Section 59

Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, in Zion, Jackson County, Missouri, August 7, 1831. Preceding this revelation, the land was consecrated, as the Lord had directed, and the site for the future temple was dedicated. On the day this revelation was received, Polly Knight, the wife of Joseph Knight Sr., died, the first Church member to die in Zion. Early members characterized this revelation as “instructing the Saints how to keep the sabbath and how to fast and pray.”

1–4, The faithful Saints in Zion will be blessed; 5–8, They are to love and serve the Lord and keep His commandments; 9–19, By keeping the Lord’s day holy, the Saints are blessed temporally and spiritually; 20–24, The righteous are promised peace in this world and eternal life in the world to come.

 1 Behold, blessed, saith the Lord, are they who have come up unto this land with an aeye single to my glory, according to my commandments.

 2 For those that live shall ainherit the earth, and those that bdie shall rest from all their labors, and their works shall follow them; and they shall receive a ccrown in the dmansions of my Father, which I have prepared for them.

 3 Yea, blessed are they whose feet stand upon the land of Zion, who have obeyed my gospel; for they shall receive for their reward the good things of the earth, and it shall bring forth in its astrength.

 4 And they shall also be crowned with blessings from above, yea, and with acommandments not a few, and with brevelations in their time—they that are cfaithful and ddiligent before me.

 5 Wherefore, I give unto them a commandment, saying thus: Thou shalt alove the Lord thy God with all thy bheart, with all thy might, mind, and strength; and in the name of Jesus Christ thou shalt cserve him.

 6 Thou shalt alove thy bneighbor as thyself. Thou shalt not csteal; neither commit dadultery, nor ekill, nor do anything flike unto it.

 7 Thou shalt athank the Lord thy God in all things.

 8 Thou shalt offer a asacrifice unto the Lord thy God in brighteousness, even that of a broken heart and a ccontrite spirit.

 9 And that thou mayest more fully keep thyself aunspotted from the world, thou shalt go to the house of bprayer and offer up thy csacraments upon my dholy day;

 10 For verily this is a aday appointed unto you to rest from your labors, and to pay thy devotions unto the Most High;

 11 Nevertheless thy avows shall be offered up in righteousness on all days and at all times;

 12 But remember that on this, the aLord’s day, thou shalt offer thine boblations and thy sacraments unto the Most High, cconfessing thy sins unto thy brethren, and before the Lord.

 13 And on this day thou shalt do none other thing, only let thy food be prepared with singleness of heart that thy afasting may be perfect, or, in other words, that thy bjoy may be full.

 14 Verily, this is fasting and prayer, or in other words, rejoicing and prayer.

 15 And inasmuch as ye do these things with athanksgiving, with bcheerful chearts and countenances, not with dmuch elaughter, for this is sin, but with a glad heart and a cheerful countenance—

 16 Verily I say, that inasmuch as ye do this, the afulness of the earth is yours, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air, and that which climbeth upon the trees and walketh upon the earth;

 17 Yea, and the herb, and the agood things which come of the earth, whether for food or for braiment, or for houses, or for barns, or for orchards, or for gardens, or for vineyards;

 18 Yea, all things which come of the earth, in the season thereof, are made for the abenefit and the buse of man, both to please the eye and to cgladden the heart;

 19 Yea, for afood and for raiment, for taste and for smell, to bstrengthen the body and to enliven the soul.

 20 And it pleaseth God that he hath given all these things unto man; for unto this end were they made to be used, with judgment, not to aexcess, neither by extortion.

 21 And in nothing doth man aoffend God, or against none is his bwrath ckindled, save those who dconfess not his hand in all things, and eobey not his commandments.

 22 Behold, this is according to the law and the prophets; wherefore, trouble me no more concerning this matter.

 23 But learn that he who doeth the works of arighteousness shall receive his breward, even cpeace in this world, and deternal life in the world to come.

 24 I, the Lord, have spoken it, and the Spirit beareth record. Amen.