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Mosiah 3


Chapter 3

King Benjamin continues his address—The Lord Omnipotent will minister among men in a tabernacle of clay—Blood will come from every pore as He atones for the sins of the world—His is the only name whereby salvation comes—Men can put off the natural man and become Saints through the Atonement—The torment of the wicked will be as a lake of fire and brimstone. About 124 B.C.

And again my brethren, I would call your attention, for I have somewhat more to speak unto you; for behold, I have things to tell you concerning that which is to come.

And the things which I shall tell you are made known unto me by an angel from God. And he said unto me: Awake; and I awoke, and behold he stood before me.

And he said unto me: Awake, and hear the words which I shall tell thee; for behold, I am come to declare unto you the glad tidings of great joy.

For the Lord hath heard thy prayers, and hath judged of thy righteousness, and hath sent me to declare unto thee that thou mayest rejoice; and that thou mayest declare unto thy people, that they may also be filled with joy.

For behold, the time cometh, and is not far distant, that with power, the Lord Omnipotent who reigneth, who was, and is from all eternity to all eternity, shall come down from heaven among the children of men, and shall dwell in a tabernacle of clay, and shall go forth amongst men, working mighty miracles, such as healing the sick, raising the dead, causing the lame to walk, the blind to receive their sight, and the deaf to hear, and curing all manner of diseases.

And he shall cast out devils, or the evil spirits which dwell in the hearts of the children of men.

And lo, he shall suffer temptations, and pain of body, hunger, thirst, and fatigue, even more than man can suffer, except it be unto death; for behold, blood cometh from every pore, so great shall be his anguish for the wickedness and the abominations of his people.

And he shall be called Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Father of heaven and earth, the Creator of all things from the beginning; and his mother shall be called Mary.

And lo, he cometh unto his own, that salvation might come unto the children of men even through faith on his name; and even after all this they shall consider him a man, and say that he hath a devil, and shall scourge him, and shall crucify him.

10 And he shall rise the third day from the dead; and behold, he standeth to judge the world; and behold, all these things are done that a righteous judgment might come upon the children of men.

11 For behold, and also his blood atoneth for the sins of those who have fallen by the transgression of Adam, who have died not knowing the will of God concerning them, or who have ignorantly sinned.

12 But wo, wo unto him who knoweth that he rebelleth against God! For salvation cometh to none such except it be through repentance and faith on the Lord Jesus Christ.

13 And the Lord God hath sent his holy prophets among all the children of men, to declare these things to every kindred, nation, and tongue, that thereby whosoever should believe that Christ should come, the same might receive remission of their sins, and rejoice with exceedingly great joy, even as though he had already come among them.

14 Yet the Lord God saw that his people were a stiffnecked people, and he appointed unto them a law, even the law of Moses.

15 And many signs, and wonders, and types, and shadows showed he unto them, concerning his coming; and also holy prophets spake unto them concerning his coming; and yet they hardened their hearts, and understood not that the law of Moses availeth nothing except it were through the atonement of his blood.

16 And even if it were possible that little children could sin they could not be saved; but I say unto you they are blessed; for behold, as in Adam, or by nature, they fall, even so the blood of Christ atoneth for their sins.

17 And moreover, I say unto you, that there shall be no other name given nor any other way nor means whereby salvation can come unto the children of men, only in and through the name of Christ, the Lord Omnipotent.

18 For behold he judgeth, and his judgment is just; and the infant perisheth not that dieth in his infancy; but men drink damnation to their own souls except they humble themselves and become as little children, and believe that salvation was, and is, and is to come, in and through the atoning blood of Christ, the Lord Omnipotent.

19 For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.

20 And moreover, I say unto you, that the time shall come when the knowledge of a Savior shall spread throughout every nation, kindred, tongue, and people.

21 And behold, when that time cometh, none shall be found blameless before God, except it be little children, only through repentance and faith on the name of the Lord God Omnipotent.

22 And even at this time, when thou shalt have taught thy people the things which the Lord thy God hath commanded thee, even then are they found no more blameless in the sight of God, only according to the words which I have spoken unto thee.

23 And now I have spoken the words which the Lord God hath commanded me.

24 And thus saith the Lord: They shall stand as a bright testimony against this people, at the judgment day; whereof they shall be judged, every man according to his works, whether they be good, or whether they be evil.

25 And if they be evil they are consigned to an awful view of their own guilt and abominations, which doth cause them to shrink from the presence of the Lord into a state of misery and endless torment, from whence they can no more return; therefore they have drunk damnation to their own souls.

