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Prophecies of Nephi
composed ca. 554 bc
Now I, Nephi, do speak somewhat concerning the words which I have written, which have been spoken by the mouth of Isaiah. For behold, Isaiah spake many things which were hard for many of my people to understand: For they know not concerning the manner of prophesying among the Jews. For I, Nephi, have not taught them many things concerning the manner of the Jews; for their works were works of darkness, and their doings were doings of abominations.
Wherefore, I write unto my people, unto all those that shall receive hereafter these things which I write, that they may know the judgments of God, that they come upon all nations, according to the word which he hath spoken. Wherefore, hearken, O my people, which are of the House of Israel, and give ear unto my words: for because the words of Isaiah are not plain unto you, nevertheless they are plain unto all those that are filled with the spirit of prophecy.
But I give unto you a prophecy, according to the spirit which is in me. Wherefore I shall prophesy according to the plainness which hath been with me from the time that I came out from Jerusalem with my father. For behold, my soul delighteth in plainness unto my people, that they may learn. Yea, and my soul delighteth in the words of Isaiah, for I came out from Jerusalem, and mine eyes hath beheld the things of the Jews. And I know that the Jews do understand the things of the prophets, and there is none other people that understand the things which were spoken unto the Jews like unto them, save it be that they are taught after the manner of the things of the Jews.
But behold, I, Nephi, have not taught my children after the manner of the Jews. But behold, I, of myself, have dwelt at Jerusalem, wherefore I know concerning the regions round about, and I have made mention unto my children concerning the judgments of God, which hath come to pass among the Jews, unto my children, according to all that which Isaiah hath spoken, and I do not write them. But behold, I proceed with mine own prophecy, according to my plainness: in the which I know that no man can err.
Nevertheless, in the days that the prophecies of Isaiah shall be fulfilled men shall know of a surety, at the times when they shall come to pass. Wherefore, they are of worth unto the children of men, and he that supposeth that they are not, unto them will I speak particularly, and confine the words unto mine own people. For I know that they shall be of great worth unto them in the last days; for in that day shall they understand them! Wherefore, for their good have I written them.
And as one generation hath been destroyed among the Jews because of iniquity, even so have they been destroyed from generation to generation according to their iniquities. And never hath any of them been destroyed save it were foretold them by the prophets of the Lord. Wherefore, it hath been told them concerning the destruction which should come upon them, immediately after my father left Jerusalem. Nevertheless, they hardened their hearts! And according to my prophecy they have been destroyed, save it be those which are carried away captive into Babylon. And now this I speak because of the spirit which is in me:
And notwithstanding they have been carried away they shall return
Again, and possess the land of Jerusalem; wherefore,
They shall be restored again to the land of their inheritance.
But, behold, they shall have wars, and rumors of wars;
And when the day cometh that the Only Begotten of the Father,
Yea, even the Father of Heaven and of Earth, shall manifest
Himself unto them in the flesh, behold, they will reject him,
Because of their iniquities, and the hardness of their hearts,
And the stiffness of their necks. Behold, they will crucify him!
And after he is laid in a sepulcher for the space of three days
He shall rise from the dead, with healing in his wings;
And all those who shall believe on his name
Shall be saved in the Kingdom of God.
Wherefore, my soul delighteth to prophesy concerning him,
For I have seen his day, and my heart doth magnify His holy name.
And behold it shall come to pass that after the Messiah hath risen
From the dead, and hath manifested himself unto his people,
Unto as many as will believe on his name, behold,
Jerusalem shall be destroyed again!
For wo unto them that fight against God and the people of his church.
Wherefore, the Jews shall be scattered among all nations;
Yea, and also Babylon shall be destroyed!
Wherefore, the Jews shall be scattered by other nations.
And after they have been scattered, and the Lord God hath scourged
Them by other nations for the space of many generations,
Yea, even down from generation to generation
Until they shall be persuaded to believe in Christ, the Son of God,
And the atonement which is infinite for all mankind!
And when that day shall come that they shall believe in Christ,
And worship the Father in his name, with pure hearts and clean
Hands, and look not forward any more for another Messiah, then,
At that time, the day will come that it must needs be
Expedient that they should believe these things.
