DC 23 Intro: SECTION 23
Revelation given through Joseph Smith, Jr., July 1830, at Harmony, Pennsylvania. It is addressed to Joseph and Oliver, who were in need of reassurance because of the persecution to which they had been subjected after the publication of the Book of Mormon and the organization of the church.
1a Behold, thou wast called and chosen to write the Book of Mormon, and to my ministry;
1b and I have lifted thee up out of thy afflictions, and have counseled thee, that thou hast been delivered from all thine enemies, and thou hast been delivered from the powers of Satan, and from darkness!
1c Nevertheless, thou art not excusable in thy transgressions; nevertheless go thy way and sin no more.
2a Magnify thine office; and after thou hast sowed thy fields and secured them, go speedily unto the church which is in Colesville, Fayette, and Manchester, and they shall support thee; and I will bless them both spiritually and temporally;
2b but if they receive thee not, I will send upon them a cursing instead of a blessing.
3a And thou shalt continue in calling upon God in my name, and writing the things which shall be given thee by the Comforter, and expounding all scriptures unto the church, and it shall be given thee, in the very moment, what thou shalt speak and write;
3b and they shall hear it, or I will send unto them a cursing instead of a blessing.
4a For thou shalt devote all thy service in Zion. And in this thou shalt have strength.
4b Be patient in afflictions, for thou shalt have many; but endure them, for lo, I am with you, even unto the end of thy days.
4c And in temporal labors thou shalt not have strength, for this is not thy calling.
4d Attend to thy calling and thou shalt have wherewith to magnify thine office, and to expound all Scriptures.
4e And continue in laying on of the hands, and confirming the churches.
5a And thy brother Oliver shall continue in bearing my name before the world, and also to the church. And he shall not suppose that he can say enough in my cause; and lo, I am with him to the end.
5b In me he shall have glory, and not of himself, whether in weakness or in strength, whether in bonds or free.
5c And at all times and in all places, he shall open his mouth and declare my gospel as with the voice of a trump, both day and night. And I will give unto him strength such as is not known among men.
6a Require not miracles, except I shall command you; except casting out devils; healing the sick; and against poisonous serpents; and against deadly poisons; and these things ye shall not do, except it be required of you by them who desire it, that the Scriptures might be fulfilled, for ye shall do according to that which is written.
6b And in whatsoever place ye shall enter, and they receive you not, in my name, ye shall leave a cursing instead of a blessing, by casting off the dust of your feet against them as a testimony, and cleansing your feet by the wayside.
7a And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall lay their hands upon you by violence, ye shall command to be smitten in my name, and behold I will smite them according to your words, in mine own due time.
7b And whosoever shall go to law with thee shall be cursed by the law.
7c And thou shalt take no purse, nor scrip, neither staves, neither two coats, for the church shall give unto thee in the very hour what thou needest for food, and for raiment and for shoes, and for money, and for scrip; for thou art called to prune my vineyard with a mighty pruning, yea, even for the last time.
7d Yea, and also, all those whom thou hast ordained. And they shall do even according to this pattern. Amen.
