- 1Now the 91st year ended and it had been 600 years since Lehi left Jerusalem. That year Lachoneus was chief judge and governor over the land. 2And Nephi the son of Helaman left Zarahemla, giving his eldest son Nephi possession of the brass plates and all other records, along with every item regarded as sacred since Lehi’s departure from Jerusalem. 3Then he left the land. No one knows where he went. His son Nephi maintained the record of this people after him.
- 4At the start of the 92nd year, the events prophesied by the prophets were taking place more frequently with greater signs and miracles happening among the people. 5But there were some who said the time was past for the fulfillment of what Samuel the Lamanite said would happen. 6They began to celebrate the defeat of their fellow Nephites, saying: The time is past, and Samuel’s words haven’t been fulfilled. Therefore your joy and anticipation of it happening have been foolish. 7They stirred up turmoil throughout the land. And the people who believed were very disheartened, fearing that perhaps the prophesied things might not happen. 8But they watched, still hoping for the day and night and day that would be like one day, with no nighttime, so they would know their faith hadn’t been misplaced.
- 9Now there was a day set by the unbelievers on which everyone who still believed in those traditions was to be executed, unless the sign given by Samuel the prophet happened. 10When Nephi the son of Nephi saw this wickedness of his people, he was distressed. 11So he went to pray, knelt on the ground, and prayed mightily to God on behalf of his people who were about to be killed because of their faith in their fathers’ traditions. 12He prayed powerfully to the Lord all that day, and the Lord’s voice spoke to him, saying: 13Lift up your head and be of good cheer, because the time has arrived, and the sign will be given tonight. I’ll come into the world tomorrow, to show to the world that I’ll fulfill everything I had My holy prophets declare. 14I’m coming to My own to fulfill everything I’ve revealed to mankind from the foundation of creation, and to obey the will of both the Father and of the Son — of the Father because of Me, and of the Son because of My flesh. The time has arrived, and the sign will be given tonight.
- 15The words told to Nephi were fulfilled, just as they had been spoken. There was no darkness at sunset. And the people were astonished because there was no darkness when the night came. 16Many who hadn’t believed the prophet’s words collapsed and appeared to be lifeless, since they realized their big plan to kill those who believed the prophet’s words had been crushed — the promised sign had already arrived. 17They began to realize the Son of God would soon appear. And in short, everyone throughout the land — from the west to the east, both in the north and south — was so astonished that they fell to the ground. 18They knew the prophets had testified of these things for many years and the promised sign had just occurred. They began to be afraid because of their iniquity and unbelief.
- 19There was no darkness during the entire night, but it was as light as if it was midday. Then the sun rose in the morning again, in regular order. They knew it was the day the Lord would be born, because the promised sign happened. 20And it followed in every detail exactly as the prophets had foretold. 21A new star appeared as well, as was foretold. 22Immediately lies from Satan began to circulate, to harden their hearts, so they wouldn’t believe in the signs they saw and their awe-inspiring meaning. But despite these lies and deceptions, most of the people believed and were converted to the Lord.
- 23Nephi went out to teach the people, and so did many others, baptizing as a sign of repentance, and there were many sins forgiven. So the people again experienced peace in the land. 24There were no disputes except for one involving a few who started to preach, claiming to prove from the scriptures that the Law of Moses no longer applied. But they were wrong about this and didn’t understand the scriptures. 25But they soon were converted and convinced of their error because the Law wasn’t yet fulfilled, and must be fulfilled completely. It was revealed to them that not even the smallest detail or part would end until it was all fulfilled. Therefore in this same year they realized their error and admitted their mistakes. 26So the 92nd year came to an end, bringing good news to the people because of the signs that happened vindicating the words of the prophecy of all the holy prophets.
- 27The 93rd year ended in peace as well, except there were still Gaddianton robbers, who lived in the mountains and defiled the land. Their fortifications and secret places were too well defended for the people to defeat them; therefore they got away with murder and slaughtered many people. 28In the 94th year, their numbers increased somewhat because there were many Nephite defectors who joined them, which very much disappointed the Nephites who remained. 29The Lamanites were also very disappointed by their children who grew into adulthood and were persuaded by the convincing lies of the Zoramites to also join the Gaddianton robbers. 30So the Lamanites were afflicted also, and began to lose faith and commitment because of the growing wickedness of the rising generation.
- 2The 95th year ended. The people started to forget the signs and marvelous things they had been taught. They became increasingly less impressed by signs or miracles from heaven. Their hearts grew hard, their minds blinded, and they started to disbelieve everything they had heard and seen, 2foolishly imagining it was just something people, using the accuser’s power, did to mislead and deceive everyone’s hearts and minds. So Satan once again influenced the people’s hearts, blinding their eyes and persuading them to believe Christ’s doctrine was foolish and worthless.
- 3The people increasingly drifted into wickedness and abominations. They refused to believe there would be more signs or miracles. Satan succeeded in leading away the people’s hearts, tempting them to do great evil in the land. 4This developed over the 96th year, as well as the 97th year, the 98th year, and the 99th year. 5It had been 100 years since the time king Mosiah led the Nephites. 6And 609 years had elapsed since Lehi left Jerusalem. 7It was nine years since the sign foretold by the prophets marked the birth of Christ into the world. 8Now the Nephites began to measure time from when the sign was given, or from Christ’s birth; therefore nine years ended. 9This was when Nephi, who had responsibility for the records, the father of Nephi, didn’t return to Zarahemla and couldn’t be found anywhere in the whole land.
- 10The people remained wicked despite the preaching and prophesying constantly provided to them. The 10th year ended; and the 11th year also ended with continuing iniquity. 11In the 13th year, wars and conflicts started everywhere, because the Gaddianton robbers were so numerous, killed so many people, ruined so many cities, and spread so much death and carnage throughout the land that it was necessary for all the people, both the Nephites and the Lamanites, to fight against them. 12So all the Lamanite converts to the Lord united with the Nephites, and for the mutual protection of themselves and their women and children, they took up arms against the Gaddianton gang of robbers. They fought to maintain their rights, the privilege of their congregation to worship, and their freedom and liberty.
- 13Before this 13th year ended, the Nephites faced the threat of complete destruction because of the terrible, widespread war. 14Now the Lamanites who had joined with the Nephites were included as part of the Nephites. 15Their curse was removed, and their countenance became pure and radiant like the Nephites. 16Their young men and women became very beautiful and were included as and called Nephites. And so ended the 13th year.
- 17At the start of the 14th year, the war between the robbers and the Nephites continued and worsened. Nevertheless, the Nephites gained some advantage over the robbers, driving them back out of their lands into the mountains and hiding places. 18And so ended the 14th year. And in the 15th year, they again attacked the Nephites. Because of the Nephites’ wickedness and their many conflicts and defections, the Gaddianton robbers had many advantages over them. 19And so ended the 15th year. The people found themselves facing many hardships; and the sword of destruction hung over them, and they were about to be struck down; and this was the result of their iniquity.
The Third Book of Nephi
THE SON OF NEPHI, WHO WAS THE SON OF HELAMAN
[THIRD NEPHI]
Helaman was the son of Helaman, who was the son of Alma, who was the son of Alma, a descendant of Nephi, who was the son of Lehi, who came from Jerusalem in the first year of the rule of Zedekiah, king of Judah.
Chapter 1