26 Therefore, they have drunk out of the cup of the wrath of God, which justice could no more deny unto them than it could deny that Adam should fall because of his partaking of the forbidden fruit; therefore, mercy could have claim on them no more forever.

27 And their torment is as a lake of fire and brimstone, whose flames are unquenchable, and whose smoke ascendeth up forever and ever. Thus hath the Lord commanded me. Amen.

      • abomination (noun)

        Something that is loathsome, offensive, sinful, or sacrilegious.

      • according to (preposition)

        In a way that agrees with.

      • Adam (proper noun)

        The first man on the earth, the ancestor of all people.

      • all manner of (adjective phrase)

        Every kind of.

      • 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 lived or will later live on the earth. Others are people who have been resurrected.

      • as (adverb)

        Like.

      • ascend, ascend up (verb)

        To rise; to go or come up.

      • Atonement (noun)

        Jesus Christ’s suffering and death, which saves us from death and, if we repent, from the consequences of our sins.

      • B.C. (noun)

        Before the birth of Christ.

      • because of (conjunction)

        By reason of; through.

      • before God (adverb phrase)

        In the sight of God; as defined by God.

      • before (preposition)

        In front of.

      • behold (interjection, archaic)

        Look! See! In fact.

      • blessed (adjective)

        Having received help, protection, favors, or gifts from God.

      • brother, brethren (noun)

        Peer; neighbor; relative; kinsman.

      • 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.

      • come unto (verb)

        Be given to.

      • cometh (verb, archaic)

        Comes.

      • command (verb)

        To give a law, order, or binding instruction.

      • concerning (preposition)

        About.

      • concerning (preposition)

        About.

      • declare (verb)

        To announce; to state energetically.

      • devil (noun)

        An evil spirit; a spirit who tries to harm people.

      • doth, doeth (verb, archaic)

        Does.

      • dwell (verb)

        To appear; to stay; to come to rest.

      • even (adverb)

        Specifically.

      • even (adverb)

        Truly; in fact.

      • even that (adverb)

        To the point that; so that.

      • even unto (adverb)

        To the point of; up until.

      • even (adverb)

        In the same way.

      • evil (adjective)

        Wicked; unrighteous; morally wrong; sinful; opposed to God’s laws.

      • exceedingly (adverb)

        Very; extremely.

      • except (conjunction)

        Unless.

      • faith (noun)

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

      • fall of Adam, fall of man (noun)

        Adam and Eve being expelled from the garden of Eden. Since then, all their descendants have been subject to death, human suffering, and sin.

      • fall (verb)

        To leave or be expelled from God’s presence; to become subject to death, human suffering, and sin.

      • found (verb)

        Considered; judged.

      • for behold (conjunction)

        Therefore; so you see.

      • for behold (conjunction)

        Because you see.

      • for (conjunction)

        Because.

      • for (conjunction)

        Because; because you see.

      • forbidden fruit (noun)

        Fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, a tree in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2:17 in the Bible). God told Adam and Eve they must not eat it, and when they disobeyed, they and their descendants became subject to death, human suffering, and sin.

      • from (preposition)

        Starting from or with.

      • full of (adjective)

        Characterized by; having an excess of.

      • go forth (verb)

        To move forward; to go out.

      • 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.

      • 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.

      • guilt (noun)

        Being worthy of punishment for sins; feelings of sorrow for having done something wrong.

      • harden one’s heart (verb phrase)

        Make or become stubborn, wicked, or resistant to good influences.

      • hath (verb, archaic)

        Has.

      • heart (noun)

        A person’s thoughts, desires, and feelings.

      • heaven (noun)

        The sky; figuratively, the place where God lives.

      • heaven (noun)

        The place where God lives.

      • Holy Spirit (noun)

        The Holy Spirit, also known as 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 (adjective)

        Sacred; pure; sent by God.

      • humble oneself (verb)

        To abandon one’s pride.

      • humble (adjective)

        Not proud.

      • if they be (phrase)

        If they are.

      • Jesus Christ (proper noun)

        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.

      • judge (verb)

        To decide whether someone has done right or wrong; to decide on someone’s reward or punishment.

      • judged of thy righteousness (verb phrase)

        Judged that you are righteous; judged whether you are righteous.

      • kindred (noun)

        A group of people who are related to each other.

      • king (noun)

        Ruler or leader of a country. Kings are usually the son of the previous king.

      • knoweth (verb, archaic)

        Knows.

      • law (noun)

        The law of Moses, which the people of Israel were required to live before the coming of Jesus Christ in mortality. It included animal sacrifices that symbolized the Atonement of Christ.

