Position of Verse 1

Alan C. Miner

According to Reynolds and Sjodahl, some scholars regard the first verse of this chapter (2 Nephi 14:1) as belonging to the preceding chapter. It might be well, therefore, to remember that the division of the Bible into chapters and verses is not part of the original arrangement of the sacred volume.

The present division of the Scriptures into chapters and verses . . . are not of divine origin, nor are they of great antiquity. The Vulgate was the first version divided into chapters: a work undertaken by cardinal Hugo in the 13th century, or as Jahn thinks, by Langton, archbishop of Canterbury, 1227. He introduced the division into chapters only. The Hebrew Scriptures were similarly divided by Mordecai Nathan in 1445, and in 1661 Athias added in his printed text the division into verses. The New Testament was divided in the same way by Robert Stephens, who is said to have completed it in the year 1551, during a journey from Paris to Lyons. As might be expected, these divisions are very imperfect, and even when not inaccurate, they tend to break the sense and to obscure the meaning. (Bible Handbook, by Dr. Joseph Angus, p. 60)

[George Reynolds and Janne M. Sjodahl, Commentary on the Book of Mormon, Vol. 1, p. 332]

A Covenant Plan of Salvation

(2 Nephi--Enos)

Step by Step Through the Book of Mormon: A Cultural Commentary

References