3 Nephi 21
People in this chapter
In chapter 20 Jesus promised that scattered Israel would be gathered. Now He tells the people how they will know the gathering has begun: I give unto you a sign (v. 1). The sign is a book. When the words He is speaking, and the words that will be written about Him among this people, come forth from the Gentiles to the descendants of this people, the Father's work will already have started (vv. 2-7).
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3 Nephi 21:1-7I Give unto You a Sign
1And verily I say unto you, I give unto you a sign, that ye may know the time when these things shall be about to take place—that I shall gather in, from their long dispersion, my people, O house of Israel, and shall establish again among them my Zion; 2And behold, this is the thing which I will give unto you for a sign—for verily I say unto you that when these things which I declare unto you, and which I shall declare unto you hereafter of myself, and by the power of the Holy Ghost which shall be given unto you of the Father, shall be made known unto the Gentiles that they may know concerning this people who are a remnant of the house of Jacob, and concerning this my people who shall be scattered by them; 3Verily, verily, I say unto you, when these things shall be made known unto them of the Father, and shall come forth of the Father, from them unto you;
Jesus gives a sign of when the gathering of Israel will begin: when His words, written in this record, come from the Gentiles to the descendants of these people.
4For it is wisdom in the Father that they should be established in this land, and be set up as a free people by the power of the Father, that these things might come forth from them unto a remnant of your seed, that the covenant of the Father may be fulfilled which he hath covenanted with his people, O house of Israel; 5Therefore, when these works and the works which shall be wrought among you hereafter shall come forth from the Gentiles, unto your seed which shall dwindle in unbelief because of iniquity;
The Father would establish the Gentiles in this land as a free people, so that this record could come forth from them.
6For thus it behooveth the Father that it should come forth from the Gentiles, that he may show forth his power unto the Gentiles, for this cause that the Gentiles, if they will not harden their hearts, that they may repent and come unto me and be baptized in my name and know of the true points of my doctrine, that they may be numbered among my people, O house of Israel; 7And when these things come to pass that thy seed shall begin to know these things—it shall be a sign unto them, that they may know that the work of the Father hath already commenced unto the fulfilling of the covenant which he hath made unto the people who are of the house of Israel.
The record comes through the Gentiles so they too can repent, be baptized, and be numbered among the Lord's people. When the remnant begins to know these things, the gathering has already started.
3 Nephi 21:8-11A Great and a Marvelous Work
8And when that day shall come, it shall come to pass that kings shall shut their mouths; for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider. 9For in that day, for my sake shall the Father work a work, which shall be a great and a marvelous work among them; and there shall be among them those who will not believe it, although a man shall declare it unto them.
Jesus calls the latter-day work a great and a marvelous work. Kings will be silenced by it, and many will not believe it even when a man tells them plainly.
10But behold, the life of my servant shall be in my hand; therefore they shall not hurt him, although he shall be marred because of them. Yet I will heal him, for I will show unto them that my wisdom is greater than the cunning of the devil. 11Therefore it shall come to pass that whosoever will not believe in my words, who am Jesus Christ, which the Father shall cause him to bring forth unto the Gentiles, and shall give unto him power that he shall bring them forth unto the Gentiles, (it shall be done even as Moses said) they shall be cut off from among my people who are of the covenant.
The Lord speaks of a servant whose life is in His hand. He will be marred because of others, but the Lord will heal him. Through this servant the Savior's words will come to the Gentiles.
3 Nephi 21:12-21Wo Be unto the Gentiles Except They Repent
12And my people who are a remnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles, yea, in the midst of them as a lion among the beasts of the forest, as a young lion among the flocks of sheep, who, if he go through both treadeth down and teareth in pieces, and none can deliver. 13Their hand shall be lifted up upon their adversaries, and all their enemies shall be cut off. 14Yea, wo be unto the Gentiles except they repent; for it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Father, that I will cut off thy horses out of the midst of thee, and I will destroy thy chariots; 15And I will cut off the cities of thy land, and throw down all thy strongholds; 16And I will cut off witchcrafts out of thy land, and thou shalt have no more soothsayers; 17Thy graven images I will also cut off, and thy standing images out of the midst of thee, and thou shalt no more worship the works of thy hands; 18And I will pluck up thy groves out of the midst of thee; so will I destroy thy cities.
Jesus uses Micah's words to warn Gentiles who will not repent. The Lord will cut off the things they trusted in place of Him: horses, chariots, strongholds, witchcraft, and idols.
