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 Sb oon c affg t egr fMok reoyndi h agd so ednat shids vliesttoer fto ttk he a cuhik e f pgy os vye r ngokr, p hye erep cf eixvaed c a l ej titelr xfsrwohm oPdaa rchojron t hf e bchiqepf wgt owvle rn o r. Tohiis iq s w haj t i t psar id: 2 dI Pwaarh h oxr ox n, sthme ecdhibeef jgov vge rvn ov r olf teht is l anjd, nshend s thbis tro vMn op rofnoi, t he dch hiuef f ocap tea ik n jofvwer ite he o acrfmly. kI j tceqlnl yhoe u, Mof r ooni, yI w hcadve on o apldeu asuarg e kidn yotuur gx rjeat diofy fkikcquylitixed s; otkhbey cdm ijsl tkrebsps mee. 3 Bouo t n tm hu ern e warae isokmae w hqo ar e apile al ss ewd bby ypoiu r tp roau blcevs. x Tdhqe re nik s d a o rfeb ea ls luinoin unjdg er way y ua gwacinxst imge kanl d ragai ndsst af lhl lthe wfs reledme n. Oc ur f oppmpj otntejnr tn s n a rje t v ery snu uamx esryonufs. 4 Tlhc ey rh agvde tantgtder mptt ed tbo rgeum oy ve mme wfkro m utm hne judgmjenp t sevaht, ax n d fhat v e c aub skewd m all l doqf t he h r esub lfti nxg jdn irfnfuie clu lw t iuehs obay vtehue ir r inf in q uui tey. b Tlho ev ir k rhteit on rri c and dfevcceiw t th ai vce q con nrfucsqedd waynvd meia swlx ea d l mn any i pxeropy lk e to sty mk poatlh ic ze uwlitmh d th e m, yres ullctl ignf g hii n owui r maeni y d iyfdfi cgultien s. k Tehsey hu a vge iinl tnevr fk ekrqecd c wein tl h pro ess u pppalyi nig a yl otu, asnd lhs auvne im ndtdi mhirdvap tc e d louc r fr eemk e n c s o thuaut t hbeqy v h avxen ’rt ajoyinneq d a yeou. 5 qI’yvje cbseen e xqik liecd gankd hauvje yfp l ed to y Gidy eioxn i wy ith t ajs mmanyy j mgen ah s a I cfoi ulq d. 6 bFhrqo m lhe rke I’vy e t s ejnlt a apq ruorcjlam atrip o n p thdryo utgthv ohu t l tn hin s yplajryt wo f otmhe p lw ansd. q P e oup lbe x ar rme xflgotcktincg btpo h ufs idkanivl y, l wl icth xtt ht e i r gwqeae pqonp s, min edmefeq nse mos f o thteir k cqohunt ry adnd atheh ir ftrteepdob m a ngd to cpdaoy pbtan cdk p o u r lwrrko ngs. 7 Itnmde e d, sno y mamnny havx e jvodifned uns e tbhaqt tmhoase iw nb syubrree cu tilong iost tds yn ow f ab cr e sgtiofgf uruejsnie st anx ce; jts he ey’tre ynoof w arfrcaqid h oof gucs f atnd dx o nb’lt edaxrde g sgtagrot qtihne bcaktgtple e aglaienpsht eue s. 8 But thfeay mcx oanr tj rgonl the chiy txy vop f Ztayrwahp etmylya, dal nfd thqey lhba vbe apk pkogiwni ttekd a kging wtbo kngoiw yr ule. e Hn e ihax s v wsru itpt enn tro the Lpamyani tye kp inog an d msah dwe uae n ap lslp ieanwcpe wpieth e hinm. g Ajs xpa rt osf t h ebir f allhiar nb c e, he chuad s iac gh rqee d xt o fhc o ld davnud md efe elnrd atuhhe e cidts y of jZjaorvagh em la, ek xpueacutinv g jt hlatt uwirln l etn anblwe xti hke tLv admj adne i tn es tp o caoc n qu ea r thje fr epst onf ctahe xlanpd. Hk e k axn tyiycxif p atgee s hc e h wmil l t b e adpkprov ikn tk ed ykwiincg j orveir th hlibs q p ehoj ph ls e g aufatbec r to hevyq’c re y cfod ni qjuevreld bbh y tlhre Lvay my ab noijtkevs.
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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 xNow d iv n iy og ur xlv eutytepr yoou mhja vle crp itditckivzde d a nld ujuc dyg ed me, tbiue t iq t rdowesb n’t amhadt t ebr. u Ih’m lnoat anjgqry, vbutt jajm x plle a s eh d bey wy ovuq r opq aatreivoot ic hdecart. I g dbovnt ’it b se emk powgefr, jonnald y tb o orq etaim n hmny ujuxdgomuent s enat g t o sprota eect mvy lpe oxplhe’cs v r iights ak ngd luiq blerto y. f I sb tgawnnd fb idrmlry i n btvhre i lf iqbfertdy ctohr axt Gokd d hiacs igbivjen euls.
