The Urantia Book - Standardization of the Text

# THE URANTIA BOOK

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Standardized Reference Text Committee Recommendations for Changes To the Text of The Urantia Book
October 23, 2010
Link to SRT Committee Report
Alterations to the Text Document

Standard Reference System | 1955 Pages | 1955Text | Committee | Explanatory Notes
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Paper | Section | Paragraph | Page | Paragraph
|  |  | vii |  | Titles of the Papers: Foreword Placed in Part 1 | Foreword placed before Part 1 | In 1955, the Front Matter did not reflect the actual location of the Foreword in the text. Since the second printing, both the Titles of the Papers and the Contents have been modified to follow the structure of the text itself.
|  |  | xiii |  | Contents of the Book: Foreword Placed in Part 1 | Foreword placed before Part 1 | The Front Matter should reflect the text. See preceding item.
|  |  | xli |  | Ephriam and Judah | Ephraim and Judah | Ephraim is the standard transliteration of the Hebrew name.
|  |  | xlix |  | Meeting Gonid and Ganid | Meeting Gonod and Ganid | Gonod is the correct spelling.
|  |  | lxvi |  | (An exhaustive index of the Urantia Book is published in a separate volume.) | [Notice removed] | This sentence was removed in the 4th printing as an index had not yet been published.
0 | 1 | 19 | 3 | 11 | 5. Absolute perfection in no direction, relative perfection in all other manifestations. | 5. Absolute perfection in no direction, relative perfection in all manifestations. | The original phraseology is incorrect because the reference to other manifestations requires the existence of one or more additional manifestations to which this other is being contrasted. As this particular phase of perfection exists in only one manifestation-relative perfection-there are no additional types which require or permit the use of other in this context. It is likely that other was inserted into the text during one of the pre-publication transcriptions by accidentally repeating the pattern found immediately before and after this sentence.
0 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 1 | Deified reality embraces all of infinite Deity potentials | Deified reality embraces all infinite Deity potentials | The 1955 construction does not read well; all of infinite Deity potentials is awkward because all of is used to modify potentials without the latter being qualified by a limiting adjective (e.g., the, these, those). Thus, an error in transcription was apparently made here. Several alternate reconstructions are possible, but all infinite Deity potentials (assuming that of was mistakenly inserted) maintains the all-inclusiveness of the original without implying any limitations and without requiring a change of tone.
11 | 7 | 7 | 125 | 1 | The relatively quiet zone between the space levels, such as the one separating the seven superuniverses from the first outer space level, are enormous elliptical regions of quiescent space activities. | The relatively quiet zones between the space levels,...,are enormous | The plural zones agrees with the verb are and is otherwise consistent with the general sense of the paragraph.
12 | 4 | 15 | 134 | 4 | But the greatest of all such distortions arises because the vast universes of outer space in the realms next to the domains of the seven superuniverses, seem to be revolving in a direction opposite to that of the grand universe. | But the greatest of all such distortions arises because the vast universes of outer space, in the realms next to the domains of the seven superuniverses, seem to be revolving in a direction opposite to that of the grand universe. | The comma after outer space is required to set off the parenthetical phrase concluded with the subsequent comma.
24 | 1 | 7 | 266 | 1 | Tertiary Circuit Supervisor No. 572,842 has functioned | Tertiary Circuit Supervisor number 572,842 has functioned | The spelled-out version, number, is appropriate in this context and is used in all but one of the similar constructions in the Urantia Book. Because of the orthographic dissimilarity between No. and number, it is necessary to explain how the former could be in the 1955 text if the latter was intended. It is postulated that either symbol # or the contraction No. was used here and perhaps in many or all similarly constructed phrases in the manuscript-both being common and appropriate handwritten shortcuts-and was either converted to No. or left as No. here and at 136:3.5 at some later point in transcription, at variance with the preferred usage elsewhere in the text and with a reasonable interpretation of the guidance in the CMOS.
28 | 6 | 4 | 314 | 3 | The Significance of Origins are the living ready-reference genealogies | The Significances of Origins are the living ready-reference genealogies | The plural, Significances, is required to agree with the verb are, and its construction is paralleled by the formation of the plural Discerner(s) of Spirits in a similar setting at 28:5.20. The structure of the plural as a whole is confused by the plural form of the last word in the singular of the name.
28 | 6 | 8 | 315 | 1 | the Significance of Origins teach these ascenders | the Significances of Origins teach these ascenders | The plural is required to agree with the verb teach. See note for 28:6.4
29 | 4 | 16 | 326 | 5 | the Seven Supreme Power Directors and the Seven Central Supervisors | the Seven Supreme Power Directors and the Seven Center Supervisors | There is no other reference to Seven Central Supervisors in the text but there are multiple references to Seven Center Supervisors (primary description at 29:2.3-4) who function closely with the Supreme Power Directors. The correction is made on the assumption of a simple undetected transcription error.
30 | 3 | 12 | 340 | 1 | beings enroute elsewhere who pause | beings en route elsewhere who pause | Although enroute may be understandable, it is incorrect French and is not the form that has been adopted into English. A simple dropped space-key explains the original.
36 | 3 | 6 | 400 | 1 | subsequently add any thing new or supplemental | subsequently add anything new or supplemental | The compound word is the correct choice in this case, anything being the noun modified by new or supplemental. In the two-word original, thing is the noun modified by any, and the phrase new or supplemental has no referent.
37 | 8 | 3 | 413 | 6 | Andovontia is the name of the secondary Universe Circuit Supervisor stationed in our local universe. | Andovontia is the name of the tertiary Universe Circuit Supervisor stationed in our local universe. | While both a secondary and a tertiary Circuit Supervisor are assigned to the supervision of a single local universe's circuits, only the tertiary Circuit Supervisor is stationed within the local universe-the secondary Circuit Supervisor is located on the superuniverse headquarters (see 24:1.5-7). Therefore, if Andovontia is stationed in our local universe he would be a tertiary Universe Circuit Supervisor. A straightforward explanation for the origin of the error relies on the inferred use of the somewhat unusual but nonetheless valid abbreviations 1ry, 2ry, and 3ry in the manuscript. These abbreviations are common within several disciplines (e.g., grammar/phonetics, medicine, chemistry) and when used in close proximity to each other their meanings are clear even to the general reader, but this instance is not located near similar references, so the likelihood of its use here remains only a probability based on typographical observation, rather than a certainty. This explanation, however, makes an impossible typographical error into common one-a mis-typed character.
41 | 1 | 1 | 456 | 0 | Within the domain of this Paradise Son of God the Supreme Power Centers and the Master Physical Controllers collaborated with the later appearing Morontia Power Supervisors and others to produce that vast complex of communication lines, energy circuits, a | Within the domain of this Paradise Son of God, the Supreme Power Centers and the Master Physical Controllers collaborated with the later appearing Morontia Power Supervisors and others to produce that vast complex of communication lines, energy circuits, | By indicating the end of the initial prepositional phrase, a comma after Son of God does greatly assist the reader. If present in the original manuscript, a simple dropped keystroke would have produced the 1955 text.
41 | 4 | 4 | 460 | 1 | having become sixty thousand times as dense as your sun | having become forty thousand times as dense as your sun | Textual consistency and current scientific estimates of our sun's density both support the change to forty thousand. The first paragraph of this section states that our sun is about 1.5 times the density of water, or about 0.054 pounds per cubic inch, and 40,000 times this is about 2,160 pounds per cubic inch. The current scientific estimate of the sun's density is 1.4 times the density of water; 40,000 times that is roughly 2,035 pounds per cubic inch. The likely cause of this error in the 1955 text is that the number in question was written as a numeral in the manuscript (40,000 not forty thousand), and the error was caused by a simple keystroke error in which 6 was mis-keyed for 4, creating
|  |  |  |  |  |  | 60,000 instead of 40,000. When the text was formatted for printing, the numerals were changed to words, and an error that formerly consisted of one digit was transformed into an incorrect word. The formatting of words and numbers for printing is a matter of style, and is covered extensively in the Chicago Manual. (The problem at 43:1.6 appears to have had an identical origin, and 42:5.1 is very closely related.)
