Doctrine and Covenants 10
Historical Context
Assigning a date to the reception of the revelation in section 10 is a complex task. In every edition of the Doctrine and Covenants published before 1921, the date of section 10 was given as May 1829, right in the middle of the translation process involving Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery. At the same time, much of the language in the revelation mirrors the language in Doctrine and Covenants 3 of 1828. For example, in verse 1 of section 10, the Lord calls Martin Harris a “wicked man,” a title he uses for Martin in verse 12 of section 3, a reproval that seems more at place before the Lord’s gentler call for Martin to repent in section 5 (March 1829). James Mullholland, a scribe of Joseph Smith’s 1838 history, placed this revelation immediately following section 3 in the history, though he retained the May 1829 date. The heading for section 10 is also missing from Revelation Book 1, which contains its earliest copy. The revelation is in the index of the book between two April 1829 revelations, suggesting that John Whitmer, the Church historian at the time, assigned it to that date.
Another possibility is that Joseph received the revelation in May 1829 as he and Oliver continued the translation process. The revelation centers around the question of whether the lost portion of the manuscript should be retranslated. It is possible that by the end of May 1829 Joseph and Oliver, who began their translation with the book of Mosiah, were nearing the end of the record and wondering if they should retranslate the lost portion. Instead, the revelation commanded Joseph and Oliver to translate the small plates of Nephi, a different record covering roughly the same time period as the lost manuscript.
A possible solution to the two conflicting theories may be that Joseph received portions of the revelation in the summer of 1828, around the time of the lost manuscript incident, and other parts in the spring of 1829 as he and Oliver inquired about the best way to move forward. It was not uncommon for the committees compiling the revelations in the Doctrine and Covenants to combine several smaller revelations together into a large one. At the same time, however, the text of the revelation lacks the signs of a composite revelation, such as an “amen” marking the beginning of a new revelation.
Regardless of the timing of its reception, Doctrine and Covenants 10 should be seen as tied to the trials surrounding the lost manuscript; section 10 along with sections 3 and 5 form a trilogy of the Lord’s counsel and advice on how to proceed after the loss.
Verse-by-Verse Commentary
Doctrine and Covenants 10:1–4
1 Now, behold, I say unto you, that because you delivered up those writings which you had power given unto you to translate by the means of the Urim and Thummim, into the hands of a wicked man, you have lost them.
2 And you also lost your gift at the same time, and your mind became darkened.
3 Nevertheless, it is now restored unto you again; therefore see that you are faithful and continue on unto the finishing of the remainder of the work of translation as you have begun.
4 Do not run faster or labor more than you have strength and means provided to enable you to translate; but be diligent unto the end.
After the devastating events surrounding the lost manuscript, it was important for Joseph to receive reassurance that his calling and gift has been restored. The Lord also counseled Joseph to be diligent but not overtax himself as he worked to complete the translation. Temperance is one of the virtues the Lord emphasizes with frequency in the early revelations of the Doctrine and Covenants (see D&C 4:6; 6:9; 12:8). Even in a work as crucial as the coming forth of a new scriptural record, the Lord is mindful of the limitations of His servants and is careful to keep them from being overwhelmed. While a sense of urgency can assist us in carrying out the work of the kingdom, the Lord is careful to emphasize the importance of rest, contemplation, and self-care, lest we wear ourselves out prematurely in the work.
Doctrine and Covenants 10:5–9
5 Pray always, that you may come off conqueror; yea, that you may conquer Satan, and that you may escape the hands of the servants of Satan that do uphold his work.
6 Behold, they have sought to destroy you; yea, even the man in whom you have trusted has sought to destroy you.
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.
8 And because you have delivered the writings into his hands, behold, wicked men have taken them from you.
9 Therefore, you have delivered them up, yea, that which was sacred, unto wickedness.
The stern statements made about Martin Harris in this passage must be carefully considered alongside the Lord’s words to Martin in section 5. While he seems to have acted out of impure motives, with the Lord even going so far as to say that he “sought to destroy” Joseph’s gift to translate, these desires may not have been obvious even to Martin himself. The primary counsel the Lord gave to Martin in section 5 was to humble himself (see D&C 5:28, 32) suggesting that part of Martin’s failings may have been enmity toward Joseph related to the gift to translate. Thus, in his role in the loss of the manuscript, Martin acted as an unwitting servant of the Adversary. Both Joseph and Martin sinned in treating lightly sacred things—first the manuscript’s safety and second the Lord’s twice-repeated counsel not to share the manuscript with others.
