THIRD NEPHI
THE BOOK OF NEPHI
THE soN OF NEPHI, WHO WAS THE soN OF HELAMAN
THE soN OF NEPHI, WHO WAS THE soN OF HELAMAN
CHAPTER 14
Jesus commands: Judge not; ask of God; beware of false prophets—He promises salvation to those who do the will of the Father—Compare Matthew 7. [A.D. 34]
1 aAND now it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these words he turned again to the multitude, and did open his mouth unto them again, saying: Verily, verily, I say unto you, Judge not, that ye be not judged.
[ These exhortations are pointed against rash, harsh, and uncharitable judgments, the thinking evil, where no evil seems, and speaking of it accordingly. ]
2 For with what judgment ye judge, [ What you use as a measure to judge the works of others. ] , ye shall be judged; [ When I judges you I will use that as the standard for your judgement. So if you are not judgemental at all then I will be more forgiving or you, however you if hold everyone to the highest standards with little to no mercy then I will judge you the same way. ] and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, [ Why is it that you can see the faults of others so much more than you can see them in yourself. ] , but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother: Let me pull the mote out of thine eye—and behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
5 Thou hypocrite, first cast the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast the mote out of thy brother’s eye.
6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, [ First pigs are considered unclean in Hebrew culture. Second Pigs digestive systems are difference from cows and such which have two stomachs which allow for a longer time for what they take in to be processed. So with these two examples we could render this as "don't try to teach the greater things of the kingdom to those who are unclean, those who will not understand, as well as those who will not take the time to process what they are being taught." ] , lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.
7 Ask, and it shall be given unto you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
8 For every one that asketh, [ Asking with confidence, faith and humility. ] receiveth; and he that seeketh, findeth; and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened.
11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father who is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
12 Therefore, all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them, for this is the law and the prophets.
13 Enter ye in at the strait gate; for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, which leadeth to destruction, and many there be who go in thereat;
14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
15 Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. [ Fruits, in the Scripture and Jewish phraseology, are taken for works of any kind. "A man's works," says one, "are the tongue of his heart, and tell honestly whether he is inwardly corrupt or pure." ] . Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father who is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day: Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name, and in thy name have cast out devils, and in thy name done many wonderful works?
24 Therefore, whoso heareth these sayings of mine and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, who built his house upon a rock—
25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not, for it was founded upon a rock.