Helaman was the son of Helaman, son of Alma, son of Alma, a descendant of Nephi, son of Lehi, who left Jerusalem in the first year of the reign of Zedekiah, king of Judah.

CHAPTER 1

Nephi, son of Helaman, departs the land, his son Nephi keeps the records—Though signs and wonders abound, the wicked plan to slay the righteous—The night of Christ’s birth arrives—The sign is given, a new star arises—Lying and deceiving increases, Gadianton robbers slaughter many. About A.D. 1–4.

1 The ninety-first year passed away, six hundred years from Lehi leaving Jerusalem, and Lachoneus was the chief judge and governor over the land.

2 Nephi, son of Helaman, departed out of Zarahemla, giving responsibility to his eldest son, Nephi, over the plates of brass, all the records that had been kept, and all things which had been kept sacred since Lehi left Jerusalem.

3 Nobody ever learned where Nephi went, and his son kept the records of the people.

4 In the ninety-second year, the prophecies began more fully to be fulfilled. There were greater signs and miracles among the people.

5 But some said that the time was past for the words of Samuel the Lamanite to be fulfilled.

6 They mocked their brethren, saying, The time is past for the words of Samuel to be fulfilled, so your joy and faith about all this has been for nothing.

7 They made a great uproar throughout the land, and the people who believed began to be sad, fearful that the prophecies might not happen.

8 They watched diligently for that day and night and day that would be like one day without night, so they could know that their faith had not been foolish.

9 The unbelievers set a day where the signs must occur, or the believers would be killed.

10 When Nephi, son of Nephi, saw this wickedness, his heart was filled with sorrow.

11 He bowed himself on the ground and cried mightily to his God on behalf of his people who were about to be destroyed because of their faith in the prophecies.

12 He cried to the Lord all that day, and the voice of the Lord came to him, saying:

13 Lift up your head and be of good cheer, because on this night the sign will be given, and tomorrow I come into the world to show to the world that I will fulfil all that I have given to my holy prophets to speak.

14 I come to my own people to fulfil all things I have shown to men from the foundation of the world, and to do the will of both the Father and the Son—of the Father because of me, and of the Son because of my flesh. This night the sign will be given.

15 And it was fulfilled: at sunset there was no darkness, and the people were astonished because there was no darkness when night came.

16 Many unbelievers fell to the earth as though dead because they knew that their plan to destroy the believers was finished, because the prophesied sign was happening.

17 They began to believe that the Son of God must shortly appear. In fact, all the people in the land were so astonished that they fell to the ground.

18 They knew that the prophets had testified of these things for many years, and the sign had arrived, so they began to fear because of their sins and unbelief.

19 In all that night there was no darkness, only light like mid-day. The sun rose in the morning, as usual, and they knew according to the sign that it was the day the Lord would be born.

20 Every single thing happened according to the words of the prophets, including the appearance of a new star.

22 Satan began to circulate lies among the people to harden their hearts so they would not believe in the signs and wonders they had seen. But despite these lies, most of the people believed and were converted to the Lord.

23 With many others Nephi went among the people, baptizing to repentance, in which there was a great remission of sins. So the people began to have peace in the land.

24 There were no contentions, except a few who tried to prove by the scriptures that it was no longer necessary to keep the law of Moses. They were wrong, not understanding the scriptures.

25 These too became converted and confessed their error, because they were shown that the law was not yet fulfilled and must be fulfilled in every detail.

26 The ninety-second year ended, bringing joy to the people because of the signs that came according to the words of all the holy prophets.

27 The ninety-third year ended in peace, except for the Gadianton robbers, who lived in the mountains and infested the land. They were so strong that the people could not overpower them, so they committed many murders and slaughtered many people.

28 In the ninety-fourth year they grew much stronger, because many dissenters of the Nephites joined them, which caused much sorrow to the Nephites who remained in the land.

29 There was also much sorrow among the Lamanites because many of their older children chose to be led away by the lies and flattering of Zoramites to join the Gadianton robbers.

30 So the Lamanites were afflicted and began to decrease in faith and righteousness because of the wickedness of the rising generation.

CHAPTER 2

Wickedness and abominations increase among the people—Nephites and Lamanites unite to defend themselves against the Gadianton robbers—Converted Lamanites become white and are called Nephites. About A.D. 5–16.

1 The ninety-fifth year ended, and the people began to forget the signs and wonders they had heard, and began to be less astonished at a sign or wonder from heaven. They began to be hard in their hearts and blind in their minds, and to disbelieve all they had heard and seen, imagining foolish things, that it was all done by men and the power of the devil to deceive the hearts of the people. So Satan got hold of the hearts of the people again, blinding their eyes and leading them to believe that the doctrine of Christ was a foolish and useless thing.

3 The people grew in wickedness and did not believe there would be any more signs or wonders, and Satan led away the hearts of the people, tempting them to do great wickedness.

4 The ninety-sixth year passed, and the ninety-seventh, ninety-eighth, and ninety-ninth years. A hundred years passed away since the days of Mosiah, king over the Nephites, which was six hundred and nine years since Lehi left Jerusalem, which was nine years since the signs that Christ would come into the world.

8 The Nephites began to count their time from the sign of the coming of Christ, so nine years had passed.

10 The people remained in wickedness, despite the much preaching and prophesying done among them, and thus passed the tenth and eleventh years.

11 In the thirteenth year, wars and contentions began throughout the land, and because the Gadianton robbers had become so numerous, killed so many people, destroyed so many cities, and spread so much death throughout the land, it became necessary that all Nephites and Lamanites would take up arms against them.

12 So, for the safety of their lives, their women, and children, all the Lamanites who had become converted to the Lord united with their brethren, the Nephites, and were compelled to take up arms against the Gadianton robbers to maintain their rights and the privileges of their church, worship, freedom, and liberty.

13 Before the thirteenth year had finished, the Nephites were threatened with utter destruction in the war, which had become exceedingly severe.

14 The Lamanites who had united with the Nephites were numbered among the Nephites, and their curse was removed, so their skin became white like the Nephites, and their young men and daughters became very lovely, and they were numbered with the Nephites and were called Nephites. And the thirteenth year ended.

17 In the fourteenth year, the war between the robbers and the Nephites worsened, but the Nephites gained some advantage, so they drove the robbers back into the mountains and their secret places.

18 In the fifteenth year they came against the Nephites, and because of the wickedness, contentions, and dissensions of the Nephites, the robbers gained many advantages over them.

19 The fifteenth year ended, and the people were in a state of many afflictions, and the sword of destruction hung over them, so they were about to be struck down by it, and this because of their wickedness.

CHAPTER 3

Giddianhi, the Gadianton leader, demands that Lachoneus and the Nephites surrender—Lachoneus appoints Gidgiddoni as chief captain of the armies—The Nephites assemble in Zarahemla and Bountiful to defend themselves. About A.D. 16–18.

1 In the sixteenth year, Lachoneus, the governor of the land, received a letter from the leader of the band of robbers, and these were the words:

2 Lachoneus, most noble and chief governor of the land, I write this letter to you and give you great praise because of the firmness of you and your people in maintaining what you suppose to be your right and liberty. You stand well, as if you were supported by the hand of a god in defense of your liberty, property, and country, or what you believe to be so.

3 It seems a pity to me, most noble Lachoneus, that you would be so foolish and vain to suppose that you can stand against as many brave men as I command, who right now stand with their weapons and wait eagerly for the word: Go, attack the Nephites and destroy them.

4 I know their unconquerable spirit, having proved them in battle, and know their everlasting hatred toward you because of the many wrongs you have done to them; so if they go against you, they will utterly destroy you.

5 So I have written this letter, sealing it with my own hand and feeling for your welfare because of your firmness in what you believe to be right, and your noble spirit on the field of battle.

6 I write you with a desire that you give my people your cities, lands, and possessions, rather than them destroying you with the sword.

7 Surrender to us, unite with us, become acquainted with our secret works, and become like us as brethren—not our slaves but our brethren and partners in all we have.

8 If you do this, I swear to you with an oath, you will not be destroyed. But if you will not do this, I swear to you with an oath that next month I will command my armies to go against you, and they will not stop or spare you but will kill you with the sword until you become extinct.

9 I am Giddianhi, the governor of this secret society of Gadianton, which I know to be good and handed down to us from ancient times.

10 I write this letter to you, Lachoneus, and hope that you will surrender your lands and possessions without the shedding of blood, so my people can recover their rights and government, my people who have dissented from you because of your wickedness in keeping the rights of government from them. And unless you do this, I will avenge their wrongs. I am Giddianhi.

11 When Lachoneus received this letter, he was very astonished at the boldness of Giddianhi demanding to take the land of the Nephites, and at threatening the people to avenge the wrongs of those who had not been wronged, except that they had wronged themselves by dissenting away to those wicked robbers.

12 This Lachoneus was a righteous man and could not be frightened by the demands and threats of a robber, so he did not listen to the letter of Giddianhi, but he instructed his people to cry to the Lord for strength in the time that the robbers would come against them.

13 He sent a proclamation among all the people, that they should gather their women, children, flocks, herds, and all their substance into one place.

14 And he built fortifications of great strength around them. He placed armies around them to guard them from the robbers day and night.

15 He said, As the Lord lives, except you repent of all your sins and cry to the Lord, you will not be delivered from the Gadianton robbers.

16 The words and prophecies of Lachoneus were so great and marvelous that they caused fear in the people, so they worked with all their might to do as Lachoneus said.

17 Lachoneus appointed chief captains over all the Nephite armies, to command them when the robbers would come out of the wilderness against them.

18 The commander of all the chief captains and the armies was Gidgiddoni.

19 Except for times of wickedness, it was the custom among all the Nephites to appoint as chief captains a man who had the spirit of revelation and prophecy, so this Gidgiddoni was a great prophet, like the chief judge.

20 The people said to Gidgiddoni, Pray to the Lord and let us go to the mountains and the wilderness so we can destroy the robbers in their own lands.

21 But Gidgiddoni said, The Lord forbids it because if we go against them the Lord would deliver us into their hands, so we will prepare ourselves in the center of our lands, we will gather all our armies together, and we will not go against them. We will wait till they come against us. So as the Lord lives, if we do this he will deliver them into our hands.

22 In the seventeenth year, they had taken their horses, chariots, cattle, flocks, herds, grain, and all their substance, and marched forth by tens of thousands until they had all gone to the place appointed for their gathering, to defend themselves against their enemies.

23 The appointed gathering place was all the land between and including Zarahemla and Bountiful, even to the line between Bountiful and the land Desolation.

24 A great many thousand Nephites gathered themselves together in this land southward because of the great curse on the land northward.

25 They fortified themselves against their enemies and dwelled in one land, in one body, and feared the words spoken by Lachoneus, so they repented of all their sins. And they prayed to the Lord their God that he would deliver them when their enemies would come to battle them.

26 They were very sorrowful because of their enemies, and Gidgiddoni guided them to make weapons of war of every kind, and to be strong with armor and shields.

CHAPTER 4

The Nephite armies defeat the Gadianton robbers—Giddianhi is slain, and his successor, Zemnarihah, is hanged—The Nephites praise the Lord for their victories. About A.D. 19–22.

1 In the eighteenth year the armies of robbers prepared for battle and came out of the mountains and wilderness, and their strongholds and secret places, and began to take the lands in the south and the north that had been deserted by the Nephites.

2 But in the lands deserted by the Nephites there was no wild game, only in the wilderness.

3 So the robbers could not exist because they had no food, because the Nephites had left their lands empty, having gathered with their flocks, herds, and all their goods in one place.

