And now I, Nephi, proceed to give an account upon these plates, of my proceedings, and my reign and ministry; wherefore, to proceed with mine account, I must speak somewhat of the things of my father, and also of my brethren.
For behold, it came to pass that after my father had made an end of speaking the words of his dream, and also of exhorting them to all diligence, he spake unto them concerning the Jews:—
How tThat after they wershould be destroyed, yea, even that great city Jerusalem;, and that many werbe carried away captive into Babylon; that, according to the own due time of the Lord, they should return again;, yea, even be brought back out of captivity; and after they arshould be brought back out of captivity, they should possess again the land of their inheritance.
Yea, even six hundred years from the time that my father left Jerusalem, a Pprophet would the Lord God raise up among the Jews; yea, —even a Messiah;, or, in other words, a Saviour of the world.
And he also spake concerning the prophets:, Hhow great a number had testified of these things, concerning this Messiah, of whichom he had spoken, or this Redeemer of the world.
Wherefore, all mankind wasere in a lost and in a fallen state;, and ever would be, save they should rely on this Redeemer.
And he spake also, concerning a prophet, whicho should come before the Messiah, to prepare the way of the Lord;—
yYea, even he should go forth and cry in the wilderness,: Prepare ye the way of the Lord, and make his paths straight; for there standeth one among you whom ye know not; and he is mightier than I, whose shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to unloose. And much spake my father concerning this thing.
And my father saith thatd he should baptisze in Bethabara, beyond Jordan; and he also spake, thatid he should baptisze with water; yea, even that he should baptisze the Messiah with water.
And after that he had baptiszed the Messiah with water, he should behold and bear record, that he had baptiszed the Lamb of God, whicho should take away the sins of the world.
And it came to pass that after my father had spoken these words, he spake unto my brethren concerning the Ggospel, which should be preached among the Jews;, and also, concerning the dwindling of the Jews in unbelief. And after that they had slain the Messiah, whicho should come, and after that he had been slain, he should rise from the dead, and should make himself manifest, by the Holy Ghost, unto the Gentiles.
Yea, even my father spake much concerning the Gentiles, and also concerning the Hhouse of Israel:, Tthat they should be compared like unto an olive tree, whose branches should be broken off, and should be scattered upon all the face of the earth.
Wherefore, he said, it must needs be that we should be led with one accord, into the land of promise, unto the fulfilling of the word of the Lord:, Tthat we should be scattered upon all the face of the earth.
And after that the Hhouse of Israel should be scattered, they should be gathered together again; or, in fine, that after the Gentiles had received the fulness of the Gospel, the natural branches of the olive tree, or the remnants of the Hhouse of Israel, should be grafted in, or come to the knowledge of the true Messiah, their Lord and their Redeemer.
And after this manner of language did my father prophesy and speak unto my brethren;, and also, many more things, which I do not write in this book; for I have written as many of them, as were expedient for me, in mine other book.
And all these things, of which I have spoken, wasere done, as my father dwelt in a tent, in the valley of Lemuel.
And it came to pass that after I, Nephi, having heard all the words of my father, concerning the things which he saw in a vision;, and also the things which he spake by the power of the Holy Ghost;, which power, he received by faith on the Son of God—and the Son of God was the Messiah, whicho should come—I, Nephi, was desirous also that I might see, and hear, and know of these things, by the power of the Holy Ghost, which is the gift of God unto all those who diligently seek him, as well in times of old as in the time that he should manifest himself unto the children of men.
For he is the same yesterday, to-day, and forever; and the way is prepared for all men from the foundation of the world, if it so be that they repent and come unto him;.
fFor he that diligently seeketh, shall find; and the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto them, by the power of the Holy Ghost, as well in these times, as in times of old;, and as well in times of old, as in times to come; wherefore, the course of the Lord is one eternal round.
Therefore, remember, O man, for all thy doings, thou shalt be brought into judgment.
Wherefore, if ye have sought to do wickedly in the days of your probation, then ye are found unclean before the judgment -seat of God; and no unclean thing can dwell with God; wherefore, ye must be cast off forever.
And the Holy Ghost giveth authority that I should speak these things, and deny them not.