2 NephiChapter1

And now it came to pass that after I, Nephi, had made an end of teaching my brethren, our father, Lehi, also spake many things unto them, and rehearsed unto them, how great things the Lord had done for them in bringing them out of the land of Jerusalem.

After I, Nephi, had finished teaching my brothers, our father Lehi also said many things to them, and reminded them of the great things the Lord had done for them in bringing them out of the land of Jerusalem.

And he spake unto them concerning their rebellions upon the waters, and the mercies of God in sparing their lives, that they were not swallowed up in the sea.

He spoke to them about their rebellions on the water, and about the mercies of God in sparing their lives, so that they were not swallowed up in the sea.

And he also spake unto them concerning the land of promise, which they had obtained—how merciful the Lord had been in warning us that we should flee out of the land of Jerusalem.

And he also spoke to them about the promised land they had obtained, and how merciful the Lord had been in warning us to flee the land of Jerusalem.

For, behold, said he, I have seen a vision, in which I know that Jerusalem is destroyed; and had we remained in Jerusalem we should also have perished.

He said, "I have seen a vision, and I know by it that Jerusalem is destroyed; and if we had stayed in Jerusalem, we would have died as well.

But, said he, notwithstanding our afflictions, we have obtained a land of promise, a land which is choice above all other lands; a land which the Lord God hath covenanted with me should be a land for the inheritance of my seed. Yea, the Lord hath covenanted this land unto me, and to my children forever, and also all those who should be led out of other countries by the hand of the Lord.

But in spite of all our hard times, we have obtained a promised land, a land choice above all other lands, a land the Lord God covenanted with me to be an inheritance for my descendants. Yes, the Lord has covenanted this land to me, and to my children forever, and also to all those who will be led out of other countries by the hand of the Lord.

Wherefore, I, Lehi, prophesy according to the workings of the Spirit which is in me, that there shall none come into this land save they shall be brought by the hand of the Lord.

"So I, Lehi, prophesy according to the workings of the Spirit that is in me: no one will come into this land unless they are brought by the hand of the Lord.

Wherefore, this land is consecrated unto him whom he shall bring. And if it so be that they shall serve him according to the commandments which he hath given, it shall be a land of liberty unto them; wherefore, they shall never be brought down into captivity; if so, it shall be because of iniquity; for if iniquity shall abound cursed shall be the land for their sakes, but unto the righteous it shall be blessed forever.

This land is consecrated to those he brings. And if they serve him according to the commandments he has given, it will be a land of liberty to them, and they will never be brought down into captivity. If they ever are, it will be because of wickedness; because if wickedness abounds, the land will be cursed for their sakes. But to the righteous it will be blessed forever.

And behold, it is wisdom that this land should be kept as yet from the knowledge of other nations; for behold, many nations would overrun the land, that there would be no place for an inheritance.

"And it is wisdom that this land should be kept, for now, from the knowledge of other nations; otherwise many nations would overrun the land, and there would be no place for an inheritance.

Wherefore, I, Lehi, have obtained a promise, that inasmuch as those whom the Lord God shall bring out of the land of Jerusalem shall keep his commandments, they shall prosper upon the face of this land; and they shall be kept from all other nations, that they may possess this land unto themselves. And if it so be that they shall keep his commandments they shall be blessed upon the face of this land, and there shall be none to molest them, nor to take away the land of their inheritance; and they shall dwell safely forever.

So I, Lehi, have obtained a promise that if those the Lord God brings out of the land of Jerusalem keep his commandments, they will prosper in this land. They will be kept from all other nations, so that they may possess this land for themselves. And if they keep his commandments, they will be blessed in this land, and there will be no one to harm them or take away the land of their inheritance, and they will live in safety forever.

But behold, when the time cometh that they shall dwindle in unbelief, after they have received so great blessings from the hand of the Lord—having a knowledge of the creation of the earth, and all men, knowing the great and marvelous works of the Lord from the creation of the world; having power given them to do all things by faith; having all the commandments from the beginning, and having been brought by his infinite goodness into this precious land of promise—behold, I say, if the day shall come that they will reject the Holy One of Israel, the true Messiah, their Redeemer and their God, behold, the judgments of him that is just shall rest upon them.

