Title, Introduction, Testimony of the Twelve Apostles

Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, during a special conference of elders of the Church, held at Hiram, Ohio, 1 November 1831 (see History of the Church, 1:221–24). Many revelations had been received from the Lord prior to this time, and the compilation of these for publication in book form was one of the principal subjects passed upon at the conference. This section constitutes the Lord’s preface to the doctrines, covenants, and commandments given in this dispensation.

Section 01

An extract from the words of the angel Moroni to Joseph Smith the Prophet, while in the house of the Prophet’s father at Manchester, New York, on the evening of 21 September 1823 (see History of the Church, 1:12). Moroni was the last of a long line of historians who had made the record that is now before the world as the Book of Mormon. (Compare Malachi 4:5–6; also sections 27:9; 110:13–16; and 128:18.)

Section 02

Revelation given to Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Harmony, Pennsylvania, July 1828, relating to the loss of 116 pages of manuscript translated from the first part of the Book of Mormon, which was called the book of Lehi. The Prophet had reluctantly allowed these pages to pass from his custody to that of Martin Harris, who had served for a brief period as scribe in the translation of the Book of Mormon. The revelation was given through the Urim and Thummim. (See History of the Church, 1:21–23; see also section 10.)

Section 03

Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet to his father, Joseph Smith, Sr., at Harmony, Pennsylvania, February 1829 (see History of the Church, 1:28).

Section 04

Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Harmony, Pennsylvania, March 1829, at the request of Martin Harris (see History of the Church, 1:28–31).

Section 05

Revelation given to Joseph Smith the Prophet and Oliver Cowdery, at Harmony, Pennsylvania, April 1829 (see History of the Church, 1:32–35). Oliver Cowdery began his labors as scribe in the translation of the Book of Mormon, 7 April 1829. He had already received a divine manifestation of the truth of the Prophet’s testimony respecting the plates on which was engraved the Book of Mormon record. The Prophet inquired of the Lord through the Urim and Thummim and received this response.

Section 06

Revelation given to Joseph Smith the Prophet and Oliver Cowdery, at Harmony, Pennsylvania, April 1829, when they inquired through the Urim and Thummim as to whether John, the beloved disciple, tarried in the flesh or had died. The revelation is a translated version of the record made on parchment by John and hidden up by himself (see History of the Church, 1:35–36).

Section 07

Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet to Oliver Cowdery, at Harmony, Pennsylvania, April 1829 (see History of the Church, 1:36–37). In the course of the translation of the Book of Mormon, Oliver, who continued to serve as scribe, writing at the Prophet’s dictation, desired to be endowed with the gift of translation. The Lord responded to his supplication by granting this revelation.

Section 08

Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet to Oliver Cowdery, at Harmony, Pennsylvania, April 1829 (see History of the Church, 1:37–38). Oliver is admonished to be patient and is urged to be content to write, for the time being, at the dictation of the translator, rather than to attempt to translate.

Section 09

The Doctrine and Covenants is a collection of divine revelations and inspired declarations given for the establishment and regulation of the kingdom of God on the earth in the last days.

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Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet at Kirtland, Ohio, 27 December 1832 (see History of the Church, 1:302–12). It was designated by the Prophet as the “‘olive leaf’ … plucked from the Tree of Paradise, the Lord’s message of peace to us” (History of the Church, 1:316). It appears from the historical records that portions of this revelation were received on 27 and 28 December 1832, and 3 January 1833.

Section 88

Revelation given to Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Nauvoo, Illinois, 19 January 1841 (see History of the Church, 4:274–86). Because of increasing persecutions and illegal procedures against them by public officers, the Saints had been compelled to leave Missouri. The exterminating order issued by Lilburn W. Boggs, governor of Missouri, dated 27 October 1838, had left them no alternative (see History of the Church, 3:175). In 1841, when this revelation was given, the city of Nauvoo, occupying the site of the former village of Commerce, Illinois, had been built up by the Saints, and here the headquarters of the Church had been established.

Section 124

Revelation given to Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Kirtland, Ohio, 16 December 1833 (see History of the Church, 1:458–64). At this time the Saints who had gathered in Missouri were suffering great persecution. Mobs had driven them from their homes in Jackson County; and some of the Saints had tried to establish themselves in Van Buren County, but persecution followed them. The main body of the Saints was at that time in Clay County, Missouri. Threats of death against individuals of the Church were many. The people had lost household furniture, clothing, livestock, and other personal property; and many of their crops had been destroyed.

Section 101

Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Nauvoo, Illinois, recorded 12 July 1843, relating to the new and everlasting covenant, including the eternity of the marriage covenant, and also the plurality of wives (see History of the Church, 5:501–7). Although the revelation was recorded in 1843, it is evident from the historical records that the doctrines and principles involved in this revelation had been known by the Prophet since 1831.

