- 10On these plates I’ll provide an account of my life, rule, and ministry. So, continuing on, I need to say something about my father’s and my brothers’ concerns.
- 2After my father had finished recounting his dream and urging them to diligence, he spoke to them about the Jews, 3that once they’re destroyed, along with that great city of Jerusalem, and after many have been carried away as prisoners into Babylon, then when the Lord decided the time was right, they were to return home, brought back out of slavery. After they’re freed from slavery to occupy their land again, 4600 years after my father left Jerusalem, the Lord God would raise up a prophet among the Jews, even the Messiah, that is, a Savior of the world. 5He also explained that many of the prophets testified about this Messiah, the Redeemer of the world, that he mentioned. 6Therefore all mankind was and always would be in a lost and fallen state unless they relied on this Redeemer.
- 7He also spoke about a prophet who was to come before the Messiah to prepare the way for the Lord, 8who would cry out in the wilderness: Prepare the way for the Lord and follow in His straight path. There’s one standing among you whom you don’t acknowledge, who’s far greater than I; whose sandal strap I’m not worthy to even touch. My father spoke at length about this. 9My father said that prophet would baptize in Bethabara on the other side of the Jordan River. He also said that he would baptize with water, including baptizing the Messiah with water, 10and after he baptized the Messiah with water, he would testify that he had baptized the Lamb of God, who would redeem all of creation from the Fall.
- 11After my father said these things, he talked to my brothers about the gospel that would be preached among the Jews, and about the Jews falling away in unbelief. And after they kill the coming Messiah, following His death, He would rise from the dead and make Himself known to the Gentiles by the Holy Ghost. 12Understand, my father spoke extensively about the Gentiles and about the house of Israel, comparing them to an olive tree whose branches would be broken off and scattered throughout the earth. 13Therefore he said it was part of God’s plan for us to go to our promised land, to fulfill the Lord’s word that we would be scattered across the earth; 14and after the house of Israel has been scattered, they would be gathered back together; or in other words, in the end, after the Gentiles receive the fullness of the gospel, that the olive tree’s natural branches (meaning the remnants of the house of Israel), would be grafted in or learn to worship the true Messiah, their Lord and their Redeemer. 15My father prophesied and taught my brothers this. He said many more things that I’m not writing in this book since I’ve written about it in my other book. 16All of this happened as my father lived in a tent in the valley of Lemuel.
- 17After I heard all my father’s words about what he saw in a vision, and what he understood by the power of the Holy Ghost which he received by faith in the Son of God about the coming Messiah, I also wanted to see, hear, and know about these things by the power of the Holy Ghost. That is God’s gift to those who diligently seek Him, both long ago as well as when He’ll show Himself to mankind. 18He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. And the way has been prepared for all mankind from the foundation of creation if they repent and come to Him. 19Because those who diligently seek will find, and God’s mysteries will be unfolded to them by the power of the Holy Ghost. This is true yesterday, today, and tomorrow because the Lord’s pathway is one eternal round. 20So remember, everyone: You will be judged for all your actions. 21As a result, if you’ve pursued and done evil during the days of your probation, then you’ll be found unclean before God’s judgment seat. And no unclean thing can live with God; therefore you’ll be rejected forever. 22The Holy Ghost authorizes me to tell you these things and never deny them.
- 11After I had asked to personally experience the things my father had seen, and believing the Lord could reveal them to me, as I sat pondering in my heart, I was carried away in the Spirit of the Lord to a very high mountain, one I had never seen or set foot on before. 2The Spirit asked me: What do you want? 3I replied: I want to see what my father saw. 4The Spirit asked me: Do you believe your father saw the tree he has talked about? 5I replied: Yes, you know that I believe all my father’s words. 6When I had said these words, the Spirit shouted: Hallelujah to the Lord, the Most High God! He is God over the whole earth, even above all! And you are blessed, Nephi, because you believe in the son of the Most High God; therefore you’ll see the things you’ve asked to see. 7And this will be given to you for a sign, that after you’ve seen the tree that bore the fruit your father tasted, you’ll also see a man descending from heaven and you’ll testify of Him. And after you’ve testified of Him, you’ll testify that He is the Son of God.
- 8Then the Spirit said: Look! And I looked and saw a tree, like the tree that my father had seen. Its beauty surpassed all beauty and its brightness exceeded the whiteness of the newly fallen snow. 9After I had seen the tree, I said to the Spirit: I see you’ve shown me the tree that’s more precious than anything else. 10Then He asked me: What do you want? 11I replied: To know what it means. I spoke to Him as a man speaks, because I saw His form was as a man, yet I still knew it was the Spirit of the Lord, and He talked with me just like talking to another person.
