D&C 7:1-8
Home > Doctrine & Covenants > Section 7
Previous section: D&C 6 Next section: D&C 8
This page would ideally always be under construction. You are invited to contribute.
Contents
Summary[edit]
This heading should be very brief. Click the link above and to the right to edit or add content to this heading. →
Historical setting[edit]
This heading should explain facts about the historical setting that will help a reader to understand the section. This may include issues that prompted the section, its subsequent implementation, and the extent of circulation through its first inclusion in the Doctrine & Covenants. Click the link above and to the right to edit or add content to this heading. →
- Received: April 1829 at Harmony, Pennsylvania
- Prior section in chronological order: D&C 6
- Next section in chronological order: D&C 8
D&C 7 was received at Harmony during the first month that Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery worked together on the Book of Mormon translation.
- During the month of April we continued to translate and write, during which time we received several revelations. A difference of opinion arising between us relative to the account of John the Apostle mentioned in the New Testament [John 21:18-23], whether he died or whether he continued, we mutually agreed to settle it by the urim and thummim, and the following [D&C 7] is the word that we received. (Manuscript History of the Church, Vol. A-1, p. 30-31).
For a brief overview of D&C 7 in historical relation to the rest of the Doctrine & Covenants, see Historical Overview of the Restoration Scriptures. For lengthier discussions of the historical setting, see Historical Context of the Doctrine & Covenants, chapter 3 or Church History in the Fulness of Times, chapter 5.
Discussion[edit]
This heading is for detailed discussion such as the meaning of a symbol, how a doctrinal point is developed throughout a passage, or insights that can be further developed in the future. Contributions may range from polished paragraphs down to a single bullet point. The focus, however, should always be on understanding the scriptural text consistent with LDS doctrine. Click the link above and to the right to edit or add content to this heading. →
Outline and page map[edit]
This heading is for an outline of the entire section. Items in blue or purple text indicate hyperlinked pages that address specific portions of this section. Click the link above and to the right to edit or add content to this heading. →
Unanswered questions[edit]
This heading is for questions along the lines of "I still don't understand ..." Please do not be shy. The point of these questions is to identify things that still need to be addressed on this page. Click the link above and to the right to edit or add content to this heading. →
Prompts for life application[edit]
This heading is for prompts that suggest ways in which a passage can influence a person's life. Prompts may be appropriate either for private self reflection or for a class discussion. Click the link above and to the right to edit or add content to this heading. →
Prompts for further study[edit]
This heading is for prompts that invite us to think about a passage more deeply or in a new way. These are not necessarily questions that beg for answers, but rather prompts along the lines of "Have you ever thought about ..." Prompts are most helpful when they are developed individually, thoughtfully, and with enough background information to clearly indicate a particular direction for further study or thought. Click the link above and to the right to edit or add content to this heading. →
Resources[edit]
This heading is for listing links and print resources, including those that are also cited elsewhere on this page. A short comment about the particular strengths of a resource can be helpful. Click the link above and to the right to edit or add content to this heading. →
Previous editions.
- The oldest surviving copy of D&C 7 is the one copied by John Whitmer into Revelation Book 1, p. 13-14, presumably during the summer of 1830.
- D&C 7 was first published in the 1833 Book of Commandments, the earliest edition of what we now call the Doctrine & Covenants.
- The text of D&C 7 in significant editions of the Doctrine & Covenants can be found at:
Related passages that interpret or shed light on D&C 7.
Doctrinal references cited on this page.
Historical references cited on this page.
Other resources.
Notes[edit]
Footnotes are not required but are encouraged for factual assertions that average readers cannot easily evaluate for themselves (such as the date of King Solomon’s death or the nuanced definition of a Greek word). In contrast, insights rarely benefit from footnoting, and the focus of this page should always remain on the scriptures themselves rather than what someone has said about them. Links are actively encouraged on all sections of this page, and links to authoritative sources (such as Strong's Bible Concordance or the Joseph Smith Papers) are preferable to footnotes.
