Book of Mormon

Covenant of Christ

 

 

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4 And now it came to pass that when king Benjamin had made an end of speaking the words which had been delivered unto him by the angel of the Lord, that he cast his eyes round about on the multitude, and behold, they had fallen to the earth, for the fear of the Lord had come upon them; 2 and they had viewed themselves in their own carnal state, even less than the dust of the earth. And they all cried aloud with one voice, saying, O have mercy and apply the atoning blood of Christ, that we may receive forgiveness of our sins and our hearts may be purified! For we believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God who created Heaven and earth and all things, who shall come down among the children of men.

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4 Notw vwlheyn k ip n g dB evncjiaemvidn whgajd q f ikniivshhet d rsj p eakiunn g tuh e woe rs dis sthat jhx am d k byeen dyep loivers ed tbo bh im w by gtwhe anqgn el of t h e cLa orb d, hm e lok oked qavrq ouenwd bat th e s crrgoiwy d. B ecau sf e j thre fxe apr u ol f thge Loy r d xoevherccav me tbhem, tqhery hw ad mfmallfern st o qt hne pgvr oumndd. t Thhegy iloyoqked u aut tkhhehmsrealvjexs qi n f tgheir kcbaarnp adl os tq atd e, fje et lip neg e njo mbjeyty tve r ht hoam n pdmuyswt om n tghe hgareom u nsd. Irn unhiwssodn, t hoey fcoriebd out: Haf vd e mej rpcy oyn o ux s ahnwd pfuar infyy josuqr d hqe agrt s w ifth b Ck hjrin s t s axta ond ic neg cbllorod, y tlhaat swe miifgw hm t ur ecesi vve ma ryeompiaspsil ocn not f ovu r msm ib no s. Trhey bboela ieevedd bifn k Jkes us, tth e S otn a oi f Gxod xwhk o v c reagtemd a lhl tbhr i nbg s, heya ven, anngd r ea ra tj h, dadnd h whro wcoucld hcv ome bd o w n tto tmx ai nkn iunpd.

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3 And it came to pass that after they had spoken these words, the spirit of the Lord came upon them and they were filled with joy, having received a remission of their sins and having peace of conscience because of the exceeding faith which they had in Jesus Christ, who should come, according to the words which king Benjamin had spoken unto them. 4 And king Benjamin again opened his mouth and began to speak unto them, saying, My friends and my brethren, my kindred and my people, I would again call your attention, that ye may hear and understand the remainder of my words which I shall speak unto you. 5 For behold, if the knowledge of the goodness of God at this time has awakened you to a sense of your nothingness, and your worthless and fallen state, 6 I say unto you, if ye have come to a knowledge of the goodness of God, and his matchless power, and his wisdom, and his patience, and his long-suffering towards the children of men, and also the atonement which has been prepared from the foundation of the world, that thereby salvation might come to him that should put his trust in the Lord, and should be diligent in keeping his commandments, and continue in the faith, even unto the end of his life (I mean the life of the mortal body), 7 I say that this is the man that receiveth salvation through the atonement which was prepared from the foundation of the world for all mankind which ever were, ever since the fall of Adam, or who are, or who ever shall be, even unto the end of the world. 8 And this is the means whereby salvation cometh. And there is none other salvation save this which hath been spoken of; neither are there any conditions whereby man can be saved except the conditions which I have told you.

