4:1 And now, I, Nephi, speak concerning the
prophecies of which my father hath spoken, concerning
Joseph, who was carried into Egypt. |
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4:2 For behold, he truly prophesied concerning all
his seed. And the prophecies which he wrote, there are
not many greater. And he prophesied concerning us, and
our future generations; and they are written upon the
plates of brass. |
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4:3 Wherefore, after my father had made an end of
speaking concerning the prophecies of Joseph, he called
the children of Laman, his sons, and his daughters, and
said unto them: Behold, my sons, and my daughters, who
are the sons and the daughters of my first-born, I would
that ye should give ear unto my words. |
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4:4 For the Lord God hath said that: Inasmuch as ye
shall keep my commandments ye shall prosper in the land;
and inasmuch as ye will not keep my commandments ye shall
be cut off from my presence. |
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4:5 But behold, my sons and my daughters, I cannot
go down to my grave save I should leave a blessing upon
you; for behold, I know that if ye are 1brought up in the way ye should go ye will not
depart from it. |
[1] Proverbs 22:6: Train up
a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he
will not depart from it. |
4:6 Wherefore, if ye are cursed, behold, I leave my
blessing upon you, that the cursing may be taken from you
and be answered upon the heads of your parents. |
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4:7 Wherefore, because of my blessing the Lord God
will not suffer that ye shall perish; wherefore, he will
be merciful unto you and unto your seed forever. |
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4:8 And it came to pass that after my father had
made an end of speaking to the sons and daughters of
Laman, he caused the sons and daughters of Lemuel to be
brought before him. |
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4:9 And he spake unto them, saying: Behold, my sons
and my daughters, who are the sons and the daughters of
my second son; behold I leave unto you the same blessing
which I left unto the sons and daughters of Laman;
wherefore, thou shalt not utterly be destroyed; but in
the end thy seed shall be blessed. |
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4:10 And it came to pass that when my father had
made an end of speaking unto them, behold, he spake unto
the sons of Ishmael, yea, and even all his household. |
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4:11 And after he had made an end of speaking unto
them, he spake unto Sam, saying: Blessed art thou, and
thy seed; for thou shalt inherit the land like unto thy
brother Nephi. And thy seed shall be numbered with his
seed; and thou shalt be even like unto thy brother, and
thy seed like unto his seed; and thou shalt be blessed in
all thy days. |
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4:12 And it came to pass after my father, Lehi, had
spoken unto all his household, according to the feelings
of his heart and the Spirit of the Lord which was in him,
he waxed old. And it came to pass that he died, and was
buried. |
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4:13 And it came to pass that not many days after
his death, Laman and Lemuel and the sons of Ishmael were
angry with me because of the admonitions of the Lord. |
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4:14 For I, Nephi, was constrained to speak unto
them, according to his word; for I had spoken many things
unto them, and also my father, before his death; many of
which sayings are written upon mine other plates; for a
more history part are written upon mine other plates. |
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4:15 And upon these I write the things of my soul,
and many of the scriptures which are engraven upon the
plates of brass. For my soul delighteth in the
scriptures, and my heart pondereth them, and writeth them
for the learning and the profit of my children. |
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4:16 Behold, my soul delighteth in the things of the
Lord; and my heart pondereth continually upon the things
which I have seen and heard. |
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4:17 Nevertheless, notwithstanding the great
goodness of the Lord, in showing me his great and
marvelous works, my heart exclaimeth: 1O
wretched man that I am! Yea, my heart sorroweth because
of my flesh; my soul grieveth because of mine iniquities.
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[1] Romans 7:24: O wretched man that I am! |
4:18 I am 1encompassed about, because of the temptations
and the sins which do so easily beset me. |
[1] Hebrews 12:1 ...seeing we also are compassed
about... let us lay aside...the sin which doth so easily
beset us... |
4:19 And when I desire to rejoice, my heart groaneth
because of my sins; nevertheless, 1I know in whom I have trusted. |
[1] II Timothy 1:12: ...for I know whom I have
believed... |
4:20 My God hath been my support; he hath led me
through mine afflictions in the wilderness; and he hath
preserved me upon the waters of the great deep. |
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4:21 He hath filled me with his love, even unto the
consuming of my flesh. |
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4:22 He hath confounded mine enemies, unto the
causing of them to quake before me. |
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4:23 Behold, he hath heard my cry by day, and he
hath given me knowledge by visions in the nighttime. |
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4:24 And by day have I waxed bold in mighty prayer
before him; yea, my voice have I sent up on high; and
angels came down and ministered unto me. |
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4:25 And upon the wings of his Spirit hath my body
been carried away upon exceedingly high mountains. And
mine eyes have beheld great things, yea, even too great
for man; therefore I was bidden that I should not write
them. |
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4:26 O then, if I have seen so great things, if the
Lord in his condescension unto the children of men hath
visited men in so much mercy, why should my heart weep
and my soul linger in the valley of sorrow, and my flesh
waste away, and my strength slacken, because of mine
afflictions? |
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4:27 And why should I yield to sin, because of my
flesh? Yea, why should I give way to temptations, that
the evil
one have place in my heart to
destroy my peace and afflict my soul? Why am I angry
because of mine enemy? |
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4:28 Awake, my soul! No longer droop in sin.
Rejoice, O my heart, and give place no more for the enemy
of my soul. |
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4:29 Do not anger again because of mine enemies. Do
not slacken my strength because of mine afflictions. |
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4:30 Rejoice, O my heart, and cry unto the Lord, and
say: O Lord, I will praise thee forever; yea, my soul
will rejoice in thee, my God, and the rock of my
salvation. |
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4:31 O Lord, wilt thou redeem my soul? Wilt thou
deliver me out of the hands of mine enemies? Wilt thou
make me that I may shake at the appearance of sin? |
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4:32 May the gates of hell be shut continually
before me, because that my 1heart is broken and my spirit is contrite! O
Lord, wilt thou not shut the gates of thy righteousness
before me, that I may walk in the path of the low valley,
that I may be strict in the plain road! |
[1] Psalms
51:17: The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit:
a broken and a contrite heart... |
4:33 O Lord, wilt thou encircle me around in the
robe of thy righteousness! O Lord, wilt thou make a way
for mine escape before mine enemies! Wilt thou make my
path straight before me! Wilt thou not place a stumbling
block in my way--but that thou wouldst clear my way
before me, and hedge not up my way, but the ways of mine
enemy. |
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4:34 O Lord, I have trusted in thee, and I will
trust in thee forever. I will not put my trust in the arm
of flesh; for I know that cursed is he that putteth his
trust in the arm of flesh. Yea, cursed is he that putteth
his trust in man or maketh flesh his arm. |
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4:35 Yea, I know that 1God will give liberally to him that asketh. Yea,
my God will give me, if I 2ask not amiss; therefore I will lift up my voice
unto thee; yea, I will cry unto thee, my God, the rock of
my righteousness. Behold, my voice shall forever ascend
up unto thee, my rock and mine everlasting God. Amen. |
[1] James 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him
ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally...
[2] Ibid 4:3: Ye ask, and receive not,
because ye ask amiss... |