|
|
|
1:1 Chapter 1 Behold, it came to pass that I, Enos, knowing
my father that he was a just man: for he taught me in his language,
and also in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. And blessed
be the name of my God for it.
1:2 And I will tell you of the wrestle which I had before God,
before that I received a remission of my sins:
1:3 behold, I went to hunt beasts in the forest; and the words
which I had often heard my father speak, concerning eternal life,
and the joys of the saints, and the words of my father, sunk deep
into my heart.
1:4 And my soul hungered; and I kneeled down before my Maker,
and I cried unto him in mighty prayer and supplication, for mine
own soul; and all the day long did I cry unto him; yea, and when
the night came, I did still raise my voice high, that it reached
the heavens.
1:5 And there came a voice unto me saying, Enos, thy sins are
forgiven thee, and thou shalt be blessed.
1:6 And I, Enos, knew that god could not be; wherefore, my guilt
was swept away.
1:7 And I sayeth, Lord, how is it done?
1:8 And he sayeth unto me, Because of thy faith in Christ, whom
thou hast not heard nor seen. And many years passeth away, before
that he shall manifest himself; wherefore, go to it, thy faith
hath made thee whole.
1:9 Now, it came to pass that when I had heard these words, I
began to feel a desire for the welfare of my brethren, the Nephites;
wherefore, I did pour out my whole soul unto God for them.
1:10 And while I was thus struggling in the spirit, behold, the
voice of the Lord came into my mind again, saying, I will visit
thy brethren, according to their diligence in keeping my commandments.
I have given unto them this land; and it is a holy land; and I
curse it not, save it be for the cause of iniquity; wherefore,
I will visit thy brethren, according as I have said; and their
transgressions will I bring down with sorrow upon their own heads.
1:11 And after that I, Enos, had heard these words, my faith began
to be unshaken in the Lord; and I prayed unto him with many long
strugglings for my brethren the Lamanites.
1:12 And it came to pass, that after I had prayed, and labored
with all diligence, the Lord said unto me, I will grant unto thee
according to thy desires, because of thy faith.
1:13 And now behold, this was the desire which I desired of him:
That if it should so be, that my people, the Nephites, should
fall into transgression, and by any means be destroyed, and the
Lamanites should not be destroyed. that the Lord God would preserve
a record of my people, the Nephites; even if it so be, by the
power of his holy arm, that it might be brought forth, at some
future day, unto the Lamanites, that perhaps they might be brought
unto salvation:
1:14 for at the present, our struggles were vain, in restoring
them to the true faith. And they swore in their wrath, that if
it were possible, they would destroy our records and us, and,
also, all the traditions of our fathers.
1:15 Wherefore, I knowing that the Lord God was able to preserve
our records, I cried unto him continually; for he had said unto
me, Whatsoever thing ye shall ask in faith, believing that ye
shall receive in the name of Christ, ye shall receive it.
1:16 And I had faith, and I did cry unto God, that he would preserve
the records; and he covenanted with me that he would bring them
forth unto the Lamanites, in his own due time.
1:17 --And I, Enos, knew it would be according to the covenant
which he had made; wherefore, my soul did rest.
1:18 And the Lord said unto me, Thy fathers have also required
of me this thing; and it shall be done unto them according to
their faith, for their faith was like unto thine.
1:19 And now it came to pass, that I, Enos, went about among the
people of Nephi, prophesying of things to come, and testifying
of the things which I had heard and seen.
1:20 And I bare record that the people of Nephi did seek diligently
to restore the Lamanites unto the true faith in God. But our labors
were vain; their hatred was fixed, and they were led by their
evil nature, that they became wild, and ferocious, and a blood-thirsty
people; full of idolatry, and filthiness, feeding upon beasts
of prey, dwelling in tents, and wandering about in the wilderness,
with a short skin girded about their loins, and their heads shaven;
and their skill was in the bow, and the cimeter, and the axe.