4 There was no chance for the robbers to plunder and obtain food, except to openly battle the Nephites, but the Nephites hoped to destroy the robbers by being in one place in great number, having great provisions, horses, cattle, and flocks of every kind to live for the space of seven years. The eighteenth year ended.

5 In the nineteenth year Giddianhi found they could not live except by plundering, robbing, and murder. And they dared not spread themselves over the land to raise grain, fearing the Nephites would attack and kill them. So Giddianhi commanded his armies to battle the Nephites.

7 The battle was terrible. The robbers were dyed in blood, shaved their heads, and wore armor, helmets, and a lambskin around their waist. Great and terrible was the appearance of the armies of Giddianhi.

8 When the armies of the Nephites saw the appearance of the army of Giddianhi, they all fell to the ground and cried to the Lord their God that he would deliver them from their enemies.

9 When the armies of Giddianhi saw this they began to shout loudly with joy because they supposed that the Nephites had fallen with fear of their armies.

10 But they were disappointed because the Nephites did not fear them but feared their God and begged him for protection. So when the armies of Giddianhi rushed upon them, they were prepared to meet them in the strength of the Lord.

11 Great and terrible was the battle and slaughter, greater than any slaughter among all the people of Lehi since he left Jerusalem.

12 Despite the threatening and oaths Giddianhi had made, the Nephites beat them, so they fell back from them.

13 Gidgiddoni commanded his armies to pursue them to the borders of the wilderness, and not to spare any who would fall into their hands. And they did as he said.

14 Giddianhi fought boldly, but he was pursued and became weary, so he was overtaken and killed.

15 The Nephite armies returned to their place of security, and the robbers stayed away through the remainder of the nineteenth and twentieth years.

16 In the twenty-first year they did not come to battle, but they came up on all sides to lay siege around the Nephites, led by another leader, Zemnarihah. They supposed that they could cut off the people of Nephi from their lands and make them surrender.

18 But this helped the Nephites because it was impossible for the robbers to lay siege long enough to affect them because of the great provisions they had stored.

19 The robbers only had meat hunted in the wilderness, which became scarce, so they were about to perish for lack of game.

21 And the Nephites were continually marching out by day and night, attacking their armies by thousands and tens of thousands.

22 So it became the desire of the people of Zemnarihah to withdraw their siege, because of the great destruction happening to them.

23 Zemnarihah commanded his people to withdraw from the siege and march into the farthest parts of the land northward.

24 Gidgiddoni was aware of this command, and knew their weakness because of the lack of food and the great slaughter among them, so he sent out his armies in the night and placed his armies in the way of their retreat.

25 The next day, when the robbers began their march, they were met by the armies of the Nephites both in their front and in their rear. They were cut off from retreat.

27 Many thousands surrendered to the Nephites, and the remainder of them were killed.

28 Their leader, Zemnarihah, was hanged on a tree, and they cut the tree to the ground and cried loudly, May the Lord preserve his people in righteousness and holiness of heart, so they may cut to the ground all who try to kill them because of power and secret combinations, just as this man has been cut to the ground.

30 They rejoiced and cried with one voice, saying, May the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob protect this people in righteousness as long as they will call on the name of their God for protection.

31 All as one, they broke out in singing and praising their God for the great thing that he had done for them in preserving them from falling into the hands of their enemies.

32 They cried, Hosanna to the Most High God, blessed be the name of the Lord God Almighty, the Most High God.

33 Their hearts were swollen with joy, gushing out many tears because of the great goodness of God in delivering them from their enemies; and they knew it was because of their repentance and humility that they had been delivered from everlasting destruction.

CHAPTER 5

The Nephites repent and forsake their sins—Mormon writes the history of his people and declares the everlasting word to them—Israel will be gathered in from her long dispersion. About A.D. 22–26.

1 None of all the Nephites doubted the words of all the holy prophets who had spoken because they knew it was necessary that they be fulfilled.

2 They knew that Christ had come because of the many signs given according to the words of the prophets; and because of the things that had happened already, they knew that all things would happen as prophesied.

3 So they abandoned all their sins, abominations, and whoredoms, and served God with all diligence day and night.

4 When they had taken all the robbers prisoners, with none escaping, they preached to them the word of God and freed those who repented of their sins and entered into a covenant that they would murder no more.

5 But the prisoners who did not enter into a covenant, and continued to have secret murders in their hearts, threatening their brethren, were condemned and punished according to the law.

6 So they ended all the wicked and secret combinations, which caused so much evil and many murders.

7 The twenty-second year ended, and the twenty-third, twenty-fourth, and twenty-fifth.

8 Many great and marvelous things happened, but they cannot all be written in this book, which cannot contain even a hundredth part of what happened among so many people in the space of twenty-five years.

9 But there are records containing all the events of this people, and a shorter but true account was given by Nephi.

10 I have made my record like the record of Nephi, which was engraved on plates called the plates of Nephi.

11 I make this record on plates I have made with my own hands.

12 I am called Mormon, named after the land of Mormon, where Alma established the first church among the people after their transgression.

13 I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I have been called by him to declare his word among his people, so they can have everlasting life.

14 It is necessary that I keep a record of these things that have been done, according to the will of God and to fulfill the prayers and faith of those holy people before me—a small record of what has happened from the time that Lehi left Jerusalem, down to the present time.

16 I make my record from the accounts made by those before me, until now. And then I make a record of the things I have seen with my own eyes.

18 I know my record is good and true, although there are many things we are not able to write, according to our language.

19 Now I stop my own writings but proceed to give my account of the things that happened before me.

20 I am Mormon, a pure descendant of Lehi. I have reason to bless my God and my Savior Jesus Christ, for bringing our fathers out of Jerusalem (and no one knew it except himself and those he brought out of that land), and that he has given me and my people so much knowledge for the salvation of our souls.

21 Surely he has blessed the house of Jacob and been merciful to the seed of Joseph.

22 When the children of Lehi have kept his commandments, he has blessed and prospered them according to his word.

23 And surely he brings a remaining part of the seed of Joseph again to a knowledge of the Lord their God.

24 As surely as the Lord lives, he will gather in from all the earth this part of the seed of Jacob.

25 And because he has covenanted with all the house of Jacob, that covenant will be fulfilled in his own time, to restore the house of Jacob to the knowledge of that covenant.

26 Then they will know their Redeemer, who is Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and be gathered in from all the earth to their own lands, from where they have been scattered. As the Lord lives, it will happen. Amen.

CHAPTER 6

The Nephites prosper—Pride, wealth, and class distinctions arise—The Church is rent with dissensions—Satan leads the people in open rebellion—Many prophets cry repentance and are slain—Their murderers conspire to take over the government. About A.D. 26–30.

1 In the twenty-sixth year, the Nephites all returned to their own lands, every man with his family, flocks, herds, horses, cattle, and all things that belonged to them.

2 They had not eaten all their provisions, so they took all they had not eaten—their grains, gold, silver, and all their precious things, and they returned to their own lands and possessions throughout the land.

3 The robbers who had made a covenant to keep the peace, and who wanted to remain Lamanites, were given enough land so they could work and make a living, and they established peace in all the land.

4 They began to prosper and grow strong, and the twenty-sixth and -seventh years passed away, with great order in the land; and they had established good laws.

5 There was nothing to prevent the people from prospering continually, except falling into transgression.

6 It was Gidgiddoni and Lachoneus, and other appointed leaders, who established this great peace in the land.

7 Many new cities were built, and many old cities repaired.

8 Highways were built, and many roads made, which led from city to city, land to land, and place to place.

9 The twenty-eighth year ended, and the people had continual peace.

10 In the twenty-ninth year some disputing began among the people, and some were lifted up in pride and boasting because of their great riches, with great persecutions;

11 There were many merchants in the land, and many lawyers and officers.

12 And the people began to be distinguished by class, according to their riches and chances for learning. Some were uneducated because of their poverty, while others received great learning because of their wealth.

13 Some were lifted up in pride, while others were very humble; some returned anger for anger, while others received anger and all manner of afflictions but would not speak angry criticism, but were humble and repentant before God.

14 So there was great inequality in all the land, so the church began to be broken up, and in the thirtieth year the church was broken up in all the land except for a few of the Lamanites who were converted to the true faith and would not depart from it because they were firm and immovable, eager to diligently keep the commandments of the Lord.

15 This iniquity happened because Satan had great power, stirring up the people to do all manner of wickedness, and to be filled with pride, tempting them to get power, authority, riches, and the foolish things of the world.

16 Satan led away the hearts of the people to do all kinds of evil, so they enjoyed peace for only a few years.

17 For a long time the people had been led by temptations of the devil to do whatever he wanted, so in the thirtieth year they were in a condition of awful wickedness.

18 They did not sin ignorantly, because they knew the will of God they had been taught, so they rebelled against God willfully.

19 Lachoneus, son of Lachoneus, filled the seat of his father and governed the people.

20 Men inspired from heaven went among the people everywhere, preaching boldly of the sins of the people and testifying about the redemption that the Lord would make for his people in his suffering, death, and resurrection.

21 Many people were very angry because of this preaching, mostly chief judges and those who had been high priests and lawyers.

22 No lawyer, judge, or high priest could have power to condemn any one to death unless the governor agreed.

23 Against the laws of the land, though, many of those who boldly testified about Christ were taken and killed secretly by the judges, so the knowledge of their death was not known by the governor of the land until after their death.

25 A complaint was made to the governor in Zarahemla against the judges who had condemned the prophets of the Lord to death, against the law.

26 The judges were brought before the governor, to be judged of their crime according to the law.

27 But those judges had many friends and relatives, and almost all the lawyers and high priests gathered together and united with the relatives of the judges who were to be tried.

28 They entered with each other into the covenant of old, which was given and administered by the devil, to combine against all righteousness.

29 So they combined against the people of the Lord, and made a covenant to destroy them, and to free those who were guilty of murder from the grasp of justice and the law.

30 They defied the law and rights of their country, and agreed to destroy the governor, and to make a king over the land, destroying liberty in the land.

CHAPTER 7

The chief judge is murdered, the government destroyed, the people divide into tribes—Jacob, an anti-Christ, becomes king of a secret combination—Nephi preaches repentance and faith in Christ—Angels minister to him daily, he raises his brother from the dead—Many repent and are baptized. About A.D. 30–33.

1 They did not establish a king over the land in that thirtieth year, but they did murder the chief judge of the land.

2 People divided into tribes according to family and friends, and thus they destroyed the government of the land.

3 Every tribe appointed a chief or leader over them.

4 Everyone had many relatives and friends, so their tribes became very great.

5 All this iniquity happened because they gave in to the power of Satan, but there were no wars among them yet.

6 The order of the government was destroyed because of the secret combination of the friends and relatives of those who murdered the prophets.

7 They caused a great contention in the land, so there were few righteous people remaining.

8 In less than six years most of the people had turned from their righteousness, like the dog to his vomit, or the sow to her wallowing in the mire.

9 This secret combination, which had caused so much wickedness among the people, gathered together and appointed a man called Jacob as their king. He was one who had spoken most against the prophets who testified of Jesus.

11 They were not as strong in number as the tribes of the people, who were united in hatred of those who had combined to destroy the government. Each tribal leader made laws for the tribes, who were enemies and not righteous.

12 Jacob saw that their enemies were more numerous, so he commanded his people to flee into the land north and build up a kingdom until they were joined by dissenters and became strong enough to fight the tribes. He flattered them that many dissenters would come, and they followed him.