And the Lord will set his hand
Again the second time to restore his people
From their lost and fallen state. Wherefore, he will proceed to do
A marvelous work and a wonder among the children of men.
Wherefore, he shall bring forth his words unto them,
Which words shall judge them at the last day,
For they shall be given them for the purpose of convincing them
Of the true Messiah, who was rejected by them; And unto
The convincing of them that they need not look forward any more
For a Messiah to come, for there should not any come,
Save it should be a false Messiah which should deceive the people;
For there is save one Messiah spoken of by the prophets,
And that Messiah is he who should be rejected of the Jews.
For according to the words of the prophets, the messiah cometh
In six hundred years from the time that my father left Jerusalem;
And according to the words of the prophets, and
Also the word of the angel of God,
His name shall be Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
And now, my brethren, I have spoken plainly that ye cannot err!
And as the Lord God liveth that brought Israel
Up out of the land of Egypt,
And gave unto Moses power that he should heal the nations
After they had been bitten by the poisonous serpents,
If they would cast their eyes unto the serpent which he did raise up
Before them, and also gave him power that he should smite the rock
And the water should come forth; yea, behold I say unto you,
That as these things are true, and as the Lord God liveth,
There is none other name given under Heaven save
It be this Jesus Christ,
Of which I have spoken, whereby man can be saved.
Wherefore, for this cause hath the Lord God promised unto me that
These things which I write shall be kept and preserved,
And handed down unto my seed, from generation to generation, that
The promise may be fulfilled unto Joseph,
That his seed should never perish as long as the earth should stand.24This promise apparently encouraged Mormon to attach Nephi’s writings found upon the “small account,” to his own history upon the Abridging Plates.
Wherefore, these things shall go from generation to generation!
As long as the earth shall stand!
And they shall go according to the will and pleasure of God;
And the nations who shall possess them shall be judged of them
According to the words which are written.
For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children,
And also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God;
For we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.
And notwithstanding we believe in Christ, we keep the law of Moses,
And look forward with steadfastness unto Christ,
Until the law shall be fulfilled. For, for this end was the law given;
Wherefore the law hath become dead unto us,
And we are made alive in Christ because of our faith;
Yet we keep the law because of the commandments.
And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ,
We preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ,
And we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know
To what source they may look for a remission of their sins.
Wherefore, we speak concerning the law that our children may know
The deadness of the law; and they, by knowing the deadness of the law,
May look forward unto that life which is in Christ!
And know for what end the law was given.
And after the law is fulfilled in Christ, that they need
Not harden their hearts against him, when the law ought to be done away.
And now behold, my people, ye are a stiffnecked people!
Ye are a stiffnecked people! Wherefore, I have spoken plainly unto you,
That ye cannot misunderstand. And the words which I have
Spoken shall stand as a testimony against you!
For they are sufficient to teach any man the right way;
For the right way is to believe in Christ and deny him not.
For by denying him ye also deny the prophets and the law.
And now behold, I say unto you that the right way is
To believe in Christ, and deny him not; and Christ is the Holy One of Israel;
Wherefore ye must bow down before him, and worship him
With all your might, mind, and strength, and your whole soul;
And if ye do this ye shall in nowise be cast out.
And, inasmuch as it shall be expedient, ye must keep
The performances and ordinances of God until the law shall be fulfilled
Which was given by Moses.
And after Christ shall have risen from the dead he shall
Show himself unto you, my children, and my beloved brethren!
And the words which he shall speak unto you
Shall be the law which ye shall do. For behold, I say unto you
That I have beheld that many generations shall pass away,
And there shall be great wars and contentions among my people.
And after the Messiah shall come there shall be signs given
Unto my people of his birth, and also of his death and resurrection;
And great and terrible shall that day be unto the wicked,
For they shall perish; and they perish because they cast out the prophets,
And the saints, and stone them, and slay them!
Wherefore the cry of the blood of the saints shall ascend
Up to God from the ground against them.
