The Book of Mormon Part 4

1 Nephi 8:13 13 And as I cast my eyes round about, that perhaps I might discover my family also, I beheld a river of water; and it ran along, and it was near the tree of which I was partaking the fruit.

1 Nephi 8:14 14 And I looked to behold from whence it came; and I saw the head thereof a little way off; and at the head thereof I beheld your mother Sariah, and Sam, and Nephi; and they stood as if they knew not whither they should go.

1 Nephi 8:15 15 And it came to pa.s.s that I beckoned unto them; and I also did say unto them with a loud voice that they should come unto me, and partake of the fruit, which was desirable above all other fruit.

1 Nephi 8:16 16 And it came to pa.s.s that they did come unto me and partake of the fruit also.

1 Nephi 8:17 17 And it came to pa.s.s that I was desirous that Laman and Lemuel should come and partake of the fruit also; wherefore, I cast mine eyes towards the head of the river, that perhaps I might see them.

1 Nephi 8:18 18 And it came to pa.s.s that I saw them, but they would not come unto me and partake of the fruit.

1 Nephi 8:19 19 And I beheld a rod of iron, and it extended along the bank of the river, and led to the tree by which I stood.

1 Nephi 8:20 20 And I also beheld a strait and narrow path, which came along by the rod of iron, even to the tree by which I stood; and it also led by the head of the fountain, unto a large and s.p.a.cious field, as if it had been a world.

1 Nephi 8:21 21 And I saw numberless concourses of people, many of whom were pressing forward, that they might obtain the path which led unto the tree by which I stood.

1 Nephi 8:22 22 And it came to pa.s.s that they did come forth, and commence in the path which led to the tree.

1 Nephi 8:23 23 And it came to pa.s.s that there arose a mist of darkness; yea, even an exceedingly great mist of darkness, insomuch that they who had commenced in the path did lose their way, that they wandered off and were lost.

1 Nephi 8:24 24 And it came to pa.s.s that I beheld others pressing forward, and they came forth and caught hold of the end of the rod of iron; and they did press forward through the mist of darkness, clinging to the rod of iron, even until they did come forth and partake of the fruit of the tree.

1 Nephi 8:25 25 And after they had partaken of the fruit of the tree they did cast their eyes about as if they were ashamed.

1 Nephi 8:26 26 And I also cast my eyes round about, and beheld, on the other side of the river of water, a great and s.p.a.cious building; and it stood as it were in the air, high above the earth.

1 Nephi 8:27 27 And it was filled with people, both old and young, both male and female; and their manner of dress was exceedingly fine; and they were in the att.i.tude of mocking and pointing their fingers towards those who had come at and were partaking of the fruit.

1 Nephi 8:28 28 And after they had tasted of the fruit they were ashamed, because of those that were scoffing at them; and they fell away into forbidden paths and were lost.

1 Nephi 8:29 29 And now I, Nephi, do not speak all the words of my father.

1 Nephi 8:30 30 But, to be short in writing, behold, he saw other mult.i.tudes pressing forward; and they came and caught hold of the end of the rod of iron; and they did press their way forward, continually holding fast to the rod of iron, until they came forth and fell down and partook of the fruit of the tree.

1 Nephi 8:31 31 And he also saw other mult.i.tudes feeling their way towards that great and s.p.a.cious building.

1 Nephi 8:32 32 And it came to pa.s.s that many were drowned in the depths of the fountain; and many were lost from his view, wandering in strange roads.

1 Nephi 8:33 33 And great was the mult.i.tude that did enter into that strange building. And after they did enter into that building they did point the finger of scorn at me and those that were partaking of the fruit also; but we heeded them not.

1 Nephi 8:34 34 These are the words of my father: For as many as heeded them, had fallen away.

1 Nephi 8:35 35 And Laman and Lemuel partook not of the fruit, said my father.

1 Nephi 8:36 36 And it came to pa.s.s after my father had spoken all the words of his dream or vision, which were many, he said unto us, because of these things which he saw in a vision, he exceedingly feared for Laman and Lemuel; yea, he feared lest they should be cast off from the presence of the Lord.

1 Nephi 8:37 37 And he did exhort them then with all the feeling of a tender parent, that they would hearken to his words, that perhaps the Lord would be merciful to them, and not cast them off; yea, my father did preach unto them.

1 Nephi 8:38 38 And after he had preached unto them, and also prophesied unto them of many things, he bade them to keep the commandments of the Lord; and he did cease speaking unto them.

