Chapter 1
1 And now behold, it came to pass in the commencement of the fortieth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi, there began to be a serious difficulty among the people of the Nephites.
There was a serious difficulty.
2 For behold, aPahoran had died, and gone the way of all the earth; therefore there began to be a serious contention concerning who should have the judgment-seat among the brethren, who were the sons of Pahoran.
They needed to keep the government going due to health problems.
3 Now these are their names who did contend for the judgment-seat, who did also cause the people to contend: Pahoran, Paanchi, and Pacumeni.
3 people wanted to be the judge.
4 Now these are not all the sons of Pahoran (for he had many), but these are they who did contend for the judgment-seat; therefore, they did cause three adivisions among the people.
There were 3 divisions.
5 Nevertheless, it came to pass that Pahoran was appointed by the avoice of the people to be chief judge and a governor over the people of Nephi.
The first was appointed.
6 And it came to pass that Pacumeni, when he saw that he could not obtain the judgment-seat, he did aunite with the voice of the people.
The third united with the first.
7 But behold, Paanchi, and that part of the people that were desirous that he should be their governor, was exceedingly wroth; therefore, he was about to aflatter away those people to rise up in rebellion against their brethren.
The other third were about to rebel.
8 And it came to pass as he was about to do this, behold, he was taken, and was tried according to the avoice of the people, and condemned unto death; for he had raised up in rebellion and sought to destroy the bliberty of the people.
That leader who wanted rebellion was put to death.
9 Now when those people who were desirous that he should be their governor saw that he was condemned unto death, therefore they were angry, and behold, they sent forth one aKishkumen, even to the judgment-seat of Pahoran, and murdered Pahoran as he sat upon the judgment-seat.
His followers murdered the judge.
10 And he was pursued by the servants of Pahoran; but behold, so speedy was the flight of Kishkumen that no man could overtake him.
The killer got away.
11 And he went unto those that sent him, and they all entered into a covenant, yea, aswearing by their everlasting Maker, that they would tell no man that Kishkumen had murdered Pahoran.
They swore to be evil.
12 Therefore, Kishkumen was not known among the people of Nephi, for he was in disguise at the time that he murdered Pahoran. And Kishkumen and his band, who had covenanted with him, did mingle themselves among the people, in a manner that they all could not be found; but as many as were found were condemned unto adeath.
They couldn’t be identified because they kept themselves secret.
13 And now behold, Pacumeni was appointed, according to the avoice of the people, to be a chief judge and a governor over the people, to reign in the stead of his brother Pahoran; and it was according to his right. And all this was done in the fortieth year of the reign of the judges; and it had an end.
They had a successor mechanism.
14 And it came to pass in the forty and first year of the reign of the judges, that the Lamanites had gathered together an innumerable army of men, and aarmed them with swords, and with cimeters and with bows, and with arrows, and with head-plates, and with breastplates, and with all manner of shields of every kind.
The Lamanites were numberous and prepared for battle.
15 And they came down again that they might pitch battle against the Nephites. And they were led by a man whose name was aCoriantumr; and he was a descendant of Zarahemla; and he was a bdissenter from among the Nephites; and he was a large and a mighty man.
They were led by an ex-Nephite.
16 Therefore, the king of the Lamanites, whose name was Tubaloth, who was the son of aAmmoron, supposing that Coriantumr, being a mighty man, could stand against the Nephites, with his strength and also with his great bwisdom, insomuch that by sending him forth he should gain power over the Nephites—
They thought they could win.
17 Therefore he did astir them up to anger, and he did gather together his armies, and he did appoint Coriantumr to be their leader, and did cause that they should march down to the land of Zarahemla to battle against the Nephites.
So they went to battle.
18 And it came to pass that because of so much contention and so much difficulty in the government, that they had not kept sufficient guards in the land of Zarahemla; for they had supposed that the Lamanites durst not come into the heart of their lands to attack that great city Zarahemla.
The center of their base was unprotected.
19 But it came to pass that Coriantumr did march forth at the head of his numerous host, and came upon the inhabitants of the city, and their march was with such exceedingly great speed that there was no time for the Nephites to gather together their armies.
The enemy used speed so the Nephites couldn’t position themselves by a plan in time.
20 Therefore Coriantumr did cut down the watch by the entrance of the city, and did march forth with his whole army into the city, and they did slay every one who did oppose them, insomuch that they did take possession of the whole city.
Coriantumr got the whole city.
21 And it came to pass that Pacumeni, who was the chief judge, did flee before Coriantumr, even to the walls of the city. And it came to pass that Coriantumr did smite him against the wall, insomuch that he died. And thus ended the days of Pacumeni.
Pacumeni fled but was killed by Pacumeni.
22 And now when Coriantumr saw that he was in possession of the city of Zarahemla, and saw that the Nephites had fled before them, and were slain, and were taken, and were cast into prison, and that he had obtained the possession of the strongest hold in all the land, his heart atook courage insomuch that he was about to go forth against all the land.
Coriantumr concluded that he could take over much of the land.
23 And now he did not tarry in the land of Zarahemla, but he did march forth with a large army, even towards the city of aBountiful; for it was his determination to go forth and cut his way through with the sword, that he might obtain the north parts of the land.
Next was Bountiful to try to obtain the North.
24 And, supposing that their greatest strength was in the center of the land, therefore he did march forth, giving them no time to assemble themselves together save it were in small bodies; and in this manner they did fall upon them and cut them down to the earth.
This continued.
25 But behold, this march of Coriantumr through the center of the land gave Moronihah great advantage over them, notwithstanding the greatness of the number of the Nephites who were slain.
However this helped Moronihah (a Nephite I think).
26 For behold, Moronihah had supposed that the Lamanites durst not come into the center of the land, but that they would attack the cities round about in the borders as they had hitherto done; therefore Moronihah had caused that their strong armies should maintain those parts round about by the borders.
For Moronihah had fortified the borders.
27 But behold, the Lamanites were not frightened according to his desire, but they had come into the center of the land, and had taken the capital city which was the city of Zarahemla, and were marching through the most capital parts of the land, slaying the people with a great slaughter, both men, women, and children, taking possession of many cities and of many strongholds.
The Lamanites were taking many cities in the “most capital” parts of the land.
28 But when Moronihah had discovered this, he immediately sent forth Lehi with an army round about to ahead them before they should come to the land Bountiful.
But Mornihah surrounded them.
29 And thus he did; and he did head them before they came to the land Bountiful, and gave unto them battle, insomuch that they began to retreat back towards the land of Zarahemla.
Thus he got them to retreat before they made it.
30 And it came to pass that Moronihah did head them in their retreat, and did give unto them battle, insomuch that it became an exceedingly bloody battle; yea, many were slain, and among the number who were slain aCoriantumr was also found.
In a bloody battle, the Lamanite leader was slain.
31 And now, behold, the Lamanites could not retreat either way, neither on the north, nor on the south, nor on the east, nor on the west, for they were surrounded on every hand by the Nephites.
The Nephites had the Lamanites in a bind.
32 And thus had Coriantumr plunged the Lamanites into the midst of the Nephites, insomuch that they were in the power of the Nephites, and he himself was slain, and the Lamanites did ayield themselves into the hands of the Nephites.
Coriantumr tried the impossible to break out on his own and was slain.
33 And it came to pass that Moronihah took possession of the city of Zarahemla again, and caused that the Lamanites who had been taken prisoners should depart out of the land in apeace.
Zarahemla went back to the Nephites and the POWs were released
34 And thus ended the forty and first year of the reign of the judges.
Narrative
Chapter 2
1 And it came to pass in the forty and second year of the reign of the judges, after Moronihah had established again peace between the Nephites and the Lamanites, behold there was no one to fill the judgment-seat; therefore there began to be a contention again among the people concerning who should fill the judgment-seat.
People wanted the government to run smoothly.
2 And it came to pass that aHelaman, who was the son of Helaman, was appointed to fill the judgment-seat, by the bvoice of the people.
Helaman the son of Helaman was duly appointed.
3 But behold, aKishkumen, who had murdered Pahoran, did lay wait to destroy Helaman also; and he was upheld by his band, who had entered into a covenant that no one should know his wickedness.
Kishkumen wanted him secretly dead.
4 For there was one aGadianton, who was exceedingly expert in many words, and also in his craft, to carry on the secret work of murder and of robbery; therefore he became the leader of the band of Kishkumen.
Gadianton was the leader of Kishkumen’s band.
5 Therefore he did aflatter them, and also Kishkumen, that if they would place him in the judgment-seat he would grant unto those who belonged to his band that they should be placed in power and authority among the people; therefore Kishkumen sought to destroy Helaman.
He said if he were in power he’d benefit them.
6 And it came to pass as he went forth towards the judgment-seat to destroy Helaman, behold one of the servants of Helaman, having been out by night, and having obtained, through disguise, a knowledge of those plans which had been laid by this band to destroy Helaman
As he went to kill him one of the good guys had spied and knew about it.
7 And it came to pass that he met Kishkumen, and he gave unto him a sign; therefore Kishkumen made known unto him the object of his desire, desiring that he would conduct him to the judgment-seat that he might murder Helaman.
How he did it was act like the bad guy, there having been infiltration.
8 And when the servant of Helaman had known all the heart of Kishkumen, and how that it was his aobject to murder, and also that it was the object of all those who belonged to his band to murder, and to rob, and to gain power, (and this was their bsecret plan, and their combination) the servant of Helaman said unto Kishkumen: Let us go forth unto the judgment-seat.
So they went to the judgement seat, each thinking what they thought.
9 Now this did please Kishkumen exceedingly, for he did suppose that he should accomplish his design; but behold, the servant of Helaman, as they were going forth unto the judgment-seat, did stab Kishkumen even to the heart, that he fell dead without a groan. And he ran and told Helaman all the things which he had seen, and heard, and done.
On the way Helaman stabbed him.
10 And it came to pass that Helaman did send forth to take this band of robbers and asecret murderers, that they might be executed according to the law.
Helaman executed a law to execute the band.
11 But behold, when Gadianton had found that Kishkumen did not return he feared lest that he should be destroyed; therefore he caused that his band should follow him. And they took their flight out of the land, by a secret way, into the wilderness; and thus when Helaman sent forth to take them they could nowhere be found.
But they escaped through secrecy.
12 And more of this Gadianton shall be spoken hereafter. And thus ended the forty and second year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi.
That wasn’t the end of the band.
13 And behold, in the end of this book ye shall see that this aGadianton did prove the overthrow, yea, almost the entire destruction of the people of Nephi.
Secret groups almost destroyed the Nephites!
14 Behold I do not mean the end of the abook of Helaman, but I mean the end of the book of Nephi, from which I have taken all the account which I have written.
Explaining historically what he meant.
Chapter 3
1 And now it came to pass in the forty and third year of the reign of the judges, there was no contention among the people of Nephi save it were a little pride which was in the church, which did cause some little dissensions among the people, which affairs were settled in the ending of the forty and third year.
A little problems can sometimes be snuffed out.
2 And there was no contention among the people in the forty and fourth year; neither was there much contention in the forty and fifth year.
OK; so there was peace.
3 And it came to pass in the forty and sixth, yea, there was much contention and many dissensions; in the which there were an exceedingly great many who departed out of the land of Zarahemla, and went forth unto the land anorthward to inherit the land.
Yet sometimes huge problems spring forth.
4 And they did travel to an exceedingly great distance, insomuch that they came to alarge bodies of water and many rivers.
They went north and discovered bodies of water.
5 Yea, and even they did spread forth into all parts of the land, into whatever parts it had not been rendered desolate and without timber, because of the many inhabitants who had before inherited the land.
Timber had been removed previously, and they dwelled where they could.
6 And now no part of the land was desolate, save it were for timber; but because of the greatness of the adestruction of the people who had before inhabited the land it was called bdesolate.
They called it desolate for the lack of trees.
7 And there being but little timber upon the face of the land, nevertheless the people who went forth became exceedingly aexpert in the working of cement; therefore they did build houses of cement, in the which they did dwell.
They used cement, something discovered after the Book of Mormon.
8 And it came to pass that they did multiply and spread, and did go forth from the land southward to the land northward, and did spread insomuch that they began to cover the face of the whole earth, from the sea south to the sea north, from the asea west to the sea east.
They propigated.
9 And the people who were in the land northward did dwell in atents, and in houses of cement, and they did suffer whatsoever tree should spring up upon the face of the land that it should grow up, that in time they might have timber to build their houses, yea, their cities, and their temples, and their bsynagogues, and their sanctuaries, and all manner of their buildings.
They were patient with trees growing.
10 And it came to pass as timber was exceedingly scarce in the land northward, they did send forth much by the way of ashipping.
They used shipping to get timber.
11 And thus they did enable the people in the land northward that they might build many cities, both of wood and of cement.
So they had wood and cement houses.
12 And it came to pass that there were many of the apeople of Ammon, who were Lamanites by birth, did also go forth into this land.
Other people came too.
13 And now there are many arecords kept of the proceedings of this people, by many of this people, which are particular and very large, concerning them.
There were/are many records.
