(Book of Mormon, 1830 Edition)
THE WORDS OF MORMON.
CHAPTER I.
AND now I, Mormon, being about to deliver up the record which I have been making,
into the hands of my son Moroni, behold, I have witnessed almost all the destruction of my
people, the Nephites. And it is many hundred years after the coming of Christ, that I deliver
these records into the hands of my son; and it supposeth me that he will witness the entire
destruction of my people. But may God grant that he may survive them, that he may write
somewhat concerning them, and somewhat concerning Christ, that perhaps some day it may
profit them.
And now, I speak somewhat concerning that which I have written: for after that I had
made an abridgment from the plates of Nephi, down to the reign of this king Benjamin, of which
Amaleki spake, I searched among the records which had been delivered into my hands, and I
found these plates, which contained this small account of the Prophets, from Jacob, down to the
reign of this king Benjamin; and also, many of the words of Nephi. And the things which are
upon these plates pleasing me, because of the prophecies of the coming of Christ; and my fathers
knowing that many of them have been fulfilled, yea, and I also know that as many things as have
been prophesied concerning us down to this day, has been fulfilled; and as many as go beyond
this day, must surely come to pass; wherefore, I chose these things, to finish my record upon
them, which remainder of my record I shall take from the plates of Nephi; and I cannot write a
hundredth part of the things of my people.
But behold, I shall take these plates, which contain these prophecyings 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. 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 is to come; wherefore, he worketh in me to do
according to his will. And my prayer to God, is concerning my brethren, that they may once
again come to the knowledge of God; yea, the redemption of Christ; that they may once again be
a delightsome people.
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 God hath given
me. Wherefore, it came to pass 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; and they were handed down from king Benjamin, from generation to generation, until
they have fallen into my hands. And I, Mormon, pray to God that they may be preserved, from
this time hence forth. 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 God which is written.
And now, concerning this king Benjamin: He had somewhat contentions among his own
people. And it came to pass 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; 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 pass that they did contend against the
Lamanites, until they had driven them out of all the lands of their inheritance.
And it came to pass that after there had been false Christs, and their mouths had been
shut, and they punished according to their crimes; 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 contentions and many dissentions, away unto the
Lamanites, behold, it came to pass that king Benjamin, with the assistance of the Holy Prophets
which were among his people: 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 God, with power and with authority; and they did use much sharpness, because of the
stiffneckedness of the people; 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, wherefore, they
did once more establish peace in the land.