--And many of them did eat nothing save it was raw meat; and they
were continually seeking to destroy us.
1:21 And it came to pass that the people of Nephi did till the
land, and raise all manner of grain, and of fruit, and flocks
of herds, and flocks of all manner of cattle, of every kind, and
goats, and wild goats, and also much horses.
1:22 And there were exceeding many prophets among us. And the
people were a stiff-necked people, hard to understand.
1:23 And there was nothing save it was exceeding harshness, preaching,
and prophesying of wars, and contentions, and destructions, and
continually reminding them of death, and the duration of eternity,
and the judgments and the power of God; and all these things stirring
them up continually, to keep them in the fear of the Lord. I say
there was nothing short of these things, and exceeding great plainness
of speech, would keep them from going down speedily to destruction.
And after this manner do I write concerning them.
1:24 And I saw wars between the Nephites and the Lamanites, in
the course of my days.
1:25 And it came to pass that I began to be old, and an hundred
and seventy and nine years had passed away from the time that
our father Lehi left Jerusalem.
1:26 And as I saw that I must soon go down to my grave, having
been wrought upon by the power of God, that I must preach and
prophesy unto this people, and declare the word according to the
truth, which is in Christ. And I have declared it in all my days,
and have rejoiced in it, above that of the world.
1:27 And I soon go to the place of my rest, which is with my Redeemer;
for I know that in him I shall rest: I rejoice in the day when
my mortal shall put on immortality, and shall stand before him:
then I shall see his face with pleasure, and he will say unto
me, Come unto me ye blessed, there is a place prepared for you
in the mansions of my Father. Amen.
1:1 Chapter 1 Now behold, I, Jarom, write a few words,
according to the commandment of my father Enos, that our genealogy
may be kept.
1:2 And as these plates are small, and as these things are written
for the intent of the benefit of our brethren, the Lamanites,
wherefore, it must needs be that I write a little; but I shall
not write the things of my prophesying, nor of my relations. For
what could I write more than my fathers have written? For have
not they revealed the plan of salvation? I say unto you, Yea;
and this sufficeth me.
1:3 Behold, it is expedient that much should be done among this
people, because of the hardness of their hearts, and the deafness
of their ears, and the blindness of their minds, and the stiffness
of their necks; nevertheless, God is exceeding merciful unto them,
and hath not as yet swept them off from the face of the land.
1:4 And there are many among us which have many revelations: for
they are not all stiffnecked. And as many as are not stiffnecked,
and have faith, have communion with the Holy Spirit, which maketh
manifest unto the children of men, according to their faith.
1:5 And now, behold, two hundred years had passed away, and the
people of Nephi had waxed strong in the land. They observed to
keep the law of Moses, and the Sabbath day Holy unto the Lord.
And they profaned not; neither did they blaspheme. And the laws
of the land were exceeding strict.
1:6 And they were scattered upon much of the face of the land;
and the Lamanites also. And they were exceeding more numerous
than were they of the Nephites; and they loved murder, and would
drink the blood of beasts.
1:7 And it came to pass that they came many times against us,
the Nephites, to battle. But our kings and our leaders were mighty
men in the faith of the Lord; and they taught the people the ways
of the Lord; wherefore, we withstood the Lamanites, and swept
them away out of our lands, and began to fortify our cities, or
whatsoever place of our inheritance.
1:8 And we multiplied exceedingly, and spread upon the face of
the land, and became exceeding rich in gold, and in silver, and
in precious things, and in fine workmanship of wood, in building,
and in machinery, and also in iron, and copper, and brass, and
steel, making all manner of tools of every kind to till the ground,
and weapons of war; yea, the sharp pointed arrow, and the quiver,
and the dart, and the javelin, and all preparations for war;
1:9 and thus being prepared to meet the Lamanites, they did not
prosper against us. But the word of the Lord was verified, which
he spake unto our fathers, saying, That inasmuch as ye will keep
my commandments, ye shall prosper in the land.
