FAIR is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing well-documented answers to criticisms of the doctrine, practice, and history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Detailed response to CES Letter, Book of Abraham
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A FAIR Analysis of the online document Letter to a CES Director section "Book of Abraham Concerns & Questions"
The Book of Abraham. An inspired translation of the writings of Abraham. Joseph Smith began the translation in 1835 after obtaining some Egyptian papyri. The translation was published serially in the Times and Seasons beginning March 1, 1842, at Nauvoo, Illinois.
—Introduction, Pearl of Great Price (2013 edition). off-site
—Introduction, Pearl of Great Price (2013 edition). off-site
- Response to section: "scholars have found the original papyrus Joseph translated and have dated it in first century AD, nearly 2,000 years after Abraham could have written it" [Work in Progress]
- Response to section: "It has absolutely nothing to do with Abraham or anything Joseph claimed in his translation for the Book of Abraham"
- Response to section: Facsimile 1
- Response to section: "The following image is what Facsimile 1 is really supposed to look like"
- Response to section: Facsimile 2
- Response to section: Facsimile 3 [Work in Progress]
- Response to section: "There’s a book published in 1830 by Thomas Dick entitled 'The Philosophy of the Future State'"
- Response to section: "Elder Jeffrey R. Holland was directly asked about the papyri not matching the Book of Abraham in a March 2012 BBC interview"
Response Section
"It has absolutely nothing to do with Abraham or anything Joseph claimed in his translation for the Book of Abraham"
Facsimile 1
"The following image is what Facsimile 1 is really supposed to look like"
The Charles Larson restoration of Facsimile 1
Facsimile 2
Facsimile 3
Fig. 1. Abraham sitting upon Pharaoh’s throne, by the politeness of the king, with a crown upon his head, representing the Priesthood, as emblematical of the grand Presidency in Heaven; with the scepter of justice and judgment in his hand.
Fig. 2. King Pharaoh, whose name is given in the characters above his head.
Fig. 3. Signifies Abraham in Egypt as given also in Figure 10 of Facsimile No. 1.
Fig. 4. Prince of Pharaoh, King of Egypt, as written above the hand.
Fig. 5. Shulem, one of the king’s principal waiters, as represented by the characters above his hand.
Fig. 6. Olimlah, a slave belonging to the prince.
Abraham is reasoning upon the principles of Astronomy, in the king’s court.