- 12Then He told me: Look! And I looked in His direction but didn’t see Him, since He departed. 13Instead, I looked and I saw the great city of Jerusalem and other cities as well. And I saw the city of Nazareth. And in the city of Nazareth, I saw a virgin, and she was very beautiful and pure. 14Then I saw the heavens open, and an Angel came down and stood in front of me. He asked me: Nephi, what do you see? 15I replied: The most beautiful, pure virgin. 16He asked me: Do you understand God’s condescension? 17I replied: I know that He loves His children, but I don’t understand everything. 18Then He said to me: The virgin you see is the Mother of the Son of God when He becomes a mortal. 19I saw She was carried away in the spirit.
- After She had been carried away in the spirit for some time, the Angel told me: Look! 20Then I looked and saw the virgin again, now carrying a child in Her arms. 21The Angel told me: Behold the Lamb of God, even the Son of the Eternal Father. Do you know the meaning of the tree your father saw? 22I replied: Yes, it’s God’s love, which inspires the souls of mankind; so it’s the most valuable of all things. 23Then He told me: Yes, and the greatest joy for mankind’s soul.
- 24After He had said these words, He said: Look! And I looked and saw the Son of God mingling as a mortal with mankind. I saw many fall down at His feet and worship Him. 25Then I realized the iron railing my father saw was God’s word. It led to the source of living waters or to the tree of life, whose waters represent God’s love. I also concluded the tree of life represented God’s love.
- 26Then the Angel told me again: Look and observe the condescension of God! 27And I looked and saw the Redeemer of the world, whom my father mentioned, and the prophet who would prepare the way for Him. The Lamb of God went to him and was baptized by him. After baptism, I saw the heavens open and the Holy Ghost came down out of heaven and rested on Him in the form of a dove. 28I saw that He went out ministering to the people in power and great glory, and large numbers of people gathered to hear Him. But I also saw Him thrown out of meetings. 29I also saw twelve others following Him who were removed by the Spirit from my view.
- 30Then the Angel told me: Look! And I looked and saw the heavens open again and angels descending to mankind, and they ministered to them.
- 31And He spoke to me again, saying: Look! And I looked and saw the Lamb of God going out among the people. I saw many people who were sick and afflicted with all kinds of diseases and with demons and unclean spirits — the Angel spoke and showed all these things to me — and the power of the Lamb of God healed them, and the demons and unclean spirits were thrown out.
- 32Then the Angel said again: Look! And I looked and saw the Lamb of God, the Son of the Everlasting God, was taken and judged by the world. I was a witness and testify: 33I saw He was put up on the cross and killed for the world’s sins. 34After He was killed, I saw that great numbers of people had gathered to fight against the Lamb’s witnesses (which is what the Angel of the Lord called the Twelve). 35Crowds had assembled, and I saw they were in a large and spacious building, like the one my father saw. The Angel of the Lord said: Look at the world and its wisdom; notice the house of Israel has gathered to fight against the Lamb’s Twelve witnesses. 36I saw and testify that the large and spacious building was the world’s pride, and its fall was terrible. Then the Angel of the Lord said to me: This is how the destruction will be of all people who fight the Lamb’s Twelve witnesses, from every nation, tribe, and language.
- 12Then the Angel told me: Look and see your descendants and your brothers’ descendants also. And I looked and saw the promised land and many people — seemingly as many as the sands of the sea. 2Then I saw many people gathered to fight against each other. I saw wars, reports of wars, and death by the sword among my people. 3I saw many generations killed in wars and conflicts on the land. And I saw many cities, too many to count. 4Then I saw a dark cloud upon the promised land. I also saw lightning and heard thunder, earthquakes, and many violent noises, the earth’s solid surface being broken up, mountains falling down in rubble, and the plains of the earth being broken up. I also saw many cities get sunk, many burned, and many collapse because of the earthquakes. 5After I saw these things, I saw the dark cloud lifted from the surface of the earth. I also saw the survivors who hadn’t died from the Lord’s great and terrible judgments. 6And I saw the heavens open and the Lamb of God descend from heaven. He came down and showed Himself to them.