Wherefore, all those who are proud, and that do wickedly,
The day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of Hosts,
For they shall be as stubble. And they that kill the prophets,
And the saints, the depths of the earth shall swallow them up,
Saith the Lord of Hosts;
And mountains shall cover them, and whirlwinds shall carry them away,
And buildings shall fall upon them
And crush them to pieces and grind them to powder.
And they shall be visited with thunderings, and lightnings,
And earthquakes, and all manner of destructions, for the fire
Of the anger of the Lord shall be kindled against them,
And they shall be as stubble,
And the day that cometh shall consume them, saith the Lord of Hosts.
O the pain, and the anguish of my soul for the loss of the slain
Of my people! For I, Nephi, have seen it!
And it well nigh consumeth me before the presence of the Lord;
But I must cry unto my god: Thy ways are just!
But behold, the righteous that hearken unto the words of the prophets,
And destroy them not, but look forward unto Christ
With steadfastness for the signs which are given, notwithstanding all
Persecution — Behold, they are they which shall not perish.
But the Son of Righteousness shall appear unto them;
And he shall heal them, and they shall have peace with him,
Until three generations shall have passed away,
And many of the fourth generation shall have passed away in righteousness.25This prophecy upon the Small Account was hidden for a reason, and so the plates themselves were concealed until discovered by Mormon. Similar warnings will be given by Samuel (a Lamanite), who was warned by an angel; and also by Alma, who likewise advised his son to keep his own prophecy hidden until the events he foretold were realized before the people. For readers interested in textual complexity, nothing told in these small plates will appear in the histories of the Nephites, as recorded on the Plates of Nephi. A rather remarkably consistent, text-internal feature often found in this book.
And when these things have passed away a
Speedy destruction cometh unto my people!
For, notwithstanding the pains of my soul, I have seen it!
Wherefore, I know that it shall come to pass;
And they sell themselves for naught; for,
For the reward of their pride and their foolishness they shall reap
Destruction; for because they yield unto the Devil
And choose works of darkness
Rather than light, therefore they must go down to Hell.
For the spirit of the Lord will not always strive with man.
And when the spirit ceaseth to strive with man
Then cometh speedy destruction. And this grieveth my soul.
And as I spake concerning the convincing of the Jews,
That Jesus is the very Christ,
It must needs be that the gentiles be convinced also that Jesus is the Christ,
The Eternal God.26I don’t know how the Book of Mormon could state that more clearly.
And that he manifesteth himself unto all
Those who believe in him,
By the power of the Holy Ghost; yea, unto every nation, kindred,
Tongue, and people. Working mighty miracles, signs, and wonders,
Among the children of men, according to their faith.
But behold, I prophesy unto you concerning the last days;
Concerning the days when the Lord God shall bring these things forth
Unto the children of men: After my seed and the seed of my brethren
Shall have dwindled in unbelief, and shall have been smitten by the Gentiles;
Yea, after the Lord God shall have camped against them round about,
And shall have laid siege against them with a mount,
And raised forts against them;
And after they shall have been brought down low in the dust,
Even that they are not, yet the words of the righteous shall be written!
And the prayers of the faithful shall be heard!
And all those who have dwindled in unbelief shall not be forgotten.
For those who shall be destroyed shall speak unto them out of the ground,
And their speech shall be low out of the dust,
And their voice shall be as one that hath a familiar spirit!
For the Lord God will give unto him power,
That he may whisper concerning them, even as it were out of the ground;
And their speech shall whisper out of the dust.
For thus saith the Lord God:
They shall write the things which shall be done among them,
And they shall be written and sealed up in a book,
And those who have dwindled in unbelief shall not have them,
For they seek to destroy the things of God.
Wherefore, as those who have been destroyed have been destroyed
Speedily; and the multitude of their terrible ones shall be as chaff
That passeth away — yea, thus saith the Lord God:
It shall be at an instant, suddenly!
And it shall come to pass, that those who have dwindled in unbelief
Shall be smitten by the hand of the gentiles.
And the gentiles are lifted up in the pride of their eyes,
And have stumbled, because of the greatness of their stumbling block,
That they have built up many churches; nevertheless,
They put down the power and miracles of God, and preach
Up unto themselves their own wisdom and their own learning,
That they may get gain and grind upon the face of the poor.
