“The Book of Mormon: A Witness with the Bible,” Liahona, Oct. 2011, 24–27
The Book of Mormon
A Witness with the Bible
In harmony with the biblical law that “in the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established” (2 Corinthians 13:1), both the Book of Mormon and the Bible testify of Jesus Christ and teach the principles of His gospel. Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught that “scriptural witnesses authenticate each other. This concept was explained long ago when a prophet wrote that the Book of Mormon was ‘written for the intent that ye may believe [the Bible]; and if ye believe [the Bible] ye will believe [the Book of Mormon] also’ [Mormon 7:9]. Each book refers to the other. Each book stands as evidence that God lives and speaks to His children by revelation to His prophets.”1
Below is a list of fundamental doctrines taught in the Bible for which the Book of Mormon adds an additional witness.
God’s Plan for Us
The Bible and Book of Mormon teach that God is our Heavenly Father. As such, He has prepared a “plan of salvation” (Alma 24:14) whereby we may be saved through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
Loving Father in Heaven
Bible: “For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring” (Acts 17:28; see also Psalm 82:6; Hebrews 12:9).
Book of Mormon: “I know that [God] loveth his children” (1 Nephi 11:17; see also 1 Nephi 17:36).
Death and the Spirit World
Bible: “Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it” (Ecclesiastes 12:7; see also 1 Peter 3:19–20; 4:6).
Book of Mormon: “The spirits of all men, whether they be good or evil, are taken home to that God who gave them life” (Alma 40:11; see also verses 12–14).
Resurrection
Bible: “And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God” (Job 19:26; see also Ezekiel 37:12; 1 Corinthians 6:14; 15:54).
Book of Mormon: “I know that ye know that our flesh must waste away and die; nevertheless, in our bodies we shall see God” (2 Nephi 9:4; see also 2 Nephi 9:12; Alma 11:43–45; 40:23).
Commandments Provide a Guide
The Bible teaches that God has given commandments and will bless us when we obey. Book of Mormon prophets also recorded and followed the commandments.
Blessings of Obedience
Bible: “And the Lord commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive. … And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments” (Deuteronomy 6:24–25; see also Proverbs 4:4; John 14:21).
Book of Mormon: “He has promised you that if ye would keep his commandments ye should prosper in the land; and he never doth vary from that which he hath said; therefore, if ye do keep his commandments he doth bless you and prosper you” (Mosiah 2:22; see also 2 Nephi 1:20).
The Ten Commandments
Bible: The Lord revealed the Ten Commandments to Moses (see Exodus 20:1–17).
Book of Mormon: Abinadi taught the Ten Commandments to the priests of King Noah (see Mosiah 12:33–36; 13:12–24).
Tithing
Bible: “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house” (Malachi 3:10; see also Leviticus 27:30).
Book of Mormon: “It was this same Melchizedek to whom Abraham paid tithes; yea, even our father Abraham paid tithes of one-tenth part of all he possessed” (Alma 13:15; see also 3 Nephi 24:8–10).
Baptism and Holy Ghost
Bible: “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” (John 3:5; see also Mark 16:16; Acts 2:36–38).
Book of Mormon: “Repent, all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me and be baptized in my name, that ye may be sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost, that ye may stand spotless before me at the last day” (3 Nephi 27:20; see also 2 Nephi 9:23; 31:5–9).
The Mission of Jesus Christ
The Bible and Book of Mormon testify of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and His Atonement. They teach that the Savior took upon Himself our sins and overcame death.
Only Begotten Son of God
Bible: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16; see also Matthew 16:16; John 6:69).
Book of Mormon: “I know that Jesus Christ shall come, yea, the Son, the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace, and mercy, and truth” (Alma 5:48; see also 1 Nephi 11:16–21; Mosiah 3:5–8).
Atoned for Our Sins
Bible: “For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins” (Matthew 26:28; see also Hebrews 9:28; 1 Peter 3:18).
Book of Mormon: “Behold, he offereth himself a sacrifice for sin, to answer the ends of the law, unto all those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit” (2 Nephi 2:7; see also 1 Nephi 11:33; Alma 34:8–10; 3 Nephi 11:14).
Bore Our Sorrows
Bible: “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows” (Isaiah 53:4; see also Hebrews 2:18).
Book of Mormon: “And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; … that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities” (Alma 7:11–12; see also Mosiah 14:3–5).
Conquered Death
Bible: “But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept” (1 Corinthians 15:20; see also John 14:19; Acts 26:23).
Book of Mormon: “Believe in Jesus Christ, that he is the Son of God, and that he was slain by the Jews, and by the power of the Father he hath risen again, whereby he hath gained the victory over the grave” (Mormon 7:5; see also Mosiah 16:7–8; Helaman 14:17).
The Church of Jesus Christ in Ancient Times
The Lord established His Church in Jerusalem and in the Americas. The Bible and Book of Mormon are witnesses that He organizes and leads His people through prophets and apostles.
Prophets
Bible: “Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets” (Amos 3:7; see also Jeremiah 1:7; 7:25).
Book of Mormon: “By the Spirit are all things made known unto the prophets” (1 Nephi 22:2; see also Jacob 4:4–6).
The Twelve
Bible: “He called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles” (Luke 6:13; see also Ephesians 2:19–20; 4:11–14).
Book of Mormon: “Blessed are ye if ye shall give heed unto the words of these twelve whom I have chosen from among you to minister unto you” (3 Nephi 12:1; see also 1 Nephi 11:29).
Priesthood Authority
Bible: “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain” (John 15:16; see also Matthew 16:19; Luke 9:1–2; Hebrews 5:4).
Book of Mormon: “[Alma] ordained priests and elders, by laying on his hands according to the order of God, to preside and watch over the church” (Alma 6:1; see also 2 Nephi 6:2; Moroni 3).
Additional Study
This chart is not a comprehensive list. As part of your personal or family scripture study, you can add references to this chart and search for more principles taught in both the Book of Mormon and the Bible using the Topical Guide or Guide to the Scriptures and the online study tools at scriptures.lds.org.
Portrait of Harold B. Lee by Doyle Shaw, courtesy of Church History Museum