The Book Of Mormon.
by Anonymous.
THE TESTIMONY OF THREE WITNESSES
Be it known unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, unto whom this work shall come: That we, through the grace of G.o.d the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, have seen the plates which contain this record, which is a record of the people of Nephi, and also of the Lamanites, their brethren, and also of the people of Jared, who came from the tower of which hath been spoken. And we also know that they have been translated by the gift and power of G.o.d, for his voice hath declared it unto us; wherefore we know of a surety that the work is true. And we also testify that we have seen the engravings which are upon the plates; and they have been shown unto us by the power of G.o.d, and not of man. And we declare with words of soberness, that an angel of G.o.d came down from heaven, and he brought and laid before our eyes, that we beheld and saw the plates, and the engravings thereon; and we know that it is by the grace of G.o.d the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, that we beheld and bear record that these things are true. And it is marvelous in our eyes. Nevertheless, the voice of the Lord commanded us that we should bear record of it; wherefore, to be obedient unto the commandments of G.o.d, we bear testimony of these things. And we know that if we are faithful in Christ, we shall rid our garments of the blood of all men, and be found spotless before the judgment-seat of Christ, and shall dwell with him eternally in the heavens. And the honor be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, which is one G.o.d.
Amen.
OLIVER COWDERY DAVID WHITMER MARTIN HARRIS
THE TESTIMONY OF EIGHT WITNESSES
Be it known unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, unto whom this work shall come: That Joseph Smith, Jun., the translator of this work, has shown unto us the plates of which hath been spoken, which have the appearance of gold; and as many of the leaves as the said Smith has translated we did handle with our hands; and we also saw the engravings thereon, all of which has the appearance of ancient work, and of curious workmanship.
And this we bear record with words of soberness, that the said Smith has shown unto us, for we have seen and hefted, and know of a surety that the said Smith has got the plates of which we have spoken. And we give our names unto the world, to witness unto the world that which we have seen. And we lie not, G.o.d bearing witness of it.
CHRISTIAN WHITMER JACOB WHITMER PETER WHITMER, JUN.
JOHN WHITMER HIRAM PAGE JOSEPH SMITH, SEN.
HYRUM SMITH SAMUEL H. SMITH
THE FIRST BOOK OF NEPHI HIS REIGN AND MINISTRY (1 Nephi)
An account of Lehi and his wife Sariah and his four sons, being called, (beginning at the eldest) Laman, Lemuel, Sam, and Nephi.
The Lord warns Lehi to depart out of the land of Jerusalem, because he prophesieth unto the people concerning their iniquity and they seek to destroy his life. He taketh three days" journey into the wilderness with his family. Nephi taketh his brethren and returneth to the land of Jerusalem after the record of the Jews. The account of their sufferings. They take the daughters of Ishmael to wife. They take their families and depart into the wilderness. Their sufferings and afflictions in the wilderness.
The course of their travels. They come to the large waters.
Nephi"s brethren rebel against him. He confoundeth them, and buildeth a ship. They call the name of the place Bountiful. They cross the large waters into the promised land, and so forth. This is according to the account of Nephi; or in other words, I, Nephi, wrote this record.
1 Nephi 1 Chapter 1
1 Nephi 1:1 1 I, Nephi, having been born of goodly parents, therefore I was taught somewhat in all the learning of my father; and having seen many afflictions in the course of my days, nevertheless, having been highly favored of the Lord in all my days; yea, having had a great knowledge of the goodness and the mysteries of G.o.d, therefore I make a record of my proceedings in my days.
1 Nephi 1:2 2 Yea, I make a record in the language of my father, which consists of the learning of the Jews and the language of the Egyptians.
1 Nephi 1:3 3 And I know that the record which I make is true; and I make it with mine own hand; and I make it according to my knowledge.
1 Nephi 1:4 4 For it came to pa.s.s in the commencement of the first year of the reign of Zedekiah, king of Judah, (my father, Lehi, having dwelt at Jerusalem in all his days); and in that same year there came many prophets, prophesying unto the people that they must repent, or the great city Jerusalem must be destroyed.
1 Nephi 1:5 5 Wherefore it came to pa.s.s that my father, Lehi, as he went forth prayed unto the Lord, yea, even with all his heart, in behalf of his people.
1 Nephi 1:6 6 And it came to pa.s.s as he prayed unto the Lord, there came a pillar of fire and dwelt upon a rock before him; and he saw and heard much; and because of the things which he saw and heard he did quake and tremble exceedingly.
1 Nephi 1:7 7 And it came to pa.s.s that he returned to his own house at Jerusalem; and he cast himself upon his bed, being overcome with the Spirit and the things which he had seen.
1 Nephi 1:8 8 And being thus overcome with the Spirit, he was carried away in a vision, even that he saw the heavens open, and he thought he saw G.o.d sitting upon his throne, surrounded with numberless concourses of angels in the att.i.tude of singing and praising their G.o.d.
1 Nephi 1:9 9 And it came to pa.s.s that he saw One descending out of the midst of heaven, and he beheld that his l.u.s.ter was above that of the sun at noon-day.
