Why the Old Testament Is the Most Misunderstood Scripture | Dr. Joshua Sears

2026-01-25

Download

Latter-day Saints have relied on the King James Version for generations—but the Church recently updated the handbook to clarify that other Bible translations may be helpful for personal study. So what does that mean for your Old Testament, Come, Follow Me year? In this episode, BYU professor Joshua Sears (author of A Modern Guide to an Old Testament) walks through why comparing translations can change your study overnight, especially in difficult books like Isaiah, and how modern manuscript discoveries (like the

Latter-day Saints have relied on the King James Version for generations—but the Church recently updated the handbook to clarify that other Bible translations may be helpful for personal study. So what does that mean for your Old Testament, Come, Follow Me year?

In this episode, BYU professor Joshua Sears (author of A Modern Guide to an Old Testament) walks through why comparing translations can change your study overnight, especially in difficult books like Isaiah, and how modern manuscript discoveries (like the Dead Sea Scrolls) affect what you see on the page.

What you’ll learn:

•Why the Church still prefers the KJV in classes, but encourages helpful study tools for individuals

•The best “starter” translations to compare side-by-side (ESV/NRSV, NIV/NLT, etc.)

•Why “missing verses” in modern Bibles often reflect better manuscript evidence, not “tampering”

•How covenants in the Old Testament are about relationship—not contracts

•Key covenant terms to watch for (like ḥesed, often translated “lovingkindness”)

===Informed Saints Credits===

Produced by The Ancient America Foundation

Producer: Spencer Clark

Hosts: Stephen Smoot, Neal Rappleye, Jasmin Rappleye

Get the book: A Modern Guide to an Old Testament — https://amzn.to/4rarPWh

Favorite takeaway? Comment your go-to Bible translation and why.