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Annotations |
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Chapter 13
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1 Verily, verily, I say that I would that ye should do
alms unto the poor; but take heed that ye do not your alms before men to be
seen of them; otherwise ye have no reward of your Father who is in heaven.
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2 Therefore, when ye shall do your alms do not sound a
trumpet before you, as will hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the
streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, they have
their reward.
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3 But when thou doest alms let not thy left hand know what
thy right hand doeth;
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4 That thine alms may be in secret; and thy Father who
seeth in secret, himself shall reward thee openly.
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5 And when thou prayest thou shalt not do as the
hypocrites, for they love to pray, standing in the synagogues and in the
corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you,
they have their reward.
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6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and
when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father who is in secret; and thy
Father, who seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.
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7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the
heathen, for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
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8 Be not ye therefore like unto them, for your Father
knoweth what things ye have need of before ye ask him.
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9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father who art
in heaven, hallowed be thy name.
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10 Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
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11 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
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12 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us
from evil.
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It’s interesting to note that when Joseph Smith did his
“translation” of the Bible, he corrected this verse by substituting, “suffer
us not to be led” in the place of “lead us not.” Why would this be so
important to correct in the New Testament but not needed in the Book of
Mormon? (JST, Matthew 6:13)
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13 For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory,
forever. Amen.
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This part of the Lord’s prayer is often referred to as a
doxology, “a usually liturgical expression of praise to God”
(Merriam-Webster).
“If any reliance is to be placed on external evidence,
this doxology, we think, can hardly be considered part of the original text”
(Bible Hub).
If that is the case, this is a huge problem to have Jesus including
liturgical language he didn’t originally use.
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14 For, if ye forgive men their trespasses your heavenly
Father will also forgive you;
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15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses neither will
your Father forgive your trespasses.
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16 Moreover, when ye fast be not as the hypocrites, of a
sad countenance, for they disfigure their faces that they may appear unto men
to fast. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward.
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17 But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thy head, and wash
thy face;
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18 That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy
Father, who is in secret; and thy Father, who seeth in secret, shall reward
thee openly.
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19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where
moth and rust doth corrupt, and thieves break through and steal;
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20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where
neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through
nor steal.
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21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be
also.
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22 The light of the body is the eye; if, therefore, thine
eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.
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The JST inserts the words “to the glory of God” after the
word “single,” but that isn’t included here. Why would this be so important
to correct in the New Testament but not needed in the Book of Mormon? (JST,
Matthew 6:22)
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23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full
of darkness. If, therefore, the light that is in thee be darkness, how great
is that darkness!
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24 No man can serve two masters; for either he will hate
the one and love the other, or else he will hold to the one and despise the
other. Ye cannot serve God and Mammon.
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25 And now it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken
these words he looked upon the twelve whom he had chosen, and said unto them:
Remember the words which I have spoken. For behold, ye are they whom I have
chosen to minister unto this people. Therefore I say unto you, take no
thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for
your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body
than raiment?
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26 Behold the fowls of the air, for they sow not, neither
do they reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them.
Are ye not much better than they?
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27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto
his stature?
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28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the
lilies of the field how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin;
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29 And yet I say unto you, that even Solomon, in all his
glory, was not arrayed like one of these.
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30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field,
which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, even so will he clothe
you, if ye are not of little faith.
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31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat?
or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
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3 Ne 13:31-32
Jesus is instructing the 12 Nephite disciples here (starting in verse 25).
Contrast this to the modern LDS Church. LDS apostles and prophets receive
generous financial support from the Church.
Since I wrote the sentences above, MormonLeaks provided documentation that as
of January 2014, the base living allowance given to LDS general authorities
was $120,000 annually
(DeseretNews Article
and
MormonLeaks documents).
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32 For your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of
all these things.
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Annotation for 3 Ne 13:31-32 above
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33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his
righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.
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34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow, for the
morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient is the day
unto the evil thereof.
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