# 2 Nephi 1

*Simple English*

### Lehi Speaks to His Sons

After I, Nephi, finished teaching my brothers, our father, Lehi, also spoke many things to them. He talked about the great things the Lord had done for them by bringing them out of Jerusalem. He spoke to them about how they had turned against each other on the ocean. He spoke about how God had shown mercy by keeping them alive so they were not swallowed up by the sea. He also spoke to them about the promised land they had gotten. He told them how the Lord had shown mercy by warning us to leave Jerusalem.

### The Promised Land

He said: “I have seen a vision. I know that Jerusalem is destroyed. If we had stayed in Jerusalem, we would have died too. Even though we have had hard times, we have gotten a promised land. This land is better than all other lands. The Lord God promised me that this land would be for my children. The Lord promised this land to me and my children forever. It is also for all people who the Lord brings out of other countries. So I, Lehi, tell you what the Spirit shows me. No one will come to this land unless the Lord brings them here.”

“So this land is set apart for those he brings. If they serve him and follow his commands, this land will be a land of freedom for them. They will never be taken as prisoners. If that happens, it will be because of their sin. If sin increases, the land will be cursed because of them. But for those who do right, the land will be blessed forever. It is wise to keep this land hidden from other nations right now. Many nations would take over the land. Then there would be no place for you to live. So I, Lehi, have received a promise. If those who the Lord God brings out of Jerusalem keep his commands, they will do well in this land. They will be kept safe from all other nations. They will have this land for themselves. If they keep his commands, they will be blessed in this land. No one will bother them or take away their land. They will live safely forever.”

### A Warning About the Future

“But when the time comes that they stop believing, after they have received such great blessings from the Lord, then God’s punishment will come to them. They will know about the creation of the earth. All people will know about the great and amazing works of the Lord from the creation of the world. They will have power to do all things by faith. They will have all the commands from the beginning. They will have been brought by God’s endless goodness to this special promised land. But if the day comes when they reject the Holy One of Israel, the true Messiah, their Savior and their God, then the punishments of the one who is fair will come to them. He will bring other nations to them. He will give those nations power. He will take away their land. He will cause them to be scattered and hurt. As one group of people passes to another group, there will be killing and great suffering among them. So, my sons, I want you to remember. I want you to listen to my words.”

### Wake Up from Sin

“Please wake up from a deep sleep. Wake up from the sleep of hell. Shake off the terrible chains that tie you. These are the chains that tie all people. They carry people away to the place of suffering and sadness forever! Wake up! Get up from the dust. Listen to the words of a shaking father. Soon you will lay my body in the cold and quiet grave. No one can return from there. In a few more days, I will go the way of all people on earth. But the Lord has saved my soul from hell. I have seen his glory. I am held forever in the arms of his love.”

“I want you to remember to follow the laws and rules of the Lord. This has been my concern from the beginning. My heart has been filled with sadness from time to time. I have been afraid that because of your hard hearts, the Lord your God would come in his full anger against you. Then you would be cut off and destroyed forever. Or a curse might come on you for many generations. Then you would be hurt by war and hunger. You would be hated. You would be controlled by the Devil.”

“My sons, I hope these things don’t happen to you. I hope you will be a special and favored people of the Lord. But God’s will be done. His ways are right forever. He has said that if you keep my commands, you will do well in the land. But if you do not keep my commands, you will be cut off from my presence.”

### Be United and Strong

“So that my soul can have joy in you, and so that my heart can leave this world with happiness because of you, and so that I won’t be brought down with sadness and sorrow to the grave, get up from the dust, my sons. Be men. Be decided in one mind and in one heart. Be united in all things. Then you will not be taken as prisoners. Then you will not be cursed with a painful curse. Also, you will not make a fair God angry with you. That would lead to your destruction. It would be the forever destruction of both soul and body. Wake up, my sons. Put on the armor of doing right. Shake off the chains that tie you. Come out of darkness and get up from the dust.”

### Follow Nephi

“Stop turning against your brother. His visions have been glorious. He has kept the commands since we left Jerusalem. He has been a tool in God’s hands to bring us to the promised land. If it were not for him, we would have died from hunger in the desert. But you tried to take away his life. He has suffered much sadness because of you. I am very afraid for you. I fear he will suffer again. You have said he wants power and control over you. But I know he has not looked for power or control over you. He has looked for the glory of God and for your own forever well-being. You have complained because he has been direct with you. You say he has been harsh. You say he has been angry with you. But his harshness was the harshness of God’s word, which was in him. What you call anger was the truth. That truth is in God. He could not hold it back. He spoke boldly about your sins. The power of God must be with him. He tells you that you must obey. But it was not him. It was the Spirit of the Lord that was in him. The Spirit opened his mouth to speak so that he could not stop it.”

“My sons Laman, Lemuel, Sam, and my sons who are the sons of Ishmael, if you listen to the voice of Nephi, you will not die. If you listen to him, I give you a blessing. I give you my first blessing. But if you will not listen to him, I take away my first blessing. I take away my blessing. It will rest on him instead.”

### Blessing for Zoram

“Zoram, I speak to you. You were Laban’s servant. But you have been brought out of Jerusalem. I know you are a true friend to my son, Nephi, forever. So because you have been faithful, your children will be blessed with his children. They will live in happiness for a long time in this land. Nothing will hurt or disturb their happiness in this land forever, except sin among them. So if you keep the commands of the Lord, the Lord has set apart this land for the safety of your children with the children of my son.”

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*Source: [The Book of Mormon](https://bookofmormon.com/simple/2-nephi/1)*