14 But behold, a ahundredth part of the proceedings of this people, yea, the account of the Lamanites and of the Nephites, and their wars, and contentions, and dissensions, and their preaching, and their prophecies, and their shipping and their building of ships, and their building of btemples, and of synagogues and their csanctuaries, and their righteousness, and their wickedness, and their murders, and their robbings, and their plundering, and all manner of abominations and whoredoms, cannot be contained in this work.
1% cannot come in this present work.
15 But behold, there are many books and many arecords of every kind, and they have been kept chiefly by the Nephites.
The Nephites kept many books and records.
16 And they have been ahanded down from one generation to another by the Nephites, even until they have fallen into transgression and have been murdered, plundered, and hunted, and driven forth, and slain, and bscattered upon the face of the earth, and mixed with the Lamanites until they are cno more called the Nephites, becoming wicked, and wild, and ferocious, yea, even becoming Lamanites.
Some of them got destroyed by the hands of the Lamanites.
17 And now I return again to mine account; therefore, what I have spoken had passed after there had been great contentions, and disturbances, and wars, and dissensions, among the people of Nephi.
But there were many wars and distresses.
18 The forty and sixth year of the reign of the judges ended;
And a year ended.
19 And it came to pass that there was still great contention in the land, yea, even in the forty and seventh year, and also in the forty and eighth year.
The contention of the Nephites continued for a while.
20 Nevertheless aHelaman did fill the judgment-seat with justice and equity; yea, he did observe to keep the statutes, and the judgments, and the commandments of God; and he did do that which was right in the sight of God continually; and he did walk after the ways of his father, insomuch that he did prosper in the land.
At least the government was good.
21 And it came to pass that he had two sons. He gave unto the eldest the name of aNephi, and unto the youngest, the name of Lehi. And they began to grow up unto the Lord.
Helaman had two righteous sons (he raised them well).
22 And it came to pass that the wars and contentions began to cease, in a small degree, among the people of the Nephites, in the latter end of the forty and eighth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi.
For whatever reason the contnetion lessened.
23 And it came to pass in the forty and ninth year of the reign of the judges, there was continual peace established in the land, all save it were the asecret combinations which bGadianton the robber had established in the more settled parts of the land, which at that time were not known unto those who were at the head of government; therefore they were not destroyed out of the land.
Then there was total piece except for the secret gangs.
24 And it came to pass that in this same year there was exceedingly great prosperity in the church, insomuch that there were thousands who did ajoin themselves unto the church and were baptized unto repentance.
Immediately the church got rich.
25 And so great was the prosperity of the church, and so many the blessings which were poured out upon the people, that even the high priests and the teachers were themselves astonished beyond measure.
Even the church leaders were amazed at how good they did. Good government had helped.
26 And it came to pass that the work of the Lord did prosper unto the baptizing and uniting to the church of God, many souls, yea, even tens of thousands.
Tens of thousands were baptized into the church.
27 Thus we may see that the Lord is merciful unto all who will, in the sincerity of their hearts, call upon his holy name.
This shows God’s mercy.
28 Yea, thus we see that the agate of heaven is open unto ball, even to those who will believe on the name of Jesus Christ, who is the Son of God.
This shows God opens the gate of Heaven for all who will believe on the name of Jesus Christ.
29 Yea, we see that whosoever will may lay hold upon the aword of God, which is bquick and powerful, which shall cdivide asunder all the cunning and the snares and the wiles of the devil, and lead the man of Christ in a strait and dnarrow course across that everlasting egulf of misery which is prepared to engulf the wicked—
Lay hold upon the word of God to defeat the devil and follow the strait and narrow course.
30 And land their souls, yea, their immortal souls, at the aright hand of God in the kingdom of heaven, to sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and with Jacob, and with all our holy fathers, to go no more out.
And your souls can be on the right hand of God in heavan with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and others forever.
31 And in this year there was continual rejoicing in the land of Zarahemla, and in all the regions round about, even in all the land which was possessed by the Nephites.
The Nephites rejoiced over their military victory and wealth.
32 And it came to pass that there was peace and exceedingly great joy in the remainder of the forty and ninth year; yea, and also there was continual peace and great joy in the fiftieth year of the reign of the judges.
It continued another year.
33 And in the fifty and first year of the reign of the judges there was peace also, save it were the pride which began to enter into the church—not into the church of God, but into the hearts of the people who aprofessed to belong to the church of God—
But there was some pride into church pretenders.
34 And they were lifted up in apride, even to the persecution of many of their brethren. Now this was a great evil, which did cause the more humble part of the people to suffer great persecutions, and to wade through much affliction.
They persecuted the church a lot.
35 Nevertheless they did afast and bpray oft, and did wax stronger and stronger in their chumility, and firmer and firmer in the faith of Christ, unto the filling their souls with joy and consolation, yea, even to the dpurifying and the esanctification of their hearts, which sanctification cometh because of their fyielding their hearts unto God.
Fasting and praying often helped to overcome this.
36 And it came to pass that the fifty and second year ended in peace also, save it were the exceedingly great pride which had gotten into the hearts of the people; and it was because of their exceedingly great ariches and their prosperity in the land; and it did grow upon them from day to day.
They were still successful, but riches and prosperity brought great pride.
37 And it came to pass in the fifty and third year of the reign of the judges, aHelaman died, and his eldest son bNephi began to reign in his stead. And it came to pass that he did fill the judgment-seat with justice and equity; yea, he did keep the commandments of God, and did walk in the ways of his father.
Nephi reigned righteously after Helaman.
Chapter 4
1 And it came to pass in the fifty and fourth year there were many dissensions in the church, and there was also a acontention among the people, insomuch that there was much bloodshed.
Dissensions and contention led to bloodshed.
2 And the rebellious part were slain and driven out of the land, and they did go unto the king of the Lamanites.
Some rebels went to the Lamanites.
3 And it came to pass that they did endeavor to stir up the Lamanites to awar against the Nephites; but behold, the Lamanites were bexceedingly afraid, insomuch that they would not hearken to the words of those dissenters.
They tried to start a war with the Lamanites, but the Lamanites had fear in them.
4 But it came to pass in the fifty and sixth year of the reign of the judges, there were adissenters who went up from the Nephites unto the Lamanites; and they succeeded with those others in bstirring them up to anger against the Nephites; and they were all that year preparing for war.
They got there way to prepare for war.
5 And in the fifty and seventh year they did come down against the Nephites to battle, and they did commence the work of death; yea, insomuch that in the fifty and eighth year of the reign of the judges they succeeded in obtaining apossession of the land of Zarahemla; yea, and also all the lands, even unto the land which was near the land Bountiful.
They went to war and got Zarahemla back.
6 And the Nephites and the armies of Moronihah were driven even into the land of Bountiful;
The Nephites and Moronihan’s armies were driven back to Bountiful.
7 And there they did fortify against the Lamanites, from the west sea, even unto the east; it being a aday’s journey for a Nephite, on the line which they had fortified and stationed their armies to defend their north country.
They fortified in a line.
8 And thus those adissenters of the Nephites, with the help of a numerous army of the Lamanites, had obtained all the possession of the Nephites which was in the land southward. And all this was done in the fifty and eighth and ninth years of the reign of the judges.
On one side of the line were the Nephite dissenters and the Lamanites.
9 And it came to pass in the sixtieth year of the reign of the judges, Moronihah did succeed with his armies in obtaining many parts of the land; yea, they regained many cities which had fallen into the hands of the Lamanites.
The Nephites got land back.
10 And it came to pass in the sixty and first year of the reign of the judges they succeeded in regaining even the half of all their possessions.
They got half back.
11 Now this great loss of the Nephites, and the great slaughter which was among them, awould not have happened had it not been for their bwickedness and their abomination which was among them; yea, and it was among those also who professed to belong to the church of God.
They wouldn’t have had the loss if they hadn’t been wicked.
12 And it was because of the apride of their hearts, because of their exceeding briches, yea, it was because of their oppression to the cpoor, withholding their food from the hungry, withholding their clothing from the naked, and smiting their humble brethren upon the cheek, making a dmock of that which was sacred, denying the spirit of prophecy and of revelation, murdering, plundering, lying, stealing, committing adultery, rising up in great contentions, and deserting away into the land of Nephi, among the Lamanites—
A long list of reasons they were wicked.
13 And because of this their great wickedness, and their aboastings in their own strength, they were left in their own strength; therefore they did not prosper, but were afflicted and smitten, and driven before the Lamanites, until they had lost possession of almost all their lands.
If you don’t seek out rightoues principles, what happens?
14 But behold, Moronihah did apreach many things unto the people because of their iniquity, and also bNephi and Lehi, who were the sons of Helaman, did preach many things unto the people, yea, and did prophesy many things unto them concerning their iniquities, and what should come unto them if they did not repent of their sins.
So they preached about what would happen if they kept sinning.
15 And it came to pass that they did repent, and inasmuch as they did repent they did begin to prosper.
Some repented and prospered again.
16 For when Moronihah saw that they did repent he did venture to alead them forth from place to place, and from city to city, even until they had regained the one-half of their property and the one-half of all their lands.
Seeing this they regained half of their lost land!
17 And thus ended the sixty and first year of the reign of the judges.
Narrative.
18 And it came to pass in the sixty and second year of the reign of the judges, that Moronihah could obtain no more possessions over the Lamanites.
But they couldn’t get any more land.
19 Therefore they did abandon their design to obtain the remainder of their lands, for so numerous were the Lamanites that it became impossible for the Nephites to obtain more power over them; therefore Moronihah did employ all his armies in maintaining those parts which he had taken.
It was fifty fifty and the Nephites were content.
20 And it came to pass, because of the greatness of the number of the Lamanites the Nephites were in great fear, lest they should be overpowered, and trodden down, and slain, and destroyed.
The huge number of Lamanites scared the Nephites greatly.
21 Yea, they began to remember the aprophecies of Alma, and also the bwords of Mosiah; and they saw that they had been a cstiffnecked people, and that they had set at dnaught the commandments of God;
They thought they should repent to be protected.
22 And that they had altered and trampled under their feet the alaws of Mosiah, or that which the Lord commanded him to give unto the people; and they saw that their laws had become corrupted, and that they had become a wicked people, insomuch that they were wicked even like unto the Lamanites.
They saw that they were like the Lamanites and wanted to change to do better.
23 And because of their iniquity the church had begun to adwindle; and they began to disbelieve in the spirit of prophecy and in the spirit of revelation; and the judgments of God did stare them in the face.
They didn’t have prophecy or revelation is what it seems like.
24 And they saw that they had become aweak, like unto their brethren, the Lamanites, and that the Spirit of the Lord did no more preserve them; yea, it had withdrawn from them because the Spirit of the Lord doth not bdwell in cunholy dtemples—
Without the spirit they were weak.
25 Therefore the Lord did cease to preserve them by his miraculous and matchless power, for they had fallen into a state of aunbelief and awful wickedness; and they saw that the Lamanites were exceedingly more numerous than they, and except they should bcleave unto the Lord their God they must unavoidably perish.
So they didn’t have miracles to protect them.
26 For behold, they saw that the strength of the Lamanites was as great as their strength, even man for man. And thus had they fallen into this great transgression; yea, thus had they become aweak, because of their transgression, in the space of bnot many years.
They had no advantage and could lose greatly because of all of this.
Chapter 5
1 And it came to pass that in this same year, behold, aNephi bdelivered up the judgment-seat to a man whose name was cCezoram.
There was a new judge.
2 For as their laws and their governments were established by the avoice of the people, and they who bchose evil were cmore numerous than they who chose good, therefore they were dripening for destruction, for the laws had become corrupted.
The fail-safe measure of government being run by a good majority was failing.
3 Yea, and this was not all; they were a astiffnecked people, insomuch that they could not be governed by the law nor justice, save it were to their destruction.
The law couldn’t govern them either.
4 And it came to pass that Nephi had become weary because of their iniquity; and he yielded up the judgment-seat, and took it upon him to preach the word of God all the remainder of his days, and his brother Lehi also, all the remainder of his days;
So Nephi went to preach.
5 For they remembered the words which their afather Helaman spake unto them. And these are the words which he spake:
For Helaman had said:
6 Behold, my sons, I desire that ye should remember to keep the commandments of God; and I would that ye should declare unto the people these words. Behold, I have given unto you the names of our first aparents who came out of the land of Jerusalem; and this I have done that when you remember your names ye may remember them; and when ye remember them ye may remember their works; and when ye remember their works ye may know how that it is said, and also written, that they were bgood.
That they were called to this by their parent’s wish.
7 Therefore, my sons, I would that ye should do that which is good, that it may be said of you, and also written, even as it has been said and written of them.
He wished they could do like the Nephi and Lehi of old.
8 And now my sons, behold I have somewhat more to desire of you, which desire is, that ye may not do these things that ye may boast, but that ye may do these things to lay up for yourselves a atreasure in heaven, yea, which is eternal, and which fadeth not away; yea, that ye may have that bprecious gift of eternal life, which we have reason to suppose hath been given to our fathers.
Not for themselves but for treasure in heaven.
9 O remember, remember, my sons, the awords which king Benjamin spake unto his people; yea, remember that there is no other way nor means whereby man can be saved, only through the batoning blood of Jesus Christ, who shall come; yea, remember that he cometh to credeem the dworld.
The atoning blood of Christ is the only way a man can be saved.
