Matthew 18; Luke 10

Structure your personal scripture study by following a 15-minute, day-by-day plan. Each day's assignment includes the required scripture passages from the Come, Follow Me curriculum, as well as suggestions for additional resources to bring context and understanding to your study. For the best experience, use our Reading Plan in the free ScripturePlus app! You can track your progress and have access to the best resources.

Monday

• Verse of the Day: Matthew 18:4
• Scripture: Matthew 18:1–9
• Commentary: Matthew 18:1–5. Instruction 19: Be Humble like a Child
• Commentary: Matthew 18:6–9. Instruction 20: Offend Not and Remove Things That Cause Offense
• Quote: “I recognize that there are parents who, notwithstanding an outpouring of love and a diligent and faithful effort to teach them, see their children grow in a contrary manner and weep while their wayward sons and daughters willfully pursue courses of tragic consequence. For such I have great sympathy, and to them I am wont to quote the words of Ezekiel: ‘The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son’ (Ezek. 18:20).
  “But such is the exception rather than the rule. Nor does the exception justify others of us from making every effort in showing forth love, example, and correct precept in the rearing of those for whom God has given us sacred responsibility.
  “Nor let us ever forget the need to respect these, our little ones. Under the revealed word of the Lord, we know they are children of God as we are children of God, deserving of that respect which comes of knowledge of that eternal principle. In fact, the Lord made it clear that unless we develop in our own lives that purity, that lack of guile, that innocence of evil, we cannot enter into his presence. Declared he, ‘Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven’ (Matt. 18:3).” (Gordon B. Hinckley, “‘Behold Your Little Ones’“, October 1978 General Conference)
• Quote: “To settle an apparent controversy among his disciples as to who would be the greatest in the kingdom of God, he said: ‘… except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of [God]’ (Matt. 18:3).
  “To become converted, according to the scriptures, meant having a change of heart and the moral character of a person turned from the controlled power of sin into a righteous life. It meant to ‘wait patiently on the Lord’ until one’s prayers can be answered and until his heart, as Cyprian, a defender of the faith in the Apostolic Period, testified, and I quote, ‘Into my heart, purified of all sin, there entered a light which came from on high, and then suddenly and in a marvelous manner, I saw certainty succeed doubt.’
  “Conversion must mean more than just being a ‘card carrying’ member of the Church with a tithing receipt, a membership card, a temple recommend, etc. It means to overcome the tendencies to criticize and to strive continually to improve inward weaknesses and not merely the outward appearances.” (Harold B. Lee, “The Iron Rod”, April 1971 General Conference)
• Quote: “...do you remember when the Savior said: ‘Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven’ (Matt. 18:3–4). We are benefited by retaining the humility and teachableness of a child, but we must be sure to continue growing and not be content with the limited knowledge or comprehension of the gospel which a child has. Remember, Paul, what the Apostle of your same name said to the Corinthians: ‘Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men’ (1 Cor. 14:20). (Angel Abrea, “Your Own Personal Testimony”, April 2000 General Conference)
