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1:1 Chapter 1 And now it came to pass after I, Nephi, had
made an end of teaching my brethren, our father, Lehi, also spake
many things unto them: how great things the Lord had done for
them, in bringing them out of the land of Jerusalem.
1:2 And he spake unto them concerning their rebellions upon the
waters, and the mercies of God in sparing their lives, that they
were not swallowed up in the sea.
1:3 And he also spake unto them concerning the land of promise,
which they had obtained: how merciful the Lord had been in warning
us that we should flee out of the land of Jerusalem.
1:4 For, Behold, saith he, I have seen a vision, in the which
I know that Jerusalem is destroyed; and had we remained in Jerusalem,
we should also have perished.
1:5 But, said he, notwithstanding our afflictions, we have obtained
a land of promise, a land which is choice above all other lands;
a land which the Lord God hath covenanted with me should be a
land for the inheritance of my seed. Yea, the Lord hath covenanted
this land unto me, and to my children forever; and also they which
should be led out of other countries, by the hand of the Lord.
1:6 Wherefore, I, Lehi, prophesy according to the workings of
the spirit which is in me, that there shall be none come into
this land, save they should be brought by the hand of the Lord.
1:7 Wherefore, this land is consecrated unto him whom he shall
bring. And if it so be that they shall serve him according to
the commandments which he hath given, it shall be a land of liberty
unto them; wherefore, they shall never be brought down into captivity:
if so it shall be because of iniquity: for if iniquity shall abound,
cursed shall be the land for their sakes; but unto the righteous,
it shall be blessed forever.
1:8 And behold, it is wisdom that this land should be kept as
yet from the knowledge of other nations: for behold, many nations
would overrun the land, that there would be no place for an inheritance.
1:9 Wherefore, I, Lehi, have obtained a promise that inasmuch
as they which the Lord God shall bring out of the land of Jerusalem
shall keep his commandments, they shall prosper upon the face
of this land; and they shall be kept from all other nations, that
they may possess this land unto themselves. And if it so be that
they shall keep his commandments, they shall be blessed upon the
face of this land, and there shall be none to molest them, nor
to take away the land of their inheritance; and they shall dwell
safely forever.
1:10 But behold, when the time cometh that they shall dwindle
in unbelief, after that they have received so great blessings
from the hand of the Lord; having a knowledge of the creation
of the earth, and all men knowing the great and marvellous works
of the Lord from the creation of the world; having power given
them to do all things by faith; having all the commandments from
the beginning, and having been brought by his infinite goodness
into this precious land of promise; behold, I say, if the day
shall come that they will reject the Holy One of Israel, the true
Messiah their Redeemer and their God, behold, the judgments of
him that is just, shall rest upon them;
1:11 yea, he will bring other nations unto them and he will give
unto them power, and he will take away from them the lands of
their possessions; and he will cause them to be scattered and
smitten.
1:12 Yea, as one generation passeth to another, there shall be
bloodsheds and great visitations among them; wherefore, my sons,
I would that ye would remember; yea, I would that ye would hearken,
unto my words.
1:13 O that ye would awake, awake from the deep sleep, yea, even
from the sleep of hell, and shake off the awful chains by which
ye are bound, which are the chains which bind the children of
men, that they are carried away captive down to the eternal gulf
of misery and wo!
1:14 Awake! and arise from the dust, and hear the words of a trembling
parent, whose limbs ye must soon lay down in the cold and silent
grave, from whence no traveller can return: a few more days, and
I go the way of all the earth.
1:15 But behold, the Lord hath redeemed my soul from hell: I have
beheld his glory, and I am encircled about eternally in the arms
of his love.
1:16 And I desire that ye should remember to observe the statues
and the judgments of the Lord: behold, this hath been the anxiety
of my soul, from the beginning.
1:17 My heart hath been weighed down with sorrow from time to
time: for I have feared, lest for the hardness of your hearts,
lest the Lord your God should come out in the fulness of his wrath,
upon you, that ye be cut off and destroyed forever;
1:18 or, that a cursing should come upon you, for the space of
many generations; and ye are visited by sword, and by famine,
and are hated, and are led according to the will and the captivity
of the Devil.
1:19 O my sons, that these things might not come upon you, but
that ye might be a choice and a favored people of the Lord. But,
behold, his will be done: for his ways are righteousness forever;
1:20 and he hath said, that inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments,
ye shall prosper in the land; but inasmuch as ye will not keep
my commandments, ye shall be cut off from my presence.
1:21 And now that my soul might have joy in you, and that my heart
might leave this world with gladness because of you; that I might
not be brought down with grief and sorrow to the grave, arise
from the dust, my sons, and be men, and be determined in one mind,
and in one heart united in all things, that ye may not come down
into captivity;
1:22 that ye may not be cursed with a sore cursing; and also,
that ye may not incur the displeasure of a just God upon you,
unto the destruction, yea, the eternal destruction of both soul
and body.
1:23 Awake, my sons; put on the armor of righteousness. Shake
off the chains with which ye are bound, and come forth out of
obscurity. and arise from the dust.
1:24 Rebel no more against your brother, whose views have been
glorious, and who hath kept the commandments from the time that
we left Jerusalem, and who hath been an instrument in the hands
of God, in bringing us forth into the land of promise: for were
it not for him, we must have perished with hunger in the wilderness;
nevertheless, ye sought to take away his life; yea, and he hath
suffered much sorrow because of you.
1:25 And I exceedingly fear and tremble because of you, lest he
shall suffer again: for behold, ye have accused him that he sought
power and authority over you; but I know that he hath not sought
power nor authority over you; but he hath sought the glory of
God, and your own eternal welfare.
1:26 And ye have murmured because he hath been plain unto you.
Ye say that he hath used sharpness; ye say that he hath been angry
with you. But behold, his sharpness was the sharpness of the power
of the word of God, which was in him; and that which ye call anger,
was the truth, according to that which is in God, which he could
not constrain, manifesting boldly concerning your iniquities.
1:27 And it must needs be that the .power of God must be with
him, even unto his commanding you, that ye must obey. But behold,
it was not him, but it was the spirit of the Lord which was in
him, which opened his mouth to utterance that he could not shut
it.
1:28 And now my son Laman, and also Lemuel and Sam, and also my
sons which are the sons of Ishmael, beheld, if ye will hearken
unto the voice of Nephi, ye shall not perish, And if ye will hearken
unto him, I leave unto you a blessing, yea, even my first blessing,
1:29 yea, even my blessing, and it shall rest upon him.
1:30 And now, Zoram, I speak unto you: Behold, thou art the servant
of Laban; nevertheless, thou hast been brought out of the land
of Jerusalem, and I know that thou art a true friend of my son,
Nephi, forever.
1:31 Wherefore, because thou hast been faithful, thy seed shall
be blessed with his seed, that they dwell in prosperity long upon
the face of this land; and nothing, save it shall be iniquity
among them, shall harm or disturb their prosperity upon the face
of this land forever.
1:32 --Wherefore, if ye shall keep the commandments of the Lord,
the Lord hath consecrated this land for the security of thy seed
with the seed of my son.
2:1 And now, Jacob, I speak unto you; Thou art my first born in
the days of my tribulation in the wilderness. And behold, in thy
childhood, thou hast suffered afflictions and much sorrow, because
of the rudeness of thy brethren.
2:2 Nevertheless, Jacob, my first born in the wilderness, thou
knowest the greatness of God; and he shall consecrate thine afflictions
for thy gain.
2:3 Wherefore, thy soul shall be blessed, and thou shall dwell
safely with thy brother, Nephi; and thy days shall be spent in
the service of thy God. --Wherefore, I know that thou art redeemed
because of the righteousness of thy Redeemer: for thou hast beheld,
that in the fulness of time, he cometh to bring salvation unto
men.
2:4 And thou hast beheld in thy youth, his glory; wherefore, thou
art blessed even as they unto whom he shall minister in the flesh:
for the spirit is the same, yesterday, to-day, and forever. And
the way is prepared from the fall of man, and salvation is free.
2:5 And men are instructed sufficiently, that they know good from
evil. And the law is given unto men. And by the law, no flesh
is justified; or, by the ;law, men are cut off. Yea, by the temporal
law, they were cut off; and also, by the spiritual law, they perish
from that which is good, and become miserable forever.
2:6 Wherefore, redemption cometh in and through the Holy Messiah:
for he is full of grace and truth.
2:7 Behold, he offereth himself a sacrifice for sin, to answer
the ends of the law, unto all those which have a broken heart
and a contrite spirit; and unto none else can the ends of the
law be answered.
2:8 Wherefore, how great the importance to make these things known
unto the inhabitants of the earth, that they may know that there
is no flesh that can dwell in the presence of God, save it be
through the merits, and mercy, and the grace of the Holy Messiah,
which layeth down his life according to the flesh, and taketh
it again by the power of the spirit, that he may bring to pass
the resurrection of the dead, being the first that should rise.
2:9 Wherefore, he is the first fruits unto God, inasmuch as he
shall make intercession for all the children of men; and they
that believe in him, shall be saved.
2:10 And because of the intercession for all, all men cometh unto
God; wherefore, they stand in the presence of Him, to be judged
of Him, according to the truth and holiness which is in him. Wherefore,
the ends of the law which the Holy One hath given, unto the inflicting
of the punishment which is affixed, which punishment that is affixed
is in opposition to that of the happiness which is affixed, to
answer the ends of the atonement;
2:11 for it must needs be, there is an opposition in all things.
If not so, my first born in the wilderness, righteousness could
not be brought to pass; neither wickedness; neither holiness nor
misery; neither good or bad. Wherefore, all things must needs
be a compound in one; wherefore, if it should be one body, it
must needs remain as dead, having no life, neither death nor corruption,
nor incorruption, happiness nor misery, neither sense or insensibility.
2:12 Wherefore, it must needs have been created for a thing of
nought; wherefore, there would have been no purpose in the end
of its creation. Wherefore, this things must needs destroy the
wisdom of God, and his eternal purposes; and also, the power,
and the mercy, and the justice of God.
2:13 And if ye shall say there is no law, ye shall also say there
is no sin. If ye shall say there is no sin, ye shall also say
there is no righteousness. --And if there be no righteousness,
there be no happiness. And if there be no righteousness nor happiness,
there be no punishment nor misery. And if these things are not,
there is no God. And if there is no God, we are not, neither the
earth: for there could have been no creation of things, neither
to act nor to be acted upon; wherefore, all things must have vanished
away.
2:14 And now, my sons, I speak unto you these things, for your
profit and learning: for there is a God, and he hath created all
things, both the heavens and the earth, and all things that in
them is; both things to act, and things to be acted upon;
2:15 and to bring about his eternal purposes in the end of man,
after that he created our first parents, and the beasts of the
field, and the fowls of the air, and in fine, all things which
are created, it must needs be that there was an opposition; even
the forbidden fruit in opposition to the tree of life; the one
being sweet and the other bitter;
2:16 wherefore, the Lord God gave unto man, that he should act
for himself. Wherefore, man could not act for himself, save it
should be that he were enticed by the one or the other.
2:17 And I, Lehi, according to the things which I have read must
needs suppose, that an angel of God, according to that which is
written, had fallen from Heaven; wherefore, he became a Devil,
having sought that which was evil before God.
2:18 And because he had fallen from Heaven, and had become miserable
forever, he sought also the misery of all mankind. --Wherefore,
he sayeth unto Eve, yea, even that old serpent, which is the Devil,
which is the father of all lies; wherefore he sayeth, Partake
of the forbidden fruit, and ye shall not die, but ye shall be
as God, knowing good and evil.
2:19 And after that Adam and Eve had partaken of the forbidden
fruit, they were driven out from the garden of Eden, to till the
earth.
2:20 And they brought forth children; yea, even the family of
all the earth.
2:21 And the days of children of men were prolonged, according
to the will of God, that they might repent while in the flesh;
wherefore, their state being a state of probation, and their time
was lengthened, according to the commandments which the Lord God
gave unto the children of men. For he gave a commandment that
all men must repent; for he shewed unto all men that they were
lost, because of the transgression of their parents.
2:22 And now, behold, if Adam had not transgressed, he would not
have fallen; but he would have remained in the garden of Eden.
And all things which were created, must have remained in the same
state which they were, after that they were created; and they
must have remained forever, and had no end.
2:23 And they would have had no children; wherefore, they would
have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy, for they
knew no misery: doing no good, for they knew no sin.
2:24 But, behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of Him
who knoweth all things.
2:25 Adam fell, that men might be; and men are, that they might
have joy.
2:26 And the Messiah cometh in the fulness of time, that he might
redeem the children of men from the fall. And because that they
are redeemed from the fall, they have become free forever, knowing
good from evil; to act for themselves. and not to be acted upon,
save it be by the punishment of law, at the great and last day,
according to the commandments which God hath given.
2:27 Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things
are given them which is expedient unto man. And they are free
to choose liberty and eternal life, through the mediation of all
men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity
and the power of the Devil: for he seeketh that all men might
be miserable like unto himself.
2:28 And now, my sons, I would that ye looked to the great mediator,
and hearken unto his great commandments; and be faithful unto
his words, and choose eternal life, according to the will of his
Holy Spirit,
2:29 and not choose eternal death, according to the will of the
flesh and the evil which is therein, which giveth the spirit of
the Devil power to captivate, to bring you down to hell, that
he may reign over you in his own kingdom.
2:30 I have spoken these few words unto you all, my sons, in the
last days of my probation; and I have chosen the good part according
to the words of the prophet. And I have none another object save
it be the everlasting welfare of your souls. --Amen.
3:1 Chapter 2 And now I speak unto you, Joseph, my last
born. Thou wast born in the wilderness of mine afflictions; yea,
in the days of my greatest sorrow, did thy mother bear thee.
3:2 And may the Lord consecrate unto thee this land, which is
a most precious land for thine inheritance and the inheritance
of thy seed with thy brethren, for thy security forever, if it
so be that ye shall keep the commandments of the Holy One of Israel.
3:3 And now, Joseph, my last born, whom I have brought out of
the wilderness of mine afflictions, may the Lord bless thee forever,
for thy seed shall not utterly be destroyed.
3:4 For behold, thou art the fruit of my loins; and I am a descendant
of Joseph, which was carried captive into Egypt. And great was
the covenants of the Lord, which he made unto Joseph;
3:5 wherefore, Joseph truly saw our day. And he obtained a promise
of the Lord, that out of the fruit of his loins, the Lord God
would raise up a righteous branch unto the House of Israel; not
the Messiah , but a branch which was broken off; nevertheless,
to be remembered in the covenants of the Lord, that the Messiah
should be made manifest unto them in the latter days in the spirit
of power, unto the bringing of them out of the darkness unto the
light; yea, out of hidden darkness and out of captivity unto freedom.
3:6 For Joseph truly testified saying: A seer shall the Lord my
God raise up, which shall be a choice seer unto the fruit of my
loins.
3:7 Yea, Joseph truly said thus saith the Lord unto me: A choice
seer will I raise up out of the fruit of thy loins; and he shall
be esteemed highly among the fruit of thy loins. And unto him
will I give commandment, that he shall do a work for the fruit
of thy loins, his brethren, which shall be of great worth unto
them, even to the bringing of them to the knowledge of the covenants
which I have made with thy fathers.
3:8 And I will give unto him a commandment, that he shall do none
other work, save the work which I shall command him. And I will
make him great in mine eyes: for he shall do my work.
3:9 And he shall be great like unto Moses, whom I have said I
would raise up unto you, to deliver my people, O house of Israel.
3:10 And Moses will I raise up, to deliver thy people out of the
land of Egypt.
3:11 Bat a seer will I raise up out of the fruit of thy loins;
and unto him will I give power to bring forth my word unto the
seed of thy loins; and not to the bringing forth my word only,
saith the Lord, but to the convincing them of my word, which shall
have already gone forth among them.
