1Nephi.txt

I, Nephi, having been born of goodly parents, therefore I was
taught somewhat in all the learning of my father; and having seen
many afflictions in the course of my days, nevertheless, having
been highly favored of the Lord in all my days; yea, having had a
great knowledge of the goodness and the mysteries of God,
therefore I make a record of my proceedings in my days.
Yea, I make a record in the language of my father, which
consists of the learning of the Jews and the language of the
Egyptians.
And I know that the record which I make is true; and I make it
with mine own hand; and I make it according to my knowledge.
For it came to pass in the commencement of the first year of
the reign of Zedekiah, king of Judah, (my father, Lehi, having
dwelt at Jerusalem in all his days); and in that same year there
came many prophets, prophesying unto the people that they must
repent, or the great city Jerusalem must be destroyed.
Wherefore it came to pass that my father, Lehi, as he went
forth prayed unto the Lord, yea, even with all his heart, in
behalf of his people.
And it came to pass as he prayed unto the Lord, there came a
pillar of fire and dwelt upon a rock before him; and he saw and
heard much; and because of the things which he saw and heard he
did quake and tremble exceedingly.
And it came to pass that he returned to his own house at
Jerusalem; and he cast himself upon his bed, being overcome with
the Spirit and the things which he had seen.
And being thus overcome with the Spirit, he was carried away
in a vision, even that he saw the heavens open, and he thought he
saw God sitting upon his throne, surrounded with numberless
concourses of angels in the attitude of singing and praising
their God.
And it came to pass that he saw One descending out of the
midst of heaven, and he beheld that his luster was above that of
the sun at noon-day.
And he also saw twelve others following him, and their
brightness did exceed that of the stars in the firmament.
And they came down and went forth upon the face of the earth;
and the first came and stood before my father, and gave unto him
a book, and bade him that he should read.
And it came to pass that as he read, he was filled with the
Spirit of the Lord.
And he read, saying: Wo, wo, unto Jerusalem, for I have seen
thine abominations! Yea, and many things did my father read
concerning Jerusalem--that it should be destroyed, and the
inhabitants thereof; many should perish by the sword, and many
should be carried away captive into Babylon.
And it came to pass that when my father had read and seen
many great and marvelous things, he did exclaim many things unto
the Lord; such as: Great and marvelous are thy works, O Lord God
Almighty! Thy throne is high in the heavens, and thy power, and
goodness, and mercy are over all the inhabitants of the earth,
and, because thou art merciful, thou wilt not suffer those who
come unto thee that they shall perish!
And after this manner was the language of my father in the
praising of his God; for his soul did rejoice, and his whole
heart was filled, because of the things which he had seen, yea,
which the Lord had shown unto him.
And now I, Nephi, do not make a full account of the things
which my father hath written, for he hath written many things
which he saw in visions and in dreams; and he also hath written
many things which he prophesied and spake unto his children, of
which I shall not make a full account.
But I shall make an account of my proceedings in my days.
Behold, I make an abridgment of the record of my father, upon
plates which I have made with mine own hands; wherefore, after I
have abridged the record of my father then will I make an account
of mine own life.
Therefore, I would that ye should know, that after the Lord
had shown so many marvelous things unto my father, Lehi, yea,
concerning the destruction of Jerusalem, behold he went forth
among the people, and began to prophesy and to declare unto them
concerning the things which he had both seen and heard.
And it came to pass that the Jews did mock him because of the
things which he testified of them; for he truly testified of
their wickedness and their abominations; and he testified that
the things which he saw and heard, and also the things which he
read in the book, manifested plainly of the coming of the
Messiah, and also the redemption of the world.
And when the Jews heard these things they were angry with
him; yea, even as with the prophets of old, whom they had cast
out, and stoned, and slain; and they also sought his life, that
they might take it away. But behold, I, Nephi, will show unto
you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom
he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even
unto the power of deliverance.
For behold, it came to pass that the Lord spake unto my
father, yea, even in a dream, and said unto him: Blessed art thou
Lehi, because of the things which thou hast done; and because
thou hast been faithful and declared unto this people the things
which I commanded thee, behold, they seek to take away thy life.
And it came to pass that the Lord commanded my father, even in
a dream, that he should take his family and depart into the
wilderness.
And it came to pass that he was obedient unto the word of the
Lord, wherefore he did as the Lord commanded him.
And it came to pass that he departed into the wilderness. And
he left his house, and the land of his inheritance, and his gold,
and his silver, and his precious things, and took nothing with
him, save it were his family, and provisions, and tents, and
departed into the wilderness.
And he came down by the borders near the shore of the Red Sea;
and he traveled in the wilderness in the borders which are nearer
the Red Sea; and he did travel in the wilderness with his family,
which consisted of my mother, Sariah, and my elder brothers, who
were Laman, Lemuel, and Sam.
And it came to pass that when he had traveled three days in
the wilderness, he pitched his tent in a valley by the side of a
river of water.
And it came to pass that he built an altar of stones, and made
an offering unto the Lord, and gave thanks unto the Lord our God.
And it came to pass that he called the name of the river,
Laman, and it emptied into the Red Sea; and the valley was in the
borders near the mouth thereof.
And when my father saw that the waters of the river emptied
into the fountain of the Red Sea, he spake unto Laman, saying: O
that thou mightest be like unto this river, continually running
into the fountain of all righteousness!
And he also spake unto Lemuel: O that thou mightest be like
unto this valley, firm and steadfast, and immovable in keeping
the commandments of the Lord!
Now this he spake because of the stiffneckedness of Laman and
Lemuel; for behold they did murmur in many things against their
father, because he was a visionary man, and had led them out of
the land of Jerusalem, to leave the land of their inheritance,
and their gold, and their silver, and their precious things, to
perish in the wilderness. And this they said he had done because
of the foolish imaginations of his heart.
And thus Laman and Lemuel, being the eldest, did murmur
against their father. And they did murmur because they knew not
the dealings of that God who had created them.
Neither did they believe that Jerusalem, that great city,
could be destroyed according to the words of the prophets. And
they were like unto the Jews who were at Jerusalem, who sought to
take away the life of my father.
And it came to pass that my father did speak unto them in the
valley of Lemuel, with power, being filled with the Spirit, until
their frames did shake before him. And he did confound them,
that they durst not utter against him; wherefore, they did as he
commanded them.
And my father dwelt in a tent.
And it came to pass that I, Nephi, being exceedingly young,
nevertheless being large in stature, and also having great
desires to know of the mysteries of God, wherefore, I did cry
unto the Lord; and behold he did visit me, and did soften my
heart that I did believe all the words which had been spoken by
my father; wherefore, I did not rebel against him like unto my
brothers.
And I spake unto Sam, making known unto him the things which
the Lord had manifested unto me by his Holy Spirit. And it came
to pass that he believed in my words.
But, behold, Laman and Lemuel would not hearken unto my
words; and being grieved because of the hardness of their hearts
I cried unto the Lord for them.
And it came to pass that the Lord spake unto me, saying:
Blessed art thou, Nephi, because of thy faith, for thou hast
sought me diligently, with lowliness of heart.
And inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments, ye shall
prosper, and shall be led to a land of promise; yea, even a land
which I have prepared for you; yea, a land which is choice above
all other lands.
And inasmuch as thy brethren shall rebel against thee, they
shall be cut off from the presence of the Lord.
And inasmuch as thou shalt keep my commandments, thou shalt
be made a ruler and a teacher over thy brethren.
For behold, in that day that they shall rebel against me, I
will curse them even with a sore curse, and they shall have no
power over thy seed except they shall rebel against me also.
And if it so be that they rebel against me, they shall be a
scourge unto thy seed, to stir them up in the ways of
remembrance.
And it came to pass that I, Nephi, returned from speaking with
the Lord, to the tent of my father.
And it came to pass that he spake unto me, saying: Behold I
have dreamed a dream, in the which the Lord hath commanded me
that thou and thy brethren shall return to Jerusalem.
For behold, Laban hath the record of the Jews and also a
genealogy of my forefathers, and they are engraven upon plates of
brass.
Wherefore, the Lord hath commanded me that thou and thy
brothers should go unto the house of Laban, and seek the records,
and bring them down hither into the wilderness.
And now, behold thy brothers murmur, saying it is a hard thing
which I have required of them; but behold I have not required it
of them, but it is a commandment of the Lord.
Therefore go, my son, and thou shalt be favored of the Lord,
because thou hast not murmured.
And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I will
go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know
that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men,
save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the
thing which he commandeth them.
And it came to pass that when my father had heard these words
he was exceedingly glad, for he knew that I had been blessed of
the Lord.
And I, Nephi, and my brethren took our journey in the
wilderness, with our tents, to go up to the land of Jerusalem.
And it came to pass that when we had gone up to the land of
Jerusalem, I and my brethren did consult one with another.
And we cast lots--who of us should go in unto the house of
Laban. And it came to pass that the lot fell upon Laman; and
Laman went in unto the house of Laban, and he talked with him as
he sat in his house.
And he desired of Laban the records which were engraven upon
the plates of brass, which contained the genealogy of my father.
And behold, it came to pass that Laban was angry, and thrust
him out from his presence; and he would not that he should have
the records. Wherefore, he said unto him: Behold thou art a
robber, and I will slay thee.
But Laman fled out of his presence, and told the things which
Laban had done, unto us. And we began to be exceedingly
sorrowful, and my brethren were about to return unto my father in
the wilderness.
But behold I said unto them that: As the Lord liveth, and as
we live, we will not go down unto our father in the wilderness
until we have accomplished the thing which the Lord hath
commanded us.
Wherefore, let us be faithful in keeping the commandments of
the Lord; therefore let us go down to the land of our father's
inheritance, for behold he left gold and silver, and all manner
of riches. And all this he hath done because of the commandments
of the Lord.
For he knew that Jerusalem must be destroyed, because of the
wickedness of the people.
For behold, they have rejected the words of the prophets.
Wherefore, if my father should dwell in the land after he hath
been commanded to flee out of the land, behold, he would also
perish. Wherefore, it must needs be that he flee out of the
land.
And behold, it is wisdom in God that we should obtain these
records, that we may preserve unto our children the language of
our fathers;
And also that we may preserve unto them the words which have
been spoken by the mouth of all the holy prophets, which have
been delivered unto them by the Spirit and power of God, since
the world began, even down unto this present time.
And it came to pass that after this manner of language did I
persuade my brethren, that they might be faithful in keeping the
commandments of God.
And it came to pass that we went down to the land of our
inheritance, and we did gather together our gold, and our silver,
and our precious things.
And after we had gathered these things together, we went up
again unto the house of Laban.
And it came to pass that we went in unto Laban, and desired
him that he would give unto us the records which were engraven
upon the plates of brass, for which we would give unto him our
gold, and our silver, and all our precious things.
And it came to pass that when Laban saw our property, and
that it was exceedingly great, he did lust after it, insomuch
that he thrust us out, and sent his servants to slay us, that he
might obtain our property.
And it came to pass that we did flee before the servants of
Laban, and we were obliged to leave behind our property, and it
fell into the hands of Laban.
And it came to pass that we fled into the wilderness, and the
servants of Laban did not overtake us, and we hid ourselves in
the cavity of a rock.
And it came to pass that Laman was angry with me, and also
with my father; and also was Lemuel, for he hearkened unto the
words of Laman. Wherefore Laman and Lemuel did speak many hard
words unto us, their younger brothers, and they did smite us even
with a rod.
And it came to pass as they smote us with a rod, behold, an
angel of the Lord came and stood before them, and he spake unto
them, saying: Why do ye smite your younger brother with a rod?
Know ye not that the Lord hath chosen him to be a ruler over you,
and this because of your iniquities? Behold ye shall go up to
Jerusalem again, and the Lord will deliver Laban into your hands.
And after the angel had spoken unto us, he departed.
And after the angel had departed, Laman and Lemuel again
began to murmur, saying: How is it possible that the Lord will
deliver Laban into our hands? Behold, he is a mighty man, and he
can command fifty, yea, even he can slay fifty; then why not us?
And it came to pass that I spake unto my brethren, saying: Let
us go up again unto Jerusalem, and let us be faithful in keeping
the commandments of the Lord; for behold he is mightier than all
the earth, then why not mightier than Laban and his fifty, yea,
or even than his tens of thousands?
Therefore let us go up; let us be strong like unto Moses; for
he truly spake unto the waters of the Red Sea and they divided
hither and thither, and our fathers came through, out of
captivity, on dry ground, and the armies of Pharaoh did follow
and were drowned in the waters of the Red Sea.
Now behold ye know that this is true; and ye also know that an
angel hath spoken unto you; wherefore can ye doubt? Let us go
up; the Lord is able to deliver us, even as our fathers, and to
destroy Laban, even as the Egyptians.
Now when I had spoken these words, they were yet wroth, and
did still continue to murmur; nevertheless they did follow me up
until we came without the walls of Jerusalem.
And it was by night; and I caused that they should hide
themselves without the walls. And after they had hid themselves,
I, Nephi, crept into the city and went forth towards the house of
Laban.
And I was led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things
which I should do.