• Quote: “We remember our Savior’s teaching as He placed a little child before His followers and declared:
  “‘And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me. But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea’ (Matthew 18:5–6).
  “When we consider the dangers from which children should be protected, we should also include psychological abuse. Parents or other caregivers or teachers or peers who demean, bully, or humiliate children or youth can inflict harm more permanent than physical injury. Making a child or youth feel worthless, unloved, or unwanted can inflict serious and long-lasting injury on his or her emotional well-being and development. Young people struggling with any exceptional condition, including same-gender attraction, are particularly vulnerable and need loving understanding—not bullying or ostracism.
  “With the help of the Lord, we can repent and change and be more loving and helpful to children—our own and those around us.” (Dallin H. Oaks, “Protect the Children”, October 2012 General Conference)
• Quote: “Abuse constitutes the influence of the adversary. It is a grievous sin [See Matthew 18:6; Doctrine and Covenants 121:34–37]. As President of the Church, I affirm the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ on this issue. Let me be perfectly clear: any kind of abuse of women, children, or anyone is an abomination to the Lord. He grieves and I grieve whenever anyone is harmed. He mourns and we all mourn for each person who has fallen victim to abuse of any kind. Those who perpetrate these hideous acts are not only accountable to the laws of man but will also face the wrath of Almighty God.
  “For decades now, the Church has taken extensive measures to protect—in particular—children from abuse. There are many aids on the Church website. I invite you to study them. These guidelines are in place to protect the innocent. I urge each of us to be alert to anyone who might be in danger of being abused and to act promptly to protect them. The Savior will not tolerate abuse, and as His disciples, neither can we.” (Russell M. Nelson, “What Is True?”, October 2022 General Conference)
• Quote: “I cherish these generous lines from that very able, but very humble, prophet-editor Moroni: ‘Condemn me not because of mine imperfection, neither my father, because of his imperfection, neither them who have written before him; but rather give thanks unto God that he hath made manifest unto you our imperfections, that ye may learn to be more wise than we have been’ (Morm. 9:31)
  “If such is our attitude, we are far less likely to be offended.
  “Besides, if the choice is between reforming other Church members or ourselves, is there really any question about where we should begin? The key is to have our eyes wide open to our own faults and partially closed to the faults of others—not the other way around! The imperfections of others never release us from the need to work on our own shortcomings.
  “People who spend their time searching for feet of clay will miss not only the heavens wherein God moves in His majesty and power, but God’s majesty as He improves and shapes a soul.
  “So in the give-and-take in the kingdom, we jostle and are jostled. Offenses will come (See Matt. 18:7). Once ego is unwisely committed, no cause seems too trivial for some. In a dispute over milk, Thomas B. Marsh soon let himself become offended at the Prophet Joseph.” (Neal A. Maxwell, “‘A Brother Offended’”, April 1982 General Conference)