3:12 Wherefore, the fruit of my loins shall write; and the fruit
of the loins of Judah shall write; and that which shall be written
by the fruit of thy loins, and also that which shall be written
by the fruit of the loins of Judah, shall grow together, unto
the confounding of false doctrines, and laying down of contentions,
and establishing peace among the fruit of thy loins, and bringing
them to the knowledge of their fathers in the latter days; and
also to the knowledge of my covenants, saith the Lord.
3:13 And out of weakness he shall be made strong, in that day
when my work shall commence among all my people, unto the restoring
thee, O house of Israel, saith the Lord.
3:14 And thus prophesied Joseph, saying: Behold, that seer will
the Lord bless; and they that seek to destroy him, shall be confounded:
for this promise, of which I have obtained of the Lord, of the
fruit of thy loins, shall be fulfilled. Behold, I am sure of the
fulfilling of this promise.
3:15 And his name shall be called after me; and it shall be after
the name of his father. And he shall be like unto me; for the
thing which the Lord shall bring forth by his hand, by the power
of the Lord shall bring my people unto salvation;
3:16 yea, thus prophesied Joseph. I am sure of this thing, even
as I am sure of the promise of Moses: for the Lord hath said unto
me, I will preserve thy seed forever.
3:17 And the Lord hath said I will raise up a Moses; and I will
give power unto him in a rod; and I will give judgment unto him
in writing. Yet I will not loose his tongue, that he shall speak
much: for I will not make him mighty in speaking. But I will write
unto him my law, by the finger of mine own hand; and I will make
a spokesman for him.
3:18 And the Lord said unto me also, I will raise up unto the
fruit of thy loins; and I will make ,for him a spokesman. And
I, behold, I will give unto him, that he shall write the writing
of the fruit of thy loins, unto the fruit of thy loins; and the
spokesman of thy loins shall declare it.
3:19 And the words which he shall write, shall be the words which
is expedient in my wisdom, should go forth unto the fruit of thy
loins. And it shall be as if the fruit of thy loins had cried
unto them from the dust: for I know their faith.
3:20 And they shall cry from the dust; yea, even repentance unto
their brethren, even that after many generations have gone by
them. And it shall come to pass that their cry shall go, even
according to the simpleness of their words.
3:21 Because of their faith, their words shall proceed forth out
of my mouth unto their brethren, which are the fruit of thy loins;
and the weakness of their words will I make strong in their faith,
unto the remembering of my covenant which I made unto thy fathers.
3:22 And now, behold, my son, Joseph, after this manner did my
father of old prophesy.
3:23 Wherefore, because of this covenant, thou art blessed: for
thy seed shall not be destroyed, for they shall hearken unto the
words of the Book.
3:24 And there shall raise up one, mighty among them, which shall
do much good, both in word and in deed, being an instrument in
the hands of God, with exceeding faith, to work mighty wonders,
and do that thing which is great in the sight of God, unto the
bringing to pass much restoration unto the House of Israel, and
unto the seed of thy brethren.
3:25 And now, blessed art thou, Joseph. Behold, thou art little;
wherefore, hearken unto the words of thy brother Nephi, and it
shall be done unto thee, even according to the words which I have
spoken. Remember, the words of thy dying father. Amen.
4:1 Chapter 3 And now, I, Nephi, speak concerning the prophecies
of which my father hath spoken, concerning Joseph, who was carried
into Egypt:
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.
4:3 Wherefore, after my father had made an end of the speaking
concerning the prophecies of Joseph, he called the children of
Laman, his sons, and his daughters, and sayeth unto them, Behold,
my sons, and my daughters, which are the sons and the daughters
of my first born. I would that ye should give ear unto my words:
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.
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 brought up in the right way that ye should
go, ye 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.
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.
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.
4:9 And he spake unto them, saying: Behold, my sons and my daughters,
which 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.
4:10 And it came to pass that when my father had made an end of
speaking unto them, behold, it came to pass that he spake unto
the sons of Ishmael, yea, and even all his household.
4:11 And after that 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.
4:12 And it came to pass that after Lehi had spake 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.
4:13 And it came to pass that not many days after his death, Laman
and Lemuel, and the sons Ishmael, were angry with me, because
of the admonitions of the Lord:
4:14 for I, Nephi, was constrained to speak unto them according
to the word. For I had spake 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.
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 deliteth in the Scriptures; and my heart pondereth them,
and writeth them for the learning and the profit of my children.
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.
4:17 Nevertheless, notwithstanding the great goodness of the Lord,
in shewing me his great and marvelous works, my heart exclaimeth,
O wretched man that I am; yea, my heart sorroweth, because of
my flesh. My soul grieveth, because of mine iniquities.
4:18 I am encompassed about, because of the temptations and the
sins which doth so easily beset me.
4:19 And when I desire to rejoice, my heart groaneth because of
my sins; nevertheless, I know in whom I have trusted.
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.
4:21 He hath filled me with his love, even unto the consuming
of my flesh.
4:22 He hath confounded mine enemies, unto the causing of them
to quake before me.
4:23 Behold, he hath heard my cry by day, and he hath given me
knowledge by visions in the night time.
4:24 And by day have I waxed bold in mighty prayer before him;
yea, my voice have I sent upon high; and angels came down and
ministered unto me.
4:25 And upon the wings of his spirit hath my body been carried
away upon exceeding high mountains. And mine eyes hath beheld
great things; yea, even too great for man; therefore I was bidden
that I should not write them.
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 wasteth away, and my strength slacken,
because of mine afflictions?
4:27 And why should I yield to sin, because of my flesh? Yea,
why should I give away 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?
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.
4:29 Do not anger again, because of mine enemies. Do not slacken
my strength, because of mine afflictions.
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.
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?
4:32 May the gates of hell be shut continually before me, because
that my heart is broken and my spirit is contrite? O Lord, wilt
thou 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?
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.
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.
4:35 Yea, I know that God will give liberally to him that asketh.
Yea, my God will give me, if I ask 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.
5:1 Chapter 4 Behold, it came to pass that I, Nephi, did
cry much unto the Lord my God, because of the anger of my brethren.
5:2 But behold, their anger did increase against me, insomuch
that they did seek to take away my life.
5:3 Yea, they did murmur against me, saying: Our younger brother
thinketh to rule over us; and we have had much trial because of
him; wherefore, now let us slay him, that we may not be afflicted
more because of his words. For behold, we will not that he shall
be our ruler: for it belongeth unto us, which are the elder brethren,
to rule over this people.
5:4 Now I do not write upon these plates, all the words which
they murmured against me. But it sufficeth me to say, that they
seek to take away my life.
5:5 And it came to pass that the Lord did warn me, that I, Nephi,
should depart from them, and flee into the wilderness, and all
they which would go with me.
5:6 Wherefore, it came to pass that I, Nephi, did take my family,
and also Zoram and his family, and Sam, mine elder brother, and
his family, and Jacob and Joseph, my younger brethren, and also
my sisters, and all they which would go with me. And all they
which would go with me, were they which believed in the warnings
and the revelations of God; Wherefore, they did hearken unto my
words.
5:7 And we did take our tents and whatsoever things were possible
for us, and did journey in the wilderness for the space of many
days. And after that we had journied for the space of many days,
we did pitch our tents.
5:8 And my people would that we should call the name of the place
Nephi; wherefore, we did call it Nephi.
5:9 And all they which were with me, did take it upon them to
call themselves the people of Nephi.
5:10 And we did observe to keep the judgments, and the statues,
and the commandments of the Lord, in all things, according to
the law of Moses.
5:11 And the Lord was with us; and we did prosper exceedingly:
for we did sow seed, and we did reap again in abundance. And we
began to raise flocks, and herds, and animals of every kind.
5:12 And I, Nephi, had also brought the records which were engraven
upon the plates of brass; and also the ball, or compass, which
was prepared for my father, by the hand of the Lord, according
to that which is written.
5:13 And it came to pass that we began to prosper exceedingly,
and to multiply in the land.
5:14 And I, Nephi, did take the sword of Laban, and after the
manner of it did make many swords, lest by any means the people
which were now called Lamanites, should come upon us and destroy
us: for I knew their hatred towards me and my children, and they
which were called my people.
5:15 And I did teach my people, that they should build buildings;
and that they should work in all manner of wood, and of iron,
and of copper, and of brass, and of steel, and of gold, and of
silver, and of precious ores which were in great abundance.
5:16 And I, Nephi, did build a temple; and I did construct it
after the manner of the temple of Solomon, save it were not built
of so many precious things: for they were not to be found upon
the land; wherefore, it could not be built like unto Solomon's
temple. But the manner of the construction was like unto the temple
of Solomon; and the workmanship thereof was exceeding fine.
5:17 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did cause my people that
they should be industrious, and that they should labor with their
hands.
5:18 And it came to pass that they would that I should be their
King. But I, Nephi, was desirous that they should have no King;
nevertheless, I did do for them according to that which was in
my power.
5:19 And behold, the words of the Lord had been fulfilled unto
my brethren, which he spake concerning them, that I should be
their ruler and their teacher; wherefore, I had been their ruler
and their teacher, according to the commandments of the Lord,
until the time that they sought to take away my life.
5:20 Wherefore, the word of the Lord was fulfilled which he spake
unto me, saying: That inasmuch as they will not hearken unto thy
words, they shall be cut off from his presence.
5:21 And he had caused the cursing to come upon them, yea, even
a sore cursing, because of their iniquity. For behold, they had
hardened their hearts against him, that they had become like unto
a flint; wherefore, as they were white, and exceeding fair and
delightsome, that they might not be enticing unto my people, therefore
the Lord God did cause a skin of blackness to come upon them.
5:22 And thus saith the Lord God, I will cause that they shall
be loathsome unto thy people, save they shall repent of their
iniquities.
5:23 And cursed shall be the seed of him that mixeth with their
seed: for they shall be cursed even with the same cursing. And
the Lord spake it, and it was done.
5:24 And because of their cursing which was upon them, they did
become and idle people, full of mischief and subtlety, and did
seek in the wilderness for beasts of prey.
5:25 And the Lord God said unto me, they shall be a scourge unto
thy seed, to stir them up in remembrance of me, and inasmuch as
they will not remember me, and hearken unto my words, they shall
scourge them even unto destruction.
5:26 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did consecrate Jacob and
Joseph, that they should be priests and teachers over the land
of my people.
5:27 And it came to pass that we lived after the manner of happiness.
5:28 And thirty years had passed away from the time we left Jerusalem.
5:29 And I, Nephi, had kept the record upon my plates, which I
had made of my people thus far.
5:30 And it came to pass that the Lord God said unto me, Make
other plates; and thou shalt engraven many things upon them which
are good in my sight, for the profit of thy people.
5:31 --Wherefore, I, Nephi, to be obedient to the commandments
of the Lord, went and made these plates upon which I have engraven
these things.
5:32 And I engravened that which is pleasing unto God. And if
my people be pleased with the things of God, they be pleased with
mine engravings which are upon these plates.
5:33 And if my people desire to know the more particular part
of the history of my people, they must search mine other plates.
5:34 And if it sufficeth me to say, that forty years had passed
away, and we had already had wars and contentions with our brethren.
6:1 Chapter 5 The words of Jacob, the brother of Nephi,
which he spake unto the people of Nephi:
6:2 Behold, my beloved brethren, that I, Jacob, having been called
of God, and ordained after the manner of his holy order, and having
been consecrated by my brother, Nephi, unto whom ye look as a
king or a protector, and on whom ye depend for safety, behold,
ye know that I have spoken unto you exceeding many things;
6:3 nevertheless, I speak unto you again: for I am desirous for
the welfare of your souls. Yea, mine anxiety is great for you;
and ye yourselves know that it ever has been. For I have exhorted
you with all diligence; and I have taught you the words of my
father; and I have spoken unto you concerning all things which
are written from the creation of the world.
6:4 And now, behold, I would speak unto you concerning things
which are, and which are to come; wherefore, I will read you the
words of Isaiah. And they are the words which my brother hath
desired me that I should speak unto you. And I speak them unto
you for your sakes, that ye may learn and glorify the name of
your God.
6:5 And now, the words which I shall read, are they which Isaiah
spake concerning all the House of Israel; wherefore, they may
be likened unto you: for ye are of the House of Israel. And there
are many things which have been spoken by Isaiah, which may be
likened unto you, because that ye are of the House of Israel.
6:6 And now, these are the words: Thus saith the Lord God: Behold,
I will lift up my hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard
to the people; and they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and
thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders.
6:7 And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy
nursing mothers: they shall bow down to thee with their faces
towards the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet; and thou
shalt know that I am the Lord: for they shall not be ashamed that
wait for me.
6:8 And now I, Jacob, would speak somewhat concerning these words:
For behold, the Lord hath shewn me that they which were at Jerusalem,
from whence we came, have been slain and carried away captive;
6:9 nevertheless, the Lord hath shewn unto me, that the Lord God,
the Holy One of Israel, should manifest himself unto them in the
flesh; and after that he should manifest himself, they should
scourge him and crucify him, according to the words of the angel,
which spake it unto me.
6:10 And after that they have hardened their hearts and stiffened
their necks against the Holy One of Israel, behold, the judgments
of the Holy One of Israel shall come upon them. And the day cometh
that they shall be smitten and afflicted.
6:11 Wherefore, after they are driven to and fro, for thus saith
the angel, many shall be afflicted in the flesh and shall not
be suffered to perish, because of the prayers of the faithful:
wherefore, they shall be scattered, and smitten, and hated; nevertheless,
the Lord will be merciful unto them, that when they shall come
to the knowledge of their Redeemer, they shall be gathered together
again to the land of their inheritance.
6:12 And blessed are the Gentiles, they of whom the prophet hath
written: for behold, if it so be that they shall repent and fight
not against Zion, and do not unite themselves to that great and
abominable church, they shall be saved: for the Lord God will
fulfill his covenants which he hath made unto his children; and
for this cause, the prophet hath written these things.
6:13 Wherefore, they that fight against Zion and the covenant
people of the Lord, shall lick up the dust of their feet; and
the people of the Lord shall not be ashamed. For the people of
the Lord are they which wait for him: for they still wait for
the coming of the Messiah.
6:14 And behold, according to the words of the prophet, the Messiah
will set himself again the second time, to recover them; wherefore,
he will manifest himself unto them in power and great glory, unto
the destruction of their enemies, when that day cometh when they
shall believe in him; and none will he destroy that believeth
in him.
6:15 And they that believe not in him, shall be destroyed, both
by fire, and by tempest, and by earthquakes, and by bloodshed,
and by pestilence, and by famine. And they shall know that the
Lord is God, the Holy One of Israel:
6:16 for shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful
captive delivered?
6:17 But thus saith the Lord: Even the captives of the mighty
shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered:
for the Mighty God shall deliver his covenant people. For thus
saith the Lord: I will contend with them that contendeth with
thee,
6:18 and I will feed them that oppress thee, with their own flesh;
and they shall be drunken with their own blood, as with sweet
wine; and all flesh shall know that I the Lord am thy saviour
and thy Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.
7:1 Yea, for thus saith the Lord: Have I put thee away, or have
I cast thee off forever? For thus saith the Lord: Where is the
bill of your mother's divorcement? To whom have I put thee away,
or to which of my creditors have I sold you? Yea, to whom have
I sold you? Behold, for your iniquities have ye sold yourselves,
and for your transgressions is your mother put away;
7:2 wherefore, when I come, there was no man; when I called, yea,
there was none to answer. O House of Israel, is my hand shortened
at all that it cannot redeem, or have I no power to deliver? Behold,
at my rebuke, I dry up the sea, I make their rivers a wilderness
and their fish to stink, because the waters are dried up; and
they die because of thirst.
