Doctrine and Covenants Commentary - Section 10

by Don R. Hender

Scriptural Text [& Editorial]
Commentary & Explanation
Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
Revelation given to Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Harmony, Pennsylvania, in the summer of 1828. HC 1:20—23. Herein the Lord informs Joseph of alterations made by wicked men in the 116 manuscript pages from the translation of the "Book of Lehi," in the Book of Mormon. These manuscript pages had been lost from the possession of Martin Harris, to whom the sheets had been temporarily entrusted. See heading to Section 3. The evil design was to await the expected retranslation of the matter covered by the stolen pages, and then to discredit the translator by showing discrepancies created by the alterations. That this wicked purpose had been conceived by the evil one, and was known to the Lord even while Mormon, the ancient Nephite historian, was making his abridgment of the accumulated plates, is shown in the Book of Mormon (The Words of Mormon 1:3-7).
    1—26, Satan stirs up wicked men to oppose the Lord's work;
    27—33, He seeketh to destroy the souls of men;
    34—52, The gospel is to go to Lamanites and all nations through Book of Mormon;
    53—63, The Lord will establish his Church and his gospel among men;
    64—70, He will gather the repentant into his Church and will save the obedient.
D&C 10:1 NOW, behold, I say unto you, that because you adelivered up those writings which you had power given unto you to translate by the means of the bUrim and Thummim, into the hands of a wicked man, you have lost them.
D&C 10:2 And you also lost your gift at the same time, and your amind became bdarkened.
D&C 10:3 Nevertheless, it is now arestored unto you again; therefore see that you are faithful and continue on unto the finishing of the remainder of the work of btranslation as you have begun.

D&C 10:4 Do not run afaster or labor more than you have bstrength and means provided to enable you to translate; but be cdiligent unto the end.
D&C 10:5 aPray always, that you may come off bconqueror; yea, that you may conquer Satan, and that you may cescape the hands of the servants of Satan that do uphold his work.
D&C 10:6 Behold, they have sought to adestroy you; yea, even the bman in whom you have trusted has sought to destroy you.

D&C 10:7 And for this cause I said that he is a wicked man, for he has sought to take away the things wherewith you have been entrusted; and he has also sought to destroy your gift.
D&C 10:8 And because you have delivered the writings into his hands, behold, wicked men have taken them from you.
D&C 10:9 Therefore, you have delivered them up, yea, that which was asacred, into wickedness.

D&C 10:10 And, behold, aSatan hath put it into their hearts to alter the words which you have caused to be bwritten, or which you have translated, which have gone out of your hands.
D&C 10:11 And behold, I say unto you, that because they have altered the words, they read contrary from that which you translated and caused to be written;
D&C 10:12 And, on this wise, the devil has sought to lay a cunning plan, that he may destroy this work;
D&C 10:13 For he hath, put into their hearts to do this, that by lying they may say they have acaught you in the words which you have pretended to translate.

D&C 10:14 Verily, I say unto you, that I will not suffer that Satan shall accomplish his aevil design in this thing.
D&C 10:15 For behold, he has put it into their ahearts to get thee to btempt the Lord thy God, in asking to translate it over again.
D&C 10:16 And then, behold, he has put it in their hearts—We will see if God has given him power to translate; if so, he will also give him power again;
D&C 10:17 And if God giveth him power again, or if he translates again, or, in other words, if he bringeth forth the same words, behold, we have the same with us, and we have altered them;

D&C 10:18 Therefore they will not agree, and we will say that he has lied in his words, and he has no agift, and that he has no power;
D&C 10:19 Therefore we will destroy him, and also the work; and we will do this that we may not be ashamed in the end, and that we may get aglory of the world.

D&C 10:20 Verily, verily, I say unto you, that aSatan has great hold upon their hearts; he stirreth them up to biniquity against that which is good;
D&C 10:21 And their hearts are acorrupt, and bfull of wickedness and abominations; and they clove ddarkness rather than light, because their ddeeds are evil; therefore they will not ask of me.
D&C 10:22 aSatan stirreth them up, that he may blead their souls to destruction.
D&C 10:23 And thus he has laid a cunning plan, thinking to adestroy the work of God; but I will brequire this at their hands, and it shall turn to their shame and condemnation in the day of cjudgment.

D&C 10:24 Yea, he stirreth up their hearts to aanger against this work.
D&C 10:25 Yea, he saith unto them: aDeceive and lie in wait to catch, that ye may destroy; behold, this is no harm. And thus he flattereth them, and telleth them that it is no sin to blie that they may catch a man in a lie, that they may destroy him.
D&C 10:26 And thus he aflattered them, and leadeth them along until he draggeth their souls down to bhell; and thus he causeth them to catch themselves in their own csnare.
D&C 10:27 And thus he goeth up and down, ato and fro in the earth, seeking to bdestroy the souls of men.

D&C 10:28 Verily, verily, I say unto you, wo be unto him that alieth to bdeceive because he supposeth that another lieth to deceive, for such are not exempt from the cjustice of God.
D&C 10:29 Now, behold, they have altered these words, because Satan saith unto them: He hath deceived you—and thus he aflattereth them away to do iniquity, to get thee to btempt the Lord thy God.

