The Book of Mormon Part 36

Words of Mormon 1:6 6 But behold, I shall take these plates, which contain these prophesyings and revelations, and put them with the remainder of my record, for they are choice unto me; and I know they will be choice unto my brethren.

Words of Mormon 1:7 7 And I do this for a wise purpose; for thus it whispereth me, according to the workings of the Spirit of the Lord which is in me. And now, I do not know all things; but the Lord knoweth all things which are to come; wherefore, he worketh in me to do according to his will.

Words of Mormon 1:8 8 And my prayer to G.o.d is concerning my brethren, that they may once again come to the knowledge of G.o.d, yea, the redemption of Christ; that they may once again be a delightsome people.

Words of Mormon 1:9 9 And now I, Mormon, proceed to finish out my record, which I take from the plates of Nephi; and I make it according to the knowledge and the understanding which G.o.d has given me.

Words of Mormon 1:10 10 Wherefore, it came to pa.s.s that after Amaleki had delivered up these plates into the hands of king Benjamin, he took them and put them with the other plates, which contained records which had been handed down by the kings, from generation to generation until the days of king Benjamin.

Words of Mormon 1:11 11 And they were handed down from king Benjamin, from generation to generation until they have fallen into my hands. And I, Mormon, pray to G.o.d that they may be preserved from this time henceforth. And I know that they will be preserved; for there are great things written upon them, out of which my people and their brethren shall be judged at the great and last day, according to the word of G.o.d which is written.

Words of Mormon 1:12 12 And now, concerning this king Benjamin--he had somewhat of contentions among his own people.

Words of Mormon 1:13 13 And it came to pa.s.s also that the armies of the Lamanites came down out of the land of Nephi, to battle against his people.

But behold, king Benjamin gathered together his armies, and he did stand against them; and he did fight with the strength of his own arm, with the sword of Laban.

Words of Mormon 1:14 14 And in the strength of the Lord they did contend against their enemies, until they had slain many thousands of the Lamanites. And it came to pa.s.s that they did contend against the Lamanites until they had driven them out of all the lands of their inheritance.

Words of Mormon 1:15 15 And it came to pa.s.s that after there had been false Christs, and their mouths had been shut, and they punished according to their crimes;

Words of Mormon 1:16 16 And after there had been false prophets, and false preachers and teachers among the people, and all these having been punished according to their crimes; and after there having been much contention and many dissensions away unto the Lamanites, behold, it came to pa.s.s that king Benjamin, with the a.s.sistance of the holy prophets who were among his people--

Words of Mormon 1:17 17 For behold, king Benjamin was a holy man, and he did reign over his people in righteousness; and there were many holy men in the land, and they did speak the word of G.o.d with power and with authority; and they did use much sharpness because of the stiffneckedness of the people--

Words of Mormon 1:18 18 Wherefore, with the help of these, king Benjamin, by laboring with all the might of his body and the faculty of his whole soul, and also the prophets, did once more establish peace in the land.

THE BOOK OF MOSIAH

Mosiah 1 Chapter 1

Mosiah 1:1 1 And now there was no more contention in all the land of Zarahemla, among all the people who belonged to king Benjamin, so that king Benjamin had continual peace all the remainder of his days.

Mosiah 1:2 2 And it came to pa.s.s that he had three sons; and he called their names Mosiah, and Helorum, and Helaman. And he caused that they should be taught in all the language of his fathers, that thereby they might become men of understanding; and that they might know concerning the prophecies which had been spoken by the mouths of their fathers, which were delivered them by the hand of the Lord.

Mosiah 1:3 3 And he also taught them concerning the records which were engraven on the plates of bra.s.s, saying: My sons, I would that ye should remember that were it not for these plates, which contain these records and these commandments, we must have suffered in ignorance, even at this present time, not knowing the mysteries of G.o.d.

Mosiah 1:4 4 For it were not possible that our father, Lehi, could have remembered all these things, to have taught them to his children, except it were for the help of these plates; for he having been taught in the language of the Egyptians therefore he could read these engravings, and teach them to his children, that thereby they could teach them to their children, and so fulfilling the commandments of G.o.d, even down to this present time.

Mosiah 1:5 5 I say unto you, my sons, were it not for these things, which have been kept and preserved by the hand of G.o.d, that we might read and understand of his mysteries, and have his commandments always before our eyes, that even our fathers would have dwindled in unbelief, and we should have been like unto our brethren, the Lamanites, who know nothing concerning these things, or even do not believe them when they are taught them, because of the traditions of their fathers, which are not correct.

Mosiah 1:6 6 O my sons, I would that ye should remember that these sayings are true, and also that these records are true. And behold, also the plates of Nephi, which contain the records and the sayings of our fathers from the time they left Jerusalem until now, and they are true; and we can know of their surety because we have them before our eyes.

Mosiah 1:7 7 And now, my sons, I would that ye should remember to search them diligently, that ye may profit thereby; and I would that ye should keep the commandments of G.o.d, that ye may prosper in the land according to the promises which the Lord made unto our fathers.

Mosiah 1:8 8 And many more things did king Benjamin teach his sons, which are not written in this book.

Mosiah 1:9 9 And it came to pa.s.s that after king Benjamin had made an end of teaching his sons, that he waxed old, and he saw that he must very soon go the way of all the earth; therefore, he thought it expedient that he should confer the kingdom upon one of his sons.