"But the time will come when they fade away in unbelief, even after receiving such great blessings from the hand of the Lord — after knowing the creation of the earth and of all people, and the great and marvelous works of the Lord from the creation of the world; after being given power to do all things by faith; after receiving all the commandments from the beginning, and after being brought by his infinite goodness into this precious promised land. I say: if the day comes that they reject the Holy One of Israel, the true Messiah, their Redeemer and their God, then the judgments of him who is just will rest upon them.

Yea, he will bring other nations unto them, and he will give unto them power, and he will take away from them the lands of their possessions, and he will cause them to be scattered and smitten.

He will bring other nations against them, and he will give those nations power; he will take away the lands they possess, and he will cause them to be scattered and struck down.

Yea, as one generation passeth to another there shall be bloodsheds, and great visitations among them; wherefore, my sons, I would that ye would remember; yea, I would that ye would hearken unto my words.

As one generation passes to another, there will be bloodshed and severe punishments among them. So, my sons, I want you to remember; I want you to listen to my words.

O that ye would awake; awake from a deep sleep, yea, even from the sleep of hell, and shake off the awful chains by which ye are bound, which are the chains which bind the children of men, that they are carried away captive down to the eternal gulf of misery and woe.

"O that you would awake! Awake from a deep sleep, even from the sleep of hell, and shake off the awful chains that bind you — the chains that bind all people and carry them away captive down to the eternal gulf of misery and woe.

Awake! and arise from the dust, and hear the words of a trembling parent, whose limbs ye must soon lay down in the cold and silent grave, from whence no traveler can return; a few more days and I go the way of all the earth.

Awake! Arise from the dust, and hear the words of a trembling parent, whose limbs you must soon lay down in the cold and silent grave, from which no traveler can return. A few more days, and I go the way of all the earth.

But behold, the Lord hath redeemed my soul from hell; I have beheld his glory, and I am encircled about eternally in the arms of his love.

"But the Lord has redeemed my soul from hell; I have seen his glory, and I am encircled eternally in the arms of his love.

And I desire that ye should remember to observe the statutes and the judgments of the Lord; behold, this hath been the anxiety of my soul from the beginning.

And I want you to remember to observe the statutes and the judgments of the Lord; this has been the anxiety of my soul from the beginning.

My heart hath been weighed down with sorrow from time to time, for I have feared, lest for the hardness of your hearts the Lord your God should come out in the fulness of his wrath upon you, that ye be cut off and destroyed forever;

"My heart has been weighed down with sorrow at times, because I have feared that for the hardness of your hearts the Lord your God would come out in the fullness of his wrath upon you, and you would be cut off and destroyed forever;

Or, that a cursing should come upon you for the space of many generations; and ye are visited by sword, and by famine, and are hated, and are led according to the will and captivity of the devil.

or that a curse would come upon you for many generations, and you would be struck by sword and by famine, and be hated, and be led captive according to the will of the devil.

O my sons, that these things might not come upon you, but that ye might be a choice and a favored people of the Lord. But behold, his will be done; for his ways are righteousness forever.

"O my sons, how I wish that these things might not come upon you, and that you might instead be a choice and a favored people of the Lord! But his will be done, for his ways are righteousness forever.

And he hath said that: Inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall prosper in the land; but inasmuch as ye will not keep my commandments ye shall be cut off from my presence.

For he has said: 'If you keep my commandments, you will prosper in the land; but if you do not keep my commandments, you will be cut off from my presence.'

And now that my soul might have joy in you, and that my heart might leave this world with gladness because of you, that I might not be brought down with grief and sorrow to the grave, arise from the dust, my sons, and be men, and be determined in one mind and in one heart, united in all things, that ye may not come down into captivity;

"And now, so that my soul may have joy in you, and my heart may leave this world with gladness because of you, and I may not be brought down to the grave with grief and sorrow — arise from the dust, my sons, and be men! Be determined in one mind and in one heart, united in all things, so that you may not come down into captivity,

That ye may not be cursed with a sore cursing; and also, that ye may not incur the displeasure of a just God upon you, unto the destruction, yea, the eternal destruction of both soul and body.

so that you may not be cursed with a severe curse, and may not bring the displeasure of a just God upon you, to the destruction, the eternal destruction, of both soul and body.

