- 17When Jesus had said these words, He again looked around at the crowd of people and said to them: It’s time for Me to leave. 2I can tell you’re weak, and that right now you can’t understand everything the Father commanded Me to say to you. 3So go to your homes and ponder what I’ve said and ask the Father in My name to help you understand, and prepare your minds for tomorrow, and I’ll come back to you. 4But right now I’m returning to the Father, and to also show Myself to the lost tribes of Israel, who were never lost to the Father, for He knows where He has led them.
- 5When Jesus had said this, He again looked around at the people, who were in tears and looking steadily at Him, as if they wanted to ask Him to remain a little longer with them. 6He said to them: My heart is full of compassion for you. 7Are there any of you who are sick? Bring them here. Are there any of you who are lame, blind, crippled, injured, leprous, or infirm, deaf, or that suffer from anything? Bring them here and I’ll heal them, because of the compassion I feel for you; My heart is full of mercy. 8Yes, I can see you want Me to show you what I did for your fellow Israelites at Jerusalem, since I see you have faith enough to let Me heal you.
- 9When He had said this, the whole crowd together, brought to Him everyone who was sick, suffering, crippled, blind, mute, or unwell in any way; and He healed every one of them as they were brought up to Him. 10All of them, including both those who had been healed and those who were healthy, bowed down at His feet and worshiped Him. And everyone who was able to come, despite the size of the crowd, kissed His feet, bathing His feet with their tears.
- 11Then He commanded for their little children to be brought. 12So they brought their little children and sat them down on the ground around Him, and Jesus stood in the middle of them; and the crowd made room until they had all been brought to Him. 13When they were all brought and Jesus stood in the middle of them, He commanded the crowd to kneel on the ground. 14When they had knelt on the ground, Jesus groaned to Himself and said: Father, the wickedness of the people of the house of Israel troubles Me. 15After He said this, He also knelt on the ground. And He prayed to the Father, and what He prayed can’t be written. Those that heard Him testified about it; 16and they testified to the following: The eye has never seen and the ear has never heard such great and awe-inspiring things we saw and heard Jesus speak to the Father. 17And no tongue can speak, neither can anyone write, neither can people’s hearts conceive such great and astonishing things as we both saw and heard Jesus speak. No one can conceive of the joy that filled our souls when we heard Him pray to the Father for us.
- 18When Jesus finished praying to the Father, He got up. But the crowd’s joy overwhelmed them. 19Jesus told them to stand back up; 20and they got up from the ground. Then He told them: Blessed are you because of your faith. Now My joy is complete. 21When He had said these words, He wept; and the crowd testified of it. Then He took their little children, one by one, and blessed them and prayed to the Father for them. 22When He had done this, He again wept. 23He told the crowd: Notice your little ones. 24As they looked at them, their eyes were drawn up to heaven; and they saw the heavens open, and they saw angels descending from heaven as if they descended in a pillar of fire. And they descended and surrounded the little ones, who then were also surrounded by fire, and the angels ministered to them. 25And the crowd saw, heard, and testified. They know their record is true, because all of them saw and heard, everyone for themselves. In total, there were about 2,500 people, who consisted of men, women, and children.
- 18Then Jesus commanded His disciples to bring Him some bread and wine. 2And while they were gone for bread and wine, He commanded the crowd to sit down on the ground. 3When the disciples returned with bread and wine, He took the bread and broke it and blessed it, and He gave it to the disciples and commanded them to eat. 4When they had eaten and were filled, He commanded them to give it to the crowd. 5When the crowd had eaten and were filled, He said to the disciples: One of you will be ordained, and I’ll give him power to break bread and bless it and give it to the people of My congregation, to all who believe and are baptized in My name. 6You must always make a practice of doing this, just as I’ve done, just as I’ve broken bread and blessed it and given it to you. 7And you must do this in remembrance of My body, which I’ve shown you. It will be a testimony to the Father that you always remember Me. And if you always remember Me, you’ll have My Spirit to be with you.