And there are many churches built up which cause envyings,
And strifes, and malice. And there are also secret combinations,
Even as in times of old, according to the combinations of the Devil,
For he is the founder of all these things!
Yea, the founder of murder, and works of darkness;
Yea, and he leadeth them by the neck with a flaxen cord, until he bindeth
Them with his strong cords forever.
For behold, my beloved brethren, I say unto you
That the Lord God worketh not in darkness.
He doeth not anything save it be for the benefit of the world!
For he loveth the world, even that he layeth down his own life
That he may draw all men unto him. Wherefore,
He commandeth none that they shall not partake of his salvation.
Behold, doth he cry unto any, saying: Depart from me?
Behold, I say unto you, Nay.
But he saith: Come unto me all ye ends of the earth,
Buy milk and honey, without money and without price.
Behold, hath he commanded any that they should
Depart out of the synagogues, or out of the houses of worship?
Behold, I say unto you, Nay.
Hath he commanded any that they should not partake of his salvation?
Behold I say unto you, Nay. But he hath given it free for all men!
And he hath commanded his people that they should persuade
All men to repentance!
Behold, hath the Lord commanded any that they should
Not partake of his goodness? Behold I say unto you, Nay.
But all men are privileged the one like unto the other, and none are forbidden.
He commandeth that there shall be no priestcrafts;
For, behold, priestcrafts are that men preach and set themselves up
For a light unto the world, that they may get gain and praise of the world;
But they seek not the welfare of Zion.
Behold, the Lord hath forbidden this thing!
Wherefore, the Lord God hath given a commandment
That all men should have charity, which charity is love.
And except they should have charity, they were nothing.
Wherefore, if they should have charity
They would not suffer the laborer in Zion to perish.
But the laborer in Zion shall labor for Zion;
For if they labor for money they shall perish.
And again, the Lord God hath commanded that men should not murder;
That they should not lie. That they should not steal;
That they should not take the name of the Lord their god in vain;
That they should not envy. That they should not have malice;
That they should not contend one with another;
That they should not commit whoredoms. And that they should
Do none of these things! For whoso doeth them shall perish.
For none of these iniquities come of the Lord!
For he doeth that which is good among the children of men;
And he doeth nothing save it be plain unto the children of men;
And he inviteth them all to come unto him and partake of his goodness;
And he denieth none that come unto him, black and white,
Bond and free, male and female; and he remembereth the heathen;
And all are alike unto God, both Jew and gentile.
But, behold, in the last days, or in the days of the gentiles — yea, behold
All the nations of the gentiles and also the Jews, both those
Who shall come upon this land and those who shall be upon other lands,
Yea, even upon all the lands of the earth, behold, they will be
Drunken with iniquity and all manner of abominations.27Nephi includes “all nations” in that description, even the United States.
And when that day shall come they shall be visited of the Lord of Hosts,
With thunder and with earthquake, and with a great noise, and with storm,
And with tempest, and with the flame of devouring fire.
And all the nations that fight against Zion, and that distress her,
Shall be as a dream of a night vision; yea, it shall be unto them, even
As unto a hungry man which dreameth, and behold he eateth
But he awaketh and his soul is empty. Or like unto a thirsty man
Which dreameth, and behold he drinketh but he awaketh
And behold he is faint, and his soul hath appetite.
Yea, even so shall the multitude of all the nations be
That fight against Mount Zion.
For behold, all ye that doeth iniquity, stay yourselves and wonder,
For ye shall cry out, and cry! Yea, ye shall be drunken but not with wine,
Ye shall stagger but not with strong drink. For behold, the Lord hath
Poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep. For behold,
Ye have closed your eyes, and ye have rejected the prophets, and
Your rulers, and the seers hath he covered because of your iniquity.
And it shall come to pass that the Lord God shall bring forth unto you
The words of a book, and they shall be the words
Of them which have slumbered. And behold the book shall be sealed.
And in the book shall be a revelation from God,
From the beginning of the world to the ending thereof.
Wherefore, because of the things which are sealed up, the things
Which are sealed shall not be delivered in the day of the wickedness
And abominations of the people. Wherefore the book shall be kept from them.
