“Remember That Every Good Gift Cometh of Christ”

Brant Gardner

Translation: Moroni began this section on the gifts of the Spirit from the concept that whatever is good comes from God (v. 6). He ends this section by repeating: “Every good gift cometh of Christ.” The purpose of this homily on spiritual gifts is to emphasize that the Book of Mormon is one of these gifts. Moroni introduced it as one of God’s mercies (v. 3). One should receive this gift by confirming its goodness through the Spirit, a process that is also a spiritual gift. Moroni’s purpose in cataloging the gifts of the Spirit is to emphasize the Book of Mormon and the ability to know, as a spiritual gift, that it is true. That intention is a natural outgrowth of Moroni’s discussion, suggesting that the plate text probably had that meaning, perhaps without specific references to the Pauline catalog. The translation process therefore translated content, not vocabulary.

Second Witness: Analytical & Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon, Vol. 6

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