42 | 5 | 1 | 474 | 5 | ten octaves up are the X rays, followed by the Y rays of radium | ten octaves up are the X rays, followed by the gamma rays of radium | From external reference to physics, and multiple internal cross-references (see for example 42:5.7), gamma is clearly intended here. As to the origin of the Y in the 1955 text, it is likely that the lowercase Greek letter γ (gamma) was mistakenly transposed into Y at some point in the preparation of the original edition (probably at the time of the first typing from the original manuscript) either because of a faulty inference from the immediately preceding X, from an unfamiliarity with the Greek alphabet, or simply because there was no better way to represent the character on a standard typewriter. Whatever the difficulties involved in producing the Greek letter γ with a typewriter, it could easily be typeset, but the later decision to replace that letter with the word gamma is clear, reasonable, and consistent with the usage found elsewhere throughout The Urantia Book.
42 | 6 | 7 | 477 | 1 | an electron weighs a little less than 1/2,000th of the smallest atom, | an electron weighs a little more than 1/2,000th of the smallest atom | Combined note for the two issues in this paragraph. The revised wording is consistent with the paragraph following the subject paragraph (42:6.8), where the author states that a proton is eighteen hundred times as heavy as an electron, and is also in general agreement with current scientific opinion which places the ratio at about 1:1836. The calculation of the relative masses of the electron and the hydrogen atom was undergoing a rapid evolution just prior to the writing of the Urantia Book, the ratio estimated at 1:1700 in 1897, 1:2000 in 1904, and 1:1845 by 1922. This item and the related following item are the only changes recommended by the SRT committee that do not have a straightforward typographical explanation.
42 | 6 | 7 | 477 | 1 | The positive proton...weighs from two to three thousand times more | The positive proton...weighs almost two thousand times more | See immediately preceding note. Phraseology mathematically equivalent to the revised wording is necessary to be consistent with the revision at the beginning of the paragraph; both changes being required for the same internal and external reasons.
42 | 10 | 1 | 480 | 4 | The endless sweep of relative cosmic reality from the absoluteness of Paradise monota to the absoluteness of space potency, is suggestive of certain evolutions of relationship in the nonspiritual realities of the First Source and Center | The endless sweep of relative cosmic reality, from the absoluteness of Paradise monota to the absoluteness of space potency, is suggestive of certain evolutions of relationship in the nonspiritual realities of the First Source and Center | The comma inserted after cosmic reality, in tandem with the following comma, correctly separate the enclosed parenthetical phrase from the absoluteness of Paradise monota to the absoluteness of space potency from the primary structure of the sentence.
43 | 1 | 6 | 486 | 5 | established almost four thousand years ago, immediately after the announcement by Michael that Urantia had been selected as the world for his final bestowal. | established almost forty thousand years ago, immediately after the announcement by Michael | This correction is primarily based on a reference at 119:7.2: "The public announcement that Michael had selected Urantia as the theater for his final bestowal was made shortly after we learned about the default of Adam and Eve. And thus, for more than thirty-five thousand years, your world occupied a very conspicuous place in the councils of the entire universe." The default occurred about 37,750 years ago (see 74:0.1; 75:0.1), so almost forty thousand and more than thirty-five thousand would seem to be equally reasonable descriptions, but almost four thousand is not correct. It appears that this problem is identical in origin to that of 41:4.4: the number in question was written as a numeral in the manuscript (40,000 not forty thousand), and the error was caused by the loss of a zero before the number was formatted into words for printing, leading to four rather than forty being typeset in the first edition.
43 | 8 | 2 | 494 | 1 | While you are rekeyed each time | While you are re-keyed each time | The only other occurrence of re-keyed is in hyphenated form (48:2.14). Words formed with the re- prefix fall under an exception to the general CMOS rule governing prefixes joined to roots: "When the first vowel of the added word would...suggest mispronunciation, the hyphen is retained." In this case, the un-hyphenated form appears to indicate that the first syllable is pronounced with a short e, causing the reader to stumble. Insertion of the hyphen resolves the problem.
44 | 0 | 1 | 497 | 1 | Among the courtesy colonies of the various divisional and universe headquarters worlds, may be found the unique order of composite personalities denominated the celestial artisans. | Among the courtesy colonies of the various divisional and universe headquarters worlds may be found the unique order of composite personalities denominated the celestial artisans. | Though the comma in the first edition is technically acceptable, it has generally been felt that it negatively impacts the readability of the sentence.
45 | 5 | 6 | 515 | 5 | Some time they hope to be granted virtually complete autonomy. | Sometime they hope to be granted virtually complete autonomy. | The one-word form, sometime, is correct as the reference is to an indefinite point in time rather than to an indefinite period of time. Given the location of this word in the 1955 text-with a line break occurring between Some and time-it is possible that the original error was simply a missing end-of-line hyphen.
51 | 5 | 6 | 586 | 3 | Following this procreative outpouring of imported ability and superevolutionary traits there ensues a succession of rapid strides in civilization and racial development; in one hundred thousand years more progress is made than in a million years of former struggle. In your world, even in the face of the miscarriage of the ordained plans, great progress has been made since the gift to your peoples of Adam's life plasm. | ...On your world, even in the face of the miscarriage of the ordained plans, great progress has been made since the gift to your peoples of Adam's life plasm. (relevant sentence only) | The original In is probably a pattern error from a nearby phrase: "...in one hundred thousand years.....in a million years......in the face of" Though one knows what the author intends here, this does not appear to be a valid use of in. Acceptable uses of in with world in this context might be "everyone in the world" or "she lives in the world but worships in the spirit" or something similar. The usages are distinguished by the meaning carried by world. If, as in the present case, the physical sphere is referred to--if planet could be substituted for world--then on makes sense because something can take place or exist on the world (on the planet). However, if any non-physical entirety is meant, then in would be used.
53 | 7 | 8 | 608 | 4 | Of the 681,227 Material Sons lost in Satania | Of the 681,217 Material Sons lost in Satania | The change from 681,227 to 681,217 was made because of the original's conflict with following passage: "Since the inception of the system of Satania, thirteen Planetary Adams have been lost in rebellion and default and 681,204 in the subordinate positions of trust." (51:1.5) Thus, one of the numbers is in error, but whether the 681,227 here should be reduced by ten or the 681,204 at 51:1.5 should be increased by ten cannot be determined from the text. However, the typing error required to convert a manuscript containing 681,217 to 681,227 is much easier to commit than the error required to convert 681,214 to 681,204-the former requiring only that the typist should mistakenly strike a key immediately adjacent to the correct one (2 rather than 1); while the mistake required to type 681,204 when 681,214 is intended, involves striking a key with the other hand at the opposite side of the keyboard (1 intended, 0 struck). The relative locations of the numerals in the standard typesetting case also favored the 2 /1 error over the 0 /1 mistake.
56 | 7 | 8 | 643 | 2 | We might conjecture that such a plan must prevail in the outer universes; on the other hand the new orders of beings that may sometime inhabit these universes | We might conjecture that such a plan must prevail in the outer universes; on the other hand, the new orders of beings that may sometime inhabit these universes | The structure of the sentence calls for a comma following on the other hand. In the 1955 text, this was EOL - so it could easily have been dropped.
57 | 1 | 4 | 651 | 6 | 900,000,000,000 years ago the Uversa archives testify, there was recorded a permit issued by the Uversa Council of Equilibrium | 900,000,000,000 years ago, the Uversa archives testify, there was recorded a permit issued by the Uversa Council of Equilibrium | This comma after years ago, is required to separate the parenthetical phrase the Uversa archives testify from the body of the sentence.
58 | 2 | 1 | 665 | 4 | the planetary atmosphere filters through to the earth about one two-billionths of the sun's total light emanation. | the planetary atmosphere filters through to the earth about one two-billionth of the sun's total light emanation. | Though perhaps uncommon, the correct form is one two-billionth; compare, for example: one two-hundredth, one ten-thousandth.
59 | 1 | 1 | 673 | 1 | Ameba are typical survivors of this initial stage of animal life | Amebas are typical survivors of this initial stage of animal life | The plural of Ameba is required here. Adoption of the modern English form for the singular leads to the use of the English plural Amebas rather than the Latinate Amebae.
59 | 1 | 13 | 674 | 3 | warm the shores of Greenland, making that now ice-mantled continent a veritable tropic Paradise | warm the shores of Greenland, making that now ice-mantled continent a veritable tropic paradise | Paradise should be in the lower case here. See 693:2; 823:6; 860:3 (twice) and 975:7 for similar generic lower case instances.
59 | 2 | 12 | 676 | 3 | The bivalve gastropods...embrace the muscles, clams, oysters, and scallops | The bivalve gastropods...embrace the mussels, clams, oysters, and scallops | Muscles is an acceptable variant (Webster). There are no other instances with this meaning, so standardization is not required, but the form muscles is now so uncommon for this meaning that adoption of the modern form mussels is justified.
