The Book of Mormon

2 Nephi 28:16

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~559–545 BC

1830 Edition

Wo unto them that turn aside the just for a thing of nought and revile against that which is good, and say that it is of no worth: for the day shall come that the Lord God will speedily visit the inhabitants of the earth; and in that day that they are fully ripe in iniquity, they shall perish.

Influences

Daniel 4:35 (KJV)
And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?
Revelation 14:18 (KJV)
And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe.

Changes

Wo unto them that turn aside the just for a thing of noaught and revile against that which is good, and say that it is of no worth:! fFor the day shall come that the Lord God will speedily visit the inhabitants of the earth; and in that day that they are fully ripe in iniquity, they shall perish.

Simple English

Terrible things will happen to those who hurt good people for nothing. They say what is good has no value. The day will come when the Lord God will visit the people of the earth. When they are completely full of sin, they will die.

Paraphrase

Woe to those who push aside justice for nothing and mock what is good, saying it’s worthless. The day is coming when the Lord will suddenly visit the earth. When evil is fully ripe, those people will be destroyed.

Notes

28:16

In Smith’s 1832 account he refers to “the inhabitants of the earth.” This biblical phrase appears in Daniel 3:5 (see also Ether 3:25). The same expression occurs repeatedly in the Doctrine and Covenants (43:28; 62:5; 71:4).

See 1 Nephi 1:1, 2 Nephi 26:15, and Omni 1:20 as other examples of Smith's common phrases.