1 Nephi 1:10 10 And he also saw twelve others following him, and their brightness did exceed that of the stars in the firmament.
1 Nephi 1:11 11 And they came down and went forth upon the face of the earth; and the first came and stood before my father, and gave unto him a book, and bade him that he should read.
1 Nephi 1:12 12 And it came to pa.s.s that as he read, he was filled with the Spirit of the Lord.
1 Nephi 1:13 13 And he read, saying: Wo, wo, unto Jerusalem, for I have seen thine abominations! Yea, and many things did my father read concerning Jerusalem--that it should be destroyed, and the inhabitants thereof; many should perish by the sword, and many should be carried away captive into Babylon.
1 Nephi 1:14 14 And it came to pa.s.s that when my father had read and seen many great and marvelous things, he did exclaim many things unto the Lord; such as: Great and marvelous are thy works, O Lord G.o.d Almighty! Thy throne is high in the heavens, and thy power, and goodness, and mercy are over all the inhabitants of the earth, and, because thou art merciful, thou wilt not suffer those who come unto thee that they shall perish!
1 Nephi 1:15 15 And after this manner was the language of my father in the praising of his G.o.d; for his soul did rejoice, and his whole heart was filled, because of the things which he had seen, yea, which the Lord had shown unto him.
1 Nephi 1:16 16 And now I, Nephi, do not make a full account of the things which my father hath written, for he hath written many things which he saw in visions and in dreams; and he also hath written many things which he prophesied and spake unto his children, of which I shall not make a full account.
1 Nephi 1:17 17 But I shall make an account of my proceedings in my days.
Behold, I make an abridgment of the record of my father, upon plates which I have made with mine own hands; wherefore, after I have abridged the record of my father then will I make an account of mine own life.
1 Nephi 1:18 18 Therefore, I would that ye should know, that after the Lord had shown so many marvelous things unto my father, Lehi, yea, concerning the destruction of Jerusalem, behold he went forth among the people, and began to prophesy and to declare unto them concerning the things which he had both seen and heard.
1 Nephi 1:19 19 And it came to pa.s.s that the Jews did mock him because of the things which he testified of them; for he truly testified of their wickedness and their abominations; and he testified that the things which he saw and heard, and also the things which he read in the book, manifested plainly of the coming of the Messiah, and also the redemption of the world.
1 Nephi 1:20 20 And when the Jews heard these things they were angry with him; yea, even as with the prophets of old, whom they had cast out, and stoned, and slain; and they also sought his life, that they might take it away. But behold, I, Nephi, will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance.
1 Nephi 2 Chapter 2
1 Nephi 2:1 1 For behold, it came to pa.s.s that the Lord spake unto my father, yea, even in a dream, and said unto him: Blessed art thou Lehi, because of the things which thou hast done; and because thou hast been faithful and declared unto this people the things which I commanded thee, behold, they seek to take away thy life.
1 Nephi 2:2 2 And it came to pa.s.s that the Lord commanded my father, even in a dream, that he should take his family and depart into the wilderness.
1 Nephi 2:3 3 And it came to pa.s.s that he was obedient unto the word of the Lord, wherefore he did as the Lord commanded him.
1 Nephi 2:4 4 And it came to pa.s.s that he departed into the wilderness. And he left his house, and the land of his inheritance, and his gold, and his silver, and his precious things, and took nothing with him, save it were his family, and provisions, and tents, and departed into the wilderness.
1 Nephi 2:5 5 And he came down by the borders near the sh.o.r.e of the Red Sea; and he traveled in the wilderness in the borders which are nearer the Red Sea; and he did travel in the wilderness with his family, which consisted of my mother, Sariah, and my elder brothers, who were Laman, Lemuel, and Sam.
1 Nephi 2:6 6 And it came to pa.s.s that when he had traveled three days in the wilderness, he pitched his tent in a valley by the side of a river of water.
1 Nephi 2:7 7 And it came to pa.s.s that he built an altar of stones, and made an offering unto the Lord, and gave thanks unto the Lord our G.o.d.
1 Nephi 2:8 8 And it came to pa.s.s that he called the name of the river, Laman, and it emptied into the Red Sea; and the valley was in the borders near the mouth thereof.
1 Nephi 2:9 9 And when my father saw that the waters of the river emptied into the fountain of the Red Sea, he spake unto Laman, saying: O that thou mightest be like unto this river, continually running into the fountain of all righteousness!
1 Nephi 2:10 10 And he also spake unto Lemuel: O that thou mightest be like unto this valley, firm and steadfast, and immovable in keeping the commandments of the Lord!
1 Nephi 2:11 11 Now this he spake because of the stiffneckedness of Laman and Lemuel; for behold they did murmur in many things against their father, because he was a visionary man, and had led them out of the land of Jerusalem, to leave the land of their inheritance, and their gold, and their silver, and their precious things, to perish in the wilderness. And this they said he had done because of the foolish imaginations of his heart.
1 Nephi 2:12 12 And thus Laman and Lemuel, being the eldest, did murmur against their father. And they did murmur because they knew not the dealings of that G.o.d who had created them.