2 Nephi 26:31

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Reference Search: 2 Nephi 26:31

31 But the laborer in Zion shall labor for Zion; for if they labor for money they shall perish.

Quotes for Discussion

If they labor for money they shall perish

That seems to be a difficult assertion, since our Lord himself (Luke 10:7) teaches that “the laborer is worthy of his hire,” and James, the Apostle and (probably) brother of our Lord, in his epistle (5:4, 5) severely rebukes the wealthy property owners for withholding the wages due the laborers, contrary to the Mosaic law (Deut. 24:14, 15), which prescribes that servants to be paid promptly.

“Thou shalt not oppress an hired servant that is poor and needy, whether he be of thy brethren or of thy strangers that are in the land within thy gates; at his day thou shalt give him his hire, neither shall the sun go down upon it; for he is poor and setteth his heart upon it; lest he cry against thee unto the Lord, and it be sin unto thee.”

Our Lord does certainly not condemn the wage system, either in Zion or elsewhere, if it is practiced in righteousness, for the benefit of his people. But he puts the mark of disapproval upon the sordid materialism that has no higher alm than the making and hoarding of money for selfish purposes. We can, I believe, safely read: “If they labor for money”—only—“they shall perish.”

Sjodahl & Reynolds, Commentary on BOM, Vol 1, p. 388

They Should Not Lie

There is, perhaps, no crime more common among men. In this paragraph, prevarication, as it is sometimes called, politely, is placed where it rightly belongs, between murder and stealing. Good old Wm. Paley, in his Philosophy, justly condemns even so-called “white lies,” thus: “They always introduce others of a darker complexion.” I have, he says further, “seldom known anyone who deserted truth in trifles, that could be trusted in matters of importance!” The habit of lying, he adds, “is easily extended to serve the designs of malice or interest; like all habits, it spreads indeed of itself.”

In other words, there may be harmless “white lies,” as there are guns “not loaded”; but neither white lies nor guns are safe toys to play with.

“They Should Not Steal.” All acts of dishonesty in the dealings of a person with God, with society in its entirety or in smaller lawful organizations, or with individuals, are theft. They are prohibited because they are an injury to our neighbor, or neighbors, or (in the case of stealing from God) to ourselves. Opinions may differ as to how far it may be permissible to go in the furtherance of personal interests, but our Lord has given us the well known, perfect, “golden” rule: “All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the Law and the Prophets.” (Matt. 7:12; Luke 6:31, 3, 3 Ne. 14:12.)

Ibid, p. 388-389

[Hemidakota]

Verse 31 - [The laborer in Zion shall labor for Zion] He who labor for that which is eternal shall receive that which is eternal. He who labors for that which is perishable shall perish. "Keep my commandments," the Lord told the Latter-day Saints, "and seek to bring forth and establish the cause of Zion. Seek not for riches but for wisdom; and, behold, the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto you, and then shall you be made rich. Behold, he that hath eternal life is rich " (D&C 11:6-7.) Further, "if ye seek the riches which it is the will of the Father to give unto you, ye shall be the richest of all people, for ye shall have the riches of eternity; and it must needs be that the riches of the earth are mine to give; but beware of pride, lest ye become as the Nephites of old" (D&C 38:39; italics added; cf Jacob 2:18). (Doctrinal Commentary on the Book of Mormon, vol. 1, by Robert L. Millet, Joseph Fielding McConkie)

Riches are not purely monetary spoken here but mysteries of the kingdom. Pure knowledge is what sets apart from the lesser kingdom to the highest state in the Celestial realm. Edited June 25, 2010 by Hemidakota