SECTION 25

    A revelation given at Kirtland, Ohio, 4 February 1831, through Joseph Smith Jr. The elders of the church are commanded to assemble to receive the Lord’s law. Instructions are given concerning Joseph Smith Jr., Sidney Rigdon, and Edward Partridge.

  1. Hearken and hear, O my people, says your Lord and your God, you whom I delight to bless with the greatest of blessings, you that hear me. And you that hear me not will I curse, that have professed my name, with the heaviest of all cursings. Hearken, O you elders of my church, whom I have called. Behold, I give unto you a commandment that you shall assemble yourselves together to agree upon my word, and by the prayer of your faith, you shall receive my law that you may know how to govern my church and have all things right before me. And I will be your ruler and you shall see that my law is kept.
  2. He that receives my law and does it, the same is my disciple, and he that says he receives it and does it not, the same is not my disciple and shall be cast out from among you, for it is not meet that the things which belong to the children of the kingdom should be cast before swine.
  3. And again, it is meet that my servant Joseph should have a house built in which to live and translate. And again, it is meet that my servant Sidney should live as seems best to him. And again, I have called my servant Edward and give a commandment that he should be appointed by the voice of the church, and be ordained a bishop unto the church, to leave his merchandise, and spend all his time in the labors of the church, to see to all things as it shall be appointed in my laws in the day that I shall give them, and this because his heart is pure before me, for he is like unto Nathanael of old, in whom there is no guile.
  4. These words are given unto you and they are pure before me; wherefore, beware how you hold them, for they are to be answered upon your souls in the day of judgment. Even so, Amen.