The first book of Nephi, his reign and ministry
An account of Lehi and his wife Sariah, and his four sons, being called (beginning at the eldest), Laman, Lemuel, Sam, and Nephi. The Lord warns Lehi to depart out of the land of Jerusalem, because he prophesies to the people concerning their iniquity; and they seek to destroy his life. He takes a three-day journey into the wilderness with his family. Nephi takes his brothers and returns to the land of Jerusalem after the record of the Jews. The account of their sufferings. They take the daughters of Ishmael to wife. They take their families and depart into the wilderness. Their sufferings and afflictions in the wilderness. The course of their travels. They come to the large waters. Nephi's brothers rebel against him. He confounds them, and builds a ship. They call the place Bountiful. They cross the large waters into the promised land, and so on. This is according to the account of Nephi; or in other words, I, Nephi wrote this record.
Chapter 1
1 I, Nephi, having been born of goodly parents, therefore I was taught somewhat in all the learning of my father; and having seen many afflictions in the course of my days, nevertheless, having been highly favored of the Lord in all my days; yes, having had a great knowledge of the goodness and the mysteries of God, therefore I make a record of my proceedings in my days.
2 Yes, I make a record in the language of my father, which consists of the learning of the Jews and the 1language of the Egyptians.
3 And I know that the record which I make is true; and I make it with my own hand; and I make it according to my knowledge.
4 For in the beginning of the 2first year of the reign of Zedekiah, king of Judah (my father Lehi having dwelt at Jerusalem in all his days); and in that same year there came 3many prophets, prophesying to the people that they must repent, or the great city Jerusalem must be destroyed.
5 Wherefore my father, Lehi, as he went forth prayed to the Lord, yes, even with all his heart, in behalf of his people.
6 And as he prayed to the Lord, there came a pillar of fire and dwelt upon a rock before him; and he saw and heard much; and because of the things which he saw and heard, he quaked and trembled exceedingly.
7 And he returned to his own house at Jerusalem; and he cast himself upon his bed, being overcome with the Spirit and the things which he had seen.
8 And being thus overcome with the Spirit, he was carried away in a vision, even that he saw the heavens open, and he thought he saw God sitting upon his throne, surrounded with numberless concourses of angels in the attitude of singing and praising their God.
9 And he saw one descending out of the midst of heaven, and he beheld that his luster was above that of the sun at midday;
10 And he also saw twelve others following him, and their brightness exceeded that of the stars in the firmament.
11 And they came down and went forth upon the face of the earth; and the first came and stood before my father, and gave to him a book, and bade him that he should read.
12 And it came to pass that as he read, he was filled with the Spirit of the Lord.
13 And he read, saying: Wo, wo unto Jerusalem, for I have seen your abominations! Yes, and many things did my father read concerning Jerusalem – 4that it should be destroyed, and the inhabitants thereof; many should perish by the sword, and many should be carried away captive into Babylon.
14 And when my father had read and saw many great and marvelous things, he exclaimed many things to the Lord; such as: Great and marvelous are your works, O Lord God Almighty! Your throne is high in the heavens, and your power, goodness, and mercy are over all the inhabitants of the earth; and, because you are merciful, you will not suffer those who come unto you that they shall perish!
15 And after this manner was the language of my father in the praising of his God; for his soul rejoiced, and his whole heart was filled, because of the things which he had seen; yes, which the Lord had shown to him.
16 And now I, Nephi, do not make a full account of the things which my 5father has written, for he has written many things which he saw in visions and in dreams; and he also has written many things which he prophesied and spoke to his children, of which I shall not make a full account.
17 But I shall make an account of my proceedings in my days. Behold, I make an 6abridgment of the record of my father, upon plates which I have made with my own hands; wherefore, after I have abridged the record of my father, then will I make an account of my own life.
18 Therefore, I would that you+ should know, that after the Lord had shown so many marvelous things to my father Lehi, yes, concerning the destruction of Jerusalem, behold he went forth among the people, and began to prophesy and to declare to them concerning the things which he had both seen and heard.
19 And it came to pass that the 7Jews mocked him because of the things which he testified of them; for he truly testified of their wickedness and their abominations; and he testified that the things which he saw and heard, and also the things which he read in the book, manifested plainly of the coming of a Messiah, and also the redemption of the world.
20 And when the Jews heard these things, they were angry with him; yes, even as with the prophets of old, whom they had cast out, and stoned, and slain; and they also sought his life, that they might take it away. But behold I, Nephi, will show unto you+ that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he has chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance.