      • law of Moses (proper noun)

        Law given by God through Moses to the people of Israel. It included instructions on worship, personal righteousness, family and community relationships, care for the poor, and other subjects. Some parts of the law of Moses, such as animal sacrifice, were to be practiced only until the death of Jesus Christ.

      • 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.

      • Lord (noun)

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

      • make known (verb)

        To teach; to tell; to reveal.

      • man (noun)

        Human beings.

      • men (noun)

        People; humanity.

      • man (noun)

        Human beings.

      • man (noun)

        Adult male human being.

      • every man (noun)

        Each person.

      • may, might (verb)

        Can; could.

      • mighty (adjective)

        Great; wondrous.

      • minister (verb)

        To teach; to serve.

      • miracle (noun)

        Something done by God that seems impossible to human beings; something done by a human through God’s power that would ordinarily be impossible for them.

      • misery (noun)

        Unhappiness; pain, guilt, loss, or discomfort.

      • moreover (adverb)

        Besides; also.

      • nation (noun)

        A large group of people who are related to each other or who have the same language, history, or government; the country where they live.

      • none (pronoun)

        No one.

      • only (conjunction)

        Except.

      • perish (verb)

        To die or be killed; to be lost spiritually.

      • from the presence of (prepositional phrase)

        From being in front of or next to; from receiving inspiration, blessings, or protection from; from being able to live with God in the next life.

      • prophet (noun)

        A person sent by God to speak for Him.

      • rebel (verb)

        To reject or resist the authority of someone; to struggle against a leader; to refuse to obey.

      • receive (verb)

        To get; to have given to you.

      • receive (verb)

        Be given something.

      • reign (verb)

        To control; to rule.

      • rejoice (verb)

        To feel or express great joy.

      • remission (noun)

        Pardon; forgiveness; being freed from penalties.

      • repentance (noun)

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

      • righteous (adjective)

        Good; virtuous; just; consistent with God’s law.

      • rise (verb)

        To be resurrected; to rise from the dead.

      • saints (noun)

        Members of Christ’s Church; individuals become holy through living the principles of the gospel.

      • salvation (noun)

        Being saved by God from death and the effects of sin; being saved by God from enemies or other physical danger.

      • the same (noun)

        That same person.

      • save (verb)

        To rescue from death and sin.

      • Savior (adjective)

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

      • send (verb)

        To cause someone to go to someone or someplace or to do something.

      • shall, should (verb)

        Will, would.

      • shall, should (verb)

        Will, would.

      • shrink (verb)

        To hesitate; to draw back; to seek to avoid out of fear or revulsion.

      • sign (noun)

        A symbolic act or event given by God to show that something is true.

      • sin (noun)

        An evil act; disobedience to God’s commandments.

      • somewhat (adverb)

        Some amount.

      • soul (noun)

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

      • spake (verb, archaic)

        Spoke.

      • state (noun)

        Condition; circumstance.

      • stiffnecked (adjective)

        Stubborn; proud.

      • suffer (verb)

        To endure; to have something bad happen.

      • temptation (noun)

        Effort to persuade someone to do something wrong.

      • testimony (noun)

        A statement by someone with personal knowledge that something is true.

      • that (conjunction)

        In order that; so that.

      • that (conjunction)

        Who.

      • thee (pronoun, archaic)

        You.

      • therefore (adverb)

        For this reason.

      • thou mayest (phrase)

        You can.

      • thou shalt (phrase, archaic)

        You will.

      • through (preposition)

        By means of; because of.

      • thus (adverb)

        In this way.

      • thy (pronoun, archaic)

        Your.

      • tongue (noun)

        A group of people who speak the same language.

      • transgression (noun)

        Breaking a commandment from God.

      • unto (preposition)

        To.

      • unto (preposition)

        To.

      • unto (preposition)

        To.

      • unto (preposition)

        Sufficient for; resulting in.

      • from whence (prepositional phrase)

        From which; from where.

      • whereby (conjunction)

        By which.

      • whosoever (pronoun)

        Whoever.

      • wicked (noun)

        A person who does evil or bad things in an ongoing way.

      • wickedness (noun)

        Evil; wrongdoing; disobedience to God’s commandments.

      • will (noun)

        Desire; intention; plan.

      • would (verb)

        Desire to; want to; would like to.

      • wo unto (interjection)

        Bad things will happen to; cursed is.

      • word (noun)

        Message; teachings.

      • works (noun)

        Actions; deeds.

      • world (noun)

        All human beings.