Tuesday

• Verse of the Day: Matthew 18:18
• Scripture: Matthew 18:10–20
• Commentary: Matthew 18:10–14. Parable 10: The Lost Sheep and the Rescuing Grace of the Lord
• Commentary: Matthew 18:15–20. Instruction 21: Dealing with Those Who Transgress and Offend
• Quote: “The Savior’s mortal ministry was indeed characterized by love, compassion, and empathy. He did not disdainfully walk the dusty roads of Galilee and Judea, flinching at the sight of sinners. He did not dodge them in abject horror. No, He ate with them [See Luke 15:1–2]. He helped and blessed, lifted and edified, and replaced fear and despair with hope and joy. Like the true shepherd He is, He seeks us and finds us to offer relief and hope [See Matthew 18:11]. Understanding His compassion and love helps us exercise faith in Him—to repent and be healed.” (Dale G. Renlund, “Our Good Shepherd”, April 2017 General Conference)
• Quote: “In Jesus’ time, the Palestinian shepherd was noted for his protection of his sheep. Unlike modern sheepherders, the shepherd always walked ahead of his flock. He led them. The shepherd knew each of the sheep and usually had a name for each. The sheep knew his voice and trusted him and would not follow a stranger. Thus, when called, the sheep would come to him (See John 10:14, 16).
  “At night shepherds would bring their sheep to a corral called a sheepfold. High walls surrounded the sheepfold, and thorns were placed on top of these walls to prevent wild animals and thieves from climbing over.
  “Sometimes, however, a wild animal driven by hunger would leap over the walls into the midst of the sheep, frightening them. Such a situation separated the true shepherd—one who loved his sheep—from the hireling—one who worked only for pay and duty.
  “The true shepherd was willing to give his life for the sheep. He would go in amongst the sheep and fight for their welfare. The hireling, on the other hand, valued his own personal safety above the sheep and would usually flee from the danger.
  “Jesus used this common illustration of his day to declare that He was the Good Shepherd, the True Shepherd. Because of His love for His brothers and sisters, He would willingly and voluntarily lay down His life for them (See John 10:17–18).” (Ezra Taft Benson, “A Call to the Priesthood: ‘Feed My Sheep’”, April 1983 General Conference)
• Quote: “While translating the Book of Mormon, Joseph learned that the Lord would choose witnesses to see the plates. This is part of what the Lord Himself established when He said, ‘In the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established’ (Matthew 18:16) Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, and Martin Harris, who were some of Joseph’s initial companions in the establishment of God’s marvelous work in this dispensation, were the first witnesses called to bear a special testimony of the Book of Mormon to the world. They testified that an angel, who came from the presence of the Lord, showed them the ancient record and that they saw the characters engraved in the plates. They also testified that they heard the voice of God from heaven declaring that the ancient record was translated by the gift and power of God. Then they were commanded to testify of it to the entire world.” (Ulisses Soares, “The Coming Forth of the Book of Mormon”, April 2020 General Conference)
• Quote: “In the beginning, after the earth was prepared, God brought man and woman together in the Garden, and the first wedding occurred. They were not yet subject to mortal death, and no time limitations were placed upon their marriage. God declared, ‘Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh’ (Gen. 2:24).
  “When Christ lived on the earth, He quoted this commandment and added, ‘What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder’ (See Matt. 19:4–6). He gave His disciples power to bind in heaven that which is bound on earth (See Matt. 18:18). Paul declared that ‘neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord’ (1 Cor. 11:11).
  “When the gospel was restored there came a renewed understanding of temples and temple worship. The power to bind and seal on earth and in heaven has again been entrusted to authorized servants of God. Eternal marriage, marriage of highest promise, is again performed for time and for all eternity by qualified officiators in the holy temples of the Lord.” (Marion D. Hanks, “Eternal Marriage”, October 1984 General Conference)
• Quote: “Sometimes we talk about going to church. But the Church is more than a building or a particular place. It is just as real and alive in the humblest of dwellings in the most remote areas of the world as it is here at Church headquarters in Salt Lake City. The Lord Himself said, ‘For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them’ (Matthew 18:20)
  “We take the Church with us wherever we go: to work, to school, on vacation, and especially in our homes. Our very presence and influence can be enough to make wherever we find ourselves a holy place.” (Gérald Caussé, “It Is All about People”, April 2018 General Conference)
• Quote: “A testimony is profoundly personal, and occurs in response to very private prayers and pleadings. Nevertheless, the Lord has told us, ‘Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them’ (Matt. 18:20; see also D&C 6:32).
  “There is safety in learning doctrine in gatherings which are sponsored by proper authority. Some members, even some who have made covenants in the temple, are associating with groups of one kind or another which have an element of secrecy about them and which pretend to have some higher source of inspiration concerning the fulfillment of prophecies than do ward or stake leaders or the General Authorities of the Church. Know this: There are counterfeit revelations which, we are warned, ‘if possible … shall deceive the very elect, who are the elect according to the covenant’ (JS—M 1:22).
  “The Lord commanded: ‘Assemble yourselves together, and organize yourselves. … Continue in prayer and fasting. … Teach one another the doctrine of the kingdom. … And my grace shall attend you, that you may be instructed more perfectly in theory, in principle, in doctrine, in the law of the gospel, in all things that pertain unto the kingdom of God, that are expedient for you to understand’ (D&C 88:74–80).” (Boyd K. Packer, “Reverence Invites Revelation”, October 1991 General Conference)

