Study Insights
Doctrine and Covenants Section 5: A Divine Invitation to Believe Through Witnesses (March 1829)
In March of 1829, amid deep questions about divine proof, truth, and authority, the Lord revealed Section 5 of the Doctrine and Covenants to the Prophet Joseph Smith. This short but powerful revelation was given in response to Martin Harris—a man of means, intellect, and sincere religious interest—who desired a sure sign that the golden plates were real and that Joseph Smith was truly called of God. What unfolded in this revelation wasn’t just a reply to a man’s personal doubt; it was a moment that helped shape the future of the Restoration and established a pattern of belief that would resonate through centuries of Latter-day Saint faith.
The Setting of Section 5 and the Context of Faith
By early 1829, the young Prophet Joseph Smith had already experienced powerful spiritual manifestations, including the visitations of the angel Moroni, the uncovering of the golden plates, and early stages of the translation of what would become the Book of Mormon. Martin Harris had played a significant role in supporting Joseph—both financially and as an early believer—but his confidence had been deeply shaken after he lost the 116 translated manuscript pages in 1828. He was now pleading for further evidence that would cement his belief and justify his sacrifices.
Section 5 emerges as a response to Martin’s desire for a divine sign. The Lord, in this revelation, makes it abundantly clear that signs do not precede faith—they follow it. The Lord affirms the authenticity of the work, reassures Joseph of his prophetic role, and introduces the promise of three witnesses who will be called to view the plates under divine conditions. However, it is made unmistakably clear: the privilege of witnessing comes through humility, repentance, and faith—not through demands or bargaining.
Revelation Anchored in Authority and Prophetic Stewardship
One of the most powerful messages in Section 5 is its affirmation of Joseph Smith’s divine calling. The Lord tells him that no one else will be given the authority to bring forth the Book of Mormon, and that Joseph must not fear man more than God. This is an echo of a previous warning in Section 3 when Joseph had yielded to Martin Harris’s insistence to take the manuscript.
In Section 5, the Lord reasserts the need for unwavering obedience to divine instruction. While Joseph is young and still growing in his spiritual leadership, the Lord speaks with clarity: “And if this be the case, behold, I say unto you, Joseph, you are called to do a great work.” This verse not only comforts but commands, placing weight on the sacred responsibility Joseph bears in restoring the gospel.
The voice of the Lord in this section is both patient and firm. The Lord reaffirms that this work is not of man—it is His work. And He reminds Joseph that no earthly logic, evidence, or sign will persuade those whose hearts are set against Him. Only by the Spirit and by humble seeking can the truth be known.
The Promise of Three Witnesses
One of the most exciting aspects of D&C 5 is the Lord’s foretelling of three special witnesses to the golden plates. These individuals would be granted a sacred, visual testimony of the ancient record, not as a concession to doubt, but as a testament of divine truth. This was an unprecedented promise. At a time when Joseph was still under heavy scrutiny, the idea of multiple witnesses added both spiritual and practical support to his work.
The Lord outlines the spiritual qualifications for such a privilege: they must humble themselves, exercise faith, and be clean before God. The viewing of the plates would not be an act of spectacle but a holy experience given by the power of God. This promise was later fulfilled when Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, and Martin Harris became the official Three Witnesses, whose testimony appears in every published edition of the Book of Mormon.
In that sense, Section 5 is not just a message to Martin Harris—it is a foundational declaration about how divine testimony operates. God is willing to manifest truths, but He does so on His terms, to the faithful, and through spiritual means. He does not satisfy curiosity; He rewards humility and faith.
Faith First, Then Miracles
Throughout this section, the Lord emphasizes a spiritual principle that runs throughout scripture: faith must come before signs. The Lord tells Martin that if he does not humble himself and stop boasting, he will not be granted a witness. This is a powerful and sobering message—one that has universal application to all seekers of truth.
In an age where scientific evidence and visible proof are prized above all, D&C 5 reminds us that God’s kingdom operates under a different paradigm. The Lord does not withhold blessings out of cruelty or caprice; He is teaching us to seek spiritual knowledge in the way that leads to conversion, not just confirmation. Faith, trust, and repentance create the spiritual environment in which divine revelation flows.
This teaching also reveals something profound about God’s character. He is deeply concerned about the why behind our seeking. He knows that if someone demands a sign without a foundation of faith, even a miracle will not produce lasting change. But if we approach Him with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, the heavens can open in remarkable ways.
A Message That Endures
Though initially directed to Joseph Smith and Martin Harris, D&C 5 is timeless in its relevance. It teaches us about divine authority, the requirements for spiritual witness, the importance of humility, and the divine nature of the Restoration. It invites us to consider our own motivations and approach to truth. Do we ask for signs to remove doubt, or do we seek revelation because we already believe—or want to?
This revelation also holds special value for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints because of its role in shaping the testimony of the Book of Mormon. Without the prophetic leadership of Joseph and the eventual witness of faithful men, the unfolding Restoration might have struggled to find its footing. D&C 5 helps ensure that the work would go forward under divine validation, not just mortal effort.
Doctrine and Covenants Section 5 captures a sacred moment of tension, decision, and instruction. It speaks to the yearning of a soul who wants to believe, and to the steadiness of a God who requires that belief be born of trust rather than demand. It reminds us that the work of the Lord is greater than any man’s doubts and that the path to knowledge is paved with humility and spiritual effort.
This section is not just a historical record; it’s an invitation. An invitation to trust the Lord’s process, to seek personal witness through faith, and to understand that His revelations are both merciful and mighty. Section 5 is a call to believe—and through that belief, to be transformed.