Awake, my sons; put on the armor of righteousness. Shake off the chains with which ye are bound, and come forth out of obscurity, and arise from the dust.

"Awake, my sons! Put on the armor of righteousness. Shake off the chains that bind you, and come out of obscurity, and arise from the dust.

Rebel no more against your brother, whose views have been glorious, and who hath kept the commandments from the time that we left Jerusalem; and who hath been an instrument in the hands of God, in bringing us forth into the land of promise; for were it not for him, we must have perished with hunger in the wilderness; nevertheless, ye sought to take away his life; yea, and he hath suffered much sorrow because of you.

"Rebel no more against your brother, whose views have been glorious, and who has kept the commandments from the time we left Jerusalem, and who has been an instrument in the hands of God in bringing us into the promised land. If it weren't for him, we would have died of hunger in the wilderness. And yet you tried to kill him, and he has suffered much sorrow because of you.

And I exceedingly fear and tremble because of you, lest he shall suffer again; for behold, ye have accused him that he sought power and authority over you; but I know that he hath not sought for power nor authority over you, but he hath sought the glory of God, and your own eternal welfare.

I am deeply afraid, and I tremble because of you, that he will suffer again. You have accused him of seeking power and authority over you; but I know that he has not sought power or authority over you. He has sought the glory of God, and your own eternal welfare.

And ye have murmured because he hath been plain unto you. Ye say that he hath used sharpness; ye say that he hath been angry with you; but behold, his sharpness was the sharpness of the power of the word of God, which was in him; and that which ye call anger was the truth, according to that which is in God, which he could not restrain, manifesting boldly concerning your iniquities.

And you have complained because he has been plain with you. You say he has used sharpness; you say he has been angry with you. But his sharpness was the sharpness of the power of the word of God that was in him, and what you call anger was the truth, according to what is in God, which he could not hold back as he spoke out boldly about your sins.

And it must needs be that the power of God must be with him, even unto his commanding you that ye must obey. But behold, it was not he, but it was the Spirit of the Lord which was in him, which opened his mouth to utterance that he could not shut it.

And the power of God must be with him, even to the point of commanding you to obey. But it was not he; it was the Spirit of the Lord that was in him, which opened his mouth to speak so that he could not shut it.

And now my son, Laman, and also Lemuel and Sam, and also my sons who are the sons of Ishmael, behold, if ye will hearken unto the voice of Nephi ye shall not perish. And if ye will hearken unto him I leave unto you a blessing, yea, even my first blessing.

"And now, my son Laman, and Lemuel and Sam, and also my sons who are the sons of Ishmael: if you will listen to the voice of Nephi, you will not be destroyed. And if you will listen to him, I leave a blessing with you, even my first blessing.

But if ye will not hearken unto him I take away my first blessing, yea, even my blessing, and it shall rest upon him.

But if you will not listen to him, I take away my first blessing, my very blessing, and it will rest on him.

And now Zoram, I speak unto you: Behold, thou art the servant of Laban; nevertheless, thou hast been brought out of the land of Jerusalem, and I know that thou art a true friend unto my son, Nephi, forever.

"And now, Zoram, I speak to you. You are the servant of Laban; but you were brought out of the land of Jerusalem, and I know that you are a true friend to my son Nephi forever.

Wherefore, because thou hast been faithful thy seed shall be blessed with his seed, that they dwell in prosperity long upon the face of this land; and nothing, save it shall be iniquity among them, shall harm or disturb their prosperity upon the face of this land forever.

So, because you have been faithful, your descendants will be blessed with his descendants, and they will live long in prosperity in this land. And nothing except wickedness among them will ever harm or disturb their prosperity in this land.

Wherefore, if ye shall keep the commandments of the Lord, the Lord hath consecrated this land for the security of thy seed with the seed of my son.

And if you keep the commandments of the Lord, the Lord has consecrated this land for the security of your descendants together with the descendants of my son."