The Book of Mormon

Mosiah 5:3

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~124 BC

1830 Edition

And we, ourselves, also, through the infinite goodness of God, and the manifestations of his Spirit, have great views of that which is to come; and were it expedient, we could prophesy of all things.

Influences

Titus 3:3 (KJV)
For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.
Westminster Confession chapter 5:4
The almighty power, unsearchable wisdom, and infinite goodness of God so far manifest themselves in his providence that it extendeth itself even to the first fall, and all other sins of angels and men, and that not by a bare permission,
1 John 4:13 (KJV)
Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.
1 Timothy 4:8 (KJV)
For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.

Simple English

'Because God is so good to us, and because his Spirit shows us things, we can see what will happen in the future. If we needed to, we could tell about all things that will come.'

Paraphrase

'Through God’s endless goodness and the power of his Spirit, we’ve seen what’s coming. If we needed to, we could prophesy about everything.'

Notes

5:3

"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.