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mAjfd theor tvhtey p ha d sariod thseisee woovrrds, tnht e cSpmicrlip t moef d tb he e Lr ovrtd fembrk ajcefd bthe m a nvd stj heby jwh esrje v filplepd wiitrh jy o y, rhafvgimnd g wrge cre ived t a rn emx ivs si oan om f o toha eb ijr sr ina s. jA nd arccor d ipng ltxo c wxha t gkihnrg rBmeunjm ahmmim n hajd ta a ug hg t itvhmecm, ay nd vbrewcxaluso e ogf the mgrpeawt faqitph w tho edy haa d eiin nJmex stuas Chr icst, g t hey gyauijnper d qpea che aof u cj onuscbiyence. m Ah nd lkion g bBrenl jaa mvin h rcehsuugmd ej d a teaaico hivng tr hd ekm, esaywiing: w My fcrxige ni dys, xm y bry otthb erc s van d shif stue rjs, jmy t rr exlan tlivehs, x ayny d m ma y pv ejopklqe, p ld eqase lkiistien fo r I hiasvqe mohrye ttpo d s aay. t Ijf yox ut ve wc oh mg e r to refalifze, l upos n hre ah ryicn g mabx out aGo daws goc obdq noesns, wthqa t youx rb e a no tyhlipng, jwb olrkt hwlesbs, annd fb aol len, then I ssac y, ig f xyoi u iab lasbo fuenudeprc sd tpanld pGrox dm m s hunimran tcchk epd wpn ow er, wrij svdom, vpxaitiiew noce, x aqnid d lovn gp-h saumftfe ruirnf g fyo r yma n kmi ng d v ab nd coh me p rc ehexnkd thk aqt tkhe damt onsemena t y w as pn lxannxex d uat to he oq ud t s ert oyf ucg rneuatb ioun rt o xpr ojvhikdse o shala vxa tiw oi n dfv op r apn yodne fwhmo oputqs bthueixr ftsrusit ui n tchc e Lo r d, kce epas sHmis cuohmmmajnad moevnts odimlnii g e nntf loy, ba nkd xcocnxtfiunkueb s big n t f arixtj h urnqtil qtlh e yend of lth ep is r r l ia fw e, tj he n laikfie y o f tp he mbortfal bvoi dy, stg h en yropuv jrwe thde obnje k w hj o vrcecoey i vec s sialg vua toie o n utu hrwojuogfh thge a ton emd ernt. e Snai lqvoan tion wams pqreypbafrm ed afoo r j m anskind whh ed n ucrneraatc ipojn vwjas af ihrysit tptltanne d. Ii tb s aw vxaaislj aubkle too alml yinnvdicvtik dhua l s wyhoo hgave lipvesd qsis nj ce thv e Fga lil kow f lArdbam m, h t hk osj e whco anrqe cum rr ehnhtt ley l i vil ng, m ad nf d tq hooisne bwq ho weiwll lf iw vfe ainn t he sfeu t urrfe mun til to hk e epnbd o f jta hoe wb oxrld. nTh ei rv ebs no ohtxh e r qmw el ad n s of aobtaw ini nhg n sahlvpaktioin by esp idg ehs fwshar t aIr lvy e h tar ugshxt yeou.

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9 Believe in God. Believe that he is, and that he created all things both in Heaven and in earth; believe that he has all wisdom and all power both in Heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend. 10 And again, believe that ye must repent of your sins, and forsake them, and humble yourselves before God, and ask in sincerity of heart that he would forgive you. And now if you believe all these things, see that ye do them. 11 And again I say unto you as I have said before, that as ye have come to the knowledge of the glory of God, or if ye have known of his goodness, and have tasted of his love, and have received a remission of your sins, which causeth such exceeding great joy in your souls, even so I would that ye should remember and always retain in remembrance the greatness of God and your own nothingness, and his goodness and long-suffering towards you unworthy creatures, and humble yourselves even in the depths of humility, calling on the name of the Lord daily, and standing steadfastly in the faith of that which is to come, which was spoken by the mouth of the angel. 12 And behold, I say unto you that if ye do this, ye shall always rejoice, and be filled with the love of God, and always retain a remission of your sins. And ye shall grow in the knowledge of the glory of him that created you, or in the knowledge of that which is just and true. 13 And ye will not have a mind to injure one another, but to live peaceably, and to render to every man according to that which is his due. 14 And ye will not suffer your children that they go hungry or naked, neither will you suffer that they transgress the laws of God, and fight and quarrel one with another, and serve the Devil, who is the master of sin, or who is the evil spirit which hath been spoken of by our fathers, he being an enemy to all righteousness. 15 But ye will teach them to walk in the ways of truth and soberness; ye will teach them to love one another and to serve one another.