Nevertheless I went forth, and as I came near unto the house
of Laban I beheld a man, and he had fallen to the earth before
me, for he was drunken with wine.
And when I came to him I found that it was Laban.
And I beheld his sword, and I drew it forth from the sheath
thereof; and the hilt thereof was of pure gold, and the
workmanship thereof was exceedingly fine, and I saw that the
blade thereof was of the most precious steel.
And it came to pass that I was constrained by the Spirit that
I should kill Laban; but I said in my heart: Never at any time
have I shed the blood of man. And I shrunk and would that I
might not slay him.
And the Spirit said unto me again: Behold the Lord hath
delivered him into thy hands. Yea, and I also knew that he had
sought to take away mine own life; yea, and he would not hearken
unto the commandments of the Lord; and he also had taken away our
property.
And it came to pass that the Spirit said unto me again: Slay
him, for the Lord hath delivered him into thy hands;
Behold the Lord slayeth the wicked to bring forth his
righteous purposes. It is better that one man should perish than
that a nation should dwindle and perish in unbelief.
And now, when I, Nephi, had heard these words, I remembered
the words of the Lord which he spake unto me in the wilderness,
saying that: Inasmuch as thy seed shall keep my commandments,
they shall prosper in the land of promise.
Yea, and I also thought that they could not keep the
commandments of the Lord according to the law of Moses, save they
should have the law.
And I also knew that the law was engraven upon the plates of
brass.
And again, I knew that the Lord had delivered Laban into my
hands for this cause--that I might obtain the records according
to his commandments.
Therefore I did obey the voice of the Spirit, and took Laban
by the hair of the head, and I smote off his head with his own
sword.
And after I had smitten off his head with his own sword, I
took the garments of Laban and put them upon mine own body; yea,
even every whit; and I did gird on his armor about my loins.
And after I had done this, I went forth unto the treasury of
Laban. And as I went forth towards the treasury of Laban,
behold, I saw the servant of Laban who had the keys of the
treasury. And I commanded him in the voice of Laban, that he
should go with me into the treasury.
And he supposed me to be his master, Laban, for he beheld the
garments and also the sword girded about my loins.
And he spake unto me concerning the elders of the Jews, he
knowing that his master, Laban, had been out by night among them.
And I spake unto him as if it had been Laban.
And I also spake unto him that I should carry the engravings,
which were upon the plates of brass, to my elder brethren, who
were without the walls.
And I also bade him that he should follow me.
And he, supposing that I spake of the brethren of the church,
and that I was truly that Laban whom I had slain, wherefore he
did follow me.
And he spake unto me many times concerning the elders of the
Jews, as I went forth unto my brethren, who were without the
walls.
And it came to pass that when Laman saw me he was exceedingly
frightened, and also Lemuel and Sam. And they fled from before
my presence; for they supposed it was Laban, and that he had
slain me and had sought to take away their lives also.
And it came to pass that I called after them, and they did
hear me; wherefore they did cease to flee from my presence.
And it came to pass that when the servant of Laban beheld my
brethren he began to tremble, and was about to flee from before
me and return to the city of Jerusalem.
And now I, Nephi, being a man large in stature, and also
having received much strength of the Lord, therefore I did seize
upon the servant of Laban, and held him, that he should not flee.
And it came to pass that I spake with him, that if he would
hearken unto my words, as the Lord liveth, and as I live, even so
that if he would hearken unto our words, we would spare his life.
And I spake unto him, even with an oath, that he need not
fear; that he should be a free man like unto us if he would go
down in the wilderness with us.
And I also spake unto him, saying: Surely the Lord hath
commanded us to do this thing; and shall we not be diligent in
keeping the commandments of the Lord? Therefore, if thou wilt go
down into the wilderness to my father thou shalt have place with
us.
And it came to pass that Zoram did take courage at the words
which I spake. Now Zoram was the name of the servant; and he
promised that he would go down into the wilderness unto our
father. Yea, and he also made an oath unto us that he would
tarry with us from that time forth.
Now we were desirous that he should tarry with us for this
cause, that the Jews might not know concerning our flight into
the wilderness, lest they should pursue us and destroy us.
And it came to pass that when Zoram had made an oath unto us,
our fears did cease concerning him.
And it came to pass that we took the plates of brass and the
servant of Laban, and departed into the wilderness, and journeyed
unto the tent of our father.
And it came to pass that after we had come down into the
wilderness unto our father, behold, he was filled with joy, and
also my mother, Sariah, was exceedingly glad, for she truly had
mourned because of us.
For she had supposed that we had perished in the wilderness;
and she also had complained against my father, telling him that
he was a visionary man; saying: Behold thou hast led us forth
from the land of our inheritance, and my sons are no more, and we
perish in the wilderness.
And after this manner of language had my mother complained
against my father.
And it had come to pass that my father spake unto her, saying:
I know that I am a visionary man; for if I had not seen the
things of God in a vision I should not have known the goodness of
God, but had tarried at Jerusalem, and had perished with my
brethren.
But behold, I have obtained a land of promise, in the which
things I do rejoice; yea, and I know that the Lord will deliver
my sons out of the hands of Laban, and bring them down again unto
us in the wilderness.
And after this manner of language did my father, Lehi, comfort
my mother, Sariah, concerning us, while we journeyed in the
wilderness up to the land of Jerusalem, to obtain the record of
the Jews.
And when we had returned to the tent of my father, behold
their joy was full, and my mother was comforted.
And she spake, saying: Now I know of a surety that the Lord
hath commanded my husband to flee into the wilderness; yea, and I
also know of a surety that the Lord hath protected my sons, and
delivered them out of the hands of Laban, and given them power
whereby they could accomplish the thing which the Lord hath
commanded them. And after this manner of language did she speak.
And it came to pass that they did rejoice exceedingly, and did
offer sacrifice and burnt offerings unto the Lord; and they gave
thanks unto the God of Israel.
And after they had given thanks unto the God of Israel, my
father, Lehi, took the records which were engraven upon the
plates of brass, and he did search them from the beginning.
And he beheld that they did contain the five books of Moses,
which gave an account of the creation of the world, and also of
Adam and Eve, who were our first parents;
And also a record of the Jews from the beginning, even down
to the commencement of the reign of Zedekiah, king of Judah;
And also the prophecies of the holy prophets, from the
beginning, even down to the commencement of the reign of
Zedekiah; and also many prophecies which have been spoken by the
mouth of Jeremiah.
And it came to pass that my father, Lehi, also found upon the
plates of brass a genealogy of his fathers; wherefore he knew
that he was a descendant of Joseph; yea, even that Joseph who was
the son of Jacob, who was sold into Egypt, and who was preserved
by the hand of the Lord, that he might preserve his father,
Jacob, and all his household from perishing with famine.
And they were also led out of captivity and out of the land
of Egypt, by that same God who had preserved them.
And thus my father, Lehi, did discover the genealogy of his
fathers. And Laban also was a descendant of Joseph, wherefore he
and his fathers had kept the records.
And now when my father saw all these things, he was filled
with the Spirit, and began to prophesy concerning his seed--
That these plates of brass should go forth unto all nations,
kindreds, tongues, and people who were of his seed.
Wherefore, he said that these plates of brass should never
perish; neither should they be dimmed any more by time. And he
prophesied many things concerning his seed.
And it came to pass that thus far I and my father had kept
the commandments wherewith the Lord had commanded us.
And we had obtained the records which the Lord had commanded
us, and searched them and found that they were desirable; yea,
even of great worth unto us, insomuch that we could preserve the
commandments of the Lord unto our children.
Wherefore, it was wisdom in the Lord that we should carry
them with us, as we journeyed in the wilderness towards the land
of promise.
And now I, Nephi, do not give the genealogy of my fathers in
this part of my record; neither at any time shall I give it after
upon these plates which I am writing; for it is given in the
record which has been kept by my father; wherefore, I do not
write it in this work.
For it sufficeth me to say that we are descendants of Joseph.
And it mattereth not to me that I am particular to give a full
account of all the things of my father, for they cannot be
written upon these plates, for I desire the room that I may write
of the things of God.
For the fulness of mine intent is that I may persuade men to
come unto the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God
of Jacob, and be saved.
Wherefore, the things which are pleasing unto the world I do
not write, but the things which are pleasing unto God and unto
those who are not of the world.
Wherefore, I shall give commandment unto my seed, that they
shall not occupy these plates with things which are not of worth
unto the children of men.
And now I would that ye might know, that after my father,
Lehi, had made an end of prophesying concerning his seed, it came
to pass that the Lord spake unto him again, saying that it was
not meet for him, Lehi, that he should take his family into the
wilderness alone; but that his sons should take daughters to
wife, that they might raise up seed unto the Lord in the land of
promise.
And it came to pass that the Lord commanded him that I, Nephi,
and my brethren, should again return unto the land of Jerusalem,
and bring down Ishmael and his family into the wilderness.
And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did again, with my
brethren, go forth into the wilderness to go up to Jerusalem.
And it came to pass that we went up unto the house of Ishmael,
and we did gain favor in the sight of Ishmael, insomuch that we
did speak unto him the words of the Lord.
And it came to pass that the Lord did soften the heart of
Ishmael, and also his household, insomuch that they took their
journey with us down into the wilderness to the tent of our
father.
And it came to pass that as we journeyed in the wilderness,
behold Laman and Lemuel, and two of the daughters of Ishmael, and
the two sons of Ishmael and their families, did rebel against us;
yea, against me, Nephi, and Sam, and their father, Ishmael, and
his wife, and his three other daughters.
And it came to pass in the which rebellion, they were desirous
to return unto the land of Jerusalem.
And now I, Nephi, being grieved for the hardness of their
hearts, therefore I spake unto them, saying, yea, even unto Laman
and unto Lemuel: Behold ye are mine elder brethren, and how is it
that ye are so hard in your hearts, and so blind in your minds,
that ye have need that I, your younger brother, should speak unto
you, yea, and set an example for you?
How is it that ye have not hearkened unto the word of the
Lord?
How is it that ye have forgotten that ye have seen an angel
of the Lord?
Yea, and how is it that ye have forgotten what great things
the Lord hath done for us, in delivering us out of the hands of
Laban, and also that we should obtain the record?
Yea, and how is it that ye have forgotten that the Lord is
able to do all things according to his will, for the children of
men, if it so be that they exercise faith in him? Wherefore, let
us be faithful to him.
And if it so be that we are faithful to him, we shall obtain
the land of promise; and ye shall know at some future period that
the word of the Lord shall be fulfilled concerning the
destruction of Jerusalem; for all things which the Lord hath
spoken concerning the destruction of Jerusalem must be fulfilled.
For behold, the Spirit of the Lord ceaseth soon to strive
with them; for behold, they have rejected the prophets, and
Jeremiah have they cast into prison. And they have sought to
take away the life of my father, insomuch that they have driven
him out of the land.
Now behold, I say unto you that if ye will return unto
Jerusalem ye shall also perish with them. And now, if ye have
choice, go up to the land, and remember the words which I speak
unto you, that if ye go ye will also perish; for thus the Spirit
of the Lord constraineth me that I should speak.
And it came to pass that when I, Nephi, had spoken these
words unto my brethren, they were angry with me. And it came to
pass that they did lay their hands upon me, for behold, they were
exceedingly wroth, and they did bind me with cords, for they
sought to take away my life, that they might leave me in the
wilderness to be devoured by wild beasts.
But it came to pass that I prayed unto the Lord, saying: O
Lord, according to my faith which is in thee, wilt thou deliver
me from the hands of my brethren; yea, even give me strength that
I may burst these bands with which I am bound.
And it came to pass that when I had said these words, behold,
the bands were loosed from off my hands and feet, and I stood
before my brethren, and I spake unto them again.
And it came to pass that they were angry with me again, and
sought to lay hands upon me; but behold, one of the daughters of
Ishmael, yea, and also her mother, and one of the sons of
Ishmael, did plead with my brethren, insomuch that they did
soften their hearts; and they did cease striving to take away my
life.
And it came to pass that they were sorrowful, because of
their wickedness, insomuch that they did bow down before me, and
did plead with me that I would forgive them of the thing that
they had done against me.
And it came to pass that I did frankly forgive them all that
they had done, and I did exhort them that they would pray unto
the Lord their God for forgiveness. And it came to pass that
they did so. And after they had done praying unto the Lord we
did again travel on our journey towards the tent of our father.
And it came to pass that we did come down unto the tent of
our father. And after I and my brethren and all the house of
Ishmael had come down unto the tent of my father, they did give
thanks unto the Lord their God; and they did offer sacrifice and
burnt offerings unto him.
And it came to pass that we had gathered together all manner
of seeds of every kind, both of grain of every kind, and also of
the seeds of fruit of every kind.
And it came to pass that while my father tarried in the
wilderness he spake unto us, saying: Behold, I have dreamed a
dream; or, in other words, I have seen a vision.
And behold, because of the thing which I have seen, I have
reason to rejoice in the Lord because of Nephi and also of Sam;
for I have reason to suppose that they, and also many of their
seed, will be saved.
But behold, Laman and Lemuel, I fear exceedingly because of
you; for behold, methought I saw in my dream, a dark and dreary
wilderness.
