1Hearken, O ye elders of my church, and give ear to the voice of the living God; and attend to the words of wisdom which shall be given unto you, according as ye have asked and are agreed as touching the church, and the spirits which have gone abroad in the earth.
2Behold, verily I say unto you, that there are many spirits which are false spirits, which have gone forth in the earth, deceiving the world.
3And also Satan hath sought to deceive you, that he might overthrow you.
4Behold, I, the Lord, have looked upon you, and have seen abominations in the church that profess my name.
5But blessed are they who are faithful and endure, whether in life or in death, for they shall inherit eternal life.
6But wo unto them that are deceivers and hypocrites, for, thus saith the Lord, I will bring them to judgment.
7Behold, verily I say unto you, there are hypocrites among you, who have deceived some, which has given the adversary power; but behold such shall be reclaimed;
8But the hypocrites shall be detected and shall be cut off, either in life or in death, even as I will; and wo unto them who are cut off from my church, for the same are overcome of the world.
9Wherefore, let every man beware lest he do that which is not in truth and righteousness before me.
10And now come, saith the Lord, by the Spirit, unto the elders of his church, and let us reason together, that ye may understand;
11Let us reason even as a man reasoneth one with another face to face.
12Now, when a man reasoneth he is understood of man, because he reasoneth as a man; even so will I, the Lord, reason with you that you may understand.
13Wherefore, I the Lord ask you this question—unto what were ye ordained?
14To preach my gospel by the Spirit, even the Comforter which was sent forth to teach the truth.
15And then received ye spirits which ye could not understand, and received them to be of God; and in this are ye justified?
16Behold ye shall answer this question yourselves; nevertheless, I will be merciful unto you; he that is weak among you hereafter shall be made strong.
17Verily I say unto you, he that is ordained of me and sent forth to preach the word of truth by the Comforter, in the Spirit of truth, doth he preach it by the Spirit of truth or some other way?
18And if it be by some other way it is not of God.
19And again, he that receiveth the word of truth, doth he receive it by the Spirit of truth or some other way?
20If it be some other way it is not of God.
21Therefore, why is it that ye cannot understand and know, that he that receiveth the word by the Spirit of truth receiveth it as it is preached by the Spirit of truth?
22Wherefore, he that preacheth and he that receiveth, understand one another, and both are edified and rejoice together.
23And that which doth not edify is not of God, and is darkness.
24That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day.
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