Helaman 8:3 3 For behold, Nephi had spoken unto them concerning the corruptness of their law; yea, many things did Nephi speak which cannot be written; and nothing did he speak which was contrary to the commandments of G.o.d.
Helaman 8:4 4 And those judges were angry with him because he spake plainly unto them concerning their secret works of darkness; nevertheless, they durst not lay their own hands upon him, for they feared the people lest they should cry out against them.
Helaman 8:5 5 Therefore they did cry unto the people, saying: Why do you suffer this man to revile against us? For behold he doth condemn all this people, even unto destruction; yea, and also that these our great cities shall be taken from us, that we shall have no place in them.
Helaman 8:6 6 And now we know that this is impossible, for behold, we are powerful, and our cities great, therefore our enemies can have no power over us.
Helaman 8:7 7 And it came to pa.s.s that thus they did stir up the people to anger against Nephi, and raised contentions among them; for there were some who did cry out: Let this man alone, for he is a good man, and those things which he saith will surely come to pa.s.s except we repent;
Helaman 8:8 8 Yea, behold, all the judgments will come upon us which he has testified unto us; for we know that he has testified aright unto us concerning our iniquities. And behold they are many, and he knoweth as well all things which shall befall us as he knoweth of our iniquities;
Helaman 8:9 9 Yea, and behold, if he had not been a prophet he could not have testified concerning those things.
Helaman 8:10 10 And it came to pa.s.s that those people who sought to destroy Nephi were compelled because of their fear, that they did not lay their hands on him; therefore he began again to speak unto them, seeing that he had gained favor in the eyes of some, insomuch that the remainder of them did fear.
Helaman 8:11 11 Therefore he was constrained to speak more unto them saying: Behold, my brethren, have ye not read that G.o.d gave power unto one man, even Moses, to smite upon the waters of the Red Sea, and they parted hither and thither, insomuch that the Israelites, who were our fathers, came through upon dry ground, and the waters closed upon the armies of the Egyptians and swallowed them up?
Helaman 8:12 12 And now behold, if G.o.d gave unto this man such power, then why should ye dispute among yourselves, and say that he hath given unto me no power whereby I may know concerning the judgments that shall come upon you except ye repent?
Helaman 8:13 13 But, behold, ye not only deny my words, but ye also deny all the words which have been spoken by our fathers, and also the words which were spoken by this man, Moses, who had such great power given unto him, yea, the words which he hath spoken concerning the coming of the Messiah.
Helaman 8:14 14 Yea, did he not bear record that the Son of G.o.d should come?
And as he lifted up the brazen serpent in the wilderness, even so shall he be lifted up who should come.
Helaman 8:15 15 And as many as should look upon that serpent should live, even so as many as should look upon the Son of G.o.d with faith, having a contrite spirit, might live, even unto that life which is eternal.
Helaman 8:16 16 And now behold, Moses did not only testify of these things, but also all the holy prophets, from his days even to the days of Abraham.
Helaman 8:17 17 Yea, and behold, Abraham saw of his coming, and was filled with gladness and did rejoice.
Helaman 8:18 18 Yea, and behold I say unto you, that Abraham not only knew of these things, but there were many before the days of Abraham who were called by the order of G.o.d; yea, even after the order of his Son; and this that it should be shown unto the people, a great many thousand years before his coming, that even redemption should come unto them.
Helaman 8:19 19 And now I would that ye should know, that even since the days of Abraham there have been many prophets that have testified these things; yea, behold, the prophet Zenos did testify boldly; for the which he was slain.
Helaman 8:20 20 And behold, also Zenock, and also Ezias, and also Isaiah, and Jeremiah, (Jeremiah being that same prophet who testified of the destruction of Jerusalem) and now we know that Jerusalem was destroyed according to the words of Jeremiah. O then why not the Son of G.o.d come, according to his prophecy?
Helaman 8:21 21 And now will you dispute that Jerusalem was destroyed? Will ye say that the sons of Zedekiah were not slain, all except it were Mulek? Yea, and do ye not behold that the seed of Zedekiah are with us, and they were driven out of the land of Jerusalem?
But behold, this is not all--
Helaman 8:22 22 Our father Lehi was driven out of Jerusalem because he testified of these things. Nephi also testified of these things, and also almost all of our fathers, even down to this time; yea, they have testified of the coming of Christ, and have looked forward, and have rejoiced in his day which is to come.
Helaman 8:23 23 And behold, he is G.o.d, and he is with them, and he did manifest himself unto them, that they were redeemed by him; and they gave unto him glory, because of that which is to come.
Helaman 8:24 24 And now, seeing ye know these things and cannot deny them except ye shall lie, therefore in this ye have sinned, for ye have rejected all these things, notwithstanding so many evidences which ye have received; yea, even ye have received all things, both things in heaven, and all things which are in the earth, as a witness that they are true.
Helaman 8:25 25 But behold, ye have rejected the truth, and rebelled against your holy G.o.d; and even at this time, instead of laying up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where nothing doth corrupt, and where nothing can come which is unclean, ye are heaping up for yourselves wrath against the day of judgment.
