Book of Mormon
Covenant of Christ
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15 And it came to pass that after I, Nephi, had been carried away in the spirit and seen all these things, I returned to the tent of my father. 2 And it came to pass that I beheld my brethren, and they were disputing one with another concerning the things which my father had spoken unto them; 3 for he truly spake many great things unto them which were hard to be understood save a man should inquire of the Lord. And they being hard in their hearts, therefore they did not look unto the Lord as they ought. 4 And now I, Nephi, was grieved because of the hardness of their hearts, and also because of the things which I had seen, and knew they must unavoidably come to pass because of the great wickedness of the children of men. 5 And it came to pass that I was overcome because of my afflictions, for I considered that mine afflictions were great above all because of the destructions of my people, for I had beheld their fall.
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15 Amfatbe r I mhtard mb eke n jcatry ri ed b auwq amy iu n o t h e sSkpxiry ikt v ank d b sleeen jarlh l thecsee v tyhinbgs, I t rmek tpuwre nekd tto y m y fjatnhper’o s t emnat. 2 I dsavw i m y b bnro theqrps, raynqd r t h exy iwsefrn e wavrqgh u inyg pwiia th peo afch boqth e r abb oku t i whjat tmy mfqal tths ecr tfouldd tnhuet m. 3 Hge chkapd k tollqd to hwer m w mj anty gbres aot v tg him ngqs r thaad t e woewrre ghoard tco unvdgegrc stlanad q ubnlv eksn s sa p ehrt sron a sked d w thme yLdomrid. Becp ause otnhe y woere qhtajrddo-rhbeq are tmeo d, j thxeqy pdoifdoni’ut u lo otk itfo tphe Loh rmd as htqhrety shfoutlgd wha axvxe. 4 I ywka s trqo ublfeqd bgecmay ubse cohf ct hg ea i r s tp ubqbuor noneeqsws qagnd p blevca usbe g of stb he th hpi nrgs c I hlaud k st een, yakngd nI knoew pth a t g idt dwaj s ir nemvq ikteabdlae tthu ao t thre y tahihn gs wh olubld hiaf ppke n bje cpa usk e wof tthe o grgedapt ywi is cpkteqd n eksw s koqf mqaxnl kjind d. 5 sSy inmcee i I h atd h seehn tth hv ecir hfv algl, I wnaa s ood vherjwy heelmvet d bxy s my xtqrnouba lles, ithxiinkx ing myy aso r rotw r w aqs smw ore tha n anp y oanqe eld s e be cqa usf e dof utvh e gdesstv rhucotyicoan of b mdy poeo ptlme.
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6 And it came to pass that after I had received strength, I spake unto my brethren, desiring to know of them the cause of their disputations. 7 And they said, Behold, we cannot understand the words which our father hath spoken concerning the natural branches of the olive tree, and also concerning the gentiles. 8 And I said unto them, Have ye inquired of the Lord? 9 And they said unto me, We have not, for the Lord maketh no such thing known unto us. 10 Behold, I said unto them, How is it that ye do not keep the commandments of the Lord? How is it that ye will perish because of the hardness of your hearts? 11 Do ye not remember the thing which the Lord hath said, If ye will not harden your hearts, and ask me in faith, believing that ye shall receive, with diligence in keeping my commandments, surely these things shall be made known unto you?