13 Their march was so speedy that their escape from the land could not be stopped. The thirtieth year ended.

14 In the thirty-first year the tribes agreed by very strict laws that they would not go to war or trespass with each other, so they had some degree of peace even though their hearts were turned from the Lord their God, and they stoned the prophets and drove them away. Each tribe had different laws and government, created by their leaders.

15 Nephi was visited by angels and the voice of the Lord, and was given power to know about the ministry of Christ. He also saw the quick change of the people from righteousness to wickedness, so being grieved for the hardness of their hearts and blindness of their minds, he went out among them and began to testify boldly of repentance and remission of sins through faith on the Lord Jesus Christ.

17 He ministered many things to them, and not all of them can be written, and because a part of them would not be enough, they are not written in this book. Nephi ministered with power and great authority.

18 They were angry with him, in part because his faith on the Lord Jesus Christ was so great that angels ministered to him daily, and they saw that he was more powerful than they, so they could not deny his words.

19 In the name of Jesus he cast out devils and unclean spirits, and even raised his brother from the dead after he had been stoned to death by the people.

20 The people saw it, and talked about it, and were angry with him because of his power. And he did many more miracles in sight of the people in the name of Jesus.

21 The thirty-first year ended, and few were converted to the Lord, but those testified that they had been visited by the power and Spirit of God, which was in Jesus Christ, in whom they believed.

22 Those who had devils cast out from them, and were healed of their sicknesses and weaknesses, testified to the people that they were healed by the Spirit of God, and they showed signs and did some miracles among the people.

23 The thirty-second year ended, and in the next year Nephi preached repentance and remission of sins to the people.

24 Remember that everyone brought to repentance was baptized with water.

25 Men were ordained by Nephi to the ministry so that everyone who would come to them could be baptized with water as a testimony before God and the people that they had repented and received a remission of their sins.

26 Many in this year were baptized to repentance.

CHAPTER 8

Storms, earthquakes, fires, whirlwinds, and physical upheavals testified of the crucifixion of Christ—Many people are destroyed—Darkness covers the land for three days—Those who remain bemoan their fate. About A.D. 33–34.

1 According to our record, the thirty-third year passed away, and we know our record to be true because it was a good man who kept the record, because he did many miracles in the name of Jesus, and no man could do a miracle in the name of Jesus unless he were completely cleansed of sin.

3 The people began to look with great seriousness for the sign given by the prophet Samuel the Lamanite, for the time there would be darkness for three days over all the land.

4 Great doubts and disputations began among the people, despite the many signs given.

5 On the fourth day of the thirty-fourth year, a storm came, greater than had ever been known.

6 There was also a great and terrible violence and thunder, so the whole earth shook like it would break apart.

7 The lightning was exceedingly sharp, greater than ever before known.

8 The city of Zarahemla caught fire.

9 The city of Moroni sank into the depths of the sea, and the inhabitants were drowned.

10 The earth was lifted up on the city of Moronihah, so that a great mountain stood in the place of the city.

11 There was a great and terrible destruction in the land southward.

12 But the destruction in the land northward was worse. The whole face of the land was changed because of the storm and whirlwinds, and the thunder and lightning, and the severe quaking of the whole earth.

13 Highways were broken up, level roads were spoiled, and many smooth places became rough.

14 Many great and notable cities were sunk, many were burned, and many were shaken till the buildings fell to the ground, and the inhabitants were killed, and the places were left desolate.

15 Some cities remained, but the damage was great, and many were killed.

16 Some were carried away in the whirlwind to places unknown.

17 The surface of the whole earth became deformed because of the violence, thunder, lightning, and quaking of the earth.

18 The rocks were torn in two and broken up everywhere, so they were found in broken fragments, seams, and cracks throughout the land.

19 The thunder, lightning, storm, violence, and quaking of the earth lasted about three hours, and when it all stopped there was darkness on all the land.

20 The darkness was thick, so that the people who had not fallen could feel the vapor of darkness.

21 There could be no light at all because of the darkness, so no fire or light could be created—not with candles, torches, or even very dry wood.

22 The mists of darkness in the land were so great that no glimmer of light or fire was seen, including the sun, moon, and stars.

23 There was no light for three days, and there was great mourning, howling, and weeping among all the people continually. The groanings of the people were great because of the darkness and great destruction that had come upon them.

24 In one place they were heard to cry, O that we had repented before this great and terrible day, so our brethren could have been spared, and they would not have been burned in that great city Zarahemla.

25 In another place they were heard to cry and mourn, O that we had repented before this great and terrible day, and had not killed and stoned the prophets, and cast them out. Then our mothers, beautiful daughters, and children would have been spared, not buried up in that great city Moronihah. The howlings of the people were great and terrible.

CHAPTER 9

In the darkness, the voice of Christ proclaims the destruction of many people and cities for their wickedness—He also proclaims His divinity, announces that the law of Moses is fulfilled, and invites men to come to Him and be saved. About A.D. 34.

1 A voice was heard among everyone in all the land, crying, Curses to the people of the whole earth unless they repent. The devil laughs, and his angels rejoice, because of the beautiful sons and daughters of my people who were killed; and it is because of their wickedness that they are fallen!

3 I burned that great city Zarahemla and her people.

4 I sank the great city Moroni in the depths of the sea, and the people drowned.

5 I covered the great city Moronihah and her people with earth to hide their sins, so the blood of the prophets and saints will not cry to me against them anymore.

6 I sank the city Gilgal and her people in the depths of the earth.

7 With water I buried the cities of Onihah, Mocum, and Jerusalem, with their people, to hide their wickedness from me so the blood of the prophets and saints will cry out to me no more.

8 I sank the cities of Gadiandi, Gadiomnah, Jacob, and Gimgimno into the earth, and made hills and valleys in their place, and I buried their people to hide their wickedness from my face, so the blood of the prophets and saints will not cry out to me anymore.

9 With fire I burned that great city Jacobugath, where king Jacob lived, because of their wickedness, which exceeded that of the whole earth because of their secret murders and combinations. Because it was they who destroyed the peace of my people and the government of the land. I destroyed them so the blood of the prophets and saints would no more cry out to me against them.

10 With fire I burned the cities and people of Laman, Josh, Gad, and Kishkumen because of their wickedness in casting out the prophets and stoning those I sent to declare to them their wickedness.

11 And because they cast them all out, there were no righteous people among them, so I sent down fire and destroyed them, so their wickedness might be hidden from me, so the blood of the prophets and saints I sent among them would not cry to me against them.

12 I have brought many great destructions upon this land and people because of their wickedness.

13 All of you who are spared were more righteous than they. Now will you return to me, repent of your sins, and be converted so I can heal you?

14 If you will come to me, you will have eternal life. My arm of mercy is extended toward you, and whoever will come, I will receive him; and those who come to me are blessed.

15 I am Jesus Christ the Son of God. I created the heavens and the earth, and all things in them. I was with the Father from the beginning. I am in the Father, and the Father in me; and in me the Father has glorified his name.

16 I came to my own people, and they did not receive me. And the scriptures about my coming are fulfilled.

17 To those who have received me and believed on my name, I will give the gift of becoming the sons of God. By me redemption comes, and in me the law of Moses is fulfilled.

18 I am the light and life of the world. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end.

19 No more will you offer to me the shedding of blood. Your sacrifices and burnt offerings are ended and will be accepted no more.

20 You will offer me a sacrifice of a broken heart and a humble spirit. And whoever comes to me with this sacrifice I will baptize with fire and the Holy Ghost, just as the Lamanites were baptized with fire and the Holy Ghost because of their faith in me at the time of their conversion, and they did not know it.

21 I have come to bring redemption to the world, to save the world from sin.

22 So I will receive whoever repents and comes to me as a little child because the kingdom of God is like them. I have laid down my life for such people, and have taken it up again, so repent and come to me from everywhere, and be saved.

CHAPTER 10

There is silence in the land for many hours—The voice of Christ promises to gather His people as a hen gathers her chickens—The more righteous part of the people have been preserved. About A.D. 34–35.

1 All the people of the land heard these words and testified of them. And they were so astonished that they stopped grieving and howling for the loss of their people who had been killed, so there was silence in the land for many hours.

3 A voice came again, and all the people heard and testified that it said,

4 You people of the great cities that have fallen, you descendants of Jacob and of the house of Israel, how often I would have gathered you as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and nourished you, but you would not. I would have gathered you people of the house of Israel, who have fallen, who dwell at Jerusalem.

6 You of the house of Israel whom I have spared, I will gather you if you repent and return to me with full purpose of heart.

7 But if not, O house of Israel, your lands will become desolate until the time of the fulfilling of the covenant with your fathers.

8 After the people heard these words, they began to weep and howl again because of the loss of their families and friends.

9 The morning after the three prophesied days were over, the darkness left the land, the earth stopped trembling, the rocks stopped breaking, the dreadful groanings and all the violent noises stopped.

10 The earth connected again, so it stood solid; and the mourning, weeping, and wailing of the people who were spared stopped; and their mourning turned into joy, and their wailing turned into praise and thanksgiving to the Lord Jesus Christ, their Redeemer.

11 So, to this point the scriptures were fulfilled that the prophets had spoken.

12 It was the more righteous part of the people who were spared, they who had received the prophets and did not stone them, they who had not shed the blood of the saints.

13 They were not sunk and buried in the earth, not drowned in the depths of the sea, not burned by fire, not crushed by falling objects, not carried away in the whirlwind, nor overpowered by the vapor of smoke and darkness.

14 Whoever reads this should understand that he has the scriptures, so let him search them and see that the prophecies of many of the holy prophets are fulfilled by all these deaths and destructions by fire, smoke, storms, whirlwinds, and by the earth opening to receive them.

15 Many have testified of these things about the coming of Christ, and were killed because they testified.

16 The prophets Zenos and Zenock testified of these things, and particularly about us, who are the remainder of their descendants.

17 Our father Jacob also testified concerning a remnant of the seed of Joseph. And are we not a remnant of the seed of Joseph? And these things that testify of us, are they not written on the plates of brass that our father Lehi brought out of Jerusalem?

18 In the end of the thirty-fourth year, I will show you that the Nephites and Lamanites who were spared were shown great favors, and great blessings poured out on their heads, so that soon after the ascension of Christ into heaven he showed himself to them.

19 He showed his body to them and ministered to them, and an account of his ministry will be given here. For now I end my own writing.

Jesus Christ did show himself to the people of Nephi, as the multitude were gathered together in the land Bountiful, and did minister to them; and on this wise did he show himself to them.

Comprising chapters 11 through 26.

CHAPTER 11

The Father testifies of His Beloved Son—Christ appears and proclaims His Atonement—The people feel the wound marks in His hands and feet and side—They cry Hosanna—He sets forth the mode and manner of baptism—The spirit of contention is of the devil—Christ’s doctrine is that men should believe and be baptized and receive the Holy Ghost. About A.D. 34.

1 A great crowd of Nephites gathered around the temple in Bountiful, and they were talking excitedly and showing each other the great and marvelous change that had happened.

2 They were talking about Jesus Christ and the sign given about his death.

3 While they were talking, they heard a voice from heaven. It was not harsh or loud, and although they could not understand it, it pierced them to the center of their soul and made their hearts burn, so there was no part of them that did not shake.

4 The voice came again, but they did not understand.

5 When the voice spoke a third time, they looked toward heaven, and this time they understood the voice, which said:

7 See my Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, in whom I have glorified my name. Hear him.

8 When they understood they looked up toward heaven, and they saw a Man descending out of heaven, wearing a white robe; and he came down and stood among them; and all eyes looked at him, and they dared not open their mouths, not knowing what it meant, thinking he was an angel.

