3 Nephi 14

〔Chapter 14 in the Third Book of Nephi embodies mostly the same text as found in Chapter 7 of Matthew from the New Testament. Of the text in Chapter 14, 95% is identical, word for word, with the corresponding chapter of Matthew. What differences there are, are mostly minor word substitutions, slight rephrasings, and added introductory phrases.

Because the Sermon on the Mount is such a pivotal part of both the New Testament and The Book of Mormon, text found in The Book of Mormon that is not present in the New Testament is italicized.〕

When Jesus Christ had spoken these words he turned again to address the Nephite crowd.

“Don’t judge others unless you want to be judged yourself. Others will treat you as you treat them. Why are you so eager to find fault in your brother when your own faults are often even greater? You are always so willing to correct your brother’s faults, but unwilling to correct your own, even when they are larger than his. You are hypocrites. You must correct your own faults first before you can even clearly see the faults of your brother.

“Don’t give holy things to dogs, or pearls to pigs, unless you want them to trample on them and then assault you. Ask, and it will be given to you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened for you. What man is there, who, if his son asks for bread, gives him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, gives him a snake? If you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, imagine how much more your Father in heaven will give good things to those who ask him.

“Do unto others as you would like them to do for you. This is the law and the teaching of the prophets. The gate is wide and the path is broad that leads to destruction. There will always be many who go that way. Because the path to heaven and the gate that leads there are narrow, fewer will find it.

“Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing. Inwardly they are ravening wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Good trees bring good fruit; but a corrupt tree brings evil fruit. Trees that don’t bring good fruit are cut down and cast into the fire, and by their fruits you will know them.

“Not every one who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the kingdom of heaven. But those who do the will of my Father in heaven, will enter. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name? In your name we have cast out devils, and in your name we have done many wonderful works.’ And then will I say to them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you who have worked in sinfulness. Whoever hears these words of mine and follows them, I will think of as a wise man, who built his house upon a rock. When the rains descend, the floods come, and the winds blow and beat upon that house, it will not fall because it was built upon a rock. Everyone that hears these words of mine and does not follow them will be likened to a foolish man who built his house upon the sand. When the rains descend, the floods come, and the winds blow and beat upon that house, it will fall.”