The Book of Mormon

3 Nephi 20:23

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~AD 34

1830 Edition

Behold, I am he of whom Moses spake, saying: A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me: him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass that every soul which will not hear that prophet, shall be cut off from among the people.

Influences

Acts 3:22 (KJV)
For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you.

Changes

Behold, I am he of whom Moses spake, saying: A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me:; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass that every soul whicho will not hear that prophet, shall be cut off from among the people.

Simple English

'I am the one Moses told you about. He said: The Lord your God will send a prophet to you from your brothers. He will be like me. You must listen to everything he tells you. Every person who will not listen to that prophet will be cut off from the people.'

Paraphrase

'I am the one Moses spoke about when he said: 'The Lord your God will raise up a prophet from among your own people, like me. Listen to everything he tells you. Anyone who refuses to listen to that prophet will be cut off from the people.''

Notes

20:23

3 Nephi 20:23 presents Jesus as quoting Moses from Deuteronomy 18:15 and 18. However, the wording follows Peter’s quotation of Moses in Acts 3:22–23 than the original text in Deuteronomy. This raises a question: if Jesus states that He is quoting Moses, why does the passage reflect Peter’s later wording from a sermon recorded in Acts 3—an event that, according to the narrative timeline, had not yet occurred?

Deuteronomy 18:15,18:
"The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken; according to all that thou desiredst of the Lord thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not. And the Lord said unto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken. I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him."

Acts 3:22-23:
"For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people."