3 Nephi
39 verses
After Jesus finished speaking, he spoke to his disciples one by one and asked them, "What do you want from me after I return to the Father?
And it came to pass when Jesus had said these words, he spake unto his disciples, one by one, saying unto them: What is it that ye desire of me, after that I am gone to the Father?
They all spoke, except for three, saying: We want that after we have lived out our lives, our ministry, to which you have called us, may come to an end, so that we can quickly come to you in your kingdom.
And they all spake, save it were three, saying: We desire that after we have lived unto the age of man, that our ministry, wherein thou hast called us, may have an end, that we may speedily come unto thee in thy kingdom.
He said to them, "You are blessed because you have asked me for this. After you are seventy-two years old, you will come to me in my kingdom, and you will find rest with me.
And he said unto them: Blessed are ye because ye desired this thing of me; therefore, after that ye are seventy and two years old ye shall come unto me in my kingdom; and with me ye shall find rest.
After he spoke to them, he turned to the three and said to them, "What do you want me to do for you when I go to the Father?
And when he had spoken unto them, he turned himself unto the three, and said unto them: What will ye that I should do unto you, when I am gone unto the Father?
They were sad in their hearts because they didn’t dare to tell him what they wanted.
And they sorrowed in their hearts, for they durst not speak unto him the things which they desired.
He said to them, “I know your thoughts, and you have desired the same thing that John, my beloved, who was with me in my ministry before I was lifted up by the Jews, desired from me. ”
And he said unto them: Behold, I know your thoughts, and ye have desired the thing which John, my beloved, who was with me in my ministry, before that I was lifted up by the Jews, desired of me.
You are even more blessed, because you will never experience death; instead, you will live to witness everything the Father does for the children of men, until all things are fulfilled according to the Father’s will, when I come in my glory with the powers of heaven.
Therefore, more blessed are ye, for ye shall never taste of death; but ye shall live to behold all the doings of the Father unto the children of men, even until all things shall be fulfilled according to the will of the Father, when I shall come in my glory with the powers of heaven.
You will never experience the pains of death; when I come in my glory, you will be changed in an instant from mortality to immortality, and then you will be blessed in the kingdom of my Father.
And ye shall never endure the pains of death; but when I shall come in my glory ye shall be changed in the twinkling of an eye from mortality to immortality; and then shall ye be blessed in the kingdom of my Father.
You will not experience pain while you live in the flesh, nor sorrow except for the sins of the world. I will do all this because of what you have asked of me, for you have desired to bring the souls of people to me as long as the world exists.
And again, ye shall not have pain while ye shall dwell in the flesh, neither sorrow save it be for the sins of the world; and all this will I do because of the thing which ye have desired of me, for ye have desired that ye might bring the souls of men unto me, while the world shall stand.
Because of this, you will have a fullness of joy, and you will sit down in my Father's kingdom. Your joy will be complete, just as the Father has given me a fullness of joy. You will be even as I am, and I am even as the Father; and the Father and I are one.
And for this cause ye shall have fulness of joy; and ye shall sit down in the kingdom of my Father; yea, your joy shall be full, even as the Father hath given me fulness of joy; and ye shall be even as I am, and I am even as the Father; and the Father and I are one;
The Holy Ghost testifies of the Father and me, and the Father gives the Holy Ghost to the children of men because of me.
And the Holy Ghost beareth record of the Father and me; and the Father giveth the Holy Ghost unto the children of men, because of me.
When Jesus finished speaking, he touched each of them with his finger except for the three who were to remain, and then he left.
And it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these words, he touched every one of them with his finger save it were the three who were to tarry, and then he departed.
The heavens were opened, and they were taken up into heaven, where they saw and heard things that cannot be described.
And behold, the heavens were opened, and they were caught up into heaven, and saw and heard unspeakable things.
They were forbidden to speak, and they were not given the power to tell the things they saw and heard.
And it was forbidden them that they should utter; neither was it given unto them power that they could utter the things which they saw and heard;
They couldn’t tell whether they were in their bodies or out of them, because it felt to them like a transformation, as if they had been changed from their physical bodies into an immortal state so they could see the things of God.
And whether they were in the body or out of the body, they could not tell; for it did seem unto them like a transfiguration of them, that they were changed from this body of flesh into an immortal state, that they could behold the things of God.
They again ministered on the earth; however, they did not share the things they had heard and seen, because of the commandment given to them in heaven.
But it came to pass that they did again minister upon the face of the earth; nevertheless they did not minister of the things which they had heard and seen, because of the commandment which was given them in heaven.
And now, from the day they were changed, I don’t know whether they were mortal or immortal;
And now, whether they were mortal or immortal, from the day of their transfiguration, I know not;
But this much I know, according to the record that has been given—they went out across the land and ministered to all the people, bringing as many as would believe in their preaching into the church; baptizing them, and everyone who was baptized received the Holy Ghost.
But this much I know, according to the record which hath been given—they did go forth upon the face of the land, and did minister unto all the people, uniting as many to the church as would believe in their preaching; baptizing them, and as many as were baptized did receive the Holy Ghost.
They were thrown into prison by people who weren’t part of the church, but the prisons couldn’t hold them because they were torn apart.
And they were cast into prison by them who did not belong to the church. And the prisons could not hold them, for they were rent in twain.