10 And remember also the words which Amulek spake unto Zeezrom, ain the city of Ammonihah; for he said unto him that the Lord surely should come to redeem his people, but that he should not come to redeem them in their sins, but to redeem them from their sins.
They can’t be redeemed living in sin!
11 And he hath power given unto him from the Father to redeem them from their sins because of repentance; therefore he hath asent his angels to declare the tidings of the conditions of repentance, which bringeth unto the power of the Redeemer, unto the salvation of their souls.
Angels reveal the means of repentance, to everyone I suppose.
12 And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the arock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your bfoundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty cstorm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.
Build upon Christ to last against everything.
13 And it came to pass that these were the words which Helaman ataught to his sons; yea, he did teach them many things which are not written, and also many things which are written.
He told them many more things, some written.
14 And they did remember his words; and therefore they went forth, keeping the commandments of God, to teach the word of God among all the people of Nephi, beginning at the city Bountiful;
By remembering his words, they were missionaries.
15 And from thenceforth to the city of Gid; and from the city of Gid to the city of Mulek;
From city to city.
16 And even from one city to another, until they had gone forth aamong all the people of Nephi who were in the land southward; and from thence into the land of Zarahemla, among the Lamanites.
Among Nephites and Lamanites.
17 And it came to pass that they did apreach with great bpower, insomuch that they did confound many of those cdissenters who had gone over from the Nephites, insomuch that they came forth and did confess their sins and were baptized unto repentance, and immediately returned to the Nephites to endeavor to repair unto them the wrongs which they had done.
Among apostatizers who rejoined.
18 And it came to pass that Nephi and Lehi did preach unto the Lamanites with such great power and authority, for they had power and authority given unto them that they might aspeak, and they also had what they should speak given unto them—
They preached with great power and authority given to them-
19 Therefore they did speak unto the great astonishment of the Lamanites, to the convincing them, insomuch that there were eight thousand of the Lamanites who were in the land of Zarahemla and round about abaptized unto repentance, and were convinced of the bwickedness of the ctraditions of their fathers.
8000 Lamanites converted.
20 And it came to pass that Nephi and Lehi did proceed from thence to go to the aland of Nephi.
Nephi and Lehi went to the land of Nephi.
21 And it came to pass that they were taken by an army of the Lamanites and cast into aprison; yea, even in that same prison in which Ammon and his brethren were cast by the servants of Limhi.
They were thrown into a historical prison. Ammon and his brothers had been it.
22 And after they had been cast into prison many days without food, behold, they went forth into the prison to take them that they might slay them.
After starving the Lamanites went to kill them.
23 And it came to pass that Nephi and Lehi were encircled about aas if by bfire, even insomuch that they durst not lay their hands upon them for fear lest they should be burned. Nevertheless, Nephi and Lehi were not burned; and they were as standing in the midst of fire and were not burned.
They were saved miraculously.
24 And when they saw that they were encircled about with a apillar of fire, and that it burned them not, their hearts did take courage.
They took courage when they saw a miracle.
25 For they saw that the Lamanites durst not lay their hands upon them; neither durst they come near unto them, but stood as if they were struck dumb with amazement.
The Lamanites were “confounded.”
26 And it came to pass that Nephi and Lehi did stand forth and began to speak unto them, saying: aFear not, for behold, it is God that has shown unto you this marvelous thing, in the which is shown unto you that ye cannot lay your hands on us to slay us.
The Nephites encouraged them to believe it was God.
27 And behold, when they had said these words, the earth shook exceedingly, and the walls of the prison did shake as if they were about to tumble to the earth; but behold, they did not fall. And behold, they that were in the prison were Lamanites and Nephites who were dissenters.
There was an earthquake but they were spared.
28 And it came to pass that they were overshadowed with a cloud of adarkness, and an awful solemn fear came upon them.
There was a cloud of darkness that caused them to fear.
29 And it came to pass that there came a avoice as if it were above the cloud of darkness, saying: Repent ye, repent ye, and seek no more to destroy my bservants whom I have sent unto you to declare good tidings.
They were told to repent.
30 And it came to pass when they heard this avoice, and beheld that it was not a voice of thunder, neither was it a voice of a great tumultuous noise, but behold, it was a bstill voice of perfect mildness, as if it had been a whisper, and it did pierce even to the very soul
It wasn’t a loud voice but a piercing whisper of mildness.
31 And notwithstanding the mildness of the voice, behold the earth shook exceedingly, and the walls of the prison trembled again, as if it were about to tumble to the earth; and behold the cloud of darkness, which had overshadowed them, did not disperse—
Very interesting phenomenon.
32 And behold the voice came again, saying: aRepent ye, repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand; and seek no more to destroy my servants. And it came to pass that the earth shook again, and the walls trembled.
A repitition.
33 And also again the third time the voice came, and did speak unto them marvelous words which acannot be uttered by man; and the walls did tremble again, and the earth shook as if it were about to divide asunder.
A repitition.
34 And it came to pass that the Lamanites could not flee because of the cloud of darkness which did overshadow them; yea, and also they were immovable because of the fear which did come upon them.
It was too dark to flee and the Lamanites were too afraid anyway.
35 Now there was one among them who was a Nephite by birth, who had once belonged to the church of God but had dissented from them.
One of them used to be a member of the church of God.
36 And it came to pass that he turned him about, and behold, he saw through the cloud of darkness the faces of Nephi and Lehi; and behold, they did ashine exceedingly, even as the faces of angels. And he beheld that they did lift their eyes to heaven; and they were in the attitude as if talking or lifting their voices to some being whom they beheld.
He saw Nephi and Lehi talking to a mysterious being.
37 And it came to pass that this man did cry unto the multitude, that they might turn and look. And behold, there was power given unto them that they did turn and look; and they did behold the faces of Nephi and Lehi.
They were able to see it.
38 And they said unto the man: Behold, what do all these things mean, and who is it with whom these men do converse?
They inquired about it.
39 Now the man’s name was Aminadab. And Aminadab said unto them: They do converse with the angels of God.
Aminadab said they were angels.
40 And it came to pass that the Lamanites said unto him: aWhat shall we do, that this cloud of darkness may be removed from overshadowing us?
The Lamanites asked what they should do to get out of the darkness.
41 And Aminadab said unto them: You must arepent, and cry unto the voice, even until ye shall have bfaith in Christ, who was taught unto you by Alma, and cAmulek, and Zeezrom; and when ye shall do this, the cloud of darkness shall be removed from overshadowing you.
Aminadab said to repent.
42 And it came to pass that they all did begin to cry unto the voice of him who had shaken the earth; yea, they did cry even until the cloud of darkness was dispersed.
They started to and it worked.
43 And it came to pass that when they cast their eyes about, and saw that the cloud of darkness was dispersed from overshadowing them, behold, they saw that they were aencircled about, yea every soul, by a pillar of fire.
So now they were having a good experience.
44 And aNephi and bLehi were in the midst of them; yea, they were encircled about; yea, they were as if in the midst of a flaming fire, yet it did harm them not, neither did it take hold upon the walls of the prison; and they were filled with that cjoy which is unspeakable and full of glory.
Like Shadrach, Neschach Abindego.
45 And behold, the aHoly Spirit of God did come down from heaven, and did enter into their hearts, and they were filled as if with fire, and they could bspeak forth marvelous words.
They had the Holy Ghost and could speak marvelous words.
46 And it came to pass that there came a voice unto them, yea, a pleasant voice, as if it were a whisper, saying:
They heard a pleasant voice
47 aPeace, peace be unto you, because of your faith in my Well Beloved, who was from the foundation of the world.
It said peace to them because of faith in Jesus.
48 And now, when they heard this they cast up their eyes as if to behold from whence the voice came; and behold, they saw the aheavens open; and angels came down out of heaven and ministered unto them.
Angels ministered to them.
49 And there were about three hundred souls who saw and heard these things; and they were bidden to go forth and marvel not, neither should they doubt.
They were bidden to go out and accept what happened.
50 And it came to pass that they did go forth, and did minister unto the people, declaring throughout all the regions round about all the things which they had heard and seen, insomuch that the more part of the Lamanites were aconvinced of them, because of the greatness of the evidences which they had received.
They told the people what happened.
51 And as many as were aconvinced did lay down their weapons of war, and also their hatred and the tradition of their fathers.
The believers abandoned their weapons and their hatred from their father’s traditions.
52 And it came to pass that they did ayield up unto the Nephites the lands of their possession.
They gave the Nephites possession.
Chapter 6
1 And it came to pass that when the sixty and second year of the reign of the judges had ended, all these things had happened and the Lamanites had become, the more part of them, a righteous people, insomuch that their arighteousness did exceed that of the Nephites, because of their firmness and their steadiness in the faith.
The Lamanites had become more righteous than the Nephites.
2 For behold, there were many of the Nephites who had become ahardened and impenitent and grossly wicked, insomuch that they did reject the word of God and all the preaching and prophesying which did come among them.
For many Nephites had become more wicked.
3 Nevertheless, the people of the church did have great joy because of the conversion of the Lamanites, yea, because of the church of God, which had been established among them. And they did afellowship one with another, and did rejoice one with another, and did have great joy.
However it was nice to have the Lamanites that way.
4 And it came to pass that many of the Lamanites did come down into the land of Zarahemla, and did declare unto the people of the Nephites the manner of their aconversion, and did exhort them to faith and repentance.
The Lamanites preached to the Nephites.
5 Yea, and many did apreach with exceedingly great power and authority, unto the bringing down many of them into the depths of humility, to be the humble followers of God and the Lamb.
Because they had so much power and authority, they brought many Nephites into humility.
6 And it came to pass that many of the Lamanites did go into the land northward; and also aNephi and bLehi went into the cland northward, to preach unto the people. And thus ended the sixty and third year.
The Lamanites and Nephi and Lehi went North.
7 And behold, there was peace in all the land, insomuch that the Nephites did go into whatsoever part of the land they would, whether among the Nephites or the Lamanites.
There was peace in the land to travel.
8 And it came to pass that the Lamanites did also go whithersoever they would, whether it were among the Lamanites or among the Nephites; and thus they did have free intercourse one with another, to abuy and to sell, and to get gain, according to their desire.
This boosted the market. Adam Smith’s invisible hand was only meant for within communities, but this shows that capitalism worked all over.
9 And it came to pass that they became exceedingly rich, both the Lamanites and the Nephites; and they did have an exceeding plenty of agold, and of silver, and of all manner of precious metals, both in the land south and in the land north.
They had much wealth and many precious metals.
10 Now the land south was called aLehi, and the land north was called bMulek, which was after the cson of Zedekiah; for the Lord did bring Mulek into the land north, and Lehi into the land south.
Mulek was in the North and Lehi was in the South.
11 And behold, there was all manner of gold in both these lands, and of silver, and of precious ore of every kind; and there were also curious workmen, who did awork all kinds of ore and did refine it; and thus they did become rich.
They got rich out of using the metals.
12 They did raise grain in abundance, both in the north and in the south; and they did flourish exceedingly, both in the north and in the south. And they did multiply and wax exceedingly strong in the land. And they did raise many flocks and herds, yea, many fatlings.
They also had much grain and animals.
13 Behold their women did toil and spin, and did amake all manner of bcloth, of fine-twined linen and cloth of every kind, to clothe their nakedness. And thus the sixty and fourth year did pass away in peace.
They made much fine clothes.
14 And in the sixty and fifth year they did also have great joy and peace, yea, much preaching and many prophecies concerning that which was to come. And thus passed away the sixty and fifth year.
It kept going.
15 And it came to pass that in the sixty and sixth year of the reign of the judges, behold, aCezoram was murdered by an unknown hand as he sat upon the judgment-seat. And it came to pass that in the same year, that his son, who had been appointed by the people in his stead, was also murdered. And thus ended the sixty and sixth year.
Two leaders were mysteriously murdered.
16 And in the commencement of the sixty and seventh year the people began to grow exceedingly wicked again.
Apparently secret combinations crept in and corrupted the people.
17 For behold, the Lord had blessed them so long with the ariches of the world that they had not been stirred up to anger, to wars, nor to bloodshed; therefore they began to set their hearts upon their riches; yea, they began to seek to get gain that they might be lifted up one above another; therefore they began to commit bsecret murders, and to rob and to plunder, that they might get gain.
They set their hearts on riches.
18 And now behold, those murderers and plunderers were a band who had been formed by Kishkumen and aGadianton. And now it had come to pass that there were many, even among the Nephites, of Gadianton’s band. But behold, they were more numerous among the more wicked part of the Lamanites. And they were called Gadianton’s robbers and murderers.
They were robbers and murderers.
19 And it was they who did murder the chief judge aCezoram, and his son, while in the judgment-seat; and behold, they were not found.
They got away with it in this life.
20 And now it came to pass that when the Lamanites found that there were robbers among them they were exceedingly sorrowful; and they did use every means in their power to destroy them off the face of the earth.
The Lamanites tried to get rid of the robbers.
21 But behold, Satan did stir up the ahearts of the more part of the Nephites, insomuch that they did unite with those bands of robbers, and did enter into their covenants and their oaths, that they would protect and preserve one another in whatsoever difficult circumstances they should be placed, that they should not suffer for their murders, and their plunderings, and their bstealings.
But the Nephites made it worse by siding with them.