And it came to pass that I saw a man, and he was dressed in a
white robe; and he came and stood before me.
And it came to pass that he spake unto me, and bade me follow
him.
And it came to pass that as I followed him I beheld myself
that I was in a dark and dreary waste.
And after I had traveled for the space of many hours in
darkness, I began to pray unto the Lord that he would have mercy
on me, according to the multitude of his tender mercies.
And it came to pass after I had prayed unto the Lord I beheld
a large and spacious field.
And it came to pass that I beheld a tree, whose fruit was
desirable to make one happy.
And it came to pass that I did go forth and partake of the
fruit thereof; and I beheld that it was most sweet, above all
that I ever before tasted. Yea, and I beheld that the fruit
thereof was white, to exceed all the whiteness that I had ever
seen.
And as I partook of the fruit thereof it filled my soul with
exceedingly great joy; wherefore, I began to be desirous that my
family should partake of it also; for I knew that it was
desirable above all other fruit.
And as I cast my eyes round about, that perhaps I might
discover my family also, I beheld a river of water; and it ran
along, and it was near the tree of which I was partaking the
fruit.
And I looked to behold from whence it came; and I saw the
head thereof a little way off; and at the head thereof I beheld
your mother Sariah, and Sam, and Nephi; and they stood as if they
knew not whither they should go.
And it came to pass that I beckoned unto them; and I also did
say unto them with a loud voice that they should come unto me,
and partake of the fruit, which was desirable above all other
fruit.
And it came to pass that they did come unto me and partake of
the fruit also.
And it came to pass that I was desirous that Laman and Lemuel
should come and partake of the fruit also; wherefore, I cast mine
eyes towards the head of the river, that perhaps I might see
them.
And it came to pass that I saw them, but they would not come
unto me and partake of the fruit.
And I beheld a rod of iron, and it extended along the bank of
the river, and led to the tree by which I stood.
And I also beheld a strait and narrow path, which came along
by the rod of iron, even to the tree by which I stood; and it
also led by the head of the fountain, unto a large and spacious
field, as if it had been a world.
And I saw numberless concourses of people, many of whom were
pressing forward, that they might obtain the path which led unto
the tree by which I stood.
And it came to pass that they did come forth, and commence in
the path which led to the tree.
And it came to pass that there arose a mist of darkness; yea,
even an exceedingly great mist of darkness, insomuch that they
who had commenced in the path did lose their way, that they
wandered off and were lost.
And it came to pass that I beheld others pressing forward,
and they came forth and caught hold of the end of the rod of
iron; and they did press forward through the mist of darkness,
clinging to the rod of iron, even until they did come forth and
partake of the fruit of the tree.
And after they had partaken of the fruit of the tree they did
cast their eyes about as if they were ashamed.
And I also cast my eyes round about, and beheld, on the other
side of the river of water, a great and spacious building; and it
stood as it were in the air, high above the earth.
And it was filled with people, both old and young, both male
and female; and their manner of dress was exceedingly fine; and
they were in the attitude of mocking and pointing their fingers
towards those who had come at and were partaking of the fruit.
And after they had tasted of the fruit they were ashamed,
because of those that were scoffing at them; and they fell away
into forbidden paths and were lost.
And now I, Nephi, do not speak all the words of my father.
But, to be short in writing, behold, he saw other multitudes
pressing forward; and they came and caught hold of the end of the
rod of iron; and they did press their way forward, continually
holding fast to the rod of iron, until they came forth and fell
down and partook of the fruit of the tree.
And he also saw other multitudes feeling their way towards
that great and spacious building.
And it came to pass that many were drowned in the depths of
the fountain; and many were lost from his view, wandering in
strange roads.
And great was the multitude that did enter into that strange
building. And after they did enter into that building they did
point the finger of scorn at me and those that were partaking of
the fruit also; but we heeded them not.
These are the words of my father: For as many as heeded them,
had fallen away.
And Laman and Lemuel partook not of the fruit, said my
father.
And it came to pass after my father had spoken all the words
of his dream or vision, which were many, he said unto us, because
of these things which he saw in a vision, he exceedingly feared
for Laman and Lemuel; yea, he feared lest they should be cast off
from the presence of the Lord.
And he did exhort them then with all the feeling of a tender
parent, that they would hearken to his words, that perhaps the
Lord would be merciful to them, and not cast them off; yea, my
father did preach unto them.
And after he had preached unto them, and also prophesied unto
them of many things, he bade them to keep the commandments of the
Lord; and he did cease speaking unto them.
And all these things did my father see, and hear, and speak,
as he dwelt in a tent, in the valley of Lemuel, and also a great
many more things, which cannot be written upon these plates.
And now, as I have spoken concerning these plates, behold they
are not the plates upon which I make a full account of the
history of my people; for the plates upon which I make a full
account of my people I have given the name of Nephi; wherefore,
they are called the plates of Nephi, after mine own name; and
these plates also are called the plates of Nephi.
Nevertheless, I have received a commandment of the Lord that I
should make these plates, for the special purpose that there
should be an account engraven of the ministry of my people.
Upon the other plates should be engraven an account of the
reign of the kings, and the wars and contentions of my people;
wherefore these plates are for the more part of the ministry; and
the other plates are for the more part of the reign of the kings
and the wars and contentions of my people.
Wherefore, the Lord hath commanded me to make these plates for
a wise purpose in him, which purpose I know not.
But the Lord knoweth all things from the beginning; wherefore,
he prepareth a way to accomplish all his works among the children
of men; for behold, he hath all power unto the fulfilling of all
his words. And thus it is. Amen.
And now I, Nephi, proceed to give an account upon these plates
of my proceedings, and my reign and ministry; wherefore, to
proceed with mine account, I must speak somewhat of the things of
my father, and also of my brethren.
For behold, it came to pass after my father had made an end of
speaking the words of his dream, and also of exhorting them to
all diligence, he spake unto them concerning the Jews--
That after they should be destroyed, even that great city
Jerusalem, and many be carried away captive into Babylon,
according to the own due time of the Lord, they should return
again, yea, even be brought back out of captivity; and after they
should be brought back out of captivity they should possess again
the land of their inheritance.
Yea, even six hundred years from the time that my father left
Jerusalem, a prophet would the Lord God raise up among the
Jews--even a Messiah, or, in other words, a Savior of the world.
And he also spake concerning the prophets, how great a number
had testified of these things, concerning this Messiah, of whom
he had spoken, or this Redeemer of the world.
Wherefore, all mankind were in a lost and in a fallen state,
and ever would be save they should rely on this Redeemer.
And he spake also concerning a prophet who should come before
the Messiah, to prepare the way of the Lord--
Yea, even he should go forth and cry in the wilderness:
Prepare ye the way of the Lord, and make his paths straight; for
there standeth one among you whom ye know not; and he is mightier
than I, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose. And
much spake my father concerning this thing.
And my father said he should baptize in Bethabara, beyond
Jordan; and he also said he should baptize with water; even that
he should baptize the Messiah with water.
And after he had baptized the Messiah with water, he should
behold and bear record that he had baptized the Lamb of God, who
should take away the sins of the world.
And it came to pass after my father had spoken these words he
spake unto my brethren concerning the gospel which should be
preached among the Jews, and also concerning the dwindling of the
Jews in unbelief. And after they had slain the Messiah, who
should come, and after he had been slain he should rise from the
dead, and should make himself manifest, by the Holy Ghost, unto
the Gentiles.
Yea, even my father spake much concerning the Gentiles, and
also concerning the house of Israel, that they should be compared
like unto an olive-tree, whose branches should be broken off and
should be scattered upon all the face of the earth.
Wherefore, he said it must needs be that we should be led
with one accord into the land of promise, unto the fulfilling of
the word of the Lord, that we should be scattered upon all the
face of the earth.
And after the house of Israel should be scattered they should
be gathered together again; or, in fine, after the Gentiles had
received the fulness of the Gospel, the natural branches of the
olive-tree, or the remnants of the house of Israel, should be
grafted in, or come to the knowledge of the true Messiah, their
Lord and their Redeemer.
And after this manner of language did my father prophesy and
speak unto my brethren, and also many more things which I do not
write in this book; for I have written as many of them as were
expedient for me in mine other book.
And all these things, of which I have spoken, were done as my
father dwelt in a tent, in the valley of Lemuel.
And it came to pass after I, Nephi, having heard all the
words of my father, concerning the things which he saw in a
vision, and also the things which he spake by the power of the
Holy Ghost, which power he received by faith on the Son of
God--and the Son of God was the Messiah who should come--I,
Nephi, was desirous also that I might see, and hear, and know of
these things, by the power of the Holy Ghost, which is the gift
of God unto all those who diligently seek him, as well in times
of old as in the time that he should manifest himself unto the
children of men.
For he is the same yesterday, to-day, and forever; and the
way is prepared for all men from the foundation of the world, if
it so be that they repent and come unto him.
For he that diligently seeketh shall find; and the mysteries
of God shall be unfolded unto them, by the power of the Holy
Ghost, as well in these times as in times of old, and as well in
times of old as in times to come; wherefore, the course of the
Lord is one eternal round.
Therefore remember, O man, for all thy doings thou shalt be
brought into judgment.
Wherefore, if ye have sought to do wickedly in the days of
your probation, then ye are found unclean before the
judgment-seat of God; and no unclean thing can dwell with God;
wherefore, ye must be cast off forever.
And the Holy Ghost giveth authority that I should speak these
things, and deny them not.
For it came to pass after I had desired to know the things
that my father had seen, and believing that the Lord was able to
make them known unto me, as I sat pondering in mine heart I was
caught away in the Spirit of the Lord, yea, into an exceedingly
high mountain, which I never had before seen, and upon which I
never had before set my foot.
And the Spirit said unto me: Behold, what desirest thou?
And I said: I desire to behold the things which my father saw.
And the Spirit said unto me: Believest thou that thy father
saw the tree of which he hath spoken?
And I said: Yea, thou knowest that I believe all the words of
my father.
And when I had spoken these words, the Spirit cried with a
loud voice, saying: Hosanna to the Lord, the most high God; for
he is God over all the earth, yea, even above all. And blessed
art thou, Nephi, because thou believest in the Son of the most
high God; wherefore, thou shalt behold the things which thou hast
desired.
And behold this thing shall be given unto thee for a sign,
that after thou hast beheld the tree which bore the fruit which
thy father tasted, thou shalt also behold a man descending out of
heaven, and him shall ye witness; and after ye have witnessed him
ye shall bear record that it is the Son of God.
And it came to pass that the Spirit said unto me: Look! And I
looked and beheld a tree; and it was like unto the tree which my
father had seen; and the beauty thereof was far beyond, yea,
exceeding of all beauty; and the whiteness thereof did exceed the
whiteness of the driven snow.
And it came to pass after I had seen the tree, I said unto the
Spirit: I behold thou hast shown unto me the tree which is
precious above all.
And he said unto me: What desirest thou?
And I said unto him: To know the interpretation thereof--for
I spake unto him as a man speaketh; for I beheld that he was in
the form of a man; yet nevertheless, I knew that it was the
Spirit of the Lord; and he spake unto me as a man speaketh with
another.
And it came to pass that he said unto me: Look! And I looked
as if to look upon him, and I saw him not; for he had gone from
before my presence.
And it came to pass that I looked and beheld the great city
of Jerusalem, and also other cities. And I beheld the city of
Nazareth; and in the city of Nazareth I beheld a virgin, and she
was exceedingly fair and white.
And it came to pass that I saw the heavens open; and an angel
came down and stood before me; and he said unto me: Nephi, what
beholdest thou?
And I said unto him: A virgin, most beautiful and fair above
all other virgins.
And he said unto me: Knowest thou the condescension of God?
And I said unto him: I know that he loveth his children;
nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things.
And he said unto me: Behold, the virgin whom thou seest is
the mother of the Son of God, after the manner of the flesh.
And it came to pass that I beheld that she was carried away
in the Spirit; and after she had been carried away in the Spirit
for the space of a time the angel spake unto me, saying: Look!
And I looked and beheld the virgin again, bearing a child in
her arms.
And the angel said unto me: Behold the Lamb of God, yea, even
the Son of the Eternal Father! Knowest thou the meaning of the
tree which thy father saw?
And I answered him, saying: Yea, it is the love of God, which
sheddeth itself abroad in the hearts of the children of men;
wherefore, it is the most desirable above all things.
And he spake unto me, saying: Yea, and the most joyous to the
soul.
And after he had said these words, he said unto me: Look!
And I looked, and I beheld the Son of God going forth among the
children of men; and I saw many fall down at his feet and worship
him.
And it came to pass that I beheld that the rod of iron, which
my father had seen, was the word of God, which led to the
fountain of living waters, or to the tree of life; which waters
are a representation of the love of God; and I also beheld that
the tree of life was a representation of the love of God.
And the angel said unto me again: Look and behold the
condescension of God!
And I looked and beheld the Redeemer of the world, of whom my
father had spoken; and I also beheld the prophet who should
prepare the way before him. And the Lamb of God went forth and
was baptized of him; and after he was baptized, I beheld the
heavens open, and the Holy Ghost come down out of heaven and
abide upon him in the form of a dove.
