PUZZLE #30 - That Prophet

The person speaking in 3rd Nephi 20:23-24 (Page 449) is claiming to be the "prophet" about whom Moses had prophesied, namely Jesus Christ. He is quoting Moses' words to the children of Israel before they were to enter the promised land. See Deuteronomy 18:15-22.

This discourse purports to have been given by our resurrected Lord after His passion and during a supposed visit to the Americas. He could easily have quoted the passage from Deuteronomy, as indicated by the cross reference (next to the words 'a prophet' in verse 23 on Page 449). That cross-reference takes you to Deuteronomy 18:15-19. Is this passage simply the Lord paraphrasing what He had said through Moses in that passage from Deuteronomy? That is what we are supposed to believe.

The exact wording in 3rd Nephi is PUZZLING to me.

Take a look at Acts 3:22-26, where Peter was speaking to the Jews in Jerusalem about that same speech made by Moses. Peter was also speaking in the year following the resurrection of Jesus. His paraphrase of Deuteronomy 18:15 ends in verse 23. The words of verse 24 are those of Peter himself.

For this reason, he speaks of Samuel and other prophets of whom Moses would not have
spoken because they lived after Moses lived. Don't you think it is just too much of a coincidence that the words from 3rd Nephi 20:24 are practically the same as the words in Acts 3:24?

It is highly probable that the words of 3rd Nephi 3:22-25 were plagiarized from the text of Acts 20:22-25, puting Peter's words in Jesus' mouth, before Peter even said them himself.

The top line of each pair is from Acts 3:22-25
the bottom is 3rd Nephi 20:22-25.

A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of
A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of

your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things
your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things

whatsoever he shall say unto you. And it shall come to
whatsoever he shall say unto you. And it shall come to

pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet,
pass that every soul who will not hear that prophet

shall be destroyed from among the people.
shall be cut off from among the people

Verily I say unto you,
Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that
yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that

follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise
follow after, as many as have spoken, have testified

foretold of these days. (Acts 3:22-25)
of me. (3rd Nephi 20:22-25)