1:10 And it came to pass that the prophets of the Lord did threaten
the people of Nephi, according to the word of God, that if they
did not keep the commandments, but should fall into transgression,
they should be destroyed from off the face of the land;
1:11 wherefore, the prophets, and the priests, and the teachers,
did labor diligently, exhorting, with all long suffering, the
people to diligence; teaching the law of Moses, and the intent
for which it was given; persuading them to look forward unto the
Messiah, and believe in him to come, as though he already was.
And after this manner did they teach them.
1:12 And it came to pass that by so doing, they kept them from
being destroyed upon the face of the land: for they did prick
their hearts with the word, continually stirring them up unto
repentance.
1:13 And it came to pass that two hundred and thirty and eight
years had passed away, after the manner of wars, and contentions,
and dissentions, for the space of much of the time.
1:14 And I, Jarom, do not write more, for the plates are small.
--But behold, my brethren, ye can go to the other plates of Nephi:
for behold, upon them the record of our wars are engraven, according
to the writings of kings, or that which they caused to be written.
1:15 And I deliver these plates into the hands of my son Omni,
that they may be kept according to the commandments of my fathers.
1:1 Chapter 1 Behold, it came to pass that I, Omni, being
commanded by my father Jarom, that I should write somewhat upon
these plates, to preserve our genealogy;
1:2 wherefore, in my days, I would that ye should know that I
fought much with the sword, to preserve my people, the Nephites,
from falling into the hands of their enemies, the Lamanites. But
behold I, of myself, am a wicked man; and I have not kept the
statutes and the commandments of the Lord, as I ought to have
done.
1:3 And it came to pass that two hundred and seventy and six years
had passed away, and we had many seasons of peace; and we had
many seasons of serious war and bloodshed. --Yea, and in fine,
two hundred and eighty and two years had passed away, and I kept
these plates according to the commandments of my fathers; and
I conferred them upon my son Amaron. And I make an end.
1:4 And now I, Amaron, write these things whatsoever I write,
which are few, in the book of my father.
1:5 Behold, it came to pass that three hundred and twenty years
had passed away, and the more wicked part of the Nephites were
destroyed:
1:6 for the Lord would not suffer, after he had led them out of
the land of Jerusalem, and kept and preserved them from falling
into the hands of their enemies; yea, he would not suffer that
the words should not be verified, which he spake unto our fathers,
saying, That inasmuch as ye will not keep my commandments, ye
shall not prosper in the land.
1:7 Wherefore, the Lord did visit them in great judgment; nevertheless,
he did spare the righteous, that they should not perish, but did
deliver them out of the hands of their enemies.
1:8 And it came to pass that I did deliver the plates unto my
brother Chemish.
1:9 Now I, Chemish, write what few things I write, in the same
book with my brother: for behold, I saw the last which he wrote,
that he wrote it with his own hand; and he wrote it in the day
that he delivered them unto me. And after this manner we keep
the records: for it is according to the commandments of our fathers.
And I make an end.
1:10 Behold, I, Abinadom, I am the son of Chemish. Behold, it
came to pass that I saw much war and contention between my people,
the Nephites, and the Lamanites; and I, with mine own sword, have
taken the lives of many of the Lamanites, in the defence of my
brethren.
1:11 And behold, the record of this people is engraven upon the
plates which is had by the kings, according to the generations;
and I know of no revelations, save that which has been written,
neither prophecy; wherefore, that which is sufficient, is written.
And I make an end.
1:12 Behold, I am Amaleki, the son of Abinadom. Behold, I will
speak unto you somewhat concerning Mosiah, which was made king
over the land of Zarahemla: for behold, he being warned of the
Lord that he should flee out of the land of Nephi, and as many
as would hearken unto the voice of the Lord, should also depart
out of the land with him, into the wilderness.
