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, returned to
the land of Zarahemla from the land northward. |
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7:2 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; |
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7:3 And they did reject all his words, insomuch
that he could not stay among them, but returned again
unto the land of his nativity. |
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7:4 And seeing the people in a state of such awful
wickedness, and those Gadianton robbers filling the
judgment-seats--having usurped 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; |
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7:5 Condemning the righteous because of their
righteousness; letting the guilty and the wicked go
unpunished because of their money; 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 world, and, moreover, that they might the
more easily commit adultery, and steal, and kill, and do
according to their own wills-- |
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7:6 Now this great iniquity had come upon the
Nephites, in the space of not 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: |
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7:7 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 joyed with him in the
promised land; then were his people easy to be entreated,
firm 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-- |
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7:8 Yea, if my days could have been in those days,
then would my soul have had joy in the righteousness of
my brethren. |
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7:9 But behold, I am consigned that these are my
days, and that my soul shall be filled with sorrow
because of this the wickedness of my brethren. |
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7:10 And behold, now it came to pass that it was
upon a tower, which was in the garden 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. |
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7:11 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 tower; 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. |
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7:12 And now, when Nephi arose he beheld the
multitudes of people who had gathered together. |
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7:13 And it came to pass that he opened his mouth
and said unto them: Behold, why have ye gathered
yourselves together? That I may tell you of your
iniquities? |
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7:14 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! |
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7:15 And because of my mourning 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. |
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7:16 Yea, how could you have given way to the
enticing of him who is seeking to hurl away your souls
down to everlasting misery and endless wo? |
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7:17 O repent ye, repent ye! Why will ye die? Turn
ye, turn ye unto the Lord your God. Why has he forsaken
you? |
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7:18 It is because you have hardened your hearts;
yea, ye will not hearken unto the voice of the good
shepherd; yea, ye have provoked him to anger against you.
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7:19 And behold, instead of gathering you, except ye
will repent, behold, he shall scatter you forth that ye
shall become meat for dogs and wild beasts. |
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7:20 O, how could you have forgotten your God in the
very day that he has delivered you? |
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7:21 But behold, it is to get gain, to be praised of
men, yea, and that ye might get gold and silver. And ye
have set your hearts upon the riches and the vain things
of this world, for the which ye do murder, and plunder,
and steal, and bear false witness against your neighbor,
and do all manner of iniquity. |
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7:22 And for this cause wo shall come unto you
except ye shall repent. For if ye will not repent,
behold, this great 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 strength, as he has hitherto done, to withstand
against your enemies. |
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7:23 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 better for
the Lamanites than for you except ye shall repent. |
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7:24 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 lengthen out their days
and increase their seed, even when thou shalt be utterly
destroyed except thou shalt repent. |
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7:25 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 secret band which was
established by Gadianton! |
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7:26 Yea, wo 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! |
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7:27 Yea, wo be unto you because of your wickedness
and abominations! |
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7:28 And 1except 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. |
[1] Luke 13:3: ...except ye repent, ye shall all
likewise perish. |
7:29 Behold now, I do not say that these things
shall be, of myself, because it is not of myself that I
know these things; but behold, I know that these things
are true because the Lord God has made them known unto
me, therefore I testify that they shall be. |
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