3 Nephi
36 verses
After Jesus ascended into heaven, the crowd dispersed, and everyone took his wife and children and returned to his own home.
And now it came to pass that when Jesus had ascended into heaven, the multitude did disperse, and every man did take his wife and his children and did return to his own home.
News spread quickly among the people, even before it got dark, that the crowd had seen Jesus, that he had ministered to them, and that he would also appear to the crowd again the next day.
And it was noised abroad among the people immediately, before it was yet dark, that the multitude had seen Jesus, and that he had ministered unto them, and that he would also show himself on the morrow unto the multitude.
All night long news about Jesus spread among the people, and so many, an extremely large number, worked hard throughout the night so they could be at the place the next day where Jesus would appear to the crowd.
Yea, and even all the night it was noised abroad concerning Jesus; and insomuch did they send forth unto the people that there were many, yea, an exceedingly great number, did labor exceedingly all that night, that they might be on the morrow in the place where Jesus should show himself unto the multitude.
The next day, when the crowd was gathered together, Nephi and his brother whom he had raised from the dead, whose name was Timothy, and also his son, Jonas, as well as Mathoni, Mathonihah his brother, Kumen, Kumenonhi, Jeremiah, Shemnon, Jonas, Zedekiah, and Isaiah—these were the names of the disciples Jesus had chosen—went out and stood in the middle of the crowd.
And it came to pass that on the morrow, when the multitude was gathered together, behold, Nephi and his brother whom he had raised from the dead, whose name was Timothy, and also his son, whose name was Jonas, and also Mathoni, and Mathonihah, his brother, and Kumen, and Kumenonhi, and Jeremiah, and Shemnon, and Jonas, and Zedekiah, and Isaiah—now these were the names of the disciples whom Jesus had chosen—and it came to pass that they went forth and stood in the midst of the multitude.
The crowd was so large that they divided themselves into twelve groups.
And behold, the multitude was so great that they did cause that they should be separated into twelve bodies.
The twelve taught the crowd and had them kneel on the ground and pray to the Father in the name of Jesus.
And the twelve did teach the multitude; and behold, they did cause that the multitude should kneel down upon the face of the earth, and should pray unto the Father in the name of Jesus.
The disciples also prayed to the Father in the name of Jesus. Then they stood up and served the people.
And the disciples did pray unto the Father also in the name of Jesus. And it came to pass that they arose and ministered unto the people.
After they shared the same words Jesus had spoken—without changing anything— they knelt again and prayed to the Father in the name of Jesus.
And when they had ministered those same words which Jesus had spoken—nothing varying from the words which Jesus had spoken—behold, they knelt again and prayed to the Father in the name of Jesus.
They prayed for what they wanted most, and they wanted to receive the Holy Ghost.
And they did pray for that which they most desired; and they desired that the Holy Ghost should be given unto them.
After they finished praying, they went down to the water’s edge, and the crowd followed them.
And when they had thus prayed they went down unto the water’s edge, and the multitude followed them.
Nephi went down into the water and was baptized.
And it came to pass that Nephi went down into the water and was baptized.
He came up out of the water and started to baptize. He baptized everyone Jesus had chosen.
And he came up out of the water and began to baptize. And he baptized all those whom Jesus had chosen.
When they were all baptized and came up out of the water, the Holy Ghost came upon them, and they were filled with the Holy Ghost and with fire.
And it came to pass when they were all baptized and had come up out of the water, the Holy Ghost did fall upon them, and they were filled with the Holy Ghost and with fire.
They were surrounded as if by fire, which came down from heaven, and the crowd saw it and testified of it. Angels also came down from heaven and ministered to them.
And behold, they were encircled about as if it were by fire; and it came down from heaven, and the multitude did witness it, and did bear record; and angels did come down out of heaven and did minister unto them.
While the angels were ministering to the disciples, Jesus came and stood among them and ministered to them.
And it came to pass that while the angels were ministering unto the disciples, behold, Jesus came and stood in the midst and ministered unto them.
He spoke to the crowd and told them to kneel down again on the ground, and he also told his disciples to kneel down on the ground.
And it came to pass that he spake unto the multitude, and commanded them that they should kneel down again upon the earth, and also that his disciples should kneel down upon the earth.
When they had all knelt down on the ground, he told his disciples to pray.
And it came to pass that when they had all knelt down upon the earth, he commanded his disciples that they should pray.
They began to pray, and they prayed to Jesus, calling him their Lord and their God.
And behold, they began to pray; and they did pray unto Jesus, calling him their Lord and their God.