9 He stretched forth his hand and spoke to the people, saying,

10 I am Jesus Christ, whom the prophets testified would come to the world.

11 I am the light and life of the world, and I have drunk from the bitter cup the Father gave me, and have glorified the Father in taking the sins of the world on me, following the will of the Father in all things from the beginning.

12 When Jesus had spoken these words the whole multitude fell to the ground, because they remembered that it had been prophesied that Christ would show himself to them after his ascension into heaven.

13 The Lord spoke to them and said, Get up and come to me so you can put your hands into my side and feel the prints of the nails in my hands and feet, so you can know that I am the God of Israel and the God of the whole earth, and have been killed for the sins of the world.

15 One by one, the multitude put their hands into his side, and felt the prints of the nails in his hands and feet, and they knew for a certainty and testified that it was him the prophets had said would come.

16 They cried out together, Hosanna! Blessed be the name of the Most High God! And they fell down at the feet of Jesus and worshipped him.

18 He told Nephi to come to him out of the crowd, so Nephi bowed himself before the Lord and kissed his feet.

20 The Lord commanded him to get up, and he did, standing before him.

21 The Lord said, I give you power to baptize this people when I am again ascended into heaven.

22 The Lord called eleven others and gave them the same power, saying, This is how you will baptize, and there will be no disagreements among you.

23 Whoever repents of his sins through your words, and desires to be baptized in my name, you will stand with them in the water and baptize them in my name.

24 These are the words you will say, calling them by name:

25 Having authority given me by Jesus Christ, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

26 Then you will immerse them in the water and bring them out of the water.

27 You will baptize in this way and in my name because the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are one; and I am in the Father, and the Father in me, and the Father and I are one.

28 There will be no more disagreement among you about how you will baptize or about points of my doctrine, as you have had before.

29 Whoever has a spirit of contention is not from me but is from the devil, who is the father of contention, who stirs up the hearts of men to argue with anger with each other.

30 This is not my doctrine, to stir up the hearts of men with anger, but it is my doctrine that such things should be ended.

31 I will declare my doctrine to you, which the Father has given me. I testify of the Father, and the Father testifies of me, and the Holy Ghost testifies of the Father and me, and I testify that the Father commands all men everywhere to repent and believe in me.

33 And whoever believes in me and is baptized will be saved, and they will inherit the kingdom of God.

34 Whoever does not believe in me, and is not baptized, will be damned.

35 This is my doctrine, which I testify from the Father, and whoever believes in me also believes in the Father, and the Father will bear record of me to him and will visit him with fire and the Holy Ghost.

36 The Father will testify of me to him, and the Holy Ghost will testify to him of the Father and me, because the Father and I and the Holy Ghost are one.

37 Again I say that you must repent and become as a little child and be baptized in my name, or you cannot receive these things or inherit the kingdom of God.

39 This is my doctrine, and whoever builds on this doctrine builds on my rock, and the gates of hell will not overcome them.

40 Whoever teaches more or less than this, and claims it as my doctrine, he comes from evil and is not built on my rock, but he builds on a sandy foundation, and the gates of hell stand open to receive these when the floods come and the winds beat on them.

41 So go out among this people to the ends of the earth and declare the words I have spoken.

CHAPTER 12

Jesus calls and commissions the twelve disciples—He delivers to the Nephites a discourse similar to the Sermon on the Mount—He speaks the Beatitudes—His teachings transcend and take precedence over the law of Moses—Men are commanded to be perfect even as He and His Father are perfect—Compare Matthew 5. About A.D. 34.

1 Then Jesus stretched out his hand and said to the crowd, You are blessed if you listen to the words of these twelve I have chosen to minister to you. I have given them power to baptize you with water, and afterward I will baptize you with fire and the Holy Ghost, so you are blessed if you believe in me and are baptized after you have seen me and know that I am.

2 Even more blessed are those who will believe in your words when you testify that you have seen me and know that I am. Blessed are they who will believe your words, come down into the depths of humility, and be baptized, because they will be visited with fire and the Holy Ghost, and will receive a remission of their sins.

3 Blessed are the poor in spirit who come to me, because the kingdom of heaven is theirs.

4 Blessed are all they who mourn, because they will be comforted.

5 Blessed are the meek, because they will inherit the earth.

6 Blessed are all they who hunger and thirst after righteousness, because they will be filled with the Holy Ghost.

7 Blessed are the merciful, because they will obtain mercy.

8 Blessed are all the pure in heart, because they will see God.

9 Blessed are all the peacemakers, because they will be called the children of God.

10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of me, because the kingdom of heaven is theirs.

11 You are blessed when men curse and persecute you, and speak all manner of false evil against you because of me, because you will have great joy for your reward in heaven. This is how they persecuted the prophets before you.

13 I call you to be the salt of the earth, but if the salt loses its taste, how will the earth be salted? It will then be good for nothing except to be thrown out on the ground and trampled.

14 I call you to be the light of this people. A city on a hill cannot be hid.

15 Do men light a candle and put it under a basket? No, but on a candlestick so it gives light to everyone in the house.

16 Let your light shine before this people, so they can see your good works and honor your Father in heaven.

17 Do not think that I have come to destroy the law of Moses or the prophets. I have come not to destroy but to fulfill.

18 Not one tiny thing has passed away from the law except that it has been fulfilled in me.

19 I have given you the law and commandments of my Father so you would believe in me, and repent of your sins, and come to me with a humble and willing heart and spirit. You have the commandments, and now the law is fulfilled.

20 So, come to me and be saved, because unless you keep my commandments, which I have now given you, you cannot enter the kingdom of heaven.

21 You know that in past times it was written, do not kill, and whoever kills will be in danger of God’s judgment. But I say that whoever is angry with his brother will be in danger of God’s judgment, and whoever speaks with contempt to another will be in danger of judgment.

23 So if you want to come to me, and you remember that your brother has anything against you, first go to your brother and find agreement with him, and then come to me with full focus of heart, and I will receive you.

25 Agree quickly with your enemy while you can, so that sometime he won’t throw you in prison, and then you won’t be able to leave until you’ve paid every dollar. And while you’re in prison, can you pay even one dollar? No.

27 It is written from the past, do not commit adultery, but I say that whoever even looks at a woman in lust has committed adultery already in his heart.

29 I command you to allow none of these things to enter your heart.

30 It is better for you to refuse such thoughts, willing to sacrifice sin, than to be cast into hell.

31 It has been written that whoever will put away his wife, he should give her a document of divorce.

32 I say that whoever puts away his wife except for sex with another, causes her to commit adultery. And whoever marries a divorced woman is committing adultery.

33 It is written, you should not make oaths based on things, but should make oaths to God.

34 But I say, don’t swear at all, not by heaven because it is God’s throne, and not by the earth because it’s his footstool, and not by your head because you can’t make one hair black or white.

37 Let your communication be Yes or No because anything more than that is wrong.

38 It is written, an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth, but I say that you will not fight evil, but whoever will hit you on your right cheek, turn the other one to him.

40 And if a man sues you legally and takes away your coat, give him your cloak too.

41 Whoever makes you walk a mile, walk two miles with him.

42 Give to those who ask you, and don’t turn away those who would borrow from you.

43 It is written that you should love your neighbor and hate your enemy, but I say, Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to them who hate you, and pray for them who hatefully use and persecute you, so you can be the children of your Father who is in heaven, who makes the sun rise on the evil and on the good.

46 So the things of old, under the Law of Moses, are fulfilled in me.

47 Old things are finished, and all things have become new.

48 I want you to be perfect even as I am, or as your Father in heaven is perfect.

CHAPTER 13

Jesus teaches the Nephites the Lord’s Prayer—They are to lay up treasures in heaven—The twelve disciples in their ministry are commanded to take no thought for temporal things—Compare Matthew 6. About A.D. 34.

1 Give to the poor, but be careful not to give so that others will see you, or you will not be rewarded by your Father in heaven.

2 When you give to the poor, don’t make a noise about it like the hypocrites do so they can get the praise of others. They have their reward.

3 When you give, do it quietly and in secret so your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you openly.

5 When you pray, don’t behave like the hypocrites, who love to pray standing in the synagogues and street corners so people can see them. They have their reward.

6 When you pray, pray privately to your Father, and he will see in secret and reward you openly.

7 When you pray, don’t repeat yourself uselessly like the heathen, who think they will be heard because of their many words.

8 Don’t be like them, because your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

9 Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, your name is holy.

10 Let your will be done on earth like it is in heaven.

11 Forgive us our debts like we forgive our debtors.

12 Don’t lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

13 The kingdom is yours, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

14 If you forgive men their offenses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you;

15 But if you don’t forgive men their offenses, your Father will not forgive your offenses.

16 When you fast don’t look sad like the hypocrites, who distort their faces so they look to others like they’re fasting. They have their reward.

17 When you fast, brush your hair and wash your face, so you don’t look like you’re fasting to others, only to your Father, who sees in secret and will reward you openly.

19 Don’t store up treasures on earth, where moth and rust spoil, and thieves break through and steal, but store for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust spoil, and thieves do not break through or steal.

21 Because where your treasure is, your heart will be too.

22 The light of the body is the eye, so if your eye is focused, your whole body will be full of light.

23 But if your eye is evil, your whole body will be full of darkness. If your light is dark, the darkness is very great.

24 No man can serve two masters because he will hate one and love the other, or he will be loyal to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and the world.

25 Then Jesus looked at the twelve he had chosen and said, Remember what I have said. I have chosen you to minister to this people, so take no thought for your life, what you will eat, what you will drink, or what you will wear. Is life not more than meat, and the body more than clothing?

26 Look at the birds of the air; they don’t sow seeds or harvest or gather into barns, but your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much better than they?

27 Can any of you add an inch to your height by thinking it?

28 So why focus your thought on clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow without working or spinning.

29 Even Solomon, in all his glory, was not dressed like one of these.

30 So if God clothes the grass of the field like this, grass that is here today and gone tomorrow, he will take care of you if your faith is not small.

31 So don’t think, What will we eat? or, What will we drink? or, How will we be clothed?

32 Your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.

33 So first seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these other things will be given to you.

34 Don’t think about tomorrow, because it will take care of itself. There is plenty of evil now for you to focus on.

CHAPTER 14

Jesus commands: Judge not; ask of God; beware of false prophets—He promises salvation to those who do the will of the Father—Compare Matthew 7. About A.D. 34.

1 Jesus turned from the twelve back to the crowd and said, Do not judge, so you are not judged.

2 In the way you judge others, you will be judged.

3 Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye but fail to consider the log in your own?

4 How can you say to your brother, Let me pull the speck from your eye while there is a log in your own eye?

5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you can see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.

6 Don’t give holy things to dogs, or pearls to pigs, so they will not trample them under their feet and turn upon you and rip you open.

7 Ask, and it will be given to you; look, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

9 If a son asks his father for bread, would any father give him a stone?

10 Or if the son asks for a fish, would any father give him a snake?

11 So if you, being flawed, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him?

12 Behave toward others in a way that you would want them to behave toward you, because this is the essence of the scriptures.

13 Enter in at the narrow gate, because the gate to destruction is wide, and many will go there. The gate that leads to life is narrow, and the way is exact, and few will find it.

15 Beware of false prophets who inwardly are hungry wolves but will come to you in sheep’s clothing.

16 You will know people by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles?

17 Every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears flawed fruit.

18 A good tree cannot bring forth bad fruit, neither a bad tree bear good fruit.

19 Every tree that doesn’t bear good fruit is cut down and thrown on the fire.

20 So, by their fruits you will know people.

21 Not every one that says the right words, like, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, only he who does the will of my Father in heaven.

