Book of Mormon/Anachronisms/Language/Modern phrasing

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Book of Mormon phrases or language is too "modern" to be of ancient origin?

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Questions


Critics maintain that Book of Mormon phrases or language is too "modern" to be of ancient origin.

Answer


The Book of Mormon is a translation. As such, it may well use phrases or expressions that have no exact ancient counterpart. Modern Bible translations use similar expressions or phrases, and yet remain translations of ancient documents.

Only if we presume that the Book of Mormon is a fraud at the outset is this proof of anything. If we assume that it is a translation, then the use of (say) 19th-century language tells us merely that Joseph translated it in the 19th century.