“Miracles Come to Those Who Believe in Christ”

Monte S. Nyman

The Savior promised the Nephite multitude that “whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, which is right, believing that ye shall receive, behold it shall be given you” (3 Nephi 18:20). Moroni gives the same promise to the latter-day reader of the Book of Mormon. He extends the promise to the ends of the earth with the qualification of the believer doubting nothing (Mormon 9:21). As evidence of this promise being fulfilled, Moroni quoted what Jesus Christ said to his twelve Nephite disciples, the three who were to tarry, and to all the others (vv. 22–25). He had given the same promise to the Jerusalem twelve (Mark 16:15–18). The promised signs were miracles. This promise is another example of the Book of Mormon “proving to the world that the holy scriptures are true” (D&C 20:11). Some versions of the Bible delete Mark 16:9–20 from the Gospel of Mark, which includes the above verses, and add a footnote calling these verses an addition to the text attempting to supplement and finish Mark. The Book of Mormon does not verify the passage as a part of the Gospel of Mark, but Moroni does verify that Christ taught this doctrine “to all his Nephite disciples [apostles] (Mormon 9:22). Therefore, he would probably have taught them to his Jerusalem twelve as well. Since these words were not recorded in 3 Nephi, they were apparently giving some of the things that “Jesus did truly teach his people,” but were not recorded by Mormon (3 Nephi 26:6). Verse 25 is a part of Jesus’ quote, and is not in the present text of the Gospel of Mark. It is the basis of the promise that Moroni gave to the reader before quoting what Jesus said.

Book of Mormon Commentary: I Mormon Make a Record

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