And I beheld that he went forth ministering unto the people,
in power and great glory; and the multitudes were gathered
together to hear him; and I beheld that they cast him out from
among them.
And I also beheld twelve others following him. And it came
to pass that they were carried away in the Spirit from before my
face, and I saw them not.
And it came to pass that the angel spake unto me again,
saying: Look! And I looked, and I beheld the heavens open again,
and I saw angels descending upon the children of men; and they
did minister unto them.
And he spake unto me again, saying: Look! And I looked, and
I beheld the Lamb of God going forth among the children of men.
And I beheld multitudes of people who were sick, and who were
afflicted with all manner of diseases, and with devils and
unclean spirits; and the angel spake and showed all these things
unto me. And they were healed by the power of the Lamb of God;
and the devils and the unclean spirits were cast out.
And it came to pass that the angel spake unto me again,
saying: Look! And I looked and beheld the Lamb of God, that he
was taken by the people; yea, the Son of the everlasting God was
judged of the world; and I saw and bear record.
And I, Nephi, saw that he was lifted up upon the cross and
slain for the sins of the world.
And after he was slain I saw the multitudes of the earth,
that they were gathered together to fight against the apostles of
the Lamb; for thus were the twelve called by the angel of the
Lord.
And the multitude of the earth was gathered together; and I
beheld that they were in a large and spacious building, like unto
the building which my father saw. And the angel of the Lord
spake unto me again, saying: Behold the world and the wisdom
thereof; yea, behold the house of Israel hath gathered together
to fight against the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
And it came to pass that I saw and bear record, that the
great and spacious building was the pride of the world; and it
fell, and the fall thereof was exceedingly great. And the angel
of the Lord spake unto me again, saying: Thus shall be the
destruction of all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, that
shall fight against the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
And it came to pass that the angel said unto me: Look, and
behold thy seed, and also the seed of thy brethren. And I looked
and beheld the land of promise; and I beheld multitudes of
people, yea, even as it were in number as many as the sand of the
sea.
And it came to pass that I beheld multitudes gathered together
to battle, one against the other; and I beheld wars, and rumors
of wars, and great slaughters with the sword among my people.
And it came to pass that I beheld many generations pass away,
after the manner of wars and contentions in the land; and I
beheld many cities, yea, even that I did not number them.
And it came to pass that I saw a mist of darkness on the face
of the land of promise; and I saw lightnings, and I heard
thunderings, and earthquakes, and all manner of tumultuous
noises; and I saw the earth and the rocks, that they rent; and I
saw mountains tumbling into pieces; and I saw the plains of the
earth, that they were broken up; and I saw many cities that they
were sunk; and I saw many that they were burned with fire; and I
saw many that did tumble to the earth, because of the quaking
thereof.
And it came to pass after I saw these things, I saw the vapor
of darkness, that it passed from off the face of the earth; and
behold, I saw multitudes who had not fallen because of the great
and terrible judgments of the Lord.
And I saw the heavens open, and the Lamb of God descending out
of heaven; and he came down and showed himself unto them.
And I also saw and bear record that the Holy Ghost fell upon
twelve others; and they were ordained of God, and chosen.
And the angel spake unto me, saying: Behold the twelve
disciples of the Lamb, who are chosen to minister unto thy seed.
And he said unto me: Thou rememberest the twelve apostles of
the Lamb? Behold they are they who shall judge the twelve tribes
of Israel; wherefore, the twelve ministers of thy seed shall be
judged of them; for ye are of the house of Israel.
And these twelve ministers whom thou beholdest shall judge
thy seed. And, behold, they are righteous forever; for because
of their faith in the Lamb of God their garments are made white
in his blood.
And the angel said unto me: Look! And I looked, and beheld
three generations pass away in righteousness; and their garments
were white even like unto the Lamb of God. And the angel said
unto me: These are made white in the blood of the Lamb, because
of their faith in him.
And I, Nephi, also saw many of the fourth generation who
passed away in righteousness.
And it came to pass that I saw the multitudes of the earth
gathered together.
And the angel said unto me: Behold thy seed, and also the
seed of thy brethren.
And it came to pass that I looked and beheld the people of my
seed gathered together in multitudes against the seed of my
brethren; and they were gathered together to battle.
And the angel spake unto me, saying: Behold the fountain of
filthy water which thy father saw; yea, even the river of which
he spake; and the depths thereof are the depths of hell.
And the mists of darkness are the temptations of the devil,
which blindeth the eyes, and hardeneth the hearts of the children
of men, and leadeth them away into broad roads, that they perish
and are lost.
And the large and spacious building, which thy father saw, is
vain imaginations and the pride of the children of men. And a
great and a terrible gulf divideth them; yea, even the word of
the justice of the Eternal God, and the Messiah who is the Lamb
of God, of whom the Holy Ghost beareth record, from the beginning
of the world until this time, and from this time henceforth and
forever.
And while the angel spake these words, I beheld and saw that
the seed of my brethren did contend against my seed, according to
the word of the angel; and because of the pride of my seed, and
the temptations of the devil, I beheld that the seed of my
brethren did overpower the people of my seed.
And it came to pass that I beheld, and saw the people of the
seed of my brethren that they had overcome my seed; and they went
forth in multitudes upon the face of the land.
And I saw them gathered together in multitudes; and I saw
wars and rumors of wars among them; and in wars and rumors of
wars I saw many generations pass away.
And the angel said unto me: Behold these shall dwindle in
unbelief.
And it came to pass that I beheld, after they had dwindled in
unbelief they became a dark, and loathsome, and a filthy people,
full of idleness and all manner of abominations.
And it came to pass that the angel spake unto me, saying:
Look! And I looked and beheld many nations and kingdoms.
And the angel said unto me: What beholdest thou? And I said:
I behold many nations and kingdoms.
And he said unto me: These are the nations and kingdoms of the
Gentiles.
And it came to pass that I saw among the nations of the
Gentiles the formation of a great church.
And the angel said unto me: Behold the formation of a church
which is most abominable above all other churches, which slayeth
the saints of God, yea, and tortureth them and bindeth them down,
and yoketh them with a yoke of iron, and bringeth them down into
captivity.
And it came to pass that I beheld this great and abominable
church; and I saw the devil that he was the founder of it.
And I also saw gold, and silver, and silks, and scarlets, and
fine-twined linen, and all manner of precious clothing; and I saw
many harlots.
And the angel spake unto me, saying: Behold the gold, and the
silver, and the silks, and the scarlets, and the fine-twined
linen, and the precious clothing, and the harlots, are the
desires of this great and abominable church.
And also for the praise of the world do they destroy the
saints of God, and bring them down into captivity.
And it came to pass that I looked and beheld many waters; and
they divided the Gentiles from the seed of my brethren.
And it came to pass that the angel said unto me: Behold the
wrath of God is upon the seed of thy brethren.
And I looked and beheld a man among the Gentiles, who was
separated from the seed of my brethren by the many waters; and I
beheld the Spirit of God, that it came down and wrought upon the
man; and he went forth upon the many waters, even unto the seed
of my brethren, who were in the promised land.
And it came to pass that I beheld the Spirit of God, that it
wrought upon other Gentiles; and they went forth out of
captivity, upon the many waters.
And it came to pass that I beheld many multitudes of the
Gentiles upon the land of promise; and I beheld the wrath of God,
that it was upon the seed of my brethren; and they were scattered
before the Gentiles and were smitten.
And I beheld the Spirit of the Lord, that it was upon the
Gentiles, and they did prosper and obtain the land for their
inheritance; and I beheld that they were white, and exceedingly
fair and beautiful, like unto my people before they were slain.
And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld that the Gentiles
who had gone forth out of captivity did humble themselves before
the Lord; and the power of the Lord was with them.
And I beheld that their mother Gentiles were gathered
together upon the waters, and upon the land also, to battle
against them.
And I beheld that the power of God was with them, and also
that the wrath of God was upon all those that were gathered
together against them to battle.
And I, Nephi, beheld that the Gentiles that had gone out of
captivity were delivered by the power of God out of the hands of
all other nations.
And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld that they did
prosper in the land; and I beheld a book, and it was carried
forth among them.
And the angel said unto me: Knowest thou the meaning of the
book?
And I said unto him: I know not.
And he said: Behold it proceedeth out of the mouth of a Jew.
And I, Nephi, beheld it; and he said unto me: The book that thou
beholdest is a record of the Jews, which contains the covenants
of the Lord, which he hath made unto the house of Israel; and it
also containeth many of the prophecies of the holy prophets; and
it is a record like unto the engravings which are upon the plates
of brass, save there are not so many; nevertheless, they contain
the covenants of the Lord, which he hath made unto the house of
Israel; wherefore, they are of great worth unto the Gentiles.
And the angel of the Lord said unto me: Thou hast beheld that
the book proceeded forth from the mouth of a Jew; and when it
proceeded forth from the mouth of a Jew it contained the fulness
of the gospel of the Lord, of whom the twelve apostles bear
record; and they bear record according to the truth which is in
the Lamb of God.
Wherefore, these things go forth from the Jews in purity unto
the Gentiles, according to the truth which is in God.
And after they go forth by the hand of the twelve apostles of
the Lamb, from the Jews unto the Gentiles, thou seest the
formation of a great and abominable church, which is most
abominable above all other churches; for behold, they have taken
away from the gospel of the Lamb many parts which are plain and
most precious; and also many covenants of the Lord have they
taken away.
And all this have they done that they might pervert the right
ways of the Lord, that they might blind the eyes and harden the
hearts of the children of men.
Wherefore, thou seest that after the book hath gone forth
through the hands of the great and abominable church, that there
are many plain and precious things taken away from the book,
which is the book of the Lamb of God.
And after these plain and precious things were taken away it
goeth forth unto all the nations of the Gentiles; and after it
goeth forth unto all the nations of the Gentiles, yea, even
across the many waters which thou hast seen with the Gentiles
which have gone forth out of captivity, thou seest--because of
the many plain and precious things which have been taken out of
the book, which were plain unto the understanding of the children
of men, according to the plainness which is in the Lamb of
God--because of these things which are taken away out of the
gospel of the Lamb, an exceedingly great many do stumble, yea,
insomuch that Satan hath great power over them.
Nevertheless, thou beholdest that the Gentiles who have gone
forth out of captivity, and have been lifted up by the power of
God above all other nations, upon the face of the land which is
choice above all other lands, which is the land that the Lord God
hath covenanted with thy father that his seed should have for the
land of their inheritance; wherefore, thou seest that the Lord
God will not suffer that the Gentiles will utterly destroy the
mixture of thy seed, which are among thy brethren.
Neither will he suffer that the Gentiles shall destroy the
seed of thy brethren.
Neither will the Lord God suffer that the Gentiles shall
forever remain in that awful state of blindness, which thou
beholdest they are in, because of the plain and most precious
parts of the gospel of the Lamb which have been kept back by that
abominable church, whose formation thou hast seen.
Wherefore saith the Lamb of God: I will be merciful unto the
Gentiles, unto the visiting of the remnant of the house of Israel
in great judgment.
And it came to pass that the angel of the Lord spake unto me,
saying: Behold, saith the Lamb of God, after I have visited the
remnant of the house of Israel--and this remnant of whom I speak
is the seed of thy father--wherefore, after I have visited them
in judgment, and smitten them by the hand of the Gentiles, and
after the Gentiles do stumble exceedingly, because of the most
plain and precious parts of the gospel of the Lamb which have
been kept back by that abominable church, which is the mother of
harlots, saith the Lamb--I will be merciful unto the Gentiles in
that day, insomuch that I will bring forth unto them, in mine own
power, much of my gospel, which shall be plain and precious,
saith the Lamb.
For, behold, saith the Lamb: I will manifest myself unto thy
seed, that they shall write many things which I shall minister
unto them, which shall be plain and precious; and after thy seed
shall be destroyed, and dwindle in unbelief, and also the seed of
thy brethren, behold, these things shall be hid up, to come forth
unto the Gentiles, by the gift and power of the Lamb.
And in them shall be written my gospel, saith the Lamb, and
my rock and my salvation.
And blessed are they who shall seek to bring forth my Zion at
that day, for they shall have the gift and the power of the Holy
Ghost; and if they endure unto the end they shall be lifted up at
the last day, and shall be saved in the everlasting kingdom of
the Lamb; and whoso shall publish peace, yea, tidings of great
joy, how beautiful upon the mountains shall they be.
And it came to pass that I beheld the remnant of the seed of
my brethren, and also the book of the Lamb of God, which had
proceeded forth from the mouth of the Jew, that it came forth
from the Gentiles unto the remnant of the seed of my brethren.
And after it had come forth unto them I beheld other books,
which came forth by the power of the Lamb, from the Gentiles unto
them, unto the convincing of the Gentiles and the remnant of the
seed of my brethren, and also the Jews who were scattered upon
all the face of the earth, that the records of the prophets and
of the twelve apostles of the Lamb are true.
And the angel spake unto me, saying: These last records,
which thou hast seen among the Gentiles, shall establish the
truth of the first, which are of the twelve apostles of the Lamb,
and shall make known the plain and precious things which have
been taken away from them; and shall make known to all kindreds,
tongues, and people, that the Lamb of God is the Son of the
Eternal Father, and the Savior of the world; and that all men
must come unto him, or they cannot be saved.
