3 NephiChapter7

Now behold, I will show unto you that they did not establish a king over the land; but in this same year, yea, the thirtieth year, they did destroy upon the judgment seat, yea, did murder the chief judge of the land.

Now I will show you that they did not set up a king over the land. Instead, in that same year, the thirtieth year, they destroyed the man on the judgment seat: they murdered the chief judge of the land.

And the people were divided one against another; and they did separate one from another into tribes, every man according to his family and his kindred and friends; and thus they did destroy the government of the land.

And the people were divided against one another. They split apart into tribes, every man going with his own family and his relatives and friends. And that is how they destroyed the government of the land.

And every tribe did appoint a chief or a leader over them; and thus they became tribes and leaders of tribes.

Every tribe appointed a chief, or a leader, over itself; and so they became tribes, with leaders over the tribes.

Now behold, there was no man among them save he had much family and many kindreds and friends; therefore their tribes became exceedingly great.

Now there was no one among them who did not have a large family and many relatives and friends, so their tribes grew very large.

Now all this was done, and there were no wars as yet among them; and all this iniquity had come upon the people because they did yield themselves unto the power of Satan.

All of this happened while there were still no wars among them. And all this wickedness had come on the people because they had given themselves over to the power of Satan.

And the regulations of the government were destroyed, because of the secret combination of the friends and kindreds of those who murdered the prophets.

The rules that held the government together were destroyed, because of the secret combination of the friends and relatives of those who had murdered the prophets.

And they did cause a great contention in the land, insomuch that the more righteous part of the people had nearly all become wicked; yea, there were but few righteous men among them.

They stirred up such bitter conflict in the land that almost all of the more righteous part of the people had turned wicked; there were only a few righteous people left among them.

And thus six years had not passed away since the more part of the people had turned from their righteousness, like the dog to his vomit, or like the sow to her wallowing in the mire.

And not even six years had passed since most of the people had turned away from their righteousness, like the dog to his vomit, or like the sow to her wallowing in the mire.

Now this secret combination, which had brought so great iniquity upon the people, did gather themselves together, and did place at their head a man whom they did call Jacob;

Now this secret combination, which had brought such terrible wickedness on the people, gathered themselves together and put at their head a man they called Jacob.

And they did call him their king; therefore he became a king over this wicked band; and he was one of the chiefest who had given his voice against the prophets who testified of Jesus.

And they called him their king, so he became a king over this wicked band. He was one of the chief ones who had spoken out against the prophets who testified of Jesus.

And it came to pass that they were not so strong in number as the tribes of the people, who were united together save it were their leaders did establish their laws, every one according to his tribe; nevertheless they were enemies; notwithstanding they were not a righteous people, yet they were united in the hatred of those who had entered into a covenant to destroy the government.

Now they were not as strong in numbers as the tribes of the people. The tribes were united, except that their leaders each made their own laws, tribe by tribe, and even so they were enemies of one another. They were not a righteous people, but they were united in their hatred of those who had made a covenant to destroy the government.

Therefore, Jacob seeing that their enemies were more numerous than they, he being the king of the band, therefore he commanded his people that they should take their flight into the northernmost part of the land, and there build up unto themselves a kingdom, until they were joined by dissenters, (for he flattered them that there would be many dissenters) and they become sufficiently strong to contend with the tribes of the people; and they did so.

So Jacob, being the king of the band, saw that their enemies outnumbered them, and he commanded his people to escape into the northernmost part of the land and build up a kingdom for themselves there, until others who broke away came and joined them. (He flattered them, promising that many would break away.) Then they would be strong enough to fight the tribes of the people. And that is what they did.

And so speedy was their march that it could not be impeded until they had gone forth out of the reach of the people. And thus ended the thirtieth year; and thus were the affairs of the people of Nephi.

Their march was so fast that no one could stop them before they had gone beyond the reach of the people. And so the thirtieth year ended, and that was how things stood among the people of Nephi.

And it came to pass in the thirty and first year that they were divided into tribes, every man according to his family, kindred and friends; nevertheless they had come to an agreement that they would not go to war one with another; but they were not united as to their laws, and their manner of government, for they were established according to the minds of those who were their chiefs and their leaders. But they did establish very strict laws that one tribe should not trespass against another, insomuch that in some degree they had peace in the land; nevertheless, their hearts were turned from the Lord their God, and they did stone the prophets and did cast them out from among them.