1:13 And it came to pass that he did according as the Lord had
commanded him. And they departed out of the land into the wilderness,
as many as would hearken unto the voice of the Lord; and they
were led by many preachings and prophesyings. And they were admonished
continually by the word of God; and they were led by the power
of his arm, through the wilderness, until they came down into
the land which is called the land of Zarahemla.
1:14 And they discovered a people which was called the people
of Zarahemla. Now, there was great rejoicing among the people
of Zarahemla; and also, Zarahemla did rejoice exceedingly, because
that the Lord had sent the people of Mosiah with the plates of
brass which contained the record of the Jews.
1:15 Behold, it came to pass that Mosiah discovered that the people
of Zarahemla, came out from Jerusalem, at the time that Zedekiah,
king of Judah, was carried away captive into Babylon.
1:16 And they journied in the wilderness, and was brought by the
hand of the Lord, across the great waters, into the land where
Mosiah discovered them; and they had dwelt there from that time
forth.
1:17 And at the time that Mosiah discovered them, they had become
exceeding numerous. Nevertheless. they had had many wars and serious
contentions, and had fallen by the sword from time to time; and
their language had become corrupted; and they had brought no records
with them; and they denied the being of their Creator, and Mosiah,
nor the people of Mosiah, could not understand them.
1:18 But it came to pass that Mosiah caused that they should be
taught in his language. And it came to pass that after they were
taught in the language of Mosiah, Zarahemla gave a genealogy of
his fathers, according to his memory: and they are written, but
not in these plates.
1:19 And it came to pass that the people of Zarahemla, and of
Mosiah did unite together; and Mosiah was appointed to be their
king.
1:20 And it came to pass in the days of Mosiah, there was a large
stone brought unto him, with engravings on it; and he did interpret
the engravings, by the gift and power of God.
1:21 And they gave an account of one Coriantumr, and the slain
of his people. And Coriantumr was discovered by the people of
Zarahemla; and he dwelt with them for the space of nine Moons.
1:22 It also spake a few words concerning his fathers. And his
first parents came out from the Tower, at the time the Lord confounded
the language of the people; and the severity of the Lord fell
upon them, according to his judgments, which is just; and their
bones lay scattered in the land northward.
1:23 Behold, I, Amaleki, was born in the days of Mosiah; and I
have lived to see his death; and Benjamin, his son, reigneth in
his stead.
1:24 And behold, I have seen in the days of the king Benjamin,
a serious war, and much bloodshed, between the Nephites and the
Lamanites. But behold, the Nephites did obtain much advantage
over them; yea, insomuch that king Benjamin did drive them out
of the land of Zarahemla.
1:25 And it came to pass that I began to be old; and, having no
seed, and knowing king Benjamin to be a just man before the Lord,
wherefore, I shall deliver up these plates unto him, exhorting
all men to come unto God, the Holy One of Israel, and believe
in prophesying, and in revelations, and in the ministering of
Angels, and in the gift of speaking with tongues, and in the gift
of interpreting languages in all things which is good: for there
is nothing which is good, save it come from the Lord; and that
which is evil, cometh from the Devil.
1:26 And now my beloved brethren, I would that ye should come
unto Christ, which is the Holy One of Israel, and partake of his
salvation, and the power of his redemption. Yea, come unto him,
and offer your whole souls as an offering unto him, and continue
in fasting and praying, and endure to the end; and as the Lord
liveth, ye will be saved.
1:27 And now, I would speak somewhat concerning a certain number
which went up into the wilderness, to return to the land of Nephi:
for there was a large number which were desirous to possess the
land of their inheritance;
1:28 wherefore, they went up into the wilderness. And their leader
being a strong and mighty man, and a stiffnecked man, wherefore,
he caused a contention among them; and they were all slain, save
fifty, in the wilderness, and they returned again to the land
of Zarahemla.
1:29 And it came to pass that they also took others, to a considerable
number, and took their journey again into the wilderness.
1:30 And, I, Amaleki, had a brother, which also went with them;
and I have, not since known concerning them. And I am about to
lay down in my grave; and these plates are full. And I make an
end of my speaking.
