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THE BOOK OF NEPHI WHO IS THE SON OF NEPHI, ONE OF THE DISCIPLES OF JESUS CHRIST An account of the people of Nephi, according to his record. |
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CHAPTER 1The Nephites and the Lamanites are all converted to the Church of Christ—They have all things in common, work miracles, and prosper in the land—After two centuries divisions, evils, false churches, and persecutions arise—After three hundred years both the Nephites and the Lamanites are wicked—Ammaron hides up the sacred records. [Between A.D. 36 and 321] |
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1 AND it came to pass that the thirty and
fourth year passed away,
and also the thirty and fifth, and behold the disciples of Jesus had formed a
church of Christ in all the lands round about. And as many as did come unto
them, and did truly repent of their sins, were abaptized in
the name of Jesus; and they did also receive the Holy Ghost.
2 And it came to pass in the thirty and sixth year, the people were all converted unto the Lord, upon all the face of the land, both Nephites and Lamanites, and there were no contentions and disputations among them, and every man did deal justly one with another. 3 And they had aall things common among them; therefore there were not rich and poor, bond and free, but they were all made free, and partakers of the heavenly bgift.
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1a
3 Ne. 26:17 3a Jacob 2:19 (17-19); Mosiah 4:26; Mosiah 18:27 (19-29); Alma 16:16; 3 Ne. 12:42; 3 Ne. 26:19; TG Consecration b TG God, Gifts of
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4 And it came to pass that the thirty and seventh year passed away
also, and there still continued to be apeace in the land.
5 And there were great and marvelous works wrought by the disciples of Jesus, insomuch that they did aheal the sick, and braise the dead, and cause the lame to walk, and the blind to receive their sight, and the deaf to hear; and all manner of cmiracles did they work among the children of men; and in nothing did they work miracles save it were in the name of Jesus. 6 And thus did the thirty and eighth year pass away, and also the thirty and ninth, and forty and first, and the forty and second, yea, even until forty and nine years had passed away, and also the fifty and first, and the fifty and second; yea, and even until fifty and nine years had passed away.
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4a
TG
Peace 5a TG Healing b TG Death, Power over c John 14:12 (12-14); TG Miracle
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7 And the Lord did prosper them exceedingly in the land; yea,
insomuch that they did build cities again where there had been
cities burned.
8 Yea, even that great acity Zarahemla did they cause to be built againa. 9 But there were many cities which had been asunk, and waters came up in the stead thereof; therefore these cities could not be reneweda.
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8a
3 Ne. 8:8, 24 9a 3 Ne. 9:4, 7
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10 And now, behold, it came to pass that the people of Nephi did wax
strong, and did multiply exceedingly
fasta, and became an exceedingly
afair and delightsome people.
11 And they were married, and given in marriage, and were blessed according to the multitude of the apromises which the Lord had made unto them. 12 And they did not walk any more after the aperformances and bordinances of the claw of Moses; but they did walk after the commandments which they had received from their Lord and their God, continuing in dfasting and prayer, and in meeting together oft both to pray and to hear the word of the Lord.
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10a
1 Ne. 13:15;
2 Ne. 5:21;
Morm. 9:6 11a TG Promise 12a 2 Ne. 25:30 b TG Ordinance c 3 Ne. 9:19; 3 Ne. 15:4 (2-8); TG Law of Moses d Moro. 6:5; D&C 88:76
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13 And it came to pass that there was no contention among all
the people, in all the land; but there were mighty miracles
wrought among the disciples of Jesus.
14 And it came to pass that the *seventy and first year passed away, and also the seventy and second year, yea, and in fine, till the seventy and ninth year had passed away; yea, even an hundred years had passed away, and the disciples of Jesus, whom he had chosen, had all gone to the bparadise of God, save it were the cthree who should tarry; and there were other ddisciples eordained in their steada; and also many of that fgeneration had passed away.