But the book shall be delivered unto a man, and he shall deliver the words
Of the book, which are the words of those who have slumbered in the dust,
And he shall deliver these words unto another.
But the words which are sealed he shall not deliver.
Neither shall he deliver the book. For the book shall be sealed
By the power of God, and the revelation which was sealed shall be kept
In the book until the own due time of the Lord, that they may come forth.
For behold, they reveal all things from the foundation of the world
Unto the end thereof. And the day cometh that the words of the book
Which were sealed shall be read upon the house tops.
And they shall be read by the power of Christ; and all things shall be revealed
Unto the children of men which ever have been among the children of men,
And which ever will be even unto the end of the earth.
Wherefore, at that day when the book shall be delivered unto the man
Of whom I have spoken, the book shall be hid from the eyes of the world,
That the eyes of none shall behold it save it be that three witnesses shall
Behold it, by the power of God, besides him to whom the book
Shall be delivered; and they shall testify to the truth of the book
And the things therein. And there is none other which shall view it, save it
Be a few according to the will of God, to bear testimony of his word
Unto the children of men; for the Lord God hath said,
That the words of the Faithful should speak as if it were from the dead.28No source is given for Nephi’s quote. I have in other writings given evidence for reading this prophecy against Latter-Day Saint tradition, although I cannot give a clear interpretation of the whole text at this time. It seems certain to me that many different writings are foretold by Nephi, however.
Wherefore, the Lord God will proceed to bring forth the words of the book;
And in the mouth of as many witnesses as seemeth him good will he
Establish his word; and wo be unto him that rejecteth the word of God!
But behold, it shall come to pass that the Lord God shall say unto him
To whom he shall deliver the book:
Take these words which are not sealed
And deliver them to another, that he may show them unto the learned,
Saying: Read this, I pray thee. And the learned shall say:
Bring hither the book, and I will read them.
And now, because of the glory of the world and to get gain
Will they say this, and not for the glory of God.
And the man shall say: I cannot bring the book, for it is sealed.
Then shall the learned say: I cannot read it.
Wherefore it shall come to pass, that the Lord God will deliver again
The book and the words thereof to him that is not learned;
And the man that is not learned shall say: I am not learned.
Then shall the Lord God say unto him:
The learned shall not read them,
For they have rejected them, and I am able to do mine own work.
Wherefore thou shalt read the words which I shall give unto thee.
Touch not the things which are sealed!
For I will bring them forth in mine own due time:
For I will show unto the children of men that I
Am able to do mine own work.
Wherefore, when thou hast read the words which I have
Commanded thee, and obtained the witnesses which I have
Promised unto thee, then shalt thou seal up the book again,
And hide it up unto me, that I may preserve the words
Which thou hast not read, until I shall see fit in mine own wisdom
To reveal all things unto the children of men.
For behold, I am God! And I am a God of miracles.
And I will show unto the world that I am the same yesterday,
Today, and forever. And I work not among the children of men
Save it be according to their faith.
And again it shall come to pass that the Lord shall say unto him that shall read the words that shall be delivered him:
Forasmuch as this people draw near unto me with their mouths,
And with their lips do honor me, but have removed their hearts far
From me, and their fear towards me is taught by the precepts of men.
Therefore, I will proceed to do a marvelous work among this people,
Yea, a marvelous work and a wonder! For the wisdom of their wise
And learned shall perish, and the understanding
Of their prudent shall be hid.
And wo unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the Lord!
And their works are in the dark, and they say: Who seeth us,
And who knoweth us? And they also say: Surely, your turning
Of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter’s clay.
But behold, I will show unto them, saith the Lord of Hosts, that I know
All their works. For shall the work say of him that made it,
He made me not? Or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it,
He had no understanding? But behold, saith the Lord of Hosts:
I will show unto the children of men that it is yet a very little while
And Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field; and the fruitful field
Shall be esteemed as a forest. And in that day shall the deaf hear
The words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out
Of obscurity and out of darkness. And the meek also shall increase,
And their joy shall be in the Lord, and the poor among men shall rejoice
In the Holy One of Israel. For assuredly as the Lord liveth they shall see
That the terrible one is brought to naught, and the scorner is consumed,
And all that watch for iniquity are cut off. And they that make
A man an offender for a word, and lay a snare for him that
Reproveth in the gate, and turn aside the just for a thing of naught.
