📜 10 And now, my beloved brethren, and also ¹Jew, and all ye ends of the earth, hearken unto these words and ²believe in Christ; and if ye believe not in these words believe in Christ. And if ye shall ³believe in Christ ye will believe in these ⁴words, for they are the ⁵words of Christ, and he hath given them unto me; and they ⁶teach all men that they should do good.
What Does the Book of Mormon Ultimately Want Us to Do?
A devotional study of 2 Nephi 33:10
Nephi’s final testimony is simple enough for a child to grasp and deep enough to gather all nations into its reach. In one verse he names six movements of the soul — six verbs that reveal the Book of Mormon’s ultimate purpose.
This presentation follows Nephi’s structure and pairs each movement with carefully chosen scriptures from the Old Testament, New Testament, Book of Mormon, Doctrine & Covenants and Pearl of Great Price. Each reference strengthens the same invitation:
Hearken unto these words and believe in Christ.
1. “Jew … hearken unto these words”
The Book of Mormon honors the Jews, invites them, and prophesies of their future restoration.
Genesis 49:10 "sceptre shall not depart from Judah" — Judah holds the messianic promise.
Jeremiah 31:31 "make a new covenant with … Judah" — A new covenant will come to Judah.
Matthew 1:2 "Jacob begat Judas and his brethren" — Christ descends from Judah.
Hebrews 7:14 — “Our Lord sprang out of Juda.”
Revelation 5:5 "Lion of the tribe of Juda" — Christ is the Lion of Judah.
1 Nephi 13:25 "these things go forth from the Jews in purity" — The Jews preserved the scriptures in purity.
2 Nephi 10:3 "Christ … should come among the Jews" — Christ came among the Jews.
2 Nephi 30:7 "Jews which are scattered … believe in Christ" — The Jews will yet believe in Christ.
3 Nephi 29:8 "nor make game of the Jews" — The Jews remain God’s covenant people.
D&C 45:51 (Zech. 13:6) "shall the Jews … say: What are these wounds" — They will one day recognize the Messiah.
D&C 98:17 "hearts of the Jews unto the prophets" — Their hearts will turn to the prophets.
D&C 133:35 "tribe of Judah, after their pain, shall be sanctified" — Judah will be sanctified.
Principle:
The Book of Mormon does not replace the Jews — it honors them, invites them, and joins their witness with a second record of Christ.
Jew … Hearken Unto These Words
Nephi’s final testimony opens with a direct and reverent invitation to the Jews — the covenant people through whom the Messiah would come and through whom the scriptures were preserved. The Book of Mormon does not replace them; it honors them. It joins their ancient witness with a second record that points to the same Christ. From Genesis to Revelation, from Nephi to Moroni, and from the Doctrine and Covenants to our own day, the pattern is consistent: Judah holds the messianic promise, Christ descends from Judah, the Jews remain God’s covenant people, and they will yet recognize the wounds of the Messiah who came among them. Nephi’s plea is therefore not a rebuke but a restoration — a call for Israel to hear the words of Christ, to believe in the Messiah of their own lineage, and to receive the covenant blessings promised from the beginning. In this opening movement of 2 Nephi 33:10, the Book of Mormon stands as a companion witness to the Bible, inviting Judah, Israel, and all nations to hearken to the words of Christ and to believe in Him who saves.
2. “Believe in Christ”
Belief is the covenant response God has always required.
Genesis 15:6 "he believed in the Lord" — Abraham believed the Lord.
Mark 1:15 — “Repent ye, and believe the gospel.”
John 3:16 "whosoever believeth in him should not perish" — Belief in Christ brings eternal life. Belief comes with action, living the word.
John 6:29 "This is the work of God, that ye believe on him" — Belief in Christ is the work of God.
Mosiah 4:10 "if you believe all these things see that ye do them" — Belief must lead to action.
Helaman 14:13 "if ye believe on his name ye will repent" — Belief in Christ produces repentance.
3 Nephi 20:31 "they shall believe in me, that I am Jesus Christ" — Christ prophesies future belief in Him.
D&C 20:29 "all men must repent and believe on the name of Jesus Christ" — All must repent and believe in Christ.
D&C 46:14 "To others it is given to believe on their words" — Some are given the gift to believe.
D&C 5:16 "whosoever believeth on my words, them will I visit" — Belief opens the door to divine visitation.
Articles of Faith 1:8 "We … believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God" — The Book of Mormon is the Word of God.
