The 1833 Book of Commandments

with Doctrine and Covenants Cross-Reference

Last updated 09/08/98

First published in 1833, the Book of Commandments was scheduled for a print run of 10,000. It is unknown how many copies were printed, as the printing press was destroyed by an anti-Mormon mob in Independence, Missouri, when the printers had reached only chapter 65. Church members managed to salvage enough of the loose leaves to bind several copies of the book. Original copies of the Book of Commandments are extremely rare today.

The book was reprinted in 1835 under the title Doctrine and Covenants. The expanded edition contained a large number of new revelations, as well as some modified copies of the older revelations. Inserted into the Doctrine and Covenants were some new tenets of the evolving Mormon doctrine, such as the Melchizdekian Priesthood (see Chapter XXVIII).

Interestingly, most of the revelations collected in the Book of Commandments were first printed in the Church periodical The Evening and Morning Star. When Doctrine and Covenants was printed, the first fourteen issues of The Evening and Morning Star were reprinted so as to agree with the revised revelations.

All sixty-five chapters of the Book of Commandments are listed below. Those chapters marked with have been extensively modified in Doctrine and Covenants.

Chapter I

Chapter II

Chapter III

Chapter IV

Chapter V

Chapter VI

Chapter VII

Chapter VIII

Chapter IX

Chapter X

Chapter XI

Chapter XII

Chapter XIII

Chapter XIV

Chapter XV

Chapter XVI

Chapter XVII

Chapter XVIII

Chapter XIX

Chapter XX

Chapter XXI

Chapter XXII

Chapter XXIII

Chapter XXIV

Chapter XXV

Chapter XXVI

Chapter XXVII

Chapter XXVIII

Chapter XXIX

Chapter XXX

Chapter XXXI

Chapter XXXII

Chapter XXXIII

Chapter XXXIV

Chapter XXXV

Chapter XXXVI

Chapter XXXVII

Chapter XXXVIII

Chapter XXXIX

Chapter XL

Chapter XLI

Chapter XLII

Chapter XLIII

Chapter XLIV

Chapter XLV

Chapter XLVI

Chapter XLVII

Chapter XLVIII

Chapter XLIX

Chapter L

Chapter LI

Chapter LII

Chapter LIII

Chapter LIV

Chapter LV

Chapter LVI

Chapter LVII

Chapter LVIII

Chapter LIX

Chapter LX

Chapter LXI

Chapter LXII

Chapter LXIII

Chapter LXIV

Chapter LXV