2 Nephi 31
People in this chapter
Nephi thought he was finished. At the end of the last chapter he wrote, I make an end of my sayings (2 Nephi 30:18). But there was one more thing he had to say: a few words which I must speak concerning the doctrine of Christ (v. 2). Those few words became one of the clearest summaries of the gospel ever written.
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2 Nephi 31:1-3My Soul Delighteth in Plainness
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.
Nephi is near the end of his record. He has just a few words left, and he uses them for the doctrine of Christ.
Nephi loves plain teaching because that is how God teaches. He speaks to people in their own language, so they can understand.
2 Nephi 31:4-9The Lamb of God Baptized
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, which 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!
Nephi had seen John the Baptist baptize Jesus in a vision, six centuries before it happened. He uses that scene to teach.
Jesus had no sin, and He was still baptized. If He needed baptism, we need it even more.
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.
After Jesus was baptized, the Holy Ghost came upon Him. That is the pattern for us too: baptism, then the Holy Ghost. Jesus set the example and showed the way.
2 Nephi 31:10-12Follow Thou Me
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? 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.
Jesus invites everyone: Follow thou me. Following Him means keeping the Father's commandments and doing the things which ye have seen me do.
Nephi hears the voice of the Father and the voice of the Son. Both say the same thing: repent, be baptized, follow the Son.
2 Nephi 31:13-16With Full Purpose of Heart
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 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.
Baptism has to be real. Nephi asks for full purpose of heart and real intent, with no pretending. At baptism we show we are willing to take on the name of Christ.
After baptism by water comes the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost. Fire cleanses. The Holy Ghost purifies and changes us.
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.
The Son warns that receiving the Holy Ghost and then denying Him is serious. More light brings more responsibility.
The Father says, He that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved. Enduring means continuing to follow Jesus' example all the way through life.
2 Nephi 31:17-18The Gate by Which Ye Should Enter
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 cometh a remission of your sins by fire and by 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 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 ye should receive.
The gate is repentance and baptism. Then the Holy Ghost brings a remission of sins. Going through the gate puts you on the path.
Strait means narrow or tight, not straight. The path to eternal life is narrow, and the Holy Ghost confirms you are on it.
2 Nephi 31:19-21Press Forward with a Steadfastness in Christ
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.
Once you're on the path, is all done? No. And you didn't get there on your own. You came by Christ's word and by relying on Him.
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 endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.
Verse 20 is Nephi's charge: press forward steadily in Christ, with hope and love, feasting on His word, to the end. The Father promises eternal life.
Disciples on the path carry a perfect brightness of hope and love God and everyone else. Those are the two great commandments.
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.
Nephi ends with the witness Peter would later bear: there is no other way and no other name by which anyone can be saved. This is the way.
This doctrine belongs to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, who are one God: three distinct beings, perfectly united.
Research trail
Sources & further study
These references support the historical, linguistic, manuscript, and contextual notes in this chapter. Scripture remains the primary text; external sources are provided so readers can inspect the research directly.
- What Is the Doctrine of Christ?Explores what Nephi means by "the doctrine of Christ" in this chapter and how the Book of Mormon uses "doctrine" and "gospel" for the same core teachings.
- How Does the Doctrine of Christ Relate to the Ancient Temple?Scholars compare the gate, the path, and the washing of baptism in 2 Nephi 31 with the approach to God in Israelite temple worship.
- Doctrine of ChristScriptures across the standard works that define the doctrine of Christ.
- BaptismWhy baptism by immersion, by proper authority, is the gate to the path that leads to eternal life.
- EndureWhat it means in scripture to endure to the end, with key references.
Where this echoes in Scripture
My Soul Delighteth in Plainness
- 2 Nephi 30:18And now, my beloved brethren, I make an end of my sayings.Where Nephi first thought he had finished.
- 3 Nephi 11:31-39Behold, verily, verily, I say unto you, I will declare unto you my doctrine.The risen Lord teaches the same doctrine.
- 2 Nephi 25:4My soul delighteth in plainness unto my people, that they may learn.
- D&C 1:24Given unto my servants in their weakness, after the manner of their language, that they might come to understanding.
The Lamb of God Baptized
- Matthew 3:13-17Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness.The baptism Nephi saw in vision.
- 1 Nephi 11:27The Lamb of God went forth and was baptized of him.Nephi's own vision of the event.
- 1 Nephi 10:9-10He should baptize the Messiah with water.Lehi's prophecy of John.
- Philippians 2:8He humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
- John 1:32-34I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.
Follow Thou Me
With Full Purpose of Heart
- Matthew 3:11He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire.
- Mosiah 18:10Baptized in the name of the Lord, as a witness before him that ye have entered into a covenant with him.
- Moroni 4:3That they are willing to take upon them the name of thy Son, and always remember him.The sacrament renews the baptismal promise.
- 2 Peter 2:21It had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness.
- Matthew 24:13He that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
The Gate by Which Ye Should Enter
- Matthew 7:13-14Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life.
- 2 Nephi 9:41The keeper of the gate is the Holy One of Israel; and he employeth no servant there.
- 1 Nephi 8:20I also beheld a strait and narrow path, which came along by the rod of iron.The path in Lehi's dream.
- D&C 20:37All those who humble themselves before God, and desire to be baptized… shall be received by baptism into his church.
- 3 Nephi 27:20Be baptized in my name, that ye may be sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost.
Press Forward with a Steadfastness in Christ
- Acts 4:12There is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
- John 14:6I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
- 1 Nephi 8:24, 30They did press forward through the mist of darkness, clinging to the rod of iron."Press forward" comes from Lehi's dream.
- Moroni 6:4Relying alone upon the merits of Christ, who was the author and the finisher of their faith.
- Moses 6:59-60By the water ye keep the commandment; by the Spirit ye are justified, and by the blood ye are sanctified.The same doctrine taught to Adam.