Section 82
Revelation given to Joseph Smith the Prophet, in Independence, Jackson County, Missouri, April 26, 1832. The occasion was a council of high priests and elders of the Church. At the council, Joseph Smith was sustained as the President of the High Priesthood, to which office he had previously been ordained at a conference of high priests, elders, and members, at Amherst, Ohio, January 25, 1832 (see the heading to section 75). This revelation reiterates instructions given in an earlier revelation (section 78) to establish a firm—known as the United Firm (under Joseph Smith’s direction, the term “order” later replaced “firm”)—to govern the Church’s mercantile and publishing endeavors.
1–4, Where much is given, much is required; 5–7, Darkness reigns in the world; 8–13, The Lord is bound when we do what He says; 14–18, Zion must increase in beauty and holiness; 19–24, Every man should seek the interest of his neighbor.
1 Verily, verily, I say unto you, my servants, that inasmuch as you have aforgiven one another your trespasses, even so I, the Lord, forgive you.
2 Nevertheless, there are those among you who have sinned exceedingly; yea, even aall of you have sinned; but verily I say unto you, beware from henceforth, and brefrain from sin, lest sore judgments fall upon your heads.
3 For of him unto whom amuch is bgiven much is crequired; and he who dsins against the greater elight shall freceive the greater gcondemnation.
4 Ye call upon my name for arevelations, and I give them unto you; and inasmuch as ye keep not my sayings, which I give unto you, ye become transgressors; and bjustice and judgment are the penalty which is affixed unto my law.
5 Therefore, what I say unto one I say unto all: aWatch, for the badversary cspreadeth his dominions, and ddarkness reigneth;
6 And the anger of God kindleth against the inhabitants of the earth; and anone doeth good, for all have gone out of the bway.
7 And now, verily I say unto you, I, the Lord, will not lay any asin to your charge; go your ways and sin no more; but unto that soul who sinneth shall the bformer sins return, saith the Lord your God.
8 And again, I say unto you, I give unto you a anew commandment, that you may understand my will concerning you;
9 Or, in other words, I give unto you directions how you may aact before me, that it may bturn to you for your salvation.
10 I, the Lord, am abound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no bpromise.
11 Therefore, verily I say unto you, that it is expedient for my servants Edward Partridge and Newel K. Whitney, A. Sidney Gilbert and Sidney Rigdon, and my servant Joseph Smith, and John Whitmer and Oliver Cowdery, and W. W. Phelps and Martin Harris to be bound atogether by a bond and covenant that cannot be bbroken by transgression, except judgment shall immediately follow, in your several cstewardships—
12 To manage the affairs of the poor, and all things pertaining to the bishopric aboth in the land of Zion and in the land of Kirtland;
13 For I have consecrated the land of Kirtland in mine own due time for the benefit of the saints of the Most High, and for a astake to Zion.
14 For aZion must increase in bbeauty, and in choliness; her borders must be enlarged; her dstakes must be strengthened; yea, verily I say unto you, Zion must earise and put on her fbeautiful garments.
15 Therefore, I give unto you this commandment, that ye bind yourselves by this covenant, and it shall be done according to the laws of the Lord.
16 Behold, here is awisdom also in me for your good.
17 And you are to be aequal, or in other words, you are to have equal bclaims on the cproperties, for the benefit of dmanaging the concerns of your stewardships, every man according to his wants and his needs, inasmuch as his wants are just—
18 And all this for the benefit of the church of the living God, that every man may aimprove upon his btalent, that every man may cgain other dtalents, yea, even an hundred fold, to be cast into the Lord’s estorehouse, to become the common fproperty of the whole church—
19 aEvery man seeking the interest of his bneighbor, and doing all things with an ceye single to the glory of God.
20 This order I have appointed to be an aeverlasting border unto you, and unto your successors, inasmuch as you sin not.
21 And the soul that sins against this covenant, and ahardeneth his heart against it, shall be dealt with according to the laws of my church, and shall be delivered over to the bbuffetings of Satan until the day of redemption.
22 And now, verily I say unto you, and this is wisdom, make unto yourselves friends with the amammon of unrighteousness, and they will not destroy you.
23 Leave judgment alone with me, for it is mine and I will arepay. Peace be with you; my blessings continue with you.
24 For even yet the akingdom is yours, and shall be forever, if you fall not from your bsteadfastness. Even so. Amen.