Doctrine and Covenants 10:10–19
10 And, behold, Satan hath put it into their hearts to alter the words which you have caused to be written, or which you have translated, which have gone out of your hands.
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;
12 And, on this wise, the devil has sought to lay a cunning plan, that he may destroy this work;
13 For he hath put into their hearts to do this, that by lying they may say they have caught you in the words which you have pretended to translate.
14 Verily, I say unto you, that I will not suffer that Satan shall accomplish his evil design in this thing.
15 For behold, he has put it into their hearts to get thee to tempt the Lord thy God, in asking to translate it over again.
16 And then, behold, they say and think in their hearts—We will see if God has given him power to translate; if so, he will also give him power again;
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;
18 Therefore they will not agree, and we will say that he has lied in his words, and that he has no gift, and that he has no power;
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 glory of the world.
While the exact details surrounding the loss of the manuscript are still largely unknown, the Lord did reveal the aims of the wicked men who stole it. They planned to alter the manuscript and then publish it with alterations. When Joseph translated that portion of the record again, the two manuscripts would not match, casting doubt on the truth of the record and Joseph’s ability to translate... Mark Hoffman victimized Church members with a similar scheme in the 1980s. Then viewed as a legitimate document dealer, Hoffman began taking early narratives from Church history and creating forgeries with slightly altered details. Hoffman’s works told the same basic narrative as the originals did, but the doctored details he inserted created a storm of controversy and cast doubt on the validity of the entire story. If Joseph had retranslated the lost manuscript and published it, it would have opened the door for such a plan to be implemented. Instead, the Lord had long before prepared an alternate approach—translating instead a different record that covered the same part of the story as the lost manuscript, thus avoiding the trap altogether.
Doctrine and Covenants 10:20–26
20 Verily, verily, I say unto you, that Satan has great hold upon their hearts; he stirreth them up to iniquity against that which is good;
21 And their hearts are corrupt, and full of wickedness and abominations; and they love darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil; therefore they will not ask of me.
22 Satan stirreth them up, that he may lead their souls to destruction.
23 And thus he has laid a cunning plan, thinking to destroy the work of God; but I will require this at their hands, and it shall turn to their shame and condemnation in the day of judgment.
24 Yea, he stirreth up their hearts to anger against this work.
25 Yea, he saith unto them: Deceive 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 lie that they may catch a man in a lie, that they may destroy him.
26 And thus he flattereth them, and leadeth them along until he draggeth their souls down to hell; and thus he causeth them to catch themselves in their own snare.
While Latter-day Saints center their faith around God and Jesus Christ, it is also important for the servants of God to recognize the reality of Satan and his efforts to oppose the work of God. Indeed, one of the most important contributions of the Restoration has been to place Satan back in the narrative from which he had been removed. The Book of Mormon teaches that many “plain and precious” truths were removed from the scriptures (1 Nephi 13:28). A chief example is the attempt to remove the adversary from the story. For instance, the inspired translation of the book of Genesis, now found in the Pearl of Great Price as the book of Moses, shows Satan opposing Moses in the first chapter and then provides a prolonged explanation of his fall from heaven in Moses 4:1–4, before it explains the Fall of Adam and Eve.
In a similar vein, several revelations in the Doctrine and Covenants shine light on Satan’s efforts—past, present, and future—to hinder the work of God (see D&C 29; 50; 76; 86). The Book of Mormon also adds immeasurably to our understanding of the adversary’s tactics and aims, with Lehi succinctly stating Satan’s motivations— “he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself” (2 Nephi 2:27). One of the great functions of latter-day revelations is to fully expose Satan, his followers, and their work. While men are responsible for their own actions, Satan has continually engaged in nefarious acts designed to increase human misery. Rather than dismissing the adversary and evil as abstract concepts, Book of Mormon prophets identified Satan as “the father of all lies” and “that same liar who hath caused man to commit murder from the beginning; who hath hardened the hearts of men that they have murdered the prophets, and stoned them, and cast them out from the beginning” (Ether 8:25).
