- Verily I say unto you my friends, fear not, let your hearts be comforted, yea, rejoice evermore and in everything give thanks, waiting patiently on the Lord, for your prayers have entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth and are recorded with this seal and testament: The Lord has sworn and decreed that they shall be granted. Therefore, he gives this promise unto you with an immutable covenant that they shall be fulfilled, and all things wherewith you have been afflicted shall work together for your good, and to my name’s glory, says the Lord God.
- And now verily I say unto you concerning the laws of the land, it is my will that my people should observe to do all things whatever I command them, and that law of the land which is constitutional, supporting the principles of freedom in maintaining rights and privileges belonging to all mankind, is justifiable before me; therefore, I, the Lord, justify you and your brethren of my church in befriending that law which is the constitutional law of the land. And as pertaining to law of man, whatever is more or less than this comes of evil. I, the Lord your God, make you free; therefore, you are free indeed, and the law also makes you free. Nevertheless, when the wicked rule, the people mourn. Wherefore, honest men and wise men should be sought for diligently, and good men and wise men you should observe to uphold; otherwise, whatever is less than these comes of evil.
- And I give unto you a commandment that you shall forsake all evil and cleave unto all good, that you shall live by every word that proceeds forth out of the mouth of God, for he will give unto the faithful line upon line, precept upon precept. And I will try you and prove you herewith, and whoever lays down his life in my cause for my name’s sake shall find it again, even life eternal. Therefore, be not afraid of your enemies, for I have decreed in my heart, says the Lord, that I will prove you in all things, whether you will abide in my covenant even unto death, that you may be found worthy, for if you will not abide in my covenant, you are not worthy of me. Therefore, renounce war and proclaim peace, and seek diligently to turn the hearts of the children to their Fathers and the hearts of the Fathers to the children, and again, the hearts of the Jews unto the prophets and the prophets unto the Jews, lest I come and smite the whole earth with a curse, and all flesh be consumed before me. Let not your hearts be troubled, for in my Father’s house are many mansions, and I have prepared a place for you, and where my Father and I am, there you shall be also.
- Behold, I, the Lord, am not well pleased with many who are in the church at Kirtland, for they do not forsake their sins and their wicked ways, the pride of their hearts, and their covetousness, and all their detestable things, and observe not the words of wisdom and eternal life which I have given unto them. Verily I say unto you that I the Lord will chasten them and will do whatever I list, if they do not repent and observe all things whatever I have said unto them. And again, I say unto you, if you observe to do whatever I command you, I, the Lord, will turn away all wrath and indignation from you, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against you.
- Now, I speak unto you concerning your families. If men will smite you or your families once, and you bear it patiently and revile not against them, neither seek revenge, you shall be rewarded. But if you bear it not patiently, it shall be accounted unto you as being meted out a just measure unto you. And again, if your enemies shall smite you a second time, and you revile not against your enemy and bear it patiently, your reward shall be a hundredfold. And again, if he shall smite you a third time and you bear it patiently, your reward shall be doubled unto you fourfold. And these three testimonies shall stand against your enemy if he repent not, and shall not be blotted out. And now verily I say unto you, if that enemy shall escape my vengeance, that he be not brought into judgment before me, then you shall see to it that you warn him in my name that he come no more upon you, neither upon your families, neither your children, nor your children’s children unto the third and fourth generation. And then if he shall come upon you, or your children, or your children’s children unto the third and fourth generation, I have delivered your enemy into your hands. And then if you will spare him, you shall be rewarded for your righteousness, and also your children, and your children’s children unto the third and fourth generation. Nevertheless, your enemy is in your hands, and then if you reward him according to his works, you are justified. If he has sought your life and your life is endangered by him, your enemy is in your hands and you are justified.
- Behold, this is the law I gave unto my servant Nephi, and your father Joseph, and Jacob, and Isaac, and Abraham, and all my ancient prophets and apostles. And again, this is the law that I gave unto my ancients — that they should not go out unto battle against any nation, kindred, tongue, or people, save I, the Lord, commanded them. And if any nation, tongue, or people should proclaim war against them, they should first lift a standard of peace unto that people, nation, or tongue, and if that people did not accept the offering of peace, neither the second, nor third time, they should bring their testimonies before the Lord. Then I, the Lord, would give unto them a commandment, and justify them in going out to battle against that nation, tongue, or people; and I, the Lord, would fight their battles, and their children’s battles, and their children’s children, until they had avenged themselves upon all their enemies unto the third and fourth generation. Behold, this is an example unto all people, says the Lord your God, for justification before me.
- And again, verily I say unto you, if, after your enemy has come upon you the first time, and he repent and come unto you praying your forgiveness, you shall forgive him, and shall hold it no more as a testimony against your enemy, and so on unto the second and third time. And as oft as your enemy repents of the trespass wherewith he has trespassed against you, you shall forgive him, until seventy times seven. And if he trespass against you and repent not the first time, nevertheless, you shall forgive him; and if he trespass against you second time and repent not, nevertheless, you shall forgive him; and if he trespass against you the third time and repent not, you shall also forgive him. But if he trespass against you the fourth time, you shall not forgive him, but shall bring these testimonies before the Lord, and they shall not be blotted out until he repent and reward you fourfold in all things wherewith he has trespassed against you. And if he do this, you shall forgive him with all your heart; and if he do not this, I, the Lord, will avenge you of your enemy a hundredfold, and upon his children, and upon his children’s children, of all them that hate me, unto the third and fourth generation. But if the children shall repent, or the children’s children, and turn unto the Lord their God with all their heart, with all their might, mind, and strength, and restore fourfold for all their trespasses wherewith they have trespassed, or wherewith their fathers have trespassed, or their father’s fathers, then your indignation shall be turned away, and vengeance shall no more come upon them, says the Lord your God, and their trespasses shall never be brought anymore as a testimony before the Lord against them. Amen.
SECTION 98
A revelation given at Kirtland, Ohio, 6 August 1833, through Joseph Smith Jr.