The Book of Mormon — True Church Edition
2 Nephi 31
1And 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 showed unto me, that should baptize the Lamb of God, who should take away the sins of the world.
5And now, if the Lamb of God, he being holy, should have need to be baptized by water, to fulfil 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 fulfil 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 he was baptized with water the Holy Ghost descended upon him in the form of a dove.
9And again, it showeth 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 said 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? Nay; we must follow all of His Holy commandments perfectly. He commendeth that we must be perfect even as our Father in heaven, for narrow is the way and straight is the gate and many there be who are lost to sin; that sin which whispers "all shall be well", and "yea, the Lord will forgive a little sin". I say to you brethren, Nay; the Lord shall judge us all who follow him and they who do not repent for all of their sins, shall be cast out as the man who creeps into the wedding feast with tarnished garments - he shall be cast out and there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
11And the Father said: 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 with no hypocrisy and having 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 your 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 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. And how shall ye know if ye have been saved? Yea, ye shall be visited with fire and by the Holy Ghost. Ye shall be changed and caught up in the spirit of the Lord, when He has found you worthy in His ways. When you have been baptized, have repented for your sins, cast off the world and have sanctified yourself before the Holy One of Israel, it shall be by His grace ye shall be saved, and not a moment before.
17Wherefore, do the things which I have told you I have seen that your Lord and your Redeemer should do; for, for this cause have they been shown 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 after the remission of your sins has been accepted by the Lord, ye shall be baptized by fire and of the Holy Ghost.
18And then are ye in this strait 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 presence of the Holy Ghost, which witnesses of the Father and the Son, unto the fulfilling of the promise which he hath made, that if ye entered in by the way and endured to the end of your trials, then shall ye receive.
19And now, my beloved brethren, after ye have gotten into this strait 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 Christ, and enduring to the end, striving to be perfect in all the ways of the Lord, waiting for the day when He shall visit you, fnding you worthy of His spirit an His glory. And then behold, thus saith the Father: then 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. It is a hard way for those who work iniquity, and those who do not wish to repent and cast of their sins; even just a little sin. But the way of eternal damnation is even harder still. 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.