Mosiah 1:10 10 Therefore, he had Mosiah brought before him; and these are the words which he spake unto him, saying: My son, I would that ye should make a proclamation throughout all this land among all this people, or the people of Zarahemla, and the people of Mosiah who dwell in the land, that thereby they may be gathered together; for on the morrow I shall proclaim unto this my people out of mine own mouth that thou art a king and a ruler over this people, whom the Lord our G.o.d hath given us.

Mosiah 1:11 11 And moreover, I shall give this people a name, that thereby they may be distinguished above all the people which the Lord G.o.d hath brought out of the land of Jerusalem; and this I do because they have been a diligent people in keeping the commandments of the Lord.

Mosiah 1:12 12 And I give unto them a name that never shall be blotted out, except it be through transgression.

Mosiah 1:13 13 Yea, and moreover I say unto you, that if this highly favored people of the Lord should fall into transgression, and become a wicked and an adulterous people, that the Lord will deliver them up, that thereby they become weak like unto their brethren; and he will no more preserve them by his matchless and marvelous power, as he has. .h.i.therto preserved our fathers.

Mosiah 1:14 14 For I say unto you, that if he had not extended his arm in the preservation of our fathers they must have fallen into the hands of the Lamanites, and become victims to their hatred.

Mosiah 1:15 15 And it came to pa.s.s that after king Benjamin had made an end of these sayings to his son, that he gave him charge concerning all the affairs of the kingdom.

Mosiah 1:16 16 And moreover, he also gave him charge concerning the records which were engraven on the plates of bra.s.s; and also the plates of Nephi; and also, the sword of Laban, and the ball or director, which led our fathers through the wilderness, which was prepared by the hand of the Lord that thereby they might be led, every one according to the heed and diligence which they gave unto him.

Mosiah 1:17 17 Therefore, as they were unfaithful they did not prosper nor progress in their journey, but were driven back, and incurred the displeasure of G.o.d upon them; and therefore they were smitten with famine and sore afflictions, to stir them up in remembrance of their duty.

Mosiah 1:18 18 And now, it came to pa.s.s that Mosiah went and did as his father had commanded him, and proclaimed unto all the people who were in the land of Zarahemla that thereby they might gather themselves together, to go up to the temple to hear the words which his father should speak unto them.

Mosiah 2 Chapter 2

Mosiah 2:1 1 And it came to pa.s.s that after Mosiah had done as his father had commanded him, and had made a proclamation throughout all the land, that the people gathered themselves together throughout all the land, that they might go up to the temple to hear the words which king Benjamin should speak unto them.

Mosiah 2:2 2 And there were a great number, even so many that they did not number them; for they had multiplied exceedingly and waxed great in the land.

Mosiah 2:3 3 And they also took of the firstlings of their flocks, that they might offer sacrifice and burnt offerings according to the law of Moses;

Mosiah 2:4 4 And also that they might give thanks to the Lord their G.o.d, who had brought them out of the land of Jerusalem, and who had delivered them out of the hands of their enemies, and had appointed just men to be their teachers, and also a just man to be their king, who had established peace in the land of Zarahemla, and who had taught them to keep the commandments of G.o.d, that they might rejoice and be filled with love towards G.o.d and all men.

Mosiah 2:5 5 And it came to pa.s.s that when they came up to the temple, they pitched their tents round about, every man according to his family, consisting of his wife, and his sons, and his daughters, and their sons, and their daughters, from the eldest down to the youngest, every family being separate one from another.

Mosiah 2:6 6 And they pitched their tents round about the temple, every man having his tent with the door thereof towards the temple, that thereby they might remain in their tents and hear the words which king Benjamin should speak unto them;

Mosiah 2:7 7 For the mult.i.tude being so great that king Benjamin could not teach them all within the walls of the temple, therefore he caused a tower to be erected, that thereby his people might hear the words which he should speak unto them.

Mosiah 2:8 8 And it came to pa.s.s that he began to speak to his people from the tower; and they could not all hear his words because of the greatness of the mult.i.tude; therefore he caused that the words which he spake should be written and sent forth among those that were not under the sound of his voice, that they might also receive his words.

Mosiah 2:9 9 And these are the words which he spake and caused to be written, saying: My brethren, all ye that have a.s.sembled yourselves together, you that can hear my words which I shall speak unto you this day; for I have not commanded you to come up hither to trifle with the words which I shall speak, but that you should hearken unto me, and open your ears that ye may hear, and your hearts that ye may understand, and your minds that the mysteries of G.o.d may be unfolded to your view.

Mosiah 2:10 10 I have not commanded you to come up hither that ye should fear me, or that ye should think that I of myself am more than a mortal man.

Mosiah 2:11 11 But I am like as yourselves, subject to all manner of infirmities in body and mind; yet I have been chosen by this people, and consecrated by my father, and was suffered by the hand of the Lord that I should be a ruler and a king over this people; and have been kept and preserved by his matchless power, to serve you with all the might, mind and strength which the Lord hath granted unto me.

Mosiah 2:12 12 I say unto you that as I have been suffered to spend my days in your service, even up to this time, and have not sought gold nor silver nor any manner of riches of you;

Mosiah 2:13 13 Neither have I suffered that ye should be confined in dungeons, nor that ye should make slaves one of another, nor that ye should murder, or plunder, or steal, or commit adultery; nor even have I suffered that ye should commit any manner of wickedness, and have taught you that ye should keep the commandments of the Lord, in all things which he hath commanded you--

Mosiah 2:14 14 And even I, myself, have labored with mine own hands that I might serve you, and that ye should not be laden with taxes, and that there should nothing come upon you which was grievous to be borne--and of all these things which I have spoken, ye yourselves are witnesses this day.