Challenge Completed – Covenant of Christ Read

I completed the challenge to read the Covenant of Christ, A Modern English Version of the Book of Mormon. I was able to carve out four blocks of four hours each over the last few weekends. In my first session I read the first 116 pages up to Mosiah chapter one. The second weekend I read another 114 pages up through the middle of Alma, where Alma wishes he were an angel (Alma 29 in the LDS edition). The third weekend I read the next 136 pages to the sermon on the mount in Third Nephi 12 (3 Ne 5 in the RE). I finished the last 85 pages yesterday.

A Different Purpose and a Different Audience

The modern English version is meant for a different purpose and a different audience. “The original Book of Mormon translation was to get that generation to be willing to accept it as scripture. They needed it to mimic the King James Version language. But this has a different purpose. This is to help a new generation understand the content to help with the Lord’s return. There is as much Divine attention and assistance in getting this new version completed as before.”

Covenant of Christ - the book

Publish it for the People to Read

“Publish it for the people to read. Then, have the voice of the people determine if they will accept it as my Covenant, as they will be judged by their voice on this matter. Once the voice of the people has been heard, if they accept it let it be your Covenant version to guide you.” Also, “… this was not like the earlier publication, but had a different purpose for a different audience, living at a different time. This was for US (this generation), today.”

Review Before an October Conference

“Right now the text is for believers to review before an October Conference where a vote will be taken to accept or reject the book. If it is accepted by the Conference as scripture, then it will be added to the website scriptures.info and available to read online. In a few weeks there will be a side-by-side version of the modern English version and the traditional Book of Mormon to let people read and compare both versions online. That will appear on the Covenant of Christ website when completed. (covenantofchrist.org)”

Decide How They Will Vote

“Right now the challenge is for people to read and decide how they will vote in the upcoming October Conference. The plan is for everyone to be invited to attend and vote, and the vote will be taken live in the assembly. Although someone can vote at home without attending, the plan is for only those who assemble at the Conference to have their votes counted.” All items in quotes in these four paragraphs are from Denver’s blog / website recent posts. I enjoyed reading the book in the modern English. I was especially touched by the rendering of Mormon’s Lament.

An Excerpt of the Modern English

“My soul was torn with anguish for those of my people who had been killed, and I cried out: O you beautiful people, how could you have departed from the Lord’s ways! O you beautiful people, how could you have rejected that Jesus who stood with open arms to receive you! If you hadn’t done this, you wouldn’t have fallen. But you’ve fallen, and I mourn your loss. O you beautiful sons and daughters, you fathers and mothers, you husbands and wives, you beautiful people – how is it that you could have fallen!

“But you’re gone, and my sorrow can’t bring you back. The day will soon come when your mortal body will put on immortality. These decomposing bodies must soon become bodies free from decay. Then you must stand before Christ’s judgment seat to be judged according to your works. If you were righteous, then you will be blessed with your forefathers who have gone before you. If only you had repented before this great destruction overtook you! But you’re gone. And the Father – indeed, the Eternal Father of heaven – knows your circumstances. He’ll do with you according to His justice and mercy.”

Some Clarifications Noted While Reading

I was pleased to note the clarification of the location of the holes in the barges as Jared and his family travelled in the ships: “The Lord said to Jared’s brother: Make a hole in the front and back of each ship. Whenever you need more air, unplug the holes to let in more air. If water rushes in on you, plug the hole so you don’t sink from the water that comes pouring in.” Compare that to “And the Lord said unto the brother of Jared: Behold, thou shalt make a hole in the top, and also in the bottom; and when thou shalt suffer for air thou shalt unstop the hole and receive air. And if it be so that the water come in upon thee, behold, ye shall stop the hole, that ye may not perish in the flood.” (Ether 1:9 in RE)

The only place where I questioned the Modern English is Helaman 5:37 where it says, “and power was given unto them that they did turn and look.” For some reason, it simply says, “they turned around and looked.” This is where Nephi and Lehi are in the prison with the 500 Lamanites and were encircled by fire. There have been many lessons and Gospel Doctrine discussions over the years about the phrase, “and power was given to them,” as being symbolic or literal of the power of Christ. But perhaps with the phrase missing, it is more in line with the principle of agency, that we must do the work. I don’t know. What do you think? Leave a comment and let me know.