They were thrown down into the earth, but they struck the earth with the word of God, and by His power they were delivered from the depths of the earth. Because of this, no one could dig pits deep enough to hold them.
And they were cast down into the earth; but they did smite the earth with the word of God, insomuch that by his power they were delivered out of the depths of the earth; and therefore they could not dig pits sufficient to hold them.
They were thrown into a furnace three times and were not harmed.
And thrice they were cast into a furnace and received no harm.
They were thrown into a den of wild beasts twice, and they played with the animals like a child with a young lamb, and were not harmed.
And twice were they cast into a den of wild beasts; and behold they did play with the beasts as a child with a suckling lamb, and received no harm.
They went among all the people of Nephi and preached the gospel of Christ to everyone in the land. The people were converted to the Lord and joined the church of Christ, and the people of that generation were blessed, just as Jesus had promised.
And it came to pass that thus they did go forth among all the people of Nephi, and did preach the gospel of Christ unto all people upon the face of the land; and they were converted unto the Lord, and were united unto the church of Christ, and thus the people of that generation were blessed, according to the word of Jesus.
Now I, Mormon, will stop talking about these things for now.
And now I, Mormon, make an end of speaking concerning these things for a time.
I was about to write the names of those who would never die, but the Lord forbade me; so I am not writing them, because they are hidden from the world.
Behold, I was about to write the names of those who were never to taste of death, but the Lord forbade; therefore I write them not, for they are hid from the world.
I have seen them, and they have served me.
But behold, I have seen them, and they have ministered unto me.
They will be among the Gentiles, and the Gentiles will not know them.
And behold they will be among the Gentiles, and the Gentiles shall know them not.
They will also be among the Jews, and the Jews will not recognize them.
They will also be among the Jews, and the Jews shall know them not.
When the Lord, in his wisdom, decides that they should minister to all the scattered tribes of Israel, and to all nations, families, languages, and people, and bring many souls to Jesus from among them, their desire will be fulfilled because of the convincing power of God that is in them.
And it shall come to pass, when the Lord seeth fit in his wisdom that they shall minister unto all the scattered tribes of Israel, and unto all nations, kindreds, tongues and people, and shall bring out of them unto Jesus many souls, that their desire may be fulfilled, and also because of the convincing power of God which is in them.
They are like the angels of God, and if they pray to the Father in the name of Jesus, they can show themselves to anyone they choose.
And they are as the angels of God, and if they shall pray unto the Father in the name of Jesus they can show themselves unto whatsoever man it seemeth them good.
So, great and marvelous works will be done by them before the important day when everyone must stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
Therefore, great and marvelous works shall be wrought by them, before the great and coming day when all people must surely stand before the judgment-seat of Christ;
Even among the Gentiles, they will do a great and marvelous work before the day of judgment.
Yea even among the Gentiles shall there be a great and marvelous work wrought by them, before that judgment day.
If you had all the scriptures that tell about all the marvelous works of Christ, you would know, according to the words of Christ, that these things must definitely happen.
And if ye had all the scriptures which give an account of all the marvelous works of Christ, ye would, according to the words of Christ, know that these things must surely come.
Woe to anyone who will not listen to the words of Jesus, or to those he has chosen and sent among them. Whoever does not accept the words of Jesus and the words of those he has sent does not accept him, and therefore he will not receive them at the last day.
And wo be unto him that will not hearken unto the words of Jesus, and also to them whom he hath chosen and sent among them; for whoso receiveth not the words of Jesus and the words of those whom he hath sent receiveth not him; and therefore he will not receive them at the last day;
It would be better for them if they had never been born. Do you think you can escape the justice of an offended God, who has been trampled under the feet of men so that salvation could come?
And it would be better for them if they had not been born. For do ye suppose that ye can get rid of the justice of an offended God, who hath been trampled under feet of men, that thereby salvation might come?
Now, as I was speaking about those whom the Lord has chosen, the three who were taken up into heaven, I did not know whether they were changed from mortality to immortality—
And now behold, as I spake concerning those whom the Lord hath chosen, yea, even three who were caught up into the heavens, that I knew not whether they were cleansed from mortality to immortality—
Since I wrote, I have asked the Lord, and he has shown me that there must be a change made to their bodies, or else they would have to experience death.
But behold, since I wrote, I have inquired of the Lord, and he hath made it manifest unto me that there must needs be a change wrought upon their bodies, or else it needs be that they must taste of death;
So, in order for them not to experience death, their bodies were changed so they wouldn't feel pain or sorrow except for the sins of the world.
Therefore, that they might not taste of death there was a change wrought upon their bodies, that they might not suffer pain nor sorrow save it were for the sins of the world.
This change was not the same as the one that will happen at the last day, but there was a change made in them so that Satan had no power over them and could not tempt them. They were made holy in their bodies, and the powers of the earth could not hold them.
Now this change was not equal to that which shall take place at the last day; but there was a change wrought upon them, insomuch that Satan could have no power over them, that he could not tempt them; and they were sanctified in the flesh, that they were holy, and that the powers of the earth could not hold them. 3 Nephi 28:40 And in this state they were to remain until the judgment day of Christ; and at that day they were to receive a greater change, and to be received into the kingdom of the Father to go no more out, but to dwell eternally in the heavens.