Therefore, thus saith the Lord, who redeemed Abraham, concerning
The House of Jacob:
Jacob shall not now be ashamed, neither shall
His face now wax pale. But when he seeth his children,
The work of my hands, in the midst of him, they shall sanctify my name,
And sanctify the holy one of Jacob, and shall fear the god of Israel.
They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding,
And they that murmured shall learn doctrine.
And now, behold my brethren, I have spoken unto you, according as the spirit hath constrained me: wherefore, I know that they must surely come to pass. And the things which shall be written out of the book shall be of great worth unto the children of men, and especially unto our seed, which is a remnant of the House of Israel.
For it shall come to pass in that day that the churches which are built up,
And not unto the Lord, when the one shall say unto the other:
Behold, I, I am the Lord’s! And the others shall say: I, I am the Lord’s!
And thus shall every one say that he hath built up churches,
And not unto the Lord. And they shall contend
One with another; and their priests shall contend
One with another, and they shall teach with their learning,
And deny the Holy Ghost, which giveth utterance.
And they deny the power of God, the Holy One of Israel;
And they say unto the people:
Hearken unto us, and hear ye our precept!
For behold there is no god today, for the Lord
And the Redeemer hath done his work, and he hath given
His power unto men. Behold, hearken ye unto my precept!
If they shall say there is a miracle wrought by the hand of the Lord,
believe it not! For this day he is not a god of miracles!
He hath done his work.
Yea, and there shall be many which shall say:
Eat, drink, and be merry!
For tomorrow we die; and it shall be well with us.
And there shall also be many which shall say:
Eat, drink, and be merry!
Nevertheless, fear God: He will justify in committing a little sin
Yea, lie a little, take the advantage of one because of his words,
Dig a pit for thy neighbor; there is no harm in this.
And do all these things, for tomorrow we die!
And if it so be that we are guilty, God will beat us with a few stripes,
And at last we shall be saved in the Kingdom of God.
Yea, and there shall be many which shall teach after this manner, false
And vain and foolish doctrines, and shall be puffed up in their hearts,
And shall seek deep to hide their counsels from the Lord.
And their works shall be in the dark.
And the blood of the saints shall cry from the ground against them.
Yea, they have all gone out of the way; they have become corrupted.
Because of pride, and because of false teachers, and false doctrine,
Their churches have become corrupted, and their churches are lifted up!
Because of pride they are puffed up.
They rob the poor because of their fine sanctuaries!
They rob the poor because of their fine clothing!
And they persecute the meek and the poor in heart,
Because of their pride they are puffed up.
They wear stiff necks and high heads; yea, and because of pride,
And wickedness, and abominations, and whoredoms, they have all gone
Astray save it be a few, who are the humble followers of Christ.
Nevertheless, they are led, that in many instances they do err
Because they are taught by the precepts of men.
O the wise, and the learned, and the rich!
That are puffed up in the pride of their hearts,
And all those who preach false doctrines,
And all those who commit whoredoms, and pervert the right way of the Lord,
Wo, wo, wo be unto them! saith the Lord God Almighty,
For they shall be thrust down to Hell!
Wo unto them that turn aside the just for a thing of naught and revile
Against that which is good, and say that it is of no worth!
For the day shall come that the Lord God will speedily visit
The inhabitants of the earth, and in that day that they
Are fully ripe in iniquity they shall perish.
But behold, if the inhabitants of the earth shall repent
Of their wickedness and abominations they shall not be destroyed,
Saith the Lord of Hosts.
But behold, that great and abominable church, the whore of all the earth,
Must tumble to the earth, and great must be the fall thereof.
For the Kingdom of the Devil must shake!
And they which belong to it must needs be stirred up
Unto repentance, or the Devil will grasp them with his everlasting chains,
And they be stirred up to anger, and perish!
For behold, at that day shall he rage in the hearts of the children of men,
And stir them up to anger against that which is good.