7:3 I clothe the heavens with blackness, and I make sackcloth
their covering.
7:4 The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that
I should know how to speak a word in season unto thee, O House
of Israel. When ye are weary, he waketh morning by morning. He
waketh mine ear to hear as the learned.
7:5 The Lord God hath appointed mine ear, and I was not rebellious,
neither turned away back.
7:6 I gave my back to the smiter, and my cheeks to them that plucked
off the hair. I hid not my face from shame and spitting,
7:7 for the Lord God will help me: therefore shall I not be confounded.
Therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall
not be ashamed;
7:8 and the Lord is near, and he justifieth me. Who will contend
with me? let us stand together. Who is mine adversary? let him
come near me, and I will smite him with the strength of my mouth:
7:9 for the Lord God will help me. And all they which shall condemn
me, behold, all they shall wax old as a garment, and the moth
shall eat them up.
7:10 Who is among you that feareth the Lord; that obeyeth the
voice of his servant; that walketh in darkness, and hath no light?
7:11 Behold, all ye that kindleth fire, that compass yourselves
about with sparks: walk in the light of your fire, and in the
sparks which ye have kindled. This shall ye have of mine hand:
Ye shall lie down in sorrow.
8:1 Hearken unto me, ye that follow after righteousness: Look
unto the rock from whence ye are hewn, and the hole of the pit
from whence ye are digged.
8:2 Look unto Abraham, your father; and unto Sarah, she that bare
you: for I called him alone, and blessed him.
8:3 For the Lord shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste
places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert
like the garden of the Lord. Joy and gladness shall be found therein,
thanksgiving and the voice of melody.
8:4 Hearken unto me my people; and give ear unto me, O my nation:
for a law shall proceed from me, and I will make my judgment to
rest for a light thing of the people.
8:5 My righteousness is near; my salvation is gone forth, and
mine arm shall judge the people. The isles shall wait upon me,
and on mine arm shall they trust.
8:6 Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth
beneath: for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the
earth shall wax old like a garment; and they that dwell therein,
shall die in like manner. But my salvation shall be forever; and
my righteousness shall not be abolished.
8:7 Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in
whose heart I have written my law; fear ye not the reproach of
men; neither be ye afraid of their revilings:
8:8 for the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm
shall eat them like wool. But my righteousness shall be forever;
and my salvation from generation to generation.
8:9 Awake, awake! Put on strength O arm of the Lord: awake as
in the ancient days. Art thou not it that hath cut Rahab, and
wounded the dragon?
8:10 Art thou not it which hath dried the sea, the waters of the
great deep; that hath made the depths of the sea a way for the
ransomed to pass over?
8:11 Therefore, the redeemed of the Lord shall return, and come
with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy and holiness shall
be upon their heads; and they shall obtain gladness and joy: sorrowing
and mourning shall flee away.
8:12 I am he; yea, I am he that comforteth you: Behold, who art
thou, that thou shouldst be afraid of man, which shall die, and
of the Son of man, which shall be made like unto grass;
8:13 and forgetest the Lord thy maker, that hath stretched forth
the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth; and hast feared
continually every day, because of the fury of the oppressor, as
if he were ready to destroy? And where is the fury of the oppressor?
8:14 The captive exile hasteneth, that he may be loosed, and that
he should not die in the pit, nor that his bread should fail.
8:15 --But I am the Lord thy God, whose waves roared: the Lord
of Hosts is my name.
8:16 And I have put my words in thy mouth, and hath covered thee
in the shadow of mine hand, that I may plant the heavens and lay
the foundations of the earth, and say unto Zion, Behold, thou
art my people.
8:17 Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem, which hast drunk at
the hand of the Lord the cup of his fury; thou hast drunken the
dregs of the cup of trembling rung out;
8:18 and none to guide her among all the sons she hath brought
forth; neither that taketh her by the hand, of all the sons she
hath brought up.
8:19 These two sons are come unto thee; who shall be sorry for
thee? thy desolation and destruction, and the famine and the sword:
And by whom shall I comfort thee?
8:20 Thy sons have fainted, save these two: they lie at the heads
of all the streets, as a wild bull in a net: they are full of
the fury of the Lord, the rebuke of thy God.
8:21 Therefore hear now this, thou afflicted, and drunken, and
not with wine:
8:22 thus saith thy Lord, The Lord and thy God pleadeth the cause
of his people, Behold, I have taken out of thine hand the cup
of trembling, the dregs of the cup of my fury; thou shalt no more
drink it again.
8:23 But I will put it into the hand of them that afflict thee;
which I said to thy soul, Bow down, that we may go over: and thou
hast laid thy body as the ground, and as the street, to them that
went over.
8:24 Awake, awake, put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful
garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall
no more come into thee, the uncircumcised and the unclean.
8:25 Shake thyself from the dust; arise, sit down, O Jerusalem:
loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of
Zion.
9:1 Chapter 6 And now, my beloved brethren, I have read
these things that ye might know concerning the covenants of the
Lord; that he hath covenanted with all the House of Israel;
9:2 that he hath spoken unto the Jews, by the mouth of his holy
prophets, even from the beginning down, from generation to generation,
until the time cometh that they shall be restored to the true
Church and fold of God; when they shall be gathered home to the
lands of their inheritance, and shall be established in all their
lands of promise.
9:3 Behold, my beloved brethren, I speak unto these things that
ye may rejoice, and lift up your heads forever, because of the
blessings which the Lord God shall bestow upon your children.
9:4 For I know that thou hast searched much, many of you, to know
of things to come; wherefore I know that ye know that our flesh
must waste away and die; nevertheless, in our bodies, we shall
see God.
9:5 Yea, and I know that ye know, that in the body he shall shew
himself unto they at Jerusalem, from whence we came; for it is
expedient that it should be among them; for it behoveth the Great
Creator that he suffereth himself to become subject unto man,
in the flesh, and die for all men, that all men might become subject
unto him.
9:6 For as death hath passed upon all men, to fulfil the merciful
plan of the Great Creator, there must needs be a power of resurrection,
and the resurrection must needs come unto man by reason of the
fall; and the fall came by reason of transgression; and because
man became fallen, they were cut off from the presence of the
Lord;
9:7 wherefore it must needs be an infinite atonement; save it
should be an infinite atonement, this corruption could not put
on corruption. Wherefore, the first judgment which came upon man,
must needs have remained to an endless duration. And if so, this
flesh must have laid down to rot and to crumble to its mother
earth, to rise no more.
9:8 O the wisdom of God! his mercy and grace! For behold, if the
flesh should rise no more, our spirits must become subject to
that Angel which fell from before the presence of the Eternal
God, and became the Devil, to rise no more.
9:9 And our spirits must have become like unto him, and we become
Devils, Angels to a Devil, to be shut out from the presence of
our God, and to remain with the father of lies, in misery, like
unto himself; yea, to that being who beguiled our first parents;
who transformeth himself nigh unto an angel of light, and stirreth
up the children of men unto secret combinations of murder, and
all manner of secret works of darkness.
9:10 O how great the goodness of our God, who prepareth a way
for our escape from the grasp of this awful monster; yea, that
monster, death and hell, which I call the death of the body, and
also the death of the spirit.
9:11 And because of the way of deliverance of our God, the Holy
One of Israel, this death, of which I have spoken, which is the
temporal, shall deliver up its dead; which death is the grave.
9:12 And this death of which I have spoken, which is the spiritual
death is hell; wherefore, death and hell must deliver up its dead,
and hell must deliver up its captive spirits, and the grave must
deliver up its captive bodies, and the bodies and the spirits
of men will be restored, one to the other: and it is by the power
of the resurrection of the Holy One of Israel.
9:13 O how great the plan of our God! For on the other hand, the
paradise of God must deliver up the spirits of the righteous,
and the grave deliver up the body of the righteous; and the spirit
and the body is restored to itself again, and all men become incorruptible,
and immortal, and they are living souls, having a perfect knowledge
like unto us, in the flesh; save it be that our knowledge shall
be perfect;
9:14 wherefore, we shall have a perfect knowledge of all our guilt,
and our uncleanness, and our nakedness; and the righteous shall
have a perfect knowledge of their enjoyment, and their righteousness,
being clothed with purity, yea, even with the robe of righteousness.
9:15 And it shall come to pass, that when all men shall have passed
from this first death unto life, inasmuch as they have become
immortal, they must appear before the judgment seat, and then
they must be judged according to the holy judgment of God.
9:16 And assuredly, as the Lord liveth, for the Lord God hath
spoken it, and it is his eternal word, which cannot pass away,
that they which are righteous, shall be righteous still, and they
which are filthy, shall be filthy still; wherefore, they which
are filthy, are the Devil and his angels; and they shall go away
into everlasting fire, prepared for them; and their torment is
a lake of fire and brimstone, whose flames ascendeth up forever
and ever, and hath no end.
9:17 O the greatness and the justice of our God! For he executeth
all his words, and they have gone forth out of his mouth, and
his law must be fulfilled.
9:18 But, behold, the righteous, the saints of the Holy One of
Israel, they which have believed in the Holy One of Israel; they
which have endured the crosses of the world, and despised the
shame of it; they shall inherit the Kingdom of God, which was
prepared for them from the foundation of the world: and their
joy shall be full forever.
9:19 O the greatness of the mercy of our God, the Holy One of
Israel! For he delivereth his saints from that awful monster,
the Devil, and death and hell, and that lake of fire and brimstone,
which is endless torment.
9:20 O how great the holiness of our God! For he knoweth all things,
and there is not any thing, save he know it.
9:21 And he cometh into the world that he may save all men, if
they will hearken unto his voice: for behold, he suffereth the
pains of all men; yea, the pains of every living creature, both
men women and children, which belong to the family of Adam.
9:22 --And he suffereth this, that the resurrection might pass
upon all men, that all might stand before him, at the great and
judgment day.
9:23 And he commandeth all men that they must repent, and be baptised
in his name, having perfect faith in the Holy One of Israel, or
they cannot be saved in the Kingdom of God.
9:24 And if they will not repent and believe in his name, and
be baptised in his name, and endure to the end, they must be damned;
for the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, hath spoken it;
9:25 wherefore he hath given a law; and where there is no law
given, there is no punishment; and where there is no punishment,
there is no condemnation; and where there is no condemnation,
the mercies of the Holy One of Israel hath claim upon them, because
of the atonement: for they are delivered by the power of him:
9:26 for the atonement satisfieth the demands of his justice upon
all those who have not the law given to them, that they are delivered
from that awful monster, death and hell, and the Devil, and the
lake of fire and brimstone, which is endless torment; and they
are restored to that God who gave them breath, which is the Holy
One of Israel.
9:27 But wo unto him that hath the law given; yea, that hath all
the commandments of God, like unto us, and that transgresseth
them, and that wasteth the days of his probation: for awful is
his state!
9:28 O that cunning plan of the evil one! O the vainness, and
the frailties, and the foolish of men! When they are learned,
they think they are wise, and they hearken not unto the counsel
of God, for they set it aside, supposing they know of themselves.
Wherefore, their wisdom if foolishness, and it profiteth them
not. Wherefore they shall perish.
9:29 But to be learned is good, if it so be that they hearken
unto the counsels of God.
9:30 But wo unto the rich, which are rich as to the things of
the world. For because that they are rich, they despise the poor,
and they persecute the meek, and their hearts are upon their treasures;
wherefore their treasure is their God. And behold, their treasure
shall perish with them also.
9:31 And wo unto the deaf, that will not hear: for they shall
perish.
9:32 Wo unto the blind, that will not see: for they shall perish
also.
9:33 Wo unto the uncircumcised of heart: for a knowledge of their
iniquities shall smite them at the last day.
9:34 Wo unto the liar: for he shall be thrust down to hell.
9:35 Wo unto the murderer, who deliberately killeth: for he shall
die.
9:36 Wo unto them who commit whoredoms: for they shall be thrust
down to hell.
9:37 Yea, wo unto they that worship Idols: for the Devil of all
Devil's delighteth in them.
9:38 And, in fine, wo unto all they that die in their sins: for
they shall return to God, and behold his face, and remain in their
sins.
9:39 O, my beloved brethren, remember the awfulness in transgressing
against that holy God, and also the awfulness of yielding to the
enticing of that cunning one. Remember, to be carnally minded,
is death, and to be spiritually minded, is life eternal.
9:40 O, my beloved brethren, give ear to my words. Remember the
greatness of the Holy One of Israel. Do not say that I have spoken
hard things against you: for if ye do, ye will revile against
the truth: for I have spoken the words of your Maker. I know that
the words of truth are hard against all uncleanness; but the righteous
fear it not, for they love the truth, and are not shaken.
9:41 O then, my beloved brethren, come unto the Lord, the Holy
One. Remember that his paths are righteousness. Behold, the way
for man is narrow, but it lieth in a straight course before him,
and the keeper of the gate is the Holy One of Israel: and he employeth
no servant there; and there is none other way, save it be by the
gate, for he cannot be deceived; for the Lord God is his name.
9:42 And whoso knocketh, to him will he open, and the wise, and
the learned, and they that are rich, which are puffed up because
of their learning, and their wisdom, and their riches; yea, they
are they, whom he despiseth; and save they shall cast these things
away, and consider themselves fools before God, and come down
in the depths of humility, he will not open unto them.
9:43 But the things of the wise and the prudent, shall be hid
from them forever; yea, that happiness which is prepared for the
Saints.
9:44 O my beloved brethren, remember my words: Behold, I take
off my garments, and I shake them before you: I pray the God of
my salvation that he view me with his All-searching eye; wherefore,
ye shall know at the last day, when all men shall be judged of
their works, that the God of Israel did witness that I shook your
iniquities from my soul, and that I stand with brightness before
him, and am rid of your blood.
9:45 O my beloved brethren, turn away from your sins; shake off
the chains of him that would bind you fast; come unto that God
which is the rock of your salvation.
9:46 Prepare your souls for that glorious day, when justice shall
be administered unto the righteous; even the day of judgment,
that ye may not shrink with awful fear; that ye may not remember
your awful guilt in perfectness, and be constrained to exclaim,
Holy, holy are thy judgments, O Lord God Almighty. But I know
my guilt; I transgressed thy law, and my transgressions are mine;
and the Devil hath obtained me, that I am prey to his awful misery.
9:47 But behold, my brethren, is it expedient that I should awake
you to an awful reality of these things? Would I harrow up your
souls, if your minds were pure? Would I be plain unto you according
to the plainness of the truths, if ye were freed from sin?
9:48 Behold, if ye were holy, I would speak unto you of holiness;
but as ye are not holy, and ye look upon me as a teacher, it must
needs be expedient that I teach you the consequences of sin.
9:49 Behold, my soul abhorreth sin, and my heart delighteth in
righteousness; and I will praise the holy name of my God.
9:50 Come. my brethren, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the
waters; and he that hath no money, come buy and eat; yea, come
buy wine and milk without money and without price.
9:51 Wherefore, do not spend money for that which is of no worth,
nor your labor for that which cannot satisfy. Hearken diligently
unto me, and remember the words which I have spoken; and come
unto the Holy One of Israel, and feast upon that which perisheth
not, neither can be corrupted, and let your soul delight in fatness.
9:52 Behold, my beloved brethren, remember the words of your God;
pray unto him continually by day, and give thanks unto his holy
name at night. Let your hearts rejoice,
9:53 and behold how great the covenants of the Lord, and how great
his condescentions unto the children of men; and because of his
greatness, and his grace and mercy, he hath promised unto us that
our seed shall not utterly be destroyed, according to the flesh,
but that he would preserve them; and in future generations, they
shall become a righteous branch unto the House of Israel.
9:54 And now, my brethren, I would speak unto you more; but on
the morrow I will declare unto you the remainder of my words.
Amen.
10:1 Chapter 7 And now, I, Jacob, speak unto you again,
my beloved brethren, concerning this righteous branch of which
I have spoken.