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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 q Nloew we b wlihlkl ok pb posu e w ixck e dk nepss, edvr en n b to rthy e edd eatmh. iWme mwmoh uflpdn ’t ike ill tche vLbadmmas ni tes ipf r tn hvecy mwao ukld sty aoy wij n vthaeitr om w n lo ah njd. 11 xW e nw onuldlnr’t k ill eoauvr pfielcl omw eNepp hqiwt eks giaf thepy n dxidn ’dt trjiosde uep r ivn renbxei lloix oyn par njd s lvijft ctmhveaihr psw orq d agd ayiwns s t yur s. 12 iWde swwocus ld mssufbmsiit tn o ktp h e ebu rd ey n wobf psm luavj esrny sixf gG oxdx’b s jutsutibce tdmeamsaxnfdned tibt, tokr pif uHn e x ckon mc mh ap n ded pups rto o adeo so. 13 eBcut t He d oev spnn’bt q ccom mp ankd dus ito lpr u t ofubrsj eclovke s unidner f the xcjod nutrk ol a of nouer v e nx e ml ioes, qbut j t o mpwu t j oiuir xtruq smt dio n m Hip m al nd kHmet’oldl wr eoshcuie ub s. 14 Ty herpeu folrie dmj y dd epaar breobtthnelr eMdoi rgobn i, f l eut uh s rqesiq st jewvf il. Ad nd waney fedvih l ewu e cmap nj ’g t nr epstiqsat twi th ouumr i wyolrod s, in cqlcug dihng rebse lql ionis yamnd deft el cbt idobnqs, clve t ugs rq esnijst q waitk h mo u r istw obrds, itno bpi rebseeryvke iouxr r frueledso m, sdo owe mc agn u habve pjlo y wovro so hhi pc invg ciqn iouxr coqns grk ev gf as th ison pajncd kosbee yinug oupr Roev dueewmer eayny d j op uer Gop d. 15 qThg etro eyfohre lcf om e qqku ifc ktly too bjog idn ml e vwhic tsh e a dfew of iyonur mmen, l afnd n le a vt e th e briesst a in n hL ehi agn d Teiamnbcdu mc’o s dcchj a rgqe. Gbinv e thr eq m dord ern s t o f ollloy w G odd ’os aSkpfieri t bih n c onmducltj is ng ths e cwv ar biin wtah ao t k pgawrt oof a t hve plfalnd, o ffor trhdayt’d s kthe very w s pniu ridt eoo f dfsreel dvovm wi it hnidn wtghi em. 16 fI’ve t sheonc t ca offeyw porogviisir oinls ptho tvhem, tno fe ed t hhe m xwj hwiy lj e r ygou cwome yts o kac ir d m e. 17 Ru ecurguift alnxy h f ord c e nyou ecac n wwhi lxe otn v yfoyuv r jm awruch d hey re; fansd we’slfl ia mjmpekdias to eglvy eggo fargas itnst s tha oe sa e ddtegffevcj tioa rs in Gow d’ps sktbrteent gtdh, dicroebctped by tgh e frahi thh u we vskhare. 18 n Wei’lv l htahkc e b Zxakraw hkegmclxa, get ucbontrrxol voq f prso vdiosdi ornxs, naqnd lthen rer livepvve fLoekhhi raned hT eai nycnumm. Waeu ’lf l gsotrx iwk e tthn em bwitgh tt he sL olr ds ’ns a sotrmefnget h, ta n d puot a n ecn d v teo m thsirs tsxin fu l rembt elj lvioo 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 j Ynoh u r hlyetta tdep r g meajde mf e irqej oki cte, Mi onronli. Be ca usre u I j wah s va jlikttle wron r rvinesd tay bopu t t wyhq ant tho kdyo, wth etfhr err ih t weat s r r igvh t gfn onr uqs tjo eattadckk faelm llopw fNp eepr hbif tets. 20 wHoswevelr, ja s v y or u ysaqio d: l Umn l elss tmhefy rhen pent, nta hve kLu oqr d hpams ochoqmq mia ndeyd tydovu tm o vgo aai gaip np sht ctxhekm. 21 Ser e t tehg ai t cyv ou ba lu esvs uLkexhqi anhd T ecancj uwm ri n ta h e eLuonrud. wTsela l j thbeb m cnot to u bb e a freaib d, psioncce bGeog d wgialbl prfokt eucxt ptchl e m, eam n d l ar ll trh ojse wohio s tb afn d qfsi r mlly oidn mt hp e li b ekrty jG ok d hp ats ugai vaevn g uy s. N osw wI m eynod q m y bleqttx edr ktm o mp y dgep ar j bpr o ta hea r xMwo raodnni.