- 7I also saw and testify the Holy Ghost fell on twelve others, and they were ordained by God and chosen. 8Then the Angel said to me: See the Lamb’s twelve witnesses who were chosen to minister to your descendants. 9And He told me: You remember the Lamb’s Twelve witnesses. They’re the ones who are to judge the twelve tribes of Israel; therefore the twelve ministers of your descendants will be judged by them because you belong to the house of Israel. 10The Twelve ministers you now see will judge your descendants. They are righteous forever and because of their faith in the Lamb of God, His blood cleanses their clothes.
- 11Then the Angel said: Look! And I looked and saw that three generations of people lived and died in righteousness; their clothes were clean, just like the Lamb of God. The Angel told me: These are made clean through the Lamb’s blood because of their faith in Him. 12I also saw many of the fourth generation who died in righteousness. 13And I saw great numbers of people gathered together. 14Then the Angel said to me: Now notice your descendants and your brothers’ descendants. 15I looked and saw great numbers of my descendants gathered against my brothers’ descendants — they prepared for war. 16Then the Angel said to me: See the filthy river your father saw and talked about; its depths are the depths of hell. 17And the dark mists are the temptations of the accuser, who blinds people’s eyes, hardens their hearts, and leads them away into wide roads, to perish and be lost. 18The large and spacious building your father saw represents false and foolish thinking and the pride of mankind. A great and terrible gulf divides them — which is the sword of the justice of the Eternal God and Messiah, who is the Lamb of God, whom the Holy Ghost testifies of, from the beginning of the world until now, and from this time forth and forever.
- 19While the Angel said this, I saw my brothers’ descendants fought against my descendants, just like the Angel said. And because of my descendant’s pride and the accuser’s temptations, I saw my brothers’ descendants overpowered my descendants. 20Then I watched and saw my brothers’ descendants defeated my descendants. And large numbers of them spread out over the land. 21I saw them gather in great numbers, and witnessed wars and reports of wars among them; and I saw many generations of people die fighting wars and hearing reports of wars. 22Then the Angel told me: These will fall away in unbelief. 23And I saw that after they fell away in unbelief, they became a corrupt, repulsive, and sinful people, following a meaningless religion and full of all kinds of abominations.
- 13Then the Angel told me: Look! And I looked and saw many nations and kingdoms. 2Then the Angel asked me: What do you see? I replied: I see many nations and kingdoms. 3Then He told me: These are Gentile nations and kingdoms. 4I saw among the Gentile nations a large and powerful church was built up. 5Then the Angel said to me: Notice the building up of a fully corrupt church, worse than all other churches, which kills God’s holy ones, and tortures them, ties them down, subjugates them, and enslaves them with an iron yoke. 6I saw this corrupt and utterly wicked church, and I saw that the accuser was the foundation of it. 7I also saw gold, silver, woven and scarlet clothing, fine knit linen, and all kinds of costly apparel, and I saw all kinds of corruption. 8Then the Angel said to me: The gold, silver, woven and scarlet clothing, fine knit linen, costly apparel, and corruption are the things this utterly wicked church considers valuable. 9And it’s to get praise of the world that they destroy the holy ones of God and enslave them.
- 10Then I looked and saw a great ocean, and it separated the Gentiles from my brothers’ descendants. 11The Angel said to me: God’s anger is directed at your brothers’ descendants. 12And I looked and saw a man among the Gentiles, who was separated from my brothers’ descendants by the great ocean. I also saw that the Spirit of God came down and influenced the man. He went out upon the vast water, going all the way to my brothers’ descendants, who were in the promised land. 13Then I saw the Spirit of God inspired other Gentiles, who then fled captivity and crossed the vast ocean. 14Following that I saw large numbers of Gentiles on the promised land. I also saw that God’s anger was upon my brothers’ descendants, and they scattered before the Gentiles and were slaughtered. 15And I saw that the Spirit of the Lord was upon the Gentiles, and they prospered and obtained the land as their inheritance. I saw they were devout, faithful, and beautiful, like my people before they were killed. 16Then I saw the Gentiles who fled from captivity humbled themselves before the Lord, and His power was with them. 17I saw that their foreign government that controlled them gathered on both sea and land to fight them. 18But I saw God’s power was with them, and His wrath was upon those who came to fight them. 19I saw the Gentiles who had left captivity were protected by God’s power from all other nations. 20Then I saw they prospered in the land.