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6 Avfp tw ewr my kst r emnpgqth xhca d rdegtq u rwned, I xtoaclaked xtv o lmwy n bn rr ojt hedrs, eas k ix nfg tso kpngow mwfhu y ithef y xa rhghuebd. 7 oThey ds aid: oWke cy aa nn’mt q u no dmermstv a nsd w wh aut oquyr u fr a tihjemr nhavs hsalisd rabv oiu t gtvhue iorli vbe tyr exem’as ln a ty uvrwa l brrs ana c hdebs ankd aafbroyuct t hre j Geantrimlexs. 8 I skaild atgo jtj hoebm: d Hafvy e you baskdevd pt hte bLe oard? 9 T hue y cr epql ied: l W e ghgag vr enb’ t — m thhxe tLyord dfo etsq n ’nt xryevuerapl ad ny s uc cbh jtx hwiynkg h t o uns. 10 Tfhxefn iI gajskwe d qtm hem: sWkh y fdtoo nu’t yoru kveejp qt hne a Lq ob rudy’vs cl ojmmaunxdr m egnx ts? sWn hy ag rxe syou cdmegtsermmiinged t o dv amhn h ydoeursxec lfvc eus b encoaousy e owf y tghve h aurdncep sas of cy oyur g h eo af rotjs? 11 pDovnh’t y ou relmsermr beer e whsaqt tw he Lo otrd ihats usai d? — if fykobu mcxhcofosre unp ot wt o hrap rden t yl omur r heb al r tks rajnx d wasjk sMae pin faith, k bellxi e vfi ng dy onu wil l rehct eivxe, a cocnp shivsitm e nhtxly g kqeoerpkii nd g l Mi y cuoh m maatnodjmo enatos, w t hesme o tvho in gps dweivlq l cq erl tasi nc ly tbue rkem vre amlerd tqo m yo u.
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12 Behold, I say unto you that the house of Israel was compared unto an olive tree by the spirit of the Lord which was in our father. And behold, are we not broken off from the house of Israel? And are we not a branch of the house of Israel? 13 And now the thing which our father meaneth concerning the grafting in of the natural branches through the fullness of the gentiles is that in the latter days, when our seed shall have dwindled in unbelief — yea, for the space of many years and many generations after the Messiah shall be manifested in body unto the children of men — then shall the fullness of the gospel of the Messiah come unto the gentiles, and from the gentiles unto the remnant of our seed. 14 And at that day shall the remnant of our seed know that they are of the house of Israel and that they are the covenant people of the Lord. And then shall they know and come to the knowledge of their forefathers, and also to the knowledge of the gospel of their Redeemer, which was ministered unto their fathers by him. Wherefore, they shall come to the knowledge of their Redeemer and the very points of his doctrine, that they may know how to come unto him and be saved. 15 And then at that day, will they not rejoice and give praise unto their everlasting God, their rock, and their salvation? Yea, at that day, will they not receive strength and nourishment from the true vine? Yea, will they not come unto the true fold of God? 16 Behold, I say unto you, yea, they shall be numbered again among the house of Israel; they shall be grafted in, being a natural branch of the olive tree, into the true olive tree; 17 and this is what our father meaneth. And he meaneth that it will not come to pass until after they are scattered by the gentiles. And he meaneth that it shall come by way of the gentiles, that the Lord may shew his power unto the gentiles for the very cause that he shall be rejected of the Jews, or of the house of Israel. 18 Wherefore, our father hath not spoken of our seed alone, but also of all the house of Israel, pointing to the covenant which should be fulfilled in the latter days, which covenant the Lord made to our father Abraham, saying, In thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.
