The Book of Mormon

2 Nephi 25:13

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~559–545 BC

1830 Edition

Behold they will crucify him, and after that he is laid in a Sepulcher for the space of three days, he shall rise from the dead, with healing in his wings, and all they that shall believe on his name, shall be saved in the Kingdom of God; wherefore, my soul delighted to prophesy concerning him, for I have seen his day, and my heart doth magnify his holy name.

Influences

Acts 19:8 (KJV)
And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God.
Mark 12:25 (KJV)
For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven.
Malachi 4:2 (KJV)
But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.
John 1:12 (KJV)
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

Changes

Behold, they will crucify him,; and after that he is laid in a Ssepulchere for the space of three days, he shall rise from the dead, with healing in his wings,; and all thosey twhato shall believe on his name, shall be saved in the Kkingdom of God;. wWherefore, my soul delightedth to prophesy concerning him, for I have seen his day, and my heart doth magnify his holy name.

Simple English

They will crucify him. After he is put in a tomb for three days, he will rise from the dead. He will bring healing with him. All people who believe in his name will be saved in God’s Kingdom. So I love to tell about him. I have seen his day. My heart praises his holy name.

Paraphrase

They’ll crucify him. After he’s laid in a tomb for three days, he’ll rise from the dead with healing power. Everyone who believes in his name will be saved in the kingdom of God. My soul loves to prophesy about him. I’ve seen his day, and my heart celebrates his holy name.

Notes

25:13

Compare 1 Nephi 22:15, 2 Nephi 26:4,6 with Malachi 4:1, and compare 2 Nephi 25:13 with Malachi 4:2. While Malachi is generally dated to around 400 B.C., the writings attributed to Nephi are said to fall between 588–545 B.C., creating a chronological tension. The Book of Mormon further complicates this issue by indicating that the Nephites did not possess the words of Malachi until after the appearance of Christ. As recorded:

"Behold other scriptures I would that ye should write, that ye have not" (3 Nephi 23:6).

"Write the words which the Father had given unto Malachi, which he should tell unto them... And these are the words which he did tell unto them, saying: Thus said the Father unto Malachi-Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me, ..." (3 Nephi 24:1).

Quoting from Malachi 4:1: "For behold, the day cometh that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble; and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of Hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. But unto you that fear my name, shall the Son of Righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth and grow up as calves in the stall" (3 Nephi 25:1-2).

These passages suggest that the Nephites did not have access to Malachi’s writings prior to Christ delivering them.

"According to these verses the Nephites could not have had the words of Malachi until Christ came among them. LDS writer George Reynolds stated: 'As Malachi lived between two and three hundred years after Lehi left Jerusalem, the Nephites knew nothing of the glorious things that the Father had revealed to him until Jesus repeated them.' However, if the Nephites didn't have the writings of Malachi until the coming of Christ, how did Nephi quote them in 545 B.C.?" -Jerald and Sandra Tanner, Joseph Smith's Plagiarism of the Bible in the Book of Mormon, p. 21.