The Urantia Book – New Enhanced Edition

The Urantia Book

The Urantia Book | Index | Definition of Terms | Pronunciation Guide | Adopted Corrections

Foreword | Part I | Part II | Part III | Part IV

Adopted Corrections to the 1955 Text

Part III Reference Consideration Decision 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: Semi-colon 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: Semi-colon 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 semi-colon 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.