Adopted Corrections to the 1955 Text

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Adopted Corrections to the 1955 Text

The following list provides all adopted corrections to the 1955 text. All considerations were reviewed by the Standard Reference Text Committee members and then approved by the Foundation’s board of trustees. For a more detailed list including all items considered, please visit https://www.urantia.org/standard-referencing-system/standardized-reference-text-committee-summary-report-all-items.

References materials in this document include:

The Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS)
Oxford English Dictionary of 1933 (OED)
Webster’s New International Dictionary, Second Edition of 1934

Reference

Consideration

Decision

0:1.24 (3.11)

1955 text: Absolute perfection in no direction, relative perfection in all other manifestations

Review: Absolute perfection in no direction, relative perfection in all manifestations

Adopted: The word other removed. 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.

0:4.3 (7.1)

1955 text: Deified reality embraces all of infinite Deity potentials

Review: Deified reality embraces all infinite Deity potentials

Adopted: The 1955 construction, all of infinite Deity potentials, is awkward because all of is used to modify potentials without the latter being qualified by a limiting adjective.

11:7.7 (125.1)

1955 text: The relatively quiet zone between the space levels

Review: The relatively quiet zones between the space levels

Adopted: The plural agrees with the verb are.

12:4.15 (134.4)


1955 text: the greatest of all such distortions arises because the vast universes of outer space

Review: the greatest of all such distortions arises because the vast universes of outer space,

Adopted: The comma after outer space is required to set off the parenthetical phrase concluded with the subsequent comma.

24:1.11 (266.1)

1955 text: Tertiary Circuit Supervisor No. 572,842 has functioned

Review: Tertiary Circuit Supervisor number 572,842 has functioned

Adopted: The spelled-out version, number, is appropriate in this context.

28:6.4 (314.3)

1955 text: The Significance of Origins are the living ready-reference genealogies

Review: The Significances of Origins are the living ready-reference genealogies

Adopted: The plural, Significances, is required to agree with the verb are, and its construction is paralleled by the formation of the plural Discerners of Spirits.

28:6.8 (315.1)

1955 text: the Significance of Origins teach these ascenders

Review: the Significances of Origins teach these ascenders

Adopted: The plural, Significances, is required to agree with the verb are, and its construction is paralleled by the formation of the plural Discerners of Spirits.

29:4.23 (326.5)

1955 text: the Seven Supreme Power Directors and the Seven Central Supervisors

Review: the Seven Supreme Power Directors and the Seven Center Supervisors

Adopted: There is no other reference to Seven Central Supervisors in the text, but there are multiple references to Seven Center Supervisors who function closely with the Supreme Power Directors.

30:3.12 (340.1)

1955 text: beings enroute elsewhere who pause

Review: beings en route elsewhere who pause

Adopted: The original enroute is incorrect French and is not the form that has been adopted into English.

36:3.6 (400.1)

1955 text: subsequently add any thing new or supplemental

Review: subsequently add anything new or supplemental

Adopted: The closed word is the correct choice in this case.

37:8.3 (413.6)

1955 text: Andovontia is the name of the secondary Universe Circuit Supervisor

Review: Andovontia is the name of the tertiary Universe Circuit Supervisor

Adopted: 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.

41:1.1 (455.5)

1955 text: Within the domain of this Paradise Son of God the Supreme Power Centers

Review: Within the domain of this Paradise Son of God, the Supreme Power Centers

Adopted: By indicating the end of the initial prepositional phrase, a comma after Son of God does greatly assist the reader.

41:4.4 (460.1)


1955 text: having become sixty thousand times as dense as your sun

Review: having become forty thousand times as dense as your sun

Adopted: Textual consistency and current scientific estimates of our sun’s density both support the correction to forty thousand.

42:5.1 (474.5)

1955 text: ten octaves up are the X rays, followed by the Y rays of radium

Review: ten octaves up are the X rays, followed by the gamma rays of radium

Adopted: Y rays written out as gamma rays.

42:6.7 (477.1)

1955 text: an electron weighs a little less than 1/2,000th of the smallest atom

Review: an electron weighs a little more than 1/2,000th of the smallest atom

—also—

1955 text: The positive proton... weighs from two to three thousand times more

Review: The positive proton... weighs almost two thousand times more


Adopted: The corrected wording is consistent with 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.

—also—

Adopted: 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 being 1:1700 in 1897; 1:2000 in 1904; and 1:1845 by 1922. This last ratio is also the one quoted in the 1934 Webster’s.

42:10.1 (480.4)

1955 text: The endless sweep of relative cosmic reality from the absoluteness of Paradise monota

Review: The endless sweep of relative cosmic reality, from the absoluteness of Paradise monota

Adopted: The comma after cosmic reality correctly separates the following parenthetical phrase.

43:1.6 (486.5)

1955 text: established almost four thousand years ago, immediately after the announcement

Review: established almost forty thousand years ago, immediately after the announcement

Adopted: The announcement that Michael had selected Urantia as the theater for his final bestowal was made shortly after the default of Adam and Eve which occurred about 37,800 years ago.

43:8.2 (494.1)

1955 text: While you are rekeyed each time

Review: While you are re-keyed each time

Adopted: The only other occurrence of re-keyed is in hyphenated form at 48:2.21.

44:0.1 (497.1)

1955 text: divisional and universe headquarters worlds, may be found

Review: divisional and universe headquarters worlds may be found

Adopted: Comma removed. Though the comma in the 1st printing is technically acceptable, it makes the sentence more difficult to read.

45:5.6 (515.5)

1955 text: Some time they hope to be granted virtually complete

Review: Sometime they hope to be granted virtually complete

Adopted: The closed form is correct as the reference is to an indefinite point in time rather than to an indefinite period of time.

46:2.6 (521.3)

1955 text: training spheres of the universe, the superuniverse, and of Havona

Review: training spheres of the universe, the superuniverse, and Havona

Adopted: Parallel structure established by removing the word of.

51:5.6 (586.3)

1955 text: In your world, even in the face of

Review: On your world, even in the face of

Adopted: Though one knows what the author intends here, this does not appear to be a valid use of in.

53:7.8 (608.4)

1955 text: Of the 681,227 Material Sons lost in Satania

Review: Of the 681,217 Material Sons lost in Satania

Adopted: The correction from 681,227 to 681,217 was made because of the original’s conflict with 51:1.5: “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.

55:4.17 (628.5)

1955 Text: On the worlds the Trinity Teacher Sons appear in new roles

Review: On these worlds the Trinity Teacher Sons appear in new roles

Adopted: The demonstrative adjective these distinguishes which worlds are being discussed (worlds in the fourth stage of light and life), and the sentence becomes completely clear and precise.

56:7.8 (643.2)

1955 text: on the other hand the new orders of beings

Review: on the other hand, the new orders of beings

Adopted: The structure of the sentence calls for a comma following on the other hand.

57:1.4 (651.6)


1955 text: 900,000,000,000 years ago the Uversa archives testify

Review: 900,000,000,000 years ago, the Uversa archives testify

Adopted: The comma inserted after ago correctly couples with the preexisting comma after testify to properly enclose the descriptive phrase.

58:1.7 (665.2)

1955 text: On a planet where life has a marine origin the ideal conditions

Review: On a planet where life has a marine origin, the ideal conditions

Adopted: Comma added after marine origin.

58:2.1 (665.4)

1955 text: the planetary atmosphere filters through to the earth about one two-billionths

Review: the planetary atmosphere filters through to the earth about one two-billionth

Adopted: The singular is correct. Compare, for example: one two-hundredth, one ten-thousandth.

59:1.1 (673.1)

1955 text: Ameba are typical survivors

Review: Amebas are typical survivors

Adopted: The plural is required here to agree with are typical survivors.

59:1.17 (674.3)

1955 text: making that now ice-mantled continent a veritable tropic Paradise

Review: making that now ice-mantled continent a veritable tropic paradise

Adopted: The word paradise should be in the lower case.

59:2.12 (676.3)

1955 text: The bivalve gastropods. . .embrace the muscles, clams, oysters, and scallops

Review: The bivalve gastropods. . .embrace the mussels, clams, oysters, and scallops

Adopted: Muscles was an acceptable variant at the time of the writing of The Urantia Book (Webster’s, 1934), but the form is now so uncommon for this meaning that the modern form mussels has been adopted.

59:4.18 (680.2)

1955 text: one of the longest periods of marine-life evolution, the age of fishes

Review: one of the longest periods of marine-life evolution, the age of fishes


Adopted: The article the removed from italics. The subject sentence is the only one of three such constructions (the age of ferns and the age of frogs) in which the is italicized.

60:3.8 (689.7)

1955 text: 85,000,000 years ago Bering Strait closed

Review: 85,000,000 years ago the Bering Strait closed

Adopted: Even though the usage was correct when The Urantia Book was written, it is now so unfamiliar that the insertion of the is justified.

60:3.20 (691.1)

1955 text: But some time previously there had appeared

Review: But sometime previously there had appeared

Adopted: The closed form is correct as the reference is to an indefinite point in time rather than to an indefinite period of time.

61:0.2 (693.2)

1955 text: during this sector of time the Panama Isthmus went up

Review: during this sector of time the Panama isthmus went up

—also—

1955 text: three times Bering Strait land bridge did the same

Review: three times the Bering Strait land bridge did the same


Adopted: Capitalization is used for the formal name of a geographical feature, but not otherwise.

—also—

Adopted: Even though the usage was correct when The Urantia Book was written, it is now so unfamiliar that the insertion of the is justified.

61:3.4 (696.8)

1955 text: Bering Strait land bridge was up

Review: The Bering Strait land bridge was up

Adopted: Even though the usage was correct when The Urantia Book was written, it is now so unfamiliar that the insertion of The is justified.

61:3.13 (697.8)

1955 text: Weasels, martins, otters, and raccoons

Review: Weasels, martens, otters, and raccoons

Adopted: Even if originally correct, this usage of martins is no longer current, and the modernization of the spelling is justified.

61:7.5 (701.4)

1955 text: reached south to cover most of the State of Iowa

Review: reached south to cover most of the state of Iowa


Adopted: Capitalization removed from State.

61:7.18 (702.8)

1955 text: corresponding to the beginning of the Holocene or postglacial period

Review: corresponding to the beginning of the Holocene or postglacial period

Adopted: All other geologic periods are italicized; including Pleistocene and Cenozoic on this same page.

69:3.9 (774.8)

1955 text: the flint flakers and stonemasons

Review: the flint flakers and stone masons

Adopted: The original stonemasons is a valid form, but of nine occurrences in the text this is the only instance in which the compound form is found. The spelling has been standardized to the open form.

74:2.8 (830.3)

1955 text: The dispensation of the Prince has passed, the age of Adam

Review: The dispensation of the Prince has passed; the age of Adam

Adopted: The initial clause is a complete sentence; a semicolon is the correct way of linking the two parts of the larger sentence.

76:2.3 (848.3)

1955 text: In the days of the first Eden Adam had indeed

Review: In the days of the first Eden, Adam had indeed

Adopted: The comma after Eden appropriately separates the initial adverbial phrase from the remainder of the sentence.

77:3.1 (858.2)

1955 text: the plan of Bablot, a descendant of Nod, was indorsed

Review: the plan of Bablot, a descendant of Nod, was endorsed

Adopted: In light of the current obsolescence of the original indorsed, the modern form endorsed is justified.

77:3.4 (858.5)

1955 text: Three differing views were propounded as to the purpose of building the tower.

Review: Three differing views were propounded as to the purpose of building the tower:

Adopted: This sentence clearly introduces the following list, so the colon is appropriate.

77:7.6 (863.7)


1955 text: And they brought to Him all sorts of sick peoples

Review: And they brought to Him all sorts of sick people

Adopted: Peoples indicate not multiple individuals but multiple large groups of people. Peoples has been corrected to people.

78:2.3 (870.1)

1955 text: was there a civilization in anyway comparable

Review: was there a civilization in any way comparable

Adopted: The two-word form any way is the appropriate choice when serving as an adverb.

79:3.5 (881.5)

1955 text: religious, philosophic, and commerical civilization of the world

Review: religious, philosophic, and commercial civilization of the world

Adopted: Simply a spelling error in typesetting.

79:5.6 (883.7)


1955 text: and when the land passage to the west, over the Bering isthmus,

Review: and when the land passage to the West, over the Bering isthmus,

Adopted: West is referring to the Western Hemisphere, thus indicating a place rather than a direction of travel.

79:8.3 (887.3)


1955 text: following the disruption of Graeco-Roman civilization

Review: following the disruption of Greco-Roman civilization

Adopted: The origin of the variants in the text (two usages with Graeco- in Part III, nine usages with Greco- in Part IV) may be related to an evolution in recommended spellings between the 1927 and 1937 editions of CMOS. The more modern form was decided upon.

80:5.8 (894.1)

1955 text: Central Europe was for sometime controlled by the blue man

Review: Central Europe was for some time controlled by the blue man

Adopted: The two-word form is correct as the reference is to an indefinite period of time; not an indefinite point in time.

80:7.1 (895.1)

1955 text: there persisted for sometime a superior civilization

Review: there persisted for some time a superior civilization

Adopted: The two-word form is correct because the reference is to an indefinite period of time; not an indefinite point in time.

83:7.6 (928.7)

1955 text: a life-long partnership of self-effacement

Review: a lifelong partnership of self-effacement

Adopted: Standardization was decided here, as out of the ten occurrences of lifelong or life-long in the text, only this and 89:8.1 were hyphenated.

84:7.7 (940.3)

1955 text: 4. The enhancement of parental instinct. Each generation

Review: 4. The enhancement of parental instinct—each generation

Adopted: The correction from instinct. Each to instinct—each makes this section consistent with the other three items of this series.

86:5.17 (955.5)

1955 text: The children of Badanon developed a belief in

Review: The children of Badonan developed a belief in

Adopted: Badonan is the correct spelling.

87:3.3 (960.7)

1955 text: adopting children was to make sure that some one would provide

Review: adopting children was to make sure that someone would provide

Adopted: The compound form is used when the group of which the ‘one’ is a member is not specified.

87:5.5 (962.6)

1955 text: The whole phallic cult grew up as a defense against evil eye

Review: The whole phallic cult grew up as a defense against the evil eye

Adopted: The phrase evil eye without an article seems extremely stilted.

88:6.7 (972.7)

1955 text: intelligent human beings still believe in good luck, evil eye, and astrology

Review: intelligent human beings still believe in good luck, the evil eye, and astrology

Adopted: The phrase evil eye without an article seems extremely stilted.

89:3.1 (976.3)

1955 text: Soon it became the custom to forego many forms

Review: Soon it became the custom to forgo many forms

Adopted: The corrected spelling of forgo is etymologically preferable and so has been adopted.

89:4.9 (978.6)

1955 text: 5,740,352 sacks of coin

Review: 5,740,352 sacks of corn

Adopted: The list of gifts to the Gods in The Urantia Book is excerpted from the Harris Papyrus I, which predates the earliest significant presence of coins in Egypt by 650-750 years.

89:8.1 (982.5)

1955 text: with dedication to life-long virginity

Review: with dedication to lifelong virginity

Adopted: Standardization was decided upon here, as out of the ten occurrences of lifelong or life-long in the text, only this and 83:7.6. were hyphenated.

90:2.9 (988.5)


1955 text: the Shawnee Teuskwatawa, who predicted the eclipse of the sun

Review: the Shawnee Tenskwatawa, who predicted the eclipse of the sun
—also—

1955 text: who predicted the eclipse of the sun in 1808 and denounced

Review: who predicted the eclipse of the sun in 1806 and denounced

Adopted: Tenskwatawa is the standard transliteration for the Shawnee prophet’s name.

—also—

Adopted: The date in the text here has been corrected because the incident actually occurred in 1806.

92:7.7 (1013.2)

1955 text: 1. Level values—loyalties

Review: 1. Level of values—loyalties

Adopted: Level values has no discernible meaning in this context; Level of values is not only meaningful, but consistent with the context, and is also a parallel construction to the other three items in this series.

93:5.8 (1019.5)

1955 text: It required great determination for Abraham to forego

Review: It required great determination for Abraham to forgo

Adopted: The corrected spelling of forgo is etymologically preferable and so has been adopted.

94:4.6 (1031.7)

1955 text: ancient gods of the Aryans, such as Agni, Indra, Soma, have persisted

Review: ancient gods of the Aryans, such as Agni, Indra, and Soma, have persisted

Adopted: 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.

94:5.6 (1033.1)


1955 text: known as Shinto, and in this country, far distant from Salem

Review: known as Shinto, and in this country, far-distant from Salem

Adopted: Of the 38 occurrences in the text, this was the only instance of the un-hyphenated form far distant. The decision to standardize usage is in agreement with Webster’s of 1934.

94:6.3 (1033.6)


1955 text: He taught that “man’s eternal destiny was everlasting union with Tao

Review: He taught that man’s eternal destiny was “everlasting union with Tao

Adopted: 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 nor of the Paper’s author. The relocation of the opening quotation mark resolves the difficulty.

95:1.3 (1042.4)

1955 text: Such teaching gained the ascendency for more than

Review: Such teaching gained the ascendancy for more than

Adopted:Ascendancy is first choice of Webster’s though both forms are in about equal usage, but ascendant is definitely preferred above asendent. Out of five instances, ascendancy is found three times, ascendency twice.

95:7.1 (1050.6)

1955 text: in the Arabian desert under his leadership

Review: in the Arabian Desert under his leadership

Adopted: The formatting of geographic names is covered by CMOS; the correct form is Arabian Desert.

96:3.1 (1055.4)

1955 text: from Egypt to the Arabian desert under his leadership

Review: from Egypt to the Arabian Desert under his leadership

Adopted: The formatting of geographic names is covered by CMOS; the correct form is Arabian Desert.

96:4.6 (1057.2)

1955 text: But none the less he sought to enlarge their concept

Review: But nonetheless he sought to enlarge their concept

Adopted: None the less is used where the meaning is roughly equivalent to no less, and nonetheless is interchangeable with nevertheless and is used when the meaning approximates “even so.”.

97:5.6 (1067.3)

1955 text: do justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."

Review: do justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God?"

Adopted: Aside from a couple of modernizations, this quote is from, and is punctuated as found in, the Revised Version Bible.

97:9.23 (1074.5)

1955 text: The fall of Assyria and the ascendency of Egypt brought

Review: The fall of Assyria and the ascendancy of Egypt brought

Adopted: Ascendancy is first choice of Webster’s though both forms are in about equal usage, but ascendant is definitely preferred above asendent. Out of five instances, ascendancy is found three times, ascendency twice.

98:4.1 (1081.4)

1955 text: The majority of people in the Graeco-Roman world

Review: The majority of people in the Greco-Roman world

Adopted: The origin of the variants in the text (two usages with Graeco- in Part III, nine usages with Greco- in Part IV) may be related to an evolution in recommended spellings between the 1927 and 1937 editions of CMOS. The more modern form was decided upon.

100:4.4 (1098.1)

1955 text: If some one irritates you, causes feelings of resentment

Review: If someone irritates you, causes feelings of resentment

Adopted: The two-word form is appropriate when referring to some one member of a particular group.

100:4.5 (1098.2)

1955 text: Only in the second sketch you are favored

Review: Only, in the second sketch you are favored

Adopted: 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....

101:3.5 (1108.4)

1955 text: adverse ani malistic tendencies. [missing hyphen at end of line]

Review: adverse ani- malistic tendencies. [hyphen inserted]

Adopted: The required hyphen (the word being broken in the middle by the end of a line), was missing in the original text.

101:6.13 (1113.2)

1955 text: cosmic levels of the Supreme mind and

Review: cosmic levels of the Supreme Mind and

Adopted: CMOS has steadfastly recommended capitalization for names for Deity. Therefore, when using Supreme Mind as a two-word noun/name, Mind should be capitalized.

102:3.5 (1122.1)

1955 text: to the consciousness of true reality; while the

Review: to the consciousness of true reality; while the

Adopted: Semicolon italicized. The first rule of punctuation in CMOS is “All punctuation marks should be printed in the same type as the word or letter immediately preceding them.

102:3.11 (1122.7)

1955 text: Science indicates Deity as a fact; philosophy presents

Review: Science indicates Deity as a fact; philosophy presents

Adopted: Semicolon italicized. The first rule of punctuation in CMOS is “All punctuation marks should be printed in the same type as the word or letter immediately preceding them.

102:8.4 (1127.8)

1955 text: Ethics is the eternal social or racial mirror

Review: Ethics is the external social or racial mirror

Adopted: While it may be possible to extract some meaning from the original wording, correcting eternal to external on the basis of an assumed keystroke error suddenly makes the sentence not only clear in meaning, but also reveals a contrastive point which is completely absent from the original.

105:3.8 (1156.5)

1955 text: Unifier of the deified and the undeified; corelater of the

Review: Unifier of the deified and the undeified; correlator of the

Adopted: Although it is possible that the original word was a coined extension of corelation and corelative, it is not readily apparent how corelater would differ in meaning from correlator, the now standard form, which is found five times elsewhere in the text.

105:3.9 (1156.6)

1955 text: is invalidated by the eternity co-existence of the Son

Review: is invalidated by the eternity coexistence of the Son

Adopted: The hyphenated form is not found elsewhere in the text and is not supported by the guidelines of CMOS or the reference dictionaries.

106:5.1 (1167.2)

1955 text: the union of God the Supreme, God the Ultimate, and the Unrevealed Consummator of

Review: the union of God the Supreme, God the Ultimate, and the unrevealed Consummator of

Adopted: The lowercase version is correct because unrevealed is solely descriptive (the title being found in several places without unrevealed preceding it).

106:5.2 (1167.3)

1955 Text: unknown potential of Supreme mind

Review: unknown potential of Supreme Mind

Adopted: CMOS has steadfastly recommended capitalization for names for Deity. Therefore, when using Supreme Mind as a two-word noun/name, Mind should be capitalized.

109:7.2 (1201.3)

1955 text: Personalized Thought Adjusters are the untrammelled

Review: Personalized Thought Adjusters are the untrammeled

Adopted: Although both variants are acceptable, untrammeled is the consistent usage elsewhere in the text and is preferred by CMOS.

110:3.4 (1206.2)

1955 text: wholly compatible with a light-hearted and joyous life

Review: wholly compatible with a lighthearted and joyous life

Adopted: All other occurrences in the text follow the compound form, lighthearted, with the possible exception of one which is hyphenated at a line break.

111:0.4 (1215.4)

1955 text: the ka and the ba; the soul

Review: the ka and the ba; the soul

Adopted: The semicolon should be italicized.

112:1.7 (1226.11)

1955 text: Vertical depth embraces the organismal drives and attitudes

Review: Vertical depth embraces the organismal drives and attitudes

Adopted: Vertical and depth should both be italicized as together they form the substantive paralleled by the other items in the context.

114:3.2 (1252.6)

1955 text: while the united midwayers, since the departure of

Review: while the United Midwayers, since the departure of

Adopted: United Midwayers is the usual form of the term.

118:6.2 (1299.5)

1955 text: And none of this philosophy does any violence to the freewillness of the myriads of

Review: And none of this philosophy does any violence to the free-willness of

Adopted: Free-willness is found at four other locations in the text and in all instances it refers to an attribute or characteristic of a being or beings.

118:6.8 (1300.4)

1955 text: But to accept the fallacy of omnificence is to embrace the colossal error of Pantheism

Review: But to accept the fallacy of omnificence is to embrace the colossal error of pantheism

Adopted: Though religions and even philosophical schools are normally capitalized, pantheism is more of a philosophical concept and is not capitalized.

119:8.8 (1319.1)

1955 text: this same Jesus has promised some time to return

Review: this same Jesus has promised sometime to return

Adopted: The closed form of sometime is correct.

119:8.9 (1319.2)

1955 text: [This paper. . .in the year A.D. 1935 of Urantia time.]

Review: This paper. . .in the year A.D. 1935 of Urantia time.]

Adopted: 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.

Part IV (1321)

1955 text: twelve Urantia Midwayers acting under the supervision of a Melchizedek Revelatory Director. The basis of this narrative was supplied by a secondary Midwayer

Review: twelve Urantia midwayers acting under the supervision of a Melchizedek revelatory director. The basis of this narrative was supplied by a secondary midwayer

Adopted: Capitalization removed. All three of these corrections reflect the adoption of the style for the descriptive information on the title page for Part IV.

121:7.3 (1340.1)

1955 text: one who did not hestitate to clash with dogmas

Review: one who did not hesitate to clash with dogmas

Adopted: Simple typesetting spelling error.

123:2.3 (1357.7)

1955 text: one month before his fifth birthday anniversay

Review: one month before his fifth birthday anniversary

Adopted: Simple typesetting spelling error.

124:1.12 (1368.1)

1955 text: on pleasure or business to nearby Cana, Endor, and Nain

Review: on pleasure or business to near-by Cana, Endor, and Nain

Adopted: All other instances of near-by as an adjective are hyphenated; consistent adjective usage supports this correction..

125:1.5 (1379.1)

1955 text: around to view the “gate beautiful,” the artistic gate

Review: around to view the “Gate Beautiful,” the artistic gate


Adopted: Gate Beautiful is clearly one name for this gate; therefore capitalization is appropriate.

126:1.2 (1387.2)

1955 text: Not far away he could look upon Tannach, where

Review: Not far away he could look upon Taanach, where

Adopted: Taanach is the correct spelling and standard transliteration of the name.

126:1.5 (1387.5)

1955 text: some superhuman or miraculous peformance

Review: some superhuman or miraculous performance

Adopted: Simple typesetting spelling error.

