And it came to pass that there arose a division among the people, insomuch that they divided hither and thither, and went their ways, leaving Nephi alone, as he was standing in the midst of them.
And it came to pass that Nephi went his way towards his own house, pondering upon the things which the Lord had sheown unto him.
And it came to pass as he was thus pondering,—being much cast down because of the wickedness of the people of the Nephites, their secret works of darkness, and their murderings, and their plunderings, and all manner of iniquities—and it came to pass as he was thus pondering in his heart, behold, a voice came unto him, saying:
Blessed art thou, Nephi, for those things which thou hast done:; for I have beheld how thou hast with unwearyingness declared the word, which I have given unto thee, unto this people. And thou hast not feared them, and hast not sought thine own life, but hasth sought my will, and to keep my commandments.
And now, because thou hast done this with such unwearyingness, behold, I will bless thee forever; and I will make thee mighty in word and in deed, in faith and in works; yea, even that all things shall be done unto thee according to thy word, for thou shalt not ask that which is contrary to my will.
Behold, thou art Nephi, and I am God. Behold, I declare it unto thee in the presence of mine anglels, that ye shall have power over this people, and shall smite the earth with famine, and with pestilence, and destruction, according to the wickedness of this people.
Behold, I give unto you power, that whatsoever ye shall seal on earth, shall be sealed in heaven; and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven; and thus shall ye have power among this people.
And thus, if ye shall say unto this temple, Iit shall be rent in twain, and it shall be done.
And if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou cast down and become smooth, and it shall be done.
And behold, if ye shall say, Tthat God shall smite this people, it shall come to pass.—
And now behold, I command you, that ye shall go and declare unto this people, that thus saith the Lord God, who is the Almighty: Except ye repent, ye shall be smitten, even unto destruction.
And behold, now it came to pass that when the Lord had spoken these words unto Nephi, he did stop, and did not go unto his own house, but did return unto the multitudes whicho were scattered about upon the face of the land, and began to declare unto them the word of the Lord, which had been spoken unto him, concerning their destruction, if they did not repent.
Now behold, notwithstanding that great miracle which Nephi had done in telling them concerning the death of the Cchief Jjudge, they did harden their hearts, and did not hearken unto the words of the Lord;.
tTherefore Nephi did declare unto them the word of the Lord, saying: Except ye repent, thus saith the Lord:, Yye shall be smitten even unto destruction.—
And it came to pass that when Nephi had declared unto them the word, behold, they did still harden their hearts, and would not hearken unto his words; therefore they did revile against him, and did seek to lay their hands upon him, that they might cast him into prison.
But behold, the power of God was with him, and they could not take him to cast him into prison:, for he was taken by the sSpirit, and conveyed away out of the midst of them.
And it came to pass that thus he did go forth in the sSpirit, from multitude to multitude, declaring the word of God, even until he had declared it unto them all, or sent it forth among all the people.
And it came to pass that they would not hearken unto his words; and there began to be contentions, insomuch that they were divided against themselves, and began to slay one another with the sword.
And thus ended the seventy and first year of the reign of the Jjudges over the people of Nephi.
Influences
- 10:1 — John 8:9 (KJV)And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
- 10:3 — Matthew 17:5 (KJV)While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.
- 10:7 — Luke 10:19 (KJV)Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
- 10:7 — Matthew 16:19 (KJV)And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
- 10:7 — John 14:13 (KJV)And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
- 10:8 — Matthew 21:21 (KJV)Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.
- 10:8 — Matthew 27:51 (KJV)And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;
- 10:8 — Matthew 27:51 (KJV)And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;
- 10:9 — Matthew 17:20 (KJV)And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.
- 10:12 — Matthew 11:7 (KJV)And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind?
- 10:15 — Luke 4:29 (KJV)And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong.