Section 73
Overview
Doctrine and Covenants Section 73 is a short administrative and prophetic directive given by Joseph Smith in January 1832 in Hiram, Ohio. Following a period of localized preaching intended to quell public opposition against the early Latter-day Saint movement, this revelation instructs the elders to continue their preaching and exhortation until an upcoming church conference, where their specific missionary assignments will be revealed. Crucially, it commands Joseph Smith and his scribe Sidney Rigdon to resume their work of 'translating' the Bible (which became known as the Joseph Smith Translation or JST). This text highlights the early Mormon operational structure, where missionary assignments were distributed at conferences, and underscores the theological premise that the biblical text required inspired revision by a modern prophet. The revelation concludes with a biblical idiom to 'gird up your loins and be sober,' emphasizing the urgency and seriousness of their assigned tasks.
Key Figures
- The Lord: The divine voice dictating the revelation, asserting authority over the church's operations and the biblical text.
- Joseph Smith, Jun.: The prophet receiving the revelation, specifically commanded to resume translating the Bible.
- Sidney Rigdon: Scribe and counselor to Joseph Smith, commanded to assist in the translation work and preaching.
- Elders: Priesthood holders commanded to preach and await mission assignments at the upcoming conference.
Doctrines Analyzed
Key theological claims identified in this text:
Prophetic Revision of the Bible
Assertion
The text asserts that Joseph Smith has a divine mandate to 'translate' (revise, alter, and add to) the Bible.
Evidence from Text
it is expedient to translate again... and after that it is expedient to continue the work of translation until it be finished.
Evangelical Comparison
In Mormonism, the command to 'translate' the Bible refers to the Joseph Smith Translation (JST), an inspired revision where Smith added, deleted, and altered biblical texts to align with his evolving theology. This doctrine fundamentally challenges the Evangelical pillar of Sola Scriptura and the preservation of God's Word. Evangelicals believe the Bible was accurately transmitted and that textual criticism relies on ancient manuscripts, not modern prophetic claims of restoration. The assertion that the Bible needs 'translating' (in the sense of prophetic correction rather than linguistic translation from original languages) implies the Bible is corrupt or insufficient as transmitted, directly contradicting the Evangelical belief in the sufficiency, authority, and providential preservation of the 66-book canon (Psalm 12:6-7, Revelation 22:18-19).
Continuing Revelation for Church Administration
Assertion
God provides ongoing, specific, real-time instructions for church operations, such as when to preach, when to translate, and where to go.
Evidence from Text
And let this be a pattern unto the elders until further knowledge, even as it is written. Now I give no more unto you at this time.
Evangelical Comparison
The text demonstrates the Mormon concept of an open canon and continuous, direct revelation through a prophet. The phrase 'until further knowledge' and 'I give no more unto you at this time' implies that God's revelation is dispensed incrementally and that current instructions are subject to future prophetic updates. Evangelicals, conversely, believe that special revelation ceased with the apostolic age and the completion of the New Testament (Hebrews 1:1-2, Jude 1:3). While Evangelicals seek God's wisdom for ministry and administration, they do not elevate administrative directives to the level of infallible scripture.
Comparative Analysis
Theological Gap (Summary)
The text asserts the necessity of a modern prophet to 'translate' (revise) the Bible, implying the biblical text is corrupted or insufficient, which directly contradicts the Evangelical doctrine of biblical sufficiency and preservation.
Theological Gap (Explained)
The fundamental theological gap centers on Bibliology and the doctrine of Sola Scriptura. D&C 73 commands Joseph Smith to 'translate again,' referring to his ongoing project to revise the King James Version of the Bible. In Mormon theology, this was necessary because 'plain and precious things' had been removed from the Bible by corrupt men (1 Nephi 13). Therefore, the Bible is only considered the word of God 'as far as it is translated correctly' (8th Article of Faith). Evangelical Christianity, however, holds to the providential preservation of Scripture. Through the science of textual criticism and the discovery of thousands of ancient manuscripts (such as the Dead Sea Scrolls), Evangelicals demonstrate that the biblical text has been transmitted with remarkable accuracy. Joseph Smith's 'translation' was not based on ancient manuscripts or knowledge of biblical languages (Hebrew and Greek), but on his own claimed prophetic inspiration. By altering the text of the Bible to fit his developing theology, Smith violated the Evangelical understanding of the closed canon and the sufficiency of Scripture (Revelation 22:18-19). This creates an unbridgeable epistemological divide: Evangelicals test all truth claims against the preserved biblical text, while Mormonism subjects the biblical text to the authority of a modern prophet.
