The following vision was received by Joseph Smith Jr. July 12, 1843 in Nauvoo, Illinois. From the diary of Joseph Smith Jr.: “Wednesday, July 12. Received a Revelation in the office in presence of Hyrum Smith, and William Clayton.” The portions before and after the revelations are from the journal of William Clayton. Joseph refused to use the seer stone (called the urim and thummim in Clayton’s telling of the events), and after prayer and revelation, minor changes have been made to the text. These changes have been put in italics. Other grammatical changes have also been made to both texts. Additions to the text for clarification are in brackets. 

  1. On the morning of the twelfth of July, 1843, Joseph and Hyrum Smith came into the office in the upper story of the “Brick Store,” on the bank of the Mississippi River; they were talking on the subject of plural marriage.
  2. Hyrum said to Joseph: If you will write the revelation on celestial marriage, I will take it to Emma, and I believe I can convince her of its truth, and you will hereafter have peace.
  3. Joseph smiled and remarked: You do not know Emma as well as I do.
  4. Hyrum repeated his opinion and further remarked: The doctrine is so plain, I can convince any reasonable man or woman of its truth, purity or heavenly origin, or words to their effect.
  5. Joseph then said: Well, I will write the revelation and we will see; he then requested me to get paper and prepare to write.
  6. Hyrum very urgently requested Joseph to write the revelation by means of the seer stonea, but Joseph, in reply, said he did not need to, for he knew the revelation perfectly from beginning to end.
  7. ¶ Joseph and Hyrum then sat down and Joseph commenced to dictate the revelation on celestial marriage, and I wrote it, sentence by sentence, as he dictated.
  8. [132:1] ¶ Verily thus Saith the Lord unto you my Servant Joseph, that inasmuch as you have inquired of my hand to know and understand wherein I the Lord justified my Servants Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; as also Moses, David and Solomon my Servants as touching the principle and doctrine of their having many wives, and concubines.
  9. [132:2-3] Behold, and lo, I am the Lord thy God, and will answer thee as touching this matter; therefore prepare thy heart to receive and obey the instructions which I am about to give unto you, for all those who have this Law revealed unto them must obey the same.
  10. [132:4] For behold, I reveal unto you a new and an everlasting covenant, and if ye abide not that covenant, then are ye damned; for no one can reject this covenant, and be permitted to enter into my glory;
  11. [132:5] For all who will have a blessing at my hands shall abide the Law which was appointed for that blessing and the conditions thereof, as was instituted from before the foundation of the world.
  12. [132:6] And as pertaining to the new and everlasting covenant, it was instituted for the fullness of my glory; and he that receiveth a fullness thereof must and shall abide the Law or he shall be damned, saith the Lord God.
  13. [132:7a] ¶ And verily I say unto you, that the conditions of this Law are these: all covenants, contracts, bonds, obligations, oaths, vows, performances, connections, associations or expectations that are not made and entered into and Sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise of him who is anointed both as well for time and for all eternity,
  14. [132:7c] And that too, most holy by revelation and commandment through the medium of mine anointed, whom I have appointed on the earth to hold this power are of no efficacy, virtue, or force in and after the resurrection from the dead; for all contracts that are not made unto this end, have an end when men are dead.
  15. [132:7b] (And I have appointed unto my servant Joseph Smith Jr. to hold this power in the last days, and there is never but one on the earth at a time, on whom this power and the Keys of this Priesthood is conferred.)b
  16. [132:8] ¶ Behold, mine house is a house of order, saith the Lord God, and not a house of confusion.
  17. [132:9-10] Will I accept of an offering, saith the Lord, that is not made in my name, or will I receive at your hands, that which I have not appointed?
  18. [132:11] And will I appoint unto you, saith the Lord, except it be by Law, even as I and my Father ordained unto you, before the world was?
  19. [132:12] I am the Lord thy God, and I give unto you this commandment that no man shall come unto the Father but by me, or by my Word, which is my Law, saith the Lord.
  20. [132:13] And every thing that is in the world, whether it be ordained of men by thrones, or principalities or powers or things of name whatsoever they may be that are not by me or by my Word, saith the Lord, shall be thrown down and shall not remain after men are dead, neither in nor after the resurrection, saith the Lord your God.
