Doctrine and Covenants 98

Mormon History: 1830 to 1839

Doctrine and Covenants 98

August 6, 1833, Kirtland, Ohio.
Fear not, be patient. Uphold Constitutional laws. Constitution and Lord make you free. Renounce war and proclaim peace, and turn children to fathers, etc. §. Many in Kirtland need to repent §. Don't seek revenge, be patient § and bear three assaults. Then may respond §, but better if you don't. Forgive 70 times 7 §. Lord will avenge a hundred fold unless they repent §.
Letter from Joseph Smith to "Beloved Brethren." Original at LDS Church Archives.
1835 Doctrine and Covenants 85 heading: Revelation given August, 1833.

Fear not	1	Verily I say unto you my friends, fear not, let your hearts be comforted; yea, rejoice evermore, and in everything give thanks;
Be patient, Lord swears to grant your prayers	2	Waiting patiently on the Lord, for your prayers have entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth, and are recorded with this seal and testament—the Lord hath sworn and decreed that they shall be granted.
All to work for your good	3	Therefore, he giveth this promise unto you, with an immutable covenant that they shall be fulfilled; and all things wherewith you have been afflicted shall work together for your good, and to my name's glory, saith the Lord.
Keep commandments	4	And now, verily I say unto you concerning the laws of the land, it is my will that my people should observe to do all things whatsoever I command them.
Constitutional laws	5	And that law of the land which is constitutional, supporting that principle of freedom in maintaining rights and privileges, belongs to all mankind, and is justifiable before me.
Defend constitutional laws	6	Therefore, I, the Lord, justify you, and your brethren of my church, in befriending that law which is the constitutional law of the land;
Others evil	7	And as pertaining to law of man, whatsoever is more or less than this, cometh of evil.
You are free	8	I, the Lord God, make you free, therefore ye are free indeed; and the law also maketh you free.
People mourn when wicked rule	9	Nevertheless, when the wicked rule the people mourn.
Find wise men to support	10	Wherefore, honest men and wise men should be sought for diligently, and good men and wise men ye should observe to uphold; otherwise whatsoever is less than these cometh of evil.
Forsake evil	11	And I give unto you a commandment, that ye shall forsake all evil and cleave unto all good, that ye shall live by every word which proceedeth forth out of the mouth of God.
Line upon line, Lord proves people	12	For he will give unto the faithful line upon line, precept upon precept; and I will try you and prove you herewith.
Eternal life for dead	13	And whoso layeth down his life in my cause, for my name's sake, shall find it again, even life eternal.
Fear not, I prove you	14	Therefore, be not afraid of your enemies, for I have decreed in my heart, saith the Lord, that I will prove you in all things, whether you will abide in my covenant, even unto death, that you may be found worthy.
	15	For if ye will not abide in my covenant ye are not worthy of me.
Renounce war, proclaim peace, turn hearts	16	Therefore, renounce war and proclaim peace, and seek diligently to turn the hearts of the children to their fathers, and the hearts of the fathers to the children;
Lest I come and smite earth	17	And again, the hearts of the Jews unto the prophets, and the prophets unto the Jews; lest I come and smite the whole earth with a curse, and all flesh be consumed before me.
Father's house, many mansions	18	Let not your hearts be troubled; for in my Father's house are many mansions, and I have prepared a place for you; and where my Father and I am, there ye shall be also.
Not happy with many in Kirtland	19	Behold, I, the Lord, am not well pleased with many who are in the church at Kirtland;
They don't repent	20	For they do not forsake their sins, and their wicked ways, the pride of their hearts, and their covetousness, and all their detestable things, and observe the words of wisdom and eternal life which I have given unto them.
I will chasten them if they don't repent	21	Verily I say unto you, that I, the Lord, will chasten them and will do whatsoever I list, if they do not repent and observe all things whatsoever I have said unto them.
Keep commandments	22	And again I say unto you, if ye observe to do whatsoever I command you, I, the Lord, will turn away all wrath and indignation from you, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against you.
No revenge on enemies	23	Now, I speak unto you concerning your families—if men will smite you, or your families, once, and ye bear it patiently and revile not against them, neither seek revenge, ye shall be rewarded;
