The Crowd Prepares
After Jesus ascended into heaven, the crowd scattered. Each person took their family and headed home.
Before darkness fell, word spread everywhere that the crowd had seen Jesus, that he’d ministered to them, and that he promised to appear again the next day. All through the night, news about Jesus traveled from person to person. So many people worked through the darkness preparing themselves to be there in the morning when Jesus would come.
The Twelve Disciples Lead
The next day, when the crowd gathered, Nephi and his brother Timothy—the one he’d raised from the dead—stepped forward. With them came Timothy’s son Jonas, along with Mathoni, Mathonihah, Kumen, Kumenonhi, Jeremiah, Shemnon, Jonas, Zedekiah, and Isaiah. These were the disciples Jesus had chosen. They came and stood in the middle of the crowd.
The crowd was so massive that they divided everyone into twelve groups.
The twelve disciples taught the people. Then they had everyone kneel down on the ground and pray to the Father in Jesus' name. The disciples also prayed to the Father in Jesus' name. Then they stood up and continued teaching the people. They taught exactly what Jesus had taught—not changing a single word. Then they knelt down again and prayed to the Father in Jesus' name. They prayed for what they wanted most: that the Holy Spirit would be given to them.
Baptism by Water and Spirit
After praying, they walked down to the water’s edge. The crowd followed. Nephi walked into the water and was baptized. When he came up out of the water, he began baptizing others. He baptized everyone Jesus had chosen.
When all of them had been baptized and come up out of the water, the Holy Spirit fell on them. They were filled with the Holy Spirit and with fire. They were surrounded by what looked like fire. It came down from heaven, and the crowd saw it all and testified to what they witnessed. Angels descended from heaven and ministered to them.
Jesus Appears
While the angels were ministering to the disciples, Jesus appeared and stood among them. He spoke to the crowd and told everyone to kneel down on the ground again—both the people and his disciples. When they’d all knelt down, he told his disciples to pray.
They began praying to Jesus, calling him their Lord and their God.
Jesus Prays to the Father
Jesus left them and walked a short distance away.
'Father, thank you for giving the Holy Spirit to these I’ve chosen. ' 'Father, you’ve given them the Holy Spirit because they believe in me. You see they believe in me because you hear them praying to me. ' 'Father, I pray for them, and for everyone who will believe their message.
After Jesus finished praying, he returned to his disciples. They were still praying to him without stopping. They didn’t use many words, because they’d been shown what to pray. They were filled with longing. As they prayed, Jesus blessed them. His face shone with joy as he looked at them, and his light fell on them. They became as white as Jesus' face and clothing—a whiteness beyond anything on earth. ' And they didn’t stop.
The Second Prayer
He turned away again, walked a short distance, and knelt down.
'Father, thank you for purifying these I’ve chosen because of their faith. ' 'Father, I don’t pray for the world, but for these you’ve given me from the world because of their faith.
When Jesus finished speaking these words, he returned to his disciples. They were still praying steadily, without stopping. He smiled at them again, and they were white—just like Jesus.
The Unspeakable Prayer
He walked a short distance away again and prayed to the Father. No tongue can speak the words he prayed. No one can write them down. The crowd heard him and testified to it. Their hearts were opened, and they understood in their hearts what he prayed. But the words he prayed were so profound and marvelous that they can’t be written or spoken by human words.
When Jesus finished praying, he came back to the disciples and said, 'I never saw faith like this among the Jews.
Influences
- 19:2 — Mark 2:1 (KJV)And again he entered into Capernaum after some days; and it was noised that he was in the house.
- 19:3 — Acts 28:23 (KJV)And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening.
- 19:3 — John 19:20 (KJV)This title then read many of the Jews: for the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city: and it was written in Hebrew, and Greek, and Latin.
- 19:4 — John 12:9 (KJV)Much people of the Jews therefore knew that he was there: and they came not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead.
- 19:4 — John 20:26 (KJV)And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.
- 19:6 — Acts 16:18 (KJV)And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.
- 19:7 — Matthew 26:19 (KJV)And the disciples did as Jesus had appointed them; and they made ready the passover.
- 19:7 — Luke 4:39 (KJV)And he stood over her, and rebuked the fever; and it left her: and immediately she arose and ministered unto them.
- 19:9 — Acts 20:23 (KJV)Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me.
- 19:13 — Matthew 3:11 (KJV)I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance. but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
- 19:14 — Revelation 3:12 (KJV)Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.
- 19:17 — Matthew 16:20 (KJV)Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.
- 19:20 — John 11:41 (KJV)Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.
- 19:20 — John 17:15 (KJV)I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.
- 19:21 — Acts 24:4 (KJV)Notwithstanding, that I be not further tedious unto thee, I pray thee that thou wouldest hear us of thy clemency a few words.
- 19:22 — Matthew 18:6 (KJV)But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
- 19:23 — John 17:20-21 (KJV)Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
- 19:23 — John 17:21 (KJV)That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
- 19:24 — John 13:21 (KJV)When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.
- 19:24 — Luke 6:11 (KJV)And they were filled with madness; and communed one with another what they might do to Jesus.
- 19:25 — Matthew 17:2 (KJV)And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.
- 19:26 — Colossians 1:9 (KJV)For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
- 19:27 — Matthew 26:39 (KJV)And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.
- 19:27 — James 5:18 (KJV)And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.
- 19:28 — Matthew 5:44 (KJV)But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
- 19:28 — Acts 3:16 (KJV)And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.
- 19:29 — John 17:9 (KJV)I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.
- 19:30 — 2 Timothy 1:3 (KJV)I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day;
- 19:35 — Luke 7:9 (KJV)When Jesus heard these things, he marvelled at him, and turned him about, and said unto the people that followed him, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.
- 19:35 — Acts 24:5 (KJV)For we have found this man a pestilent fellow, and a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes:
- 19:35 — Mark 6:6 (KJV)And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching.
- 19:36 — Matthew 16:28 (KJV)Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.