  21. [132:14] For whatsoever things remaineth are by me; and whatsoever things are not by me, shall be shaken and destroyed.
  22. [132:15] Therefore, if a man marry him a wife, in the world, and he marry her not by me, nor by my​ word, and he covenant with her, so long as he is in the world, and she with him, their covenant and marriage is not of force when they are dead; and when they are out of the world therefore they are not bound by any law when they are out of the world.
  23. [132:16] Therefore, when they are out of the world, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are appointed angels in heaven, which angels are ministering servants to minister for those who are worthy of a far more, and an exceeding and an eternal weight of Glory,
  24. [132:17] For these angels did not abide my Law, therefore they cannot be enlarged, but remain separately and singly without exaltation in their saved condition to all eternity, and from henceforth are not gods, but are angels of God for ever and ever.
  25. [132:18a] ¶ And again verily I say unto you: If a man and wife (or husband and husband, or wife and wife) marry and make a covenant together for time and for all eternity,
  26. [132:18b] If that covenant is not by me or by my Word, which is my Law, and is not sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise, through him whom I have anointed and appointed unto this power, then it is not valid either of force when they are out of the world because they are not joined by me, saith the Lord.
  27. [132:18c] Neither by my Word when they are out of the world, it cannot be received there because the angels and the gods are appointed there, by whom they cannot pass, they cannot therefore inherit my glory; for my house is a house of order, saith the Lord God.
  28. [132:19a] ¶ And again, verily I say unto you: If a man marry a wife by my Word which is my Law, and by the new and everlasting covenant, and it is sealed unto them by the Holy Spirit of Promise by him who is anointed unto whom I have appointed this power and the keys of this priesthood;
  29. [132:19b] And it shall be said unto them: Ye shall come forth in the First Resurrection, and if it be after the First Resurrection in the next resurrection and shall inherit thrones, kingdoms, principalities, and powers, dominions all heights and depths, then shall it be written in the Lamb’s Book of Life that he shall commit no murder, whereby to shed innocent blood.
  30. [132:19c] And if ye abide in my Covenant and commit no murder whereby to Shed innocent blood it shall be done unto them in all things whatsoever my servant hath put upon them in time and through all eternity, and shall be of full force when they are out of the world,
  31. [132:19d] And they shall pass by the angels and the gods which are set there to their exaltation and glory in all things, as hath been sealed upon their heads, which glory shall be a fullness and a continuation of the seeds for ever and ever.
  32. [132:20a] Then shall they be gods, because they have no end.
  33. [132:20b] Therefore, they shall be from everlasting to Everlasting because they continue; then shall they be above all because all things are subject unto them.
  34. [132:20c] Then shall they be gods, because they have all power and the angels are subject unto them.
  35. [132:21-22a] Verily verily, I Say unto you: Except ye abide my Law, ye cannot attain to this glory; for straight is the gate and narrow the way, that leadeth unto the exaltation and continuation of the lives;
  36. [132:22b] And few there be that find it because ye receive me not in the world, neither do ye know me.
  37. [132:23] But if ye receive me in the world, then shalt ye know me, and shall receive your exaltation; that where I am, ye shall be also.
  38. [132:24] ¶ This is Eternal life: to know​ the only wise and true God, and Jesus Christ whom he hath Sent; I am He, Receive ye therefore my Law.
  39. [132:25] Broad is the gate, and wide the way that leadeth to the deaths, and many there are that go in thereat because they receive me not, neither do they abide my law.
  40. [132:26a] ¶ Verily verily I say unto you: If a man marry a wife according to my Word, and they are sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise, according to mine appointment, and he or she shall commit any sin or transgression of the new and everlasting covenant—whatever and all manner of blasphemies;
  41. [132:26b] And if they commit no murder, wherein they shed innocent blood, yet they shall come forth in the first resurrection and enter into their exaltation;
  42. [132:26c] But they Shall be destroyed in in the flesh and shall be delivered unto the buffetings of Satan unto the day of redemption, saith the Lord God. (see Genesis 2:17)
  43. [132:27a] The blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, which shall not be forgiven in the world nor out of the world, is in that ye commit murder, wherein ye shed innocent blood, and assent unto my death, after ye have received my new and everlasting covenant, saith the Lord God.
  44. [132:27b] And they that abideth not this Law can in no wise enter into my glory, but shall be damned, saith the Lord.