Doctrine and Covenants 10:27–33
27 And thus he goeth up and down, to and fro in the earth, seeking to destroy the souls of men.
28 Verily, verily, I say unto you, wo be unto him that lieth to deceive because he supposeth that another lieth to deceive, for such are not exempt from the justice of God.
29 Now, behold, they have altered these words, because Satan saith unto them: He hath deceived you—and thus he flattereth them away to do iniquity, to get thee to tempt the Lord thy God.
30 Behold, I say unto you, that you shall not translate again those words which have gone forth out of your hands;
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 have contradicted yourself.
32 And, behold, they will publish this, and Satan will harden the hearts of the people to stir them up to anger against you, that they will not believe my words.
33 Thus Satan thinketh to overpower your testimony in this generation, that the work may not come forth in this generation.
In the preface to the 1830 Book of Mormon, Joseph directly addressed this plan to discredit the Book of Mormon and paraphrased the Lord’s revelation to him about how the men who stole the manuscript sought to discredit the Book of Mormon before it was published. Joseph condemned the “many unlawful measures taken by evil designing persons to destroy me, and also the work.” He then described the plan of his enemies as follows: “Satan had put it into their hearts to tempt the Lord their God, by altering the words, that they did read contrary from that which I translated and caused to be written; and if I should bring forth the same words again, or, in other words, if I should translate the same over again, they would publish that which they had stolen, and Satan would stir up the hearts of this generation, that they might not receive this work.”
Doctrine and Covenants 10:34–37
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 have accomplished the work of translation.
35 Marvel not that I said unto you: Here is wisdom, show it not unto the world—for I said, show it not unto the world, that you may be preserved.
36 Behold, I do not say that you shall not show it unto the righteous;
37 But as you cannot always judge the righteous, or as you cannot always tell the wicked from the righteous, therefore I say unto you, hold your peace until I shall see fit to make all things known unto the world concerning the matter.
Given the loss of the first manuscript, Joseph took further caution during the remainder of the translation process. While multiple people, including Emma Smith, Martin Harris, and members of the Smith and Whitmer families saw the manuscript and participated in translation, Joseph and Oliver took additional steps to ensure that the translation was protected until it was published.
In addition to the incident with Martin Harris and the lost manuscript, there were other attempts to steal the text of the Book of Mormon before publication. Lucy Mack Smith recalled that Abner Cole, the publisher of the Reflector, a Palmyra newspaper, began to surreptitiously steal portions of the manuscript and publish them in his paper. When Oliver and Hyrum Smith confronted him, Cole refused to stop publishing excerpts from the book. They eventually summoned Joseph from Harmony to confront Cole about his theft of the manuscript.
When Joseph arrived at Cole’s office and challenged him about his theft, Cole “threw off his coat and rolled up his sleeves,” approaching Joseph “in a great rage, roaring out ‘Do you want to fight sir, do you want to fight?’” Joseph replied, “Well now, Mr. Cole you had better keep your coat on for it’s cold and I am not going to fight with you or anything of that sort, but you have got to stop printing my book.” Cole responded, “If you think you are the best man just take off your coat and try it.” Joseph responded in a low, significant tone, “There is law—and you will find that out if you did not know it before. But I shall not fight you for that would do no good and there is another way of disposing of the affair that will answer my purpose better than fighting.” In the face of Joseph’s calm response, Cole backed down and the issue was resolved peacefully.
One result of the caution urged by the Lord was that during the printing process of the Book of Mormon, Joseph and Oliver made a copy of the work—the printer’s manuscript of the Book of Mormon. Due to a number of circumstances, all but a portion of the original manuscript was destroyed or lost, making the printer’s manuscript the earliest complete copy of the book in existence. The Joseph Smith Papers project has made the printer’s manuscript available for several years. In 2017, the Church acquired the manuscript from the Community of Christ.
