II Nephi XIII

31And now I Nephi make an end of my prophesying unto you, my beloved brethren. And I cannot write but a few things which I know must surely come to pass, neither can I write but a few of the words of my brother Jacob. 2Wherefore the things which I have written sufficeth me, save it be a few words which I must speak concerning the doctrine of Christ. Wherefore I shall speak unto you plainly according to the plainness of my prophesying. 3For my soul delighteth in plainness, for after this manner doth the Lord God work among the children of men. For the Lord God giveth light unto the understanding, for he speaketh unto men according to their language unto their understanding.

4Wherefore I would that ye should remember that I have spoken unto you concerning that prophet which the Lord shewed unto me that should baptize the Lamb of God, which should take away the sin of the world. 5And now if the Lamb of God, he being holy, should have need to be baptized by water to fulfill all righteousness, O then how much more need have we, being unholy, to be baptized, yea, even by water! 6And now I would ask of you, my beloved brethren, wherein the Lamb of God did fulfill all righteousness in being baptized by water? 7Know ye not that he was holy? But notwithstanding he being holy, he showeth unto the children of men that according to the flesh he humbleth himself before the Father and witnesseth unto the Father that he would be obedient unto him in keeping his commandments. 8Wherefore after that he was baptized with water, the Holy Ghost descended upon him in the form of a dove. 9And again it sheweth unto the children of men the straitness of the path and the narrowness of the gate by which they should enter, he having set the example before them. 10And he saith unto the children of men: Follow thou me. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, can we follow Jesus save we shall be willing to keep the commandments of the Father? 11And the Father saith: Repent ye, repent ye, and be baptized in the name of my Beloved Son. 12And also the voice of the son came unto me, saying: He that is baptized in my name, to him will the Father give the Holy Ghost like unto me. Wherefore follow me and do the things which ye have seen me do.

13Wherefore, my beloved brethren, I know that if ye shall follow the Son with full purpose of heart, acting no hypocrisy and no deception before God but with real intent, repenting of your sins, witnessing unto the Father that ye are willing to take upon you the name of Christ by baptism, yea, by following your Lord and Savior down into the water according to his word, behold, then shall ye receive the Holy Ghost. Yea, then cometh the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost, and then can ye speak with the tongue of angels and shout praises unto the Holy One of Israel.

14But behold, my beloved brethren, thus came the voice of the Son unto me, saying: After that ye have repented of your sins and witnessed unto the Father that ye are willing to keep my commandments by the baptism of water and have received the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost and can speak with a new tongue —yea, even with the tongue of angels— and after this should deny me, it would have been better for you that ye had not known me.

15And I heard a voice from the Father, saying: Yea, the words of my Beloved are true and faithful; he that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved. 16And now my beloved brethren, I know by this that unless a man shall endure to the end in following the example of the Son of the living God, he cannot be saved.

17Wherefore do the things which I have told you that I have seen, that your Lord and your Redeemer should do. For for this cause have they been shewn unto me, that ye might know the gate by which ye should enter. For the gate by which ye should enter is repentance and baptism by water, and then cometh a remission of your sins by fire and by the Holy Ghost. 18And then are ye in this straight and narrow path which leads to eternal life, yea, ye have entered in by the gate. Ye have done according to the commandments of the Father and the Son, and ye have received the Holy Ghost, which witness of the Father and the Son unto the fulfilling of the promise which he hath made, that if ye entered in by the way, ye should receive.

19And now my beloved brethren, after that ye have got into this straight and narrow path, I would ask if all is done. Behold, I say unto you: Nay. For ye have not come thus far save it were by the word of Christ with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save. 20Wherefore ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope and a love of God and of all men; wherefore if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Chirst and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father, ye shall have eternal life.

21And now behold, my beloved brethren, this is the way. And there is none other way nor name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God. And now behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, and the only and true doctrine of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, which is one God without end. Amen.