3 Nephi 16
People in this chapter
Jesus has just told the Nephites that they are the other sheep He spoke of in Jerusalem. Now He adds: there are still more. I have other sheep, which are not of this land, neither of the land of Jerusalem (v. 1). They have not heard His voice yet, and He is going to them.
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3 Nephi 16:1-3I Have Other Sheep
1And verily, verily, I say unto you that I have other sheep, which are not of this land, neither of the land of Jerusalem, neither in any parts of that land round about whither I have been to minister. 2For they of whom I speak are they who have not as yet heard my voice; neither have I at any time manifested myself unto them. 3But I have received a commandment of the Father that I shall go unto them, and that they shall hear my voice, and shall be numbered among my sheep, that there may be one fold and one shepherd; therefore I go to show myself unto them.
Jesus tells the twelve there are still more sheep. They are not in Jerusalem or in the Nephites' land, and they have not yet heard His voice. The Father has commanded Him to go to them.
3 Nephi 16:4-5Ye Shall Write These Sayings
4And I command you that ye shall write these sayings after I am gone, that if it so be that my people at Jerusalem, they who have seen me and been with me in my ministry, do not ask the Father in my name, that they may receive a knowledge of you by the Holy Ghost, and also of the other tribes whom they know not of, that these sayings which ye shall write shall be kept and shall be manifested unto the Gentiles, that through the fulness of the Gentiles, the remnant of their seed, who shall be scattered forth upon the face of the earth because of their unbelief, may be brought in, or may be brought to a knowledge of me, their Redeemer. 5And then will I gather them in from the four quarters of the earth; and then will I fulfil the covenant which the Father hath made unto all the people of the house of Israel.
Jesus commands the twelve to write His words. The record will go to the Gentiles, and through them it will reach the scattered remnant, so they can know their Redeemer.
After the record reaches the scattered remnant, the Lord will gather Israel from the four quarters of the earth and fulfill His covenant.
3 Nephi 16:6-9Blessed Are the Gentiles, Because of Their Belief
6And blessed are the Gentiles, because of their belief in me, in and of the Holy Ghost, which witnesses unto them of me and of the Father. 7Behold, because of their belief in me, saith the Father, and because of the unbelief of you, O house of Israel, in the latter day shall the truth come unto the Gentiles, that the fulness of these things shall be made known unto them.
The Gentiles are blessed because they believe in Christ through the witness of the Holy Ghost. In the latter days the fulness of the gospel will come to them.
8But wo, saith the Father, unto the unbelieving of the Gentiles—for notwithstanding they have come forth upon the face of this land, and have scattered my people who are of the house of Israel; and my people who are of the house of Israel have been cast out from among them, and have been trodden under feet by them; 9And because of the mercies of the Father unto the Gentiles, and also the judgments of the Father upon my people who are of the house of Israel, verily, verily, I say unto you, that after all this, and I have caused my people who are of the house of Israel to be smitten, and to be afflicted, and to be slain, and to be cast out from among them, and to become hated by them, and to become a hiss and a byword among them—
The Father warns the Gentiles who do not believe. They will scatter and mistreat the house of Israel on this land.
3 Nephi 16:10-15I Will Remember My Covenant
10And thus commandeth the Father that I should say unto you: At that day when the Gentiles shall sin against my gospel, and shall reject the fulness of my gospel, and shall be lifted up in the pride of their hearts above all nations, and above all the people of the whole earth, and shall be filled with all manner of lyings, and of deceits, and of mischiefs, and all manner of hypocrisy, and murders, and priestcrafts, and whoredoms, and of secret abominations; and if they shall do all those things, and shall reject the fulness of my gospel, behold, saith the Father, I will bring the fulness of my gospel from among them. 11And then will I remember my covenant which I have made unto my people, O house of Israel, and I will bring my gospel unto them. 12And I will show unto thee, O house of Israel, that the Gentiles shall not have power over you; but I will remember my covenant unto you, O house of Israel, and ye shall come unto the knowledge of the fulness of my gospel.