130:6.3 (1437.3)

1955 text: its abject fear-slave and the bond-servant of depression

Review: its abject fear-slave and the bond servant of depression

Adopted: Bond servant is found in three different forms in the first printing. The only form found in Webster’s is the open form (bond servant). Therefore, the decision was made to standardize on that form.

133:1.5 (1470.1)

1955 text: and even if any one should be so unthinking

Review: and even if anyone should be so unthinking

Adopted: Anyone is correct if anybody could be substituted.

133:7.9 (1480.1)

1955 text: Without the effective functioning of a consciousness sorter and associater there would

Review: Without the effective functioning of a consciousness sorter and associator there would

Adopted: The common form, associator, is the consistent usage elsewhere in the text.

134:3.3 (1485.5)

1955 text: discussions in this school of religion began at 10:00 o’clock

Review: discussions in this school of religion began at ten o’clock

—also—

1955 text: sessions started at 3:00 o’clock

Review: sessions started at three o’clock

—also—

1955 text: debates opened at 8:00 o’clock

Review: debates opened at eight o’clock

Adopted: The spelled-out form for time is clearly supported in CMOS.

134:7.5 (1492.5)

1955 text: Sychar, Schecham

Review: Sychar, Shechem

—also—

1955 text: Caesarea Philippi

Review: Caesarea-Philippi

Adopted: Shechem is the standard transliteration of the name.


—also—

Adopted: Though the open form is in more common use, the hyphenated form has been found in texts pre-dating The Urantia Book and is found today in various references. Given the almost universal consistency of usage in the text, the hyphenated form must have been the author’s choice.

134:8.1 (1492.8)

1955 text: Caesarea Philippi

Review: Caesarea-Philippi

Adopted: Correction to hyphenated form.

134:8.9 (1494.2)

1955 text: the so-called “great temptation” of Jesus took place some time before his baptism

Review: the so-called “great temptation” of Jesus took place sometime before his baptism

Adopted: The closed form sometime is correct as the reference is to an indefinite point in time rather than to an indefinite period of time.

135:8.1 (1503.4)

1955 text: brought back to Jesus fresh, first-hand reports

Review: brought back to Jesus fresh, firsthand reports

Adopted: Of the five occurrences of firsthand and first-hand, only this one is hyphenated; no differentiation in usage exists.

135:11.2 (1507.1)

1955 text: friend of the bridegroom who stands near-by and hears him

Review: friend of the bridegroom who stands near by and hears him

Adopted: Consistent adverb usage supports this correction to the open form.

136:3.5 (1513.2)

1955 text: The sovereignty of Michael No. 611,121

Review: The sovereignty of Michael number 611,121

Adopted: The spelled-out version, number, is appropriate in this context.

136:8.3 (1520.4)

1955 text: Throughout all this momentous dialog of Jesus’

Review: Throughout all this momentous dialogue of Jesus’

Adopted: Though this is arguably a more modern and American English form, it is the only instance of the shorter form. Multiple instances of dialogue are found elsewhere.

138:7.4 (1544.3)

1955 text: this was their first clearcut and positive intimation

Review: this was their first clear-cut and positive intimation

Adopted: This word is found eight additional times; all are hyphenated.

139:12.1 (1565.9)

1955 text: Judas’ parents were Sadducees

Review: Judas’s parents were Sadducees

Adopted: The correct form is Judas’s.

140:8.30 (1583.4)

1955 text: He was liberal, bighearted, learned, and tolerant

Review: He was liberal, big-hearted, learned, and tolerant

Adopted: The only other occurrence of this word is hyphenated, so it was decided to standardize on this version.

142:8.4 (1606.1)

1955 text: The Sabbath week ends they usually spent with Lazarus

Review: The Sabbath weekends they usually spent with Lazarus

Adopted: The closed form has become the standard usage, and has been adopted.

143:5.3 (1613.1)

1955 text: Give me this water that I thirst not neither come all the way

Review: Give me this water that I thirst not, neither come all the way

Adopted: The comma properly separates the phrases, making this sentence easier to read.

146:4.1 (1643.2)

1955 text: teach and preach at the week-day evening assemblies

Review: teach and preach at the weekday evening assemblies

Adopted: The closed form has become the standard usage and has been adopted.

147:4.2 (1650.3)

1955 text: for the encouragement of evil doing

Review: for the encouragement of evil-doing

Adopted: There has been a clear preference for the hyphenated form since the seventeenth century.

147:5.1 (1651.5)

1955 text: He was a half-hearted believer

Review: He was a halfhearted believer

Adopted: The closed form is the consistent usage elsewhere in the text. Therefore, the decision was made to standardize on that form.

149:4.1 (1673.1)

1955 text: and the Master among other things said, in reply

Review: and the Master, among other things, said in reply

Adopted: This sentence required two corrections 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 said—to follow things.

149:7.1 (1677.2)

1955 text: and return to Bethsaida some time on Thursday

Review: and return to Bethsaida sometime on Thursday

Adopted: 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)

1955 text: with fetters and chains and confined in one of the grottos

Review: with fetters and chains and confined in one of the grottoes

Adopted: Though both forms are correct, this word is found elsewhere in the text as grottoes. Therefore, the text was standardized on that form.

