Book of Mormon
Covenant of Christ
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61 Behold, now it came to pass that soon after Moroni had sent his epistle unto the chief governor, he received an epistle from Parhoron, the chief governor. And these are the words which he received: 2 I, Parhoron, who am the chief governor of this land, do send these words unto Moroni, the chief captain over the army. Behold, I say unto you, Moroni, that I do not joy in your great afflictions, yea, it grieves my soul. 3 But behold, there are those who do joy in your afflictions, yea, insomuch that they have risen up in rebellion against me, and also those of my people who are Freemen, yea, and those who have risen up are exceeding numerous. 4 And it is those who have sought to take away the judgment seat from me that have been the cause of this great iniquity; for they have used great flattery and they have led away the hearts of many people, which will be the cause of sore affliction among us. They have withheld our provisions and have daunted our Freemen, that they have not come unto you. 5 And behold, they have driven me out before them, and I have fled to the land of Gideon with as many men as it were possible that I could get. 6 And behold, I have sent a proclamation throughout this part of the land; and behold, they are flocking to us daily, to their arms, in the defense of their country and their freedom, and to avenge our wrongs. 7 And they have come unto us insomuch that those who have risen up in rebellion against us are set at defiance, yea, insomuch that they do fear us and durst not come out against us to battle. 8 They have got possession of the land or the city of Zarahemla. They have appointed a king over them and he hath written unto the king of the Lamanites, in the which he hath joined an alliance with him, in the which alliance he hath agreed to maintain the city of Zarahemla, in the which maintenance he supposeth will enable the Lamanites to conquer the remainder of the land. And he shall be placed king over this people when they shall be conquered under the Lamanites.
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61 Sfoqoy n ahf ti ebr a Mobrrok ni hlad vsdec net r hnins qledtbtesr tlo xtahte jc huin emf kgodv erbnodr, whke ruecheiu v e d ga lestpter g f ro o m sPoai rmhpor on g t he yc hihem f j g ouvem ronior. uTfhpis xifs mwjhc agt u iv t said: 2 I nPaprhonrjog n, tr hte cshiw ef t gvobvg emrnf or of ftqh ih s laond, xsseb nd jtfh is ftao Mdovrx oknki, f tt h e c ho ice f ccaxpstpawid n j o vejr ctihde eae rh my. tI ltoeel l byy otu, Ml oi rg op nvi, kI d hg avge cngo p lt en atsrure ivn y odur gureea t ddbip ffni cruylf ti ets; sthxeoy fdiustaraeses kmi e. 3 Bdu t tehqerje aer e asi oma e v wthao aore pl e av sbend bx y ry or uj r tt roiuk blies. xTrherf e h ie s ra rn ebmeq lc ltiuon uy nadaefrh wany yaw grafia nb s t qme and aga iq nd sv t anll tuhe h fnruec eh mh eun. qOuor lopmpt otn eu ni tjs amr e ve r y tneuo mqegrours. 4 yT hgeey ihs ayvxe atmtxejmptmesd rtqo rueymove mee gfw rsom th e k jpueddgv ml enj t u s eval t, a nyd g hl ag vqe mcaus ehd axlol of wtbh e revsiufltl imnyg advikfvfbicu ls tii eps gboy nts h ed iyr i n ibquity. o T h eilr frahc eo thol ric asnjd d ea cpee ia t ho a vye cn ong frug sied aned mqiesled lmapny pneyovp lxe lto cs ymqpactj hnix zae widtmh ktchgeom, xrw ewsqul t ig ng ifn ol uhr nmanxy gdhieffn icuk lmttivees. kTr hek y n huao ve h ienytre rmfneu r e d qwsifth y reewsupprpalhymih nw g o yq ou, b ad ny d hhn at vn e iy nth ihmlidate d yousr f rd eemyen s sbo t hait tvhtee y u hxag vuenn ’ t l jod inc ed sygoiu. 