# 2 Nephi 31

*Simple English*

### Nephi Finishes His Teaching

I, Nephi, am now finishing my teaching to you, my dear brothers. I can only write a few things that I know will happen. I can only write a few of the words from my brother Jacob. So the things I have written are enough for me. But I must say a few words about what Christ teaches. I will speak to you clearly. I love speaking clearly. That’s how the Lord God works with people. The Lord God gives them light to understand. He speaks to people in ways they can understand.

### Jesus Shows the Way

I want you to remember what I told you about the prophet the Lord showed me. This prophet would baptize Jesus, who takes away the sins of the world. If Jesus, who is perfect, needed to be baptized with water to do what’s right, then how much more do we need to be baptized? We aren’t perfect. My dear brothers, how did Jesus do what was right when he was baptized with water? Don’t you know he was perfect? But even though he was perfect, he showed people that he made himself humble before God the Father. He showed the Father that he would obey him by keeping his commandments. So after he was baptized with water, the Holy Spirit came down on him. It looked like a dove. Again, it shows people how straight the path is. It shows how narrow the gate is that they need to go through. He showed them the example. He tells people: “Follow me.” My dear brothers, can we follow Jesus unless we are willing to keep the Father’s commandments?

### God Speaks About Baptism

The Father says: “Turn back to me. Turn back to me and be baptized in the name of my dear Son.” Also, the Son’s voice came to me. He said: “Anyone who is baptized in my name will get the Holy Spirit from the Father, like I did. So follow me and do the things you have seen me do.” My dear brothers, I know that if you follow the Son with all your heart, acting with no lies before God, but with real purpose, and if you turn back from your sins and show the Father you are willing to take Christ’s name by being baptized—by following your Lord and Savior into the water as he said to do—then you will get the Holy Spirit. Then comes baptism of fire and of the Holy Spirit. Then you can speak like angels do. You can shout praise to the Holy One of Israel.

### Don’t Turn Away

But the Son’s voice came to me and said: “After you have turned back from your sins and shown the Father you are willing to keep my commandments by being baptized in water, and after you have gotten baptism of fire and of the Holy Spirit, and can speak with a new voice like the angels do, if after this you say you don’t know me anymore, it would have been better if you had never known me at all.” I heard a voice from the Father say: “The words of my dear Son are true. Anyone who keeps going to the end will be saved.” My dear brothers, I know from this that a person can’t be saved unless they keep going to the end. They must follow the example of the Son of the living God.

### The Gate and the Path

So do the things I have told you that I saw your Lord and Savior do. These things were shown to me so you could know the gate you need to go through. The gate is turning back from your sins and being baptized with water. Then your sins are forgiven by fire and by the Holy Spirit. Then you are on the straight and narrow path that leads to living forever. You have gone through the gate. You have done what the Father and the Son said to do. You have gotten the Holy Spirit. He tells you about the Father and the Son. He keeps the promise that was made: If you go in through this way, you will get it.

### Keep Going to the End

My dear brothers, after you get on this straight and narrow path, let me ask: Is everything done? I tell you no. You have only gotten this far because of what Christ said. You have trusted him with faith that doesn’t shake. You have relied completely on him who is strong enough to save. So you must keep going with faith in Christ. Have a bright hope and a love for God and all people. If you keep going, learning from what Christ said, and keep going to the end, then the Father says: “You will live forever.” This is the way. There is no other way or name given anywhere that can save people in God’s kingdom. This is what Christ teaches. It is the only true teaching of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. They are one God forever. Amen.

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*Source: [The Book of Mormon](https://bookofmormon.com/simple/2-nephi/31)*