And they must come according to the words which shall be
established by the mouth of the Lamb; and the words of the Lamb
shall be made known in the records of thy seed, as well as in the
records of the twelve apostles of the Lamb; wherefore they both
shall be established in one; for there is one God and one
Shepherd over all the earth.
And the time cometh that he shall manifest himself unto all
nations, both unto the Jews and also unto the Gentiles; and after
he has manifested himself unto the Jews and also unto the
Gentiles, then he shall manifest himself unto the Gentiles and
also unto the Jews, and the last shall be first, and the first
shall be last.
And it shall come to pass, that if the Gentiles shall hearken
unto the Lamb of God in that day that he shall manifest himself
unto them in word, and also in power, in very deed, unto the
taking away of their stumbling blocks--
And harden not their hearts against the Lamb of God, they
shall be numbered among the seed of thy father; yea, they shall
be numbered among the house of Israel; and they shall be a
blessed people upon the promised land forever; they shall be no
more brought down into captivity; and the house of Israel shall
no more be confounded.
And that great pit, which hath been digged for them by that
great and abominable church, which was founded by the devil and
his children, that he might lead away the souls of men down to
hell--yea, that great pit which hath been digged for the
destruction of men shall be filled by those who digged it, unto
their utter destruction, saith the Lamb of God; not the
destruction of the soul, save it be the casting of it into that
hell which hath no end.
For behold, this is according to the captivity of the devil,
and also according to the justice of God, upon all those who will
work wickedness and abomination before him.
And it came to pass that the angel spake unto me, Nephi,
saying: Thou hast beheld that if the Gentiles repent it shall be
well with them; and thou also knowest concerning the covenants of
the Lord unto the house of Israel; and thou also hast heard that
whoso repenteth not must perish.
Therefore, wo be unto the Gentiles if it so be that they
harden their hearts against the Lamb of God.
For the time cometh, saith the Lamb of God, that I will work a
great and a marvelous work among the children of men; a work
which shall be everlasting, either on the one hand or on the
other--either to the convincing of them unto peace and life
eternal, or unto the deliverance of them to the hardness of their
hearts and the blindness of their minds unto their being brought
down into captivity, and also into destruction, both temporally
and spiritually, according to the captivity of the devil, of
which I have spoken.
And it came to pass that when the angel had spoken these
words, he said unto me: Rememberest thou the covenants of the
Father unto the house of Israel? I said unto him, Yea.
And it came to pass that he said unto me: Look, and behold
that great and abominable church, which is the mother of
abominations, whose founder is the devil.
And he said unto me: Behold there are save two churches only;
the one is the church of the Lamb of God, and the other is the
church of the devil; wherefore, whoso belongeth not to the church
of the Lamb of God belongeth to that great church, which is the
mother of abominations; and she is the whore of all the earth.
And it came to pass that I looked and beheld the whore of all
the earth, and she sat upon many waters; and she had dominion
over all the earth, among all nations, kindreds, tongues, and
people.
And it came to pass that I beheld the church of the Lamb of
God, and its numbers were few, because of the wickedness and
abominations of the whore who sat upon many waters; nevertheless,
I beheld that the church of the Lamb, who were the saints of God,
were also upon all the face of the earth; and their dominions
upon the face of the earth were small, because of the wickedness
of the great whore whom I saw.
And it came to pass that I beheld that the great mother of
abominations did gather together multitudes upon the face of all
the earth, among all the nations of the Gentiles, to fight
against the Lamb of God.
And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld the power of the
Lamb of God, that it descended upon the saints of the church of
the Lamb, and upon the covenant people of the Lord, who were
scattered upon all the face of the earth; and they were armed
with righteousness and with the power of God in great glory.
And it came to pass that I beheld that the wrath of God was
poured out upon that great and abominable church, insomuch that
there were wars and rumors of wars among all the nations and
kindreds of the earth.
And as there began to be wars and rumors of wars among all
the nations which belonged to the mother of abominations, the
angel spake unto me, saying: Behold, the wrath of God is upon the
mother of harlots; and behold, thou seest all these things--
And when the day cometh that the wrath of God is poured out
upon the mother of harlots, which is the great and abominable
church of all the earth, whose founder is the devil, then, at
that day, the work of the Father shall commence, in preparing the
way for the fulfilling of his covenants, which he hath made to
his people who are of the house of Israel.
And it came to pass that the angel spake unto me, saying:
Look!
And I looked and beheld a man, and he was dressed in a white
robe.
And the angel said unto me: Behold one of the twelve apostles
of the Lamb.
Behold, he shall see and write the remainder of these things;
yea, and also many things which have been.
And he shall also write concerning the end of the world.
Wherefore, the things which he shall write are just and true;
and behold they are written in the book which thou beheld
proceeding out of the mouth of the Jew; and at the time they
proceeded out of the mouth of the Jew, or, at the time the book
proceeded out of the mouth of the Jew, the things which were
written were plain and pure, and most precious and easy to the
understanding of all men.
And behold, the things which this apostle of the Lamb shall
write are many things which thou hast seen; and behold, the
remainder shalt thou see.
But the things which thou shalt see hereafter thou shalt not
write; for the Lord God hath ordained the apostle of the Lamb of
God that he should write them.
And also others who have been, to them hath he shown all
things, and they have written them; and they are sealed up to
come forth in their purity, according to the truth which is in
the Lamb, in the own due time of the Lord, unto the house of
Israel.
And I, Nephi, heard and bear record, that the name of the
apostle of the Lamb was John, according to the word of the angel.
And behold, I, Nephi, am forbidden that I should write the
remainder of the things which I saw and heard; wherefore the
things which I have written sufficeth me; and I have written but
a small part of the things which I saw.
And I bear record that I saw the things which my father saw,
and the angel of the Lord did make them known unto me.
And now I make an end of speaking concerning the things which
I saw while I was carried away in the spirit; and if all the
things which I saw are not written, the things which I have
written are true. And thus it is. Amen.
And it came to pass that after I, Nephi, had been carried away
in the spirit, and seen all these things, I returned to the tent
of my father.
And it came to pass that I beheld my brethren, and they were
disputing one with another concerning the things my father had
spoken unto them.
For he truly spake many great things unto them, which were
hard to be understood, save a man should inquire of the Lord; and
they being hard in their hearts, therefore they did not look unto
the Lord as they ought.
And now I, Nephi, was grieved because of the hardness of their
hearts, and also, because of the things which I had seen, and
knew they must unavoidably come to pass because of the great
wickedness of the children of men.
And it came to pass that I was overcome because of my
afflictions, for I considered that mine afflictions were great
above all, because of the destruction of my people, for I had
beheld their fall.
And it came to pass that after I had received strength I spake
unto my brethren, desiring to know of them the cause of their
disputations.
And they said: Behold, we cannot understand the words which
our father hath spoken concerning the natural branches of the
olive-tree, and also concerning the Gentiles.
And I said unto them: Have ye inquired of the Lord?
And they said unto me: We have not; for the Lord maketh no
such thing known unto us.
Behold, I said unto them: How is it that ye do not keep the
commandments of the Lord? How is it that ye will perish, because
of the hardness of your hearts?
Do ye not remember the things which the Lord hath said?--If
ye will not harden your hearts, and ask me in faith, believing
that ye shall receive, with diligence in keeping my commandments,
surely these things shall be made known unto you.
Behold, I say unto you, that the house of Israel was compared
unto an olive-tree, by the Spirit of the Lord which was in our
father; and behold are we not broken off from the house of
Israel, and are we not a branch of the house of Israel?
And now, the thing which our father meaneth concerning the
grafting in of the natural branches through the fulness of the
Gentiles, is, that in the latter days, when our seed shall have
dwindled in unbelief, yea, for the space of many years, and many
generations after the Messiah shall be manifested in body unto
the children of men, then shall the fulness of the gospel of the
Messiah come unto the Gentiles, and from the Gentiles unto the
remnant of our seed--
And at that day shall the remnant of our seed know that they
are of the house of Israel, and that they are the covenant people
of the Lord; and then shall they know and come to the knowledge
of their forefathers, and also to the knowledge of the gospel of
their Redeemer, which was ministered unto their fathers by him;
wherefore, they shall come to the knowledge of their Redeemer and
the very points of his doctrine, that they may know how to come
unto him and be saved.
And then at that day will they not rejoice and give praise
unto their everlasting God, their rock and their salvation? Yea,
at that day, will they not receive the strength and nourishment
from the true vine? Yea, will they not come unto the true fold of
God?
Behold, I say unto you, Yea; they shall be remembered again
among the house of Israel; they shall be grafted in, being a
natural branch of the olive-tree, into the true olive-tree.
And this is what our father meaneth; and he meaneth that it
will not come to pass until after they are scattered by the
Gentiles; and he meaneth that it shall come by way of the
Gentiles, that the Lord may show his power unto the Gentiles, for
the very cause that he shall be rejected of the Jews, or of the
house of Israel.
Wherefore, our father hath not spoken of our seed alone, but
also of all the house of Israel, pointing to the covenant which
should be fulfilled in the latter days; which covenant the Lord
made to our father Abraham, saying: In thy seed shall all the
kindreds of the earth be blessed.
And it came to pass that I, Nephi, spake much unto them
concerning these things; yea, I spake unto them concerning the
restoration of the Jews in the latter days.
And I did rehearse unto them the words of Isaiah, who spake
concerning the restoration of the Jews, or of the house of
Israel; and after they were restored they should no more be
confounded, neither should they be scattered again. And it came
to pass that I did speak many words unto my brethren, that they
were pacified and did humble themselves before the Lord.
And it came to pass that they did speak unto me again,
saying: What meaneth this thing which our father saw in a dream?
What meaneth the tree which he saw?
And I said unto them: It was a representation of the tree of
life.
And they said unto me: What meaneth the rod of iron which our
father saw, that led to the tree?
And I said unto them that it was the word of God, and whose
would hearken unto the word of God, and would hold fast unto it,
they would never perish; neither could the temptations and the
fiery darts of the adversary overpower them unto blindness, to
lead them away to destruction.
Wherefore, I, Nephi, did exhort them to give heed unto the
word of the Lord; yea, I did exhort them with all the energies of
my soul, and with all the faculty which I possessed, that they
would give heed to the word of God and remember to keep his
commandments always in all things.
And they said unto me: What meaneth the river of water which
our father saw?
And I said unto them that the water which my father saw was
filthiness; and so much was his mind swallowed up in other things
that he beheld not the filthiness of the water.
And I said unto them that it was an awful gulf, which
separated the wicked from the tree of life, and also from the
saints of God.
And I said unto them that it was a representation of that
awful hell, which the angel said unto me was prepared for the
wicked.
And I said unto them that our father also saw that the
justice of God did also divide the wicked from the righteous; and
the brightness thereof was like unto the brightness of a flaming
fire, which ascendeth up unto God forever and ever, and hath no
end.
And they said unto me: Doth this thing mean the torment of
the body in the days of probation, or doth it mean the final
state of the soul after the death of the temporal body, or doth
it speak of the things which are temporal?
And it came to pass that I said unto them that it was a
representation of things both temporal and spiritual; for the day
should come that they must be judged of their works, yea, even
the works which were done by the temporal body in their days of
probation.
Wherefore, if they should die in their wickedness they must
be cast off also, as to the things which are spiritual, which are
pertaining to righteousness; wherefore, they must be brought to
stand before God, to be judged of their works; and if their works
have been filthiness they must needs be filthy; and if they be
filthy it must needs be that they cannot dwell in the kingdom of
God; if so, the kingdom of God must be filthy also.
But behold, I say unto you, the kingdom of God is not filthy,
and there cannot any unclean thing enter into the kingdom of God;
wherefore there must needs be a place of filthiness prepared for
that which is filthy.
And there is a place prepared, yea, even that awful hell of
which I have spoken, and the devil is the preparator of it;
wherefore the final state of the souls of men is to dwell in the
kingdom of God, or to be cast out because of that justice of
which I have spoken.
Wherefore, the wicked are rejected from the righteous, and
also from that tree of life, whose fruit is most precious and
most desirable above all other fruits; yea, and it is the
greatest of all the gifts of God. And thus I spake unto my
brethren. Amen.
And now it came to pass that after I, Nephi, had made an end
of speaking to my brethren, behold they said unto me: Thou hast
declared unto us hard things, more than we are able to bear.
And it came to pass that I said unto them that I knew that I
had spoken hard things against the wicked, according to the
truth; and the righteous have I justified, and testified that
they should be lifted up at the last day; wherefore, the guilty
taketh the truth to be hard, for it cutteth them to the very
center.
And now my brethren, if ye were righteous and were willing to
hearken to the truth, and give heed unto it, that ye might walk
uprightly before God, then ye would not murmur because of the
truth, and say: Thou speakest hard things against us.
And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did exhort my brethren,
with all diligence, to keep the commandments of the Lord.
And it came to pass that they did humble themselves before the
Lord; insomuch that I had joy and great hopes of them, that they
would walk in the paths of righteousness.
