Words of Mormon
18 verses
I, Mormon, am about to give the record I have been keeping to my son Moroni. I have witnessed almost all the destruction of my people, the Nephites.
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.
It is many hundreds of years after the coming of Christ that I give these records to my son. I think he will witness the complete destruction of my people. But I pray that God will allow him to survive them, so he can write something about them and about Christ, so that maybe someday it will benefit them.
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.
Now I want to talk a little about what I have written. After I made an abridgment from the plates of Nephi down to the reign of King Benjamin, whom Amaleki mentioned, I searched through the records that had been given to me and found these plates. They contained this brief account of the prophets from Jacob down to the reign of King Benjamin, as well as many of Nephi’s words.
And now, I speak somewhat concerning that which I have written; for after I had made an abridgment from the plates of Nephi, down to the reign of this king Benjamin, of whom 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.
The things written on these plates please me because they contain prophecies about the coming of Christ. My fathers knew that many of these prophecies have been fulfilled, and I also know that everything prophesied about us up to this day has happened, and everything that is prophesied to happen after this day will surely come to pass.
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 have been fulfilled, and as many as go beyond this day must surely come to pass—
I chose these things to finish my record on them, and the rest of my record I will take from the plates of Nephi. I cannot write even a hundredth part of the things about my people.
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 the hundredth part of the things of my people.
I will take these plates, which contain these prophecies and revelations, and put them with the rest of my record, because they are precious to me; and I know they will be precious to my brothers.
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.
I do this for a wise purpose, because the Spirit of the Lord prompts me to do so. I don't know everything, but the Lord knows all things that will happen, and he works through me to accomplish his will.
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.
My prayer to God is for my brothers, that they may come again to know God and the redemption of Christ, so they can once again be a joyful and blessed people.
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.
Now I, Mormon, am continuing to finish my record, which I am taking from the plates of Nephi, and I am making it according to the knowledge and understanding that God has given me.
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 has given me.
After Amaleki gave these plates to King Benjamin, he took them and placed them with the other plates, which contained records that had been passed down by the kings from generation to generation until the days of King Benjamin.
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.
They were passed down from King Benjamin from generation to generation until they came into my possession. I, Mormon, pray to God that they will be preserved from now on. I know they will be preserved, because there are great things written on them, and my people and their brethren will be judged from them at the great and last day, according to the word of God that is written.
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 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 God which is written.
Now, about King Benjamin—he had some conflicts among his own people.
And now, concerning this king Benjamin—he had somewhat of contentions among his own people.
The armies of the Lamanites came down from the land of Nephi to fight against his people. But King Benjamin gathered his armies and stood against them; he fought with his own strength, using the sword of Laban.
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.
With the Lord’s strength, they fought against their enemies and killed many thousands of the Lamanites. They continued to fight the Lamanites until they had driven them out of all their inherited lands.
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.
After there had been false Christs, their mouths were silenced, and they were punished according to their crimes;
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;
After there had been false prophets, false preachers, and teachers among the people, and all of them had been punished according to their crimes; and after there had been much contention and many people leaving to join the Lamanites, king Benjamin, with the help of the holy prophets who were among his people—
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 pass that king Benjamin, with the assistance of the holy prophets who were among his people—
King Benjamin was a holy man, and he ruled his people righteously. There were many holy men in the land who spoke the word of God with power and authority, and they used strong words because the people were stubborn.
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—
With the help of these people, King Benjamin, by working with all his strength and his whole soul, along with the prophets, was able to establish peace in the land again.
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.