How Was the Pearl of Great Price Discovered and Translated?

LDS Perspective

The Pearl of Great Price is one of the four standard works of scripture accepted by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, containing the Book of Moses (extracts from Joseph Smith’s inspired translation of the Bible), the Book of Abraham, excerpts from Joseph Smith’s testimony and history, and the Articles of Faith. The discovery and translation of these texts occurred through distinct historical circumstances spanning Joseph Smith’s prophetic ministry. The Book of Abraham originated with ancient Egyptian artifacts that came into Joseph Smith’s possession in July 1835. An entrepreneur named Michael Chandler arrived in Kirtland, Ohio, exhibiting four mummies and several scrolls of papyrus that had been excavated near Thebes, Egypt, by Antonio Lebolo, a former Italian cavalryman.

Historical Perspective

The Pearl of Great Price emerged not as a single discovery but as a compilation of distinct texts produced by Joseph Smith between 1830 and 1842, later assembled into a single volume. The Book of Moses and Joseph Smith—Matthew originated from Smith’s “New Translation” or “Joseph Smith Translation” of the Bible, commenced in June 1830. The Book of Moses comprises a revision and expansion of Genesis 1:1–6:13, including an extensive addition about the prophet Enoch, while Joseph Smith—Matthew revises Matthew chapter 24. These texts reflect Smith’s effort to make Old Testament figures preach explicitly Christian doctrines, including baptism in the name of Jesus Christ and knowledge of the atonement, concepts absent from the biblical Genesis. The Book of Abraham entered the collection through