Overview

Since the first edition of the Book of Mormon was published in 1830, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has reprinted the book numerous times in multiple languages. Following the publication of the Book of Mormon, additional scripture has been published including the Book of Commandments, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price. Later, the Church published its own edition of the Holy Bible. As new editions of scriptures were published, changes were made to enhance the readers' experiences and improve references and citations. These changes include adding verse numbering, chapter headings, summaries, study aids, and a topical guide.

While many of the sources cited in this research guide may be beneficial to studying the content of the scriptures, the primary focus of this guide pertains to the publishing history. Significant editions of the English scriptures have been identified, digitized, and linked in this research guide. First editions of full-text copies of the Book of Mormon have also been digitized and included in additional languages.

The guide is not intended to be a comprehensive list of resources. Its purpose is to assist individuals as they begin their research regarding the publication of the scriptures. Researchers can search for many sources regarding the scriptures in the Church History Catalog. Researchers may also use the Church History Library’s Ask Us service for further assistance.

Lastly, web-friendly versions of current Church scripture editions have been published on ChurchofJesusChrist.org and within Church mobile apps (Gospel Library and The Book of Mormon App). However, the printed history of the scriptures is the focus of this research guide.