152:3.2 (1702.3)

1955 text: but you are short-sighted and material-minded

Review: but you are shortsighted and material-minded

Adopted: The closed form is the consistent usage elsewhere.

153:1.7 (1709.1)

1955 text: Jairus’ only reply to all this pleading was

Review: Jairus’s only reply to all this pleading was

Adopted: The correct form is Jairus’s.

153:3.5 (1712.5)

1955 text: He said: “But hearken to me all of you

Review: He said: “But hearken to me, all of you

Adopted: The comma properly separates the phrases, making this sentence easier to read.

157:1.3 (1744.1)

1955 text: The collector accepted the tax, foregoing the penalty for

Review: The collector accepted the tax, forgoing the penalty for

Adopted: The corrected spelling of forgoing is etymologically preferable.

158:4.6 (1756.3)

1955 text: Come out of him you unclean spirit

Review: Come out of him, you unclean spirit

Adopted: The comma properly separates the phrases, making this sentence easier to read.

158:7.1 (1759.3)

1955 text: The apostles had slept very little that night;

Review: The apostles had slept very little that night,

Adopted: The semicolon is too strong a separator. A comma is more appropriate.

159:3.9 (1766.5)

1955 text: there is deliberate evildoing and sinful rebellion

Review: there is deliberate evil-doing and sinful rebellion

Adopted: There has been a clear preference for the hyphenated form since the seventeenth century and it is the form approved by both the OED and Webster’s.

160:3.2 (1777.3)

1955 text: they are at once restful and time-saving

Review: they are at once restful and timesaving

Adopted: Though the original is clear, the closed form is the common one and was approved in Webster’s 1934.

161:2.9 (1786.4)

1955 text: He says that any one who has seen him has seen the Father

Review: He says that anyone who has seen him has seen the Father

Adopted: The closed form is correct.

162:2.4 (1791.2)

1955 text: more wonderful than this Jesus of Nazareth has already done?

Review: more wonderful than this Jesus of Nazareth has already done.

Adopted: This is an indirect question contained within a declarative sentence, so the period is correct.

162:4.3 (1794.2)

1955 text: And then the faithful marched on toward the beautiful gate

Review: And then the faithful marched on toward the Beautiful Gate

Adopted: Beautiful Gate is clearly one name for this gate; therefore capitalization is appropriate.

162:7.2 (1796.4)

1955 text: who commits sin is the bond-servant of sin

Review: who commits sin is the bond servant of sin

—also—

1955 text: And you know that the bondservant is not likely

Review: And you know that the bond servant is not likely

Adopted: The only form found in Webster’s is the open form.

165:0.3 (1817.3)

1955 text: from these regions during the times of Judas Maccabeus

Review: from these regions during the times of Judas Maccabee

Adopted: Although Maccabeus is a more accurate transliteration of the Greek, Maccabee is common in English works and is used in all other occurrences in The Urantia Book..

165:4.8 (1822.3)

1955 text: but their hearts are set upon their own selfish gain’.”

Review: but their hearts are set upon their own selfish gain.’"

Adopted: Quotation marks—single or double—should always enclose a comma or period. This is a rule without exception.

166:3.4 (1829.1)

1955 text: Lord open to us; we would also be great

Review: Lord, open to us; we would also be great

Adopted: In the original format, Lord was the last word in the line, making a dropped comma likely.

167:2.2 (1835.2)

1955 text: I have just bought a farm, and I must needs to go prove it;

Review: I have just bought a farm, and I must needs go to prove it;

Adopted: The original to go is a transposition resulting in a grammatically incorrect formulation.

167:4.3 (1837.2)

1955 text: so that on the second, or even the third, day such a one would

Review: so that on the second or even the third day, such a one would

Adopted: The form with only a comma following day, is the most readable punctuation of any known alternative, pacing the reader smoothly through the sentence and conveying its meaning clearly.

167:5.3 (1838.4)

1955 text: he had become enamoured of a better-looking woman

Review: he had become enamored of a better-looking woman

Adopted: This word is also found at 121:5.6; there, the American spelling, enamored, is used. Both forms are acceptable so in the interests of text standardization the American form was adopted.

168:5.1 (1849.5)


1955 text: until the day of the crucifixion of Jesus

Review: until the days of the crucifixion of Jesus

Adopted: The correction from day to days here is required because the former is inconsistent with the ensuing narrative.

169:3.2 (1854.6)

1955 text: And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, who laid at

Review: And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, who was laid at

Adopted: The authors of Part IV of The Urantia Book generally follow the text of the American Standard Version (ASV) of 1901, with certain modernizations and corrections as needed.

172:3.4 (1881.2)


1955 Text: contradictory so-called Messianic prophesies

Review: contradictory so-called Messianic prophecies

Adopted: Prophesy is the spelling that should be used for the verb (he was prophesying a bumper harvest), whereas prophecy is the correct spelling for the noun (a bleak prophecy of war and ruin).

172:3.6 (1881.4)

1955 text: If any one asks you why you do this, merely say

Review: If anyone asks you why you do this, merely say

Adopted: Anyone is correct if anybody could be substituted.

