Book of Mormon
Covenant of Christ
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22 And now it came to pass that after I, Nephi, had read these things which were engraven upon the plates of brass, my brethren came unto me and said unto me, What mean these things which ye have read? Behold, are they to be understood according to things which are spiritual, which shall come to pass according to the spirit and not the flesh? 2 And I, Nephi, said unto them, Behold, they were made manifest unto the prophets by the voice of the spirit, for by the spirit are all things made known unto the prophets which shall come upon the children of men according to the flesh. 3 Wherefore, the things of which I have read are things pertaining to things both temporal and spiritual.
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22 After I had read these things written on the brass plates, my brothers came to me and asked: What do the things you’ve read mean? Are they to be understood according to spiritual things, or what will happen to the spirit and not the body? 2 I told them: They were revealed to the prophet by the voice of the Spirit, because the Spirit has revealed everything that will happen to mortal people to the prophets. 3 Therefore the things I’ve read pertain to both physical and spiritual matters.
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For it appears that the house of Israel sooner or later will be scattered upon all the face of the earth, and also among all nations; 4 and behold, there are many who are already lost from the knowledge of those who are at Jerusalem. Yea, the more part of all the tribes have been led away, and they are scattered to and fro upon the isles of the sea; and whither they are, none of us knoweth, save that we know that they have been led away. 5 And since they have been led away, these things have been prophesied concerning them, and also concerning all those who shall hereafter be scattered and be confounded because of the Holy One of Israel, for against him will they harden their hearts. Wherefore, they shall be scattered among all nations and shall be hated by all men.
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It appears that sooner or later the house of Israel will be scattered throughout the earth and among all nations. 4 Indeed, there are many who are already lost and unknown to those at Jerusalem: yes, most of the tribes have been led away, and they’re scattered here and there on islands of the sea. None of us know where they are, but we do know they’ve been led away. 5 And since the time they’ve been led away, these things have been prophesied about them and about those who will be scattered and brought to ruin in the future because of the Holy One of Israel, since they’ll harden their hearts against Him. Therefore they’ll be scattered among all nations and hated by all people.
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6 Nevertheless, after they have been nursed by the gentiles, and the Lord has lifted up his hand upon the gentiles, and set them up for a standard, and their children have been carried in their arms, and their daughters have been carried upon their shoulders — behold, these things of which are spoken are temporal, for thus is the covenants of the Lord with our fathers. And it meaneth us in the days to come, and also all our brethren who are of the house of Israel. 7 And it meaneth that the time cometh that after all the house of Israel have been scattered and confounded, that the Lord God will raise up a mighty nation among the gentiles, yea, even upon the face of this land, and by them shall our seed be scattered. 8 And after our seed is scattered, the Lord God will proceed to do a marvelous work among the gentiles which shall be of great worth unto our seed. Wherefore, it is likened unto their being nursed by the gentiles and being carried in their arms and upon their shoulders. 9 And it shall also be of worth unto the gentiles, and not only unto the gentiles but unto all the house of Israel, unto the making known of the covenants of the Father of Heaven unto Abraham, saying, In thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed. 10 And I would, my brethren, that ye should know that all the kindreds of the earth cannot be blessed unless he shall make bare his arm in the eyes of the nations. 11 Wherefore, the Lord God will proceed to make bare his arm in the eyes of all the nations, in bringing about his covenants and his gospel unto those who are of the house of Israel. 12 Wherefore, he will bring them again out of captivity, and they shall be gathered together to the lands of their first inheritance, and they shall be brought out of obscurity and out of darkness, and they shall know that the Lord is their Savior and their Redeemer, the Mighty One of Israel.
