King James Version Mathew 5:40-41
And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat,
let him have thy cloke also.
And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile,
go with him twain.
Joseph Smith Translation
And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have it;
and if he sue thee again, let him have thy cloke also.
And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him a mile;
and whosoever shall compel thee to go with him twain,
thou shalt go with him twain.
1. The Gospel of JESUS CHRIST is difficult, but now we see it is less difficult than before. There will still be trials and persecution to test whether we really love GOD or not. However, Joseph Smith is telling us that the Gospel is even easier than the King James translators would have us believe. Twice as easy.
2. If someone sues us and wins $1,000, we do not have to give them $2,000 just to show everyone we are disciples of CHRIST. We do however have to pay the $1,000. JESUS is advocating justice under the law, and not some ridiculous cosmic test, to see who HIS true followers are.
3. If we have to do something for our job, family, church, etc. then we should do exactly that...no more and no less. "Going the extra mile" is not scriptural. It is used by religions to get their followers to provide excessive free labor under threat of guilt and shame, while the priestly class lives off the other members. This is priestcraft. This idea has been a tool of Satan to try and make the teachings of CHRIST absurd. Why align yourself with a Being who wants to make your life twice as hard? In reality JESUS can make how we deal with the traumas of our life better. HE usually does not take the problem away, but he will bring peace and comfort to those who truly trust HIM.
4. This correction by Joseph Smith is monumental. I do not always agree with Bruce R. McConkie, but his statement that the JST is "1,000 times the best version of the Bible that we currently have" is spot on.