Wednesday

• Verse of the Day: Matthew 18:21–22
• Scripture: Matthew 18:21–35
• Video: Seeking Jesus - The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant
• Commentary: Matthew 18:21–35. Parable 11: The Forgiven but Unforgiving Servant
• Quote: “But just how many times will He forgive us? How long is His long-suffering? On one occasion Peter asked the Savior, ‘Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?’ (Matthew 18:21)
  “Presumably, Peter thought seven was a sufficiently high number to emphasize the folly of forgiving too many times and that benevolence should have its limits. In response, the Savior essentially told Peter to not even count—to not establish limits on forgiveness.
  “‘Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven’ (Matthew 18:22).
  “Obviously, the Savior was not establishing an upper limit of 490. That would be analogous to saying that partaking of the sacrament has a limit of 490, and then on the 491st time, a heavenly auditor intercedes and says, ‘I’m so sorry, but your repentance card just expired—from this point forward, you’re on your own.’
  “The Lord used the math of seventy times seven as a metaphor of His infinite Atonement, His boundless love, and His limitless grace. Yea, and as often as my people repent will I forgive them their trespasses against me” (Mosiah 26:30). (Lynn G. Robbins, “Until Seventy Times Seven”, April 2018 General Conference)
• Quote: “Patience may well be thought of as a gateway virtue, contributing to the growth and strength of its fellow virtues of forgiveness, tolerance, and faith. When Peter asked Christ how many times he should forgive his brother, Christ replied, ‘Seventy times seven,’ rather than the mere seven times that Peter had offered (see Matthew 18:21–22). To forgive seventy times seven certainly takes a large measure of patience.
  “Elder Neal A. Maxwell linked patience and faith together when he taught: ‘Patience is tied very closely to faith in our Heavenly Father. Actually, when we are unduly impatient, we are suggesting that we know what is best—better than does God. Or, at least, we are asserting that our timetable is better than His.’
  “We can grow in faith only if we are willing to wait patiently for God’s purposes and patterns to unfold in our lives, on His timetable.” (Robert C. Oaks, “The Power of Patience”, October 2006 General Conference)
• Quote: “We can be a peacemaker by practicing and teaching forgiveness. Jesus was asked how many times one should be forgiven, and he replied that we should forgive without limit. Forgive him ‘seventy times seven’ (Matt. 18:22). An important part of forgiving is forgetting. In some ways, being able to forget is almost as valuable as being able to remember.” (Franklin D. Richards, “The Blessings of Peace”, October 1974 General Conference)
• Quote: “As the Lord is patient with us, let us be patient with those we serve. Understand that they, like us, are imperfect. They, like us, make mistakes. They, like us, want others to give them the benefit of the doubt.
  “Never give up on anyone. And that includes not giving up on yourself.
  “I believe that every one of us, at one time or another, can identify with the servant in Christ’s parable who owed money to the king and who pled with the king, saying, ‘Lord, have patience with me’ (Matthew 18:26).”
• Quote: “According to my Bible, the Roman penny is an eighth of an ounce of silver, while the talent is 750 ounces. Accordingly the unmerciful servant was forgiven 600,000 units but would not forgive one unit.
  “I met a woman once, demanding and critical. She accused her stake president of harshness and would have displaced him if she could. She had committed adultery, and yet with her comparative debt of 600,000 pence she had the temerity to criticize her leader with a hundred pence debt. I also knew a young man who complained at his bishop and took offense at the leader’s inefficiency and his grammatical errors, yet he himself had in his life sins comparable to the talents and had the effrontery to accuse his bishop of weaknesses comparable only to the pence.
  “Those of us who have sins, heinous or less serious, would do well to sing frequently the beautiful hymns: ‘Should You Feel Inclined to Censure,’ by George H. Durham; ‘School Thy Feelings, O My Brother,’ by President Charles W. Penrose; and ‘Let Each Man Learn to Know Himself,’ so much sung and loved by President Heber J. Grant” (Spencer W. Kimball, “‘Except Ye Repent...’”, October 1949 General Conference)
• Image: The Unforgiving Debtor by Jorge Cocco

