The 1840 edition changed “in the end” to “unto the end”. This change appears to be intended; if so, Joseph Smith would probably be the one responsible for the change. The stereotyped plates for the second printing of the 1852 LDS edition were corrected here to agree with the 1840 reading. All subsequent LDS editions have followed the corrected 1852 edition, but the 1908 RLDS edition restored the in (since this is the reading of the printer’s manuscript). Of course, there is the possibility that the in of the printer’s manuscript is a copying error, and there is a slight possibility that the 1840 change represents the reading of the original manuscript since we know Joseph used the original manuscript to make a few changes in that edition. However, the 1840 corrections from the original manuscript seem to be restricted to restoring small phrases that had accidentally dropped out when 𝓞 was originally copied into 𝓟 (see the discussion in part 1 of this volume regarding “they call the name of the place Bountiful” in the 1 Nephi preface).
The problem here in Mosiah 26:23 is determining which verb the prepositional phrase “in the end” belongs to. The reference to “believing in the end” sounds like it allows for deathbed repentance, which may have been the reason for changing the preposition in to unto in the 1840 edition. “Believing unto the end” makes much better sense. But the other way to interpret the original “in the end” is that this prepositional phrase belongs to the verb grant: “it is I that granteth unto him … in the end a place at my right hand”). Under this interpretation, we can accept the original in.
Admittedly, the syntax of the earlier form “in the end” is difficult. Nonetheless, there are cases in the text where a prepositional phrase is postponed from its expected position in a sentence, as in the following:
For an example where the postponed prepositional phrase seems to have caused a dittography, see 2 Nephi 25:6. For further discussion and a list of examples, see displaced prepositional phrases in volume 3.
Elsewhere in the Book of Mormon text there are examples of enduring, desiring righteousness, serving the Lord, and being faithful or obedient to the end. The preposition in all of these cases (either to, unto, or until ) implies an extended period of time. When the preposition is in, the reference is to a more specific moment in time, as here in the original text for Mosiah 26:23 where the Lord will grant “in the end” a place on his right hand to those who believe on him. The language in this passage refers to the day of judgment as described in the Gospel of Matthew:
All of the original Book of Mormon examples of “unto the end” involve righteous behavior (not just belief) on the part of the individual. The emended reading referring to “believing unto the end” here in Mosiah 26:23 does not contradict such usage; nonetheless, there are no other examples in the text that specifically refer to “believing unto the end”.
There are two other uses of “in the end” in the Book of Mormon text, and these two refer to a moment in time. In one case, the apostate Nehor extends the concept of eternal life to all people rather than to just the righteous:
In the other case, Lehi refers to a specific time near the end of the history of this world when the descendants of Laman and Lemuel will be blessed:
Finally, we should consider whether the preposition unto could have been the original reading. If so, there must have been an early error in the transmission of the text that changed the unto to in. Although there are examples of in and into being mixed up in the early transmission, there are none of in and unto (or of in and to, for that matter). This finding suggests that it is doubtful that the in here in Mosiah 26:23 is a scribal error for unto (or to). Ultimately, the most reasonable solution here is to accept the earliest reading, “in the end”, but to recognize that this prepositional phrase refers to the verb grant, not believe.
Summary: Restore in Mosiah 26:23 the original prepositional in; the text refers to the Lord granting in the end a place on his right hand to those who believe.