- I also saw they had a book. 21The Angel asked me: Do you know the book’s purpose? 22I replied: I don’t know. 23So He said: It comes from the Jews. And I saw it. And He told me: The book you see is a record of the Jews; it contains the covenants the Lord has made to the house of Israel. It also contains many of the prophecies of the holy prophets. It’s a record like the engravings on the brass plates, except it’s less complete. Still, it contains the covenants the Lord has made to the house of Israel; therefore they’re very valuable to the Gentiles. 24Then the Angel of the Lord said: You’ve seen that the book came from the Jews. When it came from the Jews, it contained the fullness of the gospel of the Lamb, whom the Twelve witnesses testified about. And they testified truthfully of the Lamb of God. 25So these things were delivered in purity from the Jews to the Gentiles, relating the truth of God. 26After they’re delivered by the Lamb’s Twelve witnesses, from the Jews to the Gentiles, you see the establishment of that corrupt and utterly wicked church, which is the most detestable of all other churches. For they removed from the Lamb’s gospel many clear and extremely valuable parts and they’ve also removed many of the Lord’s covenants. 27They’ve done all this in order to corrupt and pervert the right ways of the Lord, to blind people’s eyes and harden their hearts. 28Therefore you see that after the book has passed through the hands of that corrupt and utterly wicked church, many clear and extremely valuable things are gone from the book, which is the book of the Lamb of God. 29And after these clear and valuable things are gone, it was passed along to all the Gentile nations.
- And after all Gentile nations receive the book, a great number of people make a great number of mistakes that gives Satan power over them. That altered book is what the Gentiles who crossed the sea to escape captivity bring with them. It lacks many clear, understandable things about the Lamb of God. 30Nevertheless, you see the Gentiles have left captivity and have been liberated by God’s power to independently control the land. The land is better than all other places on earth. The Lord God covenanted with your father to inherit it, and your descendants will mix with your brothers’ descendants and survive. 31God won’t let the Gentiles destroy all your brothers’ descendants, 32or leave the Gentiles in the awful blind condition you see that resulted from that utterly wicked church removing the clear and extremely valuable parts of the Lamb’s gospel. 33Therefore, the Lamb of God says, I’ll have mercy for the Gentiles and will judge and punish the remnant of the house of Israel.
- 34Then the Angel of the Lord told me: The Lamb of God says: After I’ve judged the remnant of the house of Israel (referring to your father’s descendants), after punishing them using the Gentiles, I’ll show mercy to the Gentiles. They’ll make a great many mistakes because of the extremely clear and valuable parts of the Lamb’s gospel that have been removed by that utterly wicked church, which is the mother of harlots. But by My power I’ll bring to light for them more of My gospel, which will be clear and very valuable, says the Lamb. 35Indeed, says the Lamb, I’ll personally appear to your descendants so they are able to write many things that I’ll provide to them, which will be plain and very valuable. After your descendants are destroyed and fall away in unbelief, along with your brothers’ descendants, these writings will be hidden and protected, to later be delivered to the Gentiles by the gift and power of the Lamb. 36My gospel will be written in them, says the Lamb — My rock and My salvation. 37I’ll bless those who then want to bring about My Zion; they’ll have the gift and power of the Holy Ghost. And if they continue faithful to the end, they’ll be raised up on the last day and saved in the everlasting kingdom of the Lamb. Therefore, any who proclaim peace, the joyful news, how beautiful shall be their presence upon the mountains!
- 38Then I saw my brothers’ descendants and the book of the Lamb of God, which had come from the Jews, and that it came from the Gentiles to my brothers’ descendants. 39After it had come to them, I saw other books that came by the Lamb’s power from the Gentiles to them — these convinced the Gentiles and my brothers’ descendants, and also the Jews who were scattered throughout the earth, that the records of the prophets and the Lamb’s Twelve witnesses are true. 40Then the Angel told me: The last records that you’ve seen among the Gentiles will confirm the truth of the first ones — which come from the Lamb’s Twelve witnesses — and will reveal the clear and valuable things which have been removed from them and reveal to all people of every tribe and language that the Lamb of God is the Son of the Eternal Father and Savior of the world and that all people must come to Him or they cannot be saved. 41And according to the words of the Lamb they must come to Him. And the Lamb’s words will be revealed in the records of your descendants as well as in the records of the Lamb’s Twelve witnesses. So they’ll both be witnesses together, because there’s one God and one Shepherd over the whole earth. 42At a future time, He’ll reveal Himself to all nations, both to the Jews and to the Gentiles. And after He has revealed Himself to the Jews and to the Gentiles, He’ll then appear to the Gentiles and to the Jews. The last will be first and the first will be last.
