Book of Mormon
Covenant of Christ
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3 And now I speak unto you, Joseph, my last born. Thou wast born in the wilderness of mine afflictions, yea, in the days of my greatest sorrow did thy mother bear thee. 2 And may the Lord consecrate also unto thee this land, which is a most precious land, for thine inheritance and the inheritance of thy seed with thy brethren, for thy security for ever, if it so be that ye shall keep the commandments of the Holy One of Israel.
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3 Now I speak to you Joseph, my youngest: You were born in the wilderness of my trouble and difficulties; indeed, your mother gave birth to you during my time of greatest despair. 2 May the Lord also consecrate this extremely precious land for you, as your inheritance and your descendants’ inheritance along with your brothers; to be a safe land forever, if you keep the commandments of the Holy One of Israel.
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3 And now Joseph, my last born whom I have brought out of the wilderness of mine afflictions, may the Lord bless thee for ever, for thy seed shall not utterly be destroyed. 4 For behold, thou art the fruit of my loins, and I am a descendant of Joseph who was carried captive into Egypt. And great were the covenants of the Lord which he made unto Joseph. 5 Wherefore, Joseph truly saw our day. And he obtained a promise of the Lord that, out of the fruit of his loins, the Lord God would raise up a righteous branch unto the house of Israel, not the Messiah, but a branch which was to be broken off, nevertheless to be remembered in the covenants of the Lord, that the Messiah should be made manifest unto them in the latter days in the spirit of power unto the bringing of them out of darkness unto light, yea, out of hidden darkness and out of captivity unto freedom.
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3 Now Joseph, my youngest whom I’ve brought out of the wilderness of my trouble and difficulties, may the Lord bless you forever that your descendants won’t be completely destroyed. 4 You are my child, and I’m a descendant of Joseph, who was taken as a prisoner to Egypt. The Lord made great covenants with Joseph. 5 As a result, Joseph was shown about us, and the Lord promised him that He would raise up righteous descendants of the house of Israel from his offspring — not the Messiah, but a separated branch, who would be included in the Lord’s covenants — and the Messiah would make Himself known to them in the last days in the spirit of power in order to enlighten them. He’ll move them from darkness into light, from dark confusion and being lost into freedom.
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6 For Joseph truly testified, saying, A seer shall the Lord my God raise up, who shall be a choice seer unto the fruit of my loins. 7 Yea, Joseph truly said, Thus saith the Lord unto me: A choice seer will I raise up out of the fruit of thy loins, and he shall be esteemed highly among the fruit of thy loins. And unto him will I give commandment that he shall do a work for the fruit of thy loins, his brethren, which shall be of great worth unto them, even to the bringing of them to the knowledge of the covenants which I have made with thy fathers. 8 And I will give unto him a commandment that he shall do none other work save the work which I shall command him. And I will make him great in mine eyes, for he shall do my work. 9 And he shall be great like unto Moses, whom I have said I would raise up unto you to deliver my people, O house of Israel. 10 And Moses will I raise up to deliver thy people out of the land of Egypt. 11 But a seer will I raise up out of the fruit of thy loins, and unto him will I give power to bring forth my word unto the seed of thy loins; and not to the bringing forth my word only, saith the Lord, but to the convincing them of my word which shall have already gone forth among them.
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6 Joseph testified truthfully, saying: The Lord who is God will raise up a worthy and chosen seer for my offspring. 7 Indeed, Joseph truthfully said: This is what the Lord told me: I’ll raise up a worthy, carefully chosen seer from your offspring who will be highly regarded among your offspring. I’ll give him a commandment to do a work for your offspring, his brothers and sisters, which will be very valuable to them, restoring them to knowledge of the covenants I made with your fathers. 8 And I’ll give him a commandment to only do the work I’ll commission him to do and nothing else. And I’ll regard him as great in My eyes, since he’ll do My work. 9 He’ll be great like Moses, whom I’ve said I would raise up for you, O house of Israel, to set you free. 10 I’ll raise up Moses to free your people from Egypt, 11 but I’ll raise up a seer from your offspring. And I’ll give him power to bring to light My word for your descendants — not only to bring to light My word, but to convince them of My word previously given to them.
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12 Wherefore, the fruit of thy loins shall write, and the fruit of the loins of Judah shall write. And that which shall be written by the fruit of thy loins, and also that which shall be written by the fruit of the loins of Judah, shall grow together unto the confounding of false doctrines, and laying down of contentions, and establishing peace among the fruit of thy loins, and bringing them to the knowledge of their fathers in the latter days, and also to the knowledge of my covenants, saith the Lord. 13 And out of weakness he shall be made strong, in that day when my work shall commence among all my people, unto the restoring thee, O house of Israel, saith the Lord.
