The Structured Edition of the Standard Works is my attempt to make a version of the scriptures in which the layout of the text reflects the internal literary structure and organization that the original authors used. In other words, I’m trying to recreate the outline that the prophets had in mind as they wrote. I try to accomplish this primarily by minimizing the chapter and verse divisions and maximizing the textual structure by using various typographical features such as paragraphing instead of verse breaks, multi-layered headings, coloring any spoken dialogue, digressions in shaded boxes, symbols indicating diverging narratives, bars alongside the text indicating parallel passages, occasional explanatory footnotes, etc. The text itself is the same as standard LDS editions; only the layout has been changed. My hope is that this edition makes the scriptures easier to read and understand.
If you’d like to try your hand at making your own custom version of the scriptures, see my Do-It-Yourself Scriptures page where you can download the Microsoft Word files of each book of scripture to get started.
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More entries in this project will be forthcoming
Related Blog Posts
Printable letter-size version of the page highlighting the features of the Structured Edition
11 Responses to “Structured Edition”
I love this. I can’t wait to see the rest of the standard works done this way!
Thanks, Dusey. I’m almost done with the first draft of the Doctrine and Covenants, if I can just get the darn headers utility to update the scripture references.
I love this! It looks awesome! Years ago, my friend did something similar with his “Scriptures Made Whole” series, but his was really technical. This looks like it will be easier for the average reader. Keep it up! This looks awesome!
Will do! I’m very interested in learning more about your friend’s project, but I couldn’t find anything through Google. Can you tell me more about it? Also, if I could ask, how did you find this site?
Hello Nathan!
I found your site via Debbie through Facebook; she posted a link some time ago, and I just now rediscovered it!
I’ve often thought about how nice it would be to have the scriptures in more of a book form, without verse numbers and chapter headings. I’m a fast and prolific reader, and sometimes the verse structure can slow me down and/or break up the flow of the narrative. So, I’m very very glad I found your site!!
I’ve downloaded all of the final versions you have available (since I actually really like the way you formatted it, and I wouldn’t be likely to format it differently if I did it myself). Is there an email list I can subscribe to so I can get alerts when you’ve posted another section?
Thank you so much for doing this, and good luck in completing it! I’ll keep a look-out for the published final version when it comes out.
I’m glad you’re liking it, Lauren. I originally wanted to remove all chapter and verse numbers, to enable reading it without any distractions, and so it’d look more like the original book. I’d still like to do a version like that eventually.
I’d love to have some way to let readers receive automatic notifications when the site is updated. I know there are plug-ins and extensions for that, but I haven’t found one yet. I’ll keep digging around and looking for one, or if any readers want to recommend one, I’m all ears.
This is an awesome undertaking! So glad your Dad put us on to this website so we can keep up with you! Keep going!
It looks great. I’m just getting a book off to a publisher, on the Book of Mormon, so I know how much work has gone into your project. Keep it up. I look forward to reading it.
Thanks, Pat! Good luck with that book, Grace!
I started a project about a year ago in what i call diagraming using colors and indenting of scriptures to create more sense in the principles, doctrines and purpose of the comments made by The Lord or inspired and those explanatory comments by the author or comments by Mormon creating the record for the Book of Mormon.
I find it fascinating that someone else has made the effort to create a visual effort to maximize clarity. Thank you. I look forward to looking at your efforts. Kev
Thanks, Kev. Even if they’re incomplete, I’d love to see your results, if you don’t mind sharing!