| 1:1 For behold, it came to pass that fifty and five
years had passed away from the time that Lehi left
Jerusalem; wherefore, Nephi gave me, Jacob, a commandment
concerning the small plates, upon which these things are
engraven. |
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| 1:2 And he gave me, Jacob, a commandment that I
should write upon these plates a few of the things which
I considered to be most precious; that I should not
touch, save it were lightly, concerning the history of
this people which are called the people of Nephi. |
|
| 1:3 For he said that the history of his people
should be engraven upon his other plates, and that I
should preserve these plates and hand them down unto my
seed, from generation to generation. |
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| 1:4 And if there were preaching which was sacred,
or revelation which was great, or prophesying, that I
should engraven the heads of them upon these plates, and
touch upon them as much as it were possible, for Christ's sake, and for the sake of our people. |
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| 1:5 For because of faith and great anxiety, it
truly had been made manifest unto us concerning our
people, what things should happen unto them. |
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| 1:6 And we also had many revelation, and the spirit
of much prophecy; wherefore, we knew of Christ and his kingdom, which should come. |
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| 1:7 Wherefore we labored diligently among our
people, that we might persuade them to come unto Christ, and partake of the goodness of God, that they
might 1enter into his rest, lest by any means he should
swear in his wrath they should not enter in, as in the 2provocation
in the days of temptation while the children of Israel
were in the wilderness. |
[1] Hebrews 3:11: So I sware in my wrath, They
shall not enter into my rest.
[2] Ibid 3:8:
Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day
of temptation in the wilderness..(It
could be argued that this quotation is from the Old
Testament, specifically Psalms 95. However, the context
makes it clear that Smith is quoting from Hebrews. Note
his use of the phrase ‘partake of the goodness of
God’, compared to Hebrews 3:14 ‘...we are made
partakers of Christ...’. In addition, the writer of
Hebrews uses the word ‘lest’ twice in the
Hebrews 13 passage (verses 12 and 13). The word is not
used in Psalms 95.)
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| 1:8 Wherefore, we would to God that we could
persuade all men not to rebel against God, to provoke him
to anger, but that all men would believe in Christ, and view his death, and suffer his cross and bear the shame of the world; wherefore, I,
Jacob, take it upon me to fulfil the commandment of my
brother Nephi. |
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| 1:9 Now Nephi began to be old, and he saw that he
must soon die; wherefore, he anointed a man to be a king
and a ruler over his people now, according to the reigns
of the kings. |
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| 1:10 The people having loved Nephi exceedingly, he
having been a great protector for them, having wielded
the sword of Laban in their defence, and having labored
in all his days for their welfare-- |
|
| 1:11 Wherefore, the people were desirous to retain
in remembrance his name. And whoso should reign in his
stead were called by the people, second Nephi, third
Nephi, and so forth, according to the reigns of the
kings; and thus they were called by the people, let them
be of whatever name they would. |
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| 1:12 And it came to pass that Nephi died. |
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| 1:13 Now the people which were not Lamanites were
Nephites; nevertheless, they were called Nephites,
Jacobites, Josephites, Zoramites, Lamanites, Lemuelites,
and Ishmaelites. |
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| 1:14 But I, Jacob, shall not hereafter distinguish
them by these names, but I shall call them Lamanites that
seek to destroy the people of Nephi, and those who are
friendly to Nephi I shall call Nephites, or the people of
Nephi, according to the reigns of the kings. |
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| 1:15 And now it came to pass that the people of
Nephi, under the reign of the second king, began to grow
hard in their hearts, and indulge themselves somewhat in
wicked practices, such as like unto David of old desiring
many wives and concubines, and also Solomon, his son. |
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| 1:16 Yea, and they also began to search much gold
and silver, and began to be lifted up somewhat in pride. |
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| 1:17 Wherefore I, Jacob, gave unto them these words
as I taught them in the temple, having first obtained
mine errand from the Lord. |
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| 1:18 For I, Jacob, and my brother Joseph had been
consecrated priests and teachers of this people, by the
hand of Nephi. |
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| 1:19 And we did magnify our office unto the Lord,
taking upon us the responsibility, answering the sins of
the people upon our own heads if we did not teach them
the word of God with all diligence; wherefore, by
laboring with our might their blood might not come upon
our garments; otherwise their blood would come upon our
garments, and we would not be found spotless at the last
day. |
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