D&C 10:30 Behold, I say unto you, that you shall not translate again those words which have gone forth out of your hands;
D&C 10:31 For, behold, they shall not accomplish their evil designs in lying against those words. For, behold, if you should bring forth the same words they will say that you have lied and that you have pretended to translate, but that you contradicted yourself.
D&C 10:32 And, behold, they will publish this, and Satan will aharden the hearts of the people to stir them up to anger against you, that they will not believe my words.

D&C 10:33 Thus aSatan thinketh to overpower your btestimony in this generation, that the work may not come forth in this generation.
D&C 10:34 But behold, here is wisdom, and because I show unto you wisdom, and give you commandments concerning these things, what you shall do, show it not unto the world until you accomplished the work of translation.
D&C 10:35 Marvel not that I said unto you: Here is awisdom, show it not unto the world—for I said, show it not unto the world, that you may be preserved.

D&C 10:36 Behold, I do not say that you shall not show it unto the righteous;
D&C 10:37 But as you cannot always judge arighteous, or as you cannot always tell the wicked from the righteous, therefore I say you, hold your bpeace until I shall see fit to make all things known unto the world concerning the matter.

D&C 10:38 And now, verily I say unto you, that an account of these things that you have written, which have gone out of your hands, is engraven upon the aplates of Nephi;
D&C 10:39 Yea, and you remember it was said in those writings that a more particular account was given of these things upon the plates of Nephi.
D&C 10:40 And now, because the account which is engraven upon the plates of Nephi is more particular concerning the things which, in my wisdom, I awould bring to the knowledge of the people in this account—
D&C 10:41 Therefore, you shall translate the engravings which are on the plates of Nephi, down even till you come to the reign of king Benjamin, or until you come to that which you have translated, which you have retained;
D&C 10:42 And behold, you shall publish it as a record of Nephi; and thus I will aconfound those who have altered my words.

D&C 10:43 I will not suffer that they shall destroy my awork; yea, I will show unto them that my bwisdom is greater than the cunning of the devil.
D&C 10:44 Behold, they have only got a part, or an aabridgment of the account of Nephi.
D&C 10:45 Behold, there are many things engraven upon the aplates of Nephi which do throw greater views upon my gospel; therefore, it is wisdom in me that you should btranslate this first part of the engravings of Nephi, and send forth in this work.

D&C 10:46 And, behold, all the remainder of this work does contain all those parts of my agospel which my holy prophets, yea, and also my disciples, bdesired in their prayers should come forth unto this people.
D&C 10:47 And I said unto them, that it should be agranted unto them according to their bfaith in their prayers;
D&C 10:48 Yea, and this was their faith—that my gospel, which I gave unto them that they might preach in their days, might come unto their brethren the aLamanites, and also all that had become Lamanites because of their dissensions.

D&C 10:49 Now, this is not all—their faith in their prayers was that this gospel should be known also, if it were possible that other nations should also possess this land;
D&C 10:50 And thus they did leave their blessing upon this land in their prayers, that whosoever should believe in this gospel in this land might have eternal life;
D&C 10:51 Yea, that it might be free unto all of whatsoever nation, kindred, tongue, or people they may be.

D&C 10:52 And now, behold, according to their faith in their prayers will I bring this part of my gospel to the knowledge of my people. Behold, I do not bring it to adestroy that which they have received, but to build it up.
D&C 10:53 And for this cause have I said: If this generation aharden not their hearts, I will establish my bchurch among them.
D&C 10:54 Now I do not say this to destroy my church; but I say this to build up my church;
D&C 10:55 Therefore, whosoever belongeth to my church need not afear, for such shall binherit the ckingdom of heaven.
D&C 10:56 But it is they who do not afear me, neither keep my commandments but build up bchurches unto themselves to get cgain, yea, and all those that do wickedly and build up the kingdom of the devil—yea, verily, verily, I say unto you, that it is they that I will disturb, and cause to tremble and shake to the center.

D&C 10:57 Behold, I am Jesus Christ, the aSon of God. I came unto mine own, and mine own breceived me not.
D&C 10:58 I am the alight which shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehendeth it not.
D&C 10:59 I am he who said—aOther bsheep have I which are not of this fold—unto my disciples, and many there were that cunderstood me not.
D&C 10:60 And I will show unto this people that I had other asheep, and that they were a bbranch of the house of cJacob;

D&C 10:61 And I will bring to light their marvelous works, which they did in my name;
D&C 10:62 Yea, and I will also bring to light my gospel which was ministered unto them, and, behold, they shall not deny that which you have received, but they shall build it up, and shall bring to light the true points of my adoctrine, yea, and the only doctrine which is in me.
D&C 10:63 And this I do that I may establish my gospel, that there may not be so much acontention; yea, bSatan doth cstir up the hearts of the people to the dcontention concerning the points of my doctrine; and in these things they do err, for they do ewrest the scriptures and do not understand them.