Doctrine and Covenants 10:38–42
38 And now, verily I say unto you, that an account of those things that you have written, which have gone out of your hands, is engraven upon the plates of Nephi;
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.
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 would bring to the knowledge of the people in this account—
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;
42 And behold, you shall publish it as the record of Nephi; and thus I will confound those who have altered my words.
What was lost when thieves stole the 116 manuscript pages of the Book of Mormon? We know very little about what was written on those pages. In the preface to the 1830 Book of Mormon, Joseph gave this description of the contents of the lost manuscript: “That I translated, by the gift and power of God, and caused to be written, one hundred and sixteen pages, the which I took from the Book of Lehi, which was an account abridged from the plates of Lehi, by the hand of Mormon.” This description would indicate that the lost manuscript was Mormon’s abridgment of the early history of his civilization and would likely reflect the style of writing found in the book of Mosiah to 4 Nephi, with an omnipresent narrator arranging the history to encapsulate valuable lessons that often end with “and thus we see.”
Joseph describes the length of the manuscript as “one hundred and sixteen pages,” but it is possible that the manuscript was more or fewer pages than that exact figure. Several scholars have pointed out that the length of the manuscript translated from the small plates of Nephi was also 116 pages (and two lines) in length. It is possible that Joseph did not know the exact length of the lost manuscript so he used the length of its replacement as an estimate.
Doctrine and Covenants 10:43–52
43 I will not suffer that they shall destroy my work; yea, I will show unto them that my wisdom is greater than the cunning of the devil.
44 Behold, they have only got a part, or an abridgment of the account of Nephi.
45 Behold, there are many things engraven upon the plates of Nephi which do throw greater views upon my gospel; therefore, it is wisdom in me that you should translate this first part of the engravings of Nephi, and send forth in this work.
46 And, behold, all the remainder of this work does contain all those parts of my gospel which my holy prophets, yea, and also my disciples, desired in their prayers should come forth unto this people.
47 And I said unto them, that it should be granted unto them according to their faith in their prayers;
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 Lamanites, and also all that had become Lamanites because of their dissensions.
49 Now, this is not all—their faith in their prayers was that this gospel should be made known also, if it were possible that other nations should possess this land;
50 And thus they did leave a blessing upon this land in their prayers, that whosoever should believe in this gospel in this land might have eternal life;
51 Yea, that it might be free unto all of whatsoever nation, kindred, tongue, or people they may be.
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 destroy that which they have received, but to build it up.
What was gained when the small plates of Nephi were used as a substitute for the lost manuscript? Without knowing more about the contents of the 116 pages, it is impossible to compare, but the Lord gave His own endorsement when He stated that “there are many things engraven upon the plates of Nephi which do throw greater views upon my gospel” (D&C 10:45). The information found in the scriptural record of 1 Nephi through Omni are an invaluable part of the Book of Mormon’s contributions. The teachings of Lehi on the Fall of Adam and Eve (2 Nephi 2), the words of Jacob on the Atonement of Jesus Christ (2 Nephi 9), and the soul-rending “psalm of Nephi” (2 Nephi 4) are just a few examples of the sublime words of salvation found on the small plates.
There is no doubt that Mormon was a skilled historian, but to hear directly the thoughts and feelings of Lehi, Nephi, Jacob, Enos, and others is a great blessing for the readers of the book. Nephi records that on the small plates he would “write the things of God” (1 Nephi 6:3). He further added, “For the fulness of mine intent is that I may persuade men to come unto the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, and be saved,” promising that he “shall not occupy these plates with the things which are not of worth unto the children of men” (1 Nephi 6:4, 6). The clarity these writings offer about the doctrine of Christ and the way to salvation is virtually without comparison in the entire scriptural canon.
Doctrine and Covenants 10:53–60
53 And for this cause have I said: If this generation harden not their hearts, I will establish my church among them.
54 Now I do not say this to destroy my church, but I say this to build up my church;
55 Therefore, whosoever belongeth to my church need not fear, for such shall inherit the kingdom of heaven.
56 But it is they who do not fear me, neither keep my commandments but build up churches unto themselves to get gain, 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.