1Moses 1:4; Mormon 9:32
22 Kings 24:17, 18
32 Chronicles 36:15, 16
42 Chronicles 36:17-20; Jeremiah 39:1-9
51 Nephi 6:1
61 Nephi 6:1; 9:2-5; 10:1; 19:1-6; 2 Nephi 5:29-33; Jacob 1:1-4; 3:13, 14; 4:1, 2; 7:26, 27; Enos 13, 15-18; Jared 14, 15; Words of Mormon 1-11
72 Chronicles 36:16; Jeremiah 26:8-11
An account of Lehi and his wife Sariah, and his four sons, being called (beginning at the eldest), Laman, Lemuel, Sam, and Nephi. The Lord warns Lehi to depart out of the land of Jerusalem, because he prophesies to the people concerning their iniquity; and they seek to destroy his life. He takes a three-day journey into the wilderness with his family. Nephi takes his brothers and returns to the land of Jerusalem after the record of the Jews. The account of their sufferings. They take the daughters of Ishmael to wife. They take their families and depart into the wilderness. Their sufferings and afflictions in the wilderness. The course of their travels. They come to the large waters. Nephi's brothers rebel against him. He confounds them, and builds a ship. They call the place Bountiful. They cross the large waters into the promised land, and so on. This is according to the account of Nephi; or in other words, I, Nephi wrote this record.
Chapter 1
1 I, Nephi, having been born of goodly parents, therefore I was taught somewhat in all the learning of my father; and having seen many afflictions in the course of my days, nevertheless, having been highly favored of the Lord in all my days; yes, having had a great knowledge of the goodness and the mysteries of God, therefore I make a record of my proceedings in my days.
2 Yes, I make a record in the language of my father, which consists of the learning of the Jews and the 1language of the Egyptians.
3 And I know that the record which I make is true; and I make it with my own hand; and I make it according to my knowledge.
4 For in the beginning of the 2first year of the reign of Zedekiah, king of Judah (my father Lehi having dwelt at Jerusalem in all his days); and in that same year there came 3many prophets, prophesying to the people that they must repent, or the great city Jerusalem must be destroyed.
5 Wherefore my father, Lehi, as he went forth prayed to the Lord, yes, even with all his heart, in behalf of his people.
6 And as he prayed to the Lord, there came a pillar of fire and dwelt upon a rock before him; and he saw and heard much; and because of the things which he saw and heard, he quaked and trembled exceedingly.
7 And he returned to his own house at Jerusalem; and he cast himself upon his bed, being overcome with the Spirit and the things which he had seen.
8 And being thus overcome with the Spirit, he was carried away in a vision, even that he saw the heavens open, and he thought he saw God sitting upon his throne, surrounded with numberless concourses of angels in the attitude of singing and praising their God.
9 And he saw one descending out of the midst of heaven, and he beheld that his luster was above that of the sun at midday;
10 And he also saw twelve others following him, and their brightness exceeded that of the stars in the firmament.
11 And they came down and went forth upon the face of the earth; and the first came and stood before my father, and gave to him a book, and bade him that he should read.
12 And it came to pass that as he read, he was filled with the Spirit of the Lord.
13 And he read, saying: Wo, wo unto Jerusalem, for I have seen your abominations! Yes, and many things did my father read concerning Jerusalem – 4that it should be destroyed, and the inhabitants thereof; many should perish by the sword, and many should be carried away captive into Babylon.
14 And when my father had read and saw many great and marvelous things, he exclaimed many things to the Lord; such as: Great and marvelous are your works, O Lord God Almighty! Your throne is high in the heavens, and your power, goodness, and mercy are over all the inhabitants of the earth; and, because you are merciful, you will not suffer those who come unto you that they shall perish!
15 And after this manner was the language of my father in the praising of his God; for his soul rejoiced, and his whole heart was filled, because of the things which he had seen; yes, which the Lord had shown to him.
16 And now I, Nephi, do not make a full account of the things which my 5father has written, for he has written many things which he saw in visions and in dreams; and he also has written many things which he prophesied and spoke to his children, of which I shall not make a full account.
17 But I shall make an account of my proceedings in my days. Behold, I make an 6abridgment of the record of my father, upon plates which I have made with my own hands; wherefore, after I have abridged the record of my father, then will I make an account of my own life.
18 Therefore, I would that you+ should know, that after the Lord had shown so many marvelous things to my father Lehi, yes, concerning the destruction of Jerusalem, behold he went forth among the people, and began to prophesy and to declare to them concerning the things which he had both seen and heard.
19 And it came to pass that the 7Jews mocked him because of the things which he testified of them; for he truly testified of their wickedness and their abominations; and he testified that the things which he saw and heard, and also the things which he read in the book, manifested plainly of the coming of a Messiah, and also the redemption of the world.
20 And when the Jews heard these things, they were angry with him; yes, even as with the prophets of old, whom they had cast out, and stoned, and slain; and they also sought his life, that they might take it away. But behold I, Nephi, will show unto you+ that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he has chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance.
1Moses 1:4; Mormon 9:32
22 Kings 24:17, 18
32 Chronicles 36:15, 16
42 Chronicles 36:17-20; Jeremiah 39:1-9
51 Nephi 6:1
61 Nephi 6:1; 9:2-5; 10:1; 19:1-6; 2 Nephi 5:29-33; Jacob 1:1-4; 3:13, 14; 4:1, 2; 7:26, 27; Enos 13, 15-18; Jared 14, 15; Words of Mormon 1-11
72 Chronicles 36:16; Jeremiah 26:8-11