The Book of Mormon

Alma 11:38

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~82 BC

1830 Edition

Now Zeezrom saith again unto him: Is the Son of God the very Eternal Father?

Influences

1 John 5:5 (KJV)
Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

Simple English

Zeezrom asked him again: 'Is the Son of God the same as the Eternal Father?'

Paraphrase

Zeezrom asked another question: 'Is the Son of God the very Eternal Father?'

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.