HelamanChapter8

And now it came to pass that when Nephi had said these words, behold, there were men who were judges, who also belonged to the secret band of Gadianton, and they were angry, and they cried out against him, saying unto the people: Why do ye not seize upon this man and bring him forth, that he may be condemned according to the crime which he has done?

When Nephi had said these things, some of the men there were judges who also belonged to Gadianton's secret band, and they were angry. They shouted against him, calling out to the people, "Why don't you seize this man and bring him out, so he can be condemned for the crime he has committed?

Why seest thou this man, and hearest him revile against this people and against our law?

Why do you stand there watching this man? Why do you listen to him insult our people and our law?"

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 God.

Nephi had been speaking to them about how corrupt their law was. He said many things that cannot be written down, and nothing he said went against the commandments of God.

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.

Those judges were angry with him because he spoke plainly to them about their secret works of darkness. Still, they did not dare lay hands on him themselves, because they were afraid of the people, afraid the crowd would cry out against them.

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.

So they cried out to the people, "Why do you let this man insult us? He condemns this whole people to destruction, and he says these great cities of ours will be taken from us, so that we will have no place in them.

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.

And we know that this is impossible, because we are powerful and our cities are strong. Our enemies can have no power over us."

And it came to pass 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 pass except we repent;

That was how they stirred the people up to anger against Nephi and started arguments among them. For there were some who cried out, "Leave this man alone! He is a good man, and the things he says will surely happen unless we repent.

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;

Every judgment he has testified about will come on us. We know he has told us the truth about our sins, and our sins are many. He knows everything that is going to happen to us just as surely as he knows what we have done.

Yea, and behold, if he had not been a prophet he could not have testified concerning those things.

If he were not a prophet, he could not have testified about these things."

And it came to pass 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.

The people who wanted to destroy Nephi were held back by their own fear, and they did not lay hands on him. So he began to speak to them again, since he had gained favor with some of them, and the rest of them were afraid.

Therefore he was constrained to speak more unto them saying: Behold, my brethren, have ye not read that God 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?

He was urged to say more to them: My brothers, have you not read that God gave power to one man, to Moses, to strike the waters of the Red Sea, and that they parted to one side and the other, so that the Israelites, who were our ancestors, came through on dry ground, and the waters closed over the armies of the Egyptians and swallowed them up?

And now behold, if God 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?

Now if God gave that man such power, why do you argue among yourselves and say that he has given me no power to know about the judgments that will come on you unless you repent?

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.

But you do not only deny my words. You also deny all the words that were spoken by our ancestors, and the words spoken by this man Moses, who was given such power, the words he spoke about the coming of the Messiah.

Yea, did he not bear record that the Son of God should come? And as he lifted up the brazen serpent in the wilderness, even so shall he be lifted up who should come.

Did he not testify that the Son of God would come? And just as he lifted up the bronze serpent in the wilderness, so the one who was to come will be lifted up.

And as many as should look upon that serpent should live, even so as many as should look upon the Son of God with faith, having a contrite spirit, might live, even unto that life which is eternal.

And just as everyone who looked at that serpent lived, so everyone who looks to the Son of God with faith, having a contrite spirit, may live, even that life which is eternal.

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.

Now Moses was not the only one who testified of these things. All the holy prophets did, from his own day back to the days of Abraham.

Yea, and behold, Abraham saw of his coming, and was filled with gladness and did rejoice.

Abraham saw his coming, and he was filled with gladness and rejoiced.

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 God; 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.

And I tell you, Abraham was not the only one who knew these things. There were many before the days of Abraham who were called by the order of God, even after the order of his Son. This was so that it could be shown to the people, many thousands of years before his coming, that redemption would come to them as well.

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.

And I want you to know that ever since the days of Abraham there have been many prophets who have testified of these things. The prophet Zenos testified boldly, and he was killed for it.

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 God come, according to his prophecy?

And so did Zenock, and Ezias, and Isaiah, and Jeremiah. Jeremiah was that same prophet who testified of the destruction of Jerusalem, and we know that Jerusalem was destroyed, just as Jeremiah said it would be. Then why should the Son of God not come, according to his prophecy?

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—

Now will you argue that Jerusalem was not destroyed? Will you say that the sons of Zedekiah were not killed, all of them except Mulek? And do you not see that the descendants of Zedekiah are here with us, and that they were driven out of the land of Jerusalem? But this is not all.

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.

Our father Lehi was driven out of Jerusalem because he testified of these things. Nephi testified of them too, and so did almost all our ancestors, right down to this time. They have testified of the coming of Christ, and they have looked forward and rejoiced in his day, which is still to come.

And behold, he is God, 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.

And he is God, and he is with them. He showed himself to them, so that they were redeemed by him, and they gave him glory because of what is still to come.

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.

And now, since you know these things and cannot deny them without lying, you have sinned in this: you have rejected all of it, in spite of all the evidence you have been given. You have been given everything, both the things in heaven and all things on the earth, as a witness that they are true.

But behold, ye have rejected the truth, and rebelled against your holy God; 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.

But you have rejected the truth and rebelled against your holy God. And even now, instead of storing up treasures for yourselves in heaven, where nothing decays and where nothing unclean can enter, you are heaping up wrath for yourselves against the day of judgment.

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.

Even now you are ripening for everlasting destruction, because of your murders and your sexual immorality and your wickedness. And unless you repent, it will come on you soon.

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.

It is already at your doors. Go to the judgment seat and search, and you will find that your judge has been murdered. He is lying there in his own blood, and he has been murdered by his brother, who wants to sit in the judgment seat himself.

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.

And they both belong to your secret band, the band whose author is Gadianton and that evil one who is trying to destroy the souls of the people.