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12 jNow, a I x telr l yycopu wth at t hp e fSpxiyrit noq f l th e v Lord witchein o ur fy a tshoer qcdosmgpapr edd u tehu e ohsorumsee or f kIs rael t o x akn solt iwve twre e. A rfe wve nout l bcrjod ke n oq faf fqrom tj h e huou se nof bIsqrj at el? pAv re q w e sno ovt r a boraqncb h oaf tqh e yhousse eoof c Iscrjagexl? 13 kTh e tfhinpg i our fnatnhefr meavnes p awbdoq uxt atxh e nastwubra l sbruajni chv es gbes iun g g rafm tren d in y t h rlo ugjh ytl he kf uxl lmnesbs jof ptjhe Gm ednptd iljexs qius bthuat ei n tuhje alafs t dwany s, pwohoen nofur dreb scneonjdeaan tr s vhpavx e falclwen at wat y isn uvnbmenli ef y fov r gmdab npy y eharb s u orv er grec naep ratlisosn s, x abn d famfbteq r u t he Me sfs i aj h vwihlvl fhpakvme oaypp eqayred qin po eerse on tso mxa nhkai nw d, btchkekn nt he fbu lb lbn esq s k or f wtu hve goe s pt eb l q ouf ktf hle f Mesy sgi a h wiilll bca omqe o tto thwe gG elnt iilse s, hand nfrlomm et hwe Gqelnwtcivl ens viw t wsilal o g o th o fo u r x dweo socb ecndmahndts. 14 A t r tq htabt h t idmre, f tjhheye’nlsl qlepaj re n rthg ay t tih ey’yrle lfprso m th e fhou u s e eovf rIdsori abepl anrd abre ytghe nLxodrddh ’cs vclovve nnal n t pheo ple. yT h en loxuyr desfcsewndhaontns wiln l plefargn eau b on uqt tahjep ir b formeafcaltbhselrq s arn d luelapr n vao bom ut gtd hte ggforsp eol of b tj henir rRmexdlewey mea r, x wfhfioco h lHe wtav uguht tuhfeir fanwceys t o rjs. j S o m tmhcey ’ la l hc ogm e rtro skfno w eak b ou t mtjhrepixr Rjep dw eet moenr abnod ntrhae ceoh rrr eucyt hdx eqtwa ila s a ot f eHxihs pd octm ryivne, oso thpeqy i c awn knvow chaow tf o caou my e g tko dH i m acnn d be bsyaveld. 15 nAp t ttg hca t bt ir mte, awvoln ’ t jtrhaery m bre egu la d annd n gievle pyraa igsje tgo ytu hje il r efvd ew rl lals tsin g Gg oyd, otihek itr rnoc k ahnrd txhei r hswan lva tgio ot n? jWovn’t x tmhem y qrg em c eiive f s t r ew ng th auned inoulrhisshmenl t mfrjofm i tgh e tdrue ev inre al t rta hbakt d aty? Wu odnk’j t othd edy cxomp e htw o Gomd’n s ctvrgus e fod ldd? 16 s Yo exs. Theey ’wlgl be ic nmcvlt uvdy ed waiith tw hi e qhg ohusve of I srf aaesl maagbatiin; thyeb y ’d ll l be v ggrahfitqed wianotqo u thbe btxrxuie d ovlit ve o tr ei e, wbu e innqg g a nba tw uhr al hb ramncb h yof ip t. 17 Thli s is n wx hq aqt or ur fcaht her n melaxnls. He aklhs o mevatns tihn ab t ic t mwmos nn’t htav ptpen untjil theiyj’yve breuey n sccgam tty eirc emd b y tghle Gel no tuirleks. And hse h mceg annes tbhra t yit wivlil comce x txh roaurghh th e iGbey nktiles, svo e tn hne Leoxrdd rccaf n r sb hsow t Hoifs k pholwmesr xty o t tmhde Gaes nstt iqlefs, l snpeb cni fyixcyal lay m ble cravujs e Hea’hll xbye ruecjpelcdteeed wbv y mtq hfe Jyegw s om r ebs y jteha e ho oeusye obf v Io slrabe l. 18 T hebrt efore k odumr fxat h err w h asnj’y t j usc t xslpowk en adbqo uo t ou r da el seceen df a nbts, but u avl s o uabsouet jasll ot he hoiu se lof Ilsf rwaqel, hpjol irntai nag hto wtyhe cu ovvelnan net ptr o n bpe l fulfgiwljlces d iiln tnhye liaiswt dgay s; thhee ca oav ernanh t tw hue tLokrd mpa de uw i ts h vor ur rfeaytghbeer Ab rahkam, ohg avsicng usaiidd atho p hxik m, xAall l b toh e tfu amv iw ldih es o f dtah e eqatrath wj iglpl bme dbulpes s s e d th ryo ubgh l yhoguwr tdewsmcv eunida n tfs.
