The Book of Mormon

Ether 8:16

1830 Edition

And they were kept up by the power of the devil to administer these oaths unto the people, to keep them in darkness, to help such as sought power, to gain power, and to murder, and to plunder, and to lie, and to commit all manner of wickedness and whoredoms.—

Changes

And they were kept up by the power of the devil to administer these oaths unto the people, to keep them in darkness, to help such as sought power, to gain power, and to murder, and to plunder, and to lie, and to commit all manner of wickedness and whoredoms.

Simple English

The devil’s power kept these oaths alive. They were used to keep people in darkness and to help people who wanted power. These oaths helped people get power, murder, steal, lie, and do all kinds of evil and sexual sin.

Paraphrase

The devil kept these oaths alive to bind people in darkness, to help power-hungry men gain control—so they could murder, plunder, lie, and commit every kind of evil and sexual sin.