The Book of Mormon

Mosiah 2:38

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~124 BC

1830 Edition

Therefore, if that man repenteth not, and remaineth and dieth an enemy to God, the demands of Divine Justice doth awaken his immortal soul to a lively sense of his own guilt, which doth cause him to shrink from the presence of the Lord, and doth fill his breast with guilt, and pain, and anguish, which is like an unquenchable fire, whose flames ascendeth up forever and ever.

Influences

Matthew 3:12 (KJV)
Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.
Revelation 14:11 (KJV)
And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.

Changes

Therefore, if that man repenteth not, and remaineth and dieth an enemy to God, the demands of Ddivine Jjustice doth awaken his immortal soul to a lively sense of his own guilt, which doth cause him to shrink from the presence of the Lord, and doth fill his breast with guilt, and pain, and anguish, which is like an unquenchable fire, whose flames ascendeth up forever and ever.

Simple English

'So if that person does not change his heart and stays an enemy to God until he dies, God’s justice will wake up his spirit to feel his own guilt. This will make him want to hide from the Lord. It will fill his heart with guilt and pain and suffering that is like a fire that never goes out. Its flames go up forever and ever.'

Paraphrase

'If that person doesn’t repent and dies as God’s enemy, divine justice will awaken their soul to an intense awareness of their guilt. They’ll shrink from the Lord’s presence, filled with guilt, pain, and anguish—like an unquenchable fire whose flames rise forever and ever.'

Notes

2:36-39

The Book of Mormon teaches that death seals man's fate (see also Alma 34:32-35). Contrast with Doctrines and Covenants 88:99 which seems to hold out the hope that one's place in heaven can be changed after being in spirit prison.

2:38

"immortal soul(s)" is found in Mosiah 2:38 and Helaman 3:30. Smith used this same phrase in his 1832 account of his life as recorded in An American Prophet's Record, p. 4.

For addiontal examples of Smith's common phrases, see: 1 Nephi 19:2; 2 Nephi 28:22; 2 Nephi 26:15; and 2 Nephi 28:16.