1:1 Chapter 1 And now I, Mormon, being about to deliver
up the record which I have been making, into the hands of my son
Moroni, behold, I have witnessed almost all the destruction of
my people, the Nephites.
1:2 And it is many hundred years after the coming of Christ, that
I deliver these records into the hands of my son; and it supposeth
me that he will witness the entire destruction of my people. But
may God grant that he may survive them, that he may write somewhat
concerning them, and somewhat concerning Christ, that perhaps
some day it may profit them.
1:3 And now, I speak somewhat concerning that which I have written:
for after that I had made an abridgment from the plates of Nephi,
down to the reign of this king Benjamin, of which Amaleki spake,
I searched among the records which had been delivered into my
hands, and I found these plates. which contained this small account
of the Prophets, from Jacob, down to the reign of this king Benjamin;
and also many of the words of Nephi.
1:4 And the things which are upon these plates pleasing me, because
of the prophecies of the coming of Christ; and my fathers knowing
that many of them have been fulfilled, yea, and I also know that
as many things as have been prophesied concerning us down to this
day, has been fulfilled; and as many as go beyond this day. must
surely come to pass;
1:5 wherefore, I chose these things, to finish my record upon
them, which remainder of my record I shall take from the plates
of Nephi; and I cannot write a hundredth part of the things of
my people.
1:6 But behold, I shall take these plates, which contain these
prophecying and revelations, and put them with the remainder of
my record, for they are choice unto me; and I know they will be
choice unto my brethren.
1:7 And I do this for a wise purpose; for thus it whispereth me,
according to the workings of the spirit of the Lord which is in
me. And now, I do not know all things; but the Lord knoweth all
things which is to come; wherefore, he worketh in me to do according
to his will.
1:8 And my prayer to God, is concerning my brethren, that they
may once again come to the knowledge of God; yea, the redemption
of Christ; that they may once again be a delightsome people.
1:9 And now I, Mormon, proceed to finish out my record, which
I take from the plates of Nephi; and I make it according to the
knowledge and the understanding which God hath given me.
1:10 Wherefore, it came to pass that after Amaleki had delivered
up these plates into the hands of king Benjamin, he took them
and put them with the other plates, which contained records which
had been handed down by the kings, from generation to generation,
until the days of king Benjamin;
1:11 and they were handed down from king Benjamin, from generation
to generation, until they have fallen into my hands. And I, Mormon,
pray to God that they may be preserved, from this time hence forth.
And I know that they will be preserved: for there are great things
written upon them out of which my people and their brethren, shall
be judged at the great and last day, according to the word of
God which is written.
1:12 And now, concerning this king Benjamin: He had somewhat contentions
among his own people.
1:13 And it came to pass also, that the armies of the Lamanites
came down out of the land of Nephi, to battle against his people.
But behold, king Benjamin gathered together his armies, and he
did stand against them; and he did fight with strength of his
own arm, with the sword of Laban;
1:14 and in the strength of the Lord they did contend against
their enemies, until they had slain many thousands of Lamanites.
And it came to pass that they did contend against the Lamanites,
until they had driven them out of all the lands of their inheritance.
1:15 And it came to pass that after there had been a false Christs,
and their mouths had been shut, and they punished according to
their crimes;
1:16 and after there had been false prophets, and false preachers,
and teachers among the people, and all these having been punished
according to their crimes; and after there having been much contentions
and many dissentions, away unto the Lamanites, behold, it came
to pass that king Benjamin, with the assistance of the Holy Prophets
which were among his people:
1:17 for behold, king Benjamin was a holy man, and he did reign
over his people in righteousness. And there were many holy men
in the land; and they did speak the word of God, with power and
with authority; and they did use much sharpness, because of the
stiffneckedness of the people;
1:18 wherefore, with the help of these, king Benjamin, by laboring
with all the might of his body and the faculty of his whole soul
and also the prophets, wherefore, they did once more establish
peace in the land.
|