10:2 For behold, the promises which we have obtained, are promises
unto us according to the flesh; wherefore, as it hath been shown
unto me that many of our children shall perish in the flesh, because
of unbelief, neverthelass, God will be merciful unto many; and
our children shall be restored, that they may come to that which
will give them the true knowledge of their Redeemer.
10:3 Wherefore, as I said unto you, it must needs be expedient
that Christ, (for in the last night the Angel spake unto me that
this should be his name,) should come among the Jews, among they
which are the more wicked part of the world; and they shall crucify
him: For thus it behooveth our God; and there is none other nation
on earth that would crucify their God.
10:4 For should the mighty miracles be wrought among other nations,
they would repent, and know that he be their God;
10:5 but because of priest-crafts and iniquities, they at Jerusalem
will stiffen their necks against him, that he be crucified.
10:6 Wherefore, because of their iniquities, destructions, famines,
pestilences, and bloodsheds, shall come upon them; and they which
shall not be destroyed, shall be scattered among all nations.
10:7 But behold, thus saith the Lord God: When the day cometh
that they shall believe in me, that I am Christ, they have I covenanted
with their fathers that they shall be restored in the flesh, upon
the earth, unto the lands of their inheritance.
10:8 And it shall come to pass that they shall be gathered in
from their long dispersion, from the isles of the sea, and from
the four parts of the earth; and the nation of the Gentiles shall
be great in the eyes of me, saith God, in carrying them forth
to the lands of their inheritance.
10:9 Yea, the kings of the Gentiles shall be nursing fathers unto
them, and their queens shall become nursing mothers, wherefore,
the promises of the Lord are great unto the Gentiles: for he hath
spoken it, and who can dispute.
10:10 But behold, This land, saith God, shall be a land of thine
inheritance; and the Gentiles shall be blessed upon the land.
10:11 And this land shall be a land of liberty unto the Gentiles;
and there shall be no kings upon the land, which shall raise up
unto the Gentiles.
10:12 And I will fortify this land against all other nations;
10:13 and he that fighteth against Zion, shall perish, saith God:
10:14 for he that raiseth up a king against me, shall perish.
For I the Lord, the King of Heaven, will be their king; and I
will be a light unto them forever, that hear my words.
10:15 Wherefore, for this cause, that my covenants may be fulfilled,
which I have made unto the children of men, that I will do unto
them while they are in the flesh, I must needs destroy the secret
works of darkness, and of murders of abomination;
10:16 wherefore, he that fighteth against Zion, both Jew and Gentile,
both bond and free, both male and female, shall perish: for they
are they which are the whore of all the earth; for they which
are not for me, are against me, saith our God.
10:17 For I will fulfill my promises which I have made unto the
children of men, that I will do unto them while they are in the
flesh.
10:18 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, thus saith our God: I will
afflict thy seed by the hand of the Gentiles; nevertheless, I
will soften the hearts of the Gentiles, that they shall be like
unto a father to them; wherefore, the Gentiles shall be blessed
and numbered among the House of Israel.
10:19 --Wherefore, I will consecrate this land unto thy seed and
they which shall be numbered among thy seed, forever, for the
land of their inheritance: For it is a choice land, saith God
unto me, above all other lands; wherefore, I will have all men
that dwell thereon, that they shall worship me, saith God.
10:20 And now, my beloved brethren, seeing that our merciful God
hath given us so great knowledge concerning these things, let
us remember him, and lay aside our sins, and not hang our heads,
for we are not cast off; nevertheless, we have been driven out
of the land of our inheritance; but we have been led to a better
land: for the Lord hath made the sea our path, and we are upon
an isle of the sea. But great is the promises of the Lord unto
they which are upon the isles of the sea;
10:21 wherefore, as it sayeth isles, there must needs be more
than this; and they are inhabited also by our brethren.
10:22 For behold, the Lord God hath led away from time to time
from the House of Israel, according to his will and pleasure.
And now, behold, the Lord remembereth all they which have been
broken off; wherefore, he remembereth us also.
10:23 Therefore cheer up your hearts, and remember that ye are
free to act for yourselves: to choose the way of everlasting death,
or the way of eternal life.
10:24 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, reconcile yourselves to
the will of God, and not to the will of the Devil and the flesh;
and remember that after ye are reconciled unto God, that it is
only in and through the grace of God that ye are saved.
10:25 Wherefore, may God raise you from death, by the power of
the resurrection; and also from everlasting death, by the power
of the atonement, that ye may be received into the Eternal Kingdom
of God, that ye may praise him through Grace Divine. Amen.
11:1 Chapter 8 And now Jacob spake many more things to
my people at that time; nevertheless, only these things have I
caused to be written: for the things which I have written, sufficeth
me.
11:2 And now I, Nephi, write more of the words of Isaiah: for
my soul delighteth in his words. For I will liken his words unto
my people; and I will send them forth unto all my children: for
he verily saw my Redeemer, even as I have seen him.
11:3 And my brother Jacob also hath seen him as I have seen him;
wherefore, I will send their words forth unto my children, to
prove unto them that my words are true. Wherefore, by the words
of three, God hath said, I will establish my word. Nevertheless,
God sendeth more witnesses; and he proveth all his words.
11:4 Behold, my soul delighteth in proving unto my people the
truth of the coming of Christ: for, this end hath the law of Moses
been given; and all things which have been given of God from the
beginning of the world, unto man, are the typifying of him.
11:5 And also, my soul delighteth in the covenants of the Lord
which he hath made to our fathers; yea, my soul delighteth in
his grace, and his justice, and power, and mercy, in the great
and eternal plan of deliverance from death.
11:6 And my soul delighteth in proving unto my people, that save
Christ should come, all men must perish.
11:7 For if there be no Christ, there be no God; and if there
be no God, we are not, for there could have been no creation.
--But there is a God, and he is Christ; and he cometh in the fulness
of his own time.
11:8 And now, I write some of the words of Isaiah, that whoso
of my people which shall see these words, may lift up their hearts
and rejoice for all men. Now, these are the words; and ye may
liken them unto you, and unto all men.
12:1 The word that Isaiah, the son of Amoz, saw concerning Judah
and Jerusalem:
12:2 And it shall come to pass in the last days, when the mountain
of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains,
and shall be exalted above the hills, and all nations shall flow
into it,
12:3 and many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go
up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob;
and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths:
for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord
from Jerusalem.
12:4 And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many
people: and they shall beat their swords, plough-shares, and their
spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against
nation, neither shall they learn war any more.
12:5 O house of Jocob, come ye and let us walk in the light of
the Lord; yea, come, for ye have all gone astray, every one to
his wicked ways.
12:6 Therefore, O Lord, thou hast forsaken thy people, the house
of Jacob, because they be replenished from the east, and hearken
unto soothsayers like the Philistines, and they please themselves
in the children of strangers.
12:7 Their land also is full of silver and gold, neither is there
any end of their treasures; their land is also full of horses,
neither is there any end of their chariots:
12:8 their land also is full of idols; they worship the work of
their own hands, --that which their own fingers have made:
12:9 and the mean man boweth down, and the great man humbleth
himself not: therefore forgive him not.
12:10 O ye wicked ones, enter into the rock, and hide thee in
the dust, for the fear of the Lord, and the glory of his majesty
shall smite thee.
12:11 And it shall come to pass that the lofty looks of man shall
be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and
the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day.
12:12 For the day of the Lord of hosts soon cometh upon all nations;
yea, upon every one; yea, upon the proud and lofty, and upon every
one which is lifted up; and he shall be brought low:
12:13 yea, and the day of the Lord shall come upon all the cedars
of Lebanon, for they are high and lifted up; and upon all the
oaks of Bashan,
12:14 and upon all the high mountains, and upon all the hills,
and upon all the nations which are lifted up, and upon every people,
12:15 and upon every high tower, and upon every fenced wall,
12:16 and upon all the ships of the sea, and upon all the ships
of Tarshish, and upon all pleasant pictures.
12:17 And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness
of men shall be made low: and the Lord alone shall be exalted
in that day.
12:18 And the idols he shall utterly abolish.
12:19 And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into
the caves of the earth, for the fear of the Lord shall come upon
them; and the glory of his majesty shall smite them, when he ariseth
to shake terribly the earth.
12:20 In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver and his
idols of gold, which he hath made for himself to worship, to the
moles and to the bats;
12:21 to go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the tops of
the ragged rocks, for the fear of the Lord shall come upon them,
and the majesty of his glory shall smite them when he ariseth
to shake terribly the earth.
12:22 Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils: for
wherein is he to be accounted of?
13:1 For behold, the Lord, the Lord of hosts, doth take away from
Jerusalem and from Judah the stay and the staff, the whole staff
of bread, and the whole stay of water,
13:2 the mighty man, and the man of war, the judge, and the prophet,
and the prudent, and the ancient,
13:3 the captain of fifty, and the honorable man, and the counsellor,
and the cunning artificer, and the eloquent orator.
13:4 And I will give children unto them to be their princes, and
babes shall rule over them.
13:5 And the people shall be oppressed, every one by another,
and every one by his neighbor: the child shall behave himself
proudly against the ancient, and the base against the honorable.
13:6 When a man shall take hold of his brother of the house of
his father, and shall say, Thou hast clothing, be thou our ruler,
and let not this ruin come under thy hand:
13:7 in that day shall he swear, saying, I will not be a healer;
for in my house there is neither bread or clothing: make me not
a ruler of the people.
13:8 For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen: because their
tongues are their doings have been against the Lord, to provoke
the eyes of his glory.
13:9 The shew of their countenance doth witness against them,
and doth declare their sin to be even as Sodom, and they cannot
hide it. Wo unto their souls! for they have rewarded evil unto
themselves.
13:10 Say unto the righteous, that it is well with them: for they
shall eat the fruit of their doings.
13:11 Wo unto the wicked! for they shall perish: for the reward
of their hands shall be upon them.
13:12 And my people, children are their oppressors, and women
rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to
err, and destroy the ways of thy paths.
13:13 The Lord standeth up to plead, and standeth to judge the
people.
13:14 The Lord will enter into judgment with the ancients of his
people, with the princes thereof: for ye have eaten up the vineyard,
and the spoil of the poor in your houses.
13:15 What mean ye? Ye beat my people to pieces, and grind the
faces of the poor, saith the Lord God of hosts.
13:16 Moreover the Lord saith, Because the daughters of Zion are
haughty, and walk with stretched necks and wanton eyes, walking
and mincing as they go,, and making a tinkling with their feet:
13:17 therefore the Lord will smite with a scab the crown of the
head of the daughters of Zion, and the Lord will discover their
secret parts.
13:18 In that day the Lord will take away the bravery of tinkling
ornaments, and cauls, and round tires like the moon,
13:19 the chains, and the bracelets, and mufflers,
13:20 the bonnets, and the ornaments of the legs, and the head-bands,
and the tablets, and the ear-rings,
13:21 the rings, and nose-jewels,
13:22 the changeable suits of apparel, and the mantles, and the
wimples, and the crisping-pins,
13:23 the glasses, and the fine linen, and hoods, and the vails.
13:24 And it shall come to pass, instead of sweet smell, there
shall be stink; and instead of a girdle, a rent; and instead of
well set hair, baldness; and instead of a stomacher, a girding
of sack cloth: burning instead of beauty.
13:25 Thy men shall fall by the sword, and thy mighty in the war.
13:26 And her gates shall lament and mourn; and she shall be desolate,
and shall sit upon the ground.
14:1 And in that day, seven women shall take hold of one man,
saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only
let us be called by the name, to take away our reproach.
14:2 In that day shall the branch of the Lord be beautiful and
glorious; the fruit of the earth excellent and comely to them
that are escaped of Israel.
14:3 And it shall come to pass, them that are left in Zion, and
remaineth in Jerusalem, shall be called holy, every one that is
written among the living in Jerusalem:
14:4 when the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters
of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the
midst thereof by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of
burning.
14:5 And the Lord will create upon every dwelling-place of mount
Zion, and upon her assemblies a cloud of smoke by day, and the
shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory of
Zion shall be a defence.
14:6 And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the day time
from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and a covert from storm
and from rain.
15:1 And then I will sing to my well beloved a song of my beloved
touching his vineyard. My well-beloved hath a vineyard in a very
fruitful hill:
15:2 and he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and
planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst
of it, and also made a wine-press therein: and he looked that
it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes.
15:3 And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge,
I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard.
15:4 What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have
not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring
forth grapes, it brought forth wild grapes.
15:5 And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard:
I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up;
and I will break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden
down:
15:6 and I will lay it waste: it shall not be pruned, nor digged;
but there shall come up briars and thorns: I will also command
the clouds that they rain no rain upon it.
15:7 For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the House of Israel,
and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment,
and behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry.
15:8 Wo unto them that join house to house, till there can be
no place, that they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth!
15:9 In mine ears, said the Lord of hosts, Of a truth many houses
shall be desolate, and great and fair cities without inhabitant.
15:10 Yea, ten acres of vineyard shall yield one bath, and the
seed of a horner shall yield an ephah.
15:11 Wo unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they
may follow strong drink; that continue until night, and wine inflame
them!
15:12 And the harp, and the viol the tabret, and pipe, and wine,
are in their feasts: but they regard not the work of the Lord,
neither consider the operation of his hands.
15:13 Therefore my people are gone into captivity, because they
have no knowledge: and their honorable men are famished, and their
multitude dried up with thirst.
15:14 Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth
without measure: and their glory, and their multitude, and their
pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it.
15:15 And the mean man shall be brought down, and the mighty man
shall be humbled, and the eyes of the lofty shall be humbled:
15:16 but the Lord of hosts shall be exalted in judgment, and
God that is holy shall be sanctified in righteousness.
15:17 Then shall the lamb feed after their manner, and the waste
places of the fat ones shall strangers eat.
15:18 Wo unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and
sin as it were with a cart-rope:
15:19 that say, Let him make speed, hasten his work, that we may
see it: and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw nigh
and come, that we may know it.
15:20 Wo unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put
darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for
sweet, and sweet for bitter!
15:21 Wo unto the wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their
own sight!
15:22 Wo unto the mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to
mingle strong drink:
15:23 which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness
of the righteous from him!
15:24 Therefore as the fire devoureth and the stubble, and the
flame consumeth the chaff, their root shall be rottenness, and
their blossoms shall go up as dust: because they have cast away
the law of the Lord of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy
One of Israel.
15:25 Therefore is the anger of the Lord kindled against his people,
and he hath stretched forth his hand against them, and hath smitten
them: and the hills did tremble, and their carcases were torn
in the midst of the streets. For all this his anger is not turned
away, but his hand stretched out still.
15:26 And he will lift up an ensign to the nations from far, and
will hiss unto them from the end of the earth; and behold they
shall come with speed swiftly: none shall be weary nor stumble
among them;
15:27 non shall slumber or sleep; neither shall the girdle of
their loins be loosed, not the lachet of their shoes be broken:
15:28 whose arrows shall be sharp, and all their bows bent, and
their horses' hoofs shall be counted like flint, and their wheels
like a whirlwind, their roaring like a lion.
15:29 --They shall roar like young lions: yea, they shall roar,
and lay hold of the prey, and shall carry away safe, and none
shall deliver.
15:30 And in that day they shall roar against them like the roaring
of the sea: and if they look unto the land, behold, darkness and
sorrow, and the light is darkened in the heavens thereof.
16:1 Chapter 9 In the year that king Uzziah died, I saw
also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his
train filled the temple.
16:2 Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with
twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet,
and with twain he did fly.
16:3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is
the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.
16:4 And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that
cried, and the house was filled with smoke.
16:5 Then said I, Wo me! for I am undone; because I a man of unclean
lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for
mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.
