3 Nephi 11:8 Textual Variants

The 1920 LDS edition capitalized the spelling of man, which ends up making the text read as if the people already knew that this individual was the Savior when they first saw him descending from heaven; instead, they thought this man might be an angel until he identified himself as Jesus Christ:

• 3 Nephi 11:8–10
  • and they durst not open their mouths —even one to another— and wist not what it meant for they thought it was an angel that had appeared unto them and it came to pass that he stretched forth his hand and spake unto the people saying behold I am Jesus Christ

Such capitalization of man has not been introduced elsewhere in the text, as in the following relevant example:

• 1 Nephi 11:7 (the 1981 LDS text, with bolding added)
  • And behold this thing shall be given unto thee for a sign, that after thou hast beheld the tree which bore the fruit which thy father tasted, thou shalt also behold a man descending out of heaven, and him shall ye witness; and after ye have witnessed him ye shall bear record that it is the Son of God.

The context is precisely the same as in 3 Nephi 11:8, yet in 1 Nephi 11:7 man has not been capitalized, nor should it be. See under 1 Nephi 1:9 for an example where a twentieth-century LDS edition (in this instance, the 1981) capitalized one because of its eventual reference to deity.