3 Nephi
19 verses
All the people of the land heard these words and witnessed them. After these words, there was silence in the land for many hours.
And now behold, it came to pass that all the people of the land did hear these sayings, and did witness of it. And after these sayings there was silence in the land for the space of many hours;
The people were so astonished that they stopped mourning and crying over the loss of their loved ones who had been killed, and there was silence throughout the land for many hours.
For so great was the astonishment of the people that they did cease lamenting and howling for the loss of their kindred which had been slain; therefore there was silence in all the land for the space of many hours.
A voice spoke again to the people, and everyone heard it and witnessed it, saying:
And it came to pass that there came a voice again unto the people, and all the people did hear, and did witness of it, saying:
People of these great cities that have fallen, descendants of Jacob, who are of the house of Israel, how often I have gathered you as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and have nourished you.
O ye people of these great cities which have fallen, who are descendants of Jacob, yea, who are of the house of Israel, how oft have I gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and have nourished you.
And again, how often would I have gathered you like a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, O people of the house of Israel who have fallen; O people of the house of Israel, you who live at Jerusalem and have fallen; how often would I have gathered you like a hen gathers her chicks, and you would not allow it.
And again, how oft would I have gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, yea, O ye people of the house of Israel, who have fallen; yea, O ye people of the house of Israel, ye that dwell at Jerusalem, as ye that have fallen; yea, how oft would I have gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens, and ye would not.
O house of Israel whom I have spared, how often I will gather you as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, if you will repent and return to me with full purpose of heart.
O ye house of Israel whom I have spared, how oft will I gather you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, if ye will repent and return unto me with full purpose of heart.
But if not, O house of Israel, your homes will become desolate until the covenant made with your fathers is fulfilled.
But if not, O house of Israel, the places of your dwellings shall become desolate until the time of the fulfilling of the covenant to your fathers.
After the people heard these words, they began to weep and cry again because they had lost their family and friends.
And now it came to pass that after the people had heard these words, behold, they began to weep and howl again because of the loss of their kindred and friends.
The three days passed. In the morning, the darkness disappeared from the land, the earth stopped shaking, the rocks stopped breaking apart, the terrible groanings ended, and all the loud noises faded away.
And it came to pass that thus did the three days pass away. And it was in the morning, and the darkness dispersed from off the face of the land, and the earth did cease to tremble, and the rocks did cease to rend, and the dreadful groanings did cease, and all the tumultuous noises did pass away.
The earth came back together so that it stood firm, and the mourning, weeping, and wailing of the people who survived stopped. Their sorrow turned into joy, and their cries became praise and thanksgiving to the Lord Jesus Christ, their Redeemer.
And the earth did cleave together again, that it stood; and the mourning, and the weeping, and the wailing of the people who were spared alive did cease; and their mourning was turned into joy, and their lamentations into the praise and thanksgiving unto the Lord Jesus Christ, their Redeemer.
Up to this point, the scriptures that the prophets had spoken were fulfilled.
And thus far were the scriptures fulfilled which had been spoken by the prophets.
The more righteous part of the people were saved; they were the ones who accepted the prophets and did not stone them, and they had not shed the blood of the saints—they were spared.
And it was the more righteous part of the people who were saved, and it was they who received the prophets and stoned them not; and it was they who had not shed the blood of the saints, who were spared—
They were spared and were not sunk or buried in the earth; they were not drowned in the depths of the sea; they were not burned by fire, nor were they crushed to death; they were not carried away by the whirlwind, nor were they overcome by the vapor of smoke and darkness.
And they were spared and were not sunk and buried up in the earth; and they were not drowned in the depths of the sea; and they were not burned by fire, neither were they fallen upon and crushed to death; and they were not carried away in the whirlwind; neither were they overpowered by the vapor of smoke and of darkness.
Now, whoever reads this, let them understand; whoever has the scriptures, let them search them and see if all these deaths and destructions by fire, smoke, tempests, whirlwinds, and the opening of the earth to receive them are not the fulfillment of the prophecies of many of the holy prophets.
And now, whoso readeth, let him understand; he that hath the scriptures, let him search them, and see and behold if all these deaths and destructions by fire, and by smoke, and by tempests, and by whirlwinds, and by the opening of the earth to receive them, and all these things are not unto the fulfilling of the prophecies of many of the holy prophets.
I tell you, many have testified of these things at the coming of Christ, and were killed because they testified of them.
Behold, I say unto you, Yea, many have testified of these things at the coming of Christ, and were slain because they testified of these things.
The prophet Zenos testified of these things, and Zenock also spoke about them, because they specifically testified about us, who are the remnant of their descendants.
Yea, the prophet Zenos did testify of these things, and also Zenock spake concerning these things, because they testified particularly concerning us, who are the remnant of their seed.
Our father Jacob also testified about a remnant of Joseph’s descendants. Aren’t we a remnant of Joseph’s descendants? And aren’t these things that testify about us written on the brass plates that our father Lehi brought from Jerusalem?
Behold, our father Jacob also testified concerning a remnant of the seed of Joseph. And behold, are not we a remnant of the seed of Joseph? And these things which testify of us, are they not written upon the plates of brass which our father Lehi brought out of Jerusalem?
At the end of the thirty-fourth year, I will show you that the people of Nephi who were spared, and also those who had been called Lamanites who were spared, received great kindness and many blessings, so much that soon after Christ ascended into heaven, he truly appeared to them—
And it came to pass that in the ending of the thirty and fourth year, behold, I will show unto you that the people of Nephi who were spared, and also those who had been called Lamanites, who had been spared, did have great favors shown unto them, and great blessings poured out upon their heads, insomuch that soon after the ascension of Christ into heaven he did truly manifest himself unto them—
He showed his body to them and ministered to them; an account of his ministry will be given later. For now, I will end my words.
Showing his body unto them, and ministering unto them; and an account of his ministry shall be given hereafter. Therefore for this time I make an end of my sayings.