Section 18
Revelation to Joseph Smith the Prophet, Oliver Cowdery, and David Whitmer, given at Fayette, New York, June 1829. According to the Prophet, this revelation made known “the calling of twelve apostles in these last days, and also instructions relative to building up the Church.”
1–5, Scriptures show how to build up the Church; 6–8, The world is ripening in iniquity; 9–16, The worth of souls is great; 17–25, To gain salvation, men must take upon themselves the name of Christ; 26–36, The calling and mission of the Twelve are revealed; 37–39, Oliver Cowdery and David Whitmer are to search out the Twelve; 40–47, To gain salvation, men must repent, be baptized, and keep the commandments.
1 Now, behold, because of the thing which you, my servant Oliver Cowdery, have desired to know of me, I give unto you these words:
2 Behold, I have amanifested unto you, by my Spirit in many instances, that the bthings which you have written are ctrue; wherefore you know that they are true.
3 And if you know that they are true, behold, I give unto you a commandment, that you arely upon the things which are bwritten;
4 For in them are all things awritten concerning the foundation of my church, my gospel, and my brock.
5 Wherefore, if you shall build up my achurch, upon the foundation of my gospel and my brock, the cgates of hell shall not prevail against you.
6 Behold, the aworld is bripening in iniquity; and it must needs be that the children of men are stirred up unto repentance, both the cGentiles and also the house of Israel.
7 Wherefore, as thou hast been abaptized by the hands of my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., according to that which I have commanded him, he hath fulfilled the thing which I commanded him.
8 And now, marvel not that I have acalled him unto mine own purpose, which purpose is known in me; wherefore, if he shall be bdiligent in keeping my commandments he shall be cblessed unto eternal life; and his name is dJoseph.
9 And now, Oliver Cowdery, I speak unto you, and also unto David Whitmer, by the way of commandment; for, behold, I acommand all men everywhere to repent, and I speak unto you, even as unto Paul mine bapostle, for you are called even with that same calling with which he was called.
10 Remember the aworth of bsouls is great in the sight of God;
11 For, behold, the Lord your aRedeemer suffered bdeath in the flesh; wherefore he csuffered the dpain of all men, that all men might repent and ecome unto him.
12 And he hath arisen again from the dead, that he might bring all men unto him, on conditions of brepentance.
13 And how great is his ajoy in the bsoul that crepenteth!
14 Wherefore, you are called to acry repentance unto this people.
15 And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one asoul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!
16 And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the akingdom of my Father, how great will be your bjoy if you should bring many csouls unto me!
17 Behold, you have my gospel before you, and my rock, and my asalvation.
18 aAsk the Father in my bname in faith, believing that you shall receive, and you shall have the Holy Ghost, which manifesteth all things which are cexpedient unto the children of men.
19 And if you have not afaith, bhope, and ccharity, you can do nothing.
20 aContend against no church, save it be the bchurch of the devil.
21 Take upon you the aname of Christ, and bspeak the truth in csoberness.
22 And as many as repent and are abaptized in my name, which is Jesus Christ, and bendure to the end, the same shall be saved.
23 Behold, Jesus Christ is the aname which is given of the Father, and there is none other name given whereby man can be bsaved;
24 Wherefore, all men must take upon them the aname which is given of the Father, for in that name shall they be called at the last day;
25 Wherefore, if they aknow not the bname by which they are called, they cannot have place in the ckingdom of my Father.
26 And now, behold, there are others who are acalled to declare my gospel, both unto bGentile and unto Jew;
27 Yea, even twelve; and the aTwelve shall be my disciples, and they shall take upon them my name; and the Twelve are they who shall desire to take upon them my bname with full purpose of heart.
28 And if they desire to take upon them my name with full purpose of heart, they are called to go into all the aworld to preach my bgospel unto cevery creature.
29 And they are they who are ordained of me to abaptize in my name, according to that which is written;
30 And you have that which is written before you; wherefore, you must perform it aaccording to the words which are bwritten.
31 And now I speak unto you, the aTwelve—Behold, my grace is sufficient for you; you must walk uprightly before me and sin not.
32 And, behold, you are they who are ordained of me to aordain priests and teachers; to declare my gospel, baccording to the power of the Holy Ghost which is in you, and according to the ccallings and gifts of God unto men;
33 And I, Jesus Christ, your Lord and your God, have spoken it.
34 These awords are not of men nor of man, but of me; wherefore, you shall testify they are of me and not of man;
35 For it is my avoice which speaketh them unto you; for they are given by my Spirit unto you, and by my power you can read them one to another; and save it were by my power you could not have them;
36 Wherefore, you can atestify that you have bheard my voice, and know my words.
37 And now, behold, I give unto you, Oliver Cowdery, and also unto David Whitmer, that you shall search out the Twelve, who shall have the desires of which I have spoken;
38 And by their adesires and their bworks you shall know them.
39 And when you have found them you shall show these things unto them.
40 And you shall fall down and aworship the Father in my bname.
41 And you must preach unto the world, saying: You must arepent and be baptized, in the name of Jesus Christ;
42 For all men must repent and be baptized, and not only men, but women, and achildren who have arrived at the years of baccountability.
43 And now, after that you have received this, you must keep my acommandments in all things;
44 And by your hands I will work a amarvelous work among the children of men, unto the bconvincing of many of their sins, that they may come unto repentance, and that they may come unto the kingdom of my Father.
45 Wherefore, the blessings which I give unto you are aabove all things.
46 And after that you have received this, if you akeep not my commandments you cannot be saved in the kingdom of my Father.
47 Behold, I, Jesus Christ, your Lord and your God, and your aRedeemer, by the bpower of my Spirit have spoken it. Amen.