D&C 13:1-1

Doctrine & Covenants > Section 13

Historical setting

• Received: 15 May 1829 at Harmony, Pennsylvania
• Prior section in chronological order: D&C 9
• Next section in chronological order: D&C 10

In the Manuscript History, the revelation explaining to Oliver Cowdery why he was unable to translate (D&C 9) is followed by:

We still continued the work of translation. And in the ensuing month of (May 1829) on a certain day we went into the woods to pray and enquire of the Lord respecting baptism for the remission of sins spoken of in the translation of the plates. While we were thus praying and calling upon the name of the Lord, a messenger [John the Baptist] descended in a cloud of light from heaven and having laid his hands upon us ordained us saying: [D&C 13]. (Manuscript History of the Church, Vol. A-1, p. 34-35).

Outline and brief summary

D&C 13 is the text of the prayer pronounced by John the Baptist ordaining Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery to the Aaronic Priesthood.

D&C 13 can be outlined as follows:

Detailed discussion

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Relation to other scriptures

Related sections and chapters

• D&C 13 is one of several sections that were added to the Doctrine & Covenants for the 1876 edition, along with D&C 2, D&C 110, and D&C 132. These additions cause the Doctrine & Covenants to begin with Malachi's promise in D&C 2 that Elijah will return and restore the priesthood sealing keys and an account in D&C 13 of John restoring the first set of preparatory keys, and to finish with an account of the fulfillment of Malachi's promise in D&C 110 and with discussions of the exercise of those keys through proxy baptism in D&C 127 and D&C 128 and eternal marriage in D&C 132 (further bookended by the Preface in D&C 1 and the Appendix in D&C 133).

Parallel passages

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Text transmission and circulation

• D&C 13 was first written down in the original manuscript of Manuscript History of the Church, Vol. A-1, p. 34-35, often known as Joseph Smith's 1838 account of his history.

• D&C 13 was first published as part of the serial publication of the History of Joseph Smith in the Times & Seasons newspaper at Nauvoo on 1 August 1842 (Vol. 3, No. 19, p. 865).

• D&C 13 was not included in the Doctrine & Covenants until the 1876 edition that was published a year before Brigham Young's death.

• The text of D&C 13 in significant editions of the Doctrine & Covenants can be found at:

• 1876 Doctrine & Covenants, sec. 7, p. 100
• 1921 Doctrine & Covenants, sec. 7, p. 20-21
• current 1981 Doctrine & Covenants, sec. 13, p. 24

• Changes to the text of D&C 13:

Questions for further thought and study

• What does it mean that the Aaronic Priesthood holds the keys to the ministering of angels?

Additional sources and links

• See exegesis on angelic visitations on Alma 13:23-24. See also D&C 67:13.

• President Faust touched on the ministering of angels in the Priesthood Session of April Conference 2006 "A Royal Priesthood." Of particular interest may be a quote from Joseph F. Smith in the seventh paragraph.