57 Behold, I am Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I came unto mine own, and mine own received me not.
58 I am the light which shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehendeth it not.
59 I am he who said—Other sheep have I which are not of this fold—unto my disciples, and many there were that understood me not.
60 And I will show unto this people that I had other sheep, and that they were a branch of the house of Jacob;
Another important function of the Book of Mormon is to show that the God of Israel is the God of the whole earth “manifesting himself unto all nations” (Book of Mormon title page). It is easy to dismiss the Old and New Testament as tribal writings composed by a small ethnic group during a more primitive age. However, the Book of Mormon, in telling the story of the Savior’s “other sheep,” opens the door for us to view Jesus Christ’s global ministry and His role in bringing light and salvation to people of all nations. In serving this function, the Book of Mormon expands the story from the tale of one small nation in one corner of the world to an invitation to the entire human family, regardless of their geography, ethnicity, or history, to participate in the grand saga of redemption carried out by Jesus Christ.
Doctrine and Covenants 10:61–63
61 And I will bring to light their marvelous works, which they did in my name;
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 doctrine, yea, and the only doctrine which is in me.
63 And this I do that I may establish my gospel, that there may not be so much contention; yea, Satan doth stir up the hearts of the people to contention concerning the points of my doctrine; and in these things they do err, for they do wrest the scriptures and do not understand them.
Another great contribution of the Book of Mormon, particularly the small plates of Nephi, is that it supports and clarifies the points of doctrine contended over by readers of the Bible for millennia. While Latter-day Saints revere and honor the Bible as an invaluable part of our scriptural canon, it has often served as a battleground for Christian factions. In contrast to this ambiguity, Nephi recorded that an angel revealed to him a central purpose of the records brought forth in the Restoration:
And the angel spake unto me, saying: These last records [including the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price], which thou hast seen among the Gentiles, shall establish the truth of the first [the Old and New Testaments], which are of the twelve apostles of the Lamb, and shall make known the plain and precious things which have been taken away from them; and shall make known to all kindreds, tongues, and people, that the Lamb of God is the Son of the Eternal Father, and the Savior of the world; and that all men must come unto him, or they cannot be saved. (1 Nephi 13:40)
Doctrine and Covenants 10:64–70
64 Therefore, I will unfold unto them this great mystery;
65 For, behold, I will gather them as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, if they will not harden their hearts;
66 Yea, if they will come, they may, and partake of the waters of life freely.
67 Behold, this is my doctrine—whosoever repenteth and cometh unto me, the same is my church.
68 Whosoever declareth more or less than this, the same is not of me, but is against me; therefore he is not of my church.
69 And now, behold, 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.
70 And now, remember the words of him who is the life and light of the world, your Redeemer, your Lord and your God. Amen.
While in the Doctrine and Covenants most references to “the church” refer to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, here the Lord expands the definition of the church to include anyone who repents and comes unto him (D&C 10:67). This definition aligns with later statements in the revelations, such as Doctrine and Covenants 97:21, which defines Zion as “the pure in heart,” a term encompassing not only Latter-day Saints but all sincere people who strive to live according to the truth they possess. In this sense, the church becomes a large typology, embracing all who do good.
Elder Bruce R. McConkie wrote, “The church of the devil is every evil and worldly organization on earth. It is all of the systems, both Christian and non-Christian, that have perverted the pure and perfect gospel: it is all of the governments and powers that have run counter to divine will. . . . It is the man of sin speaking in churches, orating in legislative halls, and commanding the armies of men.” Taken typologically, the church of the devil is a powerful symbol for the influence of evil in all its manifestations.
If we apply Elder McConkie’s logic in both directions, texts such as Doctrine and Covenants 10 allow us to visualize the pavilion under which the church of the Lamb resides to be enlarged to include “every thing which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ” (Moroni 7:16). Membership in the church of the Lamb in this context expands beyond denominational lines to include all who genuinely strive to do good according to the light they have been given.
Footnotes