Thursday

• Verse of the Day: Luke 10:1
• Scripture: Luke 10:1–12
• Video: BibleProject - Overview: Luke Ch. 10–24
• Video: Seeking Jesus - Jesus Calls 70
• Commentary: Luke 10:1–12. Commissioning the Seventy
• Quote: “Those things don’t come by chance, my friends. The business of getting a testimony is a growth which must be taken step by step, and it comes rapidly or slowly according to how the person who takes those steps, moves. In the mission field, it is necessary that missionaries take them quite rapidly. They must have their testimony early if they expect to get much done. I don’t blame the young folk for saying before they leave for the field that they aren’t quite sure; because they don’t yet know that a testimony is a relative thing and never can quite be measured; that only as a man feels in his heart and gives service to his Church does that whispering become more and more sure until the final assurance, for which we all hope, comes. They don’t know that yet. They come into the field, and we send them out. I believe I know a little about what our Lord and Savior must have felt on that great day when he called seventy to him and told them to go forth, giving them authority to do the things that they had seen him do (Luke 10:1) I believe that the man side of his nature made him worry about them. He was hopeful they would all measure up to what he told them; and, while I know he had the prophetic view and could see ahead, I like to think that he worried about it, too. When they came back and said those immortal words that even the devils were subject to them because of his name, he must have experienced a thrill of satisfaction (Luke 10:17) I have had something of that kind of sensation when, after I send these young people out, they send me letters and say, ‘The houses have been opened to us; we have been fed and we have been clothed, and the way has opened for us to preach the gospel far beyond our strength and ability.’ Then I feel like saying, ‘Yes, even the devils are subject to you through His name.’” (S. Dilworth Young, “Report from New England”, April 1949 General Conference)
• Quote: “We need more missionaries—more worthy missionaries. During His earthly ministry, the Lord told His disciples, ‘The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.’ (Luke 10:2)” (Russell M. Nelson, “Be Thou an Example of the Believers”, October 2010 General Conference)
• Quote: “Earlier prophets have taught that every able, worthy young man should serve a full-time mission. I emphasize this need today. We also have great need for our able, mature couples to serve in the mission field. Jesus told his disciples, ‘The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest’ (Luke 10:2)” (Howard W. Hunter, “Follow the Son of God”, October 1994 General Conference)
• Quote: “Jesus said the harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few. Then he gave this important commandment that often we overlook, ‘Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.’ (Luke 10:2) If all the Saints would pray to the Lord to send forth laborers unto the harvest, we’d have many more. A prophet of God said, ‘Every member a missionary.’ That is a prophetic statement with prophetic power.” (Bernard P. Brockbank, “Today Millions Are Waiting”, April 1975 General Conference)

Friday

• Verse of the Day: Luke 10:23–24
• Scripture: Luke 10:13–24
• Commentary: Luke 10:13–16. Woes on Galilee
• Commentary: Luke 10:17–20. The Return of the Seventy
• Commentary: Luke 10:21–24. The Savior’s Joy
• Quote: “Consistent with these references, many scriptures that refer to ‘the name of Jesus Christ’ are obviously references to the authority of the Savior. This was surely the meaning conveyed when the seventy reported to Jesus that ‘even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.’ (Luke 10:17) The Doctrine and Covenants employs this same meaning when it describes the Twelve Apostles of this dispensation as ‘they who shall desire to take upon them my name with full purpose of heart.’ (Doctrine and Covenants 18:27) The Twelve are later designated as ‘special witnesses of the name of Christ in all the world,’ and as those who ‘officiate in the name of the Lord, under the direction of the Presidency of the Church.’ (Doctrine and Covenants 107:23, 33)” (Dallin H. Oaks, “Taking upon Us the Name of Christ”, April 1985 General Conference)
• Quote: “It should be kept in mind that God cannot be found through research alone, nor his gospel understood and appreciated by study only, for no one may know the Father or the Son but ‘he to whom the Son will reveal him’ (Luke 10:22) The skeptic will some day either in time or eternity learn to his sorrow that his egotism has robbed him of much joy and growth, and that as has been decreed by the Lord: The things of God cannot be understood by the spirit of man (1 Cor. 2:11) that man cannot by himself find out God or his program; that no amount of research nor rationalizing will bring a testimony, but it must come through the heart when compliance with the program has made the person eligible to receive that reward. The Savior could have taken highly trained minds from the temple porches for the chief builders of his kingdom, but he went to the seashore to get humble fishermen. He wanted men who would not depend upon their own intellects only to ferret out the truths, but unbiased men to whom he might reveal his new program, men who were trusting and sincere and willing to serve. He tested Peter on one occasion by asking him to identify him, and with power and sure of his grounds the first apostle declared: ‘Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God’ (Matt. 16:16)” (Spencer W. Kimball, “Ye May Know the Truth”, October 1944 General Conference)

