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Revelation, April 1829–A [D&C 6]

Source Note

Revelation, , Susquehanna Co., PA, to , Apr. 1829. Featured version, titled “Chapter V,” typeset [between 1 Nov. and 31 Dec. 1832] for Book of Commandments, 14–17. copied this revelation [ca. Mar. 1831] into Revelation Book 1, but the page or pages on which it was copied were removed at some point from that volume and are no longer extant. The version found in the Book of Commandments and featured below is the earliest complete, extant version. For more complete source information, see the source note for the Book of Commandments.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    See Revelation Book 1, p. [207].

Historical Introduction

This revelation was dictated for soon after he arrived in , Pennsylvania, and began serving as JS’s scribe for the of the . JS’s history stated, “Two days after the arrival of Mr Cowdery (being the seventh of April) I commenced to translate the book of Mormon and he commenced to write for me, which having continued for some time I enquired of the Lord through the and obtained the following revelation.” The exact date this text was dictated is unknown. The revelation apparently answered questions Cowdery had contemplated but not expressed to JS. According to Cowdery’s friend , “Soon after Oliver’s arrival in Harmony, he wrote to me and said that Joseph had envuired [inquired] of the Lord concerning him, and had told him secrets of his life that he knew could not be known to any person but himself, in any other way than by revelation from the Almighty.”
JS’s history recounted, “After we had received this revelation he () stated to me that after he had gone to my ’s to board, and after the family communicated to him concerning my having got the plates, that one night after he had retired to bed, he called upon the Lord to know if these things were so, and that the Lord had manifested to him that they were true.” JS also explained that Cowdery had seen the Lord and the plates in a vision and “was desiorous to come and write” for JS in . The revelation featured below built on that experience by announcing that if Cowdery desired, the Lord would grant him a gift “to translate even as my servant Joseph.”

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    JS History, vol. A-1, 13.

  2. [2]

    James H. Hart, “About the Book of Mormon,” Deseret News (Salt Lake City), 9 Apr. 1884, 190; see also “Report of Elders Orson Pratt and Joseph F. Smith,” Deseret News, 27 Nov. 1878, 674.

    Deseret News. Salt Lake City. 1850–.

  3. [3]

    JS History, vol. A-1, 15.

  4. [4]

    JS History, ca. Summer 1832, [6]; see also Lucy Mack Smith, History, 1844–1845, bk. 8, [1].

Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation. *Revelation, April 1829–A [D&C 6] Book of Commandments, 1833 Doctrine and Covenants, 1835 History, 1838–1856, volume A-1 [23 December 1805–30 August 1834] History, circa 1841, draft [Draft 3] History, circa 1841, fair copy “History of Joseph Smith” Doctrine and Covenants, 1844

Page 15

5 Behold thou hast a gift, and blessed art thou because of thy gift. Remember it is sacred and cometh from above; and if thou wilt inquire, thou shalt know mysteries which are great and marvelous: therefore thou shalt exercise thy gift, that thou mayest find out mysteries, that thou mayest bring many to the knowledge of the truth; yea, convince them of the error of their ways. Make not thy gift known unto any, save it be those which are of thy faith.— Trifle not with sacred things. If thou wilt do good, yea and hold out faithful to the end, thou shalt be saved in the kingdom of God, which is the greatest of all the gifts of God; for there is no gift greater than the gift of salvation.
6 Verily, verily I say unto thee, blessed art thou for what thou hast done, for thou hast inquired of me, and behold as often as thou hast inquired, thou hast received instruction of my Spirit. If it had not been so, thou wouldst not have come to the place where thou art at this time.
7 Behold thou knowest that thou hast inquired of me, and I did enlighten thy mind; and now I tell thee these things, that thou mayest know that thou hast been enlightened by the Spirit of truth; yea, I tell thee, that thou mayest know that there is none else save God, that knowest thy thoughts and the intents of thy heart: I tell thee these things as a witness unto thee, that the words or the work which thou hast been writing is true:
8 Therefore be diligent, stand by my servant Joseph faithfully in whatsoever difficult circumstances he may be, for the word’s sake. Admonish him in his faults and also receive admonition of him. Be patient; be sober; be temperate; have patience, faith, hope and charity. [p. 15]
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Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Revelation, April 1829–A [D&C 6]
ID #
4681
Total Pages
4
Print Volume Location
JSP, D1:34–37
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