Now, all these things were said and done as my father dwelt in
a tent in the valley which he called Lemuel.
And it came to pass that I, Nephi, took one of the daughters
of Ishmael to wife; and also, my brethren took of the daughters
of Ishmael to wife; and also Zoram took the eldest daughter of
Ishmael to wife.
And thus my father had fulfilled all the commandments of the
Lord which had been given unto him. And also, I, Nephi, had been
blessed of the Lord exceedingly.
And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord spake unto my
father by night, and commanded him that on the morrow he should
take his journey into the wilderness.
And it came to pass that as my father arose in the morning,
and went forth to the tent door, to his great astonishment he
beheld upon the ground a round ball of curious workmanship; and
it was of fine brass. And within the ball were two spindles; and
the one pointed the way whither we should go into the wilderness.
And it came to pass that we did gather together whatsoever
things we should carry into the wilderness, and all the remainder
of our provisions which the Lord had given unto us; and we did
take seed of every kind that we might carry into the wilderness.
And it came to pass that we did take our tents and depart
into the wilderness, across the river Laman.
And it came to pass that we traveled for the space of four
days, nearly a south-southeast direction, and we did pitch our
tents again; and we did call the name of the place Shazer.
And it came to pass that we did take our bows and our arrows,
and go forth into the wilderness to slay food for our families;
and after we had slain food for our families we did return again
to our families in the wilderness, to the place of Shazer. And
we did go forth again in the wilderness, following the same
direction, keeping in the most fertile parts of the wilderness,
which were in the borders near the Red Sea.
And it came to pass that we did travel for the space of many
days, slaying food by the way, with our bows and our arrows and
our stones and our slings.
And we did follow the directions of the ball, which led us in
the more fertile parts of the wilderness.
And after we had traveled for the space of many days, we did
pitch our tents for the space of a time, that we might again rest
ourselves and obtain food for our families.
And it came to pass that as I, Nephi, went forth to slay
food, behold, I did break my bow, which was made of fine steel;
and after I did break my bow, behold, my brethren were angry with
me because of the loss of my bow, for we did obtain no food.
And it came to pass that we did return without food to our
families, and being much fatigued, because of their journeying,
they did suffer much for the want of food.
And it came to pass that Laman and Lemuel and the sons of
Ishmael did begin to murmur exceedingly, because of their
sufferings and afflictions in the wilderness; and also my father
began to murmur against the Lord his God; yea, and they were all
exceedingly sorrowful, even that they did murmur against the
Lord.
Now it came to pass that I, Nephi, having been afflicted with
my brethren because of the loss of my bow, and their bows having
lost their springs, it began to be exceedingly difficult, yea,
insomuch that we could obtain no food.
And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did speak much unto my
brethren, because they had hardened their hearts again, even unto
complaining against the Lord their God.
And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did make out of wood a
bow, and out of a straight stick, an arrow; wherefore, I did arm
myself with a bow and an arrow, with a sling and with stones.
And I said unto my father: Whither shall I go to obtain food?
And it came to pass that he did inquire of the Lord, for they
had humbled themselves because of my words; for I did say many
things unto them in the energy of my soul.
And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord came unto my
father; and he was truly chastened because of his murmuring
against the Lord, insomuch that he was brought down into the
depths of sorrow.
And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord said unto him:
Look upon the ball, and behold the things which are written.
And it came to pass that when my father beheld the things
which were written upon the ball, he did fear and tremble
exceedingly, and also my brethren and the sons of Ishmael and our
wives.
And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld the pointers which
were in the ball, that they did work according to the faith and
diligence and heed which we did give unto them.
And there was also written upon them a new writing, which was
plain to be read, which did give us understanding concerning the
ways of the Lord; and it was written and changed from time to
time, according to the faith and diligence which we gave unto it.
And thus we see that by small means the Lord can bring about
great things.
And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did go forth up into the
top of the mountain, according to the directions which were given
upon the ball.
And it came to pass that I did slay wild beasts, insomuch
that I did obtain food for our families.
And it came to pass that I did return to our tents, bearing
the beasts which I had slain; and now when they beheld that I had
obtained food, how great was their joy! And it came to pass that
they did humble themselves before the Lord, and did give thanks
unto him.
And it came to pass that we did again take our journey,
traveling nearly the same course as in the beginning; and after
we had traveled for the space of many days we did pitch our tents
again, that we might tarry for the space of a time.
And it came to pass that Ishmael died, and was buried in the
place which was called Nahom.
And it came to pass that the daughters of Ishmael did mourn
exceedingly, because of the loss of their father, and because of
their afflictions in the wilderness; and they did murmur against
my father, because he had brought them out of the land of
Jerusalem, saying: Our father is dead; yea, and we have wandered
much in the wilderness, and we have suffered much affliction,
hunger, thirst, and fatigue; and after all these sufferings we
must perish in the wilderness with hunger.
And thus they did murmur against my father, and also against
me; and they were desirous to return again to Jerusalem.
And Laman said unto Lemuel and also unto the sons of Ishmael:
Behold, let us slay our father, and also our brother Nephi, who
has taken it upon him to be our ruler and our teacher, who are
his elder brethren.
Now, he says that the Lord has talked with him, and also that
angels have ministered unto him. But behold, we know that he
lies unto us; and he tells us these things, and he worketh many
things by his cunning arts, that he may deceive our eyes,
thinking, perhaps, that he may lead us away into some strange
wilderness; and after he has led us away, he has thought to make
himself a king and a ruler over us, that he may do with us
according to his will and pleasure. And after this manner did my
brother Laman stir up their hearts to anger.
And it came to pass that the Lord was with us, yea, even the
voice of the Lord came and did speak many words unto them, and
did chasten them exceedingly; and after they were chastened by
the voice of the Lord they did turn away their anger, and did
repent of their sins, insomuch that the Lord did bless us again
with food, that we did not perish.
And it came to pass that we did again take our journey in the
wilderness; and we did travel nearly eastward from that time
forth. And we did travel and wade through much affliction in the
wilderness; and our women did bear children in the wilderness.
And so great were the blessings of the Lord upon us, that
while we did live upon raw meat in the wilderness, our women did
give plenty of suck for their children, and were strong, yea,
even like unto the men; and they began to bear their journeyings
without murmurings.
And thus we see that the commandments of God must be
fulfilled. And if it so be that the children of men keep the
commandments of God he doth nourish them, and strengthen them,
and provide means whereby they can accomplish the thing which he
has commanded them; wherefore, he did provide means for us while
we did sojourn in the wilderness.
And we did sojourn for the space of many years, yea, even
eight years in the wilderness.
And we did come to the land which we called Bountiful, because
of its much fruit and also wild honey; and all these things were
prepared of the Lord that we might not perish. And we beheld the
sea, which we called Irreantum, which, being interpreted, is many
waters.
And it came to pass that we did pitch our tents by the
seashore; and notwithstanding we had suffered many afflictions
and much difficulty, yea, even so much that we cannot write them
all, we were exceedingly rejoiced when we came to the seashore;
and we called the place Bountiful, because of its much fruit.
And it came to pass that after I, Nephi, had been in the land
of Bountiful for the space of many days, the voice of the Lord
came unto me, saying: Arise, and get thee into the mountain. And
it came to pass that I arose and went up into the mountain, and
cried unto the Lord.
And it came to pass that the Lord spake unto me, saying: Thou
shalt construct a ship, after the manner which I shall show thee,
that I may carry thy people across these waters.
And I said: Lord, whither shall I go that I may find ore to
molten, that I may make tools to construct the ship after the
manner which thou hast shown unto me?
And it came to pass that the Lord told me whither I should go
to find ore, that I might make tools.
And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did make a bellows
wherewith to blow the fire, of the skins of beasts; and after I
had made a bellows, that I might have wherewith to blow the fire,
I did smite two stones together that I might make fire.
For the Lord had not hitherto suffered that we should make
much fire, as we journeyed in the wilderness; for he said: I will
make thy food become sweet, that ye cook it not;
And I will also be your light in the wilderness; and I will
prepare the way before you, if it so be that ye shall keep my
commandments; wherefore, inasmuch as ye shall keep my
commandments ye shall be led towards the promised land; and ye
shall know that it is by me that ye are led.
Yea, and the Lord said also that: After ye have arrived in
the promised land, ye shall know that I, the Lord, am God; and
that I, the Lord, did deliver you from destruction; yea, that I
did bring you out of the land of Jerusalem.
Wherefore, I, Nephi, did strive to keep the commandments of
the Lord, and I did exhort my brethren to faithfulness and
diligence.
And it came to pass that I did make tools of the ore which I
did molten out of the rock.
And when my brethren saw that I was about to build a ship,
they began to murmur against me, saying: Our brother is a fool,
for he thinketh that he can build a ship; yea, and he also
thinketh that he can cross these great waters.
And thus my brethren did complain against me, and were
desirous that they might not labor, for they did not believe that
I could build a ship; neither would they believe that I was
instructed of the Lord.
And now it came to pass that I, Nephi, was exceedingly
sorrowful because of the hardness of their hearts; and now when
they saw that I began to be sorrowful they were glad in their
hearts, insomuch that they did rejoice over me, saying: We knew
that ye could not construct a ship, for we knew that ye were
lacking in judgment; wherefore, thou canst not accomplish so
great a work.
And thou art like unto our father, led away by the foolish
imaginations of his heart; yea, he hath led us out of the land of
Jerusalem, and we have wandered in the wilderness for these many
years; and our women have toiled, being big with child; and they
have borne children in the wilderness and suffered all things,
save it were death; and it would have been better that they had
died before they came out of Jerusalem than to have suffered
these afflictions.
Behold, these many years we have suffered in the wilderness,
which time we might have enjoyed our possessions and the land of
our inheritance; yea, and we might have been happy.
And we know that the people who were in the land of Jerusalem
were a righteous people; for they kept the statutes and judgments
of the Lord, and all his commandments, according to the law of
Moses; wherefore, we know that they are a righteous people; and
our father hath judged them, and hath led us away because we
would hearken unto his words; yea, and our brother is like unto
him. And after this manner of language did my brethren murmur
and complain against us.
And it came to pass that I, Nephi, spake unto them, saying:
Do ye believe that our fathers, who were the children of Israel,
would have been led away out of the hands of the Egyptians if
they had not hearkened unto the words of the Lord?
Yea, do ye suppose that they would have been led out of
bondage, if the Lord had not commanded Moses that he should lead
them out of bondage?
Now ye know that the children of Israel were in bondage; and
ye know that they were laden with tasks, which were grievous to
be borne; wherefore, ye know that it must needs be a good thing
for them, that they should be brought out of bondage.
Now ye know that Moses was commanded of the Lord to do that
great work; and ye know that by his word the waters of the Red
Sea were divided hither and thither, and they passed through on
dry ground.
But ye know that the Egyptians were drowned in the Red Sea,
who were the armies of Pharaoh.
And ye also know that they were fed with manna in the
wilderness.
Yea, and ye also know that Moses, by his word according to
the power of God which was in him, smote the rock, and there came
forth water, that the children of Israel might quench their
thirst.
And notwithstanding they being led, the Lord their God, their
Redeemer, going before them, leading them by day and giving light
unto them by night, and doing all things for them which were
expedient for man to receive, they hardened their hearts and
blinded their minds, and reviled against Moses and against the
true and living God.
And it came to pass that according to his word he did destroy
them; and according to his word he did lead them; and according
to his word he did do all things for them; and there was not any
thing done save it were by his word.
And after they had crossed the river Jordan he did make them
mighty unto the driving out of the children of the land, yea,
unto the scattering them to destruction.
And now, do ye suppose that the children of this land, who
were in the land of promise, who were driven out by our fathers,
do ye suppose that they were righteous? Behold, I say unto you,
Nay.
Do ye suppose that our fathers would have been more choice
than they if they had been righteous? I say unto you, Nay.
Behold, the Lord esteemeth all flesh in one; he that is
righteous is favored of God. But behold, this people had
rejected every word of God, and they were ripe in iniquity; and
the fulness of the wrath of God was upon them; and the Lord did
curse the land against them, and bless it unto our fathers; yea,
he did curse it against them unto their destruction, and he did
bless it unto our fathers unto their obtaining power over it.
Behold, the Lord hath created the earth that it should be
inhabited; and he hath created his children that they should
possess it.
And he raiseth up a righteous nation, and destroyeth the
nations of the wicked.
And he leadeth away the righteous into precious lands, and
the wicked he destroyeth, and curseth the land unto them for
their sakes.
He ruleth high in the heavens, for it is his throne, and this
earth is his footstool.
And he loveth those who will have him to be their God.
Behold, he loved our fathers, and he covenanted with them, yea,
even Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and he remembered the covenants
which he had made; wherefore, he did bring them out of the land
of Egypt.
And he did straiten them in the wilderness with his rod; for
they hardened their hearts, even as ye have; and the Lord
straitened them because of their iniquity. He sent fiery flying
serpents among them; and after they were bitten he prepared a way
that they might be healed; and the labor which they had to
perform was to look; and because of the simpleness of the way, or
the easiness of it, there were many who perished.
And they did harden their hearts from time to time, and they
did revile against Moses, and also against God; nevertheless, ye
know that they were led forth by his matchless power into the
land of promise.