22 At the judgment many will say to me, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name, and in your name cast out devils and done many wonderful works?

23 And I will say, I never knew you; leave me, you whose works are wicked.

24 Whoever hears my words and does them, I will compare to a wise man who built his house on a rock.

25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on his house, and it did not fall, because it was built on a rock.

26 But whoever hears my words and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.

27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on his house, and it fell; and the fall was great.

CHAPTER 15

Jesus announces that the law of Moses is fulfilled in Him—The Nephites are the other sheep of whom He spoke in Jerusalem—Because of iniquity, the Lord’s people in Jerusalem do not know of the scattered sheep of Israel. About A.D. 34.

1 Jesus said to the multitude, You have just heard the things I taught before I ascended to my Father; and at the last day I will raise up whoever remembers these words and does them.

2 Jesus saw that some people wondered what he meant about the law of Moses, because they did not understand the saying that old things had passed away, and that all things had become new.

3 So he said, Don’t be astonished that I said that old things had passed away, and that all things had become new.

4 I say that the law given to Moses is fulfilled.

5 I am the one who gave that law, the one who covenanted with my people Israel, and now the law in fulfilled in me. I have come to fulfil the law, so it is ended in me.

6 I do not destroy what the prophets said, because whatever has not been fulfilled in me will all be fulfilled.

7 Because I told you that old things have passed away, I do not destroy what has been spoken about things that are yet to come.

8 The covenant I have made with my people is not all fulfilled, but the law given to Moses is ended in me.

9 I am the law and the light. If you look to me and continue to the end, I will give you eternal life.

10 I have given you my commandments, so keep them. And this is the law and the prophets, which truly testified of me.

11 Then Jesus said to the twelve he had chosen, You are my disciples and a light to this people, who are a remnant of the house of Joseph.

13 This is the land of your inheritance, and the Father has given it to you.

14 Never has the Father commanded that I should tell this to your brethren in Jerusalem.

15 Nor has the Father ever commanded me to tell them about the other tribes of the house of Israel, whom the Father has led out of the land.

16 The Father did command me that I should tell them that I have other sheep not of this fold, and I must bring them also to hear my voice, so there will be one fold and one shepherd.

18 But because of stubborn pride and unbelief they didn’t understand my word, so I was commanded by the Father to say no more to them about this.

19 The Father commanded me to tell you that you were separated from them because of their wickedness, and it is because of their wickedness that they don’t know about you.

20 The Father separated other tribes from them, and because of their wickedness they don’t know about them either.

21 I was talking about you when I told them, I have other sheep who are not of this fold, and I must bring them also to hear my voice, so there will be one fold and one shepherd.

22 But they didn’t understand me, thinking I meant the Gentiles. They did not understand that the Gentiles would be converted through their preaching.

23 And when I said, they will hear my voice, they did not understand that the Gentiles would never hear my voice in person, only as I showed myself to them by the Holy Ghost.

24 But you have heard my voice and seen me. You are my sheep and have been given to me by the Father.

CHAPTER 16

Jesus will visit others of the lost sheep of Israel—In the latter days the gospel will go to the Gentiles and then to the house of Israel—The Lord’s people will see eye to eye when He brings again Zion. About A.D. 34.

1 I have other sheep who are not of this land, nor of Jerusalem, nor in any land near the places I have ministered.

2 These other sheep have not yet heard my voice, nor have I shown myself to them.

3 But the Father has commanded that I go to them, and they will hear my voice and be numbered among my sheep so there can be one fold and one shepherd. So, I go to show myself to them.

4 My people at Jerusalem might not ask the Father in my name to receive a knowledge of you by the Holy Ghost, or of the other tribes. But they need to be brought to a knowledge of me, their Redeemer, so I command you to write what I have said so that your writings can be kept and shown to the Gentiles, who will bring these words to the Jews and their descendants, who will be scattered over the earth because of their unbelief.

5 Then I will gather them in from all the earth and fulfil the covenant the Father has made with all the people of the house of Israel.

6 The Gentiles are blessed because of their belief in me because of the Holy Ghost, who testifies to them of me and the Father.

7 The Father says, because of their belief in me, and because of the unbelief of you, O house of Israel, in the latter day the truth will come to the Gentiles, so all these things will be made known to them.

8 But I will take the fulness of my gospel from the Gentiles, the Father says, if they reject it after they have filled this land and received my mercies, and scattered my people, the house of Israel. The judgments of the Father will fall on the house of Israel, so they will be afflicted and killed, and cast out from the Gentiles and hated and persecuted by them. Again, the Father says, At the day when the Gentiles will sin against my gospel and be lifted up in the pride of their hearts above all nations and people of the earth, and will be filled with all manner of lying, deceit, mischief, hypocrisy, murder, priestcrafts, whoredoms, and secret abominations, they will be cursed.

11 I will remember the covenant I made with my people, O house of Israel, and I will bring my gospel to them.

12 I will show to you, O house of Israel, that the Gentiles will not have power over you, but I will remember my covenant with you, and you will come to a knowledge of the fulness of my gospel.

13 But if the Gentiles will repent and return to me, the Father says, they will be numbered among my people, O house of Israel.

14 And I will not allow my people, the house of Israel, to go among them and crush them, the Father says.

15 But if the Gentiles will not turn to me and listen to my voice, I will allow my people of the house of Israel to crush them, and they will be like salt that has lost its flavor, which is then good for nothing but to be thrown out, and trampled on by my people, O house of Israel.

16 The Father commands me that I should give to this people this land for their inheritance.

17 And then the words of the prophet Isaiah will be fulfilled, which say, Your leaders and protectors will sing together, because they will be united when the Lord brings back Zion.

19 Be joyful and sing together, you lost and destroyed places of Jerusalem because the Lord has comforted his people and redeemed Jerusalem.

20 The Lord has shown his holy power to all the world, and the ends of the earth will see the salvation of God.

CHAPTER 17

Jesus directs the people to ponder His words and pray for understanding—He heals their sick—He prays for the people, using language that cannot be written—Angels minister to and fire encircles their little ones. About A.D. 34.

1 Jesus said to the crowd, It’s time for me to leave.

2 I see that you are weak and cannot understand everything the Father commanded me to speak to you now.

3 So, go to your homes, ponder what I have said, ask the Father in my name to understand, and prepare your minds for tomorrow, when I will come to you again.

4 Now I go to the Father and to show myself to the lost tribes of Israel, who are not lost to the Father, who knows where he has taken them.

5 Jesus saw that the people were in tears and looked at him with eyes pleading him to stay with them longer.

6 He said, My heart is filled with compassion towards you.

7 Are any of you sick? Bring them here. Are any crippled, blind, injured, infected, deformed, deaf, or afflicted in any way? Bring them here, and I will heal them because my heart is filled with compassion and mercy.

8 I sense that you want me to show you the miracles I did with your brothers in Jerusalem, and I see that your faith is sufficient for me to heal you.

9 And the crowd unitedly brought those who were sick, crippled, blind, dumb, or afflicted in any way, and he healed every one.

10 Everyone, those who were healed and those who were whole, bowed down at his feet and worshiped him, and as many as could make their way through the crowd kissed his feet, bathing his feet with their tears.

11 He commanded them to bring their little children.

12 So they brought all the little children, who sat on the ground around him as he stood.

13 When all had been brought, Jesus stood among them and commanded the crowd to kneel on the ground.

14 Jesus groaned and said, Father, I am troubled because of the wickedness of the people of the house of Israel.

15 Then Jesus also knelt on the ground and prayed to the Father, saying things that cannot be written, and the crowd testified of what they heard.

16 They said, eyes have never before seen, nor ears heard, such great and marvelous things as we saw and heard Jesus speak to the Father.

17 No tongue can speak, nor can any man write, nor can men’s hearts understand such great and marvelous things as we saw and heard Jesus speak; and no one can imagine the joy that filled our hearts as we heard him pray to the Father for us.

18 When Jesus finished praying to the Father, he stood, but the joy of the crowd was so great that they were overwhelmed.

19 Jesus told them to rise, and when they did, he said, You are blessed because of your faith. And now my joy is full.

21 When he said this, he wept, and the crowd testified of it, and he took their little children, one by one, and blessed them, and prayed to the Father for them.

22 Then he wept again and said to the crowd, Look at your little ones.

24 They saw the heavens open and saw angels descending from heaven, surrounded by fire; and they circled around those little ones, who were surrounded by fire; and the angels ministered to them.

25 The crowd all saw and heard and testified, and they know their record is true. There were two thousand five hundred people, with men, women, and children.

CHAPTER 18

Jesus institutes the sacrament among the Nephites—They are commanded to pray always in His name—Those who eat His flesh and drink His blood unworthily are damned—The disciples are given power to confer the Holy Ghost. About A.D. 34.

1 Jesus commanded his disciples to bring bread and wine.

2 While they were getting bread and wine, he commanded the crowd to sit on the ground.

3 When the disciples returned with bread and wine, he broke the bread and blessed it; and he gave it to the disciples and commanded them to eat.

4 When they had eaten and were filled, he commanded them to give to the crowd.

5 When the crowd had eaten and were filled, he said to the disciples, I will ordain one of you and give him power to break bread, bless it, and give it to all the people of my church who will believe and be baptized in my name.

6 You will always attend to this, just as I have broken bread, blessed it, and given it to you.

7 You will do this in remembrance of my body, which I have shown to you. And it will be a testimony to the Father that you always remember me. And if you always remember me, you will have my Spirit to be with you.

8 Then he commanded his disciples to drink the wine and to give it to the crowd to drink. And they did this.

10 Jesus said, You are blessed for this, for fulfilling my commandments, which testifies to the Father that you are willing to do what I have commanded you.

11 You will always do this with those who repent and are baptized in my name, and you will do it in remembrance of my blood, which I have spilled for you, so you can testify to the Father that you always remember me. And if you always remember me, my Spirit will be with you.

12 I give you a commandment to do these things, and if you always do them, you will be blessed because you are built on my rock.

13 But whoever will do more or less than these things are not built on my rock but are built on a sandy foundation, and when the rain descends, the floods come, and the winds blow and beat on them, they will fall, and the gates of hell are open, ready to receive them.

14 You are blessed if you keep my commandments, which the Father has commanded me to give you.

15 You must watch and pray always, so you won’t be tempted by the devil and be led away captive by him.

16 You will pray in my church among my people who repent and are baptized in my name, just as I have prayed among you. I am the light; I have set an example for you.

17 Then he turned to the crowd and said, You must watch and pray always so you don’t enter into temptation, because Satan desires to have you.

19 Always pray to the Father in my name, and whatever you ask the Father in my name, which is right, believing that you will receive, it will be given to you.

21 Pray in your families to the Father, always in my name, so your wives and children will be blessed.

22 Meet together often and keep no one out, but allow them to come to you.

23 Pray for them and don’t throw them out, and if they come to you often, pray for them to the Father in my name.

24 Hold up your light to shine to the world. I am the light you will hold up, what you have seen me do. You see that I have prayed to the Father, and you all have testified.

25 You see that I have commanded that none of you should go away, but instead I have commanded you to come to me so you can feel and see. You will do the same to the world, and whoever breaks this commandment allows himself to be led into temptation.

26 Jesus spoke to the disciples and said, I give you another commandment, and then I must go to my Father to fulfil other commandments he has given me.