Helaman 8:26 26 Yea, even at this time ye are ripening, because of your murders and your fornication and wickedness, for everlasting destruction; yea, and except ye repent it will come unto you soon.
Helaman 8:27 27 Yea, behold it is now even at your doors; yea, go ye in unto the judgment-seat, and search; and behold, your judge is murdered, and he lieth in his blood; and he hath been murdered by his brother, who seeketh to sit in the judgment-seat.
Helaman 8:28 28 And behold, they both belong to your secret band, whose author is Gadianton and the evil one who seeketh to destroy the souls of men.
Helaman 9 Chapter 9
Helaman 9:1 1 Behold, now it came to pa.s.s that when Nephi had spoken these words, certain men who were among them ran to the judgment-seat; yea, even there were five who went, and they said among themselves, as they went:
Helaman 9:2 2 Behold, now we will know of a surety whether this man be a prophet and G.o.d hath commanded him to prophesy such marvelous things unto us. Behold, we do not believe that he hath; yea, we do not believe that he is a prophet; nevertheless, if this thing which he has said concerning the chief judge be true, that he be dead, then will we believe that the other words which he has spoken are true.
Helaman 9:3 3 And it came to pa.s.s that they ran in their might, and came in unto the judgment-seat; and behold, the chief judge had fallen to the earth, and did lie in his blood.
Helaman 9:4 4 And now behold, when they saw this they were astonished exceedingly, insomuch that they fell to the earth; for they had not believed the words which Nephi had spoken concerning the chief judge.
Helaman 9:5 5 But now, when they saw they believed, and fear came upon them lest all the judgments which Nephi had spoken should come upon the people; therefore they did quake, and had fallen to the earth.
Helaman 9:6 6 Now, immediately when the judge had been murdered--he being stabbed by his brother by a garb of secrecy, and he fled, and the servants ran and told the people, raising the cry of murder among them;
Helaman 9:7 7 And behold the people did gather themselves together unto the place of the judgment-seat--and behold, to their astonishment they saw those five men who had fallen to the earth.
Helaman 9:8 8 And now behold, the people knew nothing concerning the mult.i.tude who had gathered together at the garden of Nephi; therefore they said among themselves: These men are they who have murdered the judge, and G.o.d has smitten them that they could not flee from us.
Helaman 9:9 9 And it came to pa.s.s that they laid hold on them, and bound them and cast them into prison. And there was a proclamation sent abroad that the judge was slain, and that the murderers had been taken and were cast into prison.
Helaman 9:10 10 And it came to pa.s.s that on the morrow the people did a.s.semble themselves together to mourn and to fast, at the burial of the great chief judge who had been slain.
Helaman 9:11 11 And thus also those judges who were at the garden of Nephi, and heard his words, were also gathered together at the burial.
Helaman 9:12 12 And it came to pa.s.s that they inquired among the people, saying: Where are the five who were sent to inquire concerning the chief judge whether he was dead? And they answered and said: Concerning this five whom ye say ye have sent, we know not; but there are five who are the murderers, whom we have cast into prison.
Helaman 9:13 13 And it came to pa.s.s that the judges desired that they should be brought; and they were brought, and behold they were the five who were sent; and behold the judges inquired of them to know, concerning the matter, and they told them all that they had done, saying:
Helaman 9:14 14 We ran and came to the place of the judgment-seat, and when we saw all things even as Nephi had testified, we were astonished insomuch that we fell to the earth; and when we were recovered from our astonishment, behold they cast us into prison.
Helaman 9:15 15 Now, as for the murder of this man, we know not who has done it; and only this much we know, we ran and came according as ye desired, and behold he was dead, according to the words of Nephi.
Helaman 9:16 16 And now it came to pa.s.s that the judges did expound the matter unto the people, and did cry out against Nephi, saying: Behold, we know that this Nephi must have agreed with some one to slay the judge, and then he might declare it unto us, that he might convert us unto his faith, that he might raise himself to be a great man, chosen of G.o.d, and a prophet.
Helaman 9:17 17 And now behold, we will detect this man, and he shall confess his fault and make known unto us the true murderer of this judge.
Helaman 9:18 18 And it came to pa.s.s that the five were liberated on the day of the burial. Nevertheless, they did rebuke the judges in the words which they had spoken against Nephi, and did contend with them one by one, insomuch that they did confound them.
Helaman 9:19 19 Nevertheless, they caused that Nephi should be taken and bound and brought before the mult.i.tude, and they began to question him in divers ways that they might cross him, that they might accuse him to death--
Helaman 9:20 20 Saying unto him: Thou art confederate; who is this man that hath done this murder? Now tell us, and acknowledge thy fault; saying, Behold here is money; and also we will grant unto thee thy life if thou wilt tell us, and acknowledge the agreement which thou hast made with him.
Helaman 9:21 21 But Nephi said unto them: O ye fools, ye uncirc.u.mcised of heart, ye blind, and ye stiffnecked people, do ye know how long the Lord your G.o.d will suffer you that ye shall go on in this your way of sin?
Helaman 9:22 22 O ye ought to begin to howl and mourn, because of the great destruction which at this time doth await you, except ye shall repent.