2 Nephi
21 verses
Now I, Nephi, am finishing my prophesying to you, my beloved brothers. I can only write a few things that I know will definitely happen, and I can only include a few of the words of my brother Jacob.
And now I, Nephi, make an end of my prophesying unto you, my beloved brethren. And I cannot write but a few things, which I know must surely come to pass; neither can I write but a few of the words of my brother Jacob.
The things I have written are enough for me, except for a few words I need to say about the doctrine of Christ. I will speak to you clearly, in the same straightforward way that I prophesy.
Wherefore, the things which I have written sufficeth me, save it be a few words which I must speak concerning the doctrine of Christ; wherefore, I shall speak unto you plainly, according to the plainness of my prophesying.
My soul delights in plainness, because this is how the Lord God works among the children of men. The Lord God gives light to our understanding; he speaks to people in their own language, according to their understanding.
For my soul delighteth in plainness; for after this manner doth the Lord God work among the children of men. For the Lord God giveth light unto the understanding; for he speaketh unto men according to their language, unto their understanding.
I want you to remember that I have spoken to you about the prophet the Lord showed me, who would baptize the Lamb of God, who would take away the sins of the world.
Wherefore, I would that ye should remember that I have spoken unto you concerning that prophet which the Lord showed unto me, that should baptize the Lamb of God, which should take away the sins of the world.
If the Lamb of God, who is holy, needed to be baptized with water to fulfill all righteousness, then how much more do we, being unholy, need to be baptized, even with water!
And now, if the Lamb of God, he being holy, should have need to be baptized by water, to fulfil all righteousness, O then, how much more need have we, being unholy, to be baptized, yea, even by water!
Now I want to ask you, my beloved brothers, how did the Lamb of God fulfill all righteousness by being baptized in water?
And now, I would ask of you, my beloved brethren, wherein the Lamb of God did fulfil all righteousness in being baptized by water?
Don’t you know that he was holy? Even though he was holy, he showed the children of men that, in his mortal body, he humbled himself before the Father and testified to the Father that he would be obedient to him by keeping his commandments.
Know ye not that he was holy? But notwithstanding he being holy, he showeth unto the children of men that, according to the flesh he humbleth himself before the Father, and witnesseth unto the Father that he would be obedient unto him in keeping his commandments.
After he was baptized with water, the Holy Ghost came down upon him in the form of a dove.
Wherefore, after he was baptized with water the Holy Ghost descended upon him in the form of a dove.
It also shows people how straight the path is and how narrow the gate is that they should enter, since he set the example for them.
And again, it showeth unto the children of men the straightness of the path, and the narrowness of the gate, by which they should enter, he having set the example before them.
And he said to the children of men: Follow me. My beloved brothers, can we follow Jesus unless we are willing to keep the commandments of the Father?
And he said unto the children of men: Follow thou me. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, can we follow Jesus save we shall be willing to keep the commandments of the Father?
The Father said: Repent, repent, and be baptized in the name of my Beloved Son.
And the Father said: Repent ye, repent ye, and be baptized in the name of my Beloved Son.
Also, the voice of the Son came to me, saying: Whoever is baptized in my name, the Father will give the Holy Ghost to them, just like He did for me. So, follow me and do the things you have seen me do.
And also, the voice of the Son came unto me, saying: He that is baptized in my name, to him will the Father give the Holy Ghost, like unto me; wherefore, follow me, and do the things which ye have seen me do.
My beloved brothers and sisters, I know that if you follow the Son with a sincere heart, without hypocrisy or deception before God, but with real intent, repenting of your sins and showing the Father that you are willing to take upon yourselves the name of Christ by being baptized—by following your Lord and Savior into the water according to his word—then you will receive the Holy Ghost. Then comes the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost, and you will be able to speak with the tongue of angels and praise the Holy One of Israel.
Wherefore, my beloved brethren, I know that if ye shall follow the Son, with full purpose of heart, acting no hypocrisy and no deception before God, but with real intent, repenting of your sins, witnessing unto the Father that ye are willing to take upon you the name of Christ, by baptism—yea, by following your Lord and your Savior down into the water, according to his word, behold, then shall ye receive the Holy Ghost; yea, then cometh the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost; and then can ye speak with the tongue of angels, and shout praises unto the Holy One of Israel.
My beloved brothers, the voice of the Son spoke to me, saying: After you have repented of your sins and shown the Father that you are willing to keep my commandments by being baptized with water, and have received the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost, and can speak with a new language—even with the language of angels—and then deny me after all this, it would have been better for you if you had never known me.
But, behold, my beloved brethren, thus came the voice of the Son unto me, saying: After ye have repented of your sins, and witnessed unto the Father that ye are willing to keep my commandments, by the baptism of water, and have received the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost, and can speak with a new tongue, yea, even with the tongue of angels, and after this should deny me, it would have been better for you that ye had not known me.
I heard a voice from the Father saying: The words of my Beloved are true and faithful. Whoever endures to the end will be saved.
And I heard a voice from the Father, saying: Yea, the words of my Beloved are true and faithful. He that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved.
My beloved brothers and sisters, I know that unless a person endures to the end by following the example of the Son of the living God, they cannot be saved.
And now, my beloved brethren, I know by this that unless a man shall endure to the end, in following the example of the Son of the living God, he cannot be saved.
Do the things I have told you I saw your Lord and Redeemer do; they were shown to me so you would know the way you should enter. The way you should enter is through repentance and baptism by water; then your sins are forgiven through fire and the Holy Ghost.
Wherefore, do the things which I have told you I have seen that your Lord and your Redeemer should do; for, for this cause have they been shown unto me, that ye might know the gate by which ye should enter. For the gate by which ye should enter is repentance and baptism by water; and then cometh a remission of your sins by fire and by the Holy Ghost.
And then you are on this straight and narrow path that leads to eternal life; you have entered through the gate; you have done what the Father and the Son have commanded; and you have received the Holy Ghost, which testifies of the Father and the Son, fulfilling the promise that he made, that if you entered by this way you would receive it.
And then are ye in this strait and narrow path which leads to eternal life; yea, ye have entered in by the gate; ye have done according to the commandments of the Father and the Son; and ye have received the Holy Ghost, which witnesses of the Father and the Son, unto the fulfilling of the promise which he hath made, that if ye entered in by the way ye should receive.
Now, my beloved brothers and sisters, after you have entered this straight and narrow path, I ask if everything is finished. I tell you, no; you have only come this far by the word of Christ, with unshaken faith in him, relying completely on the merits of him who has the power to save.
And now, my beloved brethren, after ye have gotten into this strait and narrow path, I would ask if all is done? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for ye have not come thus far save it were by the word of Christ with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save.
You must move forward with steadfast faith in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope and love for God and for everyone. If you continue forward, feasting on the word of Christ and enduring to the end, the Father says you will have eternal life.
Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.
My beloved brothers and sisters, this is the way; there is no other way or name given under heaven by which anyone can be saved in the kingdom of God. This is the doctrine of Christ, and the only true doctrine of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, who are one God, forever. Amen.
And now, behold, my beloved brethren, this is the way; and there is none other way nor name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God. And now, behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, and the only and true doctrine of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, which is one God, without end. Amen.