# 2 Nephi 28

*Paraphrase*

My brothers, I’ve spoken to you as the Spirit has moved me. What I’ve told you will surely happen. The words written in this book will be priceless to the world—especially to our descendants, a remnant of Israel’s family line.

### False Churches Rise

In that day, many churches will rise up—but not for the Lord. One will say, ‘We belong to the Lord!’ and another will say the same. Every church that builds itself up instead of building up God’s kingdom will claim they’re his. They’ll fight with each other. Their priests will argue and compete. They’ll rely on their own learning and reject the Holy Spirit, who gives people words to speak. They’ll deny God’s power—the Holy One of Israel. They’ll tell people, ‘Listen to us and follow our teachings. There’s no God working today. The Lord finished his work long ago and handed his power over to men.’ Listen to my warning: if anyone says the Lord has done a miracle, don’t believe it. God doesn’t work miracles anymore. He’s done with all that.

### Empty Philosophies

Many will say, ‘Eat, drink, and enjoy life—tomorrow we die. Everything will turn out fine for us.’ Others will say, ‘Eat, drink, and enjoy life—but sure, fear God a little. He’ll overlook a small sin here and there. Go ahead: lie a little, take advantage of someone’s words, set a trap for your neighbor. What’s the harm? Do whatever you want, because tomorrow we die. And even if we’re guilty, God will slap us on the wrist, and in the end we’ll still make it into his kingdom.’

Many will teach these empty, foolish lies. They’ll be full of themselves, scheming in secret to hide their plans from the Lord. Their deeds will be done in darkness. The blood of God’s people will cry out from the ground against them. They’ve all wandered off the path. They’ve become corrupt.

### Pride and Corruption

Pride and false teachers have poisoned their churches. Their churches are filled with arrogance and self-importance. They rob the poor to build fancy buildings. They rob the poor to wear expensive clothes. They crush the humble and the brokenhearted—all because of their pride. They’re stubborn and arrogant. Pride, wickedness, terrible sins, and sexual immorality have led them all astray—except for a few humble followers of Christ. But even they are often misled because they’re taught human traditions instead of God’s truth.

### Warning to the Proud

Woe to the educated, the wealthy, the ones puffed up with pride! Woe to everyone who preaches lies, who lives immorally, who twists the Lord’s ways! Woe, woe, woe to them, says the Lord God Almighty—they’ll be thrown down to hell. 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.

But if people turn away from their wickedness and their terrible sins, they won’t be destroyed, says the Lord of Hosts.

That great and corrupt church—the prostitute of all the earth—will come crashing down. Its fall will be devastating.

### The Devil’s Tactics

The devil’s kingdom will shake. Everyone in it must be shaken awake to change their ways, or the devil will trap them with his eternal chains. They’ll be stirred up to rage and will die. On that day, the devil will rage in people’s hearts and stir them up to hate what is good. Others he’ll calm down and lull into a false sense of security. They’ll say, ‘Everything’s fine in Zion. Look how well we’re doing—everything’s fine.’ And that’s how the devil tricks their souls and leads them carefully down to hell. Others he flatters and lies to, telling them there’s no hell. He whispers, ‘I’m no devil—there’s no such thing.’ He whispers in their ears until he has them trapped in his terrible chains, with no way out. They’re caught by death and hell. And death, hell, the devil, and everyone he’s captured will stand before God’s throne to be judged for what they’ve done. From there they’ll go to the place made for them—a lake of fire and burning sulfur, where the torment never ends.

### Woe to the Comfortable

So woe to anyone who feels comfortable in Zion. Woe to anyone who says, ‘Everything’s fine.’ Woe to anyone who listens to human teachings and denies God’s power and the gift of the Holy Spirit. Woe to anyone who says, ‘We’ve received enough. We don’t need any more.’ And woe to everyone who gets angry and shaken by God’s truth. Look: those who are built on solid rock receive it with joy. But those built on sand tremble, afraid they’ll fall. Woe to anyone who says, ‘We’ve received God’s word. We don’t need any more of God’s word. We have enough.’

### Line Upon Line

Here’s what the Lord God says: I give truth to people line by line, piece by piece, a little here and a little there. Blessed are those who listen to my teachings and pay attention to my guidance—they’ll grow wise. To those who receive, I’ll give more. But from those who say, ‘We have enough,’ even what they have will be taken away.

Cursed is anyone who trusts in people, who depends on human strength, who follows human teachings—unless those teachings are given by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Woe to the Gentiles, says the Lord God of Hosts. Even though I keep reaching out to them day after day, they’ll reject me. But I’ll be merciful to them if they turn away from their sins and come to me. My arms are stretched out all day long, says the Lord God of Hosts.

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*Source: [The Book of Mormon](https://bookofmormon.com/paraphrase/2-nephi/28)*
