38:1 My son, give ear to my words, for I say unto
you, even as I said unto Helaman, that inasmuch as ye
shall keep the commandments of God ye shall prosper in
the land; and inasmuch as ye will not keep the
commandments of God ye shall be cut off from his
presence. |
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38:2 And now, my son, I trust that I shall have
great joy in you, because of your steadiness and your
faithfulness unto God; for as you have commenced in your
youth to look to the Lord your God, even so I hope that
you will continue in keeping his commandments; for
blessed is he that 1endureth to the end. |
[1] Matthew 24:13: But
he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be
saved. |
38:3 I say unto you, my son, that I have had great
joy in thee already, because of thy faithfulness and thy
diligence, and thy patience and thy long-suffering among
the people of the Zoramites. |
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38:4 For I know that thou wast in bonds; yea, and I
also know that thou wast stoned for the word's sake; and
thou didst bear all these things with patience because
the Lord was with thee; and now thou knowest that the
Lord did deliver thee. |
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38:5 And now my son, Shiblon, I would that ye should
remember, that as much as ye shall put your trust in God
even so much ye shall be delivered out of your trials,
and your troubles, and your afflictions, and ye shall be
lifted up at the last day. |
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38:6 Now, my son, I would not that ye should think
that I know these things of myself, but it is the Spirit
of God which is in me which maketh these things known
unto me; for if I had not been born of God I should not
have known these things. |
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38:7 But behold, the Lord in his great mercy sent
his angel to declare unto me that I must stop the work of
destruction among his people; yea, and I have seen an
angel face to face, and he spake with me, and his voice
was as thunder, and it shook the whole earth. |
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38:8 And it came to pass that I was three days and
three nights in the most bitter pain and anguish of soul;
and never, until I did cry out unto the Lord Jesus Christ for mercy, did I receive a remission of my
sins. But behold, I did cry unto him and I did find peace
to my soul. |
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38:9 And now, my son, I have told you this that ye
may learn wisdom, that ye may learn of me that there is
no other way or means whereby man can be saved, only in
and through Christ. Behold, he is the 1life and the 2light of the
world. Behold, he is the word of truth and righteousness.
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[1] John 1:4 In him was life; and the life was the
light of men.
[2] John 8:12: ...I am the light of the world... |
38:10 And now, as ye have begun to teach the word
even so I would that ye should continue to teach; and I
would that ye would be diligent and temperate in all
things. |
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38:11 See that ye are not lifted up unto pride; yea,
see that ye do not boast in your own wisdom, nor of your
much strength. |
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38:12 Use boldness, but not overbearance; and also
see that ye bridle all your passions, that ye may be
filled with love; see that ye refrain from idleness. |
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38:13 Do not pray as the Zoramites do, for ye have
seen that they pray to be heard of men, and to be praised
for their wisdom. |
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38:14 Do not say: O God, I thank thee that we are
better than our brethren; but rather say: O Lord, forgive
my unworthiness, and remember my brethren in mercy--yea,
acknowledge your unworthiness before God at all times. |
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38:15 And may the Lord bless your soul, and receive
you at the last day into his kingdom, to sit down in
peace. Now go, my son, and teach the word unto this
people. Be sober. My son, farewell. |
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