16:6 --Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal
in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar:
16:7 and he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this has touched
thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.
16:8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I
send, and who will go for us? Then I said, Here I; send me.
16:9 And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but
they understand not; and see ye indeed, but they perceived not.
16:10 Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy.
and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with
their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and
be healed.
16:11 Then said I, Lord, how long? And he said, Until the cities
be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and
the land be utterly desolate;
16:12 and the Lord have removed men far away, for there shall
be a great forsaking in the midst of the land.
16:13 But yet in there shall be a tenth, and they shall return,
and shall be eaten: as a teil-tree, and as an oak whose substance
is in them, when they cast their leaves: so the holy seed shall
be the substance thereof.
17:1 And it came to pass in the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham,
the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, and Rezin, king of Syria, and
Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, went up towards Jerusalem
to war against it, but could not prevail against it.
17:2 And it was told the house of David, saying, Syria is confederate
with Ephraim. And his heart was moved, and the heart of his people,
as the trees of the wood are moved with the wind.
17:3 Then said the Lord unto Isaiah, Go forth now to meet Ahaz,
thou, and Shearjashub thy son, at the end of the conduit of the
upper pool in the highway of the fuller's field;
17:4 and say unto him, Take heed, and be quiet; fear not, neither
be faint-hearted for the two tails of these smoking fire-brands,
for the fierce anger of Rezin with Syria, and of the son of Remaliah.
17:5 Because Syria, Ephraim, and the son of Remaliah, have taken
evil counsel against thee, saying,
17:6 Let us go up against Judah, and vex it, and let us make a
breach therein for us, and set a king in the midst of it, yea
the son of Tabeal:
17:7 thus saith the Lord God, it shall not stand, neither shall
it come to pass.
17:8 For the head of Syria is Damascus, and the head of Damascus,
Rezin: and within threescore and five years shall Ephraim be broken,
that it be not a people.
17:9 And the head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria
is Remaliah's son. If ye will not believe, surely ye shall not
be established.
17:10 Moreover, the Lord spake again unto Ahaz, saying,
17:11 Ask thee a sign of the Lord thy God; ask it either in the
depths, or in the heights above.
17:12 But Ahaz said, I will not ask, neither will I tempt the
Lord.
17:13 And he said, Hear ye now, O house of David; Is it a small
thing for you to weary men, but will ye weary my God also?
17:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign: Behold,
a virgin shall conceive, and shall bear a son, and shall call
his name Immanuel.
17:15 Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse
the evil, and to choose the good.
17:16 For before the child shall know to refuse the evil and choose
the good, the land that thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of both
her kings.
17:17 The Lord shall bring upon thee, and upon thy people, and
upon thy father's house, days that have not come, from the day
that Ephraim departed from Judah, the king of Assyria.
17:18 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall
hiss for the fly that is in the uttermost part of Egypt, and for
the bee that is in the land of Assyria.
17:19 And they shall come, and shall rest all of them in the desolate
valleys, and in the holes of the rocks, and upon all thorns, and
upon all bushes.
17:20 In the same day shall the Lord shave with a razor that is
hired, by them beyond the river, by the king of Assyria, the head,
and the hair of the feet: and it shall also consume the beard.
17:21 And it shall come to pass in that day, a man shall nourish
a young cow, and two sheep;
17:22 and it shall come to pass, for the abundance of milk they
shall give, he shall eat butter: for butter and honey shall every
one eat that is left in the land.
17:23 --And it shall come to pass in that day, every place shall
be, where there were a thousand vines at a thousand silverlings,
which shall be for briers and thorns.
17:24 With arrows and with bows shall men come thither; because
all the land shall become briers and thorns.
17:25 And all the hills that shall be digged with the mattock,
there shall not come thither the fear of briers and thorns: but
is shall be for the sending forth of oxen, and treading of lesser
cattle.
18:1 Moreover, the word of the Lord said unto me, Take thee a
great roll, and write in it with a man's pen concerning Maher-shalal-hash-baz.
18:2 And I took unto me faithful witnesses to record, Uriah the
priest, and Zechariah, the son of Jeberechiah.
18:3 And I went unto the prophetess; and she conceived and bear
a son. Then said the Lord to me, Call his name Maher-shalal-hash-baz.
18:4 For behold, the child shall not have knowledge to cry, My
father, and my mother, before the riches of Damascus and the spoil
of Samaria shall be taken away before the king of Assyria.
18:5 The Lord spake also unto me again, saying,
18:6 Forasmuch as this people refuseth the waters of Shiloah that
go softly, and rejoice in Rezin and Remaliah's son;
18:7 now therefore, behold, the Lord bringeth up upon the waters
of the river, strong and many, even the king of Assyria, and all
his glory: and he shall come up over all his channels, and go
over all his banks:
18:8 and he shall pass through Judah; he shall overflow and go
over, he shall reach even to the neck; and the stretching out
of his wings shall fill the breadth of thy land, O Immanuel.
18:9 Associate yourselves, O ye people, and ye shall be broken
in pieces; and give ear all ye of far countries: gird yourselves,
and ye shall be broken in pieces; gird yourselves, and ye shall
be broken in pieces.
18:10 Take counsel together and it shall come to nought; speak
the word, and it shall not stand: for God is with us.
18:11 For the Lord spake thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed
me that I should not walk in the way of this people, saying,
18:12 Say ye not. A confederacy, to all to whom this people shall
say, A confederacy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid.
18:13 Sanctify the Lord of hosts himself, and let him be your
fear, and let him be your dread.
18:14 And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling
and for a rock of offence to both the Houses of Israel, for a
gin and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
18:15 And many among them shall stumble, and fall, and be broken,
and be snared, and be taken.
18:16 --Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples.
18:17 And I will wait upon the Lord, that hideth his face from
the house of Jacob, and I will look for him.
18:18 Behold, I and the children whom the Lord hath given me are
for signs and for wonders in Israel from the Lord of hosts, which
dwelleth in mount Zion.
18:19 And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have
familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and mutter: should
not a people seek unto their God? for the living to hear from
the dead?
18:20 to the law and to the testimony: and if they speak not according
to this word, it is because there is no light in them.
18:21 And they shall pass through it, hardly bestead and hungry:
and it shall come to pass, that when they shall be hungry, they
shall fret themselves, and curse their king and their God, and
look upward.
18:22 And they shall look unto the earth; and behold trouble and
darkness, dimness of anguish, and shall be driven to darkness.
19:1 Nevertheless the dimness shall not be such as was in her
vexation, when at the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun,
and the land of Naphtali, and afterwards did more grievously afflict
by the way of the Red Sea beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations.
19:2 The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light:
they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them
hath the light shined.
19:3 Thou hast multiplied the nations, and increased the joy:
they joy before thee according to the joy in harvest, and as men
rejoice when they divide the spoil.
19:4 For thou hast broken the yoke of his burden, and the staff
of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor.
19:5 For every battle of the warrior with confused noise, and
garments rolled in blood; but this shall be with burning and fuel
of fire.
19:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and
the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall
be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting
Father, The Prince of Peace.
19:7 Of the increase of government and peace there is no end,
upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and
to establish it with judgment and justice from henceforth even
forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.
19:8 The Lord sent his word unto Jacob and it hath lighted upon
Israel.
19:9 And all the people shall know, even Ephraim and the inhabitants
of Samaria, that say in the pride and the stoutness of heart,
19:10 The bricks are fallen down, but we will change them into
cedars.
19:11 Therefore the Lord shall set up the adversaries of Rezin
against him, and join his enemies together;
19:12 the Syrians before, and the Philistines behind: and they
shall devour Israel with open mouth. For all this his anger is
not turned away, but his hand stretched out still.
19:13 For the people turneth not unto him that smiteth them, neither
do they seek the Lord of hosts.
19:14 Therefore will the Lord cut off from Israel head and tail,
branch and rush in one day.
19:15 --The ancient, he is the head; and the prophet that teacheth
lies, he is the tail.
19:16 For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they
that are led of them are destroyed.
19:17 Therefore the Lord shall have no joy in their young men,
neither shall have mercy on their fatherless and widows: for every
one of the is a hypocrite and an evil-doer, and every mouth speaketh
folly. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand
stretched out still.
19:18 For the wickedness burneth as the fire; it shall devour
the briers and thorns, and shall kindle in the thickets of the
forests, and they shall mount up like the lifting up of smoke.
19:19 --Through the wrath of the Lord of hosts is the land darkened,
and the people shall be as the fuel of the fire: no man shall
spare his brother.
19:20 And he shall snatch on the right hand, and be hungry; and
he shall eat on the left hand, and they shall not be satisfied:
they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm:
19:21 Manasseh, Ephraim; and Ephraim, Manasseh: they together
shall be against Judah. For all this his anger is not turned away,
but his hand stretched out still.
20:1 Wo unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, and that write
grievousness which they have prescribed;
20:2 to turn aside the needy from judgment, and to take away the
right from the poor of my people, that widows may be their prey,
and that they may rob the fatherless!
20:3 And what will ye do in the day of visitation, and in desolation
which shall come from far? to whom will ye flee for help? and
where will ye leave your glory?
20:4 Without me they shall bow down under the prisoners, and they
shall fall under the slain. For all this his anger is not turned
away, but his hand stretched out still.
20:5 O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their
hand is their indignation.
20:6 I will send him against a hypocritical nation, and against
the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil,
and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of
the streets .
20:7 Howbeit he meaneth not so, neither doth his heart think so;
but in his heart it is to destroy and cut off nations not a few.
20:8 For he saith, Are not my princes altogether kings?
20:9 Is not Calno as Carchemish? Is not Hamath as Arpad? Is not
Samaria as Damascus?
20:10 As my hand hath founded the kingdoms of the idols, and whose
graven images did excel them of Jerusalem and of Samaria;
20:11 shall I not, as I have done unto Samaria and her idols,
so do to Jerusalem and her idols?
20:12 Wherefore it shall come to pass, that when the Lord hath
performed his whole work upon the mount Zion and upon Jerusalem,
I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria,
and the glory of his high looks.
20:13 For he saith, By the strength of my hand and by my wisdom
I have done these things; for I am prudent: and I have moved the
borders of the [people, and have robbed their treasures, and I
have put down the inhabitants like a valiant man:
20:14 and my hand hath found as a nest the riches of the people:
and as one gathereth eggs that are left, have I gathered all the
earth; and there was none that moved the wing, or opened the mouth,
or peeped.
20:15 Shall the axe boast itself against him that heweth therewith?
Shall the saw magnify itself against him that shaketh it? as if
the rod should shake itself against them that lift it up, or as
if the staff should lift up itself, as if it were no wood.
20:16 Therefore shall the Lord, the Lord of hosts, send among
his fat ones leanness; and under his glory he shall kindle a burning
like the burning of a fire.
20:17 And the light of Israel shall be for a fire, and his Holy
One for a flame, and shall burn and shall devour his thorns and
his briers in one day;
20:18 and shall consume the glory of his forest, and of his fruitful
field, both soul and body; and they shall be as when a standard-bearer
fainteth.
20:19 And the rest of the trees of his forest shall be few, that
a child may write them.
20:20 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the remnant
of Israel, and such as are escaped of the house of Jacob, shall
no more again stay upon him that smote them; but shall stay upon
the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, in truth.
20:21 The remnant shall return, yea, even the remnant of Jacob,
unto the mighty God.
20:22 For though thy people Israel be as the sand of the sea,
yet a remnant of them shall return: the consumption decreed shall
overflow with righteousness.
20:23 For the Lord God of hosts shall make a consumption, even
determined, in all the land.
20:24 Therefore thus saith the Lord God of hosts, O my people
that dwellest in Zion, be not afraid of the Assyrian: he shall
smite thee with a rod, and shall lift up his staff against thee,
after the manner of Egypt.
20:25 For yet a very little while, and the indignation shall cease,
and mine anger in their destruction.
20:26 And the Lord of hosts shall stir up a scourge for him according
to the slaughter of Midian at the rock of Oreb; and as his rod
was upon the sea, so shall he lift it up after the manner of Egypt.
20:27 And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall
be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy
neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing.
20:28 He is come to Aiath, he is passed to Migron; at Michmash
he hath laid up his carriages;
20:29 they are gone over the passage; they have taken up their
lodging at Geba; Ramath is afraid; Gibeah of Saul is fled.
20:30 Lift up the voice, O daughter of Gallim; cause it to be
heard unto Laish, O poor Anathoth.
20:31 Madmenah is removed; the inhabitants of Gebim gather themselves
to flee.
20:32 As yet shall he remain at Nob that day; he shall shake his
hand against the mount of the daughter of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem.
20:33 Behold, the Lord, the Lord of hosts shall lop the bough
with terror; and the high ones of stature shall be hewn down,
and the haughty shall be humbled.
20:34 And he shall cut down the thickets of the forests with iron,
and Lebanon shall fall by a mighty one.
21:1 And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse,
and a branch shall grow out of his roots;
21:2 and the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit
of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might,
the spirit of knowledge and of fear of the Lord; and shall make
him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord;
21:3 and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither
reprove after the hearing of his ears:
21:4 but with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove
with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the
earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips
shall he slay the wicked.
21:5 And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness
the girdle of his reins.
21:6 The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard
shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and
the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.
21:7 And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall
lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
21:8 And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp,
and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice's den.
21:9 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain:
for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the
waters cover the sea.
21:10 And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall
stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek:
and his rest shall be glorious.
21:11 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall
set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his
people, which shall be left from Assyria, and from Egypt, and
from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and
from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.
21:12 And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall
assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed
of Judah from the four corners of the earth.
21:13 The envy of Ephraim also shall depart and the adversaries
of Judah shall be cut off: Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah
shall not vex Ephraim.
21:14 But they shall fly upon the shoulders of the Philistines
toward the west; they shall spoil them of the east together; they
shall lay their hand upon Edom and Moab; and the children of Ammon
shall obey them.
21:15 And the Lord shall utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian
sea; and with his mighty wind he shall shake his hand over the
river, and shall smite it in the seven streams, and make men go
over dry shod.
21:16 And there shall be a highway for the remnant of his people,
which shall be left, from Assyria, like as it was to Israel in
the day that he came up out of the land of Egypt.
22:1 And in that day thou shalt say, O Lord, I will praise thee:
though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and
thou comfortedst me.
22:2 Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid:
for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also is become
my salvation.
22:3 Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of
salvation.
22:4 And in that day shall ye say, Praise the Lord, call upon
his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that
his name is exalted.
22:5 Sing unto the Lord; for he hath done excellent thing: this
is known in all the earth.
22:6 Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion; for great is
the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee.
23:1 Chapter 10 The burden of Babylon, which Isaiah the
son of Amoz did see.
23:2 Lift ye up a banner upon the high mountain, exalt the voice
unto them, shake the hand, that they may go into the gates of
the nobles.
23:3 I have commanded my sanctified ones, I have also called my
mighty ones, for mine anger is not upon them that rejoice in my
highness.
23:4 The noise of the multitude in the mountains like as of a
great people; a tumultous noise of the kingdoms of nations gathered
together: the Lord of hosts mustereth the hosts of the battle.
23:5 They come from a far country, from the end of heaven, yea,
the Lord, and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole
land.
23:6 Howl ye; for the day of the Lord is at hand: it shall come
as a destruction from the Almighty.
23:7 Therefore shall all hands be faint, every man's heart shall
melt;
23:8 and they shall be afraid; pangs and sorrows shall take hold
of them; they shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall
be as flames.--
23:9 Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, cruel both with wrath
and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy
the sinners thereof out of it.
23:10 For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall
not give their light; and the sun be darkened in her going forth,
and the moon shall not cause her light to shine.
23:11 And I will punish the world for evil, and the wicked for
their iniquity; I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease,
and will lay down the haughtiness of the terrible.