60 | 3 | 8 | 689 | 7 | 85,000,000 years ago Bering Strait closed, | 85,000,000 years ago the Bering Strait closed, | Though the construction without the seems stilted in today's usage, usage in the Bering Island, Sea, and Strait article in the 11th edition of the Encyclopaedia Britannica illustrates that in the early years of the 20th century, it was quite acceptable to use Bering Strait without the article the. Even though the usage was correct when the Urantia Book was written, it is now so unfamiliar that the insertion of the is justified here and at 61:0.2 and 61:3.4.
60 | 3 | 20 | 691 | 1 | But some time previously there had appeared new types of the herbivorous dinosaurs | But sometime previously there had appeared new types of the herbivorous dinosaurs | The one-word form, sometime, is correct because the reference is to an indefinite point in time rather than to an indefinite period of time.
61 | 0 | 2 | 693 | 2 | three times Bering Strait land bridge did the same | three times the Bering Strait land bridge did the same | See note for 60:3.8
61 | 3 | 4 | 696 | 8 | Bering Strait land bridge was up | The Bering Strait land bridge was up | See note for 60:3.8
61 | 3 | 13 | 697 | 8 | Weasels, martins, otters, and raccoons | Weasels, martens, otters, and raccoons | A single mistaken keystroke could have produced martins from an intended martens. It is also possible, however, that the original form was the author's choice, being a correct, though less common, variant. (We cannot assert that the author would not use an unusual variant, because coons was used for raccoons only two pages previously. (61:2.7). However, even if originally correct, the form martin is no longer used in this way, so the modernization of the spelling is reasonable.
61 | 7 | 18 | 702 | 8 | roughly corresponding to the beginning of the Holocene or postglacial period. [no italics] | roughly corresponding to the beginning of the Holocene or postglacial period. [Holocene italicized] | All other geologic periods are italicized; including Pleistocene and Cenozoic on this same page
69 | 3 | 9 | 774 | 8 | the flint flakers and stonemasons | the flint flakers and stone masons | The original stonemasons is clear and is a correct form, but of nine occurrences in the text this is the only instance in which the compound form is found; this change is therefore a reasonable standardization of the database.
74 | 2 | 8 | 830 | 3 | The dispensation of the Prince has passed, the age of Adam, the third planetary epoch, opens amidst scenes of simple grandeur; and the new rulers of Urantia start their reign under seemingly favorable conditions, notwithstanding the world wide confusion | The dispensation of the Prince has passed; the age of Adam, the third planetary epoch, opens amidst scenes of simple grandeur; and the new rulers of Urantia start their reign under seemingly favorable conditions, notwithstanding the world wide confusion | The initial clause ending in has passed is a complete sentence; a semicolon is the correct way of linking the two parts of the larger sentence.
76 | 2 | 3 | 848 | 3 | In the days of the first Eden Adam had indeed sought to discourage the offering of animal sacrifice so that Cain had a justifiable precedent for his contentions. | In the days of the first Eden, Adam had indeed sought to discourage the offering of animal sacrifice so that Cain had a justifiable precedent for his contentions. | The comma after Eden appropriately separates the initial adverbial phrase from the remainder of the sentence.
77 | 3 | 1 | 858 | 2 | after much deliberation the plan of Bablot, a descendant of Nod, was indorsed. | after much deliberation the plan of Bablot, a descendant of Nod, was endorsed. | The 1934 Webster's states that indorsed is more common in American English, while endorsed is more common in English English, though endorse was becoming more common in America. In light of the obsolescence of the original form, the modern form, endorsed, has been adopted here.
77 | 3 | 4 | 858 | 5 | Three differing views were propounded as to the purpose of building the tower. | Three differing views were propounded as to the purpose of building the tower: | This sentence clearly introduces the following list, so the colon after tower is appropriate. In the 1955 text, this is found at end-of-line, immediately below another line ending with a period, so a typesetting error by inadvertent pattern copying could have easily given rise to the original. An identical construction, properly punctuated, is found on the following page at 77:4.2 &ff.
77 | 7 | 6 | 863 | 7 | And they brought to Him all sorts of sick peoples | And they brought to Him all sorts of sick people | Neither people nor peoples appear here in the Greek original of Matthew; a more common rendering being "And they brought to him all the sick….." However, if one form or another of people is to be used to place the Matthew passage in this context, peoples indicates not multiple individuals but multiple large groups of people, whether tribal, national, or other, which is clearly not intended here. Therefore, a mistakenly added keystroke error would account for the problem and it has been changed to people.
78 | 2 | 3 | 870 | 1 | was there a civilization in anyway comparable | was there a civilization in any way comparable | The two-word form, any way, is the appropriate choice when serving as an adverb only, rather than as an adverbial conjunction, in which case the compound anyway is more common. This latter use, roughly synonymous with at any rate or in any case, is well illustrated by its only occurrence in the papers (at 148:6.4) when Job's friend, Eliphaz, is quoted as saying: "Anyway, man seems predestined to trouble, and perhaps the Lord is only chastising you for your own good."
79 | 3 | 5 | 881 | 5 | .religious, philosophic, and commerical civilization | religious, philosophic, and commercial civilization | A simple error in typesetting, long since corrected
79 | 5 | 6 | 883 | 7 | One hundred thousand years ago the decimated tribes of the red race were fighting with their backs to the retreating ice of the last glacier, and when the land passage to the west, over the Bering isthmus, became passable, | One hundred thousand years ago the decimated tribes of the red race were fighting with their backs to the retreating ice of the last glacier, and when the land passage to the West, over the Bering isthmus, became passable, | There is no question that North America is east of Siberia-that fact being the basis for the 1967 change of west to east. It is difficult to account for the appearance of west in the first printing if east were in the original manuscript, but if the original had been West--referring to the Western Hemisphere--the only explanation required is a mistakenly un-shifted keystroke. In the Urantia Book, West and East are frequently utilized to designate a generalized geographical location rather than direction, though in all other cases they refer to the western and eastern reaches of Eurasia. Because there is no other instance of West referring to the Western Hemisphere, there is no internal proof of usage, but it is certain that if West had been printed here in the first edition, the meaning would have been obvious, the passage would never have been revised, and the question of this unique usage of West would never have come up.
79 | 8 | 3 | 887 | 3 | following the disruption of Graeco-Roman civilization | following the disruption of Greco-Roman civilization | A change for the purpose of database standardization is reasonable as the original text contained both forms at different locations, so the text has been standardized on the more modern form. The origin of the variants in the text may be related to a change in recommended spellings between the 1927 and 1937 editions of the Chicago Manual. (The former specifying Graeco-, the latter, Greco-.) The OED and Webster's include both forms, but their preferences are split-along lines the reader can, no doubt, predict. (See also note for 98:4.1)
80 | 2 | 4 | 890 | 8 | to the level of the Atlantic Ocean [missing period] | to the level of the Atlantic Ocean. | This period, at the end of the last line on the page in the original format, was missing in the first printing. There were only two missing periods in the first edition. (See 117:7.4)
80 | 5 | 8 | 894 | 1 | Central Europe was for sometime controlled by the blue man | Central Europe was for some time controlled by the blue man | The two-word form, some time, is correct as the reference is to an indefinite period of time rather than to an indefinite point in time. (See Webster's)
80 | 7 | 1 | 895 | 1 | there persisted for sometime a superior civilization | there persisted for some time a superior civilization | As in the previous case (80:5.8), the two-word form, some tim e, is correct because the reference is to an indefinite period of time, not an indefinite point in time.
83 | 7 | 6 | 928 | 7 | a life-long partnership of self-effacement, compromise | a lifelong partnership of self-effacement, compromise | The hyphenated form was changed to lifelong here and at (89:8.1) below, as out of the ten occurrences of lifelong or life-long in the text, only these two were hyphenated. Although Webster's lists the compound word, differences between Chicago Manual editions may have given rise to the varied spellings. The 1927 and 1937 editions contain the general rule (as §251 or §213): "Compounds of 'life' and 'world' require a hyphen: life-history, life-principle (but: lifetime)..." But the 1949 Chicago Manual modifies the rule slightly and lists lifelong as a specific example: "§214. Compounds with 'god' and some compounds of 'life' require a hyphen: ...life-history, life-line, life-principle, life-story (but: lifeblood, lifelong, lifetime, etc.)"