  45. [132:28] I am the Lord thy God, and will give unto thee the Law of my Holy Priesthood, as was ordained by me and my Father before the world was;
  46. [132:29] Abraham receiveth all things; whatsoever he received by revelation and commandment by my Word, saith the Lord, and hath entered in to his exaltation and sits upon his throne.
  47. [132:30a] Abraham received promises concerning his seed, and of the fruit of his loins—from whose loins ye are, my Servant Joseph—which were to continue so long as they were in the world (see Galatians 3),
  48. [132:30b] And as touching Abraham and his seed out of the world, they should continue both in the world and out of the world, should they continue as innumerable as the stars, or if ye ware to count the sand upon the sea shore ye could not number them.
  49. [132:31] This promise is yours also because ye are of Abraham, and the promise was made unto Abraham and by this Law are the continuation of the works of my Father, where in He glorifies Himself.
  50. [132:32] Go ye therefore and do the works of Abraham, enter ye into my Law and ye shall be saved,
  51. [132:33] But if ye enter not into my law, ye cannot receive the promises of my Father which he made unto Abraham.
  52. [132:34a] ¶ God commanded Abraham and Sarah, and Sarah gave Hagar to Abraham to wife;
  53. [132:34b] And why did She do it? Because this was the law;
  54. [132:34c] And from Hagar Sprang many people; this therefore was fulfilling, among other things, the promises.
  55. [132:35a] Was Abraham therefore under condemnation?
  56. [132:35b] Verily I say unto you: Nay, for I the Lord commanded it.
  57. [132:36a] ¶ Abraham was commanded to offer his son Isaac; nevertheless it was written: Thou shalt not kill.
  58. [132:36b] Abraham however did not refuse, and it was accounted unto him for righteousness.
  59. [132:37a] Abraham received concubines, and they bare him children; and it was accounted unto him for righteousness because they ware given unto him.
  60. [132:37b] And he abode in my law, as Isaac also, and Jacob did none other things than that which they were commanded.
  61. [132:37c] And because they did none other things than that which they were commanded they have entered into their exaltation according to the promises, and sit upon thrones; and are not angels but are gods.
  62. [132:38] ¶ David also ​received​ many wives and concubines, as also Solomon and Moses my servants; as also many others of my servants from the beginning of creation until this time, and in nothing did they sin, save in those things which they received not of me.
  63. [132:39a] David’s wives and concubines were given unto him of me by the hand of Nathan, my servant, and others of the prophets who had the Keys of this power;
  64. [132:39b] And in none of these things did he sin against me, save in the case of Uriah and his wife;
  65. [132:39c] And therefore he hath fallen from his exaltation and received his portion, and he Shall not inherit them out of the world, for I gave them unto another, saith the Lord.
  66. [132:40] ¶ I am the Lord thy God, and I gave unto thee, my servant Joseph Smith Jr., an appointment to restore all things; ask what ye will and it shall be given unto you according to my Word.
  67. [132:41] And as ye have asked concerning adultery; Verily,verily I Say unto you: If a man receiveth a wife in the new and everlasting covenant, and if she be with another man, and I have not appointed unto her by the holy anointing, she hath committed adultery and shall be destroyed least she repent.
  68. [132:42a] If She be not in the new and everlasting covenant, and she be with another man, she has committed adultery;
  69. [132:43] And if her husband be with another woman and he was under a vow, he hath broken his vow and hath committed adultery.
  70. [132:44a] And if she hath not committed adultery but is innocent and hath not broken her vow, and she knoweth it, and I reveal it unto you, my servant Joseph Smith Jr., then shall you have power by the power of my Holy Priesthood to take her and give unto her another husband, that hath not committed adultery, but hath been faithful;
  71. [132:44b-45] And they shall be made ruler over many, for I have conferred upon you the keys and power of the priesthood, wherein I restore all things and make known unto you all things in due time.
  72. [132:46a] ¶ And verily, verily I say unto you: As whatsoever you seal on Earth shall be sealed in Heaven, and whatsoever you bind on Earth in my name and by my Word, saith the Lord, it shall be eternally bound in the Heavens;
  73. [132:46b] And whose soever sins you remit on earth shall be remitted eternally in the heavens, and whose soever sins you retain on earth Shall be retained in heaven.