28 This is the commandment I give to you, that you will not allow anyone knowingly to eat my flesh and blood unworthily when you minister it because whoever eats and drinks my flesh and blood unworthily eats and drinks damnation to his soul. So if you know that someone is unworthy to eat and drink my flesh and blood, you will forbid him.

30 You will not reject him from among you, but you will minister to him and pray for him to the Father in my name, and if he repents and is baptized in my name, you will receive him and give him my flesh and blood.

31 If he does not repent, he will not be included among my people so he cannot destroy my people, because I know my sheep.

32 You will not reject him from your synagogues or places of worship but will continue to minister to such people because you don’t know whether they will return and repent and come to me with full purpose of heart, and I will heal them; and you would be the way of bringing salvation to them.

33 Keep these commandments so you won’t be condemned because misery comes to him who is condemned by the Father.

34 I give you these commandments because of the disputations that have been among you. And you are blessed if you have no disputations.

35 Now I go to the Father because it is necessary for your good.

36 Then Jesus touched all the disciples he had chosen, one by one.

37 The crowd did not hear the words he spoke, so they did not testify, but the disciples testified that he gave them power to give the Holy Ghost. And I will show you later that this record is true.

38 When Jesus had touched them all, a cloud came over the crowd so they could not see Jesus.

39 And while they were in shadow he departed from them and ascended into heaven. And the disciples saw and testified that he ascended again to heaven.

CHAPTER 19

The twelve disciples minister to the people and pray for the Holy Ghost—The disciples are baptized and receive the Holy Ghost and the ministering of angels—Jesus prays using words that cannot be written—He attests to the exceedingly great faith of these Nephites. About A.D. 34.

1 When Jesus ascended to heaven, the crowd separated and went home.

2 Before dark the word spread abroad that the crowd had seen Jesus, that he had ministered to them, and that he would show himself again the next day.

3 All night the news of Jesus was spread, so that a very great number traveled all night to be present the next day at the place where Jesus would show himself.

4 The next day the multitude gathered, including the disciples Jesus had chosen, who were Nephi and his brother, Timothy, whom he had raised from the dead, and Timothy’s son, Jonas, and also Mathoni and his brother Mathonihah, and Kumen, Kumenonhi, Jeremiah, Shemnon, Jonas, Zedekiah, and Isaiah. And the disciples stood in the middle of the crowd.

5 The crowd was so great that they separated them into twelve groups.

6 The twelve taught the crowd and instructed them to kneel on the ground and pray to the Father in the name of Jesus.

7 The disciples prayed to the Father in the name of Jesus, and arose to minister to the people.

8 When they had ministered the exact same words Jesus had spoken, they knelt again and prayed to the Father in the name of Jesus.

9 They prayed for what they wanted most, that the Holy Ghost would be given to them.

10 When they had prayed for this, they went down to the water’s edge, and the crowd followed.

11 Nephi went into the water and was baptized.

12 He came out of the water and baptized all those Jesus had chosen.

13 When they were all baptized, they were filled with the Holy Ghost and with fire.

14 They were surrounded by fire that came down from heaven, and the multitude saw it and testified, and angels came down from heaven and ministered to them.

15 While the angels were ministering to the disciples, Jesus came and stood in the middle and ministered to them.

16 He spoke to the multitude and commanded them and his disciples to kneel again on the ground.

17 When all had knelt, he commanded his disciples to pray.

18 They began to pray to Jesus, calling him their Lord and their God.

19 Jesus went a little way off from the middle of them, bowed himself to the earth, and said,

20 Father, I thank you for giving the Holy Ghost to these I have chosen, and I have chosen them from the world because of their belief in me.

21 Father, I pray that you will give the Holy Ghost to all those who will believe in their words.

22 Father, you have given them the Holy Ghost because they believe in me, and you know they believe in me because you hear them, and they pray to me, and they pray to me now because I am with them.

23 Father, I pray to you for them, and also for all those who will believe in their words, that they will believe in me, so I can be in them like you are in me, Father, that we all can be one.

24 Then Jesus approached his disciples, who continued praying to Jesus without stopping. They did not use many words unnecessarily, because it was given to them what they should pray, and they were filled with desire.

25 Jesus blessed them as they prayed to him, and he smiled on them, and the light of his face shone on them, and they became as white as the face and clothing of Jesus. And his whiteness was greater than the whiteness of anything on the earth.

26 Jesus said to them, Keep praying, and they did not stop.

27 He went a short distance away, bowed himself to the ground, and prayed again to the Father, saying,

28 Father, I thank you for purifying those I have chosen because of their faith, and I pray for them and for those who will believe on their words, that they all will be purified in me through faith on the words of the disciples, even as the disciples are purified in me.

29 Father, I do not pray for the world but for those you have given me from out of the world because of their faith, that they may be purified in me, that I may be in them as you, Father, are in me, that we all may be one, so I may be glorified in them.

30 Then Jesus returned to his disciples, who continued to pray to him diligently, and he smiled on them again, and they were white, like Jesus.

31 He went a short distance and again prayed to the Father, and no tongue can speak the words he prayed, nor can man write them.

33 The crowd heard and testified, and their hearts were open, so they understood in their hearts the words he prayed.

34 But the words he prayed were so great and marvelous that they cannot be written or spoken by man.

35 When Jesus finished praying, he returned again to the disciples and said, I have never seen such great faith among all the Jews. Because of their unbelief I could not show them such great miracles.

36 There are none of them who have seen or heard as great things as you have seen and heard.

CHAPTER 20

Jesus provides bread and wine miraculously and again administers the sacrament to the people—The remnant of Jacob will come to the knowledge of the Lord their God and will inherit the Americas—Jesus is the prophet like Moses, and the Nephites are children of the prophets—Others of the Lord’s people will be gathered to Jerusalem. About A.D. 34.

1 Jesus commanded the crowd and his disciples to stop praying but not to stop praying in their hearts.

2 He commanded them to stand, and they did.

3 He broke bread again and blessed it, and gave to the disciples.

4 When they had eaten, he commanded them to break bread and give to the crowd.

5 Then he gave the disciples wine to drink, and commanded them to give to the crowd.

6 No bread or wine had been brought by the disciples or the crowd, but still he gave them bread to eat and wine to drink.

8 He said, Whoever eats this bread eats my body for his soul, and whoever drinks this wine drinks my blood for his soul, and his soul will never hunger or thirst but will be filled.

9 When the crowd had all eaten and drunk, they were filled with the Spirit, cried out with one voice, and gave glory to Jesus, whom they saw and heard.

10 And when they had all given glory to Jesus, he said, Now I finish the commandment given me by the Father about this people, who are a remnant of the house of Israel.

11 Remember I told you that when the words of Isaiah would be fulfilled—written words you have and need to search—then is the fulfilment of the covenant the Father made with his people, O house of Israel.

13 Then the remnants scattered around the earth will be gathered from all directions and come to know the Lord their God, who has redeemed them.

14 And the Father has commanded me to give you this land for your inheritance.

15 If the Gentiles do not repent after the blessing they will receive, after they have scattered my people, then you who are a remnant of the house of Jacob will go among them and be like a lion among the animals of the forest, and like a young lion among sheep, who steps on them and tears them in pieces, with no hope of rescue.

17 You will have power over your enemies, who will be cut down.

18 And I will gather my people as a man gathers his harvest into the barn.

19 My Father has made a covenant with you, my people, and I will make you into weapons, and you will destroy many people. And I will dedicate to the Lord the accomplishments and successes of the world.

20 The Father says that unless they repent, the sword of my justice will fall on all the nations of the Gentiles.

21 I will establish my people, O house of Israel.

22 I will establish my people in this land, fulfilling the covenant I made with your father Jacob, and it will be a New Jerusalem. And I will be among you, with the powers of heaven.

23 I am the one Moses spoke of when he said, From among you, the Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet, like myself. You will listen to everything he will say, and every person who doesn’t will be cut off from among God’s people.

24 I tell you that all the prophets from Samuel onward have testified of me.

25 You are the children of the prophets, and from the house of Israel, and part of the covenant the Father made with your fathers when he said to Abraham: All the people of the earth will be blessed through your descendants.

26 First the Father raised me up and sent me to bless you in turning you all from your sins, and this because you are the children of the covenant.

27 Then the Father fulfills the covenant with Abraham, saying, All the people of the earth will be blessed through your descendants by the Holy Ghost pouring out through me upon the Gentiles, which will make them mighty above all, even to scattering my people, O house of Israel.

28 And the Gentiles will be a punishing whip to the people of this land. But after they receive the fulness of my gospel, then if they harden their hearts against me I will return their sins on their own heads, says the Father.

29 The Father says, I will remember the covenant I have made with my people, where I would gather them in my chosen time, to give to them again the land of their fathers for an inheritance, the land of Jerusalem, which is the promised land to them forever.

30 The time will come when the fulness of my gospel will be preached to them;

31 And they will believe in me, that I am Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and they will pray to the Father in my name.

32 Then their leaders and protectors will sing together and be united.

33 Then the Father will gather them together again, and give to them Jerusalem for the land of their inheritance.

34 And they will be joyful. Sing together, you lost and destroyed places of Jerusalem, because the Father has comforted his people and redeemed Jerusalem.

35 The Father has shown his holy power to all the nations; and people everywhere on earth will see the salvation of the Father; and the Father and I are one.

36 Then it will be fulfilled what is written: Awake, awake again, and put on your strength, O Zion; put on your beautiful clothing, O Jerusalem, the holy city, because from now on no one will come into you who is unclean and without the covenant.

37 Get up, shake off the dust, and sit with me, O Jerusalem. Be freed from the chains of your captivity, O daughter of Zion.

38 The Lord says, You have sold yourselves for nothing, and you will be redeemed without money.

39 My people will know my name, and in that day they will know that I am the one who speaks.

40 Then they will say, How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news to them, who proclaims peace and salvation, who says to Zion: Your God reigns!

41 A declaration will be made: Depart, depart from the world and do not touch anything unclean. Go out of the world and be clean, you who carry the vessels of the Lord.

42 You will not flee in a hurry or with fear, because the Lord will go before you, and the God of Israel will protect you from behind.

43 As Isaiah wrote, the Father says, My servant, my son, will act wisely, and be lifted up and praised and be very high, even though many were confused by the distortion of his physical appearance in mortality.

45 He will gather many nations, and kings will be speechless, because they will see and hear things they had never been shown or told.

46 All these things will surely happen, just as the Father has commanded me. Then the covenant of the Father with his people will be fulfilled, and Jerusalem will be inhabited again with my people, as the land of their inheritance.

CHAPTER 21

Israel will be gathered when the Book of Mormon comes forth—The Gentiles will be established as a free people in America—They will be saved if they believe and obey; otherwise, they will be cut off and destroyed—Israel will build the New Jerusalem, and the lost tribes will return. About A.D. 34.

1 I give you a sign, so you can know the time when I am about to gather my people Israel from their long scattering and to establish Zion again among them.

2 This is the sign: The Gentiles will bring to you a written record of the things I am saying to you now by the power of the Holy Ghost, who will be given to you by the Father. And then the Gentiles will know about this people who are a remnant of the house of Jacob, and know about my people who will be scattered by them.

4 The Father will put the Gentiles in this land to be free and to give my words and your records to your descendants, whose unbelief will make them smaller, so the Father’s covenant with the house of Israel can be fulfilled.

6 The Father chose that all this would come from the Gentiles so he could demonstrate his power to the Gentiles, so that they—if they will not harden their hearts—could repent, come to me, be baptized in my name, know my true doctrine, and be numbered among my people.

