The Bible

Doctrine and Covenants 95

1–6, The Saints are chastened for their failure to build the house of the Lord; 7–10, The Lord desires to use His house to endow His people with power from on high; 11–17, The house is to be dedicated as a place of worship and for the school of the Apostles.

1Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you whom I love, and whom I love I also chasten that their sins may be forgiven, for with the chastisement I prepare a way for their deliverance in all things out of temptation, and I have loved you—

2Wherefore, ye must needs be chastened and stand rebuked before my face;

3For ye have sinned against me a very grievous sin, in that ye have not considered the great commandment in all things, that I have given unto you concerning the building of mine house;

4For the preparation wherewith I design to prepare mine apostles to prune my vineyard for the last time, that I may bring to pass my strange act, that I may pour out my Spirit upon all flesh—

5But behold, verily I say unto you, that there are many who have been ordained among you, whom I have called but few of them are chosen.

6They who are not chosen have sinned a very grievous sin, in that they are walking in darkness at noon-day.

7And for this cause I gave unto you a commandment that you should call your solemn assembly, that your fastings and your mourning might come up into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth, which is by interpretation, the creator of the first day, the beginning and the end.

8Yea, verily I say unto you, I gave unto you a commandment that you should build a house, in the which house I design to endow those whom I have chosen with power from on high;

9For this is the promise of the Father unto you; therefore I command you to tarry, even as mine apostles at Jerusalem.

10Nevertheless, my servants sinned a very grievous sin; and contentions arose in the school of the prophets; which was very grievous unto me, saith your Lord; therefore I sent them forth to be chastened.

11Verily I say unto you, it is my will that you should build a house. If you keep my commandments you shall have power to build it.

12If you keep not my commandments, the love of the Father shall not continue with you, therefore you shall walk in darkness.

13Now here is wisdom, and the mind of the Lord—let the house be built, not after the manner of the world, for I give not unto you that ye shall live after the manner of the world;

14Therefore, let it be built after the manner which I shall show unto three of you, whom ye shall appoint and ordain unto this power.

15And the size thereof shall be fifty and five feet in width, and let it be sixty-five feet in length, in the inner court thereof.

16And let the lower part of the inner court be dedicated unto me for your sacrament offering, and for your preaching, and your fasting, and your praying, and the offering up of your most holy desires unto me, saith your Lord.

17And let the higher part of the inner court be dedicated unto me for the school of mine apostles, saith Son Ahman; or, in other words, Alphus; or, in other words, Omegus; even Jesus Christ your Lord. Amen.