| 9:1 My beloved son, I write unto you again that ye
may know that I am yet alive; but I write somewhat of
that which is grievous. |
|
| 9:2 For behold, I have had a sore battle with the
Lamanites, in which we did not conquer; and 1Archeantus has fallen by the sword, and also Luram and Emron; yea, and we have
lost a great number of our choice men. |
Topic: Anachronistic Words 'Archeantus'
appears to be a Greek name, a language that the Nephites
should not have been familiar with.
|
| 9:3 And now behold, my son, I fear lest the
Lamanites shall destroy this people; for they do not
repent, and Satan stirreth them up continually to anger
one with another. |
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| 9:4 Behold, I am laboring with them continually;
and when I speak the word of God with sharpness they
tremble and anger against me; and when I use no sharpness
they harden their hearts against it; wherefore, I fear
lest the Spirit of the Lord hath ceased striving with
them. |
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| 9:5 For so exceedingly do they anger that it
seemeth me that they have no fear of death; and they have
lost their love, one towards another; and they thirst
after blood and revenge continually. |
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| 9:6 And now, my beloved son, notwithstanding their
hardness, let us labor diligently; for if we should cease
to labor, we should be brought under condemnation; for we
have a labor to perform whilst in this tabernacle of
clay, that we may conquer the 1enemy of all righteousness, and rest our souls
in the kingdom of God. |
[1] Acts 13:10 ...thou child
of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness... |
| 9:7 And now I write somewhat concerning the
sufferings of this people. For according to the knowledge
which I have received from Amoron, behold, the Lamanites
have many prisoners, which they took from the tower of
Sherrizah; and there were men, women, and children. |
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| 9:8 And the husbands and fathers of those women and
children they have slain; and they feed the women upon
the flesh of their husbands, and the children upon the
flesh of their fathers; and no water, save a little, do
they give unto them. |
|
| 9:9 And notwithstanding this great abomination of
the Lamanites, it doth not exceed that of our people in
Moriantum. For behold, many of the daughters of the
Lamanites have they taken prisoners; and after depriving
them of that which was most dear and precious above all
things, which is chastity and virtue-- |
|
| 9:10 And after they had done this thing, they did
murder them in a most cruel manner, torturing their
bodies even unto death; and after they have done this,
they devour their flesh like unto wild beasts, because of
the hardness of their hearts; and they do it for a token
of bravery. |
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| 9:11 O my beloved son, how can a people like this,
that are without civilization-- |
|
| 9:12 [And only a few years have passed away, and
they were a civil and a delightsome people) |
|
| 9:13 But O my son, how can a people like this, whose
delight is in so much abomination-- |
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| 9:14 How can we expect that God will stay his hand
in judgment against us? |
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| 9:15 Behold, my heart cries: Wo unto this people.
Come out in judgment, O God, and hide their sins, and
wickedness, and abominations from before thy face! |
|
| 9:16 And again, my son, there are many widows and
their daughters who remain in Sherrizah; and that part of
the provisions which the Lamanites did not carry away,
behold, the army of Zenephi has carried away, and left
them to wander whithersoever they can for food; and many
old women do faint by the way and die. |
|
| 9:17 And the army which is with me is weak; and the
armies of the Lamanites are betwixt Sherrizah and me; and
as many as have fled to the army of Aaron have fallen
victims to their awful brutality. |
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| 9:18 O the depravity of my people! They are without
order and without mercy. Behold, I am but a man, and I
have but the strength of a man, and I cannot any longer
enforce my commands. |
|
| 9:19 And they have become strong in their
perversion; and they are alike brutal, sparing none,
neither old nor young; and they delight in everything
save that which is good; and the suffering of our women
and our children upon all the face of this land doth
exceed everything; yea, tongue cannot tell, neither can
it be written. |
|
| 9:20 And now, my son, I dwell no longer upon this
horrible scene. Behold, thou knowest the wickedness of
this people; thou knowest that they are without
principle, and past feeling; and their wickedness doth
exceed that of the Lamanites. |
|
| 9:21 Behold, my son, I cannot recommend them unto
God lest he should smite me. |
|
| 9:22 But behold, my son, I recommend thee unto God,
and I trust in Christ that thou wilt be saved; and I pray
unto God that he will spare thy life, to witness the
return of his people unto him, or their utter
destruction; for I know that they must 1perish except they repent and return unto him. |
[1] Luke 13:3: ...except ye repent, ye shall all
likewise perish. |
| 9:23 And if they perish it will be like unto the
Jaredites, because of the wilfulness of their hearts,
seeking for blood and revenge. |
|
| 9:24 And if it so be that they perish, we know that
many of our brethren have deserted over unto the
Lamanites, and many more will also desert over unto them;
wherefore, write somewhat a few things, if thou art
spared and I shall perish and not see thee; but I trust
that I may see thee soon; for I have sacred records that
I would deliver up unto thee. |
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| 9:25 My son, be faithful in Christ; and may not the
things which I have written grieve thee, to weigh thee
down unto death; but may Christ lift thee up, and may his
sufferings and death, and the showing his body unto our
fathers, and his mercy and long-suffering, and the hope
of his glory and of eternal life, rest in your mind
forever. |
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| 9:26 And may the grace of God the Father, whose
throne is high in the heavens, and our Lord Jesus Christ,
who sitteth on the right hand of his power, until all
things shall become subject unto him, be, and abide with
you forever. Amen. |
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