Section 132

A vision given to Joseph Smith the Prophet and Sidney Rigdon, at Hiram, Ohio, 16 February 1832 (see History of the Church, 1:245–52). Prefacing his record of this vision, the Prophet wrote: “Upon my return from Amherst conference, I resumed the translation of the Scriptures. From sundry revelations which had been received, it was apparent that many important points touching the salvation of man had been taken from the Bible, or lost before it was compiled. It appeared self-evident from what truths were left, that if God rewarded every one according to the deeds done in the body the term ‘Heaven,’ as intended for the Saints’ eternal home, must include more kingdoms than one. Accordingly, … while translating St. John’s Gospel, myself and Elder Rigdon saw the following vision” (History of the Church, 1:245). It was after the Prophet had translated John 5:29 that this vision was given.

Section 76

Prayer and prophecies written by Joseph Smith the Prophet while he was a prisoner in the jail at Liberty, Missouri, dated 20 March 1839 (see History of the Church, 3:289–300). The Prophet and several companions had been months in prison. Their petitions and appeals directed to the executive officers and the judiciary had failed to bring them relief.

Section 121

Revelation given to Joseph Smith the Prophet, 23 April 1834, concerning the united order, or the order of the Church for the benefit of the poor (see History of the Church, 2:54–60). The occasion was that of a council meeting of the First Presidency and other high priests, in which the pressing temporal needs of the people had been given consideration. The united order at Kirtland was to be temporarily dissolved and reorganized, and the properties as stewardships were to be divided among members of the order.

Section 104

Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Kirtland, Ohio, late in August 1831 (see History of the Church, 1:206–11). The Prophet, Sidney Rigdon, and Oliver Cowdery had arrived in Kirtland on 27 August from their visit to Missouri. Prefacing his record of this revelation, the Prophet wrote, “In these infant days of the Church, there was a great anxiety to obtain the word of the Lord upon every subject that in any way concerned our salvation; and as the land of Zion was now the most important temporal object in view, I enquired of the Lord for further information upon the gathering of the Saints, and the purchase of the land, and other matters” (History of the Church, 1:207).

Section 63

Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Kirtland, Ohio, 22 and 23 September 1832 (see History of the Church, 1:286–95). During the month of September, elders had begun to return from their missions in the eastern states and to make reports of their labors. It was while they were together in this season of joy that the following communication was received. The Prophet designated it a revelation on priesthood.

Section 84

A vision given to President Joseph F. Smith in Salt Lake City, Utah, on 3 October 1918. In his opening address at the 89th Semiannual General Conference of the Church, on 4 October 1918, President Smith declared that he had received several divine communications during the previous months. One of these, concerning the Savior’s visit to the spirits of the dead while his body was in the tomb, President Smith had received the previous day. It was written immediately following the close of the conference. On 31 October 1918, it was submitted to the counselors in the First Presidency, the Council of the Twelve, and the Patriarch, and it was unanimously accepted by them.

Section 138

Revelation given to Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Harmony, Pennsylvania, in the summer of 1828 (see History of the Church, 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 the 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 (see Words of Mormon 1:3–7).

Section 10

Minutes of the organization of the first high council of the Church, at Kirtland, Ohio, 17 February 1834 (see History of the Church, 2:28–31). The original minutes were recorded by Elders Oliver Cowdery and Orson Hyde. Two days later, the minutes were corrected by the Prophet, read to the high council, and accepted by the council. Verses 30 through 32, having to do with the Council of the Twelve Apostles, were added by the Prophet Joseph Smith in 1835 when he prepared this section for publication in the Doctrine and Covenants.

Section 102

Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Hiram, Ohio, 3 November 1831 (see History of the Church, 1:229–34). Prefacing this revelation the Prophet wrote, “At this time there were many things which the Elders desired to know relative to preaching the Gospel to the inhabitants of the earth, and concerning the gathering; and in order to walk by the true light, and be instructed from on high, on the 3rd of November, 1831, I inquired of the Lord and received the following important revelation” (History of the Church, 1:229). This section was first added to the book of Doctrine and Covenants as an appendix and was subsequently assigned a section number.

Section 133

Revelation on the priesthood, given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Kirtland, Ohio, dated 28 March 1835 (see History of the Church, 2:209–17). On the date named, the Twelve met in council, confessing their individual weaknesses and shortcomings, expressing repentance, and seeking the further guidance of the Lord. They were about to separate on missions to assigned districts. Although portions of this section were received on the date named, the historical records affirm that various parts were received at sundry times, some as early as November 1831.

Section 107

Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Kirtland, Ohio, 9 February 1831 (see History of the Church, 1:148–54). It was received in the presence of twelve elders and in fulfillment of the Lord’s promise previously made that the “law” would be given in Ohio (see section 38:32). The Prophet specifies this revelation as “embracing the law of the Church” (History of the Church, 1:148).

Section 42

Prayer offered at the dedication of the temple at Kirtland, Ohio, 27 March 1836 (see History of the Church, 2:420–26). According to the Prophet’s written statement, this prayer was given to him by revelation.

Section 109

The word of the Lord to Joseph Smith the Prophet, while he was a prisoner in the jail at Liberty, Missouri, March 1839 (see History of the Church, 3:300–301).

Section 122

An epistle from Joseph Smith the Prophet to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, containing further directions on baptism for the dead, dated at Nauvoo, Illinois, 6 September 1842 (see History of the Church, 5:148–53).

Section 128

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