h and Nephite Versions of the "Sermon on the Mount."--As
indicated in the text, one of the most impressive contrasts between the
Sermon on the Mount and the virtual repetition of the discourse by our
Lord on the occasion of His visit to the Nephites, is that of prediction
concerning the fulfilment of the law of Moses in the first delivery, and
unqualified affirmation in the second that the law had been fulfilled.
Among the Beatitudes certain differences appear, in each of which the
Nephite sermon is more explicit. Thus, instead of, "Blessed are the poor
in spirit" (Matt. 5:3), we read, "Blessed are the poor in spirit who
come unto me" (3 Nephi 12:3). Instead of, "Blessed are they which do
hunger and thirst after righteousness; for they shall be filled"
(Matt.), we read, "And blessed are all they who do hunger and thirst
after righteousness, for they shall be filled with the Holy Ghost"
(Nephi). Instead of, "for righteousness' sake," (Matt.) we have "for my
name's sake," (Nephi). For the difficult passage, "Ye are the salt of
the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be
salted?" (Matt.), we have the clearer expression, "I give unto you to be
the salt of the earth; but if the salt shall lose its savor, wherewith
shall the earth be salted?" (Nephi). And, as already noted, in place of
"one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be
fulfilled" (Matt.), we have "one jot nor one tittle hath not passed away
from the law, but in me it hath all been fulfilled" (Nephi). Variations
in succeeding verses are incident to this prospective fulfilment
(Matt.), and affirmed accomplishment (Nephi). Instead of the strong
analogy concerning the plucking out of an offending eye, or the severing
of an evil hand (Matt.), we find: "Behold, I give unto you a
commandment, that ye suffer none of these things to enter into your
heart; for it is better that ye should deny yourselves of these things,
wherein ye will take up your cross, than that ye should be cast into
hell" (Nephi). Following the illustrative instances of the gospel
requirements superseding those of the law, the Nephite record presents
this splendid summation: "Therefore those things which were of old time,
which were under the law in me, are all fulfilled. Old things are done
away, and all things have become new; therefore I would that ye should
be perfect even as I, or your Father who is in heaven is perfect."

In Matthew's report of t