- 8After He said this, He commanded His disciples to take the cup of wine and drink from it, and also to give it to the crowd so they could drink. 9And they did so and drank and were filled. Then they gave it to the crowd and they drank and were filled. 10After the disciples completed this, Jesus said to them: Blessed are you for this thing that you’ve done, because this fulfills My commandments. This shows the Father that you’re willing to do what I’ve commanded you. 11You must always do this for those who repent and are baptized in My name. You must do it in remembrance of My blood, which I’ve shed for you, so you can show to the Father that you always remember Me. And if you always remember Me, My Spirit will be with you. 12I command you to do these things. If you always do these things, you’ll be blessed, since you’re built on My bedrock. 13But any of you who do more or less than these things aren’t built on My bedrock; you’ve built on a sandy foundation. When the rain falls, the floods come, and the tempests beat against them, they will fall; and the gates of hell are already open to welcome them. 14Therefore you are blessed if you keep My commandments, which the Father has commanded Me to give you. 15I warn you: You must be watchful and always pray for strength against the accuser’s temptations, so you aren’t led away by him as his prisoner. 16And just as I’ve prayed among you, so you must likewise pray in My congregation, with My people who repent and are baptized in My name. I Am the light; I’ve set an example for you.
- 17When Jesus had said this to His disciples, He turned back to the crowd and said to them: 18I truthfully warn you: You must be watchful and always pray so that you won’t fall into temptation, because Satan longs to have you, so he can sift you like wheat. 19Therefore you must always pray to the Father in My name. 20And anything you ask the Father in My name that’s right, believing you will receive, it will be given to you. 21Pray in your families to the Father always in My name, so your wives and your children can be blessed. 22You must meet together often. And you must not exclude anyone from joining you when you meet together, but let them join you and don’t prohibit them from doing so; 23but you must pray for them and not throw them out. If they frequently join you, you must pray to the Father for them in My name. 24Therefore hold up your light, so it can shine to the world. I Am the light that you must hold up, what you’ve seen Me do. You see that I’ve prayed to the Father, and all of you have witnessed it. 25And you see I haven’t commanded any of you to leave; instead, I’ve commanded you to come to Me, so you could feel and see; you must do the same for the world. Anyone that breaks this commandment allows themselves to be led into temptation.
- 26When Jesus had said these words, He again looked at the disciples He had chosen and said to them: 27I now tell you: I’ll give you another commandment; and then I must go to My Father, so I can fulfill other commandments He has given Me. 28Now this is the commandment I give you: you must never allow anyone to knowingly partake of My flesh and blood unworthily when you administer it. 29Because anyone that eats and drinks My flesh and blood unworthily eats and drinks damnation to their soul. Therefore if you know someone is unworthy to eat and drink My flesh and blood, you must prevent them from doing so. 30Nevertheless, you must not banish them from your fellowship, but you must minister to them and pray to the Father for them in My name. And if they repent and are baptized in My name, then you must accept them and administer My flesh and blood to them. 31But if they don’t repent, they can’t be included as part of My people, to prevent them from destroying My people. Because I know My sheep and they’re counted. 32Nevertheless, you must not drive them out of your meetings or places of worship, since you must continue to minister to them. Because you don’t know whether they will return, repent, and come to Me with all their heart and I will heal them, and you’ll be the means of bringing them to salvation. 33Therefore obey what I’ve commanded you, so you don’t come under condemnation. For woe to those whom the Father condemns! 34I’m giving you these commandments because of the arguments that have occurred between you. Blessed are you if you don’t have any disputes. 35Now I’m going to the Father because it’s necessary for Me to return to the Father for your benefit.
- 36When Jesus had finished saying these things, He touched the disciples He had chosen with His hand, one by one, until He had touched them all; and He spoke to them while He touched them. 37And the crowd didn’t hear what He said; therefore they didn’t testify about it. But the disciples testified that He gave them power to give the Holy Ghost. Later in this record I’ll show you this testimony is true. 38When Jesus had touched them all, a cloud came and overshadowed the crowd, so they couldn’t see Jesus. 39While they were overshadowed, He left them and ascended into heaven. The disciples saw and testified that He ascended into heaven again.
Chapter 8