Jesus left their midst, walked a short distance away, bowed down to the ground, and said:
And it came to pass that Jesus departed out of the midst of them, and went a little way off from them and bowed himself to the earth, and he said:
Father, I thank you for giving the Holy Ghost to those I have chosen; and I have chosen them out of the world because they believe in me.
Father, I thank thee that thou hast given the Holy Ghost unto these whom I have chosen; and it is because of their belief in me that I have chosen them out of the world.
Father, I pray that you will give the Holy Ghost to all those who believe in their words.
Father, I pray thee that thou wilt give the Holy Ghost unto all them that shall believe in their words.
Father, you have given them the Holy Ghost because they believe in me; and you see that they believe in me because you hear them, and they pray to me; and they pray to me because I am with them.
Father, thou hast given them the Holy Ghost because they believe in me; and thou seest that they believe in me because thou hearest them, and they pray unto me; and they pray unto me because I am with them.
Now Father, I pray to you for them, and also for all those who will believe their words, that they may believe in me, so that I may be in them as you, Father, are in me, that we may be one.
And now Father, I pray unto thee for them, and also for all those who shall believe on their words, that they may believe in me, that I may be in them as thou, Father, art in me, that we may be one.
When Jesus finished praying to the Father, he came to his disciples. They continued to pray to him without stopping, and they didn’t use many words, because they were given what they should pray for, and they were filled with desire.
And it came to pass that when Jesus had thus prayed unto the Father, he came unto his disciples, and behold, they did still continue, without ceasing, to pray unto him; and they did not multiply many words, for it was given unto them what they should pray, and they were filled with desire.
Jesus blessed them as they prayed to him; his face smiled upon them, and the light of his face shone on them. They became as white as his face and his garments, and their whiteness was greater than anything else—there could be nothing on earth as white as they were.
And it came to pass that Jesus blessed them as they did pray unto him; and his countenance did smile upon them, and the light of his countenance did shine upon them, and behold they were as white as the countenance and also the garments of Jesus; and behold the whiteness thereof did exceed all the whiteness, yea, even there could be nothing upon earth so white as the whiteness thereof.
Jesus said to them, “Keep praying, ” and they continued to pray without stopping.
And Jesus said unto them: Pray on; nevertheless they did not cease to pray.
He turned away from them again, went a short distance, knelt down on the ground, and prayed to the Father, saying:
And he turned from them again, and went a little way off and bowed himself to the earth; and he prayed again unto the Father, saying:
Father, I thank you that you have purified those I have chosen because of their faith. I pray for them, and also for those who will believe their words, that they may be purified in me through faith in their words, just as they are purified in me.
Father, I thank thee that thou hast purified those whom I have chosen, because of their faith, and I pray for them, and also for them who shall believe on their words, that they may be purified in me, through faith on their words, even as they are purified in me.
Father, I’m not praying for the world, but for those you have given me from the world, because of their faith, that they may be purified in me, that I may be in them as you, Father, are in me, so that we may be one, and that I may be glorified in them.
Father, I pray not for the world, but for those whom thou hast given me out of the world, because of their faith, that they may be purified in me, that I may be in them as thou, Father, art in me, that we may be one, that I may be glorified in them.
After Jesus finished speaking, he returned to his disciples. They prayed to him with unwavering faith, without stopping. He smiled at them again, and they became as white as Jesus.
And when Jesus had spoken these words he came again unto his disciples; and behold they did pray steadfastly, without ceasing, unto him; and he did smile upon them again; and behold they were white, even as Jesus.
He went a little farther away again and prayed to the Father.
And it came to pass that he went again a little way off and prayed unto the Father;
No one can express in words the things he prayed, and no one can write down the words he prayed.
And tongue cannot speak the words which he prayed, neither can be written by man the words which he prayed.
The crowd heard and bore witness, and their hearts were open, and they understood in their hearts the words he prayed.
And the multitude did hear and do bear record; and their hearts were open and they did understand in their hearts the words which he prayed.
The words he prayed were so great and marvelous that they cannot be written down or spoken by anyone.
Nevertheless, so great and marvelous were the words which he prayed that they cannot be written, neither can they be uttered by man.
When Jesus finished praying, he came back to the disciples and said to them, "I have never seen such great faith among all the Jews; because of their unbelief, I could not show them such great miracles.
And it came to pass that when Jesus had made an end of praying he came again to the disciples, and said unto them: So great faith have I never seen among all the Jews; wherefore I could not show unto them so great miracles, because of their unbelief.
I tell you the truth, none of them have seen such great things as you have seen, nor have they heard such great things as you have heard.
Verily I say unto you, there are none of them that have seen so great things as ye have seen; neither have they heard so great things as ye have heard.