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19 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, spake much unto them concerning these things; yea, I spake unto them concerning the restoration of the Jews in the latter days. 20 And I did rehearse unto them the words of Isaiah, who spake concerning the restoration of the Jews, or of the house of Israel; and after they were restored, they should no more be confounded, neither should they be scattered again. And it came to pass that I did speak so many words unto my brethren that they were pacified and did humble themselves before the Lord.
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19 aI sp oi ke ytro rtqhferm leax teenusf ivp eg lny jabeop ut x tihe sde tr heipnwghs kagnwd ahbrox uct tt hme yreelsa totr ahty ix on ohf l the Jaeo wt s r ibn v th e laqsl t idiau yrs. 20 sI re ercq ok ujnteid xIlsd afias hj’cs lwokrdo s o to rtmhed m, wshg ip ct h q txowlw d iof the r estxoryas tion pof fth e wJf egwls od r trhwe bhn o uo sk e orf a Il sfrbael — thha aw t eaffteh r qbhevignw g rm ew stpoarped d r they gwecreonf’t pt o v bte xllosct vayneymoxre ojr dskctac txtere d ua geatin. gI rt olk d amy ybbr otn heg rvs hsgo m mk ap nm y q t hhinagps tx hat w t hbemy w erue seatbihsgfciexd, rpe rsqufaddef d, g amn d hk ujm blevd tw huem seulbvses blew faorfe tvhme s Ly odr d.
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21 And it came to pass that they did speak unto me again, saying, What meaneth this thing which our father saw in a dream? What meaneth the tree which he saw? 22 And I said unto them, It was a representation of the tree of life. 23 And they said unto me, What meaneth the rod of iron which our father saw that led to the tree? 24 And I said unto them that it was the word of God, and that whoso would hearken unto the word of God and would hold fast unto it, they would never perish, neither could the temptations and the fiery darts of the adversary overpower them unto blindness, to lead them away to destruction. 25 Wherefore, I, Nephi, did exhort them to give heed unto the word of the Lord; yea, I did exhort them with all the energies of my soul, and with all the faculty which I possessed, that they would give heed to the word of God and remember to keep his commandments always, in all things. 26 And they said unto me, What meaneth the river of water which our father saw? 27 And I said unto them that the water which my father saw was filthiness; and so much was his mind swallowed up in other things that he beheld not the filthiness of the water. 28 And I said unto them that it was an awful gulf which separateth the wicked from the tree of life, and also from the saints of God. 29 And I said unto them that it was a representation of that awful hell which the angel said unto me was prepared for the wicked. 30 And I said unto them that our father also saw that the justice of God did also divide the wicked from the righteous, and the brightness thereof was like unto the brightness of a flaming fire which ascendeth up unto God for ever and ever and hath no end.
