Here I will document some key insights from The Joseph Smith Translation (JST) and how that relates to this blog series on Abrahamic Expansionism.
Pluck "Him" out (not your eye):
The following is from The Joseph Smith Translation by Kenneth and Lyndell Lutes; the words in bold and strikeouts document the changes Joseph Smith made in his translation (while he was using the KJV as his template):
Mark 9:
39 [verse 42 in KJV] And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.
40 [verse 43 in KJV] And Therefore, if thy hand offend thee, cut it off; or if thy brother offend thee and confess not and forsake not, he shall be cut off. It is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands, to go into hell.
41 [verse 43–44 in KJV] For it is better for thee to enter into life without thy brother, than for thee and thy brother to be cast into hell; into the fire that never shall be quenched, where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
42 [verse 45 in KJV] And again, if thy foot offend thee, cut it off; for he that is thy standard, by whom thou walkest, if he become a transgressor, he shall be cut off.
43 [verse 45-46 in KJV] It is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:
46 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
44 Therefore, let every man stand or fall, by himself, and not for another; or not trusting another.
… 46 [KJV 47] And if thine eye which seeth for thee, him that is appointed to watch over thee to show thee light, become a transgressor and offend thee, pluck it him out.
47 It is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God, with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.
48 For it is better that thyself should be saved, than to be cast into hell with thy brother, where their worm dieth not, and where the fire is not quenched.
Some say that the literal reading of this verse in translations like the KJV led to some early Christians to actually remove body parts to try and subdue their bodily drives. The fact that Joseph Smith was inspired to modify this verse to mean not plucking out one's eye but to instead mean seeing that one's brother acts as your eye; and so you should pluck him out. This is not only a good correction of the body-despising tradition which entered into Mark's gospel through the ascetic tradition of the time (that of advocating celibacy); but Joseph Smith also adds an important teaching that if someone's not guiding you down the right path, to "pluck them out" from your friendship circle, so as to avoid them leading you down the wrong path.