172:5.2 (1884.1)

1955 text: Andrew was busy watching some of his associates whom he feared might be led

Review: Andrew was busy watching some of his associates who he feared might be led

—also—

1955 text: He was concerned about the attitude of some of the twelve whom he knew were

Review: He was concerned about the attitude of some of the twelve who he knew were

Adopted: The pronoun is the subject of the verb phrase might be led away, not the object of feared; therefore who is the correct form.

—also—

Adopted: The pronoun is the subject of the verb were armed, not the object of knew nor of were armed; therefore who is the correct form.

173:1.3 (1889.1)

1955 text: a coin about the size of a ten cent piece but twice as thick

Review: a coin about the size of a ten-cent piece but twice as thick

Adopted: The hyphenated word ten-cent is the standard form and is specified by CMOS.

176:3.4 (1916.4)

1955 text: make gains for their master except he who received but one talent

Review: make gains for their master except him who received but one talent

Adopted: The pronoun is the object of the preposition except; therefore him is correct.

177:3.7 (1924.3)

1955 text: why he would be willing to forego the great advantage

Review: why he would be willing to forgo the great advantage

Adopted: The corrected spelling of forgo is etymologically preferable.

177:4.1 (1924.5)

1955 text: appointed for shortly after 10 o’clock that morning

Review: appointed for shortly after ten o’clock that morning

Adopted: The spelled-out form for time is clearly supported in CMOS.

177:5.2 (1927.3)

1955 text: still others whom you think love the truth will be

Review: still others who you think love the truth will be

Adopted: The pronoun is the subject of love, not the object of think; therefore who is the correct form.

179:5.9 (1943.2)


1955 text: he said to the twelve: “And as often as you do this

Review: he said to the eleven: “And as often as you do this

—also—

1955 text: and then, by faith, discern that you shall all some time sup with me

Review: and then, by faith, discern that you shall all sometime sup with me

Adopted: There were only eleven apostles with Jesus at this point in the narrative.


—also—

Adopted: The closed form is correct as the reference is to an indefinite point in time rather than to an indefinite period of time.

180:3.1 (1946.6)

1955 text: Be not downcast even when faint-hearted believers turn

Review: Be not downcast even when fainthearted believers turn

Adopted: This adverbial variant is particularly strange in hyphenated form, so the closed form was decided upon.

180:3.4 (1947.3)

1955 text: stations in the Father’s heaven to which you shall some time ascend

Review: stations in the Father’s heaven to which you shall sometime ascend

Adopted: The closed form is correct as the reference is to an indefinite point in time rather than to an indefinite period of time.

184:3.1 (1982.2)

1955 text: on informal charges of law-breaking

Review: on informal charges of lawbreaking

Adopted: Of the five occurrences of lawbreaker and lawbreaking in the text, three are closed and two are hyphenated. There is no differential in meaning indicated by the two forms, so text standardization in the closed form was decided upon.

184:3.15 (1983.7)

1955 text: be done with this law-breaker

Review: be done with this lawbreaker

Adopted: Of the five occurrences of lawbreaker and lawbreaking in the text, three are closed and two are hyphenated. There is no differential in meaning indicated by the two forms, so text standardization in the closed form was decided upon.

186:3.2 (2000.5)

1955 text: Philadelphia, Sidon, Schechem, Hebron

Review: Philadelphia, Sidon, Shechem, Hebron

Adopted: Shechem is the standard transliteration of the name.

186:5.5 (2002.6)


1955 text: relations between man and his Maker on this world

Review: relations between man and his Maker, on this world

Adopted: The addition of the comma after Maker properly sets off the parenthetical phrase that follows.

187:5.1 (2010.2)

1955 text: sandstorms from the Arabian desert

Review: sandstorms from the Arabian Desert

Adopted: The formatting of geographic names is covered by CMOS; the correct form is Arabian Desert.

188:4.3 (2016.8)

1955 text: because of the evildoing of his ancestors

Review: because of the evil-doing of his ancestors

Adopted: There has been a clear preference for the hyphenated form since the seventeenth century and it is the form approved by the OED and Webster’s.

188:4.5 (2016.10)

1955 text: the tendency toward evildoing

Review: the tendency toward evil-doing

Adopted: There has been a clear preference for the hyphenated form since the seventeenth century and it is the form approved by the OED and Webster’s.

190:3.3 (2033.3)

1955 text: It was even suggested that any one claiming to have seen him

Review: It was even suggested that anyone claiming to have seen him

Adopted: Anyone is correct if anybody could be substituted.

191:5.3 (2043.1)

1955 text: the far-away ascetics teach reverence

Review: the faraway ascetics teach reverence

Adopted: Except for this single instance, The Urantia Book uses the closed form.

194:4.6 (2067.1)

1955 text: and determined all their new concept of God and everything else

Review: and determined all their new concepts of God and everything else

Adopted: Though one can determine their new concept or determine their new concepts, the inclusion of all here requires the plural concepts.

195:3.10 (2074.5)

1955 text: Poutaenus taught Clement and then went on to follow

Review: Pantaenus taught Clement and then went on to follow

Adopted: Pantaenus is the correct spelling.

196:3.35 (2097.3)

1955 text: And the spirit of the Father is in his Son’s sons—mortal men

Review: And the spirit of the Father is in his Sons’ sons—mortal men

Adopted: Sons’ appears to be correct in light of the prior sentence which provides the context: this life of the Father is in his Sons.

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