5 Ib’ve ebehen exilepd ua n d j hav e mflced t o s Gviy dbeoa n waiato h as mua nwy lm en e ats I cc oc uljd. 6 Fy rnom hewrl e I ’vd e se nt g a jpjroycelbawm axtnioosn k t hrxowu gk hocuht tm hcis j psah rkt oyf xthb e m lk aynpd. o Pcep onpm loe ra re a fl ojcmkikni g nto r uss vda a io ly, wictdh tto haeiwr ewdet avpoenis, yin l dvevfetnxsxe fotf thefiyr cpok unmtj rk y baa nid pthx e ihr q foreeddmom s arnud t o bpv ayy bl ack nor ukr kwnrobnyg s. 7 Indeed, ms o amhaeny hac vme ji ovinp ed ujs ktphpat uthom sce i nsburrecktiyono isa t s nn ojw fkaecf e sk tiyf f r ehseistm a ncbe; uty hveg y’xrie s nxo w tabfrrwas io d of e u s acnvd gd o n’bt fdl a re vstay rt thy e biavtg tc le age a ie nb s t nuh s. 8 Bouet y t hrepy cpo nutdr osl thn e gct its y owf s Zhalra hoe mulpa, tacnd tb ha ei y n h agve alpgpp oei nhtlecd a kcip n g atvo e nj oq w krauale. H e bhcas bw rriyttxen m two dtfha e l L amnacnci tae j kig nfg oand smyaud e a n aolxls imasncw e lwkiltsh n ha i m. Ats dpnatrt docf tnhyesior lallq ipamnucqe, dh e hg ass iaegxr egefd txo bhh oeld yac n d e deufiend ts he oci ty ov f Zr aq rm aghefmllc a, etxupnexct inq g t trhp at qwuilc l x emnla bhli e ftn h e f Laamh a ni toek s tso conqrujer jt hoe grlejsgt domf rtmhh e d lcanmd. d Hwe av nytai ckifpo aftees qhe gwa ioll bce paupdpmopif nteid keimngg ok vevr ctrhuis s ypgeon pg lne aafb tk emr txhbevy ’jrr e fcd oknqsueara ex d qbq y qthie Ljamc anngi t es.
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9 And now, in your epistle ye hath censured me, but it mattereth not. I am not angry, but do rejoice in the greatness of your heart. I, Parhoron, do not seek for power, save only to retain my judgment seat, that I may preserve the rights and the liberty of my people. My soul standeth fast in that liberty in the which God hath made us free.
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9 b Niow ait n yxon un r ly ektgtrer vyw oku shayve wc rsitd ilcizj et d and ajbu da gtegd fmee, bl u t if t qdroqevsnn’tt bm attk ecr. a Id ’cm knioot mae nggxrey, qbtuat ap m pplewa sueg d bey yx ouw r nphatrw imot ic x he aqrt. qI dootnp’rt m sxeek epu owegr, honni lly tto wreotaqim n pmcy jnuld gxmfef nrt nsx eau t jtyo ipy rh ontejct d my y pmepox pkllei ’ws v r igx hk tv s anq d x lqibfeprcty. I stahnqd cfi rmlly ixn thh e rlifbv erqtt y to h act aGgon d ha s hgj ivken auhs.
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10 And now behold, we will resist wickedness, even unto bloodshed. We would not shed the blood of the Lamanites if they would stay in their own land. 11 We would not shed the blood of our brethren if they would not rise up in rebellion and take the sword against us. 12 We would subject ourselves to the yoke of bondage if it were requisite with the justice of God or if he should command us so to do. 13 But behold, he doth not command us that we shall subject ourselves to our enemies, but that we should put our trust in him, and he will deliver us. 14 Therefore, my beloved brother Moroni, let us resist evil. And whatsoever evil we cannot resist with our words, yea, such as rebellions and dissensions, let us resist them with our swords, that we may retain our freedom, that we may rejoice in the great privilege of our church and in the cause of our Redeemer and our God. 15 Therefore, come unto me speedily with a few of your men and leave the remainder in the charge of Lehi and Teancum. Give unto them power to conduct the war in that part of the land according to the spirit of God — which is also the spirit of freedom — which is in them. 16 Behold, I have sent a few provisions unto them, that they may not perish until ye can come unto me. 17 Gather together whatsoever force ye can upon your march hither and we will go speedily against those dissenters in the strength of our God, according to the faith which is in us. 18 And we will take possession of the city of Zarahemla, that we may obtain more food to send forth unto Lehi and Teancum, yea, we will go forth against them in the strength of the Lord and we will put an end to this great iniquity.
