6:1 And now it came to pass that the people of the
Nephites did all return to their own lands in the twenty
and sixth year, every man, with his family, his flocks
and his herds, his horses and his cattle, and all things whatsoever did belong unto
them. |
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6:2 And it came to pass that they had not eaten up
all their provisions; therefore they did take with them
all that they had not devoured, of all their grain of
every kind, and their gold, and their silver, and all
their precious things, and they did return to their own
lands and their possessions, both on the north and on the
south, both on the land northward and on the land
southward. |
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6:3 And they granted unto those robbers who had
entered into a covenant to keep the peace of the land,
who were desirous to remain Lamanites, lands, according
to their numbers, that they might have, with their
labors, wherewith to subsist upon; and thus they did
establish peace in all the land. |
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6:4 And they began again to prosper and to wax
great; and the twenty and sixth and seventh years passed
away, and there was great order in the land; and they had
formed their laws according to equity and justice. |
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6:5 And now there was nothing in all the land to
hinder the people from prospering continually, except
they should fall into transgression. |
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6:6 And now it was Gidgiddoni, and the judge,
Lachoneus, and those who had been appointed leaders, who
had established this great peace in the land. |
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6:7 And it came to pass that there were many cities
built anew, and there were many old cities repaired. |
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6:8 And there were many highways cast up, and many
roads made, which led from city to city, and from land to
land, and from place to place. |
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6:9 And thus passed away the twenty and eighth
year, and the people had continual peace. |
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6:10 But it came to pass in the twenty and ninth
year there began to be some disputings among the people;
and some were lifted up unto pride and boastings because
of their exceedingly great riches, yea, even unto great
persecutions; |
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6:11 For there were many merchants in the land, and
also many lawyers, and many officers. |
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6:12 And the people began to be distinguished by
ranks, according to their riches and their chances for
learning, yea, some were ignorant because of their
poverty, and others did receive great learning because of
their riches. |
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6:13 Some were lifted up in pride, and others were
exceedingly humble; some did return railing for railing,
while others would receive railing and persecution and
all manner of afflictions, and would not turn and revile
again, but were humble and penitent before God. |
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6:14 And thus there became a great inequality in all
the land, insomuch that the church began to be
broken up; yea, insomuch that in the thirtieth year the
church was broken up in all the land save it were among a
few of the Lamanites who were converted unto the true
faith; and they would not depart from it, for they were
firm, and 1steadfast, and immovable, willing with all
diligence to keep the commandments of the Lord. |
[1] I Corinthians
15:58: ...be ye stedfast, unmoveable... |
6:15 Now the cause of this iniquity of the people
was this--Satan had great power, unto the stirring up of the
people to do all manner of iniquity, and to the puffing
them up with pride, tempting them to seek for power, and
authority, and riches, and the vain things of the world. |
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6:16 And thus Satan did lead away
the hearts of the people to do all manner of iniquity;
therefore they had enjoyed peace but a few years. |
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6:17 And thus, in the commencement of the thirtieth
year--the people having been delivered up for the space
of a long time to be carried about by the temptations of
the devil whithersoever he desired to carry them, and to
do whatsoever iniquity he desired they should--and thus
in the commencement of this, the thirtieth year, they
were in a state of awful wickedness. |
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6:18 Now they did not sin ignorantly, for they knew
the will of God concerning them, for it had been taught
unto them; therefore they did wilfully rebel against God.
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6:19 And now it was in the days of Lachoneus, the
son of Lachoneus, for Lachoneus did fill the seat of his
father and did govern the people that year. |
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6:20 And there began to be men inspired from heaven
and sent forth, standing among the people in all the
land, preaching and testifying boldly of the sins and
iniquities of the people, and testifying unto them
concerning the redemption which the Lord would make for
his people, or in other words, the resurrection of Christ; and they did testify boldly of his death and
sufferings. |
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6:21 Now there were many of the people who were
exceedingly angry because of those who testified of these
things; and those who were angry were chiefly the chief
judges, and they who had been high priests and lawyers;
yea, all those who were lawyers were angry with those who
testified of these things. |
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6:22 Now there was no lawyer nor judge nor high
priest that could have power to condemn any one to death
save their condemnation was signed by the governor of the
land. |
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6:23 Now there were many of those who testified of
the things pertaining to Christ who testified
boldly, who were taken and put to death secretly by the
judges, that the knowledge of their death came not unto
the governor of the land until after their death. |
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6:24 Now behold, this was contrary to the laws of
the land, that any man should be put to death except they
had power from the governor of the land-- |
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6:25 Therefore a complaint came up unto the land of
Zarahemla, to the governor of the land, against these
judges who had condemned the prophets of the Lord unto
death, not according to the law. |
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6:26 Now it came to pass that they were taken and
brought up before the judge to be judged of the crime
which they had done, according to the law which had been
given by the people. |
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6:27 Now it came to pass that those judges had many
friends and kindreds; and the remainder, yea, even almost
all the lawyers and the high priests, did gather
themselves together, and unite with the kindreds of those
judges who were to be tried according to the law. |
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6:28 And they did enter into a covenant one with
another, yea, even into that covenant which was given by
them of old, which covenant was given and administered by
the devil, to combine against all righteousness. |
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6:29 Therefore they did combine against the people
of the Lord, and enter into a covenant to destroy them,
and to deliver those who were guilty of murder from the
grasp of justice, which was about to be administered
according to the law. |
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6:30 And they did set at defiance the law and the
rights of their country; and they did covenant one with
another to destroy the governor, and to establish a king
over the land, that the land should no more be at liberty
but should be subject unto kings. |
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