Jacob

Chapter 3

14 verses

1

I, Jacob, am speaking to you who are pure in heart. Turn to God with a firm mind, pray to him with great faith, and he will comfort you in your troubles, stand up for you, and bring justice to those who try to destroy you.

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But behold, I, Jacob, would speak unto you that are pure in heart. Look unto God with firmness of mind, and pray unto him with exceeding faith, and he will console you in your afflictions, and he will plead your cause, and send down justice upon those who seek your destruction.

2

All of you who are pure in heart, lift up your heads and receive the pleasing word of God, and feast on his love; you can, if your minds are firm, forever.

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O all ye that are pure in heart, lift up your heads and receive the pleasing word of God, and feast upon his love; for ye may, if your minds are firm, forever.

3

But sorrow awaits you who are not pure in heart, who are unclean before God today; unless you repent, the land will be cursed because of you. The Lamanites, who are not unclean like you, though they are cursed with a severe curse, will punish you even to destruction.

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But, wo, wo, unto you that are not pure in heart, that are filthy this day before God; for except ye repent the land is cursed for your sakes; and the Lamanites, which are not filthy like unto you, nevertheless they are cursed with a sore cursing, shall scourge you even unto destruction.

4

The time is coming soon that, unless you repent, they will take possession of your inherited land, and the Lord God will lead the righteous away from among you.

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And the time speedily cometh, that except ye repent they shall possess the land of your inheritance, and the Lord God will lead away the righteous out from among you.

5

The Lamanites, your brothers, whom you hate because of their filthiness and the curse that has come upon their skins, are more righteous than you. They have not forgotten the commandment of the Lord, which was given to our father—that they should have only one wife, and no concubines, and there should not be any whoredoms among them.

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Behold, the Lamanites your brethren, whom ye hate because of their filthiness and the cursing which hath come upon their skins, are more righteous than you; for they have not forgotten the commandment of the Lord, which was given unto our father—that they should have save it were one wife, and concubines they should have none, and there should not be whoredoms committed among them.

6

They keep this commandment, and because they do, the Lord God will not destroy them but will show them mercy. One day, they will become a blessed people.

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And now, this commandment they observe to keep; wherefore, because of this observance, in keeping this commandment, the Lord God will not destroy them, but will be merciful unto them; and one day they shall become a blessed people.

7

Their husbands love their wives, and their wives love their husbands; both husbands and wives love their children. Their unbelief and hatred toward you is because of the sins of their fathers. So, how are you any better than they are in the eyes of your great Creator?

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Behold, their husbands love their wives, and their wives love their husbands; and their husbands and their wives love their children; and their unbelief and their hatred towards you is because of the iniquity of their fathers; wherefore, how much better are you than they, in the sight of your great Creator?

8

My brothers, I’m afraid that unless you repent of your sins, their skins will be whiter than yours when you are brought with them before the throne of God.

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O my brethren, I fear that unless ye shall repent of your sins that their skins will be whiter than yours, when ye shall be brought with them before the throne of God.

9

I give you a commandment from God: do not insult them because of the darkness of their skin, and do not insult them because of their filthiness. Instead, remember your own filthiness and remember that their filthiness came because of their fathers.

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Wherefore, a commandment I give unto you, which is the word of God, that ye revile no more against them because of the darkness of their skins; neither shall ye revile against them because of their filthiness; but ye shall remember your own filthiness, and remember that their filthiness came because of their fathers.

10

Remember your children, how you have hurt their hearts by the example you have set for them; and also remember that because of your wickedness, you may lead your children to destruction, and their sins may be placed upon you at the last day.

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Wherefore, ye shall remember your children, how that ye have grieved their hearts because of the example that ye have set before them; and also, remember that ye may, because of your filthiness, bring your children unto destruction, and their sins be heaped upon your heads at the last day.

11

My brothers, listen to my words; awaken the abilities of your souls; shake yourselves so you can wake up from the sleep of death; free yourselves from the pains of hell so you do not become angels to the devil, to be thrown into that lake of fire and brimstone, which is the second death.

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O my brethren, hearken unto my words; arouse the faculties of your souls; shake yourselves that ye may awake from the slumber of death; and loose yourselves from the pains of hell that ye may not become angels to the devil, to be cast into that lake of fire and brimstone which is the second death.

12

Now I, Jacob, spoke many more things to the people of Nephi, warning them against fornication, lust, and every kind of sin, telling them about the terrible consequences of these things.

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And now I, Jacob, spake many more things unto the people of Nephi, warning them against fornication and lasciviousness, and every kind of sin, telling them the awful consequences of them.

13

Not even a hundredth part of what these people did, who were now becoming numerous, can be written on these plates; but many of their actions, including their wars, their conflicts, and the reigns of their kings, are recorded on the larger plates.

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And a hundredth part of the proceedings of this people, which now began to be numerous, cannot be written upon these plates; but many of their proceedings are written upon the larger plates, and their wars, and their contentions, and the reigns of their kings.

14

These plates are called the plates of Jacob, and they were made by Nephi. I will now finish speaking these words.

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These plates are called the plates of Jacob, and they were made by the hand of Nephi. And I make an end of speaking these words.

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