19And it shall come to pass that all lyings, and deceivings, and envyings, and strifes, and priestcrafts, and whoredoms, shall be done away. 20For it shall come to pass, saith the Father, that at that day whosoever will not repent and come unto my Beloved Son, them will I cut off from among my people, O house of Israel; 21And I will execute vengeance and fury upon them, even as upon the heathen, such as they have not heard.
Jesus adds a list that Micah does not have: lying, deceiving, envy, strife, priestcraft, and sexual sin will all be done away.
3 Nephi 21:22-29A City Which Shall Be Called the New Jerusalem
22But if they will repent and hearken unto my words, and harden not their hearts, I will establish my church among them, and they shall come in unto the covenant and be numbered among this the remnant of Jacob, unto whom I have given this land for their inheritance;
Gentiles who repent will have the Lord's Church among them and be counted as part of Israel.
23And they shall assist my people, the remnant of Jacob, and also as many of the house of Israel as shall come, that they may build a city, which shall be called the New Jerusalem. 24And then shall they assist my people that they may be gathered in, who are scattered upon all the face of the land, in unto the New Jerusalem. 25And then shall the power of heaven come down among them; and I also will be in the midst.
The converted Gentiles will help the remnant of Jacob build the New Jerusalem and gather others into it. The power of heaven will come down, and the Lord will be in their midst.
26And then shall the work of the Father commence at that day, even when this gospel shall be preached among the remnant of this people. Verily I say unto you, at that day shall the work of the Father commence among all the dispersed of my people, yea, even the tribes which have been lost, which the Father hath led away out of Jerusalem. 27Yea, the work shall commence among all the dispersed of my people, with the Father to prepare the way whereby they may come unto me, that they may call on the Father in my name. 28Yea, and then shall the work commence, with the Father among all nations in preparing the way whereby his people may be gathered home to the land of their inheritance. 29And they shall go out from all nations; and they shall not go out in haste, nor go by flight, for I will go before them, saith the Father, and I will be their rearward.
The work of the Father will begin among all of scattered Israel, including the lost tribes, and in every nation. The Lord will lead them out calmly, going before them and behind them.
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.
- IsraelIncludes the scattering of Israel, the lost tribes, and the gathering the Savior describes in verses 1-7 and 26-29.
- GentilesHow the scriptures use the word Gentiles, and the role the Gentiles play in bringing the gospel to Israel in the last days.
- Restoration of the GospelScriptures on the latter-day work the Savior calls a great and a marvelous work (v. 9).
- New JerusalemScriptures on the city promised in verses 23-24.
- Smith, Joseph, Jr.The prophet through whom the Book of Mormon came forth to the Gentiles, the event verses 2-7 describe as the sign.
Where this echoes in Scripture
I Give unto You a Sign
- 1 Nephi 15:13-14The fulness of the gospel of the Messiah [shall] come unto the Gentiles, and from the Gentiles unto the remnant of our seed.
- 3 Nephi 29:1When the Lord shall see fit... that these sayings shall come unto the Gentiles... ye may know that the covenant... is already beginning to be fulfilled.Mormon repeats the sign.
- 1 Nephi 13:19The Gentiles that had gone out of captivity were delivered by the power of God out of the hands of all other nations.
- 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.
A Great and a Marvelous Work
- Isaiah 29:14I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder.
- 2 Nephi 25:17He will proceed to do a marvelous work and a wonder among the children of men.
- D&C 4:1Now behold, a marvelous work is about to come forth among the children of men.
- 2 Nephi 3:6-7A choice seer will I raise up out of the fruit of thy loins.Joseph of Egypt's prophecy of a latter-day seer.
- D&C 10:43I will show unto them that my wisdom is greater than the cunning of the devil.The same words, spoken about this book.
Wo Be unto the Gentiles Except They Repent
- Micah 5:8-15I will cut off thy horses out of the midst of thee, and I will destroy thy chariots.The passage Jesus adapts.
- Psalm 20:7Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.
- 2 Nephi 26:29Priestcrafts are that men preach and set themselves up for a light unto the world, that they may get gain and praise of the world.
- 3 Nephi 11:7Behold my Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, in whom I have glorified my name—hear ye him.
A City Which Shall Be Called the New Jerusalem
- Ephesians 2:19Ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God.
- Ether 13:6A New Jerusalem should be built up upon this land, unto the remnant of the seed of Joseph.
- Articles of Faith 1:10We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the Ten Tribes.
- D&C 110:11Moses appeared before us, and committed unto us the keys of the gathering of Israel.
- Isaiah 52:12Ye shall not go out with haste, nor go by flight: for the LORD will go before you.