And now, after all these things, the time has come that they
have become wicked, yea, nearly unto ripeness; and I know not but
they are at this day about to be destroyed; for I know that the
day must surely come that they must be destroyed, save a few
only, who shall be led away into captivity.
Wherefore, the Lord commanded my father that he should depart
into the wilderness; and the Jews also sought to take away his
life; yea, and ye also have sought to take away his life;
wherefore, ye are murderers in your hearts and ye are like unto
them.
Ye are swift to do iniquity but slow to remember the Lord
your God. Ye have seen an angel, and he spake unto you; yea, ye
have heard his voice from time to time; and he hath spoken unto
you in a still small voice, but ye were past feeling, that ye
could not feel his words; wherefore, he has spoken unto you like
unto the voice of thunder, which did cause the earth to shake as
if it were to divide asunder.
And ye also know that by the power of his almighty word he
can cause the earth that it shall pass away; yea, and ye know
that by his word he can cause the rough places to be made smooth,
and smooth places shall be broken up. O, then, why is it, that
ye can be so hard in your hearts?
Behold, my soul is rent with anguish because of you, and my
heart is pained; I fear lest ye shall be cast off forever.
Behold, I am full of the Spirit of God, insomuch that my frame
has no strength.
And now it came to pass that when I had spoken these words,
they were angry with me, and were desirous to throw me into the
depths of the sea; and as they came forth to lay their hands upon
me I spake unto them, saying: In the name of the Almighty God, I
command you that ye touch me not, for I am filled with the power
of God, even unto the consuming of my flesh; and whoso shall lay
his hands upon me shall wither even as a dried reed; and he shall
be as naught before the power of God, for God shall smite him.
And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto them that they
should murmur no more against their father; neither should they
withhold their labor from me, for God had commanded me that I
should build a ship.
And I said unto them: If God had commanded me to do all
things I could do them. If he should command me that I should
say unto this water, be thou earth, it should be earth; and if I
should say it, it would be done.
And now, if the Lord has such great power, and has wrought so
many miracles among the children of men, how is it that he cannot
instruct me, that I should build a ship?
And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said many things unto my
brethren, insomuch that they were confounded and could not
contend against me; neither durst they lay their hands upon me
nor touch me with their fingers, even for the space of many days.
Now they durst not do this lest they should wither before me, so
powerful was the Spirit of God; and thus it had wrought upon
them.
And it came to pass that the Lord said unto me: Stretch forth
thine hand again unto thy brethren, and they shall not wither
before thee, but I will shock them, saith the Lord, and this will
I do, that they may know that I am the Lord their God.
And it came to pass that I stretched forth my hand unto my
brethren, and they did not wither before me; but the Lord did
shake them, even according to the word which he had spoken.
And now, they said: We know of a surety that the Lord is with
thee, for we know that it is the power of the Lord that has
shaken us. And they fell down before me, and were about to
worship me, but I would not suffer them, saying: I am thy
brother, yea, even thy younger brother; wherefore, worship the
Lord thy God, and honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days
may be long in the land which the Lord thy God shall give thee.
And it came to pass that they did worship the Lord, and did go
forth with me; and we did work timbers of curious workmanship.
And the Lord did show me from time to time after what manner I
should work the timbers of the ship.
Now I, Nephi, did not work the timbers after the manner which
was learned by men, neither did I build the ship after the manner
of men; but I did build it after the manner which the Lord had
shown unto me; wherefore, it was not after the manner of men.
And I, Nephi, did go into the mount oft, and I did pray oft
unto the Lord; wherefore the Lord showed unto me great things.
And it came to pass that after I had finished the ship,
according to the word of the Lord, my brethren beheld that it was
good, and that the workmanship thereof was exceedingly fine;
wherefore, they did humble themselves again before the Lord.
And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord came unto my
father, that we should arise and go down into the ship.
And it came to pass that on the morrow, after we had prepared
all things, much fruits and meat from the wilderness, and honey
in abundance, and provisions according to that which the Lord had
commanded us, we did go down into the ship, with all our loading
and our seeds, and whatsoever thing we had brought with us, every
one according to his age; wherefore, we did all go down into the
ship, with our wives and our children.
And now, my father had begat two sons in the wilderness; the
elder was called Jacob and the younger Joseph.
And it came to pass after we had all gone down into the ship,
and had taken with us our provisions and things which had been
commanded us, we did put forth into the sea and were driven forth
before the wind towards the promised land.
And after we had been driven forth before the wind for the
space of many days, behold, my brethren and the sons of Ishmael
and also their wives began to make themselves merry, insomuch
that they began to dance, and to sing, and to speak with much
rudeness, yea, even that they did forget by what power they had
been brought thither; yea, they were lifted up unto exceeding
rudeness.
And I, Nephi, began to fear exceedingly lest the Lord should
be angry with us, and smite us because of our iniquity, that we
should be swallowed up in the depths of the sea; wherefore, I,
Nephi, began to speak to them with much soberness; but behold
they were angry with me, saying: We will not that our younger
brother shall be a ruler over us.
And it came to pass that Laman and Lemuel did take me and
bind me with cords, and they did treat me with much harshness;
nevertheless, the Lord did suffer it that he might show forth his
power, unto the fulfilling of his word which he had spoken
concerning the wicked.
And it came to pass that after they had bound me insomuch
that I could not move, the compass, which had been prepared of
the Lord, did cease to work.
Wherefore, they knew not whither they should steer the ship,
insomuch that there arose a great storm, yea, a great and
terrible tempest, and we were driven back upon the waters for the
space of three days; and they began to be frightened exceedingly
lest they should be drowned in the sea; nevertheless they did not
loose me.
And on the fourth day, which we had been driven back, the
tempest began to be exceedingly sore.
And it came to pass that we were about to be swallowed up in
the depths of the sea. And after we had been driven back upon
the waters for the space of four days, my brethren began to see
that the judgments of God were upon them, and that they must
perish save that they should repent of their iniquities;
wherefore, they came unto me, and loosed the bands which were
upon my wrist, and behold they had swollen exceedingly; and also
mine ankles were much swollen, and great was the soreness
thereof.
Nevertheless, I did look unto my God, and I did praise him
all the day long; and I did not murmur against the Lord because
of mine afflictions.
Now my father, Lehi, had said many things unto them, and also
unto the sons of Ishmael; but, behold, they did breathe out much
threatenings against anyone that should speak for me; and my
parents being stricken in years, and having suffered much grief
because of their children, they were brought down, yea, even upon
their sick-beds.
Because of their grief and much sorrow, and the iniquity of
my brethren, they were brought near even to be carried out of
this time to meet their God; yea, their grey hairs were about to
be brought down to lie low in the dust; yea, even they were near
to be cast with sorrow into a watery grave.
And Jacob and Joseph also, being young, having need of much
nourishment, were grieved because of the afflictions of their
mother; and also my wife with her tears and prayers, and also my
children, did not soften the hearts of my brethren that they
would loose me.
And there was nothing save it were the power of God, which
threatened them with destruction, could soften their hearts;
wherefore, when they saw that they were about to be swallowed up
in the depths of the sea they repented of the thing which they
had done, insomuch that they loosed me.
And it came to pass after they had loosed me, behold, I took
the compass, and it did work whither I desired it. And it came
to pass that I prayed unto the Lord; and after I had prayed the
winds did cease, and the storm did cease, and there was a great
calm.
And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did guide the ship, that
we sailed again towards the promised land.
And it came to pass that after we had sailed for the space of
many days we did arrive at the promised land; and we went forth
upon the land, and did pitch our tents; and we did call it the
promised land.
And it came to pass that we did begin to till the earth, and
we began to plant seeds; yea, we did put all our seeds into the
earth, which we had brought from the land of Jerusalem. And it
came to pass that they did grow exceedingly; wherefore, we were
blessed in abundance.
And it came to pass that we did find upon the land of
promise, as we journeyed in the wilderness, that there were
beasts in the forests of every kind, both the cow and the ox, and
the ass and the horse, and the goat and the wild goat, and all
manner of wild animals, which were for the use of men. And we
did find all manner of ore, both of gold, and of silver, and of
copper.
And it came to pass that the Lord commanded me, wherefore I
did make plates of ore that I might engraven upon them the record
of my people. And upon the plates which I made I did engraven
the record of my father, and also our journeyings in the
wilderness, and the prophecies of my father; and also many of
mine own prophecies have I engraven upon them.
And I knew not at the time when I made them that I should be
commanded of the Lord to make these plates; wherefore, the record
of my father, and the genealogy of his fathers, and the more part
of all our proceedings in the wilderness are engraven upon those
first plates of which I have spoken; wherefore, the things which
transpired before I made these plates are, of a truth, more
particularly made mention upon the first plates.
And after I had made these plates by way of commandment, I,
Nephi, received a commandment that the ministry and the
prophecies, the more plain and precious parts of them, should be
written upon these plates; and that the things which were written
should be kept for the instruction of my people, who should
possess the land, and also for other wise purposes, which
purposes are known unto the Lord.
Wherefore, I, Nephi, did make a record upon the other plates,
which gives an account, or which gives a greater account of the
wars and contentions and destructions of my people. And this
have I done, and commanded my people what they should do after I
was gone; and that these plates should be handed down from one
generation to another, or from one prophet to another, until
further commandments of the Lord.
And an account of my making these plates shall be given
hereafter; and then, behold, I proceed according to that which I
have spoken; and this I do that the more sacred things may be
kept for the knowledge of my people.
Nevertheless, I do not write anything upon plates save it be
that I think it be sacred. And now, if I do err, even did they
err of old; not that I would excuse myself because of other men,
but because of the weakness which is in me, according to the
flesh, I would excuse myself.
For the things which some men esteem to be of great worth,
both to the body and soul, others set at naught and trample under
their feet. Yea, even the very God of Israel do men trample
under their feet; I say, trample under their feet but I would
speak in other words--they set him at naught, and hearken not to
the voice of his counsels.
And behold he cometh, according to the words of the angel, in
six hundred years from the time my father left Jerusalem.
And the world, because of their iniquity, shall judge him to
be a thing of naught; wherefore they scourge him, and he
suffereth it; and they smite him, and he suffereth it. Yea, they
spit upon him, and he suffereth it, because of his loving
kindness and his long-suffering towards the children of men.
And the God of our fathers, who were led out of Egypt, out of
bondage, and also were preserved in the wilderness by him, yea,
the God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, yieldeth
himself, according to the words of the angel, as a man, into the
hands of wicked men, to be lifted up, according to the words of
Zenock, and to be crucified, according to the words of Neum, and
to be buried in a sepulchre, according to the words of Zenos,
which he spake concerning the three days of darkness, which
should be a sign given of his death unto those who should inhabit
the isles of the sea, more especially given unto those who are of
the house of Israel.
For thus spake the prophet: The Lord God surely shall visit
all the house of Israel at that day, some with his voice, because
of their righteousness, unto their great joy and salvation, and
others with the thunderings and the lightnings of his power, by
tempest, by fire, and by smoke, and vapor of darkness, and by the
opening of the earth, and by mountains which shall be carried up.
And all these things must surely come, saith the prophet
Zenos. And the rocks of the earth must rend; and because of the
groanings of the earth, many of the kings of the isles of the sea
shall be wrought upon by the Spirit of God, to exclaim: The God
of nature suffers.
And as for those who are at Jerusalem, saith the prophet,
they shall be scourged by all people, because they crucify the
God of Israel, and turn their hearts aside, rejecting signs and
wonders, and the power and glory of the God of Israel.
And because they turn their hearts aside, saith the prophet,
and have despised the Holy One of Israel, they shall wander in
the flesh, and perish, and become a hiss and a byword, and be
hated among all nations.
Nevertheless, when that day cometh, saith the prophet, that
they no more turn aside their hearts against the Holy One of
Israel, then will he remember the covenants which he made to
their fathers.
Yea, then will he remember the isles of the sea; yea, and all
the people who are of the house of Israel, will I gather in,
saith the Lord, according to the words of the prophet Zenos, from
the four quarters of the earth.
Yea, and all the earth shall see the salvation of the Lord,
saith the prophet; every nation, kindred, tongue and people shall
be blessed.
And I, Nephi, have written these things unto my people, that
perhaps I might persuade them that they would remember the Lord
their Redeemer.
Wherefore, I speak unto all the house of Israel, if it so be
that they should obtain these things.
For behold, I have workings in the spirit, which doth weary
me even that all my joints are weak, for those who are at
Jerusalem; for had not the Lord been merciful, to show unto me
concerning them, even as he had prophets of old, I should have
perished also.
And he surely did show unto the prophets of old all things
concerning them; and also he did show unto many concerning us;
wherefore, it must needs be that we know concerning them for they
are written upon the plates of brass.
Now it came to pass that I, Nephi, did teach my brethren
these things; and it came to pass that I did read many things to
them, which were engraven upon the plates of brass, that they
might know concerning the doings of the Lord in other lands,
among people of old.
And I did read many things unto them which were written in
the books of Moses; but that I might more fully persuade them to
believe in the Lord their Redeemer I did read unto them that
which was written by the prophet Isaiah; for I did liken all
scriptures unto us, that it might be for our profit and learning.
Wherefore I spake unto them, saying: Hear ye the words of the
prophet, ye who are a remnant of the house of Israel, a branch
who have been broken off; hear ye the words of the prophet, which
were written unto all the house of Israel, and liken them unto
yourselves, that ye may have hope as well as your brethren from
whom ye have been broken off; for after this manner has the
prophet written.
Hearken and hear this, O house of Jacob, who are called by the
name of Israel, and are come forth out of the waters of Judah, or
out of the waters of baptism, who swear by the name of the Lord,
and make mention of the God of Israel, yet they swear not in
truth nor in righteousness.
Nevertheless, they call themselves of the holy city, but they
do not stay themselves upon the God of Israel, who is the Lord of
Hosts; yea, the Lord of Hosts is his name.
Behold, I have declared the former things from the beginning;
and they went forth out of my mouth, and I showed them. I did
show them suddenly.
And I did it because I knew that thou art obstinate, and thy
neck is an iron sinew, and thy brow brass;
And I have even from the beginning declared to thee; before it
came to pass I showed them thee; and I showed them for fear lest
thou shouldst say--mine idol hath done them, and my graven image,
and my molten image hath commanded them.
Thou hast seen and heard all this; and will ye not declare
them? And that I have showed thee new things from this time,
even hidden things, and thou didst not know them.
They are created now, and not from the beginning, even before
the day when thou heardest them not they were declared unto thee,
lest thou shouldst say--Behold I knew them.
Yea, and thou heardest not; yea, thou knewest not; yea, from
that time thine ear was not opened; for I knew that thou wouldst
deal very treacherously, and wast called a transgressor from the
womb.
Nevertheless, for my name's sake will I defer mine anger, and
for my praise will I refrain from thee, that I cut thee not off.
For, behold, I have refined thee, I have chosen thee in the
furnace of affliction.
For mine own sake, yea, for mine own sake will I do this, for
I will not suffer my name to be polluted, and I will not give my
glory unto another.
Hearken unto me, O Jacob, and Israel my called, for I am he;
I am the first, and I am also the last.
Mine hand hath also laid the foundation of the earth, and my
right hand hath spanned the heavens. I call unto them and they
stand up together.
All ye, assemble yourselves, and hear; who among them hath
declared these things unto them? The Lord hath loved him; yea,
and he will fulfill his word which he hath declared by them; and
he will do his pleasure on Babylon, and his arm shall come upon
the Chaldeans.
Also, saith the Lord; I the Lord, yea, I have spoken; yea, I
have called him to declare, I have brought him, and he shall make
his way prosperous.
Come ye near unto me; I have not spoken in secret; from the
beginning, from the time that it was declared have I spoken; and
the Lord God, and his Spirit, hath sent me.
And thus saith the Lord, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of
Israel; I have sent him, the Lord thy God who teacheth thee to
profit, who leadeth thee by the way thou shouldst go, hath done
it.
O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments--then had thy
peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the
sea.
Thy seed also had been as the sand; the offspring of thy
bowels like the gravel thereof; his name should not have been cut
off nor destroyed from before me.
Go ye forth of Babylon, flee ye from the Chaldeans, with a
voice of singing declare ye, tell this, utter to the end of the
earth; say ye: The Lord hath redeemed his servant Jacob.
And they thirsted not; he led them through the deserts; he
caused the waters to flow out of the rock for them; he clave the
rock also and the waters gushed out.
And notwithstanding he hath done all this, and greater also,
there is no peace, saith the Lord, unto the wicked.
And again: Hearken, O ye house of Israel, all ye that are
broken off and are driven out because of the wickedness of the
pastors of my people; yea, all ye that are broken off, that are
scattered abroad, who are of my people, O house of Israel.
Listen, O isles, unto me, and hearken ye people from far; the
Lord hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother
hath he made mention of my name.
And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of
his hand hath he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in his
quiver hath he hid me;
And said unto me: Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I
will be glorified.
Then I said, I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength
for naught and in vain; surely my judgment is with the Lord, and
my work with my God.
And now, saith the Lord--that formed me from the womb that I
should be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him--though Israel
be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the Lord,
and my God shall be my strength.
And he said: It is a light thing that thou shouldst be my
servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the
preserved of Israel. I will also give thee for a light to the
Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the ends of the
earth.
Thus saith the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel, his Holy One, to
him whom man despiseth, to him whom the nation abhorreth, to
servant of rulers: Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall
worship, because of the Lord that is faithful.
Thus saith the Lord: In an acceptable time have I heard thee,
O isles of the sea, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee;
and I will preserve thee, and give thee my servant for a covenant
of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the
desolate heritages;
That thou mayest say to the prisoners: Go forth; to them that
sit in darkness: Show yourselves. They shall feed in the ways,
and their pastures shall be in all high places.
They shall not hunger nor thirst, neither shall the heat nor
the sun smite them; for he that hath mercy on them shall lead
them, even by the springs of water shall he guide them.
And I will make all my mountains a way, and my highways shall
be exalted.
And then, O house of Israel, behold, these shall come from
far; and lo, these from the north and from the west; and these
from the land of Sinim.
Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; for the feet of
those who are in the east shall be established; and break forth
into singing, O mountains; for they shall be smitten no more; for
the Lord hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his
afflicted.
But, behold, Zion hath said: The Lord hath forsaken me, and
my Lord hath forgotten me--but he will show that he hath not.
For can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not
have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget,
yet will I not forget thee, O house of Israel.
Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy
walls are continually before me.
Thy children shall make haste against thy destroyers; and
they that made thee waste shall go forth of thee.
Lift up thine eyes round about and behold; all these gather
themselves together, and they shall come to thee. And as I live,
saith the Lord, thou shalt surely clothe thee with them all, as
with an ornament, and bind them on even as a bride.
For thy waste and thy desolate places, and the land of thy
destruction, shall even now be too narrow by reason of the
inhabitants; and they that swallowed thee up shall be far away.
The children whom thou shalt have, after thou hast lost the
first, shall again in thine ears say: The place is too strait for
me; give place to me that I may dwell.
Then shalt thou say in thine heart: Who hath begotten me
these, seeing I have lost my children, and am desolate, a
captive, and removing to and fro? And who hath brought up these?
Behold, I was left alone; these, where have they been?
Thus saith the Lord God: Behold, I will lift up mine hand to
the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people; and they
shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be
carried upon their shoulders.
And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy
nursing mothers; they shall bow down to thee with their face
towards the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet; and thou
shalt know that I am the Lord; for they shall not be ashamed that
wait for me.
For shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful
captives delivered?
But thus saith the Lord, even the captives of the mighty
shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be
delivered; for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee,
and I will save thy children.
And I will feed them that oppress thee with their own flesh;
they shall be drunken with their own blood as with sweet wine;
and all flesh shall know that I, the Lord, am thy Savior and thy
Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.
And now it came to pass that after I, Nephi, had read these
things which were engraven upon the plates of brass, my brethren
came unto me and said unto me: What meaneth these things which ye
have read? Behold, are they to be understood according to things
which are spiritual, which shall come to pass according to the
spirit and not the flesh?
And I, Nephi, said unto them: Behold they were manifest unto
the prophet by the voice of the Spirit; for by the Spirit are all
things made known unto the prophets, which shall come upon the
children of men according to the flesh.
Wherefore, the things of which I have read are things
pertaining to things both temporal and spiritual; for it appears
that the house of Israel, sooner or later, will be scattered upon
all the face of the earth, and also among all nations.
And behold, there are many who are already lost from the
knowledge of those who are at Jerusalem. Yea, the more part of
all the tribes have been led away; and they are scattered to and
fro upon the isles of the sea; and whither they are none of us
knoweth, save that we know that they have been led away.
And since they have been led away, these things have been
prophesied concerning them, and also concerning all those who
shall hereafter be scattered and be confounded, because of the
Holy One of Israel; for against him will they harden their
hearts; wherefore, they shall be scattered among all nations and
shall be hated of all men.
Nevertheless, after they shall be nursed by the Gentiles, and
the Lord has lifted up his hand upon the Gentiles and set them up
for a standard, and their children have been carried in their
arms, and their daughters have been carried upon their shoulders,
behold these things of which are spoken are temporal; for thus
are the covenants of the Lord with our fathers; and it meaneth us
in the days to come, and also all our brethren who are of the
house of Israel.
And it meaneth that the time cometh that after all the house
of Israel have been scattered and confounded, that the Lord God
will raise up a mighty nation among the Gentiles, yea, even upon
the face of this land; and by them shall our seed be scattered.
And after our seed is scattered the Lord God will proceed to
do a marvelous work among the Gentiles, which shall be of great
worth unto our seed; wherefore, it is likened unto their being
nourished by the Gentiles and being carried in their arms and
upon their shoulders.
And it shall also be of worth unto the Gentiles; and not only
unto the Gentiles but unto all the house of Israel, unto the
making known of the covenants of the Father of heaven unto
Abraham, saying: In thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth
be blessed.
And I would, my brethren, that ye should know that all the
kindreds of the earth cannot be blessed unless he shall make bare
his arm in the eyes of the nations.
Wherefore, the Lord God will proceed to make bare his arm in
the eyes of all the nations, in bringing about his covenants and
his gospel unto those who are of the house of Israel.
Wherefore, he will bring them again out of captivity, and
they shall be gathered together to the lands of their
inheritance; and they shall be brought out of obscurity and out
of darkness; and they shall know that the Lord is their Savior
and their Redeemer, the Mighty One of Israel.
And the blood of that great and abominable church, which is
the whore of all the earth, shall turn upon their own heads; for
they shall war among themselves, and the sword of their own hands
shall fall upon their own heads, and they shall be drunken with
their own blood.
And every nation which shall war against thee, O house of
Israel, shall be turned one against another, and they shall fall
into the pit which they digged to ensnare the people of the Lord.
And all that fight against Zion shall be destroyed, and that
great whore, who hath perverted the right ways of the Lord, yea,
that great and abominable church, shall tumble to the dust and
great shall be the fall of it.
For behold, saith the prophet, the time cometh speedily that
Satan shall have no more power over the hearts of the children of
men; for the day soon cometh that all the proud and they who do
wickedly shall be as stubble; and the day cometh that they must
be burned.
For the time soon cometh that the fulness of the wrath of God
shall be poured out upon all the children of men; for he will not
suffer that the wicked shall destroy the righteous.
Wherefore, he will preserve the righteous by his power, even
if it so be that the fulness of his wrath must come, and the
righteous be preserved, even unto the destruction of their
enemies by fire. Wherefore, the righteous need not fear; for
thus saith the prophet, they shall be saved, even if it so be as
by fire.
Behold, my brethren, I say unto you, that these things must
shortly come; yea, even blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke must
come; and it must needs be upon the face of this earth; and it
cometh unto men according to the flesh if it so be that they will
harden their hearts against the Holy One of Israel.
For behold, the righteous shall not perish; for the time
surely must come that all they who fight against Zion shall be
cut off.
And the Lord will surely prepare a way for his people, unto
the fulfilling of the words of Moses, which he spake, saying: A
prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you, like unto me;
him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you.
And it shall come to pass that all those who will not hear that
prophet shall be cut off from among the people.
And now I, Nephi, declare unto you, that this prophet of whom
Moses spake was the Holy One of Israel; wherefore, he shall
execute judgment in righteousness.
And the righteous need not fear, for they are those who shall
not be confounded. But it is the kingdom of the devil, which
shall be built up among the children of men, which kingdom is
established among them which are in the flesh--
For the time speedily shall come that all churches which are
built up to get gain, and all those who are built up to get power
over the flesh, and those who are built up to become popular in
the eyes of the world, and those who seek the lusts of the flesh
and the things of the world, and to do all manner of iniquity;
yea, in fine, all those who belong to the kingdom of the devil
are they who need fear, and tremble, and quake; they are those
who must be brought low in the dust; they are those who must be
consumed as stubble; and this is according to the words of the
prophet.
And the time cometh speedily that the righteous must be led
up as calves of the stall, and the Holy One of Israel must reign
in dominion, and might, and power, and great glory.
And he gathereth his children from the four quarters of the
earth; and he numbereth his sheep, and they know him; and there
shall be one fold and one shepherd; and he shall feed his sheep,
and in him they shall find pasture.
And because of the righteousness of his people, Satan has no
power; wherefore, he cannot be loosed for the space of many
years; for he hath no power over the hearts of the people, for
they dwell in righteousness, and the Holy One of Israel reigneth.
And now behold, I, Nephi, say unto you that all these things
must come according to the flesh.
But, behold, all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people shall
dwell safely in the Holy One of Israel if it so be that they will
repent.
And now I, Nephi, make an end; for I durst not speak further
as yet concerning these things.
Wherefore, my brethren, I would that ye should consider that
the things which have been written upon the plates of brass are
true; and they testify that a man must be obedient to the
commandments of God.
Wherefore, ye need not suppose that I and my father are the
only ones that have testified, and also taught them. Wherefore,
if ye shall be obedient to the commandments, and endure to the
end, ye shall be saved at the last day. And thus it is. Amen.