Since the gospel’s restoration, and especially since the publication of the Latter-day Saint versions of the scriptures in 1979 and 1981, the Book of Mormon and the Bible have truly become one in our hand1. They have worked together unto the confounding of false doctrines and laying down of contentions (2 Nephi 3:12). The Book of Mormon testifies that the Bible is true, and the Bible, while not giving us detailed information about the Book of Mormon, at least hints at its existence (see Genesis 49:22; Isaiah 29:4, 11-12; Ezekiel 37:15-17; John 10:16; Revelations 14:6).
Each one of these volumes of scripture has unique strengths. Certain ideas, explanations, concepts, and historical facts in each of these volumes are taught more clearly than in the other. Since we proclaim to the world that the Book of Mormon is the “most correct of any book” 2 we ought to know in what manner it excels and how it adds to our understanding and appreciation of the gospel. And even though the Bible has not been perfectly transmitted through the ages, we join with other Christians who revere the Bible, and we therefore ought to understand and truly value its strengths. Here I present some important ideas, concepts, historical facts, and explanations in both standard works that are most clearly taught in each. (Others have presented their own lists of Book of Mormon strengths.3) I will focus more heavily on the Book of Mormon, since these are the things that may best help our non-Latter-day Saint friends understand the importance of the Book of Mormon to us, and help us to be more appreciative of the calling of Joseph Smith. Each volume has so many of its own memorable, quotable, and useful scriptures, that in the interest of space, I must confine this discussion to larger ideas and concepts. In Part 1 of this article, I’ll discuss Biblical Contributions; in Part 2 I’ll discuss Book of Mormon Contributions.
Biblical Contributions
Most obviously, the Bible contains historical accounts absent in the Book of Mormon. These include the creation of the earth, and its history for the first 3500 years of its existence, including the ministry of the ancient patriarchs from Adam to Abraham, the flood, the Abrahamic covenant, the transmission of that covenant to Isaac, Jacob, and to Jacob’s sons, (and thus, the beginning of Israel), the ministry of Moses and Joshua, and the Israelite history in the promised land. However, Book of Mormon writers knew about and referred to all these things. Since the Book of Mormon authors knew that we would have the Bible (see 1 Nephi 13:23; 2 Nephi 3:12, and 2 Nephi 29:3-10), they didn’t feel the need to retell each historical and prophetic lesson of the Old Testament, although they frequently quoted Isaiah. While other modern
revelation, such as the books of Moses (which is itself based on Genesis) and Abraham, add much to the biblical accounts of events such as the creation, Adam’s baptism, and the Abrahamic covenant, we still depend on the Bible for most of the history and prophecies of ancient Israel.
The greatest messages of the New Testament are the mortal ministry of Jesus Christ, including the atonement and crucifixion that ended that ministry, and the resurrection that began His immortal ministry. Since these events occurred in and around Jerusalem, their details are largely confined to the Bible. (Recall, however, that Jesus reiterated His Sermon on the Mount, in a slightly updated and more correctly translated version, to the Nephites, along with Malachi’s teachings.) The importance of New Testament’s four gospels cannot be overstated.
There are other doctrines that the Bible mentions that are not specifically contained in the Book of Mormon. Some of these are:
Degrees of Glory
Baptism for the dead and the related doctrine of the mission of the Savior to the spirit world are alluded to in the New Testament (1 Corinthians 15:29; 1 Peter 3:18-19 and 4:6), as are the degrees of glory (1 Corinthians 15:40-42), but these are not mentioned in the Book of Mormon. While the biblical allusions to these doctrines are insufficient to help anyone understand them without the aid of modern revelation, and indeed, are confusing to most of the Christian world, it is pleasing for Latter-day Saints to know that these doctrines were taught and practiced by the early church.
Priesthood Offices
The Bible mentions certain priesthood offices not listed in the Book of Mormon, such as bishop, deacon and seventy (see for example 1 Timothy 3:2-5, Titus 1:7-8, Luke 10:1) and gives important information about these offices, but again, we depend on modern revelation for a complete understanding.