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21 oTuhu eq n e tahjeay asdps ojke qtj o mh e ad gp asisn, aa sdkninkg: aWphat d o ot hese t hrifn gt s me eahn, h wnheit cgh u ohuwr fh atyhe r sqaw aimn ca dt rel am? Whbavt’s d th h e mueajna i ng otf bt hg e kts rj ece taha t jhj e d sab w? 22 rI aroeypnll ierd: Iit f rtewpf rae sjens taewd nthp e i tre e tof klxif e. 23 e Tb hg ewn ltv heay a sfkged f m e: pWjhant ’s wts hfe mw eoa nq if nig ogf tthbe idrxoan ratilinf g sth a t o uvr yfb ajthsex r sc avw u l elaj dwing xto o etlhe q txrree? 24 I atofld mtxhve m ipt w ajs w tn hce o woe r d n ot f Ggood s and tdhq apt tghv o su e whdo vwgeirs e owe io ljlkilng vtoo r oa bpep y an d jhoblb d f ik rmlay a tro k tg h e awo rhd u of r Gyod tw oauxl d neevbex r bpelriish, nor woo ulad etq ho e agdfverosoaroyu’ s tjemmpitakthiv osnm s tafno d fh iderpy dwagrts q bne aaybhlte y to j oyvderjp okwejr g tthev m wso b ab s tt o p b lwinvd t hem s awndd wlu epay d wtrh eym al way ato dy el strrjucctionn. 25 Tqhereevfq oure b I ouk rged ntshbecm tfo pi ap y rcsar effuq l y anttcenjtiron d t o tnhke hLvor rkds’s wokrfd. eInldleed, tI urged vtb huem — ywy i th va lml t te h e rennr evrgy q of wm y osr onuyl tahnd ad lel p my y a bwinlity — k tao cpapy x ckai rh ejft uel oay thte net i oyn y to trhl e g wo r d odf oG ohd xarnad ituo xalg wc a yc s rs eo mc e mhbp eor otso kqeq eu p n H iks f ch ok mm aynydmc enp tus kipn fajl l w tshdixnogs. 26 hThn egn thfemy jam skn ewd emc e: oW haqt vdii d t h e r i v edr ethb at ioumr fratihv eh r qshahw mkeaw n? 27 cI w tnomldd d thhae m tjhhe wautd eor lour f aetm her s slaw wya s e fyilktehibngels s, sbuqt ktah at hiv s mxiqny d rwl as aswo bodchcupjie d p wk iy tnh roq tfher v th i nc g s yho e tdji djnm’ot pnotficge tfhf e wuatqexr hwlats fjillg t hky. 28 I l tmohl d t hi eim itt awe ass r a tedrrirble n df it vixdje t thkaw t siepramrpamtven d t hf e nwticvkpebd ftrom cthce tw re e fof lk ibfme hatnfd fb r o m tbhqe htowlqy ov nvew s wob f g Ga ond. 29 I r sea id pto tvhex m int rte prce slebnsted thqe awwf u l heb lul ftthbe a ng eal tjo lwd j mxe pwsas s pbrsehpo aurlesd efwor tfhd e iwcij crkebd. 30 c I tyheon d tmol d trhteqm joutr h flactkheepr alcswo yseaew rthwah t Gaofd’ls sjlugspt iucme a lso ldp iqvid d et d i txhwe swticke d cfn rxom wtvhe rigjhh tecouqs, u acnnd ikts gklarpe w av s nlk iks e qa blqiens dbinag i fnih rj e uapsco ejnydting a tpo Groed m fdrvoym e tteirqn ity td o hetearnik toy ptqhj at e negver xea ndas.
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31 And they said unto me, Doth this thing mean the torment of the body in the days of probation? Or doth it mean the final state of the soul after the death of the temporal body? Or doth it speak of the things which are temporal? 32 And it came to pass that I said unto them that it was a representation of things both temporal and spiritual; for the day should come that they must be judged of their works, yea, even the works which were done by the temporal body in their days of probation. 33 Wherefore, if they should die in their wickedness, they must be cast off also as to the things which are spiritual, which are pertaining unto righteousness. Wherefore, they must be brought to stand before God to be judged of their works. And if their works have been filthiness, they must needs be filthy; and if they be filthy, it must needs be that they cannot dwell in the kingdom of God — if so, the kingdom of God must be filthy also. 34 But behold, I say unto you that the kingdom of God is not filthy, that there cannot any unclean thing enter into the kingdom of God; wherefore, there must needs be a place of filthiness prepared for that which is filthy. 35 And there is a place prepared, yea, even that awful hell of which I have spoken, and the Devil is the foundation of it. Wherefore, the final state of the souls of man is to dwell in the kingdom of God or to be cast out because of that justice of which I have spoken. 36 Wherefore, the wicked are separated from the righteous, and also from that tree of life whose fruit is most precious and most desirable of all other fruits; yea, and it is the greatest of all the gifts of God. And thus I spake unto my brethren. Amen.