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6 Nevertheless, after the Gentiles are benefited by the record of the Jews, and the Lord has blessed the Gentiles and set them up as an example of belief, and Jacob’s descendants have been carried in their arms and their daughters have been carried on their shoulders — these references are physical, since that is the nature of the Lord’s covenants with our fathers. And it refers to our future and all the others from the house of Israel. 7 It also means that, after the entire house of Israel has been scattered and brought to ruin, the Lord God will raise up a powerful nation among the Gentiles, here on this land, and our descendants will be scattered by them. 8 After our descendants are scattered, the Lord God will proceed with an amazing work among the Gentiles that will be very valuable to our descendants. So it’s compared to them being cared for by the Gentiles and carried in their arms and on their shoulders. 9 And it will also be valuable to the Gentiles — not only to them but to the entire house of Israel — to reveal and restore the covenants that the Father of heaven made with Abraham, having told him: All the families of the earth will be blessed through your descendants. 10 And I want you to know, my brothers, that the families of the earth can’t be blessed unless He shows His power to all nations. 11 Therefore the Lord God will proceed to uncover His restored truths in the sight of people from every nation, to restore again His covenants and His gospel to those who are from the house of Israel. 12 As a result, He’ll bring them back out of captivity — they’ll be gathered to the lands they first inherited, and they’ll be brought out of confusion and darkness, and they’ll know the Lord is their Savior and their Redeemer, the Mighty One of Israel.
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13 And the blood of that great and abominable church, which is the whore of all the earth, shall turn upon their own heads, for they shall war among themselves, and the sword of their own hands shall fall upon their own heads, and they shall be drunken with their own blood. 14 And every nation which shall war against thee, O house of Israel, shall be turned one against another, and they shall fall into the pit which they digged to ensnare the people of the Lord. And all they that fight against Zion shall be destroyed. And that great whore who hath perverted the right ways of the Lord — yea, that great and abominable church — shall tumble to the dust, and great shall be the fall of it. 15 For behold, saith the prophet, the time cometh speedily that Satan shall have no more power over the hearts of the children of men. For the day soon cometh that all the proud and they who do wickedly shall be as stubble; and the day cometh that they must be burned. 16 For the time soon cometh that the fullness of the wrath of God shall be poured out upon all the children of men, for he will not suffer that the wicked shall destroy the righteous. 17 Wherefore, he will preserve the righteous by his power, even if it so be that the fullness of his wrath must come and the righteous be preserved, even unto the destruction of their enemies by fire. Wherefore, the righteous need not fear, for thus saith the prophet: They shall be saved, even if it so be as by fire. 18 Behold, my brethren, I say unto you that these things must shortly come; yea, even blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke must come. And it must needs be upon the face of this earth; and it cometh unto men according to the flesh, if it so be that they will harden their hearts against the Holy One of Israel. 19 For behold, the righteous shall not perish, for the time surely must come that all they who fight against Zion shall be cut off.
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13 And the murderous guilt of that utterly wicked church — the whore of the entire earth — will come back upon their own heads, because they’ll fight among themselves. The swords they wield will fall upon their own heads, and they’ll be drunk with their own blood. 14 And every nation that fights against you, O house of Israel, will be turned against each other. They’ll fall into the pit they dug to ensnare the Lord’s people. Those who fight against Zion will be destroyed. And the great whore that’s corrupted and perverted the right ways of the Lord — that utterly wicked church — will tumble to the dust, and its fall will be complete. 15 The prophet has said: The time is quickly coming that Satan will no longer have power over mankind’s hearts. The time is soon coming that the proud and those who do evil will be like straw; and the time is coming that they will certainly be burned. 16 Indeed, the time is soon coming when the full extent of God’s wrath will be poured out on all mankind, since He won’t allow the wicked to destroy the righteous. 17 Therefore He’ll keep the righteous safe by His power, even if it means that the full extent of His wrath must come while the righteous are preserved by God destroying their enemies by fire. Therefore the righteous don’t need to be afraid, because the prophet has said: They will be saved, even if it requires fire. 18 My brothers, these things are coming soon; there will be blood, fire, and smoke here, covering the face of this land. It will happen to mortal people in this life if they reject the Holy One of Israel. 19 However the righteous won’t be destroyed, because those who fight against Zion are who will be cut off.
