For many Latter-day Saints, the idea of using a “Study Bible”—often written by non-LDS scholars and using modern translations—can feel like stepping onto shaky ground. We love the King James Version; it’s the language of the Restoration, the Book of Mormon, and our temple liturgy. Yet, most of us have also experienced the “hypnotizing monotony” of reading words we don’t fully understand, missing the rich historical context that ancient readers took for granted. In a practical and illuminating new interview over at the Latter-day Saint history blog, From the Desk, BYU ancient scripture professor Joshua Sears demystifies the Study Bible, explaining why they are an essential tool for “seeking out of the best books” and how they can coexist faithfully with our unique scriptural tradition.
Filling the Context Gap
Sears explains that the primary value of a study Bible isn’t to replace revelation, but to supply the cultural knowledge that the original authors assumed their readers already had. He gives the example of Jeremiah 1:11, where the Lord shows the prophet an almond tree branch to symbolize that He will “hasten” His word.
What does the branch of an almond tree have to do with the Lord fulfilling His word? No matter how intelligent or how spiritual you are, there is no way to figure it out without some help.
A study Bible will point out that there is a Hebrew pun linking “almond tree” (shaqed) and “hasten” (shoqed)… information which allows us to appreciate that the Lord is making a wordplay.
Confronting KJV-Only Myths
Perhaps the most “insider” portion of the interview is Sears’ frank discussion of the King James Version. While expressing his deep love for it (he even named his son Tyndale!), he dismantles the cultural myths that the KJV translators were uniquely “inspired” or “skilled” above modern scholars. He notes that J. Reuben Clark’s influential defense of the KJV relied on arguments that were already outdated in the 1950s.
Today, I don’t know a single New Testament expert at Brigham Young University who would agree with the textual arguments promoted in Why the King James Version …
Claims like this also ignore the reality that scholars today have the advantage of four centuries of additional research on biblical languages.
He points out a fascinating inconsistency: while English-speaking Saints cling to the archaic KJV, the Church’s own recent translations in Spanish and Portuguese have moved in the opposite direction.
We observe in these two non-English translations that the language was modernized … These Spanish and Portuguese translations … also make use of modern text criticism.
This changes numerous passages, moving them away from readings that matched the meaning in the King James Version and aligning them instead with how modern scholars think they should read.
Joseph Smith the Modernizer
Sears also reframes how we view Joseph Smith’s engagement with the Bible. Far from being a KJV purist, Joseph was constantly “tinkering” with the text to make it clearer—often modernizing archaic words like “wot” to “know.”
Ironically, the fact that Joseph Smith used the King James Version as the base text for his own rendition later led generations of Latter-day Saints to adopt an approach to translation that sometimes runs contrary to his own.
Joseph Smith didn’t see the biblical text as fixed. He was very experimental in his adjustments and rewrites, but his disciples in later generations have sometimes taken the Prophet’s changes as the final word… rejecting the need to compare translations.
Recommendations for Your Shelf
Finally, Sears offers specific recommendations for those ready to take the plunge. For a “one-size-fits-all” academic resource, he suggests the SBL Study Bible (HarperOne). For a specifically LDS approach, he points to Thomas Wayment’s The New Testament: A Translation for Latter-day Saints. And for those who want to hear the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) sing, he recommends Robert Alter’s translation.
But he warns to be discerning:
I suggest we avoid study Bibles that are not written in a spirit of charity… For example, the ESV Study Bible … takes potshots at Mormons in the footnotes.
This interview is a treasure trove of practical advice for anyone wanting to “go snorkeling” in the scriptures rather than just skimming the surface, with its recommendations for Latter-day Saint study Bibles. To read the full list of recommendations and Sears’ thoughts on how to handle the JST alongside modern translations, head on over to the Latter-day Saint history blog, From the Desk, to read the full interview with Joshua Sears.
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