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14a there were other disciples ordained in their stead Now the exact order the the Nephite Church of Christ is not known, but we may presume that the three Nephites being the senior apostles, did consitute a type of 'presidency' of chief apostles of the Church throughout all the time that the church was so organized. And that they did strive to maintain the quorum of the 12 by ordaining new members in the stead of those who died speaks volumes about the continued organization to be maintained in the church which should be applied to the church after the death of Joseph Smith, that the authority of the church did rest in the body of the Quorum of the Twelve, though a chief apostle may be set apart as the prophet and president of the church. |
14*
[A.D. 72] a 3 Ne. 28:3; Morm. 3:19 b TG Paradise c 3 Ne. 28:12; TG Translated Beings d TG Apostles e TG Priesthood, History f 1 Ne. 12:12
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15 And it came to pass that there was no
acontention in the land, because of the
blove of God which did dwell in the hearts of the people.
16 And there were no aenvyings, nor bstrifes, nor ctumults, nor whoredoms, nor lyings, nor murders, nor any manner of dlasciviousness; and surely there could not be a ehappier people among all the people who had been created by the hand of God. 17 There were no robbers, nor murderers, neither were there Lamanites, nor any manner of -ites; but they were in aone, the children of Christ, and heirs to the kingdom of God. 18 And how blessed were they! For the Lord did bless them in all their doings; yea, even they were blessed and prospered until an *hundred and ten years had passed away; and the first generation from Christ had passed away, and there was no contention in all the land.
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15a
TG
Contention b TG God, Love of 16a TG Envy b TG Strife c TG Rioting and Reveling d TG Lust d Prov. 14:34; Mosiah 2:41; Alma 50:23; TG Happiness 17a John 17:21-23; TG Zion 18* [A.D. 111]
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19 And it came to pass that aNephi, he that kept
this last record, (and he kept it upon the bplates of
Nephi) died, and his son Amos kept it in his stead; and he kept it upon the
plates of Nephi also.
20 And he kept it eighty and four yearsa, and there was still peace in the land, save it were a small part of the people who had revolted from the church and taken upon them the name of Lamanites; therefore there began to be aLamanites again in the land.
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20a he kept it eighty and four years This seems to refer to Amos, but it might refer to Nephi who is the son of Nephi the disciple who we do not have an account of dying. But if that Nephi the disciple had died it would have been by such dates as referenced in verse 14 or well before according to his age when he was ordained in 34 A.D., like unto the other disciples referenced who had all died by age 72 according to the word of the Lord. But since there is no specific record as to his death, there is room left to consider him that he might be one of the three Nephites, though he would have had to have passed the record to his here mentioned (verse 9) son Nephi while he would have yet been alive. |
19a
3 Ne. 23:7 b 3 Ne. 26:7 20a 3 Ne. 10:18; Morm. 1:9
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21 And it came to pass that aAmos died also, (and
it was an hundred and ninety and four years from the coming of
Christa) and
his son Amos kept the record in his stead; and he also kept it upon the
plates of Nephi; and it was also written in the book of Nephi, which is this
book.
22 And it came to pass that atwo hundred years had passed away; and the second generation had all passed away save it were a few.
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21a it was an hundred and ninety and four years from the coming of Christ The mathematics of this date would seem to confirm that it was Amos I who had keep the record from 110 A.D. (verse 18) to 194 A.D., making it 84 years (verse 20) that the first Amos had keep the record. |
21a
4 Ne. 1:47 22* [A.D. 201]
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23 And now I, Mormon, would that ye should know that the people
had multiplied, insomuch that they were spread upon all the face of the
landa, and that they had become
exceedingly arich, because of their prosperity in Christ.
24 And now, in this *two hundred and first year there began to be among them those who were lifted up in apride, such as the wearing of costly apparel, and all manner of fine pearls, and of the fine things of the world. 25 And from that time forth they did have their goods and their substance no more acommon among thema.
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23a the people had multiplied, insomuch
that they were spread upon all the face of the land This simple
but straight foreward statement would so indicate that the date by which the
Book of Mormon people did finally fill both North and South America, as it
was constituted at this date, was that of 200 A.D. (verse 22).