The Great Apostasy
One of the most critical, but saddest, occurrences in history, was the worldwide Great Apostasy. The few remaining New World believers were annihilated (Moroni 1:2), while the Old World church was “mutated.” The apostasy in the Old World is the apostasy that has affected general Christianity today. The many competing Christian churches that confused Joseph Smith, for example, were a product of the Old World apostasy. The apostasy of the Old World church is prophetically described in Nephi’s vision (1 Nephi 13:4-6 & 28-29) and by Mormon (Mormon 8:28-32), and the apostasy in the New World was recorded as it happened by Mormon and Moroni.
But with special significance, the apostasy of the Old World was both predicted and recorded by those of that world as it began. (See Acts 20:29-30; 1 Timothy 4:1-3; 2 Timothy 1:15 and 3:1-5,13; 2 Peter 2:1.) It is important to be able to show that Peter and Paul knew what was already happening to the Church and that Paul explicitly told the Saints that an apostasy would precede Christ’s second coming (2 Thessalonians 2:1-3).
The Change in Priesthood
Hebrews chapter 7 contains an illuminating discussion on how the change in the Mosaic to the higher law correlated with the change in the presiding priesthood from Aaronic to Melchizedek—a subject that isn’t as clear in the Book of Mormon since, as non-Levites, the Nephites had only the Melchizedek priesthood to begin with, not the Aaronic priesthood.
Heirship
The subject of heirship is discussed several times in the New Testament, both in terms of Christ being the Father’s heir (for example, Hebrews 1:1-2) and in terms of our potential to be joint-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:16-17 is the best example). We are taught by the term heirship that we do not earn exaltation but rather that it is an inheritance that we must be worthy to receive. The concept of heirship is mentioned twice in the Book of Mormon but not with the clarity of Paul’s “joint-heirs with Christ,” which clearly implies receiving “all that the Father has” (see D&C 84:38).
Symbolisms of Baptism
Romans 6:4 teaches that baptism symbolizes the death and resurrection of the Savior, and a new life for us as well. Baptism is also described as a birth in John 3:5 where we are taught that we must be born of the water. Although the Book of Mormon repeatedly teaches of baptism, it doesn’t specifically relate baptism to a birth out of the water (although another modern scripture, Moses 6:59-60, which is part of the JST of the Bible, does this beautifully) nor does it discuss the burial/resurrection symbolism.
John’s Revelation
The Revelation of St. John, with its promises to those who “overcome,” and its prophecies of the last days, is unique to the Bible. However, it should be noted that this is the second part of the revelation that was given to Nephi, and that although Nephi received what is in the Book of Revelation, he was not allowed to record it. The Bible, however, does not contain the first part of the revelation, which Nephi recorded (see 1 Nephi 11-14).
References
1 This is a slightly edited version of a chapter by the same name in Richard D. Gardner, Beneficiaries of the Restoration: Our Privileges, Responsibilities and Attitude Regarding Scripture, History, Truth and Zion (Salt Lake City: Eborn Books, 2018). Used by permission.
2 On November 28, 1841, Joseph Smith said, “I told the brethren that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book.” See Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith (compiled by Joseph Fielding Smith) (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1976), p. 194. Or, History, 1838–1856, volume C-1 [2 November 1838–31 July 1842], p. 1255, The Joseph Smith Papers, accessed July 15, 2025, https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/history-1838-1856-volume-c-1-2-november-1838-31-july-1842/427?highlight=\
3 Latter-day Saint scholar and teacher Robert L. Millet provides a list of 87 important teachings of the Book of Mormon (many unique to it) in Appendix 1: Powerful Precepts from the Book of Mormon in Remember, Remember: Life Changing Truths from the Book of Mormon (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2023), pp. 229-234.
Ronald BarnesAugust 22, 2025
And, inasmuch as it shall be expedient, ye must keep the performances and ordinances of God until the law shall be fulfilled which was given unto Moses. (2 Nephi 25:30) And they also took of the firstlings of their flocks, that they might offer sacrifice and burnt offerings according to the law of Moses; (Mosiah 2:3) Yea, and the people did observe to keep the commandments of the Lord; and they were strict in observing the ordinances of God, according to the law of Moses; for they were taught to keep the law of Moses until it should be fulfilled. (Alma 30:3) The ordinances and burnt offerings, under the Law of Moses, were to be performed only by the Levites. We know that Lehi and Ishmael were of the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, but we do not know which tribe Zoram belonged to. It is possible that Zoram was a Levite, which would help to explain why God chose him to go with them.