Church History
Joseph Smith’s Revelations, Doctrine and Covenants 65


“Doctrine and Covenants 65,” Joseph Smith’s Revelations: A Doctrine and Covenants Study Companion from the Joseph Smith Papers (2020)

“Doctrine and Covenants 65,” Joseph Smith’s Revelations: A Doctrine and Covenants Study Companion from the Joseph Smith Papers

Doctrine and Covenants 65

Revelation, 30 October 1831

Source Note

Revelation, [Hiram Township, OH], 30 Oct. 1831. Featured version, titled “69 Revelation Oct. 30th. 1831,” copied [ca. Nov. 1831] in Revelation Book 1, p. 112; handwriting of John Whitmer; CCLA. Includes redactions. For more information, see the source note for Revelation Book 1 on the Joseph Smith Papers website.

Historical Introduction

On 30 October 1831, JS dictated a revelation later characterized as a “revelation on prayer.”1 William E. McLellin, who may have been present when the revelation was dictated and who made a copy of it soon after, wrote that it related to Matthew 6:10—the passage of the Lord’s Prayer in which Christ petitions, “Thy kingdom come.”2 Although JS was working on his revision of the Bible at this time, he had already reached the last chapters of Matthew or even the first chapters of Mark. His review of Matthew 6:10 came more than six months earlier, suggesting that the revelation was not connected to the revision of that passage,3 although, as McLellin stated, the two certainly had a thematic tie. The revelation, which declares that the keys of God’s kingdom have been returned to the earth to prepare it for the second coming of Jesus Christ, culminates with a prayer for the growth of that kingdom.

The revelation may have been dictated as part of a church service held at John and Alice (Elsa) Johnson’s home on Sunday, 30 October 1831. McLellin wrote in his journal that he preached there that day in a meeting attended by JS and several others of “the brethren & sisters.”4 McLellin did not refer to this revelation in his journal, but since JS was present, this may have been the venue where the revelation was dictated.

It is unclear who served as scribe for the original manuscript. McLellin inscribed a revelation just the day before,5 but John Whitmer, Sidney Rigdon, and Oliver Cowdery, all of whom had worked or were working as JS’s scribes, were at the Johnson home that Sunday.6 In any case, within three weeks both Whitmer and McLellin made copies of the revelation.7 It is difficult to determine which of the two is the earliest extant version, but because Whitmer’s copy (which he included in Revelation Book 1 and which is featured here) shows less punctuation, it may more closely represent the original.


698 Revelation Oct. 30th. 1831

[1]Hearken & Lo a voice as one sent down from on high who is mighty & powerfull whose going forth is unto the ends of the Earth yea whose voice is unto men prepare ye the way of the Lord make his paths strait9 [2]The keys of the kingdom of God is committed unto man on the Earth10 & from thence shall the Gospel roll forth unto the ends of the Earth as the stone which is hewn from the Mountain without hands shall roll forth untill it hath filled the whole Earth11 [3]yea a voice crying prepare ye the way of the Lord prepare ye the supper of the Lamb12 make ready for the Bridegroom13 [4]pray unto the Lord call upon his holy name make known his wonderfull works. among the people [5]call upon the Lord that his kingdom may go forth upon the Earth that the inhabitants thereof may received it & be prepared for the days to come in the which the Son of man Shall come down in heaven Clothed in the brightness of his glory14 to meet the kingdom of God which is set up on the Earth [6]Wherefore may the kingdom of God go forth that the kingdom of heaven may come that thou O God may be glorified in heaven so on Earth that thine enemies may be subdued15 for thine is the kingdom honour power & glory forever & ever Amen16 [p. 112]

Notes

  1. JS History, vol. A-1, 155.

  2. Revelation, 30 Oct. 1831, in William E. McLellin, Papers, CHL.

  3. Faulring et al., Joseph Smith’s New Translation of the Bible, 64–67.

  4. McLellin, Journal, 30 Oct. 1831.

  5. See Revelation, 29 Oct. 1831 [D&C 66], herein.

  6. McLellin, Journal, 30 Oct. 1831.

  7. McLellin noted in his journal that he copied revelations during a three-week period between 29 October and 16 November. Whitmer made his copy before leaving for Missouri on 20 November. (McLellin, Journal, Oct.–Nov. 1831; Revelation, 30 Oct. 1831, in McLellin, Copies of Revelations, [8]; Whitmer, History, 38, in JSP, H2:49.)

  8. John Whitmer assigned this number to the revelation when recording it in Revelation Book 1.

  9. See Matthew 3:3.

  10. The New Testament records Christ telling Peter that he would receive “the keys of the kingdom of heaven.” A 15 March 1832 revelation declares that the Lord gave JS “the keys of the Kingdom.” Likewise, a history that JS composed circa summer 1832 states that JS also received “the Kees of the Kingdom of God.” (Matthew 16:19; Revelation, 15 Mar. 1832, in JSP, D2:208; JS History, ca. Summer 1832, in JSP, D2:280.)

  11. See Daniel 2:35, 44.

  12. See Revelation 19:9; and Revelation, 1 Aug. 1831 [D&C 58:11], herein.

  13. See Matthew 25:1–13; and Revelation, Oct. 1830–B [D&C 33:17], herein.

  14. About the same time as this revelation was dictated, JS revised Mark 8:38 to read, “He that layeth down his life for my sake & the Gospels, shall come with him, & shall be clothed with his glory, in the cloud, on the right hand of the son of man.” (New Testament Revision 2, part 2, p. 24 [Joseph Smith Translation, Mark 8:43]; see also Faulring et al., Joseph Smith’s New Translation of the Bible, 67.)

  15. See Psalm 81:14; and Revelation, 1 Aug. 1831 [D&C 58:22], herein.

  16. See Matthew 6:13.