25a they did have their goods and their substance no more common among them Though not the end of the church, this would mark the time of the early breakup of the church, for the members first refused to live the united order of all things common among themselves. |
23a
TG
Treasure 24* [A.D. 201] a TG Pride; TG Selfishness 25a TG Consecration
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26 And they began to be divided into classes; and they began to build
up achurches unto themselves to get bgain,
and began to deny the true church of Christ.
27 And it came to pass that when *two hundred and ten years had passed away there were many churches in the land; yea, there were many churches which professed to know the Christ, and yet they did adeny the more parts of his gospel, insomuch that they did receive all manner of wickedness, and did administer that which was sacred unto him to whom it had been bforbidden because of unworthiness. 28 And this church did multiply exceedingly because of iniquity, and because of the power of Satan who did get hold upon their ahearts.
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26a
1 Ne. 22:23;
2 Ne. 28:3-32; Morm. 8:28, 32-38 b Ezek 22:27; D&C 10:56; TG Priestcraft 27* [A.D. 211] a TG Apostasy of Individuals b 3 Ne. 18:28-29 28a TG Devil, Church of b TG Hardheartedness
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29 And again, there was another church which denied the
Christa; and they did
apersecute the true bchurch of
Christb, because of their humility
and their belief in Christ; and they did despise them because of the
many miracles which were wrought among
themc.
30 Therefore they did exercise power and authority over the disciples of Jesus who did tarry with them, and they did cast them into aprison; but by the power of the word of God, which was in them, the prisons were rent in twain, and they went forth doing mighty miracles among them. 31 Nevertheless, and notwithstanding all these miracles, the people did harden their hearts, and did seek to kill them, even as the Jews at Jerusalem sought to kill Jesus, according to his word.
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29a there was another church which
denied the Christ While the first churches which broke from the
true faith were but corruptions of that faith unto the allowing of sin to
varying degrees and built up by men to gain riches in their priestcrafts, it
was not until a complete denial of Christ and a solid 'church of the devil'
was established that the harsh persectutions of the saints of God did set in.
29b they did persecute the true church of Christ Interestingly enough, though there were many other churches which still professed Christ, but had removed themselves far from him in truth and righteousness, it was in particular the true church of Christ which this 'anti-Christ' church did select to persecute. 29c they did despise them because of the many miracles which were wrought amoung them And though the Devil does have certain black powers of his own, the church of the 'anti-Christ' did persecute the true church of Christ because they did despise the power of the many miracles which the true church did wrought among them for the power and priesthood of Christ is greater and more powerful than that held by Satan and his followers. |
29a
TG
Persecution b TG Jesus Christ, Head of the Church 30a 3 Ne. 28:19-20
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32 And they did cast them into afurnaces of
bfire, and they came forth receiving no harm.
33 And they also cast them into adens of wild beasts, and they did play with the wild beasts even as a child with a lamb; and they did come forth from among them, receiving no harm. 34 Nevertheless, the people did harden their hearts, for they were led by many priests and afalse prophets to build up many churches, and to do all manner of iniquity. And they did bsmite upon the people of Jesusa; but the people of Jesus did not smite again. And thus they did dwindle in unbelief and wickedness, from year to year, even until two hundred and thirty years had passed away.
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34a the people of Jesus Now the recorded name of the church was the Church of Christ. But whether this as a secondary name title which did but reference the true and official name of the Church indirectly to preserve the too frequent use of the holy name of Jesus is not totally clear. This particular reference to the 'people of Jesus' might be a hint that the more offical name of the church did include that 'actual name' of the Lord 'Jesus' rather than indirect title of 'Christ'. |
32a
3 Ne. 28:21 b Dan. 3:27 33a 3 Ne. 28:22 34a TG False Prophets b 3 Ne. 6:13; 3 Ne. 12:39; D&C 98:23-27
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~ 231 A.D. ~ |
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35 And now it came to pass in this year, yea, in the
*two hundred and thirty and first year, there
was a great division among the people.
