2:1 And it came to pass that thus passed away the
ninety and fifth year also, and the people began to
forget those signs and wonders which they had heard, and
began to be less and less astonished at a sign or a
wonder from heaven, insomuch that they began to be hard
in their hearts, and blind in their minds, and began to
disbelieve all which they had heard and seen-- |
|
2:2 Imagining up some vain thing in their hearts,
that it was wrought by men and by the power of the devil, to lead away and deceive the hearts of the
people; and thus did Satan get possession
of the hearts of the people again, insomuch that he did
blind their eyes and lead them away to believe that the
doctrine of Christ was a foolish and a vain thing. |
|
2:3 And it came to pass that the people began to
wax strong in wickedness and abominations; and they did
not believe that there should be any more signs or
wonders given; and Satan did go about,
leading away the hearts of the people, tempting them and
causing them that they should do great wickedness in the
land. |
|
2:4 And thus did pass away the ninety and sixth
year; and also the ninety and seventh year; and also the
ninety and eighth year; and also the ninety and ninth
year; |
|
2:5 And also an hundred years had passed away since
the days of Mosiah, who was king over the people of the
Nephites. |
|
2:6 And six hundred and nine years had passed away
since Lehi left Jerusalem. |
|
2:7 And nine years had passed away from the time
when the sign was given, which was spoken of by the
prophets, that Christ should come
into the world. |
|
2:8 Now the Nephites began to reckon their time
from this period when the sign was given, or from the
coming of Christ; therefore, nine years had passed away. |
|
2:9 And Nephi, who was the father of Nephi, who had
the charge of the records, did not return to the land of
Zarahemla, and could nowhere be found in all the land. |
|
2:10 And it came to pass that the people did still
remain in wickedness, notwithstanding the much preaching
and prophesying which was sent among them; and thus
passed away the tenth year also; and the eleventh year
also passed away in iniquity. |
|
2:11 And it came to pass in the thirteenth year
there began to be wars and contentions throughout all the
land; for the Gadianton robbers had become so numerous,
and did slay so many of the people, and did lay waste so
many cities, and did spread so much death and carnage
throughout the land, that it became expedient that all
the people, both the Nephites and the Lamanites, should
take up arms against them. |
|
2:12 Therefore, all the Lamanites who had become
converted unto the Lord did unite with their brethren,
the Nephites, and were compelled, for the safety of their
lives and their women and their children, to take up arms
against those Gadianton robbers, yea, and also to
maintain their rights, and the privileges of their church and of their worship, and their freedom and
their liberty. |
|
2:13 And it came to pass that before this thirteenth
year had passed away the Nephites were threatened with
utter destruction because of this war, which had become
exceedingly sore. |
|
2:14 And it came to pass that those Lamanites who
had united with the Nephites were numbered among the
Nephites; |
|
2:15 And their curse was taken from them, and their
skin became white like unto the Nephites; |
|
2:16 And their young men and their daughters became
exceedingly fair, and they were numbered among the
Nephites, and were called Nephites. And thus ended the
thirteenth year. |
|
2:17 And it came to pass in the commencement of the
fourteenth year, the war between the robbers and the
people of Nephi did continue and did become exceedingly
sore; nevertheless, the people of Nephi did gain some
advantage of the robbers, insomuch that they did drive
them back out of their lands into the mountains and into
their secret places. |
|
2:18 And thus ended the fourteenth year. And in the
fifteenth year they did come forth against the people of
Nephi; and because of the wickedness of the people of
Nephi, and their many contentions and dissensions, the
Gadianton robbers did gain many advantages over them. |
|
2:19 And thus ended the fifteenth year, and thus
were the people in a state of many afflictions; and the
sword of destruction did hang over them, insomuch that
they were about to be smitten down by it, and this
because of their iniquity. |
|