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2 Nephi 31


Chapter 31

Nephi tells why Christ was baptizedMen must follow Christ, be baptized, receive the Holy Ghost, and endure to the end to be savedRepentance and baptism are the gate to the strait and narrow path—Eternal life comes to those who keep the commandments after baptism. About 559–545 B.C.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

And now, I would ask of you, my beloved brethren, wherein the Lamb of God did fulfil all righteousness in being baptized by water?

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.

Wherefore, after he was baptized with water the Holy Ghost descended upon him in the form of a dove.

And again, it showeth unto the children of men the straitness of the path, and the narrowness of the gate, by which they should enter, he having set the example before them.

10 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?

11 And the Father said: Repent ye, repent ye, and be baptized in the name of my Beloved Son.

12 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.

13 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 baptismyea, 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.

14 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.

15 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.

16 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.

17 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.

18 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.

19 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.

20 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.

21 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.

      • according to (preposition)

        In a way that agrees with.

      • according to (adverb)

        Concerning; with respect to.

      • after-this-manner (adverb phrase)

        In this way.

      • amen (interjection)

        Let it be so! Often said at the end of religious speeches and prayers.

      • angel (noun)

        Messenger from God. (Some are spirits of people who have or will later live on the earth. Others are people who have been resurrected.)

      • B.C. (noun)

        Before the birth of Christ.

      • baptism (noun)

        A ceremony in which a person is immersed in water to symbolize being cleansed from sin. A person who is baptized becomes a member of Christ’s Church.

      • baptize (verb)

        To perform the ordinance of baptism. In baptism a person is immersed in water to symbolize being cleansed from sin.

      • before (preposition)

        In front of.

      • behold (interjection, archaic)

        Look! See! In fact.

      • beloved (adjective)

        Dear; well-loved.

      • brother, brethren (noun)

        Peer; neighbor; relative; kinsman.

      • cause (adverb phrase)

        Reason.

      • children of men (noun)

        All people.

      • Christ (noun)

        A title for Jesus Christ. The titles Christ and Messiah both mean a king or priest sent by God to save the world.

      • cometh (verb, archaic)

        Comes.

      • commandment (noun)

        Law; order; binding instruction (especially from God).

      • concerning (preposition)

        About.

      • unto (preposition)

        Culminating in.

      • did, didst (verb, archaic)

        A term used before verbs to make them past tense.

      • doctrine (noun)

        Principle or teaching (especially about the gospel).

      • doth, doeth (verb, archaic)

        Does.

      • endure to the end (verb phrase)

        Remain faithful until the end of one’s life.

      • enter (verb)

        To go into.

      • even (adverb)

        In fact.

      • even (adverb)

        Truly; in fact.

      • faith (noun)

        Belief in God, willingness to follow His gospel, and trust in the impressions of the Holy Ghost.

      • Father (proper noun)

        God the Father. He created all life and is the Father of our spirits. He rules all things and is just, righteous, merciful, and loving. He is the father of Jesus Christ.

      • the flesh (noun)

        Mortal life; conditions of mortality.

      • for (conjunction)

        Because.

      • for (conjunction)

        Because; because you see.

      • giveth (verb, archaic)

        Gives.

      • God (proper noun)

        God the Father or His Son, Jesus Christ. God the Father rules all things with perfect justice, mercy, and love. Jesus Christ often speaks and acts for His Father. He suffered so that we could be forgiven of our sins and be resurrected. The Father and Son are separate individuals but are united in purpose.

      • kingdom of God (noun)

        The place where the righteous live in the presence of God in the next life (sometimes called heaven).

      • Son of God (proper noun)

        A title of Jesus Christ. He is Heavenly Father’s Firstborn Child in the spirit and His Only Child in the flesh.

      • hath (verb, archaic)

        Has.

      • have (verb)

        To receive; to get; to obtain.

      • heaven (noun)

        The sky; figuratively, the place where God lives.

      • Holy Ghost (proper noun)

        The Holy Ghost, also known as the Holy Spirit or the Spirit of the Lord. He is a divine spirit, one in purpose with God the Father and Jesus Christ. He speaks to our hearts and testifies of truth.

      • Holy One of Israel (or Jacob) (proper noun)

        A title of Jesus Christ. (Israel and Jacob are names for God’s ancient covenant people, as described in the Bible.)

      • holy (adjective)

        Sacred; divine; without sin; perfect.

      • hope (noun)

        Confidence that one will get something one desires; a spiritual gift to believe in God’s promises.

      • humble oneself (verb)

        To abandon one’s pride.

      • in (preposition)

        With respect to; being obedient to.