22 And it came to pass that they did have their signs, yea, their asecret signs, and their bsecret words; and this that they might distinguish a brother who had entered into the covenant, that whatsoever wickedness his brother should do he should not be injured by his brother, nor by those who did belong to his band, who had taken this covenant.
They had secret words and signs.
23 And thus they might murder, and plunder, and steal, and commit awhoredoms and all manner of wickedness, contrary to the laws of their country and also the laws of their God.
They got away with all sorts of crime because they wouldn’t testify.
24 And whosoever of those who belonged to their band should reveal unto the world of their awickedness and their abominations, should be tried, not according to the laws of their country, but according to the laws of their wickedness, which had been given by Gadianton and Kishkumen.
If they squeled they would be punished by the robbers.
25 Now behold, it is these secret aoaths and covenants which Alma commanded his son should not go forth unto the world, lest they should be a means of bringing down the people unto destruction.
Alma had said these oaths and covenants would destroy the people.
26 Now behold, those asecret oaths and covenants did not come forth unto Gadianton from the brecords which were delivered unto Helaman; but behold, they were put into the heart of cGadianton by that dsame being who did entice our first parents to partake of the forbidden fruit—
Satan had taught them to Gadianton.
27 Yea, that same being who did plot with aCain, that if he would murder his brother Abel it should not be known unto the world. And he did plot with Cain and his followers from that time forth.
Satan had plotted with Cain to murder.
28 And also it is that same being who put it into the hearts of the people to abuild a tower sufficiently high that they might get to heaven. And it was that same being who led on the people who came from that tower into this land; who spread the works of darkness and abominations over all the face of the land, until he dragged the people down to an bentire destruction, and to an everlasting hell.
Satan put it into their hearts to build the Tower of Babel, perhaps to overthrow Heaven.
29 Yea, it is that same being who put it into the heart of aGadianton to still carry on the work of darkness, and of secret murder; and he has brought it forth from the beginning of man even down to this time.
Satan did it with Gadianton.
30 And behold, it is he who is the aauthor of all sin. And behold, he doth carry on his works of darkness and secret murder, and doth hand down their plots, and their oaths, and their covenants, and their plans of awful wickedness, from generation to generation according as he can get hold upon the hearts of the children of men.
It goes from generation to generation.
31 And now behold, he had got great hold upon the hearts of the Nephites; yea, insomuch that they had become exceedingly wicked; yea, the more part of them had turned out of the away of righteousness, and did btrample under their feet the commandments of God, and did turn unto their own ways, and did build up unto themselves cidols of their gold and their silver.
They would not keep the commandments and made idols.
32 And it came to pass that all these iniquities did come unto them in the space of anot many years, insomuch that a more part of it had come unto them in the sixty and seventh year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi.
Things had fallen apart fast.
33 And they did grow in their iniquities in the sixty and eighth year also, to the great sorrow and lamentation of the righteous.
They got even worse.
34 And thus we see that the aNephites did begin to dwindle in unbelief, and grow in wickedness and abominations, while the Lamanites began to grow exceedingly in the knowledge of their God; yea, they did begin to keep his statutes and commandments, and to walk in truth and uprightness before him.
The Nephites were suffering; the Lamanites were prospering.
35 And thus we see that the Spirit of the Lord began to awithdraw from the Nephites, because of the wickedness and the hardness of their hearts.
The Nephites began to lose the Holy Spirit.
36 And thus we see that the Lord began to pour out his aSpirit upon the Lamanites, because of their easiness and bwillingness to believe in his words.
The Lamanites began to gain it.
37 And it came to pass that the Lamanites did hunt the band of robbers of Gadianton; and they did preach the word of God among the more wicked part of them, insomuch that this band of robbers was utterly destroyed from among the Lamanites.
The Lamanites hunted them and preached to them so they would have no effect, not allowing the secrecy.
38 And it came to pass on the other hand, that the Nephites did build them up and support them, beginning at the more wicked part of them, until they had overspread all the land of the Nephites, and had seduced the more part of the righteous until they had come down to believe in their works and partake of their spoils, and to join with them in their secret murders and combinations.
The Nephites tolerated them, allowing the secrecy.
39 And thus they did obtain the sole management of the government, insomuch that they did trample under their feet and smite and rend and turn their backs upon the apoor and the meek, and the humble followers of God.
They overtook the whole government.
40 And thus we see that they were in an awful state, and aripening for an everlasting destruction.
They were about to have everlasting destruction!
41 And it came to pass that thus ended the sixty and eighth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi.
Narrative.
Chapter 7
1 Behold, now it came to pass in the sixty and ninth year of the reign of the judges over the people of the Nephites, that Nephi, the son of Helaman, areturned to the land of Zarahemla from the land northward.
Nephi went back from the North to the great city Zarahemla.
2 For he had been forth among the people who were in the land northward, and did preach the word of God unto them, and did prophesy many things unto them;
He had preached in the land Northword.
3 And they did areject all his words, insomuch that he could not stay among them, but returned again unto the land of his nativity.
They rejected him so much that he had to leave.
4 And seeing the people in a state of such awful wickedness, and those Gadianton robbers filling the judgment-seats—having ausurped the power and authority of the land; laying aside the commandments of God, and not in the least aright before him; doing no justice unto the children of men;
Seeing the wicked state of affairs-
5 Condemning the righteous because of their righteousness; letting the guilty and the wicked go aunpunished because of their bmoney; and moreover to be held in office at the head of government, to rule and do according to their wills, that they might get gain and glory of the cworld, and, moreover, that they might the more easily commit adultery, and steal, and kill, and do according to their own wills—
more about that.
6 Now this great iniquity had come upon the Nephites, in the space of anot many years; and when Nephi saw it, his heart was swollen with sorrow within his breast; and he did exclaim in the agony of his soul:
This had happened quickly. He exclaimed:
7 Oh, that I could have had my days in the days when my father Nephi first came out of the land of Jerusalem, that I could have ajoyed with him in the promised land; then were his people easy to be entreated, bfirm to keep the commandments of God, and slow to be led to do iniquity; and they were quick to hearken unto the words of the Lord—
He wished he had lived when people were easier to convert.
8 Yea, if my days could have been in those days, then would my soul have had joy in the righteousness of my brethren.
He would have had joy only then, he thought.
9 But behold, I am consigned that these are my days, and that my soul shall be filled with asorrow because of this the wickedness of my brethren.
But he lives now and is in sorrow.
10 And behold, now it came to pass that it was upon a tower, which was in the agarden of Nephi, which was by the highway which led to the chief market, which was in the city of Zarahemla; therefore, Nephi had bowed himself upon the tower which was in his garden, which tower was also near unto the garden gate by which led the highway.
He bowed to pray.
11 And it came to pass that there were certain men passing by and saw Nephi as he was pouring out his soul unto God upon the atower; and they ran and told the people what they had seen, and the people came together in multitudes that they might know the cause of so great mourning for the wickedness of the people.
The people wanted to know what was so sad, hearing apparently about wickedness.
12 And now, when Nephi arose he beheld the multitudes of people who had gathered together.
Nephi saw many people who came to see him.
13 And it came to pass that he opened his mouth and said unto them: Behold, awhy have ye gathered yourselves together? That I may tell you of your iniquities?
He told them what he was thinking and asked if they were offended.
14 Yea, because I have got upon my tower that I might pour out my soul unto my God, because of the exceeding sorrow of my heart, which is because of your iniquities!
He laid it out.
15 And because of my amourning and lamentation ye have gathered yourselves together, and do marvel; yea, and ye have great need to marvel; yea, ye ought to marvel because ye are given away that the devil has got so great hold upon your hearts.
He said they were amazed at him because he knew what they were up to.
16 Yea, how could you have given way to the enticing of him who is seeking to hurl away your souls down to aeverlasting misery and endless wo?
He said they were in deep trouble.
17 O repent ye, repent ye! aWhy will ye die? Turn ye, turn ye unto the Lord your God. Why has he forsaken you?
When has God denied his help?
18 It is because you have hardened your hearts; yea, ye will not ahearken unto the voice of the bgood shepherd; yea, ye have cprovoked him to anger against you.
Yet you wouldn’t turn to Him.
19 And behold, instead of agathering you, except ye will repent, behold, he shall scatter you forth that ye shall become meat for dogs and wild beasts.
Christ is supposed to gather His people in righteousness.
20 O, how could you have aforgotten your God in the very day that he has delivered you?
God had delivered them militarily.
21 But behold, it is to get again, to be bpraised of men, yea, and that ye might get gold and silver. And ye have set your hearts upon the criches and the vain things of this world, for the which ye do murder, and plunder, and steal, and bear dfalse witness against your neighbor, and do all manner of iniquity.
Greed.
22 And for this cause awo shall come unto you except ye shall repent. For if ye will not repent, behold, this bgreat city, and also all those great cities which are round about, which are in the land of our possession, shall be taken away that ye shall have no place in them; for behold, the Lord will not grant unto you cstrength, as he has hitherto done, to withstand against your enemies.
The entire cities will be destroyed if no repentance.
23 For behold, thus saith the Lord: I will not show unto the wicked of my strength, to one more than the other, save it be unto those who repent of their sins, and hearken unto my words. Now therefore, I would that ye should behold, my brethren, that it shall be abetter for the Lamanites than for you except ye shall repent.
The Lamanites are better off if the Nephites don’t repent.
24 For behold, they are more righteous than you, for they have not sinned against that great knowledge which ye have received; therefore the Lord will be merciful unto them; yea, he will alengthen out their days and increase their seed, even when thou shalt be utterly bdestroyed except thou shalt repent.
They have not sinned against such great knowledge.
25 Yea, wo be unto you because of that great abomination which has come among you; and ye have united yourselves unto it, yea, to that asecret band which was established by Gadianton!
Gadianton was a big problem.
26 Yea, awo shall come unto you because of that pride which ye have suffered to enter your hearts, which has lifted you up beyond that which is good because of your exceedingly great riches!
They had pride and great riches.
27 Yea, wo be unto you because of your wickedness and abominations!
They were sinful.
28 And except ye repent ye shall perish; yea, even your lands shall be taken from you, and ye shall be destroyed from off the face of the earth.
It said back in 2 Nephi that the Lord wouldn’t support the land for them.
29 Behold now, I do not say that these things shall be, of myself, because it is not of myself that I aknow these things; but behold, I bknow that these things are true because the Lord God has made them known unto me, therefore I testify that they shall be.
The Lord had told them of the sinfulness and those things.
Chapter 8
1 And now it came to pass that when Nephi had said these words, behold, there were men who were judges, who also belonged to the secret band of Gadianton, and they were angry, and they cried out against him, saying unto the people: Why do ye not seize upon this man and bring him forth, that he may be condemned according to the crime which he has done?
But some of the most wicked people fought back, saying Nephi was a criminal.
2 Why seest thou this man, and hearest him revile against this people and against our law?
They said he was reviling.
3 For behold, Nephi had spoken unto them concerning the corruptness of their law; yea, many things did Nephi speak which cannot be written; and nothing did he speak which was contrary to the commandments of God.
For Nephi said their law had been corrupted.
4 And those judges were angry with him because he aspake plainly unto them concerning their secret works of darkness; nevertheless, they durst not lay their own hands upon him, for they feared the people lest they should cry out against them.
But the people’s opinion stopped them from arresting him.
5 Therefore they did cry unto the people, saying: Why do you suffer this man to revile against us? For behold he doth condemn all this people, even unto destruction; yea, and also that these our agreat cities shall be taken from us, that we shall have no place in them.
So they cried out again to the people the same way.
6 And now we know that this is impossible, for behold, we are apowerful, and our cities great, therefore our enemies can have no power over us.
They appealed to greed that the cities were too good to destroy.
7 And it came to pass that thus they did astir up the people to anger against Nephi, and raised contentions among them; for there were some who did cry out: bLet this man alone, for he is a good man, and those things which he saith will surely come to pass except we repent;
They divided the people and activated their emotions.
8 Yea, behold, all the judgments will come upon us which he has testified unto us; for we know that he has testified aright unto us concerning our iniquities. And behold they are many, and he aknoweth as well all things which shall befall us as he knoweth of our iniquities;
Some said he was right about their sin.
9 Yea, and behold, if he had not been a prophet he could not have atestified concerning those things.
How could he have known?
10 And it came to pass that those people who sought to destroy Nephi were compelled because of their fear, that they did not lay their hands on him; therefore he began again to speak unto them, seeing that he had gained favor in the eyes of some, insomuch that the remainder of them did fear.
The fear spread to those fighting Nephi, so they had to listen to him.
11 Therefore he was constrained to speak more unto them saying: Behold, my brethren, have ye not read that God gave power unto one man, even Moses, to smite upon the waters of the aRed Sea, and they parted hither and thither, insomuch that the Israelites, who were our fathers, came through upon dry ground, and the waters closed upon the armies of the Egyptians and swallowed them up?
He evoked the memory of the Red Sea and the Egyptians and Israelites.
12 And now behold, if God gave unto this man such power, then why should ye dispute among yourselves, and say that he hath given unto me no power whereby I may aknow concerning the judgments that shall come upon you except ye repent?
He said, why couldn’t he be like Moses!?