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12 Therefore your offspring will write, and Judah’s offspring will write. The Lord says: The things your offspring write, and the things Judah’s offspring write, will grow together in order to expose false doctrines, settle disputes, and establish peace among your offspring and bring them, in the last days, to understanding their ancestors and comprehending My covenants. 13 The Lord said: His weakness will be made strong. My work will then begin among all My people. I’ll restore you, O house of Israel.
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14 And thus prophesied Joseph, saying, Behold, that seer will the Lord bless; and they that seek to destroy him shall be confounded, for this promise of which I have obtained of the Lord, of the fruit of thy loins, shall be fulfilled. Behold, I am sure of the fulfilling of this promise. 15 And his name shall be called after me, and it shall be after the name of his father. And he shall be like unto me, for the thing which the Lord shall bring forth by his hand, by the power of the Lord, shall bring my people unto salvation. 16 Yea, thus prophesied Joseph: I am sure of this thing, even as I am sure of the promise of Moses; for the Lord hath said unto me, I will preserve thy seed for ever. 17 And the Lord hath said, I will raise up a Moses, and I will give power unto him in a rod; and I will give judgment unto him in writing. Yet I will not loose his tongue that he shall speak much, for I will not make him mighty in speaking. But I will write unto him my law by the finger of mine own hand, and I will make one a spokesman for him.
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14 Joseph prophesied in this way: The Lord will bless that seer. And those who attempt to destroy him will be defeated, because the Lord will fulfill this promise about my offspring given to me by the Lord. I’m sure of the fulfillment of this promise. 15 He’ll be named after me, and it will be after the name of his father. And he’ll be like me, because the things the Lord will bring to light by his hand and by the Lord’s power will bring my people to salvation. 16 This is how Joseph prophesied: I’m sure of this thing, just as I’m sure of Moses’ promise. Because the Lord has said to me: I’ll preserve your descendants forever. 17 And the Lord has said: I’ll raise up Moses and give him power in a staff and judgment in writing; however, I won’t make him fluent and articulate as a speaker. But I’ll write My law for him with My own finger and provide a spokesman for him.
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18 And the Lord said unto me also, I will raise up unto the fruit of thy loins, and I will make for him a spokesman. And I, behold, I will give unto him that he shall write the writing of the fruit of thy loins unto the fruit of thy loins; and the spokesman of thy loins shall declare it. 19 And the words which he shall write shall be the words which are expedient in my wisdom should go forth unto the fruit of thy loins. And it shall be as if the fruit of thy loins had cried unto them from the dust, for I know their faith. 20 And they shall cry from the dust, yea, even repentance unto their brethren, even that after many generations have gone by them. And it shall come to pass that their cry shall go, even according to the simpleness of their words, 21 because of their faith. Their words shall proceed forth out of my mouth unto their brethren who are the fruit of thy loins; and the weakness of their words will I make strong in their faith unto the remembering of my covenant which I made unto thy fathers.
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18 The Lord also told me: I’ll give your descendants also a prophet and make a spokesman for him. I’ll inspire the one to write the record of your descendants to bless your offspring. And that spokesman will declare that record. 19 The words he’ll write will be the words that, in My wisdom, I consider important for your offspring to read. It will be as if your descendants called out to them from the dust, because I know their faith. 20 They’ll call out the need for repentance from the dust for their brothers and sisters many generations after they’ve died. Their words will go forth in a way that is a direct, clear message. 21 Because of their faith, their words will go from Me to their brothers and sisters who are your offspring. I’ll make the simplicity of their words result in strong faith as they learn about the covenant I made with your fathers.
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22 And now behold, my son Joseph, after this manner did my father of old prophesy. 23 Wherefore, because of this covenant, thou art blessed; for thy seed shall not be destroyed, for they shall hearken unto the words of the book. 24 And there shall raise up one mighty among them who shall do much good, both in word and in deed, being an instrument in the hands of God with exceeding faith to work mighty wonders and do that thing which is great in the sight of God, unto the bringing to pass much restoration unto the house of Israel and unto the seed of thy brethren. 25 And now blessed art thou, Joseph. Behold, thou art little; wherefore, hearken unto the words of thy brother Nephi, and it shall be done unto thee even according to the words which I have spoken. Remember the words of thy dying father. Amen.
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22 Now, my son Joseph, this is how my forefather prophesied. 23 Therefore you are blessed because of this covenant, since your descendants won’t be destroyed, because they’ll listen to the words of the book. 24 And one powerful among them will rise up and do much good in what he says and does, acting as an instrument in God’s hands with great faith to accomplish wonderful results in God’s sight, to bring a significant restoration for the house of Israel including your brothers’ descendants. 25 You are blessed, Joseph. And because you are young, listen to the words of your brother Nephi, and your life will unfold according to what I’ve spoken. Never forget the words of your dying father. Amen.