36 And it came to pass that in this year there arose a people who were called the Nephites, and they were true believers in Christ; and among them there were those who were called by the Lamanites—Jacobites, and Josephites, and bZoramites; 37 Therefore the true believers in Christ, and the true worshipers of Christ, (among whom were the athree disciples of Jesus who should tarry) were called Nephites, and Jacobites, and Josephites, and Zoramites.
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35*
[A.D. 231] 36a Morm. 1:8 c Jacob 1:13 37a 3 Ne. 28:7; Morm. 8:10-12
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38 And it came to pass that they who rejected the gospel were called
Lamanites, and Lemuelites, and Ishmaelites; and they did not dwindle in
aunbelief, but they did bwilfully rebel
against the gospel of Christ; and they did teach their children that they
should not believe, even as their fathers, from the beginning, did dwindle.
39 And it was because of the wickedness and abomination of their fathers, even as it was in the beginning. And they were ataught to hate the children of God, even as the Lamanites were taught to bhate the children of Nephi from the beginning.
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38a
TG
Unbelief, Unbelievers b Josh. 22:18; Morm. 1:16 39a Mosiah 10:17 b TG Hate; TG Malice
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40 And it came to pass that *two hundred
and forty and four years had passed away, and thus were the affairs of the
people. And the amore wicked part of the people did wax
strong, and became exceedingly more numerous than were the people of God.
41 And they did still continue to build up churches unto themselves, and adorn them with all manner of precious things. And thus did two hundred and fifty years pass away, and also two hundred and sixty years. 42 And it came to pass that the wicked part of the people began again to build up the secret oaths and acombinations of Gadianton.
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40*
[A.D. 245] a Hel. 5:2 42a TG Secret Combinations
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43 And also the people who were called the people of Nephi began to
be proud in their hearts, because of their exceeding riches, and become
avain like unto their brethren, the Lamanites.
44 And from this time the disciples began to sorrow for the asins of the world. 45 And it came to pass that when three hundred years had passed away, both the people of Nephi and the Lamanites had become exceedingly wicked one like unto another.
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43a
Hel. 16:22 44a Eccl. 3:16-17; 3 Ne. 28:9; Morm. 8:10 (9-10)
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46 And it came to pass that the robbers of
aGadianton did spread over all the face of the land; and
there were none that were righteous save it were the disciples of Jesus. And
gold and silver did they lay up in store in abundance, and did traffic in all
manner of traffic.
47 And it came to pass that after *three hundred and five years had passed away, (and the people did still remain in wickedness) aAmos died; and his brother, Ammaron, did keep the record in his stead.
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46a
Morm. 2:8;
Ether 8:20 b Mosiah 24:7; Ether 10:22 47* [A.D. 306] a 4 Ne. 1:21
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48 And it came to pass that when *three
hundred and twenty years had passed away, aAmmaron, being
constrained by the Holy Ghost, did bhide up the
crecords which were dsacred—yea,
even all the sacred records which had been handed down from generation to
generation, which were sacred—even until the
*three hundred and
twentieth year from the coming of Christ.
49 And he did hide them up unto the Lord that they might acome again unto the remnant of the house of Jacob according to the prophecies and the promises of the Lord. And thus is the end of the record of Ammaron.
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48*
[A.D. 321] a Morm. 1:2 b Morm. 2:17 c TG Scriptures, Preservation of d Hel. 3:15 (13, 15-16) 49a Enos 1:13; Morm. 5:9
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* Verse 14 [A.D. 72]; Verse 18 [A.D. 111];
Verse 22 [A.D. 20]; Verse 24 [A.D. 201]; Verse 27 [A.D. 211]; Verse 35
[A.D. 231]; Verse 40 [A.D. 245]; Verse 47 [A.D. 306]; Verse 48 [A.D. 321]. * Verse 48 [A.D. 320]. |
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