Saturday

• Verse of the Day: Luke 10:27–28
• Scripture: Luke 10:25–37
• Video: Seeking Jesus - The Parable of the Good Samaritan
• Commentary: Luke 10:25–37. The Parable of the Good Samaritan
• Quote: “Considering the parable of the good Samaritan in this context reminds us that the question ‘Who is my neighbor?’ was tied to the two great commandments: ‘Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.’ (Luke 10:27) The motivation for raising the warning voice is love—love of God and love of fellowman. To warn is to care. The Lord instructs that it is to be done ‘in mildness and in meekness’ (Doctrine and Covenants 38:41) and ‘by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness … , and by love unfeigned.’ (Doctrine and Covenants 121:41) It can be urgent, as when we warn a child not to put his or her hand in a fire. It must be clear and sometimes firm. On occasion, warning may take the form of reproof ‘when moved upon by the Holy Ghost,’ (Doctrine and Covenants 121:43) but always it is rooted in love. Witness, for example, the love that motivates the service and sacrifices of our missionaries.” (D. Todd Christofferson, “The Voice of Warning”, April 2017 General Conference)
• Quote: “We want you single sisters to know of our great love for you. You can be powerful instruments in the hands of God to help bring about this great work. You are valued and needed. Other women, even though married, may not be mothers. For those in either of these circumstances, please be assured that the Lord loves you and has not forgotten you. You can do something for another person that no one else ever born can do. You may be able to do something for another woman’s child that she may not be able to do herself. I believe some compensatory blessings will come in this life and in the hereafter to sisters in those circumstances. These blessings and a comforting peace will come to you if you can love God ‘with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.’ (Luke 10:27) You can still be highly successful in whatever you do as instruments in the hands of God to bring about this great work.” (James E. Faust, “Instruments in the Hands of God”, October 2005 General Conference)
• Quote: “In Luke 10 we read: ‘Thou shalt love the Lord thy God . . . with all thy mind’ (Luke 10:27) This is but a part of Christ’s injunction, but seemingly a part not often stressed either in press or pulpit. We hear often of the necessity of loving God with all our hearts and with all our souls, but there was a purpose in his including mind in his instructions. Any person’s conception of Deity must come within his mental horizon, which is determined by the degree of his intelligence. Man, by his reasoning, naturally endows God with his own noblest and highest ideals, which, if he be studious and devout, are ever growing. Intellectual activity produces an ever-changing, because ever-growing, concept of God. Once the mind has grasped the idea of God, it will burn and glow and seek to assimilate and radiate, to adore, and emulate. This love of God by the mind of man, when accompanied by loving him with heart and soul, will light the pathway to salvation. The Master placed love of God and of fellowmen as paramount to all divine commandments (Matt. 22:37-40)” (Hugh B. Brown, “The Gospel Is for All Men”, April 1969 General Conference)
• Quote: “In Luke’s record, the lawyer who had asked the question wanted to know more. Perhaps he feared he might waste his love, so he asked, ‘Who is my neighbour?’ (Luke 10:29) And Christ gave the parable of the good Samaritan as an answer. The Samaritan saw what others with eyes had walked by without seeing. He did what he could do that no one else would do, and he dignified himself and put us all in awe of him because we didn’t expect the Samaritan to be our neighbor. (Luke 10:30–37) We wouldn’t tempt Christ by asking him whom we should love or serve, but I think occasionally we wonder if we really know.” (Aileen H. Clyde, “‘Charity Suffereth Long’”, October 1991 General Conference)
• Quote: “To remain true and faithful through this mortal vale of tears, we must love God with all our heart, might, mind, and strength and love our neighbor as ourselves. We must also stand together as families; as members of wards and branches, stakes and districts; and as a people. To our neighbors not of our faith we should be as the good Samaritan who cared for the man who fell among thieves. (Luke 10:29–37) We must gather strength from each other. We must also ‘succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees.’ (Doctrine and Covenants 81:5)” (James E. Faust, “‘Women, Why Weepest Thou?’”, October 1996 General Conference)
• Quote: “While the duty to warn is felt especially keenly by prophets, it is a duty shared by others as well. In fact, ‘it becometh every man who hath been warned to warn his neighbor.’ (Doctrine and Covenants 88:81) We who have received a knowledge of the great plan of happiness—and its implementing commandments—should feel a desire to share that knowledge since it makes all the difference here and in eternity. And if we ask, ‘Who is my neighbor that I should warn?’ surely the answer will be found in a parable that begins, ‘A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves,’ (Luke 10:30) and so forth.” (D. Todd Christofferson, “The Voice of Warning”, April 2017 General Conference)