84 | 7 | 7 | 940 | 3 | The enhancement of parental instinct. Each generation now tends to eliminate from the reproductive stream | The enhancement of parental instinct-each generation now tends to eliminate from the reproductive stream | The revision from …instinct. Each…to …instinct-each… makes this section consistent with the others of this series.
86 | 5 | 13 | 955 | 5 | The children of Badanon developed a belief in two souls | The children of Badonan developed a belief in two souls | Badonan is the correct spelling; Badanon was, no doubt, the result of an inadvertent transposition.
87 | 3 | 3 | 960 | 7 | The custom of adopting children was to make sure that some one would provide offerings after death | The custom of adopting children was to make sure that someone would provide offerings after death | The two-word form, some one, is appropriate when referring to some one member of a particular group, as "Some one of you will go with me…." The compound form is used when the group of which the one is a member is not specified. Fowler (1926) clarifies the differentiation by stating that someone should be used when somebody could be substituted for it; some one should be used in all other cases.
87 | 5 | 5 | 962 | 6 | The whole phallic cult grew up as a defense against evil eye. | The whole phallic cult grew up as a defense against the evil eye. | The phrase evil eye without an article seems extremely stilted. While that form may have been used somewhere by some author, it has proven to be difficult to find any examples of such usage--even in texts of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries-so the style has been updated to conform with common usage.
88 | 6 | 7 | 973 | 0 | And intelligent human beings still believe in good luck, evil eye, and astrology. | And intelligent human beings still believe in good luck, the evil eye, and astrology. | See note for 87:5.5.
89 | 3 | 1 | 976 | 3 | Soon it became the custom to forego many forms of physical pleasure, especially of a sexual nature. | Soon it became the custom to forgo many forms of physical pleasure, especially of a sexual nature. | The revised forgo is etymologically preferable and so has been adopted. However, it should be noted that forego was not an error per se; it has been in use for over 400 years and leads to no confusion. Forego/foregoing is also found at three other locations in the text, while the forms of forgo were absent altogether. Though forego appears (for the first time for either form) as the preference in the 11th edition (1949) of the Chicago Manual (§122), the modern trend has been toward the adopted revised form.
89 | 4 | 9 | 978 | 6 | 5,740,352 sacks of coin | 5,740,352 sacks of corn | Early Egyptians developed a system of exchange based on gold and silver rings, but true coinage was not introduced until the period of Persian domination (525-415 BCE), during which time the gold daric and silver siglos of Darius I (reigned 521-485 BCE) would have been used for some transactions. Coins were not actually minted in Egypt until ~ 404-343 BCE during the brief period of independence between the 1st Persian period and the reconquest by Artaxerxes III (342-336 BCE), when silver imitation Athenian Owls were minted. Coins were regularly minted in Egypt during the Ptolemaic (283-30 BCE) and subsequent Roman periods. The list of gifts to the Gods in the UB here is excerpted from the Harris Papyrus I which commemorates the reign of Ramses III, and was commissioned by his son Ramses IV at the former's death in 1172 BCE. This record thus predates the earliest significant presence of coins in Egypt by 650-750 years. Therefore, coin is a simple typo made when quoting a known source.
89 | 8 | 1 | 982 | 5 | with dedication to life-long virginity | with dedication to lifelong virginity | As for (83:7.6) above, the 1955 spelling is an acceptable variant. However, database is a reasonable justification for adopting the compound form.
90 | 2 | 9 | 988 | 5 | the Shawnee Teuskwatawa, who predicted the eclipse of the sun | the Shawnee Tenskwatawa, who predicted the eclipse of the sun | Tenskwatawa is the standard transliteration for the Shawnee prophet's name; the spelling in the first edition may have been caused by a mistaken keystroke or may have been the result of an error in reading the original manuscript. (Regarding the latter possibility, see the note for 195:3.1.)
90 | 2 | 9 | 988 | 5 | the Shawnee Teuskwatawa, who predicted the eclipse of the sun in 1808 and denounced the vices of the white man. | the Shawnee Teuskwatawa, who predicted the eclipse of the sun in 1806 and denounced the vices of the white man. | The date in the text here has been changed because the incident actually occurred in 1806. Since nothing in the text is dependent on, or linked to, the original 1808 date, and since the change from the incorrect to the correct date is just one digit/keystroke, this is no more significant from a technical standpoint than would be the correction of a simple one-letter spelling mistake.
92 | 7 | 6 | 1013 | 1 | 1. Level values-loyalties. | 1. Level of values-loyalties. | The original Level values has no discernible meaning; of must have been omitted at some point in the process of preparing the text for publication. The phrase Level of values is not only meaningful, but consistent with the context, and parallels the construction to the other items in this series: Depth of meanings, Consecration intensity (i.e., Intensity of consecration), and progress of the personality.
93 | 5 | 8 | 1019 | 5 | It required great determination for Abraham to forego the honors of the Egyptian court. | It required great determination for Abraham to forgo the honors of the Egyptian court | See note for 89:3.1.
94 | 4 | 6 | 1031 | 8 | Many of the ancient gods of the Aryans, such as Agni, Indra, Soma, have persisted as secondary to the three members of the Trimurti. | Many of the ancient gods of the Aryans, such as Agni, Indra, and Soma, have persisted as secondary to the three members of the Trimurti. | The role of the conjunction and between the last two elements of a series is to give the reader an indication that the series is complete. Without the final conjunction, the reader normally assumes that what follows is part of the series. In this case, lacking the conjunction, the reader will find him- or herself inserting the missing and in order to make sense of the sentence.
94 | 5 | 6 | 1033 | 1 | In Japan this proto-Taoism was known as Shinto, and in this country, far distant from Salem of Palestine | In Japan this proto-Taoism was known as Shinto, and in this country, far-distant from Salem of Palestine | See note for 14:0.1-- This was the only instance of the un-hyphenated form far distant in the 1955 text. The decision to hyphenate and thereby standardize usage in the Urantia Book is the least complex resolution to the perceived problem of variant forms of the term and is in agreement with Webster's of 1934.
94 | 6 | 3 | 1033 | 6 | He taught that "man's eternal destiny was everlasting union with Tao, Supreme God and Universal King." | He taught that man's eternal destiny was "everlasting union with Tao, Supreme God and Universal King." | The original phraseology asserts that Lao-Tse himself was speaking in the past tense as in "man's destiny used to be everlasting union…." This would be a very strange construction and could not have been the intention either of Lao-Tse or of the paper's author. The relocation of the opening quotation mark resolves the difficulty and relies on a straightforward typing or typesetting error.
95 | 1 | 3 | 1042 | 4 | Such teaching gained the ascendency for more than one hundred and fifty years | Such teaching gained the ascendancy for more than one hundred and fifty years | Ascendancy is first choice of Webster's though both forms are equally used. But ascendant is definitely preferred above ascendent.....Out of 5 instances in the 1955 text, ascendancy is found three times, ascendency twice. The decision was made to standardize on ascendancy.
96 | 3 | 1 | 1055 | 4 | from Egypt to the Arabian desert under his leadership | from Egypt to the Arabian Desert under his leadership | The formatting of geographic names is covered by the Chicago Manual; the correct form is Arabian Desert. The several occurrences of this name have been standardized on the capitalized form.
96 | 4 | 6 | 1057 | 2 | But none the less he sought to enlarge their concept | But nonetheless he sought to enlarge their concept | The difference between none the less and nonetheless as followed throughout the 1955 text--except at this point--is thus: None the less is used where the phrase is a comparative roughly equivalent to no less, and the latter could be substituted without a change in meaning. Nonetheless is interchangeable with nevertheless and is used when the meaning approximates even so.
97 | 9 | 23 | 1074 | 5 | The fall of Assyria and the ascendency of Egypt brought deliverance to Judah for a time | The fall of Assyria and the ascendancy of Egypt brought deliverance to Judah for a time | See note for 95:1.3.
98 | 4 | 1 | 1081 | 4 | The majority of people in the Graeco-Roman world | The majority of people in the Greco-Roman world | See note for 79:8.3.
100 | 4 | 4 | 1098 | 1 | If some one irritates you, causes feelings of resentment, | If someone irritates you, causes feelings of resentment, | See note for 87:3.3.
