2 Nephi 9:30 Textual Variants

for because that they are rich they despise the poor and they persecute the meek and their hearts are upon their treasures wherefore their treasure is their [God 1ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRS|god T]

Throughout the history of the text, the printed editions of the Book of Mormon have varied regarding the question of whether god should be capitalized when referring to a god other than the true God:

Helaman 9:41 (how some people viewed Nephi)
- behold he is a [God 1IJLMNOQ|god ABCDEFGHKPRST] for except he was a [God 1IJLMNOQ|god ABCDEFGHKPRST] he could not know of all things
3 Nephi 3:2 (how Giddianhi, the governor of the band of robbers, viewed God)
- yea ye do stand well as if ye were supported by the hand of a [God 1ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQS|god RT] in the defense of your liberty
Mormon 9:10 (how some people view God)
- and now if ye have imagined up unto yourselves a [God 1L|god ABCDEFGHIJKMNOPQRST] which doth vary and in him there is a shadow of changing then have ye imagined up unto yourselves a [God 1L|god ABCDEFGHIJKMNOPQRST] which is not a [God 1ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOQRT|god PS] of miracles

In each instance, the critical text will follow the standard practice of not capitalizing god when it refers to a false god. Nonetheless, some of these examples are rather complex, and therefore each one will be considered on its own grounds. Here in 2 Nephi 9:30, the word god refers to treasure, not to the true God; thus the decision of the editors of the 1981 LDS edition to remove the capitalization is appropriate.

Summary: Maintain in 2 Nephi 9:30 the lowercase god of the 1981 LDS edition; the god referred to here is treasure rather than the true God.

Analysis of Textual Variants of the Book of Mormon, Part. 1

References