Be patient	24	But if ye bear it not patiently, it shall be accounted unto you as being meted out as a just measure unto you.
Be patient second time	25	And again, if your enemy shall smite you the second time, and you revile not against your enemy, and bear it patiently, your reward shall be an hundred fold.	Enemies
Third time	26	And again, if he shall smite you the third time, and ye bear it patiently, your reward shall be doubled unto you four-fold;
Then, if enemy won't repent, shall be wiped out	27	And these three testimonies shall stand against your enemy if he repent not, and shall not be blotted out.
If they escape, warn then	28	And now, verily I say unto you, if that enemy shall escape my vengeance, that he be not brought into judgment before me, then ye shall see to it that ye warn him in my name, that he come no more upon you, neither upon your family, even your children's children unto the third and fourth generation.
Then if they attack, they are yours	29	And then, if he shall come upon you or your children, or your children's children unto the third and fourth generation, I have delivered thine enemy into thine hands;
If you spare them, will be rewarded	30	And then if thou wilt spare him, thou shalt be rewarded for thy righteousness; and also thy children and thy children's children unto the third and fourth generation.
But justified if you respond in kind	31	Nevertheless, thine enemy is in thine hands; and if thou rewardest him according to his works thou art justified; if he has sought thy life, and thy life is endangered by him, thine enemy is in thine hands and thou art justified.
This is law given anciently	32	Behold, this is the law I gave unto my servant Nephi, and thy fathers, Joseph, and Jacob, and Isaac, and Abraham, and all mine ancient prophets and apostles.
	33	And again, this is the law that I gave unto mine ancients, that they should not go out unto battle against any nation, kindred, tongue, or people, save I, the Lord, commanded them.
Standard of peace first	34	And if any nation, tongue, or people should proclaim war against them, they should first lift a standard of peace unto that people, nation, or tongue;
	35	And if that people did not accept the offering of peace, neither the second nor the third time, they should bring these testimonies before the Lord;
Fourth time violence justified	36	Then I, the Lord, would give unto them a commandment, and justify them in going out to battle against that nation, tongue, or people.
To fourth generatoin	37	And I, the Lord, would fight their battles, and their children's battles, and their children's children's, until they had avenged themselves on all their enemies, to the third and fourth generation
	38	Behold, this is an ensample unto all people, saith the Lord your God, for justification before me.
Forgive if they repent first time	39	And again, verily I say unto you, if after thine enemy has come upon thee the first time, he repent and come unto thee praying thy forgiveness, thou shalt forgive him, and shalt hold it no more as a testimony against thine enemy—
Second time, third time until 70x7	40	And so on unto the second and third time; and as oft as thine enemy repenteth of the trespass wherewith he has trespassed against thee, thou shalt forgive him, until seventy times seven.
Forgive 3x if they don't repent	41	And if he trespass against thee and repent not the first time, nevertheless thou shalt forgive him.
	42	And if he trespass against thee the second time, and repent not, nevertheless thou shalt forgive him.
	43	And if he trespass against thee the third time, and repent not, thou shalt also forgive him.
No forgiveness the 4x	44	But if he trespass against thee the fourth time thou shalt not forgive him, but shalt bring these testimonies before the Lord; and they shall not be blotted out until he repent and reward thee four-fold in all things wherewith he has trespassed against thee.
Unless you want to forgive	45	And if he do this, thou shalt forgive him with all thine heart; and if he do not this, I, the Lord, will avenge thee of thine enemy an hundred-fold;
Punish to 4th generation	46	And upon his children, and upon his children's children of all them that hate me, unto the third and fourth generation.
Unless descendants repent	47	But if the children shall repent, or the children's children, and turn to the Lord their God, with all their hearts and with all their might, mind, and strength, and restore four-fold for all their trespasses wherewith they have trespassed, or wherewith their fathers have trespassed, or their fathers' fathers, then thine indignation shall be turned away;
	48	And vengeance shall no more come upon them, saith the Lord thy God, and their trespasses shall never be brought any more as a testimony before the Lord against them. Amen.
		D&C 99 D&C 97 Ohio Revelations Doctrine and Covenants