A revelation to Newel K. Whitney through Joseph Smith Jr., the Seer at Nauvoo, Illinois, July 27, 1842. This text was taken from two documents; document A and document B, both from versions copied in the 1870’s in an unidentified handwriting. Both are from the Church History Library of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (CJCLdS) headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah. The following revelation is not currently binding on any denominations in the Latter Day Saint movement as it has not been voted upon by the Saints. Inspired changes made for its use for the Church of Jesus Christ in Christian Fellowship are in italics.

  1. Photo of Sarah Ann Whitney, a plural wife of Joseph Smith Jr. Public domain.

    Verily, thus saith the Lord unto my servant Newel K. Whitney: the thing that my servant Joseph Smith Jr. has made known unto you and your family, and which you have agreed upon, is right in mine eyes and shall be crowned upon your heads with honor and immortality and eternal life to all your house; both old and young, because of the lineage of my Priesthooda, saith the Lord.

  2. It shall be upon you, and upon your children after you, from generation to generation by virtue of the Holy Promiseb, which I now make unto you, saith the Lord.
  3. These are the words which you shall pronounce upon my servant, Joseph Smith Jr. and your Daughter Sarah Ann Whitney: They shall take each other by the hand, and you shall say: You both mutually agree (calling them by name) to be each other’s companion so long as you both shall live, preserving yourselves for each other and from all others;
  4. And also throughout eternity, reserving only those rights which have been given to my Servant Joseph Smith Jr. by revelation and commandment, and by legal authority, in times passed.
  5. If you both agree to covenantb and to do this, then I then give you Sarah Ann Whitney, my Daughter, to Joseph Smith Jr. to be his wife, to observe all the rights between you both that belong to that condition.
  6. I do it in my own name, and in the name of my wifec, your mother, and ​in the name of my Holy Progenitorsd, by the right of birth, which is of Priesthood vested in me, by revelation and commandment and promise of the living God, obtained by the Holy Melchizedeke, Jethrof, and other of the holy fathersd; commanding, in the name of the Lordg, all those powers to concentrate in you and through you, to your posterity forever;
  7. All these things I do, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, that through this order He may be glorified, and that through the power of anointing David may reign, King over Israel, which shall hereafter be revealed.
  8. Let immortality and eternal life henceforth be sealedb upon your heads, forever and ever; part in the first resurrection together with other blessings now added. So mote it be, Amen.

Notes:

a. Lineage of my Priesthood: The idea that the priesthood can be passed down by blood. See

b. Holy Promise: or covenant; in Hebrew, “berith” (בְּרִית); an alliance or treaty. Because this is a sealing, this is an  Everlasting Covenant; a covenant passed down from generation to generation, a covenant of the earth from the heavens; and the New and Everlasting Covenant; a covenant written and sealed upon our hearts, binding the earth and heaven to bring the heavens to the earth. The sealing power.

c. Wife and Mother: Both the father/husband and the wife/mother hold equal authority and are giving consent as one, showing marital equality. The Man is merely speaking on behalf of both. There is no reason the wife/mother could not fill this same role.

d. Holy Progenitors: Holy Ancestors or Holy Forefathers. See DaC 83 CoC/84 CJCLdS, and Of the Priesthoods.

e. See 1 Moses 27, The Book of Melchizedek, DaC 83:2e/84:14 CJCLdS.

f. See Exodus 2:16, 21; 3:1; 4:18; DaC 83:2c-g CoC/84:6-17 CJCLdS.

g. One of the two texts reads “Lord,” while the other reads “Lords.” Based on context, the idea of “Lords” could refer to the “Holy Progenitors” (see b. above). “Lord” is used here per inspiration from the Holy Spirit to the First Elder of the Church of Jesus Christ in Christian Fellowship.