13 But, behold, ye not only deny my words, but ye also deny all the words which have been spoken by our fathers, and also the words which were spoken by this man, Moses, who had such great power given unto him, yea, the words which he hath spoken concerning the coming of the Messiah.
They were denying everyone.
14 Yea, did he not bear record that the Son of God should come? And as he alifted up the brazen serpent in the wilderness, even so shall he be lifted up who should come.
Was not the brass serpent miraculous?
15 And as many as should look upon that serpent should alive, even so as many as should look upon the Son of God with faith, having a contrite spirit, might blive, even unto that life which is eternal.
All it took was to look to be saved physically.
16 And now behold, Moses did not only testify of these things, but also aall the holy prophets, from his days even to the days of Abraham.
All the prophets testified of this concept.
17 Yea, and behold, aAbraham saw of his coming, and was filled with gladness and did rejoice.
Abraham saw the Lord’s coming.
18 Yea, and behold I say unto you, that Abraham not only knew of these things, but there were amany before the days of Abraham who were called by the border of God; yea, even after the order of his Son; and this that it should be shown unto the people, a great many thousand years before his coming, that even redemption should come unto them.
There were many high priests in Abraham’s day.
19 And now I would that ye should know, that even since the days of Abraham there have been many prophets that have testified these things; yea, behold, the prophet aZenos did testify boldly; for the which he was slain.
Since Abraham there were many prophets saying the same thing. Zenos was slain for preaching boldly.
20 And behold, also aZenock, and also bEzias, and also cIsaiah, and dJeremiah, (Jeremiah being that same prophet who testified of the destruction of eJerusalem) and now we know that Jerusalem was destroyed according to the words of Jeremiah. O then why not the Son of God come, according to his prophecy?
Some we know; some we don’t.
21 And now will you dispute that aJerusalem was destroyed? Will ye say that the bsons of Zedekiah were not slain, all except it were cMulek? Yea, and do ye not behold that the seed of Zedekiah are with us, and they were driven out of the land of Jerusalem? But behold, this is not all—
From Mulek, they know Jerusalem was wiped out.
22 Our father Lehi was driven out of Jerusalem because he atestified of these things. Nephi also testified of these things, and also almost all of our fathers, even down to this time; yea, they have testified of the bcoming of Christ, and have looked forward, and have rejoiced in his day which is to come.
Lehi prophesied of it before leaving.
23 And behold, he is God, and he is awith them, and he did manifest himself unto them, that they were redeemed by him; and they gave unto him glory, because of that which is to come.
Christ is God, who helped them.
24 And now, seeing ye know these things and cannot deny them except ye shall lie, therefore in this ye have sinned, for ye have rejected all these things, notwithstanding so many aevidences which ye have received; yea, even ye have received ball things, both things in heaven, and all things which are in the earth, as a witness that they are true.
Since you know the truth, act on it.
25 But behold, ye have rejected the truth, and arebelled against your holy God; and even at this time, instead of laying up for yourselves btreasures in heaven, where nothing doth corrupt, and where nothing can come which is unclean, ye are heaping up for yourselves wrath against the day of cjudgment.
Treasure should be in Heaven.
26 Yea, even at this time ye are ripening, because of your murders and your afornication and wickedness, for everlasting destruction; yea, and except ye repent it will come unto you soon.
When people are ripe for destruction they get wiped out.
27 Yea, behold it is now even at your doors; yea, go ye in unto the judgment-seat, and search; and behold, your judge is murdered, and he alieth in his blood; and he hath been murdered bby his brother, who seeketh to sit in the judgment-seat.
To see this, just look at your chief judge now; he just got murdered.
28 And behold, they both belong to your secret band, whose aauthor is Gadianton and the evil one who seeketh to destroy the souls of men.
He was killed by the secret group.
Chapter 9
1 Behold, now it came to pass that when Nephi had spoken these words, certain men who were among them ran to the judgment-seat; yea, even there were afive who went, and they said among themselves, as they went:
They believed in testing to see if Nephi was a prophet by his test.
2 Behold, now we will know of a surety whether this man be a prophet and God hath commanded him to prophesy such marvelous things unto us. Behold, we do not abelieve that he hath; yea, we do not believe that he is a prophet; nevertheless, if this thing which he has said concerning the chief judge be true, that he be dead, then will we believe that the other words which he has spoken are true.
They were determined to find out.
3 And it came to pass that they ran in their might, and came in unto the judgment-seat; and behold, the chief judge had fallen to the earth, and did alie in his blood.
They found the chief judge killed, as promised.
4 And now behold, when they saw this they were astonished exceedingly, insomuch that they fell to the earth; for they had not believed the words which Nephi had spoken concerning the chief judge.
They were shocked and fell to the ground.
5 But now, when they saw they believed, and fear came upon them lest all the judgments which Nephi had spoken ashould come upon the people; therefore they did quake, and had fallen to the earth.
They were anxious about accepting Nephi as a prophet which they had said they would do now.
6 Now, immediately when the judge had been murdered—he being stabbed by his brother by a garb of secrecy, and he fled, and the servants ran and told the people, raising the cry of murder among them;
So they went to tell the people.
7 And behold the people did gather themselves together unto the place of the judgment-seat—and behold, to their astonishment they saw those afive men who had fallen to the earth.
The people went to see and found the five fallen to earth.
8 And now behold, the people knew nothing concerning the multitude who had gathered together at the agarden of Nephi; therefore they said among themselves: These men are they who have murdered the judge, and God has smitten them that they could not flee from us.
So not knowing they jumped to the conclusion that the five had killed the judge.
9 And it came to pass that they laid hold on them, and bound them and cast them into prison. And there was a proclamation sent abroad that the judge was slain, and that the murderers had been taken and were cast into prison.
So they imprisoned them and announced they had solved it.
10 And it came to pass that on the morrow the people did assemble themselves together to amourn and to bfast, at the burial of the great chief judge who had been slain.
There was a funeral.
11 And thus also those judges who were at the garden of Nephi, and heard his words, were also gathered together at the burial.
The judges were there.
12 And it came to pass that they inquired among the people, saying: Where are the five who were sent to inquire concerning the chief judge whether he was dead? And they answered and said: Concerning this five whom ye say ye have sent, we know not; but there are five who are the murderers, whom we have cast into prison.
They said they didn’t know if it was the five.
13 And it came to pass that the judges desired that they should be brought; and they were brought, and behold they were the five who were sent; and behold the judges inquired of them to know concerning the matter, and they told them all that they had done, saying:
They told the judges what happened.
14 We ran and came to the place of the judgment-seat, and when we saw all things even as Nephi had testified, we were astonished insomuch that we fell to the earth; and when we were recovered from our astonishment, behold they cast us into aprison.
They said Nephi was a prophet, they fainted and went to jail.
15 Now, as for the murder of this man, we know not who has done it; and only this much we know, we ran and came aaccording as ye desired, and behold he was dead, according to the words of Nephi.
They don’t know who did it, but Nephi was right.
16 And now it came to pass that the judges did expound the matter unto the people, and did cry out against Nephi, saying: Behold, we know that this Nephi must have agreed with some one to slay the judge, and then he might declare it unto us, that he might convert us unto his faith, that he might raise himself to be a great man, chosen of God, and a prophet.
The judges said Nephi conspired.
17 And now behold, we will detect this man, and he shall confess his fault and make known unto us the true murderer of this judge.
They wanted a confession out of him.
18 And it came to pass that the five were liberated on the day of the burial. Nevertheless, they did rebuke the judges in the words which they had spoken against Nephi, and did contend with them one by one, insomuch that they did confound them.
The five were free, but they talked back to the judges.
19 Therefore they did speak unto the great astonishment of the Lamanites, to the convincing them, insomuch that there were eight thousand of the Lamanites who were in the land of Zarahemla and round about abaptized unto repentance, and were convinced of the bwickedness of the ctraditions of their fathers.
It worked; they convinced the people they were bad!
20 And it came to pass that Nephi and Lehi did proceed from thence to go to the aland of Nephi.
They went to the Land of Nephi.
21 And it came to pass that they were taken by an army of the Lamanites and cast into aprison; yea, even in that same prison in which Ammon and his brethren were cast by the servants of Limhi.
They went into the same prison as Ammon.
22 And after they had been cast into prison many days without food, behold, they went forth into the prison to take them that they might slay them.
After they were starving they wanted to kill them.
23 And it came to pass that Nephi and Lehi were encircled about aas if by bfire, even insomuch that they durst not lay their hands upon them for fear lest they should be burned. Nevertheless, Nephi and Lehi were not burned; and they were as standing in the midst of fire and were not burned.
Like Nebuchadnezzar, they were protected in fire.
24 And when they saw that they were encircled about with a apillar of fire, and that it burned them not, their hearts did take courage.
This gave courage to Nephi.
25 And now behold, I will show unto you another sign, and see if ye will in this thing seek to destroy me.
Nephi doubled down with another sign to be given.
26 Behold I say unto you: Go to the house of Seantum, who is the abrother of Seezoram, and say unto him—
Go to Seantum, Seezoram’s brother and say-
27 Has Nephi, the pretended prophet, who doth prophesy so much evil concerning this people, agreed with thee, in the which ye have murdered Seezoram, who is your brother?
Has Nephi conspired with you to kill Seezoram.
28 And behold, he shall say unto you, Nay.
He will say no.
29 And ye shall say unto him: Have ye murdered your brother?
Ask if he murdered him.
30 And he shall stand with fear, and wist not what to say. And behold, he shall deny unto you; and he shall make as if he were astonished; nevertheless, he shall declare unto you that he is innocent.
At first he will fear, then deny, then act shocked to cover up, but decalare innocence.
31 But behold, ye shall examine him, and ye shall find blood upon the skirts of his cloak.
DNA test will show him guilty.
32 And when ye have seen this, ye shall say: From whence cometh this blood? Do we not know that it is the blood of your brother?
They ask him fairly if it’s his blood.
33 And then shall he tremble, and shall look pale, even as if death had come upon him.
He will appear guilty in a way that can’t be faked.
34 And then shall ye say: Because of this fear and this paleness which has come upon your face, behold, we know that thou art guilty.
Then they will say because of that they know he is guilty.
35 And then shall greater fear come upon him; and then shall he confess unto you, and deny no more that he has done this murder.
He will confess.
36 And then shall he say unto you, that I, Nephi, know nothing concerning the matter save it were given unto me by the power of God. And then shall ye know that I am an honest man, and that I am sent unto you from God.
He will vindicate Nephi of wrongdoing.
37 And it came to pass that they went and did, even according as Nephi had said unto them. And behold, the words which he had said were true; for according to the words he did deny; and also according to the words he did confess.
Nephi was right about the initial denial and afterwards confession.
38 And he was brought to prove that he himself was the very murderer, insomuch that the five were set at liberty, and also was Nephi.
The five were freed.
39 And there were some of the Nephites who believed on the words of Nephi; and there were some also, who believed because of the testimony of the five, for they had been converted while they were in prison.
Some believed Nephi. Some believed the five.
40 And now there were some among the people, who said that Nephi was a prophet.
Some said Nephi was a great prophet.
41 And there were others who said: Behold, he is a god, for except he was a god he could not aknow of all things. For behold, he has told us the thoughts of our hearts, and also has told us things; and even he has brought unto our knowledge the true murderer of our chief judge.
Some even went so far as to say he was a God.
Chapter 10
1 And it came to pass that there arose a division among the people, insomuch that they divided hither and thither and went their ways, leaving Nephi alone, as he was standing in the midst of them.
The people divided against each other, leaving Nephi by himself in the middle.
2 And it came to pass that Nephi went his way towards his own house, apondering upon the things which the Lord had shown unto him.
Nephi went home.
3 And it came to pass as he was thus pondering—being much cast down because of the wickedness of the people of the Nephites, their secret works of darkness, and their murderings, and their plunderings, and all manner of iniquities—and it came to pass as he was thus pondering in his heart, behold, a avoice came unto him saying:
Being troubled over them, he heard a voice:
4 aBlessed art thou, Nephi, for those things which thou hast done; for I have beheld how thou hast with bunwearyingness declared the word, which I have given unto thee, unto this people. And thou hast not feared them, and hast not sought thine cown life, but hast sought my dwill, and to keep my commandments.
The voice said he was blessed for being tireless in preaching.
5 And now, because thou hast done this with such unwearyingness, behold, I will bless thee forever; and I will make thee mighty in word and in deed, in faith and in works; yea, even that aall things shall be bdone unto thee according to thy cword, for thou shalt dnot ask that which is contrary to my will.
He will be blessed forever.
6 Behold, thou art Nephi, and I am God. Behold, I declare it unto thee in the presence of mine angels, that ye shall have power over this people, and shall smite the earth with afamine, and with pestilence, and destruction, according to the wickedness of this people.
He is given power over the people, like Jesus over us through His atonement.
7 Behold, I give unto you apower, that whatsoever ye shall bseal on earth shall be sealed in heaven; and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven; and thus shall ye have power among this people.
He makes it so; it is spiritual.
8 And thus, if ye shall say unto this temple it shall be rent in twain, it shall be done.
He can split the temple in two.
9 And if ye shall say unto this amountain, Be thou cast down and become smooth, it shall be done.
He can level a mountaing.
10 And behold, if ye shall say that God shall smite this people, it shall come to pass.
He can smite all the people.
