1:1 And now I, Mormon, being about to deliver up
the record which I have been making into the hands of my
son Moroni, behold I have witnessed almost all the
destruction of my people, the Nephites. |
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1:2 And it is many hundred years after the coming
of Christ that I deliver these records into the hands of
my son; and it supposeth me that he will witness the
entire destruction of my people. But may God grant that
he may survive them, that he may write somewhat
concerning them, and somewhat concerning Christ, that
perhaps some day it may profit them. |
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1:3 And now, I speak somewhat concerning that which
I have written; for after I had made an abridgment from
the plates of Nephi, down to the reign of this king
Benjamin, of whom Amaleki spake, I searched among the
records which had been delivered into my hands, and I
found these plates, which contained this small account of
the prophets, from Jacob down to the reign of this king
Benjamin, and also many of the words of Nephi. |
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1:4 And the things which are upon these plates
pleasing me, because of the prophecies of the coming of
Christ; and my fathers knowing that many of them have
been fulfilled; yea, and I also know that as many things
as have been prophesied concerning us down to this day
have been fulfilled, and as many as go beyond this day
must surely come to pass-- |
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1:5 Wherefore, I chose these things, to finish my
record upon them, which remainder of my record I shall
take from the plates of Nephi; and I cannot write the
hundredth part of the things of my people. |
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1:6 But behold, I shall take these plates, which
contain these prophesyings and revelations, and put them
with the remainder of my record, for they are choice unto
me; and I know they will be choice unto my brethren. |
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1:7 And I do this for a wise purpose; for thus it
whispereth me, according to the workings of the Spirit of
the Lord which is in me. And now, I do not know all
things; but the Lord knoweth all things which are to
come; wherefore, he worketh in me to do according to his
will. |
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1:8 And my prayer to God is concerning my brethren,
that they may once again come to the knowledge of God,
yea, the redemption of Christ; that they may once again
be a delightsome people. |
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1:9 And now I, Mormon, proceed to finish out my
record, which I take from the plates of Nephi; and I make
it according to the knowledge and the understanding which
God has given me. |
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1:10 Wherefore, it came to pass that after Amaleki
had delivered up these plates into the hands of king
Benjamin, he took them and put them with the other
plates, which contained records which had been handed
down by the kings, from generation to generation until
the days of king Benjamin. |
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1:11 And they were handed down from king Benjamin,
from generation to generation until they have fallen into
my hands. And I, Mormon, pray to God that they may be
preserved from this time henceforth. And I know that they
will be preserved; for there are great things written
upon them, out of which my people and their brethren
shall be judged at the great and last day, according to
the word of God which is written. |
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1:12 And now, concerning this king Benjamin--he had
somewhat of contentions among his own people. |
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1:13 And it came to pass also that the armies of the
Lamanites came down out of the land of Nephi, to battle
against his people. But behold, king Benjamin gathered
together his armies, and he did stand against them; and
he did fight with the strength of his own arm, with the sword of Laban. |
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1:14 And in the strength of the Lord they did
contend against their enemies, until they had slain many
thousands of the Lamanites. And it came to pass that they
did contend against the Lamanites until they had driven
them out of all the lands of their inheritance. |
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1:15 And it came to pass that after there had been
false Christs, and their mouths had been shut, and they
punished according to their crimes; |
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1:16 And after there had been false prophets, and
false preachers and teachers among the people, and all
these having been punished according to their crimes; and
after there having been much contention and many
dissensions away unto the Lamanites, behold, it came to
pass that king Benjamin, with the assistance of the holy
prophets who were among his people-- |
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1:17 For behold, king Benjamin was a holy man, and
he did reign over his people in righteousness; and there
were many holy men in the land, and they did speak the
word of God with power and with authority; and they did
use much sharpness because of the stiffneckedness of the
people-- |
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1:18 Wherefore, with the help of these, king
Benjamin, by laboring with all the might of his body and
the faculty of his whole soul, and also the prophets, did
once more establish peace in the land. |
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