3 Nephi 20
People in this chapter
The second day of the Savior's visit has been full. The twelve disciples were baptized and received the Holy Ghost, and Jesus prayed three times among them with words that could not be written (3 Nephi 19). Now He tells everyone to stop praying aloud and keep praying in their hearts (v. 1), and He gives them the sacrament again. This time there is no bread or wine in the crowd. He provides it Himself.
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3 Nephi 20:1-9He Truly Gave unto Them Bread
1And it came to pass that he commanded the multitude that they should cease to pray, and also his disciples. And he commanded them that they should not cease to pray in their hearts. 2And he commanded them that they should arise and stand up upon their feet. And they arose up and stood upon their feet.
Jesus tells the people to stop praying aloud but to keep praying in their hearts. Then He has them stand up.
3And it came to pass that he brake bread again and blessed it, and gave to the disciples to eat. 4And when they had eaten he commanded them that they should break bread, and give unto the multitude. 5And when they had given unto the multitude he also gave them wine to drink, and commanded them that they should give unto the multitude. 6Now, there had been no bread, neither wine, brought by the disciples, neither by the multitude; 7But he truly gave unto them bread to eat, and also wine to drink.
Jesus gives the sacrament again. No one had brought bread or wine, but He provided it. The disciples ate first and then served the people.
8And he said unto them: He that eateth this bread eateth of my body to his soul; and he that drinketh of this wine drinketh of my blood to his soul; and his soul shall never hunger nor thirst, but shall be filled. 9Now, when the multitude had all eaten and drunk, behold, they were filled with the Spirit; and they did cry out with one voice, and gave glory to Jesus, whom they both saw and heard.
After the sacrament, the people were filled with the Spirit and praised Jesus together. The promise to be filled came true right away.
3 Nephi 20:10-22The Covenant Which the Father Hath Made
10And it came to pass that when they had all given glory unto Jesus, he said unto them: Behold now I finish the commandment which the Father hath commanded me concerning this people, who are a remnant of the house of Israel. 11Ye remember that I spake unto you, and said that when the words of Isaiah should be fulfilled—behold they are written, ye have them before you, therefore search them— 12And verily, verily, I say unto you, that when they shall be fulfilled then is the fulfilling of the covenant which the Father hath made unto his people, O house of Israel.
Jesus picks up where He left off the day before. These people are a remnant of Israel. He tells them to search Isaiah's words, because when they are fulfilled, the Father's covenant with Israel will be fulfilled.
13And then shall the remnants, which shall be scattered abroad upon the face of the earth, be gathered in from the east and from the west, and from the south and from the north; and they shall be brought to the knowledge of the Lord their God, who hath redeemed them. 14And the Father hath commanded me that I should give unto you this land, for your inheritance.
Scattered Israel will be gathered from every direction. The gathering means coming to know the Lord who redeemed them.
15And I say unto you, that if the Gentiles do not repent after the blessing which they shall receive, after they have scattered my people— 16Then shall ye, who are a remnant of the house of Jacob, go forth among them; and ye shall be in the midst of them who shall be many; and ye shall be among them as a lion among the beasts of the forest, and as a young lion among the flocks of sheep, who, if he goeth through both treadeth down and teareth in pieces, and none can deliver. 17Thy hand shall be lifted up upon thine adversaries, and all thine enemies shall be cut off. 18And I will gather my people together as a man gathereth his sheaves into the floor. 19For I will make my people with whom the Father hath covenanted, yea, I will make thy horn iron, and I will make thy hoofs brass. And thou shalt beat in pieces many people; and I will consecrate their gain unto the Lord, and their substance unto the Lord of the whole earth. And behold, I am he who doeth it.
Jesus uses images from the prophet Micah: a lion, a threshing ox, sheaves gathered in. They describe the Lord's judgment on Gentiles who will not repent. The Lord says plainly that He is the one who does it.
20And it shall come to pass, saith the Father, that the sword of my justice shall hang over them at that day; and except they repent it shall fall upon them, saith the Father, yea, even upon all the nations of the Gentiles. 21And it shall come to pass that I will establish my people, O house of Israel. 22And behold, this people will I establish in this land, unto the fulfilling of the covenant which I made with your father Jacob; and it shall be a New Jerusalem. And the powers of heaven shall be in the midst of this people; yea, even I will be in the midst of you.
The Father warns the nations to repent. Then the Savior promises a New Jerusalem built by this people, with the Lord Himself in their midst.
3 Nephi 20:23-29Ye Are the Children of the Covenant
23Behold, I am he of whom Moses spake, saying: A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass that every soul who will not hear that prophet shall be cut off from among the people.
24Verily I say unto you, yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have testified of me. 25And behold, ye are the children of the prophets; and ye are of the house of Israel; and ye are of the covenant which the Father made with your fathers, saying unto Abraham: And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed. 26The Father having raised me up unto you first, and sent me to bless you in turning away every one of you from his iniquities; and this because ye are the children of the covenant—
Verses 23-26 are almost the same words Peter preached in Jerusalem (Acts 3:22-26). The Savior taught the same message on both sides of the world.
The people are children of the covenant, heirs of God's promise to Abraham. The first blessing of that covenant is that Christ turns them away from their sins.