1 Nephi 9 Chapter 9

1 Nephi 9:1 1 And all these things did my father see, and hear, and speak, as he dwelt in a tent, in the valley of Lemuel, and also a great many more things, which cannot be written upon these plates.

1 Nephi 9:2 2 And now, as I have spoken concerning these plates, behold they are not the plates upon which I make a full account of the history of my people; for the plates upon which I make a full account of my people I have given the name of Nephi; wherefore, they are called the plates of Nephi, after mine own name; and these plates also are called the plates of Nephi.

1 Nephi 9:3 3 Nevertheless, I have received a commandment of the Lord that I should make these plates, for the special purpose that there should be an account engraven of the ministry of my people.

1 Nephi 9:4 4 Upon the other plates should be engraven an account of the reign of the kings, and the wars and contentions of my people; wherefore these plates are for the more part of the ministry; and the other plates are for the more part of the reign of the kings and the wars and contentions of my people.

1 Nephi 9:5 5 Wherefore, the Lord hath commanded me to make these plates for a wise purpose in him, which purpose I know not.

1 Nephi 9:6 6 But the Lord knoweth all things from the beginning; wherefore, he prepareth a way to accomplish all his works among the children of men; for behold, he hath all power unto the fulfilling of all his words. And thus it is. Amen.

1 Nephi 10 Chapter 10

1 Nephi 10:1 1 And now I, Nephi, proceed to give an account upon these plates of my proceedings, and my reign and ministry; wherefore, to proceed with mine account, I must speak somewhat of the things of my father, and also of my brethren.

1 Nephi 10:2 2 For behold, it came to pa.s.s after my father had made an end of speaking the words of his dream, and also of exhorting them to all diligence, he spake unto them concerning the Jews--

1 Nephi 10:3 3 That after they should be destroyed, even that great city Jerusalem, and many be carried away captive into Babylon, according to the own due time of the Lord, they should return again, yea, even be brought back out of captivity; and after they should be brought back out of captivity they should possess again the land of their inheritance.

1 Nephi 10:4 4 Yea, even six hundred years from the time that my father left Jerusalem, a prophet would the Lord G.o.d raise up among the Jews--even a Messiah, or, in other words, a Savior of the world.

1 Nephi 10:5 5 And he also spake concerning the prophets, how great a number had testified of these things, concerning this Messiah, of whom he had spoken, or this Redeemer of the world.

1 Nephi 10:6 6 Wherefore, all mankind were in a lost and in a fallen state, and ever would be save they should rely on this Redeemer.

1 Nephi 10:7 7 And he spake also concerning a prophet who should come before the Messiah, to prepare the way of the Lord--

1 Nephi 10:8 8 Yea, even he should go forth and cry in the wilderness: Prepare ye the way of the Lord, and make his paths straight; for there standeth one among you whom ye know not; and he is mightier than I, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose. And much spake my father concerning this thing.

1 Nephi 10:9 9 And my father said he should baptize in Bethabara, beyond Jordan; and he also said he should baptize with water; even that he should baptize the Messiah with water.

1 Nephi 10:10 10 And after he had baptized the Messiah with water, he should behold and bear record that he had baptized the Lamb of G.o.d, who should take away the sins of the world.

1 Nephi 10:11 11 And it came to pa.s.s after my father had spoken these words he spake unto my brethren concerning the gospel which should be preached among the Jews, and also concerning the dwindling of the Jews in unbelief. And after they had slain the Messiah, who should come, and after he had been slain he should rise from the dead, and should make himself manifest, by the Holy Ghost, unto the Gentiles.

1 Nephi 10:12 12 Yea, even my father spake much concerning the Gentiles, and also concerning the house of Israel, that they should be compared like unto an olive-tree, whose branches should be broken off and should be scattered upon all the face of the earth.

1 Nephi 10:13 13 Wherefore, he said it must needs be that we should be led with one accord into the land of promise, unto the fulfilling of the word of the Lord, that we should be scattered upon all the face of the earth.

1 Nephi 10:14 14 And after the house of Israel should be scattered they should be gathered together again; or, in fine, after the Gentiles had received the fulness of the Gospel, the natural branches of the olive-tree, or the remnants of the house of Israel, should be grafted in, or come to the knowledge of the true Messiah, their Lord and their Redeemer.

1 Nephi 10:15 15 And after this manner of language did my father prophesy and speak unto my brethren, and also many more things which I do not write in this book; for I have written as many of them as were expedient for me in mine other book.

1 Nephi 10:16 16 And all these things, of which I have spoken, were done as my father dwelt in a tent, in the valley of Lemuel.