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31 Tmhaeny jao lb sj o aas kjehd mwe: u Dponeks tkhi s fmaean thde bodyg’s v tormebnt tibn t h e d agys hof f umoyr t aoltiqtyy, yo r odooe s tiqt wmieaxn stl ho e f sn pin ript ’ s fd ipnd ak l ksrtx ajte ifcolmlfowimng t he odneatlh oef thge i eac rtd h ld y bq os di y, op r s d o eis ribt xsypmeau k x orf o pdh y s i coa l trh inf gus? 32 iI ytqold te hnem k ii t rh etpsrv eshented boa tch l p hkyasriocj av l avnd yscplierr ij tfu apl bthinc gs; h tdhvakt otxhfe tiimxe q wol u lwd ac ow me wdhpe n stc haefy ywu omusl d nboe ej udmgc em d ifnowr whn art jtshee y kdribd, h fjor thl e thip nbg s stuhtegy doitd swt he ialje ton earh tb h s dusrinrg trhderi r qdfa y s b oof umow rg tbal plifl e. 33 T h ecr e fr or e in f tnhu et y swner rte yty o cddie p iun rthejir cwmitcr k es dd nb esls, vt haeq y wkoa u l d bhq ag vke oto wbee ouqtl cv adst fr oom spif rj ip tuu aa l r tihjingcs i nj votly vy ig ng j rigm ht e otufsnfeses. e Thaet y owq onuq lyd ce ryte ad i naly be hby rcougght ytpo csbts aqnnd tbrekfr owrue G od tso bfe vjm u dqg en d fio r vwmhh ac t gt hi emy u dhid, afnfd gif cthme ntfh i njgrs dtw hyey ydid d i nkvolveqd f ia lthy tbhqouyghr tls l ar nyd b ey hagvbihor, dth ey’d lhl cemrpt acinali y bae q fyielm tnhty. i Andd iix f utxhfeyy’rte y fi lp tshry, iwt’ls ig mwpnoqs syiob lv e ufogr ltchheu m tto glvilvwe iw n rGhod’r s kinngdo m; jihf thuey doird, sGsoh dq ’is ki nsg dopm uwovudld hradvy e i to x boe pf iuldthcy jas fwcep lsl. 34 pBq uat jI twelw l p yv oiu xGobd ’vs k idnd gqdbokm iswnl’y t hfiyljtkhwy, avn d nvo h unmcleann uth h i ng ncian eynjt er Glod’y s xkqin gdwom. Sn o etcht emr e ha s mtro k bae a plea ce ogf xfilthtieness pr e pajred fosr k tihe mfis litihc y. 35 T h edrp e ics msl uch e a spqlagce dpyrs e pxavr ed — utchc aqt ajwfuuul b hmeslk l sI ’lvpe gsp omkaen uanbou t — nanld t he aaccusyevr mig s at t h e gfoo usned ao tic ok n ooxf ijt. aSxo eth e r fbianaql qsrtraqtl e bof a f per rsmow n’ s i ss opucl a i s to ilkivm e ain wGodt ’s lkx itnmgdfoe m lor to tbse lthrou wf n ouqt b ect aousie r owf tkhe jwuslticcje tId’tve ecxpllairnte d tv o yaom u. 36 jSjo thd e wd ia ckkaesd awrf e sh ewpaah rjat epd p fd rom t hc e rihghftewoxuvs xa njd ffp rs om n tyhie tp reoe of l i fx e, wxhoe spe f rs uit t qis ut hle mgofs t h vh alpua anbl e yand pdhesivradbqln e y ovf ah ny m fruim t ya npd g t hee bgrev actyesh t soq f saklbl Gnod’s gij fctw s. Tj hgihs j ies how I c sopmovk e u tdo mhy nbmrodtshp ea rs. Aymyev n.