27And after that ye were blessed then fulfilleth the Father the covenant which he made with Abraham, saying: In thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed—unto the pouring out of the Holy Ghost through me upon the Gentiles, which blessing upon the Gentiles shall make them mighty above all, unto the scattering of my people, O house of Israel. 28And they shall be a scourge unto the people of this land. Nevertheless, when they shall have received the fulness of my gospel, then if they shall harden their hearts against me I will return their iniquities upon their own heads, saith the Father. 29And I will remember the covenant which I have made with my people; and I have covenanted with them that I would gather them together in mine own due time, that I would give unto them again the land of their fathers for their inheritance, which is the land of Jerusalem, which is the promised land unto them forever, saith the Father.
The Gentiles will be blessed with the Holy Ghost and the fulness of the gospel, and they will be accountable for what they do with it. The Lord will not forget His covenant to gather Israel.
3 Nephi 20:30-46Awake, Awake Again, O Zion
30And it shall come to pass that the time cometh, when the fulness of my gospel shall be preached unto them; 31And they shall believe in me, that I am Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and shall pray unto the Father in my name. 32Then shall their watchmen lift up their voice, and with the voice together shall they sing; for they shall see eye to eye. 33Then will the Father gather them together again, and give unto them Jerusalem for the land of their inheritance. 34Then shall they break forth into joy—Sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem; for the Father hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem. 35The Father 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 the Father; and the Father and I are one.
The Jews will hear the fulness of the gospel, believe in Jesus Christ, and be gathered back to Jerusalem. Jesus adds to Isaiah's words, and the Father and I are one.
36And then shall be brought to pass that which is written: Awake, awake again, and put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city, for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean. 37Shake thyself from the dust; arise, sit down, O Jerusalem; loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion. 38For thus saith the Lord: Ye have sold yourselves for naught, and ye shall be redeemed without money.
Zion is told to wake up, put on her strength, and shake off her chains. In a revelation, the Lord explained that Zion's strength is the authority of the priesthood. Israel will be redeemed without money.
39Verily, verily, I say unto you, that my people shall know my name; yea, in that day they shall know that I am he that doth speak. 40And then shall they say: How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings unto them, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings unto them of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion: Thy God reigneth!
41And then shall a cry go forth: Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch not that which is unclean; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord. 42For ye shall not go out with haste nor go by flight; for the Lord will go before you, and the God of Israel shall be your rearward.
Those who carry the Lord's sacred things must be clean. The Lord goes in front of His people and guards them from behind.
43Behold, my servant shall deal prudently; he shall be exalted and extolled and be very high. 44As many were astonished at thee—his visage was so marred, more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men— 45So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him, for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider.
Jesus ends the Isaiah passage with the servant who is exalted, then marred, and who astonishes kings. In the next chapter He applies these words to the latter-day work.
46Verily, verily, I say unto you, all these things shall surely come, even as the Father hath commanded me. Then shall this covenant which the Father hath covenanted with his people be fulfilled; and then shall Jerusalem be inhabited again with my people, and it shall be the land of their inheritance.
Jesus promises that all of this will surely happen, and Jerusalem will again be the home of His people.
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.
- SacramentScriptures on the ordinance Jesus administers again in verses 3-9, from the Last Supper to the sacrament prayers.
- Abrahamic CovenantThe promises to Abraham that the Savior quotes in verses 25 and 27.
- IsraelIncludes the scattering and the gathering of Israel, the subject of verses 13-46.
- New JerusalemScriptures on the city promised in verse 22 and in 3 Nephi 21:23-24.
- MosesBackground on the prophet whose promise of a coming Prophet Jesus applies to Himself in verse 23.
Where this echoes in Scripture
He Truly Gave unto Them Bread
- 3 Nephi 18:5-7If ye do always remember me ye shall have my Spirit to be with you.The first time He gave them the sacrament.
- John 6:35I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
- John 6:54Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.
- D&C 20:77That they may always have his Spirit to be with them.The promise in the sacrament prayer.
- Alma 34:27Let your hearts be full, drawn out in prayer unto him continually.Praying in the heart.
The Covenant Which the Father Hath Made
- 3 Nephi 16:17-20Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing.What He had begun teaching the day before.
- Micah 5:8-9The remnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles... as a lion among the beasts of the forest.The source of verses 16-17.
- Micah 4:12-13He shall gather them as the sheaves into the floor. Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion.The source of verses 18-19.
- Ether 13:6A New Jerusalem should be built up upon this land, unto the remnant of the seed of Joseph.
- Moses 7:62An Holy City... and it shall be called Zion, a New Jerusalem.
Ye Are the Children of the Covenant
- Deuteronomy 18:15-19The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me.
- Acts 3:22-26Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.Peter's sermon, nearly the same words.
- 1 Nephi 22:20-21This prophet of whom Moses spake was the Holy One of Israel.
- Joseph Smith-History 1:40He said that that prophet was Christ.Moroni quotes the same prophecy in 1823.
- Genesis 22:18In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.
Awake, Awake Again, O Zion
- Isaiah 52:1-15Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion.The chapter Jesus quotes in verses 32-45.
- D&C 113:7-10To put on her strength is to put on the authority of the priesthood.The Lord's explanation of verses 36-37.
- 1 Peter 1:18-19Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold... But with the precious blood of Christ.
- D&C 133:5Go ye out from Babylon. Be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord.
- Mosiah 14:3He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief.Where Isaiah's servant passage continues.