Mosiah 4:30

~124 BC

1830 Edition

But this much I can tell you, that if ye do not watch yourselves, and your thoughts, and your words, and your deeds, and observe to keep the commandments of God, and continue in the faith of what ye have heard concerning the coming of our Lord, even unto the end of your lives, ye must perish. And now, O man, remember, and perish not.

Influences

Westminster Confession chapter 33:1
but likewise all persons, that have lived upon earth, shall appear before the tribunal of Christ, to give an account of their thoughts, words, and deeds; and to receive according to what they have done in the body, whether good or evil.
Revelation 12:17 (KJV)
And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Colossians 1:23 (KJV)
If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;
1 Corinthians 1:7 (KJV)
So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ:

Changes

But this much I can tell you, that if ye do not watch yourselves, and your thoughts, and your words, and your deeds, and observe to keep the commandments of God, and continue in the faith of what ye have heard concerning the coming of our Lord, even unto the end of your lives, ye must perish. And now, O man, remember, and perish not.

Simple English

'But I can tell you this: If you don’t watch yourself and your thoughts, words, and actions - if you don’t keep God’s rules and stay faithful to what you heard about our Lord coming, even until you die - then you will be lost. So remember this and don’t be lost!'

Paraphrase

But I can tell you this: if you don’t watch your thoughts, your words, and your actions—if you don’t keep God’s commands and hold on to faith in our Lord’s coming until the end of your life—you’ll be lost. So remember what I’ve said, and don’t let yourself be lost.'

Notes

4:30

"After some of Joseph Smith's family joined the Presbyterian faith in the mid-1820's, he evidently spent some time reading the Westminster Confession and Catechism, a vital part of that church. The Confession was formally adopted by the Presbyterian Church in the United States in 1729. Significantly, many phrases that are peculiar to that document appear in the Book of Mormon. The Westminster Confession, chapter 32, appears to be the source for Alma, chapter 40." -Jerald and Sandra Tanner, Joseph Smith's Plagiarism of the Bible in the Book of Mormon, p. 28.

See Footnotes on Alma 40:11, 12, 13, 14, 20.

Additionally, compare the following:
Mosiah 3:5-"The Lord... from all eternity"
Westminster Confession, ch. 3:1-"God from all eternity"

The word eternity is only used once in the KJV (Isaiah 57:15) and not in connection with the words from all.

Mosiah 5:3-"infinite goodness of God"
Westminster Confession, ch. 5:4-"infinite goodness of God"

The word infinite is found only three times in the Bible and never in connection with goodness of God.

Alma 42:2-"our first parents"
Westminster Confession, ch. 6:1-"our first parents"

All three of these words are found in the Bible, but they are never used in that order.

Alma 5:18-"before the tribunal of God"
Westminster Confession, ch. 33:1-"before the tribunal of Christ"

The word tribunal is never used in the KJV.

Mosiah 4:30-"thoughts, and your words, and your deeds"
Westminster Confession, ch. 33:1-"thoughts, words, and deeds"

Although these words are used in the Bible, they are not found in this order.

2 Nephi 28:21-"carnal security"
Westminster Confession, ch. 33:3-"carnal security"

Although both these words are found in the Bible, they are not found together.