And others will he pacify, and lull them away into carnal security,
That they will say: All is well in Zion! Yea, Zion prospereth, all is well!
And thus the Devil cheateth their souls and leadeth them away
Carefully down to Hell.
And behold, others he flattereth away, and telleth them
There is no Hell. And he saith unto them: I am no devil,
For there is none. And thus he whispereth in their ears,
Until he grasps them with his awful chains, from whence
There is no deliverance. Yea, they
Are grasped with Death and Hell! And Death and Hell
And the Devil, and all that have been seized therewith, must stand
Before the throne of God and be judged according to their works,
From whence they must go into the place prepared for them,
Even a lake of fire and brimstone, which is endless torment.
Therefore, wo be unto him that is at ease in Zion!
Wo be unto him that crieth: All is well!
Yea, wo be unto him that hearkeneth unto the precepts of men,
And denieth the power of God, and the gift of the Holy Ghost!
Yea, wo be unto him that saith: Ye have received, and we need no more!
And in fine, Wo! unto all those who tremble, and are angry
Because of the truth of God! For behold, he that is built upon the rock
Receiveth it with gladness! And he that is built upon
A sandy foundation, trembleth, lest he shall fall.
Wo be unto him that shall say: We have received the word of God,
And we need no more of the word of God, for we have enough!
For behold, thus saith the Lord God:
I will give unto the children of men line upon line,
Precept upon precept, here a little and there a little;
And blessed are those who hearken unto my precepts,
And lend an ear unto my counsel,
For they shall learn wisdom; for unto him that receiveth
I will give more; and from them that shall say,
We have enough, from them shall be taken away even
That which they have. Cursed is he that putteth his trust in man!
Or maketh flesh his arm! Or shall hearken unto the precepts of men!
Save their precepts shall be given by the power of the Holy Ghost.
Wo be unto the Gentiles, saith the Lord God of Hosts!
For notwithstanding I shall lengthen out mine arm unto them from
Day to day, they will deny me; nevertheless, I will be merciful unto them,
Saith the Lord God, If they will repent and come unto me;
For mine arm is lengthened out all the day long,
Saith the Lord God of Hosts. But behold, there shall be many
At that day when I shall proceed to do a marvelous work among them,
That I may remember my covenants which I have made unto
The children of men, that I may set my hand again
The second time to recover my people, which are of the House of Israel,
And also, that I may remember the promises which I have made
Unto thee, Nephi, and also unto thy father, that I would
Remember your seed; And that the words of your seed should
Proceed forth out of my mouth unto your seed; and my words shall hiss
Forth unto the ends of the earth, for a standard unto my people,
Which are of the House of Israel;
And because my words shall hiss forth — Many of the gentiles shall say:
A bible! A bible!
We have got a bible, and there cannot be any more bible.
But thus saith the Lord God: O fools!
They shall have a bible! And it shall proceed forth from
The Jews, mine ancient covenant people.
And what thank they the Jews for the bible which they receive from them?
Yea, what do the gentiles mean?
Do they remember the travels and the labors,
And the pains of the Jews, and their diligence unto me,
In bringing forth salvation unto the gentiles?
O ye gentiles, have ye remembered the Jews, mine ancient
Covenant people? Nay! But ye have cursed them, and have hated them,
And have not sought to recover them. But behold, I will return all these
Things upon your own heads; For I the Lord have not forgotten my people.
Thou fool, that shall say:
A bible, we have got a bible, and we need no more bible!
Have ye obtained a bible save it were by the Jews?
Know ye not that there are more nations than one?
Know ye not that I, the Lord your god, have created all men?
And that I remember those who are upon the isles of the sea?
And that I rule in the heavens above and in the earth beneath?
And I bring forth my word unto the children of men, yea,
Even upon all the nations of the earth?
Wherefore murmur ye, because that ye shall receive more of my word?
Know ye not that the testimony of two nations is a witness unto you
That I am God, that I remember one nation like unto another?
Wherefore, I speak the same words unto one nation like unto another.
And when the two nations shall run together
The testimony of the two nations shall run together also.
And I do this that I may prove unto many that I am the same
Yesterday, today, and forever! And that I speak forth my words
According to mine own pleasure. And because that I have spoken
One word ye need not suppose that I cannot speak another.
