- 8According to our record, which we know is true because it was kept by a righteous man — he really performed many miracles in Jesus’ name, and no one could perform a miracle in His name unless they were completely cleansed of their iniquity — 2now if this man didn’t make a mistake in calculating our time, the 33rd year came to an end. 3The people began to anxiously watch for the sign given by the prophet Samuel the Lamanite, meaning the time when darkness would cover the land for three days. 4There was a lot of uncertainty and arguments among the people, despite the fact so many signs had already been given.
- 5In the 34th year, on the 14th day of the first month, a great storm arose, the kind of storm that had never been experienced before in that land. 6There were great and terrible winds; and terrible thunder, so much so that it shook the whole earth as if it were about to split apart. 7There was very sharp lightning, the kind of lightning never before experienced in that land. 8The city of Zarahemla caught fire. 9The city of Moroni sank into the depths of the sea and its inhabitants drowned. 10And earth overwhelmed the city of Moronihah, so that a great mountain rose up in its place. 11There was great and terrible destruction in the land to the south. 12But the destruction was greater and more terrible in the land to the north since the whole surface of the land was changed because of the storms, tornadoes, thunder, lightning, and very strong earthquakes. 13Highways were broken up, level roads were damaged, and many flat areas became uneven. 14Many prominent cities were sunk, many were burned, and many were shaken until their buildings had fallen to the ground and their inhabitants were killed and they were left empty. 15Some cities remained, but they were heavily damaged, and many of the occupants were killed. 16Some were taken away by tornadoes; and no one knows where they went, except they know they were removed. 17So the surface of the whole land was deformed because of the storms, thunder, lightning, and earthquakes. 18The solid ground was split apart — indeed, the land was broken up all over, being left in broken fragments, grooves, and cracks everywhere.
- 19When the thunder, lightning, storms, violent wind, and earthquakes stopped after approximately three hours, although some said it lasted much longer, nevertheless all these great and terrible things happened over the course of about three hours and then darkness covered the land.
- 20Thick darkness covered the whole land, so that those who survived could feel the vapor of darkness. 21That dark vapor prevented any light, even from candles or torches. And fires couldn’t be lit either, not even with their best and very dry wood, so there wasn’t any light at all. 22So no light was seen, not a fire or a spark, nor the sun, moon, or stars, as thick mists of darkness covered the land.
- 23No light was seen for three days. There was continuous, intense mourning, howling, and weeping by the people; indeed, their deep cries of anguish echoed loudly, because of the darkness and devastation that had befallen them. 24In one place they were heard crying out: Why didn’t we repent before this great and terrible day! If we had repented, then our people would have been spared and they wouldn’t have been burned in that great city of Zarahemla! 25In another place they were heard crying out and mourning: Why didn’t we repent before this great and terrible day! Why did we kill and stone the prophets and drive them away! If we hadn’t done this, then our mothers and beautiful daughters and children would have been spared and wouldn’t have been buried in that great city of Moronihah. And so they lamented loudly.
- 9Then a voice was heard among all the inhabitants of the land, crying out: 2Woe, woe, woe to this people! Woe to the inhabitants of the whole earth unless they repent. The accuser is laughing and his angels are rejoicing because of the beautiful sons and daughters of My people who have been killed. It’s because of their iniquity and their abominations that they’ve fallen. 3I’ve burned that great city of Zarahemla, along with its inhabitants. 4I’ve caused that great city of Moroni to be sunk in the depths of the sea and its inhabitants to be drowned. 5I’ve covered that great city of Moronihah with earth, along with its inhabitants, to hide their iniquities and abominations from My sight, so the blood of the prophets and holy ones won’t protest to Me against them anymore. 6I’ve caused the city of Gilgal to be sunk and its inhabitants to be buried deep in the earth — 7and the city of Onihah and its inhabitants, and the city of Mocum and its inhabitants, and the city of Jerusalem and its inhabitants; and I’ve caused water to come up in their place, to hide their wickedness and abominations from My sight, so the blood of the prophets and holy ones won’t protest to Me against them anymore. 8And the city of Gadiandi, the city of Gadiomnah, the city of Jacob, and the city of Gimgimno — I’ve caused all these cities to be sunk and have made hills and valleys where they used to be. And I’ve buried their inhabitants deep in the earth, to hide their wickedness and abominations from My sight, so the blood of the prophets and holy ones won’t protest to Me against them anymore. 9That great city Jacob-Ugath, which was inhabited by king Jacob’s people, I’ve caused to be burned with fire because of their sins and wickedness, which was above all the wickedness of the whole earth because of their secret murders and conspiracies: they were the ones who destroyed the peace of My people and the government of the land. Therefore I caused them to be burned, to remove them from My sight, so the blood of the prophets and holy ones wouldn’t protest to Me against them anymore. 10I’ve caused the city of Laman, the city of Josh, the city of Gad, and the city of Kishcumen to be burned with fire, along with their inhabitants, because of their wickedness in driving out the prophets and stoning those whom I sent to declare to them regarding their wickedness and abominations. 11Because they drove them all out, so there weren’t any righteous people remaining, I sent down fire and destroyed them, so their wickedness and abominations would be hidden from My sight, so the blood of the prophets and holy ones I sent among them wouldn’t cry to Me from the ground against them. 12All this devastation of this land and its people has been necessary because of their wickedness and abominations.