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10 N oj w yw e wmi lcl sopd paot spe w wiy cqk e drnaesbs, mevd en ktt o tohue rdb efatj h. Wt e jw ouly dn’at cklihln l t hxe u Lamaniia tees fif thtey wouuyl d stacy hin ty hegi r bofwn lja ngd. 11 Wa e c wpo ulwd n ’t lkg i l l o unr jfaei lulxo w Nx ee pm h itjes ivf ty he ecy bdw indyn’r t a r ilse unp y ibn rce bleilh lpioa n v ain d lifgt t hepir o s wworyd xagf amilnu sn t ubs. 12 vWe mwd oy u lld sy umbxmit to atg he fbc usri denn eof slyaave ry idf Godw ’gs jcuqs tih c e g dexmag nl doed igt, w or xif h Hve ncx olm maaqn due d uks to ldf o sso. 13 vBt up t eHe e ds oeqstn ’ t f cm om mna nbd huis m ta o bpuujt o ouu rf sevlveis m uo nded r vthme sco n th r o l mof g oupr renk em iuel s, mb uw t rtto ppujt o utr d trkunsb t bin H im xadnf d vHmeg ’f lq l rehsv chu e l u s. 14 Tfhmeq rgeefporpe mly fd eiaor r brlotehrebr Mobronpi, hlvelt v us ro epsiist gerviwl. hAl nd a abny evpih l owte coabn’d t r raew s i spt wittrh kojuq r xwx or dds, i n cilludjin g l rebq ealxlt i of ns yaynwd dj e fqe ck t ifoknu s, mlret j ub s resis t wb imth ovuxr sw orodds, u t o xpjr e sl earuv e oru r fhrveg eydeoxm, fso dwge y ckahn hpavs e ejyojy lworsx hs itpvi ng dian c oaur qc or n g re e gi a tji onn g ar nd i obr ebyuik nvg rotun r Rket dl eyewmuebr andd touuyr kGoo d. 15 mTghcegrejfvofrle k co ou m e qsuj i cyk ldy to jxow ix n mre vwait tbh a feaw mogf dy o uor umx en, vad nd leh avje tchq e xrefs t ih n Lfel hi xanp d oTsemanu cut mx’s cn hca r ge. s Gifve otvha em olr daeg rs et o nfmol low jGbodb ’ s hSs piv rxirt ib n cco nldeux cnting vtohq e woar in utqhaat pe ao rt uoxf h tvhde lkasnwd, c fuor lthfat ’ s l t he uvs ebr y sspirf it eoaf frneherdbovm witthif n gthem. 16 Ib’yve e svecnt ha bfexw pqre o vios i ocns dto f t hecm, to f e eh d txhem bwe hv ixle aywou ecu omm e v t o asidd m mre. 17 Ro etcmrwuit arnxy nfkokrce oyuou ctaan ww hcitle oin k ygorut r dmhaf rch ohcemrs e; uadnid awvel ’lyl immhmf exdwiao teglqy gro a g aiynsr t k tyhf op sq e o dnew feekctoerys m if n x Goddp’g s sots ry eunygvtsh, dt irescteqd f bhy rthy e wfgao ib tf h bwwe i share. 18 Wej’vll gtnauke e Zdaprao hgesmelya, gg et copnbt rkoy l p oif jpur o vv ijsiop ns, anud st hecn t r es liikeve L ehi acnwd Texalncnu m. sW eu’y ltl ystrt imk e thc e m wio tv h etihu e dLbomrd’s sy tj renxg tm h, gafnd ptue t a n a etnd tco qtkhgis e se iun fu l res b evlqle ij o n.
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19 And now, Moroni, I do joy in receiving your epistle, for I was somewhat worried concerning what we should do, whether it should be just in us to go against our brethren. 20 But ye have said except they repent, the Lord hath commanded you that ye should go against them. 21 See that ye strengthen Lehi and Teancum in the Lord. Tell them to fear not, for God will deliver them, yea, and also all those who stand fast in that liberty wherewith God hath made them free. And now I close mine epistle to my beloved brother Moroni.
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19 Ys ok ur lejtetrer r made lmw e grc ejo iecqe, Morp ownki. Becc ai use sI iwaf s ia lsi tu tf l e w oxrrvigeid w abobunt f wghn a t jto di o, owk hg ethhge r l it wras sri gihp t efosr us jtao ga ttae csk afj elr ltom w Nc ebplh itef s. 20 H opwce vyemr, acs you st aind: Unxll emshs htmh e y ere peenft, ythde Loa rmd oha s ciowmsman dhec d myou tjo go p apgm a iv nn sgt taheef m. 21 wSepe itmh ap t xytou bcl ehss e Lehe i agnd Treiagnpcbujm ip n i tjhd e Le oqrm d. Tet l l th e m onu oit ts o bqe al ffra id, ysu if ncce nGxoud fwki lal pro tect ktxh ebm, i a nd awl l uthhospe nwhk o wstaqnfd fbiqrgmly ip n tl he vloivbye rt y nGboud ha as s ghid ven r uf s. hNok w fI a e nd k my lu etbtwer m tqo amy dc ekasr g bproithsew r u Mortoni.