7 And then, after the sign, your descendants will know that the work of the Father has already begun to fulfill the covenant he has made with the house of Israel.

8 In that day kings will be speechless, because they will see and hear things they had never been shown or told.

9 In that day, for my purpose the Father will do a great and a marvelous work among them, and there will be some among them who will not believe it, although a man will declare it to them.

10 As Isaiah writes, the Father says, The life of my servant will be protected by me; so they will not hurt him, although he will be injured by them. But I will heal him to show them that my wisdom is greater than the cleverness of the devil.

11 I am Jesus Christ, and whoever will not believe in my words, which the Father will empower him to bring to the Gentiles (even as Moses said), they will be cut off from my covenant people.

12 And my people who are a remnant of Jacob will be in the middle of the Gentiles like a lion among the beasts of the forest, like a young lion among sheep, who, steps on them and tears them to pieces.

13 Their power will crush all their enemies.

14 Curses to the Gentiles unless they repent, because in that day, says the Father, I will cut off your power to defend yourself, and I will cut off your cities and destroy your strong places.

15 I will cut off the cities of your land and throw down all your strongholds;

16 I will cut the witchcrafts and fortune tellers out of your land.

17 I will destroy your idols, and you will worship your own creations no more.

18 I will tear up your orchards and destroy your cities.

19 I will put an end to all lying, deceiving, envying, contention, priestcrafts, and whoredoms.

20 At that day, the Father says, I will cut from my people anyone who will not repent and come to my Beloved Son.

21 I will execute vengeance and fury on them like they’ve never heard, just like on the heathen.

22 But if the Gentiles will repent, listen to my words, and not harden their hearts, I will establish my church among them, and they will come into the covenant and be numbered among this remnant of Jacob, to whom I have given this land for their inheritance.

23 And they will assist my people, the remnant of Jacob and also as many of the house of Israel as will come, that they may build a city that will be called the New Jerusalem.

24 They will assist my people, who are scattered across the land, to be gathered to the New Jerusalem.

25 Then the power of heaven will come down among them, and I also will be in it.

26 Then the work of the Father will commence at that day, when this gospel will be preached among the remnant of this people. At that day the work of the Father will begin among all my scattered people, including the tribes that have been lost, which the Father has led away out of Jerusalem.

27 The work will begin among all my scattered people, with the Father to prepare the way for them to come to me, so they can call on the Father in my name.

28 Then the work will begin, with the Father preparing the way among all nations so his people can be gathered home to the land of their inheritance.

29 And they will gather from all nations, not fleeing or in a hurry, because, the Father says, I will lead them from the front and will protect them from behind.

CHAPTER 22

In the last days, Zion and her stakes will be established, and Israel will be gathered in mercy and tenderness—They will triumph—Compare Isaiah 54. About A.D. 34.

1 Then what is written will happen: Sing, you who did not bear children; break forth into singing, you who did not suffer childbirth; because you who were barren will have more children than those who were married.

2 Enlarge your tents, stretch the size of your dwellings, and do all you can to become bigger and stronger.

3 You will grow to the right and left, and your descendants will inherit the cities and possessions left by the Gentiles.

4 Fear not, because you will not be ashamed or distressed. You will forget the shame and scolding of your youth, and will not remember the disgrace of being a widow.

5 The name of your maker, your husband, is the Lord of Hosts, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel. He will be called the God of the whole earth.

6 The Lord has called to you like a woman rejected and grieving, and like a young wife who has been refused.

7 For a moment I abandoned you, but with great mercy I will gather you.

8 For a moment I hid my face from you, but with everlasting kindness I will have mercy on you, says the Lord your Redeemer.

9 This is like the waters of Noah to me, because just as I have sworn that the waters of Noah would never again cover the earth, so have I sworn that I would not be angry with you.

10 Mountains and hills may disappear, but my kindness will never leave you, nor will the covenant of my peace be removed, says the Lord who has mercy on you.

11 You were afflicted, tossed with storms, and not comforted! But I will set your jewels in precious metals, and build your foundations with sapphires.

12 I will make your windows with gemstones, and your gates of fiery stones, and all your walls of beautiful jewels.

13 Your children will be taught about the Lord, and their peace will be great.

14 You will be firm in righteousness and far from oppression, and you will not fear, because it will stay away from you.

15 Enemies will gather against you, but not enemies from me, so your enemies will fall as a blessing to you.

16 I have created the blacksmith who blows the coals in the fire to create the weapons that will be used, and I have created the destroyer of your enemies.

17 No weapon used against you will succeed, and you will have power to condemn every tongue that mocks you. This is the reward of the Lord’s servants, whose righteousness is from me, says the Lord.

CHAPTER 23

Jesus approves the words of Isaiah—He commands the people to search the prophets—The words of Samuel the Lamanite concerning the Resurrection are added to their records. About A.D. 34.

1 I give you a commandment to diligently search these words of Isaiah because they are great and necessary because he spoke about everything concerning my people of the house of Israel. And it is necessary that his words also go to the Gentiles.

3 Everything he said is the truth about what has been and will be.

4 So listen to my words: Write the things I have told you, and according to the time and will of the Father they will be given to the Gentiles.

5 Whoever will listen to my words, and repent and be baptized, will be saved. Study the prophets because many have testified of these things.

6 After Jesus had explained all the scriptures they had received, he said, I want you to write other scriptures that you have not recorded.

7 He said to Nephi, Bring the records you have kept.

8 When Nephi had brought the records, Jesus looked at them and said,

9 I commanded my servant Samuel the Lamanite that he should testify to this people that on the day the Father would glorify his name in me, many saints would rise from the dead, appear to many, and minister to them. He asked Nephi, is this not true?

10 The disciples answered him, Yes, Lord, Samuel did prophesy as you said, and all your words were fulfilled.

11 Jesus asked, Why have you not written this, that many saints arose, appeared to many, and ministered to them?

12 And Nephi remembered that this had not been written.

13 Jesus commanded it to be written, so it was.

14 When Jesus had explained all the scriptures they had written, he commanded them to teach what he had explained to them.

CHAPTER 24

The Lord’s messenger will prepare the way for the Second Coming—Christ will sit in judgment—Israel is commanded to pay tithes and offerings—A book of remembrance is kept—Compare Malachi 3. About A.D. 34.

1 Jesus commanded them to write the words the Father had given to Malachi, which he would tell them. And after they were written he explained them. And these are the words he told them: The Father, the Lord of Hosts, said to Malachi, I will send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me, and the Lord you seek will suddenly come to his temple, who is the messenger of the covenant, who delights you.

2 But who can continue in the day of his coming, and who will stand firm when he appears? Because he is like a fire that purifies, and like a soap that cleanses.

3 He will be like a purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi like gold and silver, so they can offer the Lord an offering in righteousness.

4 Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasant to the Lord, as in the days of old.

5 The Lord of Hosts said, I will come to judge you, and I will sharply accuse the sorcerers, the adulterers, those who testify falsely, those who unfairly pay their workers, and those who are not generous to widows, the fatherless, and strangers, and those who do not fear me.

6 Because I am the Lord, I change not, so you children of Israel are not destroyed.

7 From the days of your fathers you have turned away from my laws and not kept them. Return to me and I will return to you, says the Lord of All Heaven. But you say, How will we return?

8 Will a man rob God? But you have robbed me. But you say, How have we robbed you? In tithes and offerings.

9 Because you have robbed me, you are cursed, even this whole nation.

10 Bring all the tithes to the storehouse, so there will be food in my house, and test me in this way, says the Lord of Hosts, to see if I will not then open the windows of heaven to you, and pour out a blessing so there will not be room enough for you to receive it.

11 I will stop the destroyers for your good, says the Lord, so they will not ruin your harvest, nor will your grapes fall from the vine before they are ripe.

12 And all nations will call you blessed, because you will be a beautiful land, says the Lord of Hosts.

13 The Lord says, Your words have been strong against me. But you say, What have we said against you?

14 You have said, It is fruitless to serve God, and how does it benefit us that we have kept his commandments and walked righteously before him?

15 Because we can see that proud people are happy, the wicked advance, and those who tempt God are rescued.

16 So those who feared the Lord spoke often together, and the Lord listened. A heavenly record was kept for the benefit of those who feared the Lord and thought on his name.

17 And the Lord says, these will be mine in that day when I prepare my treasures, and I will protect them as a man protects his own son who serves him.

18 Then you will see the difference between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.

CHAPTER 25

At the Second Coming, the proud and wicked will be burned as stubble—Elijah will return before that great and dreadful day—Compare Malachi 4. About A.D. 34.

1 The day comes that will burn like an oven, and all those who are proud and wicked will burn up like dry grass, leaving them nothing, says the Lord of Hosts.

2 But the Son of Righteousness will arise with healing in his wings for you who fear my name, and you will go free and be nurtured like well-fed calves.

3 You will trample the wicked. They will be like ashes under your feet in that day, says the Lord of Hosts.

4 Remember the law of Moses, which I commanded to him in Horeb for all Israel, with the laws and judgments.

5 I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord;

6 And he will turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers so I will not come and strike the earth with a curse.

CHAPTER 26

Jesus expounds all things from the beginning to the end—Babes and children utter marvelous things that cannot be written—Those in the Church of Christ have all things in common among them. About A.D. 34.

1 When Jesus had said all these things, he explained them all—great and small—to the crowd.

2 He said, The Father commanded me to give you these scriptures, which you did not have before, because he wisely desired them to be given to future generations.

3 And Jesus explained all things from the beginning until the time he would come in his glory—even all things that would happen on the earth, until the elements would melt with great heat, and the earth would be reshaped like rolling a scroll, and the heavens and the earth would pass away;

4 And even to the great and last day, when all people, cultures, nations, and tongues will stand before God, to be judged by their works, whether they be good or evil.

5 If they are good, to receive the resurrection of everlasting life, and if they are evil, to receive the resurrection of damnation, the two results being together on each side according to the mercy, justice, and holiness in Christ, who was before the world began.

6 This book cannot contain even a hundredth part of the things Jesus taught the people, but the plates of Nephi contain the greater part of his teachings.

8 I have written a smaller portion of the things he taught the people, for the intent that they will be brought again to this people from the Gentiles, according to the words Jesus spoke.

9 It is necessary that the Gentiles receive this first, to try their faith, and if they will believe these things, then greater things will be shown to them.

10 But if they will not believe these things, then the greater things will be withheld from them, to their condemnation.

11 I was about to write all the things engraved on the plates of Nephi, but the Lord forbid it, saying, I will try the faith of my people.

12 So I, Mormon, write the things the Lord commands. And now I make an end of my comments, and continue writing the things commanded of me.

13 I want you to see that the Lord taught the people for three days, and afterward he showed himself to them often, broke bread often, blessed it, and gave it to them.

14 And he taught and ministered to the children of the crowd and released their inability to speak, so they spoke great and marvelous things to their fathers, even greater than Jesus had revealed to the people.

15 After he had ascended to the Father in heaven—the second time he showed himself to them, after healing their sick, lame, blind, deaf, and after healing all kinds of disease among them, and raised a man from the dead, and showed his power to them—

16 The next day the crowd gathered, and they both saw and heard these children, even babes, who opened their mouths and said such marvelous things that it was forbidden that anyone should write them.

17 Beginning from that time, the disciples Jesus had chosen went out to baptize and teach whoever came to them, and whoever was baptized in the name of Jesus was filled with the Holy Ghost.

