- 12Ether lived during Coriantumr’s rule, who was king over the whole land. 2Ether was a prophet of the Lord; therefore he came forward during Coriantumr’s time and began to prophesy to the people, since he couldn’t be restrained because of the Spirit of the Lord in him. 3He cried out from morning until the sun went down, urging the people to believe in God to bring them to repentance, so they wouldn’t be destroyed, telling them that all things are accomplished by faith. 4Therefore anyone who believes in God can, with confidence, hope for a better world, even a place at God’s right hand. This hope comes from faith and becomes an anchor to people’s souls, which would make them sure and resolute, always abounding in doing good, being led to glorify God. 5Ether prophesied great and miraculous things to the people, things they didn’t believe because they didn’t see them.
- 6Now I Moroni would like to speak a little about these things. I would like to show the world that faith is things that are hoped for and not seen. So don’t resist or argue that you don’t believe because you don’t see, because you don’t receive any witness until after your faith is tested. 7Indeed, it was by faith that Christ visited our ancestors in person after He had risen from the dead. He didn’t visit them until after they had faith in Him. That being the case, it was necessary for some to have faith in Him, since He didn’t show Himself to the world unless the people had faith. 8Because of people’s faith He has shown Himself to the world and glorified the Father’s name and prepared a way so that others could share in the heavenly gift, so they could hope for those things they haven’t seen. 9Therefore you may also have hope and share in the gift if only you have faith. 10It was by faith that men long ago were called according to God’s Holy Order. 11Therefore the Law of Moses was given by faith. But God has prepared a better way in the gift of His Son, and it has been fulfilled by faith. 12Because if there isn’t any faith among mankind, God can’t do any miracle among them; consequently, He didn’t show Himself until after they had faith.
- 13It was Alma and Amulek’s faith that caused the prison to collapse to the ground. 14It was Nephi and Lehi’s faith that brought about the conversion of the Lamanites, so they were baptized with fire and the Holy Ghost. 15It was the faith of Ammon and his brothers and their companions that brought about such a great miracle among the Lamanites. 16All those who performed miracles did them by faith, both those who lived before Christ and those who lived after. 17It was by faith the three disciples obtained a promise that they wouldn’t experience death, and they didn’t obtain the promise until after they had faith. 18No one at any time has performed any miracles until after they had faith; therefore they first believed in the Son of God. 19There were many whose faith was so strong, even before Christ came, who couldn’t be kept outside the veil but truly saw with their eyes the things they had seen first with an eye of faith; and they were glad. 20We’ve seen in this record one of these was Jared’s brother: his faith in God was so great that when God put forward His finger, He couldn’t hide it from Jared’s brother because of the promise He made to him, which he had obtained by faith. 21After Jared’s brother had seen the Lord’s finger, because of the promise Jared’s brother had obtained by faith, the Lord couldn’t hold anything back from his sight. So He showed him all things since he could no longer be kept outside the veil. 22It’s by faith that my forefathers have obtained the promise that these things would come to their descendants through the Gentiles. Therefore the Lord, even Jesus Christ, has commanded me.
- 23And I said to Him: Lord, the Gentiles will ridicule these things because of our weakness in writing; You’ve made us powerful in speaking, by faith; however, You haven’t made us powerful in writing. You’ve made this people able to speak great things because of the Holy Ghost, which You’ve given them. 24Yet You’ve made us able to write only a little because of the difficulty of inscribing and You haven’t made us gifted in composing like Jared’s brother. You endowed the things he wrote with power, just as You are, to such a degree as to overpower the people who read them. 25You’ve also inspired our sermons to be powerful and great, so that we can’t even write them. Therefore when we write, we see only our weakness and hesitate because of the contrast in our writing. I’m afraid the Gentiles will mock our record.
- 26When I had said this, the Lord told me: Fools mock, but they will mourn. And My grace is sufficient for the meek, so that they won’t find an excuse in your weaknesses. 27If people come to Me, I’ll show them their weaknesses. I give people weaknesses so they can be humble. And My grace is sufficient for all people who humble themselves before Me. If they humble themselves before Me and have faith in Me, then I’ll make weak things become strong for them. 28I’ll show the Gentiles their weaknesses. I’ll show them that faith, hope, and charity lead to Me, the Source of all righteousness.
- 29Having heard these words, I was comforted and said: O Lord, may Your righteous will be done. I know You act according to people’s faith for their benefit. 30Indeed, Jared’s brother said to the mountain Zerin: Move out of the way! — and it was moved out of the way. If he hadn’t had faith, it wouldn’t have moved. Therefore You act after people have faith. 31In this way You revealed Yourself to Your disciples. After they had faith and spoke in Your name, You showed Yourself to them in great power. 32I also remember You’ve said that You’ve prepared a place for mankind in Your Father’s kingdom, confirming our hope. So mankind must hope or they can’t inherit the place You’ve prepared. 33I remember You’ve said You’ve loved the world, so much You laid down Your life for the world so that You could take it back, in order to prepare a place for mankind. 34Now I know this love You have for mankind is charity. Therefore unless people have charity, they can’t inherit the place You’ve prepared in Your Father’s kingdom. 35I know by what You’ve said that if the Gentiles don’t have charity because of our weaknesses, it will test them and may cost them the gift, and even result in losing a blessing that will then be given to those grateful and willing to accept Your gifts.
- 36Then I prayed to the Lord that He would give the Gentiles grace, so they could have charity. 37The Lord said to me: If they don’t have charity, it’s no loss for you. You’ve been faithful; therefore your clothes will be washed clean. Because you’ve seen your weaknesses, you’ll be made strong; this will let you arrive in peace at the place I’ve prepared for you in My Father’s kingdom.
- 38Now I’ll say farewell to the Gentiles, and to my people as well, whom I love, until we come face to face before Christ’s judgment seat, where everyone will know my clothes aren’t stained with your blood. 39Then you’ll know I’ve seen Jesus and He has talked with me face to face, and He told me about these things in plain humility in my own language, just as one person tells another. 40I’ve written only a few of them because of my weakness in writing. 41Now I would urge you to investigate this Jesus whom the prophets and His messengers have written about, so that the grace of God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost, which testifies of Them, can be and dwell in you forever. Amen.
Chapter 5