For my work is not yet finished.
Neither shall it be until the end of man,
Neither from that time henceforth and forever.
Wherefore, because that ye have a bible, ye need not suppose
That it contains all my words: neither need ye suppose that
I have not caused more to be written.
For I command all men, both in the east and in the west,
And in the north, and in the south, and in the islands of the sea:
That they shall write the words which I speak unto them!
For out of the books which shall be written I will judge the world,
Every man according to their works, according to that which is written.
For behold, I shall speak unto the Jews and they shall write it
And I shall also speak unto the Nephites and they shall write it
And I shall also speak unto the other tribes of the House of Israel,
Which I have led away, and they shall write it;
And I shall also speak unto all nations of the earth and they shall write it.
And it shall come to pass that the Jews shall have the words
Of the Nephites, and the Nephites shall have the words of the Jews.
And the Nephites and the Jews shall have the words of the lost tribes
Of Israel; and the lost tribes of Israel shall have the words
Of the Nephites and the Jews.
And it shall come to pass that my people, which are of the House of Israel,
Shall be gathered home unto the lands of their possessions
And my word also shall be gathered in one. And I will show
Unto them that fight against my word and against my people,
Who are of the House of Israel, that I am God! And that I
Covenanted with Abraham that I would remember his seed forever!
And now behold, my beloved brethren, I would speak unto you. For I, Nephi, would not suffer that ye should suppose that ye are more righteous than the gentiles shall be.
For behold, except ye shall keep the commandments of God
Ye shall all likewise perish! And because of the words which have been spoken
Ye need not suppose that the gentiles are utterly destroyed.
For behold, I say unto you that as many of the gentiles as will repent
Are the covenant people of the Lord!
And as many of the Jews as will not repent shall be cast off! For
The Lord covenanteth with none save it be with them
That repent and believe in his son, who is the Holy One of Israel.
And now, I would prophesy somewhat more concerning the Jews and the gentiles.
For after the book of which I have spoken shall come forth,
And be written unto the gentiles, and sealed up again unto the Lord,
There shall be many which shall believe the words which are written.
And they shall carry them forth unto the remnant of our seed.
And then shall the remnant of our seed know concerning us,
How that we came out from Jerusalem, and that they are descendants
Of the Jews. And the gospel of Jesus Christ shall be declared among them.
Wherefore, they shall be restored unto the knowledge of their fathers,
And also to the knowledge of Jesus Christ, which was had among their fathers.
And then shall they rejoice! For they shall know
That it is a blessing unto them from the hand of God!
And their scales of darkness shall begin to fall from their eyes;
And many generations shall not pass away among them, save they shall be
A pure and a delightsome people.
And it shall come to pass that the Jews which are scattered also
Shall begin to believe in Christ and they shall begin to gather in
Upon the face of the land; and as many as shall believe in Christ
Shall also become a delightsome people.
And it shall come to pass that the Lord God shall commence
His work among all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people,
To bring about the restoration of his people upon the earth.
And with righteousness shall the Lord God judge the poor,
And reprove with equity for the meek of the earth.
And he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth
And with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.
For the time speedily cometh that the Lord God shall cause a great
Division among the people, and the wicked will he destroy;
And he will spare his people, yea, even if it so be that he must
Destroy the wicked by fire.
And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins,
And faithfulness the girdle of his reins.
And then shall the wolf dwell with the lamb;
And the leopard shall lie down with the kid, and the calf,
And the young lion, and the fatling, together. And a little child shall lead them.
And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together;
And the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp,
And the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice’s den.
They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain!
For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters
Cover the sea. Wherefore, the things of all nations shall be made known;
Yea, all things shall be made known unto the children of men.
There is nothing which is secret save it shall be revealed;
There is no work of darkness save it shall be made manifest
In the light; and there is nothing which is sealed upon the earth
Save it shall be loosed.
Wherefore, all things which have been revealed unto the children of men
Shall at that day be revealed; and Satan shall have power over the hearts
Of the children of men no more, for a long time.
And now, my beloved brethren, I make an end of my sayings.
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