Sunday

• Verse of the Day: Luke 10:41–42
• Scripture: Luke 10:38–42
• Video: Messages of Christ - Mary and Martha, Disciples of Christ
• Video: Seeking Jesus - Jesus, Mary and Martha
• Additional Study:
  • Commentary: Luke 10:38–42. Martha and Mary
  • Quote: “I hope my granddaughters will understand that Relief Society today is organized after a pattern of discipleship that existed in the ancient Church. When the Savior organized His Church in New Testament times, ‘women were vital participants in [His] ministry.’ He visited Martha and Mary, two of His most dedicated followers, in Martha’s home. As Martha listened to Him and served Him according to the custom of their time, He helped her see that she could do more than that. He helped Martha and Mary understand that they could choose ‘that good part,’ which would not be taken from them. (Luke 10:38–42) This gentle comment served as an invitation to participate in the Lord’s ministry. And later in the New Testament, Martha’s strong testimony of the Savior’s divinity gives us some insight into her faith and discipleship. (John 11:20–27)” (Julie B. Beck, “What I Hope My Granddaughters (and Grandsons) Will Understand about Relief Society”, October 2011 General Conference)
  • Quote: “Just as the Savior invited Mary and Martha of New Testament times (Luke 10:38–42) to participate in His work, women of this dispensation have an official commission to participate in the Lord’s work. From the earliest days of the Restoration, women were active in helping build up the Church by supporting missionary efforts, contributing to the construction of temples, and establishing communities where the Saints could worship together. The organization of Relief Society in 1842 mobilized the collective power of the women and their specific assignments to build the Lord’s kingdom, just as the organization of priesthood quorums gave men specific responsibilities.” (Julie B. Beck, “Fulfilling the Purpose of Relief Society”, October 2008 General Conference)
  • Quote: “If our hearts are right before God, adversity will school us, help us overcome our carnal nature, and nurture the divine spark within us. Were it not for adversity, we would not know to ‘choose the better part.’ (Luke 10:40–42) Adversity helps us see where we need to repent, to bring into subjection baser instincts, to embrace righteousness and enjoy ‘peace of conscience.’ (Mosiah 4:3)” (Keith B. McMullin, “Be Prepared ... Be Ye Strong from Henceforth”, October 2005 General Conference)
  • Quote: “The adversary will try to persuade you that spiritual nourishment isn’t necessary or, more cunningly, that it can wait. He is the master of distraction and author of procrastination. He will bring things to your attention that seem urgent but in reality aren’t that important. He would have you become so ‘troubled about many things’ that you neglect the ‘one thing [that] is needful.’ (Luke 10:41–42)” (Stephen W. Owen, “Be Faithful, Not Faithless”, October 2019 General Conference)
  • Quote: “Many women have the gift of discernment. Often blessed with the power to know and understand beyond their experience, women draw on this strength as they visit monthly to teach in the homes or to assess needs as directed by the bishop. We use it as we nurture our children and teach them the gospel. We discern, by the power of God given to us through His Spirit that ‘one thing is needful’ (Luke 10:42) Nothing we do is more important than the work of righteousness in our homes.” (Elaine L. Jack, “‘Partakers of the Glories’”, October 1996 General Conference)

Explore Joseph Smith's inspired translation of the bible by comparing his changes to the King James Version of the New Testament. To learn more, see Joseph Smith's Translation of the Bible: The Joseph Smith Translation and the King James Translation in Parallel Columns.

Matthew 18 JST Variants

Luke 10 JST Variants