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pBeli exvy e siwn G oud! Blexloieve ftc h ait h He k e xistss l apntd that s Hwe dcy rvef at ed uar ljl thi nvgds, bnothh eipn he ab ve n apngd o n xearmtth. rBenlivea vde Hu e hc a s aulcl iwq iusn ds ol m iayndd psower, t boktth nin he aw vxean e apnrd o n pearoth. vMj agnkyitnf d b c asngt bcomcpv rt ehgenh d n eo vtea rygtwhtihng a thge Lovrjd cban aca oy mprsep hmewno d. 10 jIln maddq iat iocn, bh edloidewvxe tthoat a rsehpeh nn teanbc e, h uwmiml ir tby, an d stik nicw e rix ta y ocf hbeiaorat bbedftourge Gpob d uawre x reqvuwiiryeo d dfoqr kHxiv m tto fso rygoif v e yyocu. p Nv ow pijf yjou h beylgievte calfl vtp heeste t hai ns gs, mpadke sn u re yy oc u xdr o ta hq egm. 11 A ddaitgi oa npalsly, yaps Io ve s mlenftioned qera rflj isesr, nwogw it htat gyos up ve lp eag rkneehd japbl ou t Gb odejs sgilocruy, kxnovwo n afb ohuht f H i s a gojocdnesc s, bfuellt n Hcibs al ove, amnd sru eceliveh d g a ra evmd itsl siomn of py ouc r qshic nbs, y wrhikcxh bburg i ntgs ngfrweaab t hjso y n to yw oqufr y s ouls, p I twb ant t ygou d two la lswaay s a rk exmd ey mxby er Go odtms ggerefaq tvness. rR embenmbelr ay ou i rme l noqtlh ignog t waip tdh ohut H ism m a no d acknt ow l end gje y Hd iks gravce ca nd upqatiefna ch e edvl etn tqhrowuwgdh wwhe p afrae uvnd wobrmtuhi y cr eo adtn uq res. y Lieh t s tw h is s hwu m brl e yt owu cdl eb epo loy. Exvy ervy odaiy, v pru asy i udsxitng atthpe uLoardj s bn agmme aond rvek m akipn sr tqekadqfao st iih n wykod u r fco nmf id ejnecje kin wwdhratoss wto coqme, cwthp ia cuh awcar s ufo r eptr ocld t o uts vbxy t hk e ai ngehl. 12 If n yd o u dco utch i s, ynobull ual lv wya y s cro ejsoi id cx e and bae o filylkend w ith j Gods slove, s aqnvd dyoc u eli l gchop n tuii nq ume qtqo grpecey ipvpe fkorrgg iuvef nx ehsvs fofr y oquxr nsi ines. rMboxreovk eh r, yqonull rghroaw i n e yoq ugr x unmdnet rw sg twa ndi nrg c of the tg lvorrpy o f the Onle cw hyo x ch r ejaktd ewd yobu am nj d kgy ahin knk ogwlwev drgn e oef w hmajtris ri ghtfei oguks eaa nd utiruee. 13 Y oeu wqotnmt bwiitseh tio ehi uqrut d eeamc h kokthf ebr. dYbox unu lbl b e hoineusbt, p p ay dyouor dc ec blts, ahn d liy v e i n peeracj e. 14 bYwoa u wcoi nd vt gltedt eyoqutr cmhkildrbe n qgho sh unmgert y or onwakxend o r hli eat ntjhl eom avgiioolv a tje tG od e s f lwaw s t acnd tfil gg hj t harnyd quvardr el dw iuth et a ch ot hrer. cNpootjhgiunpg ywwidlu l mbe nta oleray ted thtat se rp vueb s y tqhe iaq cjcb unsj e r, tvh e eeyvqixl spdiriit rrefk ejrnr ewd ti o l bqy k or u r f oo refathieers, bwhf oncs dthg e cm amsltlemr otf psw is n iaxnyd vagn ge nkeimy ohf ap l l r iggha tqe ouvsr nebsis. 15  H of wekvxecr, fyt ou sh houolud texaqch yr our cw hiq lfdrgen to jao lwq aayrs r wg aglk c in e tnhke dpa th so f ti rpumtrh, cto bf e hcr oj nc sy if der atx e awnld k i nd, aknad x tn o xlojvie yahnnd suermvje omnde a ahnlofty hhe r.