      • in my name (adverb phrase)

        By someone with my authority; by someone acting for me.

      • in the name of (adverb phrase)

        By someone with authority or acting for; serving the purposes of.

      • real intent (noun phrase)

        Committed; having an honest desire to do something.

      • Jacob (proper noun)

        Brother of Nephi; author of the third book of the Book of Mormon.

      • Jesus (proper noun)

        Personal name of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. The name means “Savior.”

      • keep (verb)

        To follow; to obey; to live according to.

      • Lamb, Lamb of God (proper noun)

        A title of Jesus Christ. The lamb can represent gentleness, and it can also refer to His role in the Atonement.

      • language (noun)

        The words and grammar that a group of people use to speak with or write to one other.

      • eternal life (noun)

        A state of immortality and joy; the kind of life that God lives.

      • living (adjective)

        Being alive; being immortal and having an exalted life.

      • Lord God (noun)

        A term of respect for God the Father or Jesus Christ.

      • Lord (noun)

        A term of respect for God the Father or Jesus Christ.

      • make an end (verb phrase)

        Finish; stop.

      • man (noun)

        Human beings.

      • men (noun)

        People; humanity.

      • man (noun)

        Human beings.

      • merit (noun)

        Good characteristic or act.

      • might (verb)

        Can; could.

      • nay (adverb)

        No.

      • Nephi (proper noun)

        A prophet, fourth son of Lehi; author of the first two books of the Book of Mormon.

      • O (interjection)

        Oh (spoken when one is filled with emotion or surprise.

      • obedient (adjective)

        Following or complying with commands or instructions.

      • of (preposition)

        By.

      • one God (noun phrase)

        An expression used to describe God the Father and Jesus Christ. They are separate individuals but are united in purpose.

      • prophecy (verb)

        To deliver a message or predict future events by inspiration from God.

      • prophet (noun)

        A person sent by God to speak for Him.

      • receive (verb)

        To get or accept something from someone else.

      • Redeemer (proper noun)

        A title of Jesus Christ. A redeemer is someone who saves another person. Christ rescues us from death and the consequences of sin.

      • remission (noun)

        Pardon; forgiveness; being freed from penalties.

      • repent (verb)

        To feel sorrow for one’s sins, ask to be forgiven, and change one’s life.

      • repentance (noun)

        Feeling sorrow for one’s sins, making amends, changing one’s life, and seeking forgiveness.

      • righteousness (noun)

        Goodness; morality; obedience to God’s commandments.

      • the same (noun)

        That same person.

      • save it be (adverb phrase)

        Except; other than.

      • save it were (adverb phrase)

        Except for.

      • save (preposition)

        Except; unless.

      • save (verb)

        To rescue from death and sin.

      • Savior (adjective)

        A title for Jesus Christ (who saves us from death and sin).

      • shall, should (verb)

        Will, would.

      • shall, should (verb)

        Will, would.

      • should (verb)

        May; must; ought to.

      • shall follow (verb)

        Follow.

      • shall press (verb)

        Press.

      • should (verb)

        Were to.

      • sin (noun)

        An evil act; disobedience to God’s commandments.

      • sin (noun)

        An evil act; disobedience to God’s commandments.

      • Son (proper noun)

        Jesus Christ, the Son of God. He created the earth and rules it. He often speaks and acts for His Father. He suffered so that we could be forgiven of our sins and be resurrected.

      • soul (noun)

        Spirit; the part of us that exists before birth, that continues after death, and that has awareness and the ability to choose.

      • speaketh (verb, archaic)

        Speaks.

      • surely (adverb)

        Definitely.

      • that (conjunction)

        Who.

      • thou (pronoun, archaic)

        You.

      • tongue (noun)

        A language or way of speaking

      • understanding (noun)

        Mind; the sum of what one understands.

      • unshaken (adjective)

        Firm; strong.

      • unto (preposition)

        To.

      • unto (preposition)

        To.

      • like unto (preposition)

        Like; the same as.

      • unto (preposition)

        To.

      • whereby (conjunction)

        By which.

      • wherefore (adverb)

        So you see; therefore.

      • wherefore (adverb)

        So.

      • would (verb)

        Desire to; want to; would like to.

      • with (preposition)

        Through; by means of.

      • witness (verb)

        To testify; to state that something is true based on personal knowledge.

      • word (noun)

        Message; teachings.

      • word (noun)

        Command; instruction.

      • work (verb)

        To do; to perform.

      • world (noun)

        All human beings.

      • would that ye should (verb)

        Want you to.

      • ye (pronoun, archaic)

        You.

      • yea (interjection, archaic)

        Indeed; yes. This is pronounced “yay.”