There are two books that stand out when it comes to teachings and beliefs about God’s relationship with humans. These books are considered as sacred texts and scriptures which detail events and certain prophecies. Some are actual historical accounts while others were noted to be mere interpretations of the authors. These books are the Holy Bible and the Book of Mormon. They are both all-time best-sellers and are similar in some ways but also quite different when it comes to specific details. Read on so you’ll learn more about these books and their main differences.
Summary Table
| Holy Bible | Book of Mormon |
| Sacred text of Jews and Christians | Sacred text of the Latter-Day Saints movement |
| Different authors contributed to the Bible, written by prophets | First published by Joseph Smith |
| Was published in 100 BC – 100 AD | Was published in 1830 AD |
| Original languages were Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic | Original language was in English |
| Consists of 66 books divided into the Old Testament and the New Testament | Consists of 15 books |
| Belief that everyone has a sinful nature from birth and that it is only through Christ that one can be saved | Belief that children are not capable of sin since they do not have a sinful nature and that it is by grace that everyone is saved |
| All nations of men are of one blood | Teaches that dark skin is a sign of God’s curse and white-skinned people are superior |
| Scriptures will survive until the end | States that parts would be removed from the Bible |
Definitions
The Holy Bible is the number one all-time best-selling book. It was published in 100 BC – 100 AD. There have been over 5 billion sold and distributed worldwide. A lot of copies have also been freely given away in different missionary works. The Bible is a collection of the scriptures or sacred texts written by different authors, who were considered as prophets by the Jews and the Christians. The original languages of the texts were Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic. The Holy Bible has a total of 66 books divided into 2 parts: The Old Testament and The New Testament. The Old Testament consists of 39 books depicting the wrath of God against sin and The New Testament contains 27 books highlighting God’s grace toward man and the salvation he offers from sin.
One of the main beliefs stated in the Holy Bible is that everyone has a sinful nature from birth. It is only through Christ that one can be saved from original sin. Christian belief also highlights unity and that all men are equal. The authenticity of the writings in the Holy Bible has been proven through archaeological and historical records. It is said of the scriptures in the Holy Bible that they will stay true and survive to the end of time.
The Book of Mormon belongs to the top 10 best-selling books of all time. It was published by Joseph Smith in 1830 AD. The Book of Mormon is considered as a sacred text of the Latter-Day Saints movement. According to Joseph Smith, the original text was written in unknown characters identified as “reformed Egyptian” and were written on golden plates. He said that an angel appeared to him to inform him of the location of the plates and instructed him to translate them to English. The Book of Mormon consists of 15 books considered as scriptures highlighting the reestablishment of Christ’s true church in the latter days. It was also noted to be a historical record of God and the ancient inhabitants of the Americas.
One of the main beliefs stated in the Book of Mormon is that children are not capable of sin since they do not have a sinful nature. Mormons also believe that it is by grace that everyone is saved. However, their teachings state that dark skin is a sign of God’s curse and that white-skinned people are superior to others. The Book of Mormon challenges other scriptures with conflicting beliefs and indicates that they will no longer exist in the course of time. Some historians though, challenge the writings in the Book of Mormon and state that these are mere interpretations of Joseph Smith.
Holy Bible vs Book of Mormon
What is the difference between the Bible and the Book of Mormon?
The Holy Bible is the sacred text of Jews and Christians while the Book of Mormon is the sacred text of the Latter-Day Saints movement. Different authors contributed to the writing of the Holy Bible whereas the Book of Mormon was first published by one man, Joseph Smith. The Holy Bible was first published in 100 BC – 100 AD and originally written in Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic. The Book of Mormon was first published in 1830 AD in English. There are 66 books in the Holy Bible which are divided into The Old Testament and The New Testament. The Book of Mormon, on the other hand, has 15 books.
In the Holy Bible, it is taught that all men are born with original sin and it is only through Christ that one can be saved. Conversely, in the Book of Mormon, children are believed to be incapable of sin and that it is by grace that all men are saved. The Holy Bible teaches unity and that all nations of men are of the same blood. This is not true in the teachings of the Book of Mormon as it teaches that dark skin is a sign of God’s curse and favors only those with white skin. The Holy Bible states that the scriptures will survive to the end of time but this is in conflict with the Book of Mormon which states that parts of the Holy Bible will be removed.
When it comes to historical facts, archeologists have proven many of the stories and personalities related in the Bible. For example, the names of kings, cities, government officials, and festivals have been verified. One such Bible story that stands out is when Jesus healed the blind man at the Pool of Bethesda. Archeologists were not able to verify this pool until 1888.
On the other hand, the Book of Mormon also mentions some historical happenings. However, archeologists have not found the evidence to verify the information in this book.
Another difference between the Bible and the Book of Mormon is their publication. The Bible has remained much the same for hundreds of years. Each book was included because they were canonical. Conversely, the Book of Mormon doesn’t have this same validity, as it has not been included in the Bible as a canonical work. Smith wrote the book in less than three months.
There are also differences between the Bible and the Book of Mormon when it comes to authority, inspiration, and reliability. The Bible declares that it is God-inspired. It was written by over 40 authors over 1,500 years and on three different continents. However, the Book of Mormon does not have the same credibility. It was written by a human and has major errors and contradictions within it.
Finally, there are also differences in the original languages of the Bible and the Book of Mormon. The Bible was originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. On the other hand, the Book of Mormon was originally written in a heavenly language that was translated by Joseph Smith into English.