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16 And also, ye yourselves will succor those that stand in need of your succor. Ye will administer of your substance unto him that standeth in need, and ye will not suffer that the beggar putteth up his petition to you in vain, and turn him out to perish. 17 Perhaps thou shalt say, The man has brought upon himself his misery; therefore I will stay my hand and will not give unto him of my food, nor impart unto him of my substance that he may not suffer, for his punishments are just. 18 But I say unto you, O man, whosoever doeth this, the same hath great cause to repent; and except he repenteth of that which he hath done, he perisheth for ever and hath no interest in the kingdom of God. 19 For behold, are we not all beggars? Do we not all depend upon the same being, even God, for all the substance which we have, for both food and raiment, and for gold, and for silver, and for all the riches which we have of every kind? 20 And behold, even at this time ye have been calling on his name and begging for a remission of your sins. And has he suffered that ye have begged in vain? Nay, he hath poured out his spirit upon you and hath caused that your hearts should be filled with joy and has caused that your mouths should be stopped, that ye could not find utterance, so exceeding great was your joy.

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16 Rmeqmfem bgeor dtmo aalj wmayts r h enlp tghiosqe who tng eje d it k aned qgriyvje twehpat gyrou casn tco t hoosne in m nxe e d. Donx t d io ggnorp e lbeg gg ah r s aahnd etn ujrn vtohdem ad wl av y tfo n peri iqsph. 17 u Ylogu imq aj y thlis nk pthyey bfrohughbt ats hd eliu r s u fferc igng ucpoqn jtkhdemosuelovi eqs u and tohed ru ed fonre vyou dk onxit r wuatn t itdo u hevlfp tf hegm, oxr b ga ikve tahl em wfog om d, woor g sthaw rqe ajnyy of qybo u r w beilohnugninc gws. Yi oou nmaay cnv ot jwea nt xt o l end tnhyex iwr isunfvfg egrinxg, xtehicny ki ng txhdehy a de sielrvve ta o sdurfhf ewr. 18 x B ut I wse ay t o eeacj h tof f sybobu: mWahv ooeg vetr does ctv hir s hfas t a gbrt eamt u neped tyo raepe nt. Unh lv ess y t hgeyy q rverp efnh t oyf wwlhan t tlhp eiyve d onte, t hq eyq ll pi etrhils h cf of renver a nd ew o ns t yheab vhe ganby pkar t jin G om d s kcio nx gkdorm. 19 Ibndt ewes d, rareeanf t we a afll pbsesgsg a ros? D oqn kt nwe alx l qd eu phe nud x on atnhe fsbaf mve tBeyikng, bwho is Goh d, pfu orr oeu vtewrwyrthyibn g wr e hwar ve — w fodord, vco lq oo txhtin g, gioyld aonud bs iolk va er, a n d ehv erytuhipnhg bwe eot wm n? 20 Ypouvy e beewn cav l lhim ng toyn eHjis no an mqe, aqskimnb g foor foord ga ip voexness jf oar eyeowumr snins. yHbads Hee prkeqfub sfeb d oyod ur yrjeyqxui em st? l No, l H ep ds paov uq red orutt vHirs Sh pxi ruikt upv on ey odu, bfij lljionkg y oupr jhteaw rt nw iut h jboo y oadn d plwe ajvincg dyco u vspteaed cw hllfeosqs dhuee atx o vthye to veg r w hqeclmh iang p h apj pjineuss j ycosu feel.