Principle:
The Book of Mormon’s primary purpose is to bring every soul — Jew, Gentile, remnant, and reader — to belief in Jesus Christ.
Believe in Christ
Nephi’s second movement is the beating heart of his final testimony. From Abraham to Isaiah, from the Savior’s own voice in Galilee to His resurrected ministry among the Nephites, and from the early Restoration revelations to our own Articles of Faith, the pattern is unmistakable: God has always required belief in His Son. Belief is not passive; it is covenantal. It leads to repentance, obedience, and transformation. The Old Testament shows belief as the foundation of God’s relationship with His people. The New Testament reveals belief as the gateway to eternal life. The Book of Mormon teaches that belief must turn into action, repentance, and recognition of Jesus Christ as the promised Messiah. The Doctrine and Covenants affirms that all must repent and believe on His name, and that belief opens the door to divine visitation and spiritual gifts. Together these witnesses declare that the Book of Mormon’s ultimate purpose is to bring every soul — Jew, Gentile, remnant, and reader — to living, active, covenantal belief in Jesus Christ. Nephi’s invitation is therefore both universal and deeply personal: hear the words, believe in Christ, and let that belief reshape your life.
3. “If ye shall believe in Christ ye will believe in these words”
True belief in Christ naturally leads to belief in His words.
📜 47 He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.
— Those who are of God hear God’s words.
The Book of Mormon is not competing with Christ — it is His voice. To believe in Him is to recognize His words wherever they appear.
Believe in Christ, Believe His Words
Nephi’s third movement reveals a profound spiritual law: belief in Christ and belief in His words are inseparable. Jesus Himself taught that those who are “of God” naturally hear and recognize God’s words (John 8:47). The Book of Mormon stands firmly on this principle. It does not compete with Christ, distract from Christ, or add a rival voice beside Him. It is His voice. Its prophets speak by His commission, its doctrines flow from His gospel, and its purpose is to bring every reader to Him. When a soul truly believes in Christ, the Spirit confirms His words wherever they appear — in the Bible, in the Book of Mormon, and in the living voice of revelation. Nephi’s testimony therefore becomes both a promise and a pattern: if we believe in Christ, we will believe His words; and if we believe His words, we will be drawn ever closer to Christ. The Book of Mormon invites us into this divine harmony, where belief in the Savior and belief in His scriptures become one unified act of discipleship.
4. “For they are the words of Christ”
The Book of Mormon is a Christ‑given record, preserved and delivered by covenant.
📜 16 And I have put my words in thy mouth, and I have covered thee in the shadow of mine hand, that I may plant the heavens, and lay the foundations of the earth, and say unto Zion, Thou art my people.
— God puts His words in the mouths of His
servants.
🗝📜 27 And I exhort you to remember these things; for the time speedily cometh that ye shall know that I lie not, for ye shall see me at the bar of God; and the Lord God will say unto you: Did I not declare my words unto you, which were written by this man, like as one crying from the dead, yea, even as one speaking out of the dust?
📜 28 I declare these things unto the fulfilling of the prophecies. And behold, they shall proceed forth out of the mouth of the everlasting God; and his word shall hiss forth from generation to generation.
📜 29 And God shall show unto you, that that which I have written is true.
— These writings will be shown to be true;
they speak from the dust.
📜 24 Behold, I am God and have spoken it; these commandments are of me, and were given unto my servants in their weakness, after the manner of their language, that they might come to understanding.
— God speaks through His servants in their
own language.
Principle:
The Book of Mormon is not merely ancient; it is divine. Its words are Christ’s words, delivered through prophets and preserved for our day.
These Are the Words of Christ
Nephi’s fourth movement lifts the veil on the true nature of the Book of Mormon. These are not merely ancient writings, cultural artifacts, or historical remnants — they are the words of Christ. Isaiah testified that God places His own words into the mouths of His servants, covering them with His hand and commissioning them to speak for Him. Moroni declared that his record would one day rise from the dust, cry from the dead, and be shown by God Himself to be true. The Doctrine and Covenants affirms that God speaks through His servants “after the manner of their language,” ensuring that His word can be understood by all who seek it. Together these witnesses reveal a single truth: the Book of Mormon is divine in origin, prophetic in preservation, and Christ‑given in message. Its authority does not rest on archaeology, scholarship, or argument, but on the reality that its words proceed forth from the mouth of the everlasting God. To read it is to hear Him. To receive it is to receive His voice. And to believe it is to believe in Christ.
5. “And they teach all men that they should do good”
The Book of Mormon is a moral compass pointing every soul toward Christlike living.