If the Gentiles become proud and wicked and reject the fulness of the gospel, the Father will take the fulness of the gospel from among them.
Then the Lord will remember His covenant with Israel and bring them the gospel. The Gentiles will not have power over them.
13But if the Gentiles will repent and return unto me, saith the Father, behold they shall be numbered among my people, O house of Israel. 14And I will not suffer my people, who are of the house of Israel, to go through among them, and tread them down, saith the Father. 15But if they will not turn unto me, and hearken unto my voice, I will suffer them, yea, I will suffer my people, O house of Israel, that they shall go through among them, and shall tread them down, and they shall be as salt that hath lost its savor, which is thenceforth good for nothing but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of my people, O house of Israel.
The door stays open. If the Gentiles repent and return, they will be counted as part of the house of Israel.
If the Gentiles do not turn to the Lord, they will be like salt that has lost its flavor, good for nothing but to be thrown out.
3 Nephi 16:16-20When the Lord Shall Bring Again Zion
16Verily, verily, I say unto you, thus hath the Father commanded me—that I should give unto this people this land for their inheritance. 17And then the words of the prophet Isaiah shall be fulfilled, which say: 18Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing, for they shall see eye to eye when the Lord shall bring again Zion.
Jesus says the Father gave this land to this people for an inheritance. Then He quotes Isaiah about watchmen singing together when the Lord brings again Zion.
19Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem; for the Lord hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem. 20The Lord hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of God.
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.
- Gathering of IsraelScriptures on the latter-day gathering Jesus promises in verse 5.
- GentilesWho the Gentiles are in scripture and their role in bringing the gospel to Israel in the last days (vv. 4-15).
- IsraelBackground on the house of Israel, its scattering, and the tribes led away, all named in this chapter.
- Good ShepherdScriptures on Christ as the Shepherd who seeks His sheep and brings them into one fold (vv. 1-3).
Where this echoes in Scripture
I Have Other Sheep
- John 10:16Other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice.
- Luke 15:4Doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?
- 3 Nephi 17:4To show myself unto the lost tribes of Israel, for they are not lost unto the Father, for he knoweth whither he hath taken them.
- 2 Nephi 29:12-13I shall also speak unto the other tribes of the house of Israel, which I have led away, and they shall write it.
Ye Shall Write These Sayings
- 1 Nephi 13:35-36These things shall be hid up, to come forth unto the Gentiles, by the gift and power of the Lamb.
- Isaiah 11:12Gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.
- 1 Nephi 22:12They shall be brought out of obscurity and out of darkness; and they shall know that the Lord is their Savior and their Redeemer.
- D&C 110:11Moses appeared before us, and committed unto us the keys of the gathering of Israel from the four parts of the earth.
Blessed Are the Gentiles, Because of Their Belief
- John 20:29Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.
- Romans 11:11Through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles.
- 1 Nephi 13:14They were scattered before the Gentiles and were smitten.
- Deuteronomy 28:37Thou shalt become an astonishment, a proverb, and a byword, among all nations.
I Will Remember My Covenant
- 2 Nephi 30:2As many of the Gentiles as will repent are the covenant people of the Lord.
- Galatians 3:29If ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
- Exodus 2:24God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.
- 3 Nephi 12:13If the salt shall lose its savor wherewith shall the earth be salted?
- D&C 101:39-40They are accounted as the salt of the earth and the savor of men.
When the Lord Shall Bring Again Zion
- Isaiah 52:8-10They shall see eye to eye, when the LORD shall bring again Zion.
- Mosiah 15:28-31The salvation of the Lord shall be declared to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people.Abinadi on the same verses.
- Luke 2:30-31Mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all people.
- 3 Nephi 20:32-35Then shall their watchmen lift up their voice, and with the voice together shall they sing.Jesus returns to Isaiah 52 in chapter 20.