The Bible

See Old Testament and New Testament, Holy Bible.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has adopted the King James Version as the translation to be used in English-speaking worship services and personal study. The King James Version has been found to be doctrinally more accurate than other recent versions. "The newer versions are in many instances easier to read, but are in some passages doctrinally weaker in their presentation of the gospel." LDS Bible Dictionary, entry on "Bible".

According to the 8th Article of Faith, Mormons "believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly." The Bible is considered as a correct book, but contains passages either translated incorrectly and/or interpreted incorrectly, and is also missing passages. The most important aid to Latter-Day Saints when reading the Bible, and any other Scriptures is the guidance of the Holy Ghost.

The KJV does not include The Apocrypha, or books such as The Book of Jasher and others. The official stance on Apocryphal books is to consider it non-canonical, see Doctrine and Covenants section 91 below:

Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you concerning the Apocrypha — There are many things contained therein that are true, and it is mostly translated correctly; There are many things contained therein that are not true, which are interpolations by the hands of men. Verily, I say unto you, that it is not needful that the Apocrypha should be translated. Therefore, whoso readeth it, let him understand, for the Spirit manifesteth truth; And whoso is enlightened by the Spirit shall obtain benefit And whoso receiveth not by the Spirit, cannot be benefited. Therefore it is not needful that it should be translated. Amen (Doctrine and Covenants 91:1-6).

Members of the Church participate in a four-year course of scripture study in Sunday School classes. The Old Testament and New Testament are each studied for one year, then the Book of Mormon for one year, and the Doctrine and Covenants and Church History for one year. Then the cycle begins again.