Joseph Smith’s “First Vision” is a cornerstone of Mormon belief, yet the LDS Church officially acknowledges that there are up to nine different versions of his own account. Unlike typical cases where multiple witnesses create discrepancies, Joseph was the sole witness to this event. How could his story vary so significantly if he alone experienced it?
The Bible sets clear standards for verifying truth: a matter must be established by multiple witnesses. “This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established” (2 Corinthians 13:1). Likewise, “One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established” (Deuteronomy 19:15). By this biblical standard, Joseph Smith’s First Vision lacks corroboration.
Moreover, the inconsistencies among the various accounts raise further questions. Some versions emphasize a single divine figure, while others describe both the Father and the Son; some were recorded decades after the event, leaving room for memory errors, embellishment, or doctrinal influence. In contrast, Scripture teaches that God’s truth is consistent, reliable, and trustworthy: “The entirety of Your word is truth, and every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever” (Psalm 119:160).
This video examines the contradictions in Joseph Smith’s First Vision narratives and evaluates them against the biblical standard for truth and witness. Viewers are encouraged to critically assess whether a solitary, inconsistent testimony meets God’s requirements for establishing truth, and to place their trust instead in the unchanging Word of God.
“Sanctify them through Your truth; Your word is truth” (John 17:17). True faith rests on God’s reliable revelation, not on uncorroborated human claims.