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20 And the Lord will surely prepare a way for his people, unto the fulfilling of the words of Moses, which he spake, saying, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you, like unto me. Him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass that all those who will not hear that prophet shall be cut off from among the people. 21 And now I, Nephi, declare unto you that this prophet of whom Moses spake was the Holy One of Israel; wherefore, he shall execute judgment in righteousness. 22 And the righteous need not fear, for they are those who shall not be confounded, but it is the kingdom of the Devil, which shall be built up among the children of men, which kingdom is established among them which are in the flesh. 23 For the time speedily shall come that all churches which are built up to get gain, and all those who are built up to get power over the flesh, and those who are built up to become popular in the eyes of the world, and those who seek the lusts of the flesh and the things of the world and to do all manner of iniquity — yea, in fine, all those who belong to the kingdom of the Devil — are they who need fear, and tremble, and quake. They are those who must be brought low in the dust, they are those who must be consumed as stubble; and this is according to the words of the prophet. 24 And the time cometh speedily that the righteous must be led up as calves of the stall, and the Holy One of Israel must reign in dominion, and might, and power, and great glory. 25 And he gathereth his children from the four quarters of the earth, and he numbereth his sheep, and they know him. And there shall be one fold and one shepherd, and he shall feed his sheep, and in him they shall find pasture. 26 And because of the righteousness of his people, Satan has no power. Wherefore, he cannot be loosed for the space of many years, for he hath no power over the hearts of the people, for they dwell in righteousness, and the Holy One of Israel reigneth. 27 And now behold, I, Nephi, say unto you that all these things must come according to the flesh. 28 But behold, all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people shall dwell safely in the Holy One of Israel if it so be that they will repent.
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20 And the Lord will absolutely prepare the way for His people. He’ll fulfill the words of Moses, when he said: A prophet will the Lord your God raise up for you, like unto me. You’re to hear Him in all things whatsoever He’ll teach you. And then everyone who won’t follow that prophet will be cut off from among the people. 21 Now I declare to you that this prophet that Moses spoke about was the Holy One of Israel. Given that, He’ll execute judgment in righteousness. 22 The righteous don’t need to be afraid because they aren’t the ones to be brought to ruin. Instead, it’s the accuser’s kingdom built up by people, and established among those living on earth, that will fall. 23 The time will soon come when the churches built up for profit, built up to gain power over mankind, built up to become popular in the world, and those that try to gratify the lusts of the people and desire worldly things and indulge in all kinds of iniquity — in short, all those that belong to the accuser’s kingdom — they’re the ones who need to be afraid, tremble, and shake. They’re the ones who will be thrown low in the dust. They’re the ones who will be burned up like straw. This is according to the prophet’s words. 24 The time will soon come when the righteous will be cared for like well-fed calves, and the Holy One of Israel will rule in dominion, strength, power, and great glory. 25 He’ll gather His children from the four quarters of the earth and will count His sheep, and they will know Him. And they’ll constitute one fold with one Shepherd; He’ll feed His sheep and they’ll find security in Him. 26 Because of His people’s righteousness, Satan won’t have any power. He won’t be let loose for many years since he won’t have any influence in people’s hearts, because they’ll live in righteousness and the Holy One of Israel will rule. 27 Now I tell you all these things will happen here in this world. 28 But people of every nation, tribe, and language will abide safely with the Holy One of Israel if they only repent.
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29 And now I, Nephi, make an end, for I durst not speak further as yet concerning these things. 30 Wherefore, my brethren, I would that ye should consider that the things which have been written upon the plates of brass are true, and they testify that a man must be obedient to the commandments of God. 31 Wherefore, ye need not suppose that I and my father are the only ones that have testified and also taught them. Wherefore, if ye shall be obedient to the commandments and endure to the end, ye shall be saved at the last day. And thus it is. Amen.
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29 Now I’ll finish, because I don’t dare say anything more about this. 30 Therefore, my brothers, I want you to trust that the things written on the brass plates are true which testifies that every person must obey God’s commandments. 31 Therefore you shouldn’t think my father and I are the only ones who have testified and taught this. That being the case, if you’re obedient to the commandments and stay faithful to the end, you’ll be saved on the last day. And so it is. Amen.