- 13All you that have been spared because you were more righteous than they were, will you return to Me now and repent of your sins and be converted, so I can heal you? 14I promise you: If you come to Me, you will have eternal life. My arm of mercy is reaching for you. Anyone who comes to Me, I’ll receive them; those who come to Me will be blessed. 15I Am Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I created the heavens, the earth, and everything that’s in them. I was with the Father since the beginning. I Am in the Father and the Father in Me; and the Father has glorified His name in Me. 16I came to My own, and My own rejected Me; and the scriptures promising My coming are fulfilled. 17I’ve given power to all those who have received Me, to become sons and daughters of God. Likewise, I’ll give power to all those who believe in My name. Because redemption comes through Me, and the Law of Moses has been concluded by Me. 18I Am the light and the life of the world. I Am first and last, the beginning and the end. 19You must no longer shed blood as an offering to Me; indeed, your sacrifices and burnt offerings must end now, because I’ll no longer accept any of your sacrifices or burnt offerings. 20You must offer Me a broken heart and a contrite spirit as a sacrifice. Whoever comes to Me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, I’ll baptize them with fire and the Holy Ghost, just like the Lamanites were baptized with fire and the Holy Ghost because of their faith in Me at the time of their conversion, and yet they didn’t understand what it was. 21I’ve come into the world to bring redemption to the world, to save the world from sin. 22Therefore whoever repents and comes to Me as a little child, I will receive them, because God’s kingdom is made up of people like this. I’ve given My life for such people, and I’ve taken it up again. Therefore repent and come to Me, everyone throughout the world, and be saved.
- 10Now all the people of the land heard these words and were witnesses of them. After these things were said, there was silence in the land for many hours. 2The silence was because the people’s astonishment was so great they stopped mourning and howling about losing their relatives. So there was silence throughout the land for many hours.
- 3Then a voice spoke again to the people, and everyone heard it and testified of it. The voice said: 4You people of these great cities that have fallen, who are descendants of Jacob, who belong to the house of Israel; you people of the house of Israel, how often I’ve gathered you as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings and how often I’ve guided you! 5Again, how often I’ve tried to gather you as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings! You people of the house of Israel who have fallen, O house of Israel who live at Jerusalem as well as you that have fallen: how often I would have gathered you as a hen gathers her chicks, but you refused! 6You people of the house of Israel whom I’ve spared, how often I will gather you as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, if you repent and return to Me with all your heart! 7But if not, O house of Israel, your dwelling places will become desolate until the time when the covenant to your fathers is kept.
- 8After the people heard this, they again began to weep and howl because of lost relatives and friends, 9and for three days this continued. Then in the morning, the darkness dispersed from the land and the ground stabilized, stopped splitting, the terrible groaning stopped, and all the tumult of noises ended. 10The ground held firmly together once more and stood still. The mourning, weeping, and wailing of the survivors stopped. Their mourning changed into joy and their lamentations changed into praise and thanksgiving to the Lord Jesus Christ their Redeemer. 11At that point the scriptures spoken by the prophets were fulfilled. 12It was the more righteous who were saved; they were the ones who received the prophets and didn’t stone them. Those who were spared were the ones who hadn’t killed the holy ones. 13They were spared and weren’t sunk and buried deep in the ground, they weren’t drowned in the depths of the sea, they weren’t burned by fire, they weren’t fallen upon and crushed to death, they weren’t carried away in the tornadoes, and they weren’t overcome by the vapor of smoke and darkness.
- 14Now whoever reads this, please understand; if you have the scriptures, please carefully study them and notice if all these deaths and this destruction by fire, smoke, storms, tornadoes, and the opening of the earth to bury them, whether all of it fulfills the prophecies of so many of the holy prophets. 15I tell you: Many testified about these things at Christ’s coming and were killed because of their testimony about these things. 16This includes the prophet Zenos, and Zenoch who both spoke about these things, and they testified specifically about us, who are a remnant of their descendants. 17Our father Jacob also testified about a remnant of Joseph’s descendants. And aren’t we a remnant of Joseph’s descendants? These things that testify of us, aren’t they written on the brass plates our father Lehi brought from Jerusalem? 18At the end of the 34th year, I’ll show you that the Nephites who were spared, as well as those who had been called Lamanites, were favored and greatly blessed, to such an extent that soon after Christ’s ascension into heaven He actually visited them, 19showing His body to them and ministering to them. An account of His ministry will follow after this. Therefore I’m finishing my remarks for now.
Chapter 4