I remember the day well. On a hot summer day, two young men in white shirts and ties knocked on my door. They were missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Since they were nice and polite, I invited them in for a glass of water. Furthermore, they talked about old prophets in the Americas and a man named Nephi, saying this book was “another testament of Jesus Christ.” I was curious because I grew up reading the Bible but had never heard of Nephi or these stories. After they left, I had a big question in my mind. If this book is what they say, why is the book of nephi not in the bible?
Many people have asked this question. Indeed, it is a big question for people outside the Latter-day Saint faith and also a key part of the faith for those in it. The internet, moreover, is full of confusing and often mad arguments on this topic. You might see claims that people hid a “lost” book.
The truth, however, is not a secret plan. It is a story about two very different starts, two different times, and two different ideas about how God talks to people. To show the truth, we do not need secret papers; we just need to look at history.
More in Bible Category
Why Was the Geneva Bible Banned
What Does the Bible Say About Itself
What Is the Truth About the Bible
What Is the Book of Nephi in the First Place?
Before we can see why it’s not in the Bible, we need to know what the Book of Nephi is. Essentially, the Book of Nephi is the first part of The Book of Mormon (which is two books, 1 Nephi and 2 Nephi). The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, whose members people often call Mormons, considers The Book of Mormon its main holy book.
The Book of Nephi tells the story of a prophet named Lehi. According to the text, God told Lehi to take his family and leave Jerusalem around 600 BC, right before an army invaded. The book tells about their long trip across the desert and the ocean to a “promised land” in the Americas. Nephi is Lehi’s son who becomes the spiritual leader for his people, the Nephites. The book is a big story of family problems, faith, and building a new home. It also has prophecies and teachings, including a story of Jesus Christ visiting the Americas after he came back to life.
For Latter-day Saints, the Book of Nephi is not just a story; it is God’s word. But its story starts almost 2,500 years after its author supposedly wrote it.
The Core Reason: Why Is the Book of Nephi Not in the Bible Based on Its Origin?
The main reason the Book of Nephi is not in the Bible is its origin story. The two collections of books come from very different times and places. In fact, it’s like asking why a book from 20th-century America is not in an old Roman library, since they do not share the same history.
Many different writers wrote the books of the Bible over about 1,500 years, from about 1400 BC to 100 AD. People copied these old texts by hand. Over time, after the texts were shared, Jewish and early Christian groups saw them as holy.
The Book of Mormon has a very different origin story. According to the Latter-day Saint faith, an angel visited a young man named Joseph Smith. This happened in New York in the 1820s. The angel, named Moroni, led him to some buried golden plates. The plates had writing in a script he called “reformed Egyptian.” Joseph Smith then translated these plates into English, saying he did it by the “gift and power of God.” This translation became The Book of Mormon, and publishers first printed it in 1830. This is the official history you can find from the church itself on its website, like this page from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
This big difference in origin is the starting point for answering why is the book of nephi not in the bible.
How Was the Biblical Canon Closed? Why Is the Book of Nephi Not in the Bible
The word “canon” is the official list of books that a faith group accepts as holy. For both Jews and most Christians (Catholics, Orthodox, and Protestants), the church “closed” the Bible’s list of books long before Joseph Smith was born.
For the Old Testament, the Jewish people had mostly agreed on their holy books hundreds of years before Jesus. By the 4th century AD, most people agreed on the 27 books of the New Testament. The main belief was that God stopped giving new holy books after the apostles died. Because the Book of Nephi appeared in 1830, the church never considered it for the Bible’s canon. People saw it as a new book from a new prophet in a new time. You can read about how the New Testament was formed from many history sources, like Britannica.
Why Is the Book of Nephi Not in the Bible? Because of Unique Doctrinal Claims
Another key reason the Book of Nephi is not in the Bible is that it has many unique beliefs. It also has historical claims not found in the Bible. In fact, some of these claims go against what most Christians believe.
For example, the Book of Nephi teaches that a group of old Israelites went to the Americas. This would mean Native Americans came from Hebrews, but most historical or DNA proof does not support this claim. The book also has the main story for the Book of Mormon’s core teaching that Jesus came to the Americas after he came back to life and started his church there. This is a special belief for Latter-day Saints. This claim, however, is not in the Bible, and other Christian groups do not accept it. These unique beliefs are a big reason for the separation and provide a clear theological answer to Why Is the Book of Nephi Not in the Bible.
A Different Testament, A Different Faith Book of Nephi
In the end, the Book of Nephi is not in the Bible because it is the main book of a different faith. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints sees itself as the return of the first Christian church. Most of Christianity, however, sees it as a new religion from the 1800s.
Most of Christianity believes in a “closed canon.” This is the belief that God’s holy words for this time finished with the apostles’ writings. They see the Bible as the complete and final Word of God.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believes God still speaks through living prophets, a practice that started with Joseph Smith. They see the Book of Mormon not as a replacement for the Bible, but as another book about Jesus Christ that they believe brings back truths that were lost. This is why their official website lets you read both the Bible (KJV) and the Book of Mormon. Latter-day Saints see them as two parts of a larger set of holy books.
The Truth Exposed: Why Is the Book of Nephi Not in the Bible?
So, let’s show the final truth. The idea that someone “removed” the Book of Nephi from the Bible is a mistake. It was never in the Bible at all. The two books have totally separate starts.
Asking why is the book of nephi not in the bible is like asking why the U.S. Constitution is not in the Magna Carta. They were written in different times, by different people, in different countries, and for different reasons.
The truth is not about a secret plan. Instead, it is about two different faiths. Most of Christianity holds that the Bible is the complete and final written word from God. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believes that God brought back His true church and added new holy books through Joseph Smith.
Those missionaries who visited me that summer day shared their strong beliefs from their holy book. To understand why their book and my book are different, we do not need to be angry. We just need to look at history with an honest eye. The Book of Nephi has its own story, its own time, and its own group of believers. And that is a truth worth knowing.
FAQ – Why Is the Book of Nephi Not in the Bible
What does the existence of the Book of Nephi tell us about different faiths and their holy scriptures?
The existence of the Book of Nephi illustrates that different faiths have unique origins, histories, and beliefs about scriptures. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints views its scriptures as additional teachings from God, whereas most Christianity considers the Bible as the complete and final Word of God.
What are some doctrinal differences that explain why the Book of Nephi is not part of the Bible?
The Book of Nephi contains unique beliefs, such as the idea that Hebrews traveled to the Americas and that Jesus visited there after his resurrection, which are not supported by mainstream Christian doctrine and are not found in the biblical texts. These doctrinal differences contribute to why it is not included in the Bible.
How did the biblical canon come to be closed, and what does this mean for the Book of Nephi?
The biblical canon was established long before Joseph Smith’s time, with most Jewish and Christian groups agreeing on its contents centuries ago. Since the Book of Mormon, including the Book of Nephi, appeared only in the 19th century, it was not considered for inclusion in the Bible’s canon, which was deemed complete and authoritative long before.
Why is the Book of Nephi not included in the Bible?
The Book of Nephi is not in the Bible because it originates from a different time, place, and religious tradition. It was created in the 19th century based on a claimed divine revelation to Joseph Smith, whereas the Bible was written over many centuries by various authors before Christianity was established.
What is the Book of Nephi and its relation to The Book of Mormon?
The Book of Nephi is the first part of The Book of Mormon, which is the main holy book for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It narrates the story of the prophet Lehi, his family journeying from Jerusalem to the Americas, and includes teachings, prophecies, and the visit of Jesus Christ to the Americas.