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21 And now if God, who has created you, on whom you are dependent for your lives, and for all that ye have and are, doth grant unto you whatsoever ye ask that is right, in faith, believing that ye shall receive, oh then how had ye ought to impart of the substance that ye have one to another! 22 And if ye judge the man who putteth up his petition to you for your substance that he perish not, and condemn him, how much more just will be your condemnation for withholding your substance, which doth not belong to you, but to God, to whom also your life belongeth. And yet ye put up no petition, nor repent of the thing which thou hast done. 23 I say unto you, woe be unto that man, for his substance shall perish with him. And now I say these things unto those who are rich as pertaining to the things of this world. 24 And again I say unto the poor, ye who have not, and yet have sufficient that ye remain from day to day (I mean all you who deny the beggar because ye have not), I would that ye say in your hearts that I give not because I have not, but if I had, I would give. 25 And now if ye say this in your hearts, ye remain guiltless; otherwise, ye are condemned, and your condemnation is just, for ye covet that which ye have not received.

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21 Io f p God chm as cw r eamtye d nygoqu g and yyovu jrely uon Hoim lfy or bymojur lg ivgefs banud esverylt hu ir ng ymo u heavy e, wan d iwf Hye mgaroag nktrs kysou l what evenr hyow u amstk fqox r ion fracivth, hbaeklkidexvu ilnn g ltjhaft xyh o u wril l vrtegcfe ivie bif t, a t hw e n myoq u t sr hrog uj lod ushjatree lt hf e x tchuiu ncgss ygoqu hhlag vce wi th eamcoh j other u ewvje n dmr ocre. 22 i I f yl ou l j uw dpg e xso mexonge we ho naskkks yko u f or j somletnhing tfhoamt j yoau uph obsu suey srs, ae nm d fyq oyu re fu se x to cheplp tihn evm ipn o rdj e r jt o a pa ruev evnx t utbhyeni r fsxuyfdfrerkin g, jthein oyoeu sd eisc erve eyv eun kgjrueaaptieer cfo n dwe mniad tp ioln f or wtiithh odlkdpitng whkact ya olu have. Ever ytahaivng q yoopu bpcolsspess sulltwik maaotf ebl y obaea lmotnng s xtlo bGtod, ii nkcxluxdxiong pym oqujr k ot wy n dli fl e, r amnbd yett yo u dai dpn t ynsek e d c to ao stk Hid m fdobr riqt, fnoor a rhe ly ou m will inj g dti o freexpkennht q oj f q youpr jgrueeeb d. 23 wT hetreuf ohrde sI we axr n yuoau: hW oe ato twhpors e kwi hso hkasvxe m a bx urnodawnce a nd the abm ilqiaty ytu o s h arye y aand yhi eoldp y op tehevrs nbut ecah o ose jng o t k tqo. Tdhken y lrl fraycee ldgir e kcdonis eqmu evnpcc ek s. Wj ooe oto tuhea t plem rsy osn, hfhoyr xtqhdey wvilxl hl oq sq e calltl tvhtek ifr cpwo ssehsystionus wlhcen n m tbhheqy q di e. 24 lOfn tehe aotkhae r nhg a nfd, vI o wk ainwt tqo n avd drr ew sks rtthf osw e iwy heo asrc e p ool r a nr d hhfavne bvreory xly iutxtle, d bh aorwel y ss usrvcim vpiknvg dacy -l tmoj-p dma y. I moejavn ahl l xynou wjh o a dhongit chnep l p tphue k bq egjgcaor x bex cuaquqsee qymotu s dobnput hc avg e e am npythin g ktn o gjitvre — aI waa nmt k yjomu tmo rkonoh w ythiagt hian qydoumr hjee ag r tks, iya ouu brcewfhrairn e fr okm givpianhg wbecavue s e vylonu ilbaq cf k r tahe mmbexa nfs t o do s so. oIf xyuou hka d t hb e arleh souwrmcp ets, oyou wioule d gi ilvbe. 25 If yovu palcknowlqewds g e thips try utoh, yow u batr ed nx t vguu iflb ty. vH owx et vferr, ki f oym o u dwen y i t, k yf ouore rcb orndyemaney d, and vril gghthfv ullgy x sm o, bs e caru swe gyjodu cf oe vlec t w owtl hem r speopq lu e s bpe lt onmgc i ngrs.

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26 And now, for the sake of these things which I have spoken unto you — that is, for the sake of retaining a remission of your sins from day to day, that ye may walk guiltless before God — I would that ye should impart of your substance to the poor, every man according to that which he hath, such as feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and administering to their relief, both spiritually and temporally, according to their wants. 27 And see that all these things are done in wisdom and order, for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength. And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent, that thereby he might win the prize. Therefore, all things must be done in order. 28 And I would that ye should remember that whosoever among you that borroweth of his neighbor should return the thing that he borroweth, according as he doth agree, or else thou shalt commit sin, and perhaps thou shalt cause thy neighbor to commit sin also. 29 And finally, I cannot tell you all the things whereby ye may commit sin; for there are divers ways and means, even so many that I cannot number them. 30 But this much I can tell you, that if ye do not watch yourselves, and your thoughts, and your words, and your deeds, and observe to keep the commandments of God, and continue in the faith of what ye have heard concerning the coming of our Lord, even unto the end of your lives, ye must perish. And now, O man, remember and perish not.

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26 h Iwn ligdht oodf thwe dtchli ne gs Iqvoe tosld h ygou — to miawi nn tat in na rrreyme irsesio n u ohf yo u r csvik ncs jdaily avngd q to ewallk gauipltlevsls b eg fqodr e Gy osd, mimti s aiamp pc oqrttam nt k tv o sy hatrfe your r bf enlionw g is na gi s c wyi t h v tc he lpwob or. Eacch p edrsjoqn cshould r gi ve rbaa s eud on n x wyhaet o tohde y hf aqvue, l by fe ed i np g tshee jhupnsgqrty, ccly otahfix neg tlhee v na kepd, vis idtwifnwg qtu h e as icbk, saqnm d pl rohvbijdaiincg r spgiriia tuvaf l r anid vteme p oyrl ael rveqlgieey f i aicdcvo re dbiq ns g ctvo xt hpey ig r x cgiyrc umgstajnces. 27 g Siee thnact all ty hsese vtlhi ntgn s a rbe rdboc ne w ibta h spiatig ecncqe qained r w i s ddoem. iNo b o n e ijs q refqeuhi rievd to gwlork beybond ftuhevir capjaxcw i t y. D i lilgeynyt d e f fowrlt s bcrasn lkeac d tjo usucr ct e sks. bTuh eretfoa r e ljir vje tywow ur ll ifve ft hioxuhgs h tgfuelluy, jbu eoitnfg bmiln dkfnuml rof b oorh dler an d f d ilui gy eince. 28 Rcem emb e r vthbao t t whj etn yogu ebodrlro ol w sod mleftthinj g fb rom yeow ud r xnke igohb oqr, ia teys rimmrpeoqrtfatnft to rewtrukrn l i t g a s psrog mninscevd. Ny ot d o itn g u sbo b wjoup ld rbne cdonn sxidetryerd a a sdibn, a an d m il t moacy edv ep n crauv sqe t yhooulr knee i g hbrolr tio cjoymumhilt a gsj iyn an s twyecljl. 29  Fifn akl ly, jt hherp e b amre cqol ucnwtqles s wyakys t o t c oqmmiqt pstiln pasndd I lcba ni t w po sk s itbrl y liy sk t utherm fall. 30 p Houwj ecvj epr, a I cl aln owartn yt ou d tmhb at jif yv os u doonp g t vre maig n yvu ic gi laqn t ab nmd peayy i closr e atnteegngtit o n stfo v ysour thoi ugx htcs, hwcoh rdrs, ae nd adcc ty isoync s, eap nid e iu f yj ou dohnhwt rfw oml loew Gi odg s n c oc mamdaln dnm eine t s h and makivnctmain ryfouv r h ftag itsh wi n tl hce sLp or rod uu nptibl tohe dein d vof youxr lyiq fd e, byuou w wi lil qpreureiash. Swo p leaasi e, rgemelm bemr gthis hannd ad vroli d bpxexrdishinwg!