For All Ages
Imagine you have a letter from a king that gives you all the rules for his kingdom. Evangelical Christians believe that the letter we have (the Bible) is exactly what the king wanted us to have, and it has been kept safe over time. Mormonism teaches that the letter got messed up over the years, so God had to send a new messenger, Joseph Smith, to fix it and add missing parts. This text is God supposedly telling Joseph to get back to work fixing the Bible. Christians disagree with this because God promised to protect His word, and we have thousands of ancient copies showing that the Bible hasn't been changed the way Joseph Smith claimed.
Friction Points
Sola Scriptura
The text commands the alteration/revision of the Bible by a modern prophet, denying the sufficiency and preservation of the biblical canon.
Closed Canon
The text presents itself as new, binding scripture ('thus saith the Lord') and promises 'further knowledge' to come.
Semantic Warnings
Terms that have different meanings between traditions:
"Translate"
In This Text
To revise, add to, or alter a text through prophetic inspiration without the use of original language manuscripts.
In Evangelicalism
To render text from one language (e.g., Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek) into another (e.g., English) based on manuscript evidence.
"The Gospel"
In This Text
The fullness of Mormon doctrine, including the necessity of modern prophets, restored priesthood authority, and new revelations.
In Evangelicalism
The good news of Jesus Christ's substitutionary death, burial, and resurrection for the justification of sinners by grace through faith alone (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).
Soteriology (Salvation)
Salvation Defined: Not explicitly defined in this specific text, though 'preaching the gospel' implies a message of salvation.
How Attained: Implicitly, through obedience to the 'gospel' being preached by the elders, which in Mormonism includes ordinances and obedience to prophetic authority.
Basis of Assurance: Adherents find assurance in their obedience to the ongoing directives of the living prophet.
Comparison to Sola Fide: This text focuses on administrative works (preaching, translating). While not a direct soteriological treatise, the underlying framework requires continuous obedience to new mandates ('until further knowledge'), contrasting with the rest found in the finished work of Christ (Hebrews 10:14).
Mandates & Requirements
Explicit Commands
- Elders must continue preaching the gospel
- Elders must exhort the churches in the regions round about until conference
- Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon must translate again
- Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon must preach locally until conference
- Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon must continue translation until finished after the conference
- Gird up your loins
- Be sober
Implicit Obligations
- Submit to the mission assignments given by the voice of the conference
- Accept Joseph Smith's translation of the Bible as a divine mandate and authoritative text
Evangelism Toolkit
Practical tools for engagement and dialogue:
Discovery Questions
Open-ended questions to promote reflection:
- When D&C 73 commands Joseph Smith to 'translate again,' what do you think that means for the reliability of the Bible we have today?
- If God promised to preserve His word (like in Isaiah 40:8 or Psalm 12:6-7), how do we reconcile that with the idea that the Bible needed to be rewritten by a modern prophet?
- Have you ever looked at the changes Joseph Smith made to the Bible in the JST and compared them to ancient manuscripts like the Dead Sea Scrolls?
Redemptive Analogies
Bridges from this text to the Gospel:
The desire for a pure, uncorrupted word from God.
Mormons desire to know God's true word, which is why they value the JST. Evangelicals can bridge this by showing that we already possess God's pure, uncorrupted word in the Bible. We don't need a modern revision because God was powerful enough to preserve His original message.
Girding up your loins for the work.
This biblical idiom speaks to mental readiness. Evangelicals can use this to discuss what we are preparing our minds for—resting fully in the grace brought by Jesus Christ, rather than preparing for endless administrative tasks.
Spiritual Weight
Burdens this text places on adherents:
By teaching that the Bible is corrupt and requires prophetic revision, adherents are left with a lingering distrust of the biblical text. They cannot read the Bible with full confidence, always wondering if a verse is 'translated correctly' or if it was altered by corrupt men. This undermines the comfort and authority that comes from resting in God's preserved Word.
The text establishes a pattern of continuous, shifting mandates ('until further knowledge'). Believers are kept in a state of waiting for the next directive or assignment ('their several missions'), creating a treadmill of obedience to institutional authority rather than resting in the finished work of Christ.