This Great Mystery ~ This Is My Doctrine

  • I will gather them if they harden not their hearts. [Come unto Christ in faith]
  • If they will come and partake of the waters of life [baptism] freely.
  • Whosoever repenteth and cometh unto Me is of My church.
  • Whosoever is of My church, and endureth of My church to the end,
    him will I establish upon my rock, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against them.
The Gospel of Christ is understandable to the simplest of mind. Whether as stated here or as stated in the form of the first four principles of the Gospel, one comes or is gathered unto Christ as lead by His spirit, They exhibit faith in Him. They will freely enter into the waters of baptism, the Lord's rebirth performed by those who are authorized by Him to perform this saving ordinance. As they come to understand the commandments of God line upon line and precept upon precept as given unto them by the Holy Spirit having recieved the Holy Ghost, they will repent of their sins and conform thier lives to meet His standards. And if they will endure in His church until the end of their lives, they will be established in Christ, His Kingdom and the gates of hell will not have any hold upon them.

This is the Great Mystery of Salvation. This is the Doctrine of Christ. And while the principles, laws and commandments of God are many, the basic Gospel process is simple. It is the application of receiving by faith in Christ, being willing to change and be born again in His image by repenting and conforming line upon line, precept upon precept as led by the Holy Spirit, enduring until the end, and then one's redemption, salvation and exaltation is assured. There is no other way, Any who teach any other Gospel more or less than this is not of God. There is no other than Christ, there is no other way but His way, His truth, His baptism, and His church. He is the life and the light of the world, our Redeemer, our Lord and our God. Besides Him, there is none else and no other way but His.

What is to be understood from this is that everyone, from the newest of faithfully baptised convert to the very Prophet of God holding the highest of priesthood and temple blessings, if they are found faithfully upon that path stated here as 'enduring of Christ's church' which leads to the kingdom of God, regardless of where they are upon that path at death, they will be a part of God's Kingdom and Satan will not prevail against them. Their Salvation in Christ from that point, though perhaps a matter of process and time, is guaranteed.

D&C 10:64 Therefore, I will unfold unto them this great mystery;
D&C 10:65 For, behold, I will agather them as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, if they will not harden their heartsa;
D&C 10:66 Yea, if they will comea, they may, and partake of the awaters of life freelyb.

The Waters of Life 
The 'waters of life' is that which constitues being 'born of the water and of the spirit' which is associated with the Lord's Baptism. Jesus Christ himself set the example for all to follow as he did come to John the Baptist who had been authorized by God and Priesthood authority to so perform Baptism. When John stated the he had need of being 'baptised of Christ', the Lord suffered to proceed to baptise himself, Christ, in order to fulfill all righteousness, as entering into the living waters of the Lord's authorized baptism is that which is 'required' in order to enter into God's Kingdom. Even the early Christian saints performed baptisms for the death in a vicarious ordinance in order that all might receive of this requirement. And so does the true church of Christ so practice this saving ordinance for the dead today as it is required of all as taught by the Savior to Nichodemus, that save a man be 'born of the water and of the spirit', he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God. 		 65a if they will not harden their hearts Many have, do and will harden their hearts against Christ. They refuse to believe in Him. Or they seek some other way other than His Way. They reject the simpleness of the way which is as simple as looking to Christ and accepting Him in faith and abiding by his word. Moses in the wilderness held up the brasen serpent as a symbol of Christ being raised up, and all the Children of Israel had to do was to exercise their faith in turning and looking to that symbolic image of Christ being lifted up for their sins, and they would be healed. But many failed to believe and failed to come forth and look to Christ to be healed and thus they perished and died. The way to salvation is simple enough that all might understand. Look to Christ and live. Accept him as God and harden not your heart against him. Yet many will perish for they harden their hearts for any number of various reasons. Pride, intellectualism, wickedness, so forth, being intreated and decieved by the Devil that either there is no God or there is some other counterfeit way by which salvation may be found.
 66a if they will come 'Come unto Christ'. The burdens of the world by be laid at his feet. Sins may be forgiven. The assurance of life beyond death is to be given. Christ beckons, 'Come Follow Me', The blessings of God await those who will come unto Christ. And how often would he have gathered us, if we would have but come unto Him?
 66b partake of the waters of life freely No earnest seeker of Christ who is willing to follow after His ways and take upon themselves His name are refused of coming 'freely' to the waters of baptism and life. Regardless of worldly status, rich or poor, regardless of race or nationality, all are invited to come and partake of the waters of life, every nation, kindred, tongue and people come under the wings of the Savior's offer, And as Christ taught Nicodemus, except a man is born of the water and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God'.

To Fulfill All Righteousness 
D&C 10:67 Behold, this is my doctrine—whosoever repenteth and acometh unto me, the same is my bchurch.
D&C 10:68 Whosoever adeclareth more or less, the same is not of me, but is bagainst me; therefore he is not of my church.

D&C 10:69 And now, behold, whosoever is of my church, and aendureth of my church to the end, him will I establish upon my brock, and the cgates of hell shall not prevail against them.
D&C 10:70 And now, remember the words of him who is the life and alight of the bworld, your Redeemer, your cLord and your God. Amen.