Verses in D&C 5
Doctrine and Covenants 5
Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet at Harmony, Pennsylvania, March 1829, at the request of Martin Harris.
Behold, I say unto you, that as my servant Martin Harris has desired a witness at my hand, that you, my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., have got the plates of which you have testified and borne record that you have received of me;
And now, behold, this shall you say unto him—he who spake unto you, said unto you: I, the Lord, am God, and have given these things unto you, my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., and have commanded you that you should stand as a witness of these things;
And I have caused you that you should enter into a covenant with me, that you should not show them except to those persons to whom I commanded you;
And you have no power over them except I grant it unto you.
And you have a gift to translate the plates; and this is the first gift that I bestowed upon you; and I have commanded that you should pretend to no other gift until my purpose is fulfilled in this; for I will grant unto you no other gift until it is finished.
Verily, I say unto you, that woe shall come unto the inhabitants of the earth if they will not hearken unto my words;
For hereafter you shall be ordained and go forth and deliver my words unto the children of men.
Behold, if they will not believe my words, they would not believe you, my servant Joseph, if it were possible that you should show them all these things which I have committed unto you.
Oh, this unbelieving and stiffnecked generation—mine anger is kindled against them.
Behold, verily I say unto you, I have reserved those things which I have entrusted unto you, my servant Joseph, for a wise purpose in me, and it shall be made known unto future generations;
But this generation shall have my word through you;
And in addition to your testimony, the testimony of three of my servants, whom I shall call and ordain, unto whom I will show these things, and they shall go forth with my words that are given through you.
Yea, they shall know of a surety that these things are true, for from heaven will I declare it unto them.
I will give them power that they may behold and view these things as they are;
And to none else will I grant this power, to receive this same testimony among this generation, in this the beginning of the rising up and the coming forth of my church out of the wilderness—clear as the moon, and fair as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners.
And the testimony of three witnesses will I send forth of my word.
And behold, whosoever believeth on my words, them will I visit with the manifestation of my Spirit; and they shall be born of me, even of water and of the Spirit—
And you must wait yet a little while, for ye are not yet ordained—
And their testimony shall also go forth unto the condemnation of this generation if they harden their hearts against them;
For a desolating scourge shall go forth among the inhabitants of the earth, and shall continue to be poured out from time to time, if they repent not, until the earth is empty, and the inhabitants thereof are consumed away and utterly destroyed by the brightness of my coming.
Behold, I tell you these things, even as I also told the people of the destruction of Jerusalem; and my word shall be verified at this time as it hath hitherto been verified.
And now I command you, my servant Joseph, to repent and walk more uprightly before me, and to yield to the persuasions of men no more;
And that you be firm in keeping the commandments wherewith I have commanded you; and if you do this, behold I grant unto you eternal life, even if you should be slain.
And now, again, I speak unto you, my servant Joseph, concerning the man that desires the witness—
Behold, I say unto him, he exalts himself and does not humble himself sufficiently before me; but if he will bow down before me, and humble himself in mighty prayer and faith, in the sincerity of his heart, then will I grant unto him a view of the things which he desires to see.
And then he shall say unto the people of this generation: Behold, I have seen the things which the Lord hath shown unto Joseph Smith, Jun., and I know of a surety that they are true, for I have seen them, for they have been shown unto me by the power of God and not of man.
And I, the Lord, command him, my servant Martin Harris, that he shall say no more unto them concerning these things, except he shall say: I have seen them, and they have been shown unto me by the power of God.
And these are the words which he shall say.
But if he deny this, he will break the covenant which he has before covenanted with me, and behold, he is condemned.
And now, except he humble himself and acknowledge unto me the things that he has done that are wrong, and covenant with me that he will keep my commandments, and exercise faith in me, behold, I say unto him, he shall have no such views; for I will grant unto him no views of the things of which I have spoken.
And if this be the case, I command you, my servant Joseph, that you shall say unto him, that he shall do no more, nor trouble me any more concerning this matter.
And if this be the case, behold, I say unto thee, Joseph, when thou hast translated a few more pages, thou shalt stop for a season, even until I command thee again; then thou mayest translate again.
And except thou do this, behold, thou shalt have no more gift, and I will take away the things which I have entrusted with thee.
And now, because I foresee the lying in wait to destroy thee; yea, I foresee that if my servant humbleth not himself and receiveth not my word he shall seek to destroy thee.
Wherefore, I, the Lord, have said, that the faithful shall be strengthened and blessed with means whereby they may accomplish the thing which I have commanded them.
Behold, I will grant unto my servant a view of the things which he hath desired to see.
And then shall he say unto the people of this generation: Behold, I have seen the things, and I know that they are true.
And for this cause I have said unto him that he shall not bring them to the world.
For I, the Lord, am God, and have given these things unto my servant Joseph; and I have commanded him that he should stand as a witness of these things;
Nevertheless, I have caused him that he should enter into a covenant with me, that he should not show them except to those persons to whom I commanded him;
And he has no power over them except I grant it unto him.
And he has a gift to translate the things, and I have commanded him that he shall pretend to no other gift, for I will grant him no other gift.
And verily I say unto you, that woe shall come unto the inhabitants of the earth if they will not hearken unto my words;
For hereafter you shall be ordained and go forth and deliver my words unto the children of men.
Behold, if they will not believe my words, they would not believe you, my servant Joseph, if it were possible that you should show them all these things.
O, this unbelieving and stiffnecked generation—mine anger is kindled against them.