100 | 4 | 5 | 1098 | 2 | Only in the second sketch you are favored with a widened horizon. | Only, in the second sketch you are favored with a widened horizon. | The comma after Only is required to convey the intended meaning, which approximates "However, in the second sketch you are favored…." as opposed to the meaning without the comma which would be "It is only in the second sketch that you are favored…" Also note that for the sentence to work without the comma, "...sketch you are..." would have to be inverted to "...sketch are you..." in order to be grammatically correct.
101 | 3 | 4 | 1108 | 4 | .adverse ani / malistic tendencies. [missing hyphen at end of line] | adverse ani-/ malistic tendencies. [hyphen inserted] | The obviously required hyphen was missing in the original text. The problem has been fixed in all subsequent printings.
102 | 3 | 5 | 1122 | 1 | to the consciousness of true reality; while the co ordination [semi-colon not italicized] | to the consciousness of true reality; while the co ordination [semi-colon italicized] | 10th CMOS §124: "All punctuation marks should be printed in the same style or font of type as the word, letter, character, or symbol immediately preceding them." (Exceptions noted for parentheses and brackets…) This continues to be the rule in later editions.
102 | 3 | 11 | 1122 | 7 | Science indicates Deity as a fact; philosophy presents[semi-colon not italicized] | Science indicates Deity as a fact; philosophy presents [semi-colon italicized] | See note for 102:3.11
102 | 8 | 4 | 1127 | 8 | Ethics is the eternal social or racial mirror which faithfully reflects the otherwise unobservable progress of internal spiritual and religious developments. | Ethics is the external social or racial mirror which faithfully reflects the otherwise unobservable progress of internal spiritual and religious developments. | Changing eternal to external on the basis of an assumed dropped keystroke in the original, makes the sentence not only clear in meaning but also reveals a contrastive point which is completely absent from the original. (This also resolves the otherwise completely opaque "Ethics is the eternal...racial mirror...")
105 | 3 | 8 | 1156 | 5 | Unifier of the deified and the undeified; corelater of the absolute | Unifier of the deified and the undeified; correlator of the absolute | Although it is possible that the original word (which is not found in either Webster's or the OED) was a coined extension of corelation and corelative (both of which are found), it is not readily apparent how corelater would differ in meaning from correlator(s), the now standard form, which is found five times elsewhere in the text. The more likely situation is that two separate typographical errors were made when this word was set. The first was a dropped keystroke at the end of a line of type; the second was an incorrect keystroke, substituting e for o. This doubly misspelled word would still be difficult to catch in proofing because it would sound the same if read out loud, and interestingly enough, if it looked odd to a proofreader and consequently led him or her to consult the dictionary, the spelling could neither be confirmed nor denied by either Webster's or the OED-neither dictionary contained correlator or corelater-and without an electronically searchable text, it is unlikely that the evidence of the otherwise unanimous usage within the revelation itself could have been brought to bear on the problem.
105 | 3 | 9 | 1157 | 0 | is invalidated by the eternity co-existence of the Son, the Spirit | is invalidated by the eternity coexistence of the Son, the Spirit | The hyphenated form is not found elsewhere in the text and is not supported by the guidelines of the Chicago Manual or the reference dictionaries. Coexist [no hyphen] and its various derivative forms are found twenty times throughout the Papers.
106 | 5 | 1 | 1167 | 2 | This is the Trinity Absolute, the union of God the Supreme, God the Ultimate, and the Unrevealed Consummator of Universe Destiny. | This is the Trinity Absolute, the union of God the Supreme, God the Ultimate, and the unrevealed Consummator of Universe Destiny. | The lowercase version appears to be correct because unrevealed does not seem to be part of the name but is solely descriptive (the title being found in several places without unrevealed preceding it). In the one other case in which unrevealed is found in conjunction with Consummator of Universe Destiny, it is not capitalized (0:12.7). [Unrevealed is found in one other location as a capitalized component of a title-The Unrevealed Creative Agencies of the Ancients of Days (30:1.21)-so such a format is possible.]
109 | 7 | 2 | 1201 | 3 | Personalized Thought Adjusters are the untrammelled | Personalized Thought Adjusters are the untrammeled | Although both variants are acceptable, untrammeled is the unanimous usage elsewhere in the text (four other locations) and is preferred by the Chicago Manual.
110 | 3 | 4 | 1206 | 2 | wholly compatible with a light-hearted and joyous life | wholly compatible with a lighthearted and joyous life | All other occurrences in the text follow the compound form, lighthearted, with the possible exception of one which is hyphenated at a line break, so this has been changed to standardize the database.
111 | 0 | 4 | 1215 | 4 | the ka and the ba; the soul [semi-colon not italicized] | the ka and the ba; the soul [semi-colon italicized] | See note for 102:3.5. The semi-colon should be italicized.
112 | 1 | 7 | 1226 | 11 | Vertical depth embraces the organismal drives and attitudes | Vertical depth embraces the organismal drives and attitudes | Vertical and Depth should both be italicized as together they form the substantive paralleled by the other items in the context (Breadth and Length-both italicized).
114 | 3 | 2 | 1252 | 6 | while the united midwayers, since the departure of 1-2-3 the first | while the United Midwayers, since the departure of 1-2-3 the first | United Midwayers is the usual form of the term.
117 | 7 | 4 | 1291 | 8 | of the Qualified Vicegerents of the Ultimate [missing period] | of the Qualified Vicegerents of the Ultimate. | This is one of two missing periods in the first edition. (See 80:2.4)
118 | 6 | 2 | 1299 | 5 | And none of this philosophy does any violence to the freewillness of the myriads of the children of Deity scattered through a vast universe. | And none of this philosophy does any violence to the free-willness of the myriads of the children of Deity scattered through a vast universe. | Free-willness is found at four other locations in the text and all in instances it refers to an attribute or characteristic of a being or beings. Freewill and free will each occur numerous times-the former as an adjective (modifying such words as choice, action, or personality), while the two-word form is used when free modifies will itself (i.e. when will is under discussion). In light of these consistent usages, conforming this variant is appropriate.
118 | 6 | 8 | 1300 | 4 | But to accept the fallacy of omnificence is to embrace the colossal error of Pantheism. | But to accept the fallacy of omnificence is to embrace the colossal error of pantheism. | Though religions and even philosophical schools are normally capitalized, e.g. Platonism, Stoicism, and Deism, pantheism is more of a philosophical concept than an organized system of ideas and so is normally not capitalized-either currently or in writings contemporaneous with the Urantia Book.
119 | 8 | 8 | 1319 | 1 | And your record tells the truth when it says that this same Jesus has promised some time to return to the world of his terminal bestowal, the World of the Cross. | And your record tells the truth when it says that this same Jesus has promised sometime to return to the world of his terminal bestowal, the World of the Cross. | Sometime is correct. See note for 60:3.20
119 | 8 | 9 | 1319 | 2 | [This paper...in the year A.D. 1935 of Urantia time.] | This paper...in the year A.D. 1935 of Urantia time. | Removal of the brackets makes the formatting here at the end of Part III consistent with the credits at the ends of Parts I and II.
120 | -1 | 1 | 1321 | 1 | This group of papers was sponsored by a commission of twelve Urantia Midwayers | This group of papers was sponsored by a commission of twelve Urantia midwayers | All three changes on this page reflect the adoption of a "down" style for the descriptive information on the title page for Part IV. This is a matter of format only, the original style is viewed as being more formal than required.
120 | -1 | 1 | 1321 | 1 | under the supervision of a Melchizedek Revelatory Director. | under the supervision of a Melchizedek revelatory director. | See previous item.
120 | -1 | 1 | 1321 | 1 | The basis of this narrative was supplied by a secondary Midwayer | The basis of this narrative was supplied by a secondary midwayer | See previous two items.
121 | 7 | 3 | 1340 | 1 | one who did not hestitate to clash with dogmas | one who did not hesitate to clash with dogmas | The original was one of only four mis-spelled common English words in the original.
123 | 2 | 3 | 1357 | 7 | one month before his fifth birthday anniversay | one month before his fifth birthday anniversary | The original was one of only four mis-spelled common English words in the original.
124 | 1 | 12 | 1368 | 1 | on pleasure or business to nearby Cana, Endor, and Nain | on pleasure or business to near-by Cana, Endor, and Nain | All other instances of near-by as an adjective are hyphenated; with one exception (135:11.2 below) adverbs are open (near by), and the closed form, originally found here, is otherwise entirely absent from the text. Consistent usage therefore supports this change.
126 | 1 | 2 | 1387 | 2 | Not far away he could look upon Tannach | Not far away he could look upon Taanach | The corrected spelling is the standard transliteration of the name.