11 And now behold, I command you, that ye shall go and declare unto this people, that thus saith the Lord God, who is the Almighty: Except ye repent ye shall be smitten, even unto adestruction.
Declare to the people they will be smitten if they don’t repent.
12 And behold, now it came to pass that when the Lord had spoken these words unto Nephi, he did stop and did not go unto his own house, but did return unto the multitudes who were scattered about upon the face of the land, and began to declare unto them the word of the Lord which had been spoken unto him, concerning their destruction if they did not repent.
Nephi acted on this.
13 Now behold, anotwithstanding that great miracle which Nephi had done in telling them concerning the death of the chief judge, they did harden their hearts and did not hearken unto the words of the Lord.
Despite the miracle, they still hardened their heart.
14 Therefore Nephi did declare unto them the word of the Lord, saying: Except ye repent, thus saith the Lord, ye shall be asmitten even unto destruction.
So Nephi gave them that ultimatem.
15 And it came to pass that when Nephi had declared unto them the word, behold, they did still harden their hearts and would not hearken unto his words; therefore they did arevile against him, and did seek to lay their hands upon him that they might cast him into prison.
They reviled against him and wanted him in jail.
16 But behold, the power of God was with him, and they could not take him to cast him into prison, for he was taken by the Spirit and aconveyed away out of the midst of them.
The spirit carrried him away.
17 And it came to pass that thus he did go forth in the Spirit, from multitude to multitude, declaring the word of God, even until he had declared it unto them all, or sent it forth among all the people.
He went from people to people by their spirit and gave his message to all.
18 And it came to pass that they would not hearken unto his words; and there began to be contentions, insomuch that they were divided against themselves and began to slay one another with the sword.
They slew each other over not belieiving.
19 And thus ended the seventy and first year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi.
Narrative.
Chapter 11
1 And now it came to pass in the seventy and second year of the reign of the judges that the contentions did increase, insomuch that there were wars throughout all the land among all the people of Nephi.
Contention led to war.
2 And it was this asecret band of robbers who did carry on this work of destruction and wickedness. And this war did last all that year; and in the seventy and third year it did also last.
It was done by secret combination.
3 And it came to pass that in this year Nephi did cry unto the Lord, saying:
Nephi used his God-given ability:
4 O Lord, do not suffer that this people shall be destroyed by the sword; but O Lord, rather alet there be a bfamine in the land, to stir them up in remembrance of the Lord their God, and perhaps they will repent and turn unto thee.
Let famine strike them instead of war to help them repent.
5 And so it was done, according to the words of Nephi. And there was a great famine upon the land, among all the people of Nephi. And thus in the seventy and fourth year the famine did continue, and the work of destruction did cease by the sword but became sore by famine.
It happened and the famine was worse but designed to cause repentance.
6 And this work of destruction did also continue in the seventy and fifth year. For the earth was smitten that it was adry, and did not yield forth grain in the season of grain; and the whole earth was smitten, even among the Lamanites as well as among the Nephites, so that they were smitten that they did perish by thousands in the more wicked parts of the land.
It was worse in the more wicked parts.
7 And it came to pass that the people saw that they were about to perish by famine, and they began to aremember the Lord their God; and they began to remember the words of Nephi.
Like the boat to the promised land, the people saw destruction and recognized the need to follow God.
8 And the people abegan to plead with their chief judges and their leaders, that they would say unto Nephi: Behold, we know that thou art a man of God, and therefore cry unto the Lord our God that he turn away from us this famine, lest all the words which thou hast spoken concerning our bdestruction be fulfilled.
They pleaded with their judges to plead with Nephi to remove the famine.
9 And it came to pass that the judges did say unto Nephi, according to the words which had been desired. And it came to pass that when Nephi saw that the people had arepented and did humble themselves in sackcloth, he cried again unto the Lord, saying:
The judges did so, and Nephi in “sackcloth” prayed:
10 O Lord, behold this people repenteth; and they have swept away the band of Gadianton from amongst them insomuch that they have become extinct, and they have concealed their secret plans in the earth.
They repented and wiped out Gadianton robbers and concealed their secrets.
11 Now, O Lord, because of this their humility wilt thou turn away thine anger, and let thine anger be appeased in the destruction of those wicked men whom thou hast already destroyed.
Because they are humble please stop the famine, and be appeased by those wicked who have died already.
12 O Lord, wilt thou turn away thine anger, yea, thy fierce anger, and cause that this famine may cease in this land.
Turn away Your anger please and stop the famine.
13 O Lord, wilt thou hearken unto me, and cause that it may be done according to my words, and send forth arain upon the face of the earth, that she may bring forth her fruit, and her grain in the season of grain.
He explains his reaoning to the Lord.
14 O Lord, thou didst hearken unto amy words when I said, Let there be a famine, that the pestilence of the sword might cease; and I know that thou wilt, even at this time, hearken unto my words, for thou saidst that: If this people repent I will spare them.
He hearkened to start the famine; would He hearken to end it?
15 Yea, O Lord, and thou seest that they have repented, because of the famine and the pestilence and destruction which has come unto them.
They have repented.
16 And now, O Lord, wilt thou turn away thine anger, and try again if they will serve thee? And if so, O Lord, thou canst bless them according to thy words which thou hast said.
Give them a chance. “O Lord” 7 times.
17 And it came to pass that in the seventy and sixth year the Lord did turn away his anger from the people, and caused that arain should fall upon the earth, insomuch that it did bring forth her fruit in the season of her fruit. And it came to pass that it did bring forth her grain in the season of her grain.
The Lord sent rain and grew crops.
18 And behold, the people did rejoice and glorify God, and the whole face of the land was filled with rejoicing; and they did no more seek to destroy Nephi, but they did esteem him as a agreat prophet, and a man of God, having great power and authority given unto him from God.
They were happy and Nephi was their prophet.
19 And behold, Lehi, his brother, was not a awhit behind him as to things pertaining to righteousness.
Lehi was righteous too.
20 And thus it did come to pass that the people of Nephi began to prosper again in the land, and began to build up their waste places, and began to multiply and spread, even until they did acover the whole face of the land, both on the northward and on the southward, from the sea west to the sea east.
They prospered and filled the land.
21 And it came to pass that the seventy and sixth year did end in peace. And the seventy and seventh year began in peace; and the achurch did spread throughout the face of all the land; and the more part of the people, both the Nephites and the Lamanites, did belong to the church; and they did have exceedingly great peace in the land; and thus ended the seventy and seventh year.
They spread and were at great peace.
22 And also they had peace in the seventy and eighth year, save it were a few contentions concerning the points of doctrine which had been laid down by the prophets.
They had some disputes but the prophets were there for that.
23 And in the seventy and ninth year there began to be much strife. But it came to pass that Nephi and Lehi, and many of their brethren who knew concerning the true points of doctrine, having many arevelations daily, therefore they did preach unto the people, insomuch that they did put an end to their strife in that same year.
Then there was much strife but through revelation it was again put away.
24 And it came to pass that in the eightieth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi, there were a certain number of the dissenters from the people of Nephi, who had some years before gone over unto the Lamanites, and taken upon themselves the name of Lamanites, and also a certain number who were real descendants of the Lamanites, being stirred up to anger by them, or by those dissenters, therefore they commenced a awar with their brethren.
Some went over to the Lamanites who started a war.
25 And they did commit murder and plunder; and then they would retreat back into the mountains, and into the wilderness and secret places, hiding themselves that they could not be discovered, receiving daily an addition to their numbers, inasmuch as there were dissenters that went forth unto them.
They hid in the mountains and murdered and stole.
26 And thus in time, yea, even in the space of anot many years, they became an exceedingly great band of robbers; and they did search out all the bsecret plans of Gadianton; and thus they became robbers of Gadianton.
They looked up Gadianton’s secrets.
27 Now behold, these robbers did make great havoc, yea, even great destruction among the people of Nephi, and also among the people of the Lamanites.
There was great “havoc.”
28 And it came to pass that it was expedient that there should be a stop put to this work of destruction; therefore they sent an army of strong men into the wilderness and upon the mountains to search out this band of robbers, and to destroy them.
They sent strong armies to defeat these robbers.
29 But behold, it came to pass that in that same year they were driven back even into their own lands. And thus ended the eightieth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi.
But the robbers drove them back.
30 And it came to pass in the commencement of the eighty and first year they did go forth again against this band of robbers, and did destroy many; and they were also visited with much destruction.
They fought them again; many on both sides died.
31 And they were again obliged to return out of the wilderness and out of the amountains unto their own lands, because of the exceeding greatness of the numbers of those robbers who infested the mountains and the wilderness.
The number of robbers messed up their plans.
32 And it came to pass that thus ended this year. And the robbers did still increase and wax strong, insomuch that they did defy the whole armies of the Nephites, and also of the Lamanites; and they did cause great fear to come unto the people upon all the face of the land.
The robbers were strong.
33 Yea, for they did visit many parts of the land, and did do great destruction unto them; yea, did kill many, and did carry away others captive into the wilderness, yea, and more especially their women and their children.
They caused great destruction, killing and kidnapping.
34 Now this great evil, which came unto the people because of their iniquity, did stir them up again in aremembrance of the Lord their God.
But it made the people remember God!
35 And thus ended the eighty and first year of the reign of the judges.
Narrative.
36 And in the eighty and second year they began again to aforget the Lord their God. And in the eighty and third year they began to wax strong in iniquity. And in the eighty and fourth year they did not mend their ways.
But then they forget God!
37 And it came to pass in the eighty and fifth year they did wax stronger and stronger in their pride, and in their wickedness; and thus they were aripening again for destruction.
Their hearts were hardened and they were wicked.
38 And thus ended the eighty and fifth year.
Narrative.
Chapter 12
1 And thus we can behold how false, and also the unsteadiness of the hearts of the children of men; yea, we can see that the Lord in his great infinite goodness doth bless and aprosper those who put their btrust in him.
The Lord helps those who trust in Him.
2 Yea, and we may see at the very atime when he doth bprosper his people, yea, in the increase of their fields, their flocks and their herds, and in gold, and in silver, and in all manner of cprecious things of every kind and art; sparing their lives, and delivering them out of the hands of their enemies; softening the hearts of their enemies that they should not declare wars against them; yea, and in fine, doing all things for the welfare and happiness of his people; yea, then is the time that they do dharden their hearts, and do eforget the Lord their God, and do ftrample under their feet the Holy One—yea, and this because of their ease, and their exceedingly great prosperity.
But at that moment they forget Him.
3 And thus we see that except the Lord doth achasten his people with many afflictions, yea, except he doth visit them with bdeath and with terror, and with famine and with all manner of pestilence, they will not cremember him.
He has to chasten His people therefore.
4 O how afoolish, and how vain, and how evil, and devilish, and how bquick to do iniquity, and how slow to do good, are the children of men; yea, how quick to hearken unto the words of the evil one, and to set their chearts upon the vain things of the world!
Men are terrible.
5 Yea, how quick to be lifted up in apride; yea, how quick to bboast, and do all manner of that which is iniquity; and how slow are they to remember the Lord their God, and to give ear unto his counsels, yea, how slow to cwalk in wisdom’s paths!
men are terrible.
6 Behold, they do not desire that the Lord their God, who hath acreated them, should brule and reign over them; notwithstanding his great goodness and his mercy towards them, they do set at cnaught his counsels, and they will not that he should be their guide.
They don’t want a leader even though He can treat them better.
7 O how great is the anothingness of the children of men; yea, even they are bless than the dust of the earth.
Men are nothing.
8 For behold, the dust of the earth moveth hither and thither, to the dividing asunder, at the command of our great and everlasting God.
God moves them back and forth.
9 Yea, behold at his avoice do the hills and the mountains tremble and bquake.
God moves hills and mountains.
10 And by the apower of his voice they are broken up, and become smooth, yea, even like unto a valley.
God makes them valleys.
11 Yea, by the power of his voice doth the awhole earth shake;
God makes the earth shake.
12 Yea, by the power of his voice, do the foundations rock, even to the very center.
He rocks the Universe to its core.
13 Yea, and if he say unto the earth—Move—it is moved.
He can move the earth.
14 Yea, if he say unto the aearth—Thou shalt bgo back, that it clengthen out the day for many hours—it is done;
He can change its rotational speed.
15 And thus, according to his word the aearth goeth back, and it appeareth unto man that the bsun standeth still; yea, and behold, this is so; for surely it is the earth that moveth and not the sun.
The earth moves around the Sun.
16 And behold, also, if he say unto the awaters of the great deep—bBe thou dried up—it is done.
God can also dry up the water (into gas I assume).
17 Behold, if he say unto this mountain—Be thou raised up, and acome over and fall upon that city, that it be buried up—behold it is done.
He can move a mountain onto a valley.
18 And behold, if a man ahide up a treasure in the earth, and the Lord shall say—Let it be baccursed, because of the iniquity of him who hath hid it up—behold, it shall be accursed.
He can curse buried treasure.
19 And if the Lord shall say—Be thou accursed, that no man shall find thee from this time henceforth and forever—behold, no man getteth it henceforth and forever.
They can be lost.
20 And behold, if the Lord shall say unto a man—Because of thine iniquities, thou shalt be accursed aforever—it shall be done.
He can curse a man forever for wrong doing.