23:12 I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man
than the golden wedge of Ophir.
23:13 Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall
remove out of her place in the wrath of the Lord of hosts, and
in the days of his fierce anger.
23:14 And it shall be as the chaste roe, and as a sheep that no
man taketh up: they shall every man turn to his own people, and
flee every one into his own land.
23:15 Every one that is proud shall be thrust through; yea, and
every one that is joined to the wicked, shall fall by the sword.
23:16 Their children also shall be dashed to pieces before their
eyes; their houses shall be spoiled, and their wives ravished.
23:17 Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them, which shall
not regard silver and gold, nor they shall not delight in it.
23:18 Their bows shall also dash the young men to pieces; and
they shall have no pity on the fruit of the womb; their eyes shall
not spare children.
23:19 And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees'
excellency shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.
23:20 It shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in
from generation to generation: neither shall the Arabian pitch
tent there: neither shall the shepherds make their fold there:
23:21 but wild beasts of the desert shall lie there; and their
houses shall be full of doleful creatures, and owls shall dwell
there, and satyrs shall dance there.
23:22 And the wild beasts of the islands shall cry in their desolate
houses, and dragons in their pleasant palaces: and her time is
near to come, and her day shall not be prolonged. For I will destroy
her speedily; yea, for I will be merciful unto my people: but
the wicked shall perish.
24:1 For the Lord will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose
Israel, and set them in their own land: and the strangers shall
be joined with them, and they shall cleave to the house of Jacob.
24:2 And the people shall take them, and bring them to their place:
yea, from far unto the ends of the earth: and they shall return
to their lands of promise. And the house of Israel shall possess
them, and the land of the Lord shall be for servants and handmaids:
and they shall take them captives, unto whom they were captives;
and they shall rule over their oppressors.
24:3 And it shall come to pass in that day that the Lord shall
give thee rest from thy sorrow, and from thy fear, and from the
hard bondage wherein thou wast made to serve.
24:4 And it shall come to pass in that day, that thou shalt take
up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say, How hath
the oppressor ceased, the golden city ceased!
24:5 The Lord hath broken the staff of the wicked, the sceptres
of the rulers.
24:6 He who smote the people in wrath with a continual stroke,
he that ruled the nations in anger, is persecuted, and none hindereth.
24:7 The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet: they break forth
into singing.
24:8 Yea, the fir-trees rejoice at thee, and also the cedars of
Lebanon, saying, Since thou art laid down, no feller is come up
against us.
24:9 Hell from beneath moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming:
it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the
earth: it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the
nations.
24:10 All they shall speak and say unto thee, Art thou also become
weak as we? Art thou become like unto us?
24:11 Thy pomp is brought down to the grave; the noise of thy
viols is not heard: the worm is spread under thee, and the worms
cover thee.
24:12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!
Art thou cut down to the ground, which did weaken the nations!
24:13 For thou hast said in thy heart, I will ascend into heaven,
I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also
upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north;
24:14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be
like the Most High.
24:15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of
the pit.
24:16 They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and shall
consider thee, and shall say, Is this the man that made the earth
to tremble, and did shake kingdoms,
24:17 and made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities
thereof, and opened not the house of his prisoners?
24:18 All the kings of the nations, yea, all of them, lie in glory,
every one of them in his own house.
24:19 But thou are cast out of thy grave like an abominable branch,
and the remnant of those that are slain, thrust through with a
sword, that go down to the stones of the pit; as a carcass trodden
under feet.
24:20 Thou shalt not be joined with them in burial, because thou
hast destroyed thy land, and slain thy people: the seed of evil-doers
shall never be renowned.
24:21 Prepare slaughter for his children for the iniquities of
their fathers; that they do not rise, nor possess the land, nor
fill the face of the world with cities.--
24:22 For I will rise up against them, saith the Lord of hosts,
and cut off from Babylon the name and remnant, and son, and nephew,
saith the Lord.
24:23 I will also make it a possession for the bittern, and pools
of water: and I will sweep it with the besom of destruction, saith
the Lord of hosts.
24:24 The Lord of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought,
so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it
stand:
24:25 that I will bring the Assyrian in my land, and upon my mountains
tread him under foot: then shall his yoke depart from off them,
and his burden depart from off their shoulders.
24:26 This is the purpose that is purposed upon the whole earth:
and this is the hand that is stretched out upon all nations.
24:27 For the Lord of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul?
And his hand stretched out, and who shall turn it back?
24:28 In the year that king Ahaz died was this burden.
24:29 Rejoice not thou, whole Palestina, because the rod of him
that smote thee is broken: for out of the serpent's root shall
come forth a cockatrice, and his fruit shall be a fiery flying
serpent.
24:30 And the first-born of the poor shall feed, and the needy
shall lie down in safety: and I will kill thy root with famine,
and he shall slay thy remnant.
24:31 Howl, O gate; cry O city; thou, whole Palestina, art dissolved:
for there shall come from the north a smoke, and none shall be
alone in his appointed times.
24:32 What shall then answer the messengers of the nations? That
the Lord hath founded Zion, and the poor of his people shall trust
in it.
25:1 Chapter 11 Now I, Nephi, do speak somewhat concerning
the words which I have written, which have been spoken by the
mouth of Isaiah. For behold, Isaiah spake many things which were
hard for many of my people to understand: for they know not concerning
the manner of prophesying among the Jews.
25:2 For I, Nephi, have not taught them many things concerning
the manner of the Jews; for their works were works of darkness,
and their doings were doings of abominations.
25:3 Wherefore, I write unto my people, unto all they that shall
receive hereafter these things which I write, that they may know
the judgments of God, that they come upon all nations. according
to the word which he hath spoken.
25:4 --Wherefore hearken, O my people, which are of the House
of Israel, and give ear unto my words: for because that the words
of Isaiah are not plain unto you, nevertheless they are plain
unto all they that are filled with the spirit of prophecy. But
I give unto you a prophecy, according to the spirit which is in
me; wherefore I shall prophesy according to the plainness which
hath been with me from the time that I came out from Jerusalem
with my father: for behold, my soul delighteth in plainness unto
my people, that they may learn;
25:5 yea, and my soul delighteth in the words of Isaiah, for I
came out from Jerusalem, and mine eyes hath beheld the things
of the Jews, and I know that the Jews do understand the things
of the Prophets, and there is none other people that understand
the things which were spoken unto the Jews, like unto them, save
it be that they are taught after the manner of the things of the
Jews.
25:6 But behold, I, Nephi, have not taught my children after the
manner of the Jews; but behold, I, of myself, have dwelt at Jerusalem,
wherefore I know concerning the regions round about; and I have
made mention unto my children concerning the judgments of God,
which hath come to pass among the Jews, unto my children, according
to all that which Isaiah hath spoken, and I do not write them.
25:7 But behold, I proceed with mine own prophecy, according to
my plainness; in the which, I know that no man can err; nevertheless,
in the days that the prophecies of Isaiah shall be fulfilled,
men shall know of a surety, at the times when they shall come
to pass;
25:8 wherefore, they are of worth unto the children of men, and
he that supposeth that they are not, unto them will I speak particularly,
and confine the words unto mine own people: for I know that they
shall be of great worth unto them on the last days; for in that
day shall they understand them; wherefore, for their good have
I written them.
25:9 And as one generation hath been destroyed among the Jews,
because of iniquity, even so have they been destroyed, from generation
to generation, according to their iniquities; and never hath any
of them been destroyed, save it were foretold them by the Prophets
of the Lord.
25:10 Wherefore, it hath been told them concerning the destruction
which should come upon them, immediately after my father left
Jerusalem; nevertheless, they hardened their hearts; and according
to my prophecy, they have been destroyed, save it be those which
are carried away captive into Babylon.
25:11 And now this I speak because of the spirit which is in me.
And notwithstanding that they have been carried away, they shall
return again, and possess the land of Jerusalem; wherefore they
shall be restored again to the lands of their inheritance.
25:12 But, behold, they shall have wars, and rumors of wars; and
when the day cometh that the only begotten of the Father, yea,
even the Father of heaven and of earth, shall manifest himself
unto them in the flesh, behold, they will reject him, because
of their iniquities, and the hardness of their hearts, and the
stiffness of their necks.
25:13 Behold they will crucify him, and after that he is laid
in a Sepulcher for the space of three days, he shall rise from
the dead, with healing in his wings, and all they that shall believe
on his name, shall be saved in the Kingdom of God; wherefore,
my soul delighted to prophesy concerning him, for I have seen
his day, and my heart doth magnify his holy name.
25:14 And behold it shall come to pass, that after the Messiah
hath risen from the dead, and hath manifested himself unto his
people, unto as many as will believe on his name, behold, Jerusalem
shall be destroyed again: for wo unto them that fight against
God and the people of his church.
25:15 Wherefore, the Jews shall be scattered among all nations,
yea, and also Babylon shall be destroyed; wherefore, the Jews
shall, be scattered by other nations;
25:16 and after that they have been scattered, and the Lord God
hath scourged them by other nations, for the space of many generations,
yea, even down from generation to generation, until they shall
be persuaded to believe in Christ, the Son of God, and the atonement,
which is infinite for all mankind; and when that day shall come,
that they shall believe in Christ, and worship the father in his
name, with pure hearts, and clean hands, and look not foreward
any more for another Messiah, then, at that time the day will
come that it must needs be expedient that they should believe
these things,
25:17 and the Lord will set his hand again the second time to
restore his people from their lost and fallen state. Wherefore,
he will proceed to do a marvelous work, and a wonder among the
children of men.
25:18 Wherefore, he shall bring forth his words unto them, which
words shall judge them at the last day, for they shall be given
them for the purpose of convincing them of the true Messiah, who
was rejected by them; and unto the convincing of them that they
need not look forward for a Messiah to come, for there should
not any come, save it should be a false Messiah, which should
deceive the people: for there is save one Messiah spoken of by
the Prophets, and that Messiah is he which should be rejected
by the Jews.
25:19 For according to the words of the Prophets, the Messiah
cometh in six hundred years from the time my father left Jerusalem;
and according to the words of the Prophets, and also the word
of the Angel of God, his name shall be Jesus Christ the Son of
God.
25:20 And now my brethren, I have spoken plain, that ye cannot
err; and as the Lord liveth, that brought Israel up out of the
land of Egypt, and gave unto Moses power that he should heal the
nations, after that they had been bitten by the poisonous serpents,
if they would cast their eyes unto the serpent which he did raise
up before them , and also gave him power that he should smite
the rock, and the water should come forth; yea, behold I say unto
you, that as these things are true, and as the Lord God liveth,
there is none other name given under heaven, save it be this Jesus
Christ of which I have spoken, whereby man can be saved.
25:21 Wherefore, for this cause hath the Lord God promised unto
me that these things which I write, shall be kept and preserved,
and handed down unto my seed, from generation to generation, that
the promise may be fulfilled unto Joseph, that his seed should
never perish as long as the earth should stand.
25:22 Wherefore, these things shall go from generation to generation,
as long as the earth shall stand; and they shall go according
to the will and pleasure of God; and the nations shall possess
them, shall be judged of them according to the words which are
written;
25:23 for we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children,
and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled
to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after
all that we can do.
25:24 And notwithstanding we believe in Christ, we keep the law
of Moses, and look forward with steadfastness unto Christ, until
the law shall be fulfilled;
25:25 for, for this end was the law given; wherefore, the law
hath become of our faith; yet we keep the law because of the commandments;
25:26 and we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of
Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies,
that our children may know to what source they may look for a
remission of their sins.
25:27 Wherefore, we speak concerning the law that our children
may know the deadness of the law; and they, by knowing the deadness
of the law, may look forward unto that life which is in Christ,
and know for what end the law was given. And after that, the law
is fulfilled in Christ, that they need not harden their hearts
against him, when the law had ought to be done away.
25:28 And now behold, my people, ye are a stiffnecked people;
wherefore, I have spoken plain unto you, that ye cannot misunderstand.
And the words which I have spoken, shall stand as a testimony
against you: for they are sufficient to teach any man the right
way; for the right way is to believe in Christ and deny him not;
for by denying him, ye also deny the Prophets and the law.
25:29 And now behold I say unto you, that the right way is to
believe in Christ, and deny him not; and Christ is the Holy One
of Israel: wherefore ye must bow down before him and worship him
with all your might, mind, and strength, and your whole soul;
and if ye do this, ye shall in nowise be cast out.
25:30 And inasmuch as it shall be expedient, ye must keep the
performances and ordinances of God, until the law shall be fulfilled
which was given unto Moses.
26:1 And after that Christ shall have risen from the dead, he
shall shew himself unto you, my children, and my beloved brethren;
and the words which he shall speak unto you, shall be the law
which ye shall do.
26:2 For behold, I say unto you, that I have beheld that many
generations shall pass away, and there shall be great wars and
contentions among my people.
26:3 And after that the Messiah shall come, there shall be signs
given unto my people of his birth, and also of his death and resurrection;
and great and terrible shall that day be unto the wicked; for
they shall perish; and they perish because they cast out the prophets,
and the saints, and stone them, and slay them: wherefore the cry
of the blood of the saints shall ascend up to God from the ground,
against them.
26:4 Wherefore all they that are proud, and that do wickedly,
the day that cometh shall burn them up saith the Lord of Hosts,
for they shall be as stubble;
26:5 and they that kill the prophets, and the saints, the depths
of the earth shall swallow them up, saith the Lord of Hosts; and
mountains shall cover them, and whirlwinds shall carry them away,
and buildings shall fall upon them, and crush them to pieces,
and grind them to powder;
26:6 and they shall be visited with thunderings, and lightnings,
and earthquakes, and all manner of destruction, for the fire of
the anger of the Lord shall be kindled against them, and they
shall be as stubble, and the day that cometh shall consume them,
saith the Lord of Hosts.
26:7 O the pain and the anguish of my soul for the loss of the
slain of my people! For I, Nephi, hath seen it, and it well nigh
consumeth me before the presence of the Lord; but I must cry unto
my God, thy ways are just.
26:8 But behold, the righteous, that hearken unto the words of
the Prophets, and destroy them not, but look forward unto Christ
with steadfastness for the signs which are given, notwithstanding
all persecutions; behold they are which shall not perish.
26:9 But the Son of righteousness shall appear unto them; and
he shall heal them, and they shall have peace with him, until
three generations shall have passed away, and many of the fourth
generation shall have passed away in the righteous.
26:10 --And when these things shall have passed away, a speedy
destruction cometh unto, my people; for, notwithstanding the pains
of my soul, I have seen it; wherefore, I know that it shall come
to pass; and they sell themselves for nought; for, for the reward
of their pride, and their foolishness, they shall reap destruction;
for because they yieldeth unto the Devil, and choose works of
darkness rather than light; therefore they must go down to hell,
26:11 for the spirit of the Lord will not always strive with man.
And when the spirit ceaseth to strive with man, then cometh speedy
destruction; and this grieveth my soul.
26:12 And I spake concerning the convincing of the Jews, that
Jesus is the very Christ, it must needs be, that the Gentiles
be convinced also, that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God;
26:13 and that he manifesteth himself unto all they that believe
in him, by the power of the Holy Ghost; yea, unto every nation,
kindred, tongue, and people, working mighty miracles, signs and
wonders, among the children of men, according to their faith.
26:14 But behold I prophesy unto you concerning the days when
the Lord God shall bring these things forth unto the children
of men.
26:15 After that my seed and the seed of my brethren shall have
dwindled in unbelief, and shall have been smitten by the Gentiles;
yea, after that the Lord God shall have camped against them round
about, and shall have laid siege against them with a mount, and
raised forts against them; and after that they shall have been
brought down low into the dust, even that they are not, yet the
words of the righteous shall be written, and the prayers of the
faithful shall be heard, and all they which have dwindled in unbelief,
shall not be forgotten;
26:16 for they which shall be destroyed shall speak unto them
out of the ground, and their speech shall be low out of the dust,
and their voice shall be as one that hath a familiar spirit; for
the Lord God will give unto him power, that he may whisper concerning
them, even as it were out of the ground; and their speech shall
whisper out of the dust.
26:17 For thus saith the Lord God: They shall write the things
which shall be done among them, and they shall be written and
sealed up in a book, and they that have dwindled in unbelief,
shall not have them, for they seek to destroy the things of God:
26:18 wherfore, as they which have been destroyed, have been destroyed
speedily; and the multitude of their terrible ones, shall be as
chaff that passeth away. Yea, thus saith the Lord God: It shall
be at an instant, suddenly.
26:19 And it shall come to pass, that they which have dwindled
in unbelief, shall be smitten by the hand of the Gentiles.
26:20 And the Gentiles are lifted up in the pride of their eyes,
and have stumbled, because of the greatness of their stumbling
block, that they have built up many churches; nevertheless they
put down the power and the miracles of God, and preach up unto
themselves, their own wisdom, and their own learning, that they
may get gain, and grind upon the face of the poor;
26:21 and there are many churches built up which causeth envyings,
and strifes, and malice;
26:22 and there are also secret combinations, even as in times
of old, according to the combinations of the Devil, for he is
the founder of all these things; yea, the founder of murder, and
works of darkness; yea, and he leadeth them by the neck with a
flaxen cord, until he bindeth them with his strong cords forever.
26:23 For behold, my beloved brethren, I say unto you, that the
Lord God worketh not in darkness.
26:24 He doeth not anything, save it be for the benefit of the
world; for he loveth the world, even that he layeth down his own
life, that he may draw all men unto him. Wherefore, he commandeth
none that they shall not partake of his salvation.
26:25 Behold, doth he cry unto any, saying, Depart from me? Behold,
I say unto you, nay; but he saith, Come unto me all ye ends of
the earth, buy milk and honey, without money, and without price.
26:26 Behold, hath he commanded any that they should depart out
of the synagogues, or out of the houses of worship? Behold, I
say unto you, nay.
26:27 Hath he commanded any that they should not partake of his
salvation? Behold, I say unto you, nay; but he hath given it free
for all men; and he hath commanded his people that they should
persuade all men unto repentance.
26:28 Behold, hath the Lord commanded any that they should not
partake of his goodness? Behold, I say unto you, nay; but all
men are privileged the one like unto the other, and none are forbidden.
26:29 He commandeth that there shall be no priest-crafts; for,
behold, the priest-crafts are that men preach and set themselves
up for a light unto the world; that they may get gain, and praise
of the world; but they seek not the welfare of Zion.
26:30 Behold, the Lord hath forbidden this thing; wherefore, the
Lord God hath given a commandment, that all men should have charity,
which charity is love. And except they should have charity, they
were nothing: wherefore, if they should have charity, they would
not suffer the laborer in Zion to perish.
26:31 But the laborer in Zion, shall labor for Zion; for if they
labor for money, they shall perish.
26:32 And again, the Lord God hath commanded that men should not
murder; that they should not lie; that they should not steal;
that they should not take the name of the Lord their God in vain;
that they should not envy; that they should not have malice; that
they should not contend one with another; that they should not
commit whoredoms; and that they should do none of these things;
for whoso doeth them, shall perish;
26:33 for none of these iniquities come of the Lord; for he doeth
that which is good among the children of men; and he doeth nothing
save it be plain unto the children of men; and he inviteth them
all to come unto him, and partake of his goodness; and he denieth
none that come unto him, black and white, bond and free, male
and female, and he remembereth the heathen, and all alike unto
God, both Jew and Gentile.
27:1 But, behold, in the last days, or in the days of the Gentiles;
yea, behold all the nations of the Gentiles, and also the Jews,
both they which shall come upon this land, and they which shall
be upon other lands; yea, even upon all the lands of the earth;
behold, they will be drunken with iniquity, and all manner of
abominations;
27:2 and when that day shall come, they shall be visited of the
Lord of hosts, with thunder and with earthquake, and with a great
noise, and with storm and tempest, and with the flame of devouring
fire;
27:3 and all the nations that fight against Zion, and that distress
her, shall be as a dream of a night vision; yea, it shall be unto
them, even as unto a hungry man, which dreameth, and behold he
eateth, but he awaketh and his soul is empty; or like unto a thirsty
man, which dreameth, and behold he drinketh, but he awaketh, and
behold he is faint, and his soul hath appetite; yea, even so shall
the multitude of all the nations be that fight against mount Zion:
27:4 for behold, all ye that do iniquity, stay yourselves and
wonder, for ye shall cry out, and cry; ,yea, ye shall be drunken,
but not with wine; ye shall stagger, but not with strong drink:
27:5 for behold, the Lord hath poured out upon you, the spirit
of deep sleep. For behold, ye have closed your eyes, and ye have
rejected the Prophets, and your rulers, and the seers hath he
covered because of your iniquities.
27:6 And it shall come to pass, that the Lord God shall bring
forth unto you, the words of a book, and they shall be the words
of them which have slumbered.
27:7 And behold, the book shall be sealed; and in the book shall
be a revelation from God, from the beginning of the world, to
the ending thereof.
27:8 Wherefore, because of the things which are sealed up, the
things which are sealed, shall not be delivered in the day of
the wickedness and abominations of the people. Wherefore the book
shall be kept from them.
27:9 But the book shall be delivered unto a Man, and he shall
deliver the words of the book, which are the words of they which
have slumbered in the dust; and he shall deliver these words unto
another;
27:10 but the words which are sealed, he shall not deliver, neither
shall he deliver the book. For the book shall be sealed by the
power of God, and the revelation which was sealed, shall be kept
in the book until the own due time of the Lord, that they may
come forth: for, behold, they reveal all things from the foundation
of the world, unto the end thereof.
27:11 And the day cometh that the words of the book which were
sealed, shall be read upon the house-tops; and they shall be read
by the power of Christ: and all things shall be revealed unto
the children of men which ever hath been among the children of
men, and which ever will be, even unto the end of the earth.
27:12 Wherefore, at that day when the book shall be delivered
unto the man of whom I have spoken, the book shall be hid from
the eyes of the world, that the eyes of none shall behold it,
save it be that three witnesses shall behold it, by the power
of God, besides him to whom the book shall be delivered; and they
shall testify to the truth of the book, and the things therein.
27:13 And there is none other which shall view it, save it be
a few, according to the will of God, to bear testimony of his
word unto the children of men: for the Lord God hath said, that
the words of the faithful should speak as if it were from the
dead.
27:14 Wherefore, the Lord God will proceed to bring forth the
words of the book, and in the mouth of as many witnesses as seemeth
him good, will he establish his word: and wo be unto him that
rejecteth the word of God.
27:15 But behold, it shall come to pass that the Lord God shall
say unto him to whom he shall deliver the book. Take these words
which are not sealed, and deliver them to another, that he may
shew them unto the learned, saying: Read this, I pray thee. And
the learned shall say, Bring hither the book, and I will read
them:
27:16 and now, because of the glory of the world, and to get gain,
will they say this, and not for the glory of God.
27:17 And the man shall say, I cannot bring the book, for it is
sealed.
27:18 Then shall the learned say, I cannot read it.
27:19 Wherefore, it shall come to pass, that the Lord God will
deliver again the book and the words thereof, to him that is not
learned; and the man that is not learned, shall say, I am not
learned.
27:20 Then shall the Lord say unto him, The learned shall not
read them, for they have rejected them, and I am able to do mine
own work; wherefore, thou shalt read the words which I shall give
unto thee.
27:21 Touch not the things which sealed, for I will bring them
forth in mine own due time: for I will shew unto the children
of men, that I am able to do mine own work.
27:22 Wherefore, when thou hast read the words which I have commanded
thee, and obtained the witnesses which I have promised unto thee,
then shalt thou seal up the book again, and hide it up unto me,
that I may preserve the words which thou hast not read, until
I shall see fit in mine own wisdom, to reveal all things unto
the children of men.
27:23 For behold, I am God; and I am a God of miracles; and I
will shew unto the world that I am the same yesterday, to-day,
and forever; and I work not among the children of men, save it
be according to their faith.
27:24 And again it shall come to pass, that the Lord shall say
unto him that shall read the words that shall be delivered him,
27:25 For asmuch as this people draw near unto me with their mouth,
and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their hearts
far from me, and their fear towards me is taught by the precepts
of men, therefore,
27:26 I will proceed to do marvellous work among this people;
yea, a marvellous work, and a wonder: for the wisdom of their
wise and learned shall perish, and the understanding of their
prudent shall be hid.
27:27 And wo unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from
the Lord. And their works are in the dark; and they say, Who seeth
us; and who knoweth us? And they also say, Surely, your turning
of things upside down, shall be esteemed as the potter's clay.
But behold, I will shew unto them, saith the Lord of Hosts, that
I know all their works. For shall the work say of him that made
it, He made me not? Or, shall the thing framed say of him that
framed it, He had no understanding?
27:28 But behold, saith the Lord of hosts, I will shew unto the
children of men, that it is yet a very little while, and Lebanon
shall be turned into a fruitful field; and the fruitful field
shall be esteemed as a forest.
27:29 And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book;
and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity and out of
darkness;
27:30 and the meek also shall increase, and their joy shall be
in the Lord; and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy
One of Israel.
27:31 For assuredly as the Lord liveth, they shall see that the
terrible one is brought to nought, and the scorner is consumed,
and all that watch for the iniquity are cut off:
27:32 and they that a make a man an offender for a word, and lay
a snare for him that reproveth in the gate, and turn aside the
just for a thing of nought.
27:33 Therefore thus saith the Lord, who redeemed Abraham, concerning
the house of Jacob, Jacob shall not now be ashamed, neither shall
his face now wax pale.
27:34 But when he seeth his children, the work of my hands, in
the midst of him, they shall sanctify my name, and sanctify the
Holy One of Jacob, and shall fear the God of Israel.
27:35 They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding,
and they that murmured shall learn doctrine.
28:1 Chapter 12 And now, behold, my brethren, I have spoken
unto you, according as the spirit hath constrained me; wherefore,
I know that they must surely come to pass.
28:2 The things which shall be written out of the book shall be
of great worth unto the children of men, and especially unto our
seed, which is a remnant of the house of Israel.
28:3 For it shall come to pass in that day, that the churches
which are built up, and not unto, the Lord, when the one shall
say unto the other, Behold, I, I am the Lord's; and the other
shall say, I, I am the Lord's. And thus shall every one say, that
hath built up the churches, and not unto the Lord;
28:4 and they shall contend one with another; and their priests
shall contend one with another; and they shall teach with their
learning, and deny the Holy Ghost, which giveth utterance.
28:5 And they deny the power of God, the Holy One of Israel; and
they say unto the people, Hearken unto us, and hear ye our precept:
for behold, there is no God to-day, for the Lord and the Redeemer
hath done his work, and he hath given his power unto men.
28:6 Behold, hearken ye unto my precept: if they shall say there
is a miracle wrought, by the hand of the Lord, believe it not;
for this day he is not a God of miracles: he hath done his work.
28:7 Yea, and there shall be many which shall say, eat, drink,
and be merry, for to-morrow we die; and it shall be well with
us.
28:8 And there shall also be many which shall say, eat, drink,
and be merry; nevertheless, fear God, he will justify in committing
a little sin; yea, lie a little, take the advantage of one because
of his words, dig a pit for thy neighbor; there is no harm in
this. And do all these things, for to-morrow we die; and if it
so be that we are guilty, God will beat us with a few stripes,
and at last we shall be saved in the Kingdom of God.
28:9 Yea, and there shall be many which shall teach after this
manner, false, and vain, and foolish doctrines, and shall be puffed
up in their hearts, and shall seek deep to hide their counsels
from the Lord; and their works shall be in the dark;
28:10 and the blood of the Saints shall cry from the ground against
them.
28:11 Yea, they have all gone out of the way; they have become
corrupted.
28:12 Because of pride, and because of false teachers, and false
doctrine, their churches have become corrupted; and their churches
are lifted up; because of pride, they are puffed up.
28:13 They rob the poor, because of their fine sanctuaries; they
rob the poor, because of their fine clothing; and they persecute
the meek, and the poor in heart; because of their pride, they
are puffed up.
28:14 They wear stiff necks, and high heads; yea, and because
of pride, and wickedness, and abominations, and whoredoms, they
have all gone astray, save it be a few, which are humble followers
of Christ; nevertheless, they are led, that in many instances
they do err, because they are taught by the precepts of men.
28:15 O the wise and the learned, and the rich, that are puffed
up in pride of their hearts, and all they that preach false doctrines,
and all they that commit whoredoms, and pervert the right way
of the Lord; wo, wo, wo be unto them saith the Lord God Almighty,
for they shall be thrust down to hell.
28:16 Wo unto them that turn aside the just for a thing of nought,
and revile against that which is good, and say that it is no worth:
for the day shall come that the Lord God will speedily visit the
inhabitants of the earth; and in that day that they are fully
ripe in iniquity, they shall perish.
28:17 But behold, if the inhabitants of the earth shall repent
of their wickedness and abominations, they shall not be destroyed,
saith the Lord of Hosts.
28:18 But behold, that great and abominable church, the whore
of all the earth, must tumble to the earth; and great must be
the fall thereof:
28:19 for the kingdom of the Devil must shake, and they which
belong to it must needs be stirred up unto repentance, or the
Devil will grasp them with his everlasting chains, and they be
stirred up to anger and perish:
28:20 for behold, at that day shall he rage in the hearts of the
children of men, and stir them up to anger against that which
is good;
28:21 and others will he pacify, and lull them away into carnal
security, that they will say, All is well in Zion; yea, Zion prospereth,
all is well; and thus the Devil cheateth their souls, and leadeth
them away carefully down to hell.
28:22 And behold, others he flattereth away, and telleth them
there is no hell; and he saith unto the, I am no Devil, for there
is none: and thus he whispereth in their ears, until he grasps
them with his awful chains, from whence there is no deliverance.
28:23 Yea, they are grasped with death and hell; and death, and
hell, and the Devil, and all that have been seized therewith,
must stand before the Throne of God, and be judged according to
their works, from whence they must go into the place prepared
for them, even a lake of fire and brimstone, which is endless
torment.
28:24 Therefore, wo be unto him that is at ease in Zion.
28:25 Wo be unto him that crieth, All is well;
28:26 yea, wo be unto him that hearkeneth unto the precepts of
men, and denieth the power of God and the gift of the Holy Ghost.
28:27 Yea, wo be unto him that saith, We have received, and we
need no more.
28:28 And in fine, wo unto all they that tremble, and are angry
because of the truth of God. For behold, he that is built upon
the rock, receiveth it with gladness; and he that is built upon
a sandy foundation, trembleth, lest he shall fall.
28:29 Wo be unto him that shall say, We have received the word
of God, and we need no more of the word of God, for we have enough.
28:30 For behold, thus saith the Lord God: I will give unto the
children of men line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little
there a little; and blessed are they that hearken unto my precepts,
and lend an ear unto my counsel, for they shall learn wisdom:
for unto him that receiveth, I will give more; and them that shall
say, We have enough, from them shall be taken away even that which
they have.
28:31 --Cursed is he that putteth his trust in man, or maketh
flesh his arm, or shall hearken unto the precepts of men, save
their precepts shall be given by the power of the Holy Ghost.
28:32 Wo be unto the Gentiles, saith the Lord God of Hosts: for
notwithstanding I shall lengthen out mine arm unto them from day
to day, they shall deny me; nevertheless, I will be merciful unto
them, saith the Lord God, if they will repent and come unto me:
for mine arm is lengthened out all the day long, saith the Lord
God of Hosts.
29:1 But behold, there shall be many at that day, when I shall
proceed to do a marvelous work among them, that I may remember
my covenants which I have made unto the children of men, that
I may set my hand again the second time to recover my people,
which are of the House of Israel;
29:2 and also, that I may remember the promises which I have made
unto thee, Nephi, and also unto thy father, That I would remember
your seed; and that the words of your seed should proceed forth
out of my mouth unto your seed. And my words shall hiss forth
unto the ends of the earth, for a standard unto my people, which
are of the House of Israel.
29:3 And because my words shall hiss forth, many of the Gentiles
shall say, A Bible, a Bible, we have got a Bible, and there cannot
be any more Bible.
29:4 But thus saith the Lord God: O fools, they shall have a Bible;
and it shall proceed forth from the Jews, mine ancient covenant
people. And what thank they the Jews for the Bible which they
receive from them? Yea, what do the Gentiles mean? Do they remember
the travels, and labors, and the pains of the Jews, and their
diligence unto me, in bringing forth salvation unto the Gentiles.
29:5 O ye Gentiles, have ye remembered the Jews, mine ancient
covenant people? Nay; but ye have cursed them, and have hated
them, and have not sought to recover them. But behold, I will
return all these things upon your own heads: for I the Lord hath
not forgotten my people.
29:6 Thou fool, that shall say a Bible, we have got a Bible, and
we need no more Bible. Have ye obtained a Bible, save it were
by the Jews?
29:7 Know ye not that there are more nations than one? Know ye
not that I the Lord your God, have created all men, and that I
remember they which are upon the isles of the sea; and that I
rule in the heavens above, and in the earth beneath; and I bring
forth my word unto the children of men, yea, even upon all the
nations of the earth?
29:8 Wherefore murmur ye, because that ye shall receive more of
my word? Know ye not that the testimony of two nations is a witness
unto you that I am God. that I remember one nation like unto another?
wherefore, I speak the same words unto one nation like unto another.
And when the two nations shall run together, the testimony of
the two nations shall run together also.
29:9 I do this that I may prove unto many, that I am the same
yesterday, to-day, and forever; and that I speak forth my words
according to mine own pleasure. And because that I have spoken
one word, ye need not suppose that I cannot speak another: for
my work is not yet finished; neither shall it be, until the end
of man; neither from that time henceforth and forever.
29:10 Wherefore, because that ye have a Bible, ye need not suppose
that it contains all my words; neither need ye suppose that I
have not caused more to be written:
29:11 for I command all men, both in the east, and in the west,
and in the north, and in the south, and in the islands of the
sea, that they shall write the words which I speak unto them:
for out of the books which shall be written, I will judge the
world every man according to their works, according to that which
is written.
29:12 --For behold, I shall speak unto the Jews, and they shall
write it; and I shall also speak unto the Nephites, and they shall
write it; and I shall also speak unto the other tribes of the
House of Israel, which I have led away, and they shall write it;
and I shall also speak unto all the nations of the earth, and
they shall write it.
29:13 And it shall come to pass that the Jews, shall have the
words of the Nephites, and the Nephites shall have the words of
the Jews; and the Nephites and the Jews shall have the words of
the lost tribes of Israel; and the lost tribes of Israel shall
have the words of the Nephites and the Jews.
29:14 And it shall come to pass that my people which are of the
House of Israel, shall be gathered home unto the lands of their
possessions; and my word also shall be gathered in one. And I
will shew them that fight against my word and against my people,
which are of the House of Israel, that I am God, and that I covenanted
with Abraham that I would remember his seed forever.
30:1 And now, behold, my beloved brethren, I would speak unto
you: for I, Nephi, would not suffer, that ye should suppose that
ye are more righteous than the Gentiles shall be. For behold,
except ye shall keep the commandments of God, ye shall all likewise
perish; and because of the words which have been spoken, ye need
not suppose that the gentiles are utterly destroyed.
30:2 For behold, I say unto you, as many of the Gentiles as will
repent, are the covenant people of the Lord; and as many of the
Jews as will not repent, shall be cast off: for the Lord covenanteth
with none, save it be with them that repent and believe in his
Son, which is the Holy One of Israel.
30:3 And now, I would prophesy somewhat more concerning the Jews
and the Gentiles. For after the book of which I have spoken shall
come forth, and be written unto the Gentiles, and sealed up again
unto the Lord, there shall be many which shall believe the words
which are written; and they shall carry them forth unto the remnant
of our seed.
30:4 And then shall the remnant of our seed know concerning us,
how that we came out from Jerusalem, and that they are a descendant
of the Jews.
30:5 And the Gospel of Jesus Christ shall be declared among them;
wherefore, they shall be restored unto the knowledge of their
fathers, and also to the knowledge of Jesus Christ, which was
had among their fathers.
30:6 And then shall they rejoice, for they shall know that it
is a blessing unto them from the hand of God; and their scales
of darkness shall begin to fall from their eyes; and many generations
shall not pass away among them, save they shall be a white and
a delightsome people.
30:7 And it shall come to pass that the Jews are scattered, also
shall begin to believe in Christ; and they shall begin to gather
in upon the face of the land; and as many as shall believe in
Christ, shall also become a delightsome people.
30:8 And it shall come to pass that the Lord God shall commence
his work, among all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, to
bring about the restoration of his people upon the earth.
30:9 And with righteousness shall the Lord God judge the poor,
and reprove with equity, for the meek of the earth. And he shall
smite the earth with the rod of his mouth; and with the breath
of his lips shall he slay the wicked:
30:10 for the time speedily cometh, that the Lord God shall cause
a great division among the people; and the wicked will he destroy;
and he will spare his people, yea, even if it so be that he must
destroy the wicked by fire.
30:11 And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and
faithfulness the girdle of his reins.
30:12 And then shall the wolf dwell with the lamb. and the leopard
shall lie down with the kid; and the calf, and the young lion,
and the fatling, together; and a little child shall lead them.
30:13 And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall
lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
30:14 And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp,
and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice's den.
30:15 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain:
for the earth shall be full of knowledge of the Lord, as the waters
cover the sea.
30:16 Wherefore, the things of all nations shall be made known;
yea, all things shall be made known unto the children of men.
30:17 There is nothing which is secret, save it shall be revealed;
there is no works of darkness, save it shall be made manifest
in the light; and there is nothing which is sealed upon the earth,
save it shall be loosed.
30:18 Wherefore, all things which have been revealed unto the
children of men, shall at that day be revealed; and Satan shall
have power over the hearts of the children of men no more, for
a long time. And now, my beloved brethren, I must make an end
of my sayings.
31:1 Chapter 13 And now, I, Nephi, make an end of my prophesying
unto you, my beloved brethren. And I cannot write but a few things,
which I know must surely come to pass; neither can I write but
a few words of my brother Jacob.
31:2 Wherefore, the things which I have written, sufficeth me,
save it be a few words which I must speak, concerning the doctrine
of Christ; wherefore, I shall speak unto you plainly, according
to the plainness of my prophesying.
31:3 For my soul delighteth in plainness: for after this manner
doth the Lord God work among the children of men. For the Lord
God giveth light unto the understanding: for he speaketh unto
men according to their language, unto their understanding.
31:4 Wherefore, I would that ye remember that I have spoken unto
you, concerning that Prophet which the Lord showed unto me, that
should baptize the Lamb of God, which should take away the sins
of the world.
31:5 And now, if the Lamb of God, he being holy, should have need
to be baptized by water, to fulfil righteousness, O then, how
much more need have we, being unholy, to be baptized, yea, even
by water.
31:6 And now, I would ask of you, my beloved brethren, wherein
the Lamb of God did fulfil all righteousness in being baptized
by water?
31:7 Know ye not that he was holy? But notwithstanding he being
holy, he showeth unto the children of men, that according to the
flesh, he humbleth himself before the Father, and witnesseth unto
the Father that he would be obedient unto him in keeping his commandments;
31:8 wherefore, after that he was baptized with water, the Holy
Ghost descended upon him in the form of a dove.
31:9 And again: it sheweth unto the children of men the straightness
of the path, and the narrowness of the gate, by which they should
enter, he having set the example before them.
31:10 And he saith unto the children of men, Follow thou me. Wherefore,
my beloved brethren, can we follow Jesus, save we shall be willing
to keep the commandments of the Father?
31:11 And the Father saith, Repent ye, repent ye, and be baptized
in the name of my beloved Son.
31:12 And also, the voice of the Son came unto me saying, He that
is baptized in my name, to him will the Father give the Holy Ghost,
like unto me; wherefore, follow me, and do the things which ye
have seen me do.
31:13 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, I know that if ye shall
follow the Son, with full purpose of heart, acting no hypocrisy
and no deception before God, but with real intent, repenting of
your sins, witnessing unto the Father that ye are willing to take
upon you the name of Christ, by baptism; yea, by following your
Lord and Saviour down into the water, according to his word; behold,
then shall ye receive the Holy Ghost; yea, then cometh the baptism
of fire and of the Holy Ghost; and then can ye speak with the
tongues of Angels, and shout praises unto the Holy One of Israel.
31:14 But behold, my beloved brethren, thus came the voice of
the Son unto me, saying, After that ye have repented of your sins,
and witnessed unto the Father that ye are willing to keep my commandments,
by the baptism of water, and have received the baptism of fire
and of the Holy Ghost, and can speak with a new tongue, yea, even
with the tongue of Angels, and after this, should deny me, it
would have been better for you, that ye had not known me.
31:15 And I heard a voice from the Father, saying, Yea, the words
of my beloved, are true and faithful. He that endureth to the
end, the same shall be saved.
31:16 And now, my beloved brethren, I know by this, that unless
a man endure to the end, in following the example of the Son of
the living God, he cannot be saved;
31:17 wherefore, do the things which I have told you that I have
seen, that your Lord and your Redeemer should do: for, for this
cause have they been shown unto me, that ye might know the gate
by which ye should enter. For the gate by which ye should enter,
is repentance, and baptism by water; and then cometh a remission
of your sins by fire, and by the Holy Ghost.
31:18 And then are ye in this straight and narrow path which leads
to eternal life; yea, ye have entered in by the gate: ye have
done according to the commandments of the Father and the Son;
and ye have received the Holy Ghost, which witness of the Father
and the Son, unto the fulfilling of the promise which he hath
made. That if ye entered in by the way, ye should receive.
31:19 And now, my beloved brethren, after that ye have got into
this straight and narrow path, I would ask, If all is done? Behold,
I say unto you, Nay; for ye have not come thus far, save it were
by the word of Christ, with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly
upon the merits of Him who is mighty to save;
31:20 wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in
Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God
and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting
upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith
the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.
31:21 And now, my beloved brethren, this is the way; and there
is none other way nor name given under heaven, whereby man can
be saved in the Kingdom of God. And now, behold, this is the doctrine
of Christ, and the only true doctrine of the Father, and of the
Son, and of the Holy Ghost, which is in God, without end. Amen.
32:1 Chapter 14 And now, behold, my beloved brethren, I
suppose that ye ponder somewhat in your hearts, concerning that
which ye should do, after that ye have entered in by the way.
But behold, why do ye ponder these things in your hearts?
32:2 Do ye not remember that I said unto you, that after ye had
received the Holy Ghost, ye could speak with the tongue of Angels?
And now, how could ye speak with the tongue of Angels, save it
were by the Holy Ghost?
32:3 Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they
speak the words of Christ. --Wherefore, I said unto you, feast
upon the words of Christ: for behold, the words of Christ will
tell you all things what ye should do.
32:4 Wherefore, now after that I have spoken these words, if ye
cannot understand them, it will be because ye ask not, neither
do ye knock; wherefore, ye are not brought into the light, but
must perish in the dark.
32:5 For behold, again I say unto you, that if ye will enter in
by the way, and receive the Holy Ghost, it will shew unto you
all things what ye should do.
32:6 Behold, this is the doctrine of Christ; and there will be
no more doctrine given, until after that he shall manifest himself
unto you in the flesh. And when he shall manifest himself unto
you in the flesh, the things which he shall say unto you, shall
ye observe to do.
32:7 And now I, Nephi, cannot say more: the spirit stoppeth mine
utterance, and I am left to mourn because of the unbelief, and
the wickedness, and the ignorance, and the stiff-neckedness of
men: for they will not search knowledge, nor understand great
knowledge, when it is given unto them in plainness, even as plain
as word can be.
32:8 And now my beloved brethren, I perceive that ye ponder still
in your hearts; and it grieveth me that I must speak concerning
this thing. For if ye would hearken unto the spirit which teacheth
a man to pray, ye would know that ye must pray: for the evil spirit
teacheth not a man to pray, but teacheth him that he must not
pray.
32:9 But behold, I say unto you, that ye must pray always, and
not faint; that ye must not perform any thing unto the Lord, save
in the first place ye shall pray unto the Father in the name of
Christ, that he will consecrate thy performance unto thee, that
thy performance may be for the welfare of thy soul.
33:1 Chapter 15 And now I, Nephi, cannot write all the
things which were taught among my people; neither am I mighty
in writing, like unto speaking: for when a man speaketh by the
power of the holy Ghost , the power of the Holy Ghost carrieth
it unto the hearts of the children of men.
33:2 But behold, there are many that harden their hearts against
the Holy Spirit, that it hath no place in them; wherefore, they
cast many things away which are written, and esteem them as things
of nought.
33:3 But I, Nephi, have written what I have written; and I esteem
it as of great worth, and especially unto my people. For I pray
continually for them by day, and mine eyes water my pillow by
night, because of them; and I cry unto my God in faith, and I
know that he will hear my cry;
33:4 and I know that the Lord God will consecrate my prayers,
for the gain of my people. And the things which I have written
in weakness, will be made strong unto them: for it persuadeth
them to do good; it maketh known unto them of their fathers; and
it speaketh of Jesus, and persuadeth men to believe in him, and
to endure to the end, which is life eternal.
33:5 And it speaketh harsh against sin, according to the plainness
of the truth; wherefore, no man will be angry at the words which
I have written, save he shall be of the spirit of the Devil.
33:6 I glory in plainness; I glory in truth; I glory in my Jesus,
for he hath redeemed my soul from hell.
33:7 I have charity for my people, and great faith in Christ,
that I shall meet many souls spotless at his judgment seat.
33:8 I have charity for the Jew; I say Jew, because I mean them
from whence I came.
33:9 I also have charity for the Gentiles. --But behold, for none
of these I cannot hope, except they shall be reconciled unto Christ,
and enter into the narrow gate, and walk in the straight path,
which leads to life, and continue in the path until the end of
the day of probation.
33:10 And now, my beloved brethren, and also Jew, and all ye ends
of the earth, hearken unto these words, and believe in Christ;
and if ye believe not in these words, believe in Christ. And if
ye shall believe in Christ, ye will believe in these words: for
they are the words of Christ, and he hath given them unto me;
and they teach all men that they should do good.
33:11 And if they are not the words of Christ, judge ye: for Christ
will shew unto you, with power and great glory, that they are
his words, at the last day; and you and I shall stand face to
face before his bar; and ye shall know that I have been commanded
of him to write these things, notwithstanding my weakness:
33:12 And I pray the Father in the name of Christ, that many of
us, if not all, may be saved in his kingdom, at the great and
last day.
33:13 And now, my beloved brethren, all they which are of the
House of Israel, and all ye ends of the earth, I speak unto you,
as the voice of one crying from the dust: farewell until that
great day shall come;
33:14 and you that will not partake of the goodness of God, and
respect the words of the Jews, and also my words, and the words
which shall proceed forth out of the mouth of the Lamb of God,
behold, I bid you an everlasting farewell, for these words shall
condemn you at the last day:
33:15 for what I seal on earth, shall be brought against you at
the judgment bar; for thus hath the Lord commanded me, and I must
obey. Amen.
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