The Book of Mormon

Alma 11:37

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~82 BC

1830 Edition

And I say unto you again, that he cannot save them in their sins; for I cannot deny his word, and he hath said that no unclean thing can inherit the Kingdom of Heaven; therefore how can ye be saved, except ye inherit the Kingdom of Heaven?—Therefore ye cannot be saved in your sins.

Influences

Acts 27:31 (KJV)
Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved.

Changes

And I say unto you again, that he cannot save them in their sins; for I cannot deny his word, and he hath said that no unclean thing can inherit the Kkingdom of Hheaven; therefore, how can ye be saved, except ye inherit the Kkingdom of Hheaven?— Therefore, ye cannot be saved in your sins.

Simple English

'I tell you again that he cannot save them while they are still sinning. I cannot go back on his word. He has said that no unclean thing can go into heaven. So how can you be saved if you do not go to heaven? You cannot be saved while you are still sinning.'

Paraphrase

'I’m telling you again—he cannot save them in their sins. I can’t deny his word, and he’s said that nothing unclean can enter the kingdom of heaven. So how can you be saved if you can’t enter the kingdom of heaven? You can’t be saved in your sins.'

Notes

11:27-39

The Book of Mormon declares that there is only one Eternal God (see also 2 Nephi 31:21), yet the Doctrine and Covenants teaches there are many gods (D&C 121:32; 132:18-20,37). As does Abraham 4:1 in the Pearl of Great Price.

In June 16, 1844, Joseph Smith gave a public doctrinal address, usually labeled the "Sermon in the Grove." He is recorded as saying, "I will preach on the plurality of Gods. I have selected this text for that express purpose. I wish to declare I have always, and in all congregations, when I have preached on the subject of the Deity, it has been the plurality of Gods. It has been preached by the Elders for fifteen years.

The sermon survives through the notes of four contemporaneous recorders: Thomas Bullock, William McIntire, George Laub, and Alexander Neibaur.

It was later printed in History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, vol. 6, pp. 473–479, and in The Words of Joseph Smith, ed. Andrew F. Ehat and Lyndon W. Cook.