A manuscript volume of ancient biblical text. A codex form of manuscript is somewhat like our present book style with the pages piled on one another and joined at one side, generally with stitching. This is contrasted to a scroll, in which the sheets are joined side by side in a series, making one long and continuous piece that is rolled from one or both ends. The codex is much easier to use than is a long scroll. The general conclusion among scholars is that the Hebrews did not use codices until the 2nd or 3rd century A.D. Thus O.T. documents are scrolls, although many N.T. documents are codices. The gold plates from which the book of Mormon was translated were in codex form, joined with three rings on one side.