The Revelations and Translations series of the Joseph Smith Papers Project will present carefully reproduced facsimiles of most of the earliest manuscripts of Joseph Smith's written revelations and translations. Revelations and Translations, Volume 1, features two manuscript books into which scores of Joseph Smith's revelations, dated from 1828 to 1834, were copied by early Church scribes. The revelations copied into these two books became the primary basis for the canonized books of Joseph Smith's revelations: the Book of Commandments, published in 1833, and the first edition of the Doctrine and Covenants (1835).
These revelation books are some of the earliest documents relating to the Restoration and the work of the Prophet Joseph Smith, and they rank among the most important documents in the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- day Saints. In this oversized, full- color volume, the handwritten revelations will be reproduced on the left- hand pages, with the corresponding transcriptions (including annotations) on the right- hand pages. Many who have viewed the texts said they felt they were experiencing a rare "spiritual artifact." This landmark work will provide easy access to accurate and complete texts of these foundational documents.