📜 36 Then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy servants, and of thy people Israel, that thou teach them the good way wherein they should walk, and give rain upon thy land, which thou hast given to thy people for an inheritance.
— God teaches His people the good way.
📜 28 And now behold, my people, ye are a stiffnecked people; wherefore, I have spoken plainly unto you, that ye cannot misunderstand. And the words which I have spoken shall stand as a testimony against you; for they are sufficient to teach any man the right way; for the right way is to believe in Christ and deny him not; for by denying him ye also deny the prophets and the law.
— The right way is to believe in Christ and
deny Him not.
Principle:
The Book of Mormon is not only doctrinal — it is transformational. It teaches goodness, discipleship, and the path of covenant living.
They Teach All Men to Do Good
Nephi’s fifth movement reveals the moral heartbeat of the Book of Mormon. Its purpose is not only to inform the mind but to transform the life. From Solomon’s prayer that God would “teach [Israel] the good way wherein they should walk” to Nephi’s declaration that his words are “sufficient to teach any man the right way,” the message is consistent across dispensations: the right way is to believe in Christ and deny Him not. The Book of Mormon is a moral compass, a covenant tutor, and a guide toward Christlike living. It teaches plainly, speaks directly, and leaves no ambiguity about the path of discipleship. Its teachings call us to goodness, repentance, humility, and obedience — not as abstract virtues, but as the lived expression of faith in Jesus Christ. In this movement, Nephi shows that the Book of Mormon is not merely doctrinal; it is transformational. It invites every soul to walk the good way, to follow the right path, and to become more like the Savior whose voice fills its pages.
6. The Book of Mormon’s Final Desire
Nephi’s six verbs form one unified invitation:
Hearken. Believe. Believe again. Trust His words. Receive His teachings. Do good.
Everything the Book of Mormon contains — every sermon, every prophecy, every narrative, every warning, every promise — is aimed at these movements of the soul.
It wants us to hear Christ.
It wants us to believe Christ.
It wants us to follow Christ.
It wants us to become like Christ.
A Reflection
Nephi’s final testimony is not a farewell — it is a beginning.
It is the Book of Mormon’s last sentence and its deepest desire.
It is the invitation that echoes through every chapter:
Hearken unto these words and believe in Christ.
For the Jew.
For the Gentile.
For the remnant.
For the nations.
For our audience.
For our ministry.
For our own discipleship.
This is the Book of Mormon’s ultimate purpose — to bring every soul to the Savior of the world.
Final Thoughts and Testimony
As this study draws to a close, the simplicity and majesty of Nephi’s final testimony stand undiminished. Across dispensations, across continents, across covenants, and across the pages of scripture, one truth rises again and again: the Book of Mormon was written to bring every soul to Jesus Christ. Its prophets speak with clarity, its doctrines point with precision, and its purpose is unwavering. It invites Israel to remember who they are. It invites the Gentiles to come unto Christ. It invites the remnant to rise in covenant identity. And it invites every reader — wherever they stand — to hearken, to believe, to trust, and to follow the Savior of the world.
Nephi’s six verbs form the spine of this entire record. They are not merely instructions; they are movements of the heart. Hearken unto these words. Believe in Christ. Believe again. Recognize His voice. Receive His teachings. Do good. These are not separate paths but one unified way — the way of discipleship, the way of covenant belonging, the way of becoming like Him. The Book of Mormon teaches us that belief is not passive; it is lived. It is repentance, obedience, humility, and hope. It is the daily choice to follow the One who descended below all things and rose above all things.
This record speaks from the dust, but its voice is alive. It is ancient, but it is for our day. It is written by prophets, but it is the word of Christ. It is preserved by covenant, revealed by angels, confirmed by the Holy Ghost, and carried to the world by the Lord’s own hand. It stands beside the Bible as a second witness of the same Redeemer, the same gospel, the same covenant, and the same invitation to come unto Him.
My testimony is simple: the Book of Mormon is true. It is the word of God. It leads us to Jesus Christ. It teaches us the good way. It calls us to repentance. It strengthens our faith. It softens our hearts. It reveals our identity. It anchors our hope. And it prepares us for the day when every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is the Christ.
May we hearken to its words.
May we believe in Christ.
May we let its teachings shape our discipleship.
May we walk the right way.
May we do good continually.
And may we come unto Him who invites all to partake of His goodness.
This is the Book of Mormon’s final desire — and it is my witness as well.
Almost Home Ralph Stanley
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