18 Many of them saw and heard unspeakable things, which are not lawful to be written.

19 They taught and ministered to each other, and they shared all things in common, everyone dealing fairly with each other.

20 They did all things just as Jesus had commanded them.

21 And those who were baptized in the name of Jesus were called the church of Christ.

CHAPTER 27

Jesus commands them to call the Church in His name—His mission and atoning sacrifice constitute His gospel—Men are commanded to repent and be baptized that they may be sanctified by the Holy Ghost—They are to be even as Jesus is. About A.D. 34–35.

1 As the disciples of Jesus were journeying and preaching what they had heard and seen, and were baptizing in the name of Jesus, they were gathered and united in mighty prayer and fasting.

2 Jesus showed himself to them again, because they were praying to the Father in his name. Jesus stood among them, and said, What do you want me to give you?

3 They said, Lord, we want you to tell us the name we will call this church, because there is disagreement about this.

4 The Lord said, why would people grumble and argue about this?

5 Have they not read the scriptures, which say you must take on you the name of Christ, which is my name? You will be called by this name at the last day.

6 Whoever takes my name on him and endures to the end, he will be saved at the last day.

7 Whatever you do, do it in my name, so you will call the church in my name, and you will call on the Father in my name so he will bless the church for my good.

8 How can it be my church unless it is called in my name? If a church is called in Moses’ name, then it is Moses’ church, or if it is called in the name of a man then it is the church of a man, but if it is called in my name then it is my church, if it is also built on my gospel.

9 You are built on my gospel, so you will call whatever things you call in my name. If you call on the Father in my name for the church, the Father will hear you.

10 If the church is built on my gospel, then the Father will show his works in it.

11 But if it is not built on my gospel, and is built on the works of men, or on the works of the devil, they will have the pleasure of their works for a while, but soon enough the end comes, and they are cut down and thrown into the fire, from which there is no return.

12 Their works follow them, and it is because of their works that they are cut down, so remember what I have told you.

13 I have given my gospel to you, and this is the gospel I have given to you: that I came into the world to do the will of my Father because my Father sent me.

14 And my Father sent me so I would be lifted up on the cross, to draw all men to me, so that just as I have been lifted up by men, so men will be lifted up by the Father, to stand before me and be judged of their works, whether they are good or evil.

15 This is why I have been lifted up, so that by the power of the Father I will draw all men to me, so they can be judged according to their works.

16 Whoever repents and is baptized in my name will be filled, and if he continues to the end, I will hold him guiltless before my Father at the day when I will judge the world.

17 Whoever does not continue to the end, he is cut down and thrown into the fire, from where they can never return because of the justice of the Father.

18 This is the word he has given to mankind. And for this reason he fulfills the words he has given, and he never lies but fulfills all his words.

19 No unclean thing can enter his kingdom, so nothing enters his rest except those who have washed their garments in my blood because of their faith, repentance of all their sins, and their faithfulness to the end.

20 This is the commandment: Repent, all you ends of the earth, and come to me and be baptized in my name so you can be sanctified by receiving the Holy Ghost, so you can stand spotless before me at the last day.

21 This is my gospel, and you know the things you must do in my church because the works you have seen me do, you will do also.

22 If you do these things, you are blessed because you will be lifted up at the last day.

23 Write the things you have seen and heard, except those that are forbidden.

24 Write the works of this people that are to come, just as you have written what has happened because out of the books that have been written and will be written, this people will be judged, and by the books their works will be known to men.

26 All things are written by the Father, so the world will be judged out of the books that will be written.

27 And you will be judges of this people according to the judgment I will give you, which will be righteous. So what kind of men should you be? Even as I am.

28 Now I go to the Father, and whatever you ask the Father in my name will be given to you.

29 So, ask, and you will receive; knock, and it will be opened to you because he that asks, receives; and to him that knocks, it will be opened.

30 Now my joy is great, even full, because of you and this generation. Even the Father rejoices, and all the holy angels, because of you and this generation because none of them are lost.

31 When I say none of them are lost, I want you to understand that I’m talking about those who are now alive in this generation, and I have fulness of joy in them.

32 But I am sad because of the fourth generation from now, because they are led away captive by Satan because they will sell me for silver and gold and for things that moths spoil and that thieves can break through and steal. In that day I will visit them, returning their works on their own heads.

33 When Jesus finished speaking, he said to his disciples, Enter in at the exact gate because the gate and the way that lead to life are narrow, and few find it. But the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to death, and many will travel that way until the night comes, when no man can work.

CHAPTER 28

Nine of the twelve disciples desire and are promised an inheritance in Christ’s kingdom when they die—The Three Nephites desire and are given power over death so as to remain on the earth until Jesus comes again—They are translated and see things not lawful to utter, and they are now ministering among men. About A.D. 34–35.

1 Then Jesus spoke to his disciples, one by one, saying, What do you want from me after I am gone to the Father?

2 Except for three, they all said, After we have lived to old age, we want our ministry to end so we can come quickly to you in your kingdom.

3 He said to them, Because of this desire you are blessed, so after you are seventy-two years old, you will come to me in my kingdom, and you will find rest with me.

4 Then he turned to the three and asked, What do you want when I am gone to the Father?

5 They were uneasy because they didn’t dare speak what they wanted.

6 But he said, I know your thoughts, and you have desired the thing that John desired of me—John my beloved, who was with me in my ministry before I was killed by the Jews.

7 You are more blessed, because you will never taste death but will live to see all the works of the Father to mankind until all things will be fulfilled according to his will, when I will come in my glory with the powers of heaven.

8 You will never suffer the pains of death, but when I will come in my glory you will be changed in the twinkling of an eye from mortality to immortality, and then you will be blessed in the kingdom of my Father.

9 While you live as mortals, you will not have pain or sorrow, except for the sins of the world; and I do all this because of what you have asked me, because you have desired to bring the souls of men to me while the world stands.

10 For this reason you will sit in the kingdom of my Father, and your joy will be full, just as the Father has given me fulness of joy; and you will be just like me, and I am like the Father, and the Father and I are one.

11 And the Holy Ghost testifies of the Father and me, and the Father gives the Holy Ghost to mankind because of me.

12 Then Jesus touched each of them with his finger, except for the three who would stay behind, and he departed.

13 The heavens were opened, and the three were caught up into heaven, and saw and heard unspeakable things.

14 They were forbidden to speak the things they saw and heard, nor were they given power to do so.

15 Whether they were in the body or out, they could not tell. It seemed like a transfiguration to them, that they were changed from a body of flesh into an immortal state so they could see the things of God.

16 So they ministered on the earth, but not telling the things they had heard and seen, because of the commandment given them in heaven.

17 From the day of their transfiguration, I don’t know whether they were mortal or immortal, but I do know, according to the records, that they went out and ministered to all the people, uniting as many to the church as would believe in their preaching, and baptizing them. And those who were baptized received the Holy Ghost.

19 They were put in prison by those who did not belong to the church, but the prisons were torn in two and could not hold them.

20 They were thrown into deep pits, but they struck the earth by the word of God so that by his power they were delivered from the depths of the earth, so no one could dig pits sufficient to hold them.

21 Three times they were thrown into a furnace but were not hurt.

22 Twice they were thrown into a den of wild beasts, but they played with the beasts like a child with a suckling lamb, without harm.

23 They preached the gospel of Christ to all people in the land, who were converted to the Lord and united to the church of Christ, and thus the people of that generation were blessed, according to the word of Jesus.

24 Now I, Mormon, stop speaking about these things for a time.

25 I was about to write the names of those who were never to taste death, but the Lord forbid it, so I will not write them, so they are hid from the world.

26 But I have seen them, and they have ministered to me.

27 They will be among the Gentiles, and the Gentiles will not know them.

28 They will also be among the Jews, and the Jews will not know them.

29 And when the Lord in his wisdom sends them to minister to all the scattered tribes of Israel, and to all nations, cultures, tongues and people, many souls will be brought to Jesus because of the convincing power of God which is in them, so their original desire would be fulfilled.

30 They are like angels of God, and if they pray to the Father in the name of Jesus, they can show themselves to whatever man they choose.

31 So, great and marvelous works will be done by them before the great and coming day when all people must surely stand before the judgment-seat of Christ;

32 Even among the Gentiles there will be a great and marvelous work done by them before the judgment day.

33 If you had all the scriptures that give an account of all the marvelous works of Christ, you would know that these things must surely come according to the words of Christ.

34 Misery will be to him who will not listen to the words of Jesus and those he has chosen and sent among them because whoever does not receive the words of Jesus and the words of those he has sent do not receive him, so he will not receive them at the last day.

35 It would be better for them if they had not been born. Do you suppose that you can get rid of the justice of an offended God who has been trampled under men’s feet so salvation will come?

36 I spoke about the three the Lord chose, who were caught up into the heavens, that I knew not whether they were cleansed from mortality to immortality.

37 But since I first wrote, I have asked the Lord, and he has shown to me that there had to be a change worked on their bodies, or else they would have tasted death.

38 A change was made in their bodies so they wouldn’t taste death or suffer pain or sorrow except for the sins of the world.

39 This change was not equal to that which will take place at the last day, but there was a change made in them so that Satan could have no power to tempt them. And they were sanctified in the flesh so they were holy, so the powers of the earth could not hold them.

40 They were to remain in this state until the judgment day of Christ, and at that day they were to receive a greater change and to be received into the kingdom of the Father, never to leave but to live with God eternally in the heavens.

CHAPTER 29

The coming forth of the Book of Mormon is a sign that the Lord has commenced to gather Israel and fulfill His covenants—Those who reject His latter-day revelations and gifts will be cursed. About A.D. 34–35.

1 When the Lord wisely decides that these words will come to the Gentiles according to his word, then you can know that the covenant the Father made with the children of Israel—concerning their restoration to the lands of their inheritance—is already beginning to be fulfilled.

2 And you can know that the words of the Lord, spoken by the holy prophets, will all be fulfilled, and you don’t need to say that the Lord delays his coming to the children of Israel.

3 You need not imagine in your hearts that the words spoken are vain, because the Lord will remember the covenant he has made with his people of the house of Israel.

4 When you see these sayings happening among you, then you should not reject the doings of the Lord anymore, because the sword of his justice is in his right hand, and at that day if you will reject his works he will cause his justice soon to overtake you.

5 Curses to him who rejects the doings of the Lord; curses to him who will deny the Christ and his works!

6 Curses to him who will deny the revelations of the Lord, and who will say the Lord no longer works by revelation, prophecy, gifts, tongues, healings, or by the power of the Holy Ghost!

7 Curses to him who will say at that day to get gain, that no miracle can be worked by Jesus Christ because he who does this will become like Satan, for whom there was no mercy according to the word of Christ!

8 You need not mock, or reject, or prey on the Jews, or any remnant of the house of Israel, because the Lord remembers his covenant with them, and he will do with them as he has sworn.

9 You need not suppose that you can turn the right hand of the Lord to the left, that he cannot execute judgment and fulfill the covenant he has made with the house of Israel.

CHAPTER 30

The latter-day Gentiles are commanded to repent, come to Christ, and be numbered with the house of Israel. About A.D. 34–35.

1 Listen, Gentiles, and hear the words of Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God, which he has commanded me to speak about, because he commands me that I should write, saying,

2 All you Gentiles, turn from your wicked ways and repent of your evil doings, lies, and deceits, and of your whoredoms, secret abominations, idolatries, murders, priestcrafts, envy, contention, and all your wickedness and abominations, and come to me and be baptized in my name so you can receive a remission of your sins and be filled with the Holy Ghost, so you may be numbered with my people of the house of Israel.