Translation (LDS Church)

In the theology of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, translation refers to being physically changed by God from a mortal human being to an immortal human being. A person that has been translated is referred to as a translated being. A translated being is akin to a resurrected person with the exception that a translated being has never died. Translated beings are said to be "changed so that they do not experience pain or death until their resurrection to immortality." [ [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/gs/t/36 "Guide to the Scriptures: Translated Beings"] ] Both translated and resurrected beings are eternally young and fit, not subject to illness or injury and spend their existences as ministering angels doing things that require physical bodies to perform; for example, where a disembodied spirit can record events as a witness and offer comfort or advice, a physical body is required to perform ordinances such as laying on of hands. Translated beings can appear or disappear the way the resurrected Jesus did in the 24th chapter of Luke.

Latter-day Saints believe that a select number of individuals have been translated. Some of these individuals have been admitted into heaven to await their formal resurrection, while others have been permitted to remain upon the earth until that time. The following are a list of persons that Latter-day Saints believe were translated; the individuals in bold script are the ones that have presumably been admitted into heaven as a translated being:

:* Enoch [ [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/gen/5/24#24 Genesis 5:24] ; [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/heb/11/5#5 Hebrews 11:5] ; [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/dc/107/48-49#48 Doctrine and Covenants 107:48-49] .] :* People of Enoch's City of Zion [ [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/moses/7/21,31,69#21 Moses 7:21, 31, 69] ; [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/dc/38/4#4 Doctrine and Covenants 38:4] ; [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/dc/45/12#12 Doctrine and Covenants 45:12] .] :* Moses [ [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/deut/34/5-6#5 Deuteronomy 34:5-6] ; [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/matt/17/3#3 Matthew 17:3] ; [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/gs/t/34 Guide to the Scriptures: Transfiguration] ; [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/dc/84/25#25 Doctrine and Covenants 84:25] ; [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/alma/45/19#19 Alma 45:19] . Latter-day Saints do not believe that Moses "died", as is reported in Deuteronomy; see other references for clarification.] :* Elijah [ [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/2_kgs/2/11#11 2 Kings 2:11] ; [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/matt/17/3#3 Matthew 17:3] ; [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/dc/110/13#13 Doctrine and Covenants 110:13] ; [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/gs/t/34 Guide to the Scriptures: Transfiguration] .] :* John the Apostle [ [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/john/21/20-24#20 John 21:20-24] ; [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/matt/16/28#28 Matthew 16:28] ; [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/dc/7/1-8 Doctrine and Covenants 7:1-8] . John the Apostle was not taken to heaven alive, but was given power over death that he might live until the Second Coming of Christ, when he will be resurrected.] :* Three Unnamed Nephites [ [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/3_ne/28/4-9#4 3 Nephi 28:4-9] ; [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/3_ne/28/36-40#36 3 Nephi 28:36-40] ; [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/4_ne/1/14#14 4 Nephi 1:14] ; [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/morm/8/10-11#10 Mormon 8:10-11] . Like John the Apostle, the Three Nephites were given power over death that they might live until the Second Coming of Christ, when they will be resurrected.] :* Alma, son of Alma [ [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/alma/45/18-19#18 Alma 45:18-19] ]

Many Latter-day Saints believe that there are also other persons who have been translated, some of whom may also have been taken to heaven; there is some LDS scriptural support for this belief. [ [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/dc/49/8#8 Doctrine and Covenants 49:8] ; [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/heb/13/2#2 Hebrews 13:2] ; [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/3_ne/1/2-3#2 3 Nephi 1:2-3] .]

Similar beliefs about "translation" were also held by other religious groups and sects at various times and places, such as the Buchanites in 18th Century Scotland.

ee also

*List of people who went to heaven alive

References