  74. [132:47] ¶ And again, verily I say: Whomsoever you bless I will bless, and whomsoever you curse I will curse, saith the Lord, for I the Lord am thy God.
  75. [132:48] ¶ And again, verily I say unto you, my Servant Joseph Smith Jr., that whatsoever you give on Earth, and to whomsoever you give any one on earth by my Word, and according to my Law, it shall be visited with blessings and not cursing, and with my power, saith the Lord, and shall be without condemnation on Earth and in Heaven;
  76. [132:49a] For I am the Lord thy God, and will be with thee even unto the end of the world, and through all eternity.
  77. [132:49b] For verily, I seal upon you your exaltation, and prepare a throne for you in the Kingdom of my Father, with Abraham, your father.
  78. [132:50] Behold, I have seen your sacrifice and will forgive all your sins, I have seen your sacrifices in obedience to that which I have told you; go therefore and I make a way for your escape, as I accepted the offering of Abraham of his son Isaac.
  79. [132:51a] ¶ Verily I say unto you: A commandment I give unto mine handmaid Emma Smith, your wife whom I have given unto you, and you unto her; that she stay herself and partake not of that which I commanded you to offer unto her.
  80. [132:51b] For I did it, saith the Lord, to prove you all as I did Abraham, and that I might require an offering at your hand by covenant and Sacrifice.
  81. [132:52a] And let mine handmaid, Emma Smith, receive all those that have been given unto my servant Joseph Smith Jr., and who are virtuous and pure before me;
  82. [132:52b-53a] And those who are not pure, and have said they were pure​, shall be destroyed [spiritual death], saith the Lord God, for I am the Lord thy God, and ye shall obey my voice.
  83. [132:53b] ¶ And I give unto my Servant Joseph Smith Jr., that he shall be made ruler over many things, for he hath been faithful over a few things, and from henceforth I will strengthen him.
  84. [132:54a] And I command mine handmaid, Emma Smith, to abide and cleave unto my servant Joseph Smith Jr. and to none else;
  85. [132:54b] But if She will not abide this commandment, she shall be destroyed, saith the Lord, for I am the Lord thy God, and will destroy her if she abide not in my Law.
  86. [132:55] But if she will not abide this commandment, then shall my servant Joseph Smith Jr. do all things for her even as he hath said, and I will bless him and multiply him, and seal unto him an hundred fold in this world of fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters, houses and lands, wives and children, and crowns of eternal lives in the eternal worlds.
  87. [132:56] ¶ And again, verily I say unto you: Let mine handmaid forgive my servant Joseph his trespasses, and then shall she be forgiven her trespasses wherein she hath trespassed against me, and I, the Lord thy God, will bless her and multiply her, and make her heart to rejoice.
  88. [132:57a] ¶ And again I say: Let not my servant Joseph Smith Jr. put his property out of his hands, list an enemy come and destroy him, for Satan seeketh to destroy;
  89. [132:57b] For I am the Lord thy God, and he is my servant, and behold and lo: I am with him as I was with Abraham thy Father, even unto his exaltation and Glory.
  90. [132:58] ¶ Now as touching the Law of the Priesthood, there are many things pertaining thereunto;
  91. [132:59] Verily, if a man be called of my Father, as was Aaron; by mine own voice, and by the voice of him that sent me, and I have endowed him with the keys of the power of this priesthood; if he do anything in my name, and according to my Law, and by my Word he will not commit Sin, and I will justify him;
  92. [132:60] Let no one therefore set on my servant Joseph Smith Jr., for I will justify him; for he shall do the sacrifice which I require at his hands, for his transgressions, saith the Lord your God.
  93. [132:61a] ¶ And again, as pertaining to the Law of the Priesthood; if any man espouse a virgin (a righteous man or woman), and together they desire to espouse another, and the first gives her consent and if they espouse the second, and they are virgins (righteous men and/or women), and have vowed to no one else that would appose the union, then are they justified;
  94. [132:61b] They cannot commit adultery, for they are given unto them, for none can commit adultery with those they are espoused and belongeth unto them and to none else.
  95. [132:62] And if they have ten virgins given unto them by this Law, they cannot commit adultery, for they belong to one another, and to each other, and to the Lord; and they are given unto them, therefore are they justified​.