21 And if the Lord shall say—Because of thine iniquities thou shalt be acut off from my presence—he will cause that it shall be so.
He can cut a man off from His presence.
22 And wo unto him to whom he shall say this, for it shall be unto him that will do iniquity, and he cannot be asaved; therefore, for this cause, that men might be saved, hath repentance been declared.
That’s why men should repent when they can.
23 Therefore, blessed are they who will repent and hearken unto the voice of the Lord their God; for these are they that shall be saved.
Blessed are they who repent and hearken – they are saved!
24 And may God grant, in his great fulness, that men might be brought unto repentance and good works, that they might be restored unto grace for agrace, according to their works.
They can even do good works.
25 And I would that all men might be saved. But we read that in the agreat and last day there are some who shall be cast out, yea, who shall be cast off from the bpresence of the Lord;
Many won’t be saved.
26 Yea, who shall be consigned to a state of endless misery, fulfilling the words which say: They that have done good shall have aeverlasting life; and they that have done evil shall have everlasting bdamnation. And thus it is. Amen.
According to their actions it is so.
Chapter 13
1 And now it came to pass in the eighty and sixth year, the Nephites did still remain in wickedness, yea, in great wickedness, while the aLamanites did observe strictly to keep the commandments of God, according to the law of Moses.
The Nephites were greatly bad. The Lamanites were strictly good in following the law of Moses.
2 And it came to pass that in this year there was one aSamuel, a bLamanite, came into the land of Zarahemla, and began to preach unto the people. And it came to pass that he did preach, many days, repentance unto the people, and they did ccast him out, and he was about to dreturn to his own land.
Samuel a Lamanite preached to the Nephites but they cat him out.
3 But behold, the avoice of the Lord came unto him, that he should return again, and prophesy unto the people whatsoever things should come into his bheart.
The Lord told him to come back and say whatever he felt.
4 And it came to pass that they would not suffer that he should enter into the city; therefore he went and got upon the awall thereof, and stretched forth his hand and cried with a loud voice, and bprophesied unto the people whatsoever things the Lord put into his heart.
He went on the city wall.
5 And he said unto them: Behold, I, Samuel, a Lamanite, do speak the words of the Lord which he doth put into my heart; and behold he hath put it into my heart to say unto this people that the asword of justice hangeth over this people; and four hundred years pass not away save the sword of justice falleth upon this people.
He said the sword of justice hangs on their head, and falls on them in 400 years.
6 Yea, heavy adestruction awaiteth this people, and it surely cometh unto this people, and nothing can save this people save it be repentance and faith on the Lord Jesus Christ, who surely shall come into the world, and shall suffer many things and shall be slain for his people.
Repentance and faith are all that can spare them.
7 And behold, an aangel of the Lord hath declared it unto me, and he did bring bglad tidings to my soul. And behold, I was sent unto you to declare it unto you also, that ye might have glad tidings; but behold ye would cnot receive me.
He does say however that this is glad news.
8 Therefore, thus saith the Lord: Because of the hardness of the hearts of the people of the Nephites, except they repent I will take away my word from them, and I will awithdraw my Spirit from them, and I will suffer them no longer, and I will turn the hearts of their brethren against them.
If they don’t repent they will have God withdraw from them.
9 And afour hundred years shall not pass away before I will cause that they shall be smitten; yea, I will visit them with the sword and with famine and with pestilence.
Again with the 400 years.
10 Yea, I will visit them in my fierce anger, and there shall be those of the afourth generation who shall live, of your enemies, to behold your utter destruction; and this shall surely come except ye repent, saith the Lord; and those of the fourth generation shall visit your destruction.
Fierce anger!
11 But if ye will repent and areturn unto the Lord your God I will turn away mine anger, saith the Lord; yea, thus saith the Lord, blessed are they who will repent and turn unto me, but wo unto him that repenteth not.
But those who repent are fine.
12 Yea, awo unto this great city of Zarahemla; for behold, it is because of those who are righteous that it is saved; yea, wo unto this great city, for I perceive, saith the Lord, that there are many, yea, even the more part of this great city, that will harden their hearts against me, saith the Lord.
But wo to them for he thinks many will not repent.
13 But blessed are they who will repent, for them will I spare. But behold, if it were not for the righteous who are in this great city, behold, I would cause that afire should come down out of heaven and bdestroy it.
The repentant shall be fine and save many from destruction.
14 But behold, it is for the righteous’ sake that it is spared. But behold, the time cometh, saith the Lord, that when ye shall cast out the righteous from among you, then shall ye be aripe for destruction; yea, wo be unto this great city, because of the wickedness and abominations which are in her.
But if the righteous are cast out cities won’t be saved for them.
15 Yea, and wo be unto the city of Gideon, for the wickedness and abominations which are in her.
Wo to Gideon for wickedness and abominations.
16 Yea, and wo be unto all the cities which are in the land round about, which are possessed by the Nephites, because of the wickedness and abominations which are in them.
Also all the Nephite cities about.
17 And behold, a acurse shall come upon the land, saith the Lord of Hosts, because of the people’s sake who are upon the land, yea, because of their wickedness and their abominations.
A curse will come.
18 And it shall come to pass, saith the Lord of Hosts, yea, our great and true God, that whoso shall ahide up treasures in the earth shall find them again no more, because of the great curse of the land, save he be a righteous man and shall hide it up unto the Lord.
Treasures buried in the earth will be lost.
19 For I will, saith the Lord, that they shall hide up their atreasures unto me; and cursed be they who hide not up their treasures unto me; for none hideth up their treasures unto me save it be the righteous; and he that hideth not up his treasures unto me, cursed is he, and also the treasure, and none shall redeem it because of the curse of the land.
God is being jealous that He should be the focus of attention, which is how people succeed anyway; this time literally with their treasures.
20 And the day shall come that they shall hide up their treasures, because they have set their hearts upon riches; and because they have set their hearts upon their riches, and will hide up their treasures when they shall flee before their enemies; because they will not hide them up unto me, cursed be they and also their treasures; and in that day shall they be smitten, saith the Lord.
Those rich-horders will be smitten.
21 Behold ye, the people of this great city, and hearken unto my words; yea, hearken unto the words which the Lord saith; for behold, he saith that ye are acursed because of your riches, and also are your riches cursed because ye have set your hearts upon them, and have not bhearkened unto the words of him who gave them unto you.
People are allowing their riches to get in the way of worship.
22 Ye do not remember the Lord your God in the things with which he hath blessed you, but ye do always remember your ariches, not to thank the Lord your God for them; yea, your hearts are not drawn out unto the Lord, but they do swell with great pride, unto bboasting, and unto great cswelling, denvyings, strifes, malice, persecutions, and murders, and all manner of iniquities.
Hearts are on many sins listed.
23 For this cause hath the Lord God caused that a curse should come upon the land, and also upon your riches, and this because of your iniquities.
That’s why the land and its riches are cursed. They make it cursed.
24 Yea, wo unto this people, because of this time which has arrived, that ye do acast out the prophets, and do mock them, and cast stones at them, and do slay them, and do all manner of iniquity unto them, even as they did of old time.
They are casting out prophets and worse.
25 And now when ye talk, ye say: If our days had been in the days of our afathers of old, we would not have bslain the prophets; we would not have stoned them, and cast them out.
They say they wouldn’t have done that if they lived in those other days…
26 Behold ye are worse than they; for as the Lord liveth, if a aprophet come among you and declareth unto you the word of the Lord, which testifieth of your bsins and iniquities, ye are cangry with him, and cast him out and seek all manner of ways to destroy him; yea, you will say that he is a dfalse eprophet, and that he is a sinner, and of the devil, because he ftestifieth that your deeds are evil.
But they are worse because the prophets are telling them the truth… not sure why this is worse and not equal.
27 But behold, if a man shall come among you and shall say: Do this, and there is no iniquity; do that and ye shall not suffer; yea, he will say: aWalk after the pride of your own hearts; yea, walk after the pride of your eyes, and do whatsoever your heart desireth—and if a man shall come among you and say this, ye will receive him, and say that he is a bprophet.
Yet those who justify them they support.
28 Yea, ye will lift him up, and ye will give unto him of your substance; ye will give unto him of your gold, and of your silver, and ye will clothe him with costly apparel; and because he speaketh aflattering words unto you, and he saith that all is well, then ye will not find fault with him.
Those people get raised up.
29 O ye wicked and ye perverse generation; ye hardened and ye astiffnecked people, how long will ye suppose that the Lord will suffer you? Yea, how long will ye suffer yourselves to be led by bfoolish and cblind guides? Yea, how long will ye dchoose darkness rather than elight?
How can they not see what’s in front of them?
30 Yea, behold, the anger of the Lord is already kindled against you; behold, he hath cursed the land because of your iniquity.
The damage is already going to happen.
31 And behold, the time cometh that he curseth your riches, that they become aslippery, that ye cannot hold them; and in the days of your poverty ye cannot retain them.
The riches are called “slippery” like their spiritual journey.
32 And in the days of your poverty ye shall cry unto the Lord; and in vain shall ye cry, for your desolation is already come upon you, and your destruction is made sure; and then shall ye weep and howl in that day, saith the Lord of Hosts. And then shall ye lament, and say:
But they will still be made poor, and not have anything when they could have had everything.
33 O athat I had repented, and had not killed the prophets, and bstoned them, and cast them out. Yea, in that day ye shall say: O that we had remembered the Lord our God in the day that he gave us our riches, and then they would not have become slippery that we should lose them; for behold, our riches are gone from us.
They will regret their activity to the prophets and with respect to their riches.
34 Behold, we lay a tool here and on the morrow it is gone; and behold, our swords are taken from us in the day we have sought them for battle.
Tools and swords disappear.
35 Yea, we have hid up our atreasures and they have slipped away from us, because of the curse of the land.
The land is cursed that way.
36 O that we had repented in the day that the word of the Lord came unto us; for behold the land is cursed, and all things are become slippery, and we cannot hold them.
They would regret not repenting because of the cursed land and treasure.
37 Behold, we are surrounded by ademons, yea, we are encircled about by the angels of him who hath sought to destroy our souls. Behold, our iniquities are great. O Lord, canst thou not turn away thine anger from us? And this shall be your language in those days.
They have djinns/demons to torment them and try to condemn them.
38 But behold, your adays of probation are past; ye have bprocrastinated the day of your salvation until it is everlastingly too late, and your destruction is made sure; yea, for ye have sought all the days of your lives for that which ye could not obtain; and ye have sought for chappiness in doing iniquity, which thing is dcontrary to the nature of that righteousness which is in our great and Eternal Head.
For some people it would be too late.
39 O ye people of the land, that ye would hear my words! And I pray that the anger of the Lord be turned away from you, and that ye would repent and be saved.
But listen and be spared!
Chapter 14
1 And now it came to pass that aSamuel, the Lamanite, did prophesy a great many more things which cannot be written.
Perhaps they clarified so much they could not be remembered.
2 And behold, he said unto them: Behold, I give unto you a sign; for afive years more cometh, and behold, then cometh the Son of God to redeem all those who shall believe on his name.
In 5 years the Son of God would come!
3 And behold, this will I give unto you for a asign at the time of his coming; for behold, there shall be great lights in heaven, insomuch that in the night before he cometh there shall be no darkness, insomuch that it shall appear unto man as if it was day.
A sign to prove it.
4 Therefore, there shall be one aday and a night and a day, as if it were one day and there were no night; and this shall be unto you for a sign; for ye shall know of the rising of the sun and also of its setting; therefore they shall know of a surety that there shall be two days and a night; nevertheless the night shall not be darkened; and it shall be the night before he is bborn.
No night for one night.
5 And behold, there shall a new astar arise, such an one as ye never have beheld; and this also shall be a sign unto you.
Also a new star. I assume it would be a great star.
6 And behold this is not all, there shall be many asigns and wonders in heaven.
Many signs and wonders in the sky as well.
7 And it shall come to pass that ye shall all be amazed, and wonder, insomuch that ye shall afall to the earth.
People will fall to the earth this is so convincing.
8 And it shall come to pass that whosoever shall abelieve on the Son of God, the same shall have everlasting life.
If and only if you believe in the Son of God you will have everlasting life.
9 And behold, thus hath the Lord commanded me, by his angel, that I should come and tell this thing unto you; yea, he hath commanded that I should prophesy these things unto you; yea, he hath said unto me: Cry unto this people, repent and prepare the way of the Lord.
The Lord told him to tell them to repent and prepare for the Lord.
10 And now, because I am a Lamanite, and have spoken unto you the words which the Lord hath commanded me, and because it was hard against you, ye are angry with me and do seek to destroy me, and have acast me out from among you.
It was hard for them to accept.
11 And ye shall ahear my words, for, for this intent have I come up upon the walls of this city, that ye might hear and know of the judgments of God which do await you because of your iniquities, and also that ye might know the conditions of repentance;
But they’re hearing his words anyway for their good.
12 And also that ye might know of the coming of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the aFather of heaven and of earth, the Creator of all things from the beginning; and that ye might know of the signs of his coming, to the intent that ye might believe on his name.
They also get to know about the Messiah.
13 And if ye abelieve on his name ye will repent of all your sins, that thereby ye may have a remission of them through his bmerits.
Belief leads to repentance.
14 And behold, again, another sign I give unto you, yea, a sign of his adeath.
A sign of His death too:
15 For behold, he surely must die that asalvation may come; yea, it behooveth him and becometh expedient that he bdieth, to bring to pass the cresurrection of the dead, that thereby men may be brought into the dpresence of the Lord.
He dies for salvation, ressurection of the dead, and that men may be brought in the presence of the Lord.
16 Yea, behold, this death bringeth to pass the aresurrection, and bredeemeth all mankind from the first death—that spiritual death; for all mankind, by the cfall of Adam being dcut off from the presence of the Lord, are considered as edead, both as to things temporal and to things spiritual.
The spiritual death is first. It happens before you die.
17 But behold, the resurrection of Christ aredeemeth mankind, yea, even all mankind, and bringeth them back into the presence of the Lord.
The ressurection redeems all mankind and brings them back to the Lord’s presence.
18 Yea, and it bringeth to pass the condition of repentance, that whosoever repenteth the same is not ahewn down and cast into the fire; but whosoever repenteth not is hewn down and cast into the fire; and there cometh upon them again a bspiritual death, yea, a second death, for they are cut off again as to things pertaining to righteousness.
It allows the possibility to repent.
19 Therefore repent ye, repent ye, lest by knowing these things and not doing them ye shall suffer yourselves to come under condemnation, and ye are brought down unto this second death.
So you better repent or suffer.
20 But behold, as I said unto you concerning another asign, a sign of his death, behold, in that day that he shall suffer death the sun shall be darkened and refuse to give his blight unto you; and also the moon and the stars; and there shall be no light upon the face of this land, even from the time that he shall suffer death, for the space of cthree days, to the time that he shall rise again from the dead.
Again about the sign of His death.
21 Yea, at the time that he shall yield up the aghost there shall be bthunderings and lightnings for the space of many hours, and the earth shall shake and tremble; and the crocks which are upon the face of this earth, which are both above the earth and beneath, which ye know at this time are solid, or the more part of it is one solid mass, shall be dbroken up;
There will be earthquakes.
22 Yea, they shall be rent in twain, and shall ever after be afound in seams and in cracks, and in broken fragments upon the face of the whole earth, yea, both above the earth and beneath.
Rocks will break up.
23 And behold, there shall be great atempests, and there shall be many mountains laid low, like unto a valley, and there shall be many places which are now called bvalleys which shall become mountains, whose height is great.
The land will be terraformed.
24 And amany highways shall be broken up, and many cities shall become desolate.
Many roads and cities shall get wasted.
25 And many agraves shall be opened, and shall yield up many of their dead; and many saints shall appear unto many.
Miraculous resurrections with Saints coming back.
26 And behold, thus hath the aangel spoken unto me; for he said unto me that there should be thunderings and lightnings for the space of many hours.
Great storms.
27 And he said unto me that while the thunder and the lightning lasted, and the tempest, that these things should be, and that adarkness should cover the face of the whole earth for the space of three days.
Great darkness for 3 days.
28 And the angel said unto me that many shall see greater things than these, to the intent that they might believe that athese signs and these wonders should come to pass upon all the face of this land, to the intent that there should be no cause for unbelief among the children of men—
Even more signs.
29 And this to the intent that whosoever will believe might be saved, and that whosoever will not believe, a arighteous judgment might come upon them; and also if they are condemned they bring upon themselves their own condemnation.
This allows judgment: all they have to do is believe and it will work.
30 And now remember, remember, my brethren, that whosoever perisheth, perisheth unto ahimself; and whosoever doeth iniquity, doeth it unto himself; for behold, ye are bfree; ye are permitted to act for yourselves; for behold, God hath given unto you a cknowledge and he hath made you free.
You sin to yourself.
31 He hath given unto you that ye might aknow good from evil, and he hath given unto you that ye might bchoose life or death; and ye can do good and be crestored unto that which is good, or have that which is good restored unto you; or ye can do evil, and have that which is evil restored unto you.
You can do good.
Chapter 15
1 And now, my beloved brethren, behold, I declare unto you that except ye shall repent your houses shall be left unto you adesolate.
A house is the hardest thing to deal with – Buckminster Fuller.
2 Yea, except ye repent, your women shall have great cause to mourn in the day that they shall give suck; for ye shall attempt to flee and there shall be no place for arefuge; yea, and wo unto them which are bwith child, for they shall be heavy and cannot flee; therefore, they shall be trodden down and shall be left to perish.
Child-raising won’t work!
3 Yea, wo unto this apeople who are called the bpeople of Nephi except they shall repent, when they shall see all these signs and wonders which shall be showed unto them; for behold, they have been a chosen people of the Lord; yea, the people of Nephi hath he loved, and also hath he cchastened them; yea, in the days of their iniquities hath he chastened them because he loveth them.
The signs are a loivng gesture that they can still believe and repent.
4 But behold my brethren, the aLamanites hath he hated because their deeds have been evil continually, and this because of the iniquity of the btradition of their fathers. But behold, salvation hath come unto them through the preaching of the Nephites; and for this intent hath the Lord cprolonged their days.
The Lamanites are only eveil because of tradition, but Nephie preaching saves them so their days will be prolonged.
5 And I would that ye should behold that the amore part of them are in the path of their duty, and they do walk circumspectly before God, and they do observe to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments according to the law of Moses.
The more part of them are obedient!
6 Yea, I say unto you, that the more part of them are doing this, and they are striving with aunwearied diligence that they may bring the remainder of their brethren to the knowledge of the truth; therefore there are many who do add to their numbers daily.
They are converting people to them.
7 And behold, ye do know of yourselves, for ye have witnessed it, that as many of them as are brought to the knowledge of the truth, and to know of the wicked and abominable traditions of their fathers, and are led to believe the holy scriptures, yea, the prophecies of the holy prophets, which are written, which leadeth them to faith on the Lord, and unto repentance, which faith and repentance bringeth a achange of heart unto them—
Ye know that those who convert-
8 Therefore, as many as have come to this, ye know of yourselves are afirm and steadfast in the faith, and in the thing wherewith they have been made free.
stay true and are made free.
9 And ye know also that they have aburied their weapons of war, and they fear to take them up lest by any means they should sin; yea, ye can see that they fear to sin—for behold they will suffer themselves that they be trodden down and slain by their enemies, and will not lift their swords against them, and this because of their bfaith in Christ.
They won’t fight.
10 And now, because of their asteadfastness when they do believe in that thing which they do believe, for because of their firmness when they are once enlightened, behold, the Lord shall bless them and prolong their days, notwithstanding their iniquity—
They will be prolonged despite their sin because they strive to be right.
11 Yea, even if they should dwindle in unbelief the Lord shall aprolong their days, until the time shall come which hath been spoken of by our fathers, and also by the prophet bZenos, and many other prophets, concerning the crestoration of our brethren, the Lamanites, again to the knowledge of the truth—
Even if they stop believing their days will be prolonged because of what we’ve just described about them.
12 Yea, I say unto you, that in the latter times the apromises of the Lord have been extended to our brethren, the Lamanites; and notwithstanding the many afflictions which they shall have, and notwithstanding they shall be bdriven to and fro upon the face of the earth, and be hunted, and shall be smitten and scattered abroad, having no place for crefuge, the Lord shall be dmerciful unto them.
Predicting Indians being chased around by Europeans perhaps.
13 And this is according to the prophecy, that they shall again be abrought to the true knowledge, which is the knowledge of their Redeemer, and their great and true bshepherd, and be numbered among his csheep.
They will know the truth.
14 Therefore I say unto you, it shall be abetter for them than for you except ye repent.
Better for them than the Nephites if the Nephites don’t repent.
15 For behold, ahad the mighty works been shown unto them which have been shown unto you, yea, unto them who have dwindled in unbelief because of the traditions of their fathers, ye can see of yourselves that they never would again have dwindled in unbelief.
If they had seen your signs they would have repented.
16 Therefore, saith the Lord: I will not utterly destroy them, but I will cause that in the day of my wisdom they shall areturn again unto me, saith the Lord.
Therefore they will keep existing.
17 And now behold, saith the Lord, concerning the people of the Nephites: If they will not repent, and observe to do my will, I will utterly adestroy them, saith the Lord, because of their unbelief notwithstanding the many mighty works which I have done among them; and as surely as the Lord liveth shall these things be, saith the Lord.
The Nephites if they choose wrong will be utterly destroyed.
Chapter 16
1 And now, it came to pass that there were many who heard the words of Samuel, the Lamanite, which he spake upon the awalls of the city. And as many as believed on his word went forth and sought for Nephi; and when they had come forth and found him they confessed unto him their sins and denied not, desiring that they might be bbaptized unto the Lord.
Some got baptized.
2 But as many as there were who did not believe in the words of Samuel were aangry with him; and they cast stones at him upon the wall, and also many shot arrows at him as he stood upon the wall; but the Spirit of the Lord was with him, insomuch that they could not hit him with their stones neither with their arrows.
Some shot at him.
3 Now when they saw that they could not hit him, there were many more who did believe on his words, insomuch that they went away unto Nephi to be baptized.
Some who could not hit him got baptized.
4 For behold, Nephi was baptizing, and prophesying, and preaching, crying repentance unto the people, showing signs and wonders, working amiracles among the people, that they might know that the Christ must bshortly come—
There was so much evidence!
5 Telling them of things which must shortly come, that they might know and remember at the time of their coming that they had been made known unto them beforehand, to the intent that they might believe; therefore as many as believed on the words of Samuel went forth unto him to be baptized, for they came repenting and confessing their sins.
And it made them know!
6 But the amore part of them did not believe in the words of Samuel; therefore when they saw that they could not hit him with their stones and their arrows, they cried unto their captains, saying: bTake this fellow and bind him, for behold he chath a devil; and because of the power of the devil which is in him we cannot hit him with our stones and our arrows; therefore take him and bind him, and away with him.
Some called him satanic.
7 And as they went forth to lay their hands on him, behold, he did cast himself down from the wall, and did flee out of their lands, yea, even unto his own country, and began to preach and to prophesy aamong his own people.
He was done; he returned to his home.
8 And behold, he was never heard of more among the Nephites; and thus were the affairs of the people.
He disappeared. That was the interaction.
9 And thus ended the eighty and sixth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi.
Narrative.
10 And thus ended also the eighty and seventh year of the reign of the judges, the more part of the people remaining in their pride and wickedness, and the lesser part walking more circumspectly before God.
So the smaller part were righteous and the larger part were still in trouble, despite all the mercy and help God was giving them.
11 And these were the conditions also, in the eighty and eighth year of the reign of the judges.
Narrative.
12 And there was but little alteration in the affairs of the people, save it were the people began to be more hardened in iniquity, and do more and more of that which was acontrary to the commandments of God, in the eighty and ninth year of the reign of the judges.
They got worse.
13 But it came to pass in the ninetieth year of the reign of the judges, there were agreat signs given unto the people, and wonders; and the words of the prophets bbegan to be fulfilled.
And then there were great signs to create opposition.
14 And aangels did appear unto men, wise men, and did declare unto them glad tidings of great joy; thus in this year the scriptures began to be fulfilled.
Angels appeared to the wise.
15 Nevertheless, the people began to harden their hearts, all save it were the most believing part of them, both of the Nephites and also of the Lamanites, and began to depend upon their aown strength and upon their own wisdom, saying:
The people didn’t listen to them –
16 Some things they may have guessed right, among so many; but behold, we know that all these great and marvelous works cannot come to pass, of which has been spoken.
“It was chance!”
17 And they began to reason and to contend among themselves, saying:
They also said –
18 That it is anot reasonable that such a being as a Christ shall come; if so, and he be the Son of God, the Father of heaven and of earth, as it has been spoken, why will he not show himself unto us as well as unto them who shall be at Jerusalem?
It is irrational that there would be a Christ, and why wouldn’t He appear to them?
19 Yea, why will he not show himself in this land as well as in the land of Jerusalem?
Repeat.
20 But behold, we know that this is a wicked atradition, which has been handed down unto us by our fathers, to cause us that we should believe in some great and marvelous thing which should come to pass, but not among us, but in a land which is far distant, a land which we know not; therefore they can keep us in ignorance, for we cannot bwitness with our own eyes that they are true.
They think it’s clever that there wouldn’t be more proof.
21 And they will, by the cunning and the mysterious arts of the evil one, work some great mystery which we cannot understand, which will keep us down to be servants to their words, and also servants unto them, for we depend upon them to teach us the word; and thus will they keep us in ignorance if we will yield ourselves unto them, all the days of our lives.
They think it will be a trick.
22 And many more things did the people aimagine up in their hearts, which were foolish and bvain; and they were much disturbed, for Satan did stir them up to do iniquity continually; yea, he did go about spreading crumors and contentions upon all the face of the land, that he might harden the hearts of the people against that which was good and against that which should come.
They were distrubed and not thinking right.
23 And notwithstanding the signs and the wonders which were wrought among the people of the Lord, and the many miracles which they did, Satan did get great hold upon the hearts of the people upon all the face of the land.
Satan tricked them despite the signs.
24 And thus ended the ninetieth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi.
Narrative.
25 aAnd thus ended the book of Helaman, according to the record of Helaman and his sons.
Narrative.