The Book of Mormon

3 Nephi 6:17

Back to chapter

1830 Edition

And thus in the commencement of the thirtieth year, the people having been delivered up for the space of a long time, to be carried about by the temptations of the Devil whithersoever he desired to carry them, and to do whatsoever iniquity he desired they should; and thus in the commencement of this, the thirtieth year, they were in a state of awful wickedness.

Changes

And thus, in the commencement of the thirtieth year, —the people having been delivered up for the space of a long time, to be carried about by the temptations of the Ddevil whithersoever he desired to carry them, and to do whatsoever iniquity he desired they should; —and thus in the commencement of this, the thirtieth year, they were in a state of awful wickedness.

Simple English

At the start of the 30th year, the people had been led by Satan for a long time. He carried them wherever he wanted them to go. He got them to do whatever wrong things he wanted. At the start of the 30th year, they were doing very bad things.

Paraphrase

By the start of the thirtieth year, the people had been handed over to Satan’s temptations for so long that he could drag them wherever he wanted and make them do whatever evil he desired. They’d reached a state of terrible wickedness.