126 | 1 | 5 | 1387 | 5 | some superhuman or miraculous peformance, but always | some superhuman or miraculous performance, but always | The original was one of only four mis-spelled common English words in the original.
130 | 6 | 3 | 1438 | 0 | its abject fear-slave and the bond-servant of depression | its abject fear-slave and the bond servant of depression | As discussed in greater detail in the note for 162:7.2, bond servant is found in three different forms in the first edition. The only form found in our primary references is the open form (bond servant) in Webster's. Therefore, the decision was made to standardize on that form.
133 | 1 | 5 | 1470 | 1 | In the first place very seldom would any normal human being want to attack such a kindly person as you, and even if any one should be so unthinking as to do such a thing, | In the first place very seldom would any normal human being want to attack such a kindly person as you, and even if anyone should be so unthinking as to do such a thing, | The usage here falls under the same guidelines outlined in Fowler as applied to some one / someone at 87:3.3 and 100:4.4; that is, anyone is correct if anybody could be substituted; any one should be used in all other cases. Since anybody could be used here without a change in meaning, the closed form is correct.
133 | 7 | 9 | 1480 | 1 | functioning of a consciousness sorter and associater | functioning of a consciousness sorter and associator | While the meaning of associater is clear and that variant is found in a reference dating to 1616 in the OED, it is probably the result of a keystroke error because the common form, associator, is the unanimous usage elsewhere in the text. Unlike other archaic English words occasionally used in The Urantia Book to convey unique meanings (e.g., inconcussible at 118:3.3), the ancient word-form associater did not convey a meaning distinct from associator and no such differentiation is apparent here. The original spelling may have been caused by a typist's inadvertent repetition of the er pattern from sorter, but in any case, the modern and consistently used form has been adopted.
134 | 3 | 3 | 1485 | 5 | The lectures and discussions in this school of religion began at 10:00 o'clock every morning in the week. | The lectures and discussions in this school of religion began at ten o'clock every morning in the week. | The spelled-out form is clearly supported by §142 of the 9th CMOS. Comparable sections of later editions give identical guidance.
134 | 3 | 3 | 1485 | 5 | The afternoon sessions started at 3:00 o'clock, | The afternoon sessions started at three o'clock, | See note for prior 134:3.3 item.
134 | 3 | 3 | 1485 | 5 | and the evening debates opened at 8:00 o'clock. | and the evening debates opened at eight o'clock. | See note for prior 134:3.3 items.
134 | 7 | 5 | 1492 | 5 | Sychar, Schecham, Samaria, Geba | Sychar, Shechem, Samaria, Geba | Schechem is the standard transliteration of the name.
134 | 7 | 5 | 1492 | 5 | Caesarea Philippi | Caesarea-Philippi | See note for 152:0.3 Caesarea-Philippi
134 | 8 | 1 | 1492 | 8 | Caesarea Philippi | Caesarea-Philippi | See note for 152:0.3 Caesarea-Philippi
134 | 8 | 9 | 1494 | 2 | Accordingly, it may be seen that the so-called "great temptation" of Jesus took place some time before his baptism and not just after that event. | Accordingly, it may be seen that the so-called "great temptation" of Jesus took place sometime before his baptism and not just after that event. | See note for 60:3.20 The closed form sometime is correct. The open form would be used if the phrase was reconstructed along the lines of: "Accordingly, it may be seen that some time passed between Jesus' so-called "great temptation" and his baptism."
135 | 8 | 1 | 1503 | 4 | They went to see John once a week and brought back to Jesus fresh, first-hand reports of the evangelist's work. | They went to see John once a week and brought back to Jesus fresh, firsthand reports of the evangelist's work. | Of the five occurrences of firsthand/first-hand only this one is hyphenated; no differentiation in usage exists. Therefore the database has been standardized on firsthand.
135 | 11 | 2 | 1507 | 1 | but the friend of the bridegroom who stands near-by and hears him rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice. | but the friend of the bridegroom who stands near by and hears him rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice. | All other instances of near by as an adverb are open; with one exception (124:1.12 above) adjectives are hyphenated (near-by). Consistent usage would therefore support this change to the open form.
136 | 3 | 5 | 1513 | 2 | The sovereignty of Michael No. 611,121 over his universe of Nebadon rests in completion | The sovereignty of Michael number 611,121 over his universe of Nebadon rests in completion | See 24:1.7 above; number is more correct in this setting.
136 | 8 | 3 | 1520 | 4 | Throughout all this momentous dialog of Jesus' communing with himself, | Throughout all this momentous dialogue of Jesus' communing with himself, | Though dialog is, arguably, a more modern and American English form, it is the only instance of the shorter form in the text. Multiple instances of dialogue are found elsewhere (all in Paper 91) and, as there is no distinction in meaning and both forms are acceptable, the choice was made to standardize on the majority usage.
138 | 7 | 4 | 1544 | 3 | this was their first clearcut and positive intimation | this was their first clear-cut and positive intimation | Clear-cut is found eight additional times; all are hyphenated.
139 | 12 | 1 | 1566 | 0 | Judas' parents were Sadducees, and when their son | Judas's parents were Sadducees, and when their son | The correct form is Judas's and it is found that way at all other locations except 177:4.9.
140 | 8 | 30 | 1583 | 4 | He was liberal, bighearted, learned, and tolerant. | He was liberal, big-hearted, learned, and tolerant. | The only other occurrence of this word is at 139:9.8, where it is hyphenated. Although the closed compound is specifically listed as an exception among many hyphenated combinations of big-in the 1934 Webster's, it was determined that the hyphenated form is clear in meaning and is less likely to cause the reader to stumble.
142 | 8 | 4 | 1606 | 1 | The Sabbath week ends they usually spent with Lazarus | The Sabbath weekends they usually spent with Lazarus | The two-word form is supported by Webster's; the hyphenated form (week-end) by the OED, but the closed form is not found in any of the contemporary sources. However, the closed form has become the standard usage since that time, as has the related weekday, therefore the closed form has been adopted for both words.
143 | 5 | 3 | 1613 | 1 | Give me this water that I thirst not neither come all the way hither to draw. | Give me this water that I thirst not, neither come all the way hither to draw. | The comma after thirst not properly separates the phrases, making this sentence much easier to read.
146 | 4 | 1 | 1643 | 2 | Jesus and the apostles would also often teach and preach at the week-day evening assemblies at the | Jesus and the apostles would also often teach and preach at the weekday evening assemblies at the | The closed form weekday, unlike week-end/week end, is the one found in both Webster's and OED; further, as noted for 142:8.4 above, it was decided that weekday and weekend should have the same format, as they do in modern usage.
|  |  |  |  | synagogue. | synagogue. |
147 | 4 | 2 | 1650 | 3 | for the encouragement of evil doing. | for the encouragement of evil-doing. | While the earliest occurrences (14th - 16th centuries) of evil doer and evil doing are open, there has been a clear preference for the hyphenated form since the 17th century and it is the form approved by both the OED and Webster's. The closed form, found at three locations in the 1955 text (159:3.9; 188:4.3; 188:4.5 ) has not been found to be supported by any contemporary reference.
147 | 5 | 1 | 1651 | 5 | He was a half-hearted believer, and notwithstanding | He was a halfhearted believer, and notwithstanding | The closed form of halfhearted is the unanimous usage elsewhere in the text, so the database has been standardized.
149 | 4 | 1 | 1673 | 1 | At one of these evening sessions one of the younger evangelists asked Jesus a question about anger, and the Master among other things said, in reply: | At one of these evening sessions one of the younger evangelists asked Jesus a question about anger, and the Master, among other things, said in reply: | This sentence required two edits to make it flow correctly. A comma was inserted after the Master and a pre-existing comma that originally followed said was moved in front of it--to follow things.
149 | 7 | 1 | 1677 | 2 | with instructions to terminate the tour and return to Bethsaida some time on Thursday, December 30. | with instructions to terminate the tour and return to Bethsaida sometime on Thursday, December 30. | See note for 60:3.20. The reference is to an indefinite point in time rather than an indefinite period of time; therefore sometime is correct.
151 | 6 | 2 | 1695 | 5 | with fetters and chains and confined in one of the grottos | with fetters and chains and confined in one of the grottoes | Though both forms are correct, this word is found elsewhere in the text as grottoes. Therefore, database standardization was adopted on the latter.
152 | 3 | 2 | 1702 | 3 | but you are short-sighted and material-minded | but you are shortsighted and material-minded | The closed form, shortsighted, is the unanimous usage elsewhere, so the text has been standardized on that form.
153 | 1 | 7 | 1709 | 1 | Jairus' only reply to all this pleading was | Jairus's only reply to all this pleading was | The corrected form, Jairus's, is supported by usage elsewhere (152:1.T; 152:1.3). The CMOS recommendations have been evolving over time, with the 9th - 11th editions favoring the original version here, but the (12th) and 13th, supporting the revision. This evolution is recognized by the other contemporary sources, with Fowler (1926) noting that the form s' is still retained "in poetic or reverential contexts...But elsewhere we now add the s..." Strunk (1918) however, in that author's famously opinionated way, has as its very first rule of usage : "Form the possessive singular of nouns by adding 's. Follow this rule whatever the final consonant.....Exceptions are the possessive of ancient proper names in -es and -is and the possessive Jesus'..." Usage in the 1955 text follows, with only this exception, the more modern practices supported by Fowler and Strunk. (An important supporting example in the text is Lazarus's, which would be found without the 's under the older rules.)
153 | 3 | 5 | 1712 | 5 | He said: "But hearken to me all of you. | He said: "But hearken to me, all of you. | The comma after to me, properly separates the phrases, making this sentence much easier to read.
157 | 1 | 3 | 1744 | 1 | The collector accepted the tax, foregoing the penalty for tardy payment because they had been for some time absent from Galilee. | The collector accepted the tax, forgoing the penalty for tardy payment because they had been for some time absent from Galilee. | Some time. See note for 89:3.1
158 | 4 | 6 | 1756 | 3 | Come out of him you unclean spirit; | Come out of him, you unclean spirit; | The comma after of him, properly separates the phrases, making this sentence much easier to read.
158 | 7 | 1 | 1759 | 3 | The apostles had slept very little that night; so they were up early and ready to go. | The apostles had slept very little that night, so they were up early and ready to go. | The stronger separation created by the semi-colon after night is not incorrect, but a comma appears to be more appropriate.
159 | 3 | 9 | 1766 | 5 | but I am equally and relentlessly inexorable where there is deliberate evildoing and sinful rebellion against the will of my Father in heaven. | but I am equally and relentlessly inexorable where there is deliberate evil-doing and sinful rebellion against the will of my Father in heaven. | Evil-doing. See note at 147:4.2
160 | 3 | 2 | 1777 | 3 | These practices are difficult and time-consuming at first, but when they become habitual, they are at once restful and time-saving. | These practices are difficult and time-consuming at first, but when they become habitual, they are at once restful and timesaving. | Though the original is clear, the closed form, timesaving, is the common one and was the approved form in Webster's 1934.
161 | 2 | 9 | 1786 | 4 | He says that any one who has seen him has seen the Father. | He says that anyone who has seen him has seen the Father. | Anyone. See note for 133:1.5
162 | 2 | 4 | 1791 | 2 | Even though this teacher is from Galilee, and even though he does not meet all of our expectations of the Messiah, we wonder if the deliverer, when he does come, will really do anything more wonderful than this Jesus of Nazareth has already done? | Even though this teacher is from Galilee, and even though he does not meet all of our expectations of the Messiah, we wonder if the deliverer, when he does come, will really do anything more wonderful than this Jesus of Nazareth has already done. | This is an indirect question contained within a declarative sentence, so the period rather than the question mark is the correct closing punctuation mark.
162 | 7 | 2 | 1796 | 4 | who commits sin is the bond-servant of sin. [line break at hyphen] | who commits sin is the bond servant of sin. [identical line break w/ no hyphen] | Bond servant. See 130:6.3.
162 | 7 | 2 | 1796 | 4 | And you know that the bondservant is not likely | And you know that the bond servant is not likely | Bond servant. See 130:6.3.
165 | 0 | 3 | 1817 | 3 | from these regions during the times of Judas Maccabeus. | from these regions during the times of Judas Maccabee. | Although Maccabeus is a more accurate transliteration of the Greek, Maccabee is very common in English works and is used in all other occurrences of the word in the Urantia papers. Therefore, the text has been standardizes on Maccabee.
165 | 4 | 8 | 1822 | 3 | `With their mouths they make a show of love, but their hearts are set upon their own selfish gain'." | `With their mouths they make a show of love, but their hearts are set upon their own selfish gain.' " | Quotation marks--single or double--should always enclose a comma or period which follows the last word of the the section set off by the quotation marks. The 9th CMOS (1927) states it rather strongly: "Put the period inside the quotation marks. (This is a rule without exception.)" [Question marks, unless part of the quotation itself, are placed outside of the quotation marks.]
166 | 3 | 4 | 1829 | 1 | Lord open to us; we would also be great in the kingdom. | Lord, open to us; we would also be great in the kingdom. | In the original format, Lord was the last word in the line, making a dropped comma not unlikely. It is possible that the comma was simply viewed as unnecessary within such a short phrase, and it should also be noted that while the use of the comma in direct address is now regarded as standard, the Chicago Manual was silent on the matter until its 12th edition (1969).
167 | 4 | 3 | 1837 | 2 | It often happened that they put in the tomb one who was merely comatose, so that on the second, or even the third, day such a one would come forth from the tomb. | It often happened that they put in the tomb one who was merely comatose, so that on the second or even the third day, such a one would come forth from the tomb. | Arguments can be made for several different ways of punctuating this sentence. The original, though reasonable by the rules, is very difficult to read--almost always causing the reader to stumble. The form adopted here is the most readable punctuation of any known alternative, pacing the reader smoothly through the sentence and conveying its meaning clearly.
167 | 5 | 3 | 1839 | 0 | he had become enamoured of a better-looking woman | he had become enamored of a better-looking woman | Enamored is also found at 121:5.6. Both forms are acceptable so in the interests of database standardization the American form was adopted.
168 | 5 | 1 | 1849 | 5 | Lazarus remained at the Bethany home, being the center of great interest to many sincere believers and to numerous curious individuals, until the day of the crucifixion of Jesus, when he received warning that the Sanhedrin had decreed his death. | Lazarus remained at the Bethany home, being the center of great interest to many sincere believers and to numerous curious individuals, until the days of the crucifixion of Jesus, when he received warning that the Sanhedrin had decreed his death. | The change here was needed because the original day is inconsistent with the ensuing narrative (at 174:0.1, 175:3.1, and 177:5.3) which places the time of Lazarus's flight between Tuesday at midnight (when his death was decreed by the Sanhedrin) and Wednesday evening (when "certain ones" at the camp "knew that Lazarus had taken hasty flight from Bethany")-two days before the crucifixion of Jesus. Previous editions resolved the problem by changing day to week, but because of the near impossibility of a typographical error leading from week in the manuscript to the day found in the 1955 text, that option has been rejected in favor of the change to days. If the original manuscript had read days, the loss of only a single character in typesetting would create the problematic day. This very common type of error is found elsewhere in the text. Though days is a new resolution to this problem and therefore unfamiliar to readers--perhaps some will see it as a "stretch"--it bears repeating (as with West/west at 79:5.6) that if the 1955 text had originally read days, there would have been no contradiction in the text, no question about the author's compositional style, and the issue would never have been raised in the first place.
169 | 3 | 2 | 1855 | 0 | And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, who laid at this rich man's gate, covered with sores and desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table | And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, who was laid at this rich man's gate, covered with sores and desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table | This sentence, as originally structured, would require lay rather than laid, the former being the past tense of the intransitive verb to lie; the latter being the past of the transitive verb to lay. However, the Greek is phrased using a transitive verb form roughly equivalent to "had been placed," so the ASV translation of the passage using was laid is a reasonable rendering. Indeed, the Urantia Book follows the ASV very closely here (as in most Biblical quotations), the text of Luke 16:19-21 being: "Now there was a certain rich man, and he was clothed in purple and fine linen, faring sumptuously every day: and a certain beggar named Lazarus was laid at his gate, full of sores, and desiring to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man's table; yea, even the dogs came and licked his sores." In view of the structure of the underlying Greek and the apparent reliance of the Urantia Book on the ASV at this point, it was concluded that the word was had been lost at some point and the verb should be reconstructed as was laid.
172 | 3 | 6 | 1881 | 4 | If any one asks you why you do this, merely say, `The Master has need of him.'" | If anyone asks you why you do this, merely say, `The Master has need of him.'" | See note for 133:1.5. Also here, since any was originally at the end of a line, a missing hyphen in the first printing could have given rise to the two-word form.