  96. [132:63a] But if one or either of the ten virgins, after she is espoused, shall be with another man without consent, to be sealed to them by the others, she has committed adultery, and shall be destroyed;
  97. [132:63b] For they are given unto one another to multiply and replenish the Earth, according to my commandment,
  98. [132:63c] And to fulfill the promise which was given by my Father before the foundation of the world,
  99. [132:63d] And for thine exaltation in the eternal worlds, that they may bear​ the souls of mankind; for herein is the work of my Father continued that He may be glorified.
  100. [132:64a] And again verily, verily I say unto you: If any man have a wife who holds the keys of this power, and he teaches unto her the Law of my Priesthood, as pertaining to these things and the Holy Spirit testifies to her the truth of these things, then shall she believe, and administer unto them or she shall be destroyed, saith the Lord your God,
  101. [132:64b-65a] For I will destroy her; for I will magnify my name upon all those who receive and abide in my Law; therefore, it shall be lawful in me, if she receive not this Law, for them to receive all things whatsoever.
  102. [132:65b] I, the Lord their God, will give unto him because she did not believe and administer unto him according to my Word,
  103. [132:65c] She then becomes the transgressor, and he is exempt from the Law of Sarah who administrated unto Abraham, according to the Law, when I commanded Abraham to take Hagar to wife.
  104. [132:66] ¶ And now as pertaining to this Law, Verily, verily I say unto you: I will reveal more unto you hereafter, therefore let this Suffice for the present. Behold I am Alpha and Omega; Amen.
  105. After the whole was written, Joseph asked me to read it through, slowly and carefully, which I did, and he pronounced it correct.
  106. He then remarked that there was much more that he could write, on the same subject, but what was written was sufficient for the present.
  107. Hyrum then took the revelation to read to Emma; Joseph remained with me in the office until Hyrum returned.
  108. When he came back, Joseph asked him how he had succeeded; Hyrum replied that he had never received a more severe talking to in his life, that Emma was very bitter and full of resentment and anger.
  109. ¶ Joseph quietly remarked: Told you you did not know Emma as well as I did; Joseph then put the revelation in his pocket, and they both left the office.
  110. The revelation was read to several of the authorities during the day; towards evening Bishop Newel K. Whitney asked Joseph if he had any objections to his taking a copy of the revelation;
  111. Joseph replied that he had not, and handed it to him; it was carefully copied the following day by Joseph C. Kingsbury.
  112. ¶ Two or three days after the revelation was written, Joseph related to me and several others that Emma had so teased, and urgently entreated him for the privilege of destroying it, that he became so weary of her teasing, and to get rid of her annoyance, he told her she might destroy it and she had done so,
  113. But, he had consented to her wish in this matter to pacify her, realizing that he knew the revelation perfectly, and could rewrite it at any time if necessary; the copy made by Joseph C. Kingsbury is a true and correct copy of the original in every respect.
  114. The copy was carefully preserved by Bishop Whitney, and but few knew of its existence until the temporary location of the Camps of Israel at Winter Quarters, on the Missouri River, in 1846.

Notes:

  • In vs 4 “Urim and Thummim” was corrected to “seer stone.”
  • Vs 15 was originally in the middle of verse 13 and 14, but was moved to increase readability and for clarity of message.
  • There are a number of things we gain from this revelation. The first of which is the Holy Spirit of Promise, keys given to Joseph Smith Jr. to seal people to one another in a way that pardons them of all sins, save murder and denial of the Holy Ghost, their Calling and Election made mostly sure. This authority gave Joseph the authority to forgive sins, passing judgement in a way that even allowed him to condemn sins, and those persons would not be forgiven in this world or the next. In this, his keys would be just below that of Jesus Christ, it would seem.
  • This revelation also teaches that polygamy/polyandry is neither a sin nor a commandment. It calls the woman’s role in polygamy/polyandry “the Law of Sarah.” The keys to this Law belong to the wife, in a male/female relationship. More revelations are needed, and promised, to further explain this Law. We do not know, for example, who would hold the keys in a homosexual marriage.
  • There are many more things that may be gleamed from this revelation, too many to discuss here.
  • Verse 104 state there will be further revelations given. The Fellowship has received the following revelations regarding this revelation: