3:1 And now it came to pass in the forty and third
year of the reign of the judges, there was no contention
among the people of Nephi save it were a little pride
which was in the church, which did
cause some little dissensions among the people, which
affairs were settled in the ending of the forty and third
year. |
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3:2 And there was no contention among the people in
the forty and fourth year; neither was there much
contention in the forty and fifth year. |
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3:3 And it came to pass in the forty and sixth,
yea, there was much contention and many dissensions; in
the which there were an exceedingly great many who
departed out of the land of Zarahemla, and went forth
unto the land northward to inherit the land. |
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3:4 And they did travel to an exceedingly great
distance, insomuch that they came to large bodies of
water and many rivers. |
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3:5 Yea, and even they did spread forth into all
parts of the land, into whatever parts it had not been
rendered desolate and without timber, because of the many
inhabitants who had before inherited the land. |
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3:6 And now no part of the land was desolate, save
it were for timber; but because of the greatness of the
destruction of the people who had before inhabited the
land it was called desolate. |
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3:7 And there being but little timber upon the face
of the land, nevertheless the people who went forth
became exceedingly expert in the working of cement;
therefore they did build houses of cement, in the which
they did dwell. |
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3:8 And it came to pass that they did multiply and
spread, and did go forth from the land southward to the
land northward, and did spread insomuch that they began
to cover the face of the whole earth, from the sea south
to the sea north, from the sea west to the sea east. |
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3:9 And the people who were in the land northward
did dwell in tents, and in houses of cement, and they did
suffer whatsoever tree should spring up upon the face of
the land that it should grow up, that in time they might
have timber to build their houses, yea, their cities, and
their temples, and their synagogues, and their
sanctuaries, and all manner of their buildings. |
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3:10 And it came to pass as timber was exceedingly
scarce in the land northward, they did send forth much by
the way of shipping. |
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3:11 And thus they did enable the people in the land
northward that they might build many cities, both of wood
and of cement. |
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3:12 And it came to pass that there were many of the
people of Ammon, who were Lamanites by birth, did also go
forth into this land. |
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3:13 And now there are many records kept of the
proceedings of this people, by many of this people, which
are particular and very large, concerning them. |
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3:14 But behold, a hundredth part of the proceedings
of this people, yea, the account of the Lamanites and of
the Nephites, and their wars, and contentions, and
dissensions, and their preaching, and their prophecies,
and their shipping and their building of ships, and their
building of temples, and of synagogues and their
sanctuaries, and their righteousness, and their
wickedness, and their murders, and their robbings, and
their plundering, and all manner of abominations and
whoredoms, cannot be contained in this work. |
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3:15 But behold, there are many books and many
records of every kind, and they have been kept chiefly by
the Nephites. |
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3:16 And they have been handed down from one
generation to another by the Nephites, even until they
have fallen into transgression and have been murdered,
plundered, and hunted, and driven forth, and slain, and
scattered upon the face of the earth, and mixed with the
Lamanites until they are no more called the Nephites,
becoming wicked, and wild, and ferocious, yea, even
becoming Lamanites. |
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3:17 And now I return again to mine account;
therefore, what I have spoken had passed after there had
been great contentions, and disturbances, and wars, and
dissensions, among the people of Nephi. |
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3:18 The forty and sixth year of the reign of the
judges ended; |
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3:19 And it came to pass that there was still great
contention in the land, yea, even in the forty and
seventh year, and also in the forty and eighth year. |
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3:20 Nevertheless Helaman did fill the judgment-seat
with justice and equity; yea, he did observe to keep the
statutes, and the judgments, and the commandments of God;
and he did do that which was right in the sight of God
continually; and he did walk after the ways of his
father, insomuch that he did prosper in the land. |
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3:21 And it came to pass that he had two sons. He
gave unto the eldest the name of Nephi, and unto the
youngest, the name of Lehi. And they began to grow up
unto the Lord. |
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3:22 And it came to pass that the wars and
contentions began to cease, in a small degree, among the
people of the Nephites, in the latter end of the forty
and eighth year of the reign of the judges over the
people of Nephi. |
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3:23 And it came to pass in the forty and ninth year
of the reign of the judges, there was continual peace
established in the land, all save it were the secret
combinations which Gadianton the robber had established
in the more settled parts of the land, which at that time
were not known unto those who were at the head of
government; therefore they were not destroyed out of the
land. |
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3:24 And it came to pass that in this same year
there was exceedingly great prosperity in the church, insomuch that there were thousands who did
join themselves unto the church and were baptized unto repentance. |
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3:25 And so great was the prosperity of the church, and so many the blessings which were poured
out upon the people, that even the high priests and the
teachers were themselves astonished beyond measure. |
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3:26 And it came to pass that the work of the Lord
did prosper unto the baptizing and uniting to the church of God, many souls, yea, even tens of
thousands. |
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3:27 Thus we may see that the Lord is merciful unto
all who will, in the sincerity of their hearts, call upon
his holy name. |
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3:28 Yea, thus we see that the gate of heaven is
open unto all, even to those who will believe on the name
of Jesus Christ, who is the Son of God. |
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3:29 Yea, we see that whosoever will may lay hold
upon the 1word of God, which is quick and powerful, which
shall divide asunder all the cunning and the snares and
the wiles of the devil, and lead the
man of Christ in a strait and narrow course across that
everlasting gulf of misery which is prepared to engulf
the wicked-- |
[1] Hebrews 4:12: For the word of God is
quick, and powerful...piercing even to the dividing
asunder of soul and spirit... |
3:30 And land their souls, yea, their immortal
souls, at the right hand of God in the 1kingdom
of heaven, to sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and with
Jacob, and with all our holy fathers, to go no more out. |
[1] Matthew 8:11: ...many shall...sit down with
Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. |
3:31 And in this year there was continual rejoicing
in the land of Zarahemla, and in all the regions round
about, even in all the land which was possessed by the
Nephites. |
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3:32 And it came to pass that there was peace and
exceedingly great joy in the remainder of the forty and
ninth year; yea, and also there was continual peace and
great joy in the fiftieth year of the reign of the
judges. |
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3:33 And in the fifty and first year of the reign of
the judges there was peace also, save it were the pride
which began to enter into the church--not into the church of God, but into the
hearts of the people who professed to belong to the
church of God-- |
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3:34 And they were lifted up in pride, even to the
persecution of many of their brethren. Now this was a
great evil, which did cause the more humble part of the
people to suffer great persecutions, and to wade through
much affliction. |
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3:35 Nevertheless they did fast and pray oft, and
did wax stronger and stronger in their humility, and
firmer and firmer in the faith of Christ, unto the filling their souls with joy and
consolation, yea, even to the purifying and the
sanctification of their hearts, which sanctification
cometh because of their yielding their hearts unto God. |
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3:36 And it came to pass that the fifty and second
year ended in peace also, save it were the exceedingly
great pride which had gotten into the hearts of the
people; and it was because of their exceedingly great
riches and their prosperity in the land; and it did grow
upon them from day to day. |
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3:37 And it came to pass in the fifty and third year
of the reign of the judges, Helaman died, and his eldest
son Nephi began to reign in his stead. And it came to
pass that he did fill the judgment-seat with justice and
equity; yea, he did keep the commandments of God, and did
walk in the ways of his father. |
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