172 | 5 | 2 | 1884 | 1 | Andrew was busy watching some of his associates whom he feared might be led away by their emotions during the excitement | Andrew was busy watching some of his associates who he feared might be led away by their emotions during the excitement | The pronoun here is the subject of the verb phrase might be led away; not the object of feared. To clarify, Andrew feared they might be led away by their emotions; he was not watching his associates, whom he feared.-- He did not fear them, but he was afraid they might be led astray.
172 | 5 | 2 | 1884 | 1 | He was concerned about the attitude of some of the twelve whom he knew were armed with swords | He was concerned about the attitude of some of the twelve who he knew were armed with swords | The pronoun here is the subject of the verb were armed, not the object of knew nor of were armed; therefore who is the correct form (see also 177:5.2). To illustrate: ...some of the twelve whom he knew Peter had armed… [He knew Peter had armed them.] ...some of the twelve who he knew were armed... [He knew they were armed.] The sentence might have been written "He was concerned about the attitude of the twelve, some of whom he knew were armed with swords." In which case, whom would be the object of the prepositional phrase some of whom, while the phrase itself would be the subject of were armed, but it was not.
173 | 1 | 3 | 1889 | 1 | was one-half shekel, a coin about the size of a ten cent piece but twice as thick. | was one-half shekel, a coin about the size of a ten-cent piece but twice as thick. | Ten-cent is the standard form and is specified by the CMOS.
176 | 3 | 4 | 1917 | 0 | And so did all of these servants make gains for their master except he who received but one talent. | And so did all of these servants make gains for their master except him who received but one talent. | The pronoun is the object of the preposition except therefore him is correct. See last sentence in subject paragraph for parallel usage where him is object of to also creating a him who phrase.
177 | 3 | 7 | 1924 | 3 | why he would be willing to forego the great advantage | why he would be willing to forgo the great advantage | Forgo. See 89:3.1
177 | 4 | 1 | 1924 | 5 | appointed for shortly after 10 o'clock that morning | appointed for shortly after ten o'clock that morning | Ten o'clock. See note for 134:3.3r1
177 | 5 | 2 | 1927 | 3 | And then, when adversity and persecution descend upon you, still others whom you think love the truth will be scattered, and some will renounce the gospel and desert you. | And then, when adversity and persecution descend upon you, still others who you think love the truth will be scattered, and some will renounce the gospel and desert you. | This is a situation similar to the two found at 172:5.2. The pronoun concerned is the subject of love, not the object of think; therefore who is the correct form. To illustrate: ...others whom you think Jesus loved... [You think Jesus loved them ] ...others who you think love the truth... [You think they love the truth]
179 | 5 | 9 | 1943 | 2 | he said to the twelve: "And as often as you do this | he said to the eleven: "And as often as you do this | There were only eleven apostles still present for the establishment of the remembrance supper because Judas had left earlier; so the twelve of the 1955 text was incorrect. This had been revised to apostles in subsequent printings to make this sentence consistent with the rest of the narrative. However, if the manuscript had read apostles it could not have become twelve in the course of text preparation, so a different solution was required. Eleven has been adopted as the resolution of this problem based on the proposition that the manuscript contained numerals at this point--as hand written documents commonly do-thus, 11. At some point prior to formatting for printing, the last digit was changed to 12 either by accident or through the common typographical error of seeing what you expect to see rather than what is on the page. When the number was formatted for printing, the 12 which was so similar to 11 became twelve which is completely dissimilar to eleven. [Note that there are several other examples of errors in the 1955 text that apparently had a similar origin: 37:8.3, 41:4.4, and 43:1.6. The several time statements that are formatted incorrectly--134:3.3.1-3 and 177:4.1--also lend weight to the idea that numbers were written as numerals in the manuscript (as is common practice), and were formatted to words later in the process of text preparation.]
179 | 5 | 9 | 1943 | 2 | And when you do remember me, first look back upon my life in the flesh, recall that I was once with you, and then, by faith, discern that you shall all some time sup with me in the Father's eternal kingdom. | And when you do remember me, first look back upon my life in the flesh, recall that I was once with you, and then, by faith, discern that you shall all sometime sup with me in the Father's eternal kingdom. | Sometime. See note for 60:3.20
180 | 3 | 1 | 1946 | 6 | Be not downcast even when faint-hearted believers turn against you | Be not downcast even when fainthearted believers turn against you | Fainthearted. See note for 139:12.12 on usage.
180 | 3 | 4 | 1947 | 3 | I am going to return to these worlds of light, stations in the Father's heaven to which you shall some time ascend. | I am going to return to these worlds of light, stations in the Father's heaven to which you shall sometime ascend. | Sometime. See note for 60:3.20
184 | 3 | 1 | 1982 | 2 | on informal charges of law breaking, blasphemy | on informal charges of lawbreaking, blasphemy | Of the five occurrences of lawbreak [-er] [-ing] in the text, three are closed and two are hyphenated. There is no differential in meaning indicated by the two forms, so the decision was made to standardize on the closed forms.
184 | 3 | 12 | 1983 | 4 | be done with this law breaker and blasphemer | be done with this lawbreaker and blasphemer | Lawbreaker. See note for 184:3.12
186 | 3 | 2 | 2001 | 0 | Philadelphia, Sidon, Schechem, Hebron, Damascus, and Alexandria | Philadelphia, Sidon, Shechem, Hebron, Damascus, and Alexandria | The standard transliteration is Shechem. A similar problem occurred at 134:7.5.
186 | 5 | 5 | 2002 | 6 | These touching and divinely beautiful relations between man and his Maker on this world and on all others throughout the universe of universes, have existed from eternity; and they are not in any sense dependent on | These touching and divinely beautiful relations between man and his Maker, on this world and on all others throughout the universe of universes, have existed from eternity; and they are not in any sense dependent on | The addition of the comma after Maker properly sets off the following parenthetical phrase.
188 | 4 | 3 | 2016 | 8 | because of the evildoing of his ancestors | because of the evil-doing of his ancestors | Evil-doing. See note at 147:4.2
188 | 4 | 5 | 2016 | 10 | the tendency toward evildoing | the tendency toward evil doing | Evil-doing. See note at 147:4.2
190 | 3 | 3 | 2033 | 3 | It was even suggested that any one claiming to have seen him should be put to death; | It was even suggested that anyone claiming to have seen him should be put to death; | Anyone. See note for 133:1.5
191 | 5 | 3 | 2043 | 1 | the far-away ascetics teach reverence | the faraway ascetics teach reverence | Except for this single instance, the Urantia Book uses the closed form of faraway, so it was decided that standardization on that form would be appropriate.
194 | 4 | 6 | 2067 | 1 | Jesus filled all their thoughts and determined all their new concept of God and everything else. | Jesus filled all their thoughts and determined all their new concepts of God and everything else. | Similar to 0:4.3. Though one can "determine their new concept" or "determine their new concepts," the inclusion of all here requires the plural concepts. All can be used with singulars, but only when it indicates "the whole of" when referring to ideas which can carry measurements such as "amount, quantity, extent, duration, quality, or degree" (Webster). Concept does not convey such a broadly measurable idea. This is illustrated by contrasting its usage with the examples given by Webster: "all the wheat; all the year; all this;" nor does it fit the extended range of ideas to which one can apply measures like "greatest possible; complete; perfect;" as in "all happiness; with all speed; in all kindness--imagine similar phrases with concept: "in all concept," "with all concept."
195 | 3 | 10 | 2074 | 5 | Poutaenus taught Clement and then went on to follow Nathaniel | Pantaenus taught Clement and then went on to follow Nathaniel | The correct spelling of this name is Pantaenus. Dr. Sadler, in a March 17, 1959 letter to the Reverend Benjamin Adams of San Francisco, suggested the possible source of the error: "I think the spelling of the name of the teacher in Alexandria is undoubtedly an error in transcribing the manuscript into typewriting. An "an" was undoubtedly transcribed as an "ou". I remember when we were sometimes in doubt as to whether a letter was an "n" or a "u" in the manuscript. Of course, we who were preparing this matter, did not know the name of this teacher so could have easily made this mistake."
196 | 3 | 32 | 2097 | 3 | And the spirit of the Father is in his Son's sons-mortal men. | And the spirit of the Father is in his Sons' sons-mortal men | The plural Sons' is correct in light of the prior sentence which provides the context-"...this life of the Father is in his Sons."

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Alterations to the Text Document