# 3 Nephi 26

*Paraphrase*

### Jesus Teaches Everything

After Jesus finished telling them these things, he explained everything to the crowd—every detail, great and small.

He said, “These scriptures you didn’t have before—the Father wanted me to give them to you. He knew they would be wisdom for future generations.”

He explained everything from the beginning all the way to the time he’ll return in glory. He told them everything that would happen on earth—right up to the day when the elements will melt in fierce heat, the earth will roll up like a scroll, and the heavens and earth will pass away. He took them all the way to that great and final day when every person, every family, every nation and language will stand before God to be judged by their actions—whether good or evil. If their works are good, they’ll rise to eternal life. If evil, they’ll rise to damnation. Two destinies running parallel—one on one side, one on the other—all according to the mercy, justice, and holiness that is in Christ, which existed before the world began.

### Mormon’s Record

I can’t write even a hundredth of what Jesus actually taught the people. But the plates of Nephi contain most of what he taught. What I’ve written here is just a smaller part of his teaching. I wrote it so it could be brought back to this people through the Gentiles, just as Jesus said would happen.

When they receive this—which they need to get first, to test their faith—then if they believe these things, the greater things will be revealed to them. But if they don’t believe what’s written here, the greater things will be held back from them, to their own judgment.

I was about to write everything engraved on the plates of Nephi, but the Lord stopped me. He said, “I will test my people’s faith.” So I, Mormon, am writing only what the Lord commanded me to write. That’s the end of my commentary. Now I’ll get back to writing what I was told to record.

### Three Days of Ministry

You should know that the Lord truly taught the people for three full days. After that, he appeared to them often. He would break bread, bless it, and give it to them.

He taught and ministered to the children in the crowd. He freed their tongues, and they spoke to their parents about great and marvelous things—even more amazing than what he had revealed to the adults. He gave them the ability to express things they couldn’t before.

After he ascended to heaven the second time—after healing all the sick, making the lame walk, opening blind eyes, unstopping deaf ears, performing every kind of healing, even raising a man from the dead, and showing them his power—after he went to the Father, the next day the crowd gathered again. They saw and heard these children speaking. Even babies opened their mouths and said marvelous things. What they said was so sacred that no one was allowed to write it down.

### The Church Begins

From that time on, the disciples Jesus had chosen began baptizing and teaching everyone who came to them. Everyone baptized in Jesus’ name was filled with the Holy Spirit. Many of them saw and heard things beyond words—things it wouldn’t be right to write down.

They taught and served one another. They shared everything in common, and everyone dealt fairly with each other. They did everything exactly as Jesus had told them. Those who were baptized in Jesus’ name were called the church of Christ.

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*Source: [The Book of Mormon](https://bookofmormon.com/paraphrase/3-nephi/26)*