- 14If the Gentiles then obey the Lamb of God, He’ll reveal Himself to them in word and power and in person, in order to remove barriers to their belief, 2and if they don’t harden their hearts against the Lamb of God, they’ll be included with your father’s descendants — indeed, they’ll be included as part of the house of Israel. And they’ll become a blessed family in the promised land forever. They won’t be enslaved anymore, and the house of Israel won’t be embarrassed anymore. 3And the great pit dug for them by that utterly wicked church, which the accuser and his followers founded so that he could take people’s souls down to hell — that great pit dug for people’s destruction will be filled with those who dug it, to their complete destruction, says the Lamb of God — not the destruction of the soul, but throwing it into that endless hell. 4This is according to the accuser’s imprisonment, and according to God’s justice as well, upon all those who insist on doing wicked and corrupt things in God’s sight.
- 5Then the Angel told me: You’ve seen that if the Gentiles repent, it will turn out well for them. You also know about the Lord’s covenants with the house of Israel. And you’ve also heard that whoever doesn’t repent must perish. 6As a result, if the Gentiles harden their hearts against the Lamb of God, I will afflict them. 7Because the time will come, says the Lamb of God, when I’ll bring about a great and awe-inspiring work among mankind, one that will be everlasting — one way or the other — either to convince them, resulting in peace and life eternal; or to give them up to their hard hearts and blind minds, bringing about their slavery and temporal and spiritual destruction, under the accuser’s enslavement which I’ve spoken about.
- 8When the Angel had said this, He asked me: Do you remember the Father’s covenants to the house of Israel? I replied: Yes. 9Then He told me: Look and observe that utterly wicked church, which is the mother of abominations, whose foundation is the accuser. 10Then He told me: There are only two churches: one is the congregation of the Lamb of God and the other is the church of the accuser. Therefore anyone who doesn’t belong to the congregation of the Lamb of God belongs to the other wealthy and corrupt church that is the mother of abominations, and she is the whore of the whole earth.
- 11Then I looked and saw the whore of the whole earth. She was spread everywhere across the seas, ruling over the whole earth, among all people of every nation, tribe, and language. 12And I saw the congregation of the Lamb of God; its numbers were few because of the wickedness and abominations of the whore who was spread everywhere across the seas. Nevertheless, I saw that the congregation of the Lamb, who were God’s holy ones, were also there throughout the earth; but their presence was small because of the wickedness of the great whore whom I saw. 13And I saw the great mother of abominations assembled in large numbers all over the earth among all Gentile nations to fight against the Lamb of God. 14Then I saw the power of the Lamb of God descend upon the holy ones of the Lamb’s congregation and upon the Lord’s covenant people, who were scattered across the earth. They were armed with righteousness and God’s power in great glory.
- 15And I saw that God’s wrath was poured out upon that wealthy and utterly wicked church, so that wars and reports of wars arose among the nations and tribes of the earth. 16As these wars and reports of wars arose among the nations that followed the mother of abominations, the Angel told me: God’s wrath is upon the mother of harlots. You’re a witness to all these things. 17When the time comes that God’s anger is poured out upon the mother of harlots — the wealthy and utterly wicked church of the whole earth, whose foundation is the accuser — then as that happens it will be part of the Father’s work to vindicate the covenants He has made with His people who belong to the house of Israel.
- 18Then the Angel told me: Look! 19And I looked and saw a man, and he was dressed in a white robe. 20The Angel said to me: This is one of the Lamb’s Twelve witnesses. 21He’s been appointed to see and write about the remainder of these things, and also about many other things that have happened. 22He’ll also write about the end of the world. 23Therefore the things he will write are proper and true, and they’re written in the book you saw coming from the Jews. When they came from the Jews, or when the book came from the Jews, what was written was clear and pure and extremely valuable and easy for all to understand. 24The things this witness of the Lamb is to write are many of the things that you’ve seen, and you’ll see the rest. 25However, you must not write the things you’ll see after this, since the Lord God has ordered the witness of the Lamb of God to write them. 26He has shown all things to others who have lived, and they’ve written them as well. They’re sealed up to come forward in their correct form to the house of Israel, when the Lord deems it to be the proper time, according to the truth that’s in the Lamb.
- 27I heard and testify that according to the Angel’s word, the name of the Lamb’s witness was John. 28I’m forbidden to write the rest of the things I saw and heard. So, I’m satisfied with what I’ve written, and I’ve only written a small part of what I saw. 29I testify that I saw the things my father saw, and the Angel of the Lord revealed them to me. 30Now I finish writing about what I saw while I was in contact with the Spirit. And even though everything I saw isn’t written, the things I have written are true. So be it, Amen.
Chapter 3