In the thirty-first year they were still divided into tribes, every man with his family, his relatives, and his friends. Even so, they had come to an agreement that they would not go to war with one another. But they were not united in their laws or in their form of government, since those were set up according to the minds of their own chiefs and leaders. They did make very strict laws that one tribe was not to trespass against another, so that to some degree they had peace in the land. Still, their hearts were turned away from the Lord their God, and they stoned the prophets and drove them out from among them.

And it came to pass that Nephi—having been visited by angels and also the voice of the Lord, therefore having seen angels, and being eye-witness, and having had power given unto him that he might know concerning the ministry of Christ, and also being eye-witness to their quick return from righteousness unto their wickedness and abominations;

Now Nephi had been visited by angels, and by the voice of the Lord as well. He had seen angels; he was an eyewitness; he had been given power to know about the ministry of Christ. And he was an eyewitness to this, too: how quickly the people had turned from righteousness back to their wickedness and their abominations.

Therefore, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts and the blindness of their minds—went forth among them in that same year, and began to testify, boldly, repentance and remission of sins through faith on the Lord Jesus Christ.

So, grieved by the hardness of their hearts and the blindness of their minds, he went out among them that same year and began to testify boldly of repentance and forgiveness of sins through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

And he did minister many things unto them; and all of them cannot be written, and a part of them would not suffice, therefore they are not written in this book. And Nephi did minister with power and with great authority.

He ministered many things to them; all of them cannot be written, and a part of them would not be enough, so they are not written in this book. And Nephi ministered with power and with great authority.

And it came to pass that they were angry with him, even because he had greater power than they, for it were not possible that they could disbelieve his words, for so great was his faith on the Lord Jesus Christ that angels did minister unto him daily.

And they were angry with him, because he had greater power than they did. It was not possible for them to disbelieve his words, because his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ was so strong that angels ministered to him daily.

And in the name of Jesus did he cast out devils and unclean spirits; and even his brother did he raise from the dead, after he had been stoned and suffered death by the people.

In the name of Jesus he cast out devils and unclean spirits. He even raised his own brother from the dead, after the people had stoned him and put him to death.

And the people saw it, and did witness of it, and were angry with him because of his power; and he did also do many more miracles, in the sight of the people, in the name of Jesus.

The people saw it and testified of it, and they were angry with him because of his power. And he did many more miracles as well, in the sight of the people, in the name of Jesus.

And it came to pass that the thirty and first year did pass away, and there were but few who were converted unto the Lord; but as many as were converted did truly signify unto the people that they had been visited by the power and Spirit of God, which was in Jesus Christ, in whom they believed.

And so the thirty-first year passed, and there were only a few who were converted to the Lord. But everyone who was converted truly showed the people that they had been visited by the power and Spirit of God, which was in Jesus Christ, in whom they believed.

And as many as had devils cast out from them, and were healed of their sicknesses and their infirmities, did truly manifest unto the people that they had been wrought upon by the Spirit of God, and had been healed; and they did show forth signs also and did do some miracles among the people.

And everyone who had devils cast out of them, and who were healed of their sicknesses and their infirmities, truly showed the people that the Spirit of God had worked on them and that they had been healed. They showed signs as well, and did some miracles among the people.

Thus passed away the thirty and second year also. And Nephi did cry unto the people in the commencement of the thirty and third year; and he did preach unto them repentance and remission of sins.

And so the thirty-second year passed too. And Nephi cried out to the people at the beginning of the thirty-third year, preaching to them repentance and forgiveness of sins.

Now I would have you to remember also, that there were none who were brought unto repentance who were not baptized with water.

Now I want you to remember this also: there was no one brought to repentance who was not baptized with water.

Therefore, there were ordained of Nephi, men unto this ministry, that all such as should come unto them should be baptized with water, and this as a witness and a testimony before God, and unto the people, that they had repented and received a remission of their sins.

So Nephi ordained men to this ministry, so that everyone who came to them could be baptized with water. And this was a witness and a testimony before God, and to the people, that they had repented and received forgiveness of their sins.

And there were many in the commencement of this year that were baptized unto repentance; and thus the more part of the year did pass away.

And there were many at the beginning of that year who were baptized to repentance; and so the greater part of the year passed.