Book of Mormon is disturbing. Because my foundation for truth stems from the Bible, it upsets me to see plagiarism in the Book of Mormon. As you can see in Mormon 9, the verses were not referenced to Mark 16. The Moroni character apparently knew what Jesus said in Mark 16. Therefore, he thought it would be good to quote it in his sermon. However, this would not be the case as he would have not been privy to the book of Mark in his time and space. The location of the Book of Mormon is in the Americas, and he words of Mark are found in Israel. So the words of Mark don't make sense in Joseph's book. Where there is a manuscript issue also in Mark 16, this is a smocking gun that this addition to Mormon 9 makes the Book of Mormon false. Please ponder upon what I said. Amen.

Let us pray:
Oh Lord, I pray that You will open the eyes of the Mormon people. Help them desire what is true and allow Your truth to flow deep into their lives. This way they can question what has been added to the Book of Mormon, when it comes to the Bible. Not to have them lose hope in what is true, but be willing to give up things that are holding them back. God, I am deeply saddened to see people leave a false church behind and then turn to atheism. May this not happen to people of the Mormon faith. These people were raised to have good values. It is just their core beliefs that need to be refined. Help them turn from what is false and to what is true. If it means denouncing the Book of Mormon as scripture and reading the Bible alone, I pray this happens. You can do all things. Nothing is impossible with You, God. Lord, Your Words in the Bible are true. Have your way in my life. I love You, Jesus. Amen.