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45 - Book of Mormon - Joseph Smith Jr · Philosophy and Faith

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Speaker 1: Helimann chapter eight. And now I came to pass that
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Speaker 1: when Nephi had said these words, behold, there were men
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Speaker 1: who were judges, who also belonged to the secret band
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Speaker 1: of Gadienton, And they were angry, and they cried out
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Speaker 1: against him, saying, unto the people, why do ye not
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Speaker 1: seize upon this man and bring him forth, that he
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Speaker 1: may be condemned according to the crime which he has done.
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Speaker 1: Why seest thou this man and hearest him revile against
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Speaker 1: this people and against our law. For behold, Nephi had
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Speaker 1: spoken unto them concerning the corruptness of their law. Yea.
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Speaker 1: Many things did Nephi speak which cannot be written, And
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Speaker 1: nothing did he speak which was contrary to the commandments
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Speaker 1: of God. And those judges were angry with him, because
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Speaker 1: he spake plainly unto them concerning their secret works of darkness. Nevertheless,
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Speaker 1: they durst not lay their own hands upon him, for
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Speaker 1: they feared the people, lest they should cry out against them.
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Speaker 1: Therefore they did cry unto the people, saying, why do
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Speaker 1: you suffer this man to revile against us? For behold,
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Speaker 1: he doth condemn all this people, even unto destruction. Yea.
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Speaker 1: And also that these are great cities shall be taken
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Speaker 1: from us, that we shall have no place in them.
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Speaker 1: And now we know that this is impossible. For behold,
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Speaker 1: we are powerful and our cities great. Therefore our enemies
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Speaker 1: can have no power over us. And it came to
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Speaker 1: pass that thus they did stir up the people to
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Speaker 1: anger against Nephi, and raised contentions among them. For there
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Speaker 1: were some who did cry out, let this man alone,
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Speaker 1: for he is a good man, and those things which
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Speaker 1: he saith will surely come to pass except we repent. Yea. Behold,
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Speaker 1: all the judgments will come upon us which he has
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Speaker 1: testified unto us. For we know that he has testified
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Speaker 1: a right unto us concerning our iniquities. And behold, they
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Speaker 1: are many. And he knoweth as well all things which
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Speaker 1: shall befall us, as he knoweth of our iniquities. Yea,
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Speaker 1: and behold, if he had not been prophet, he could
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Speaker 1: not have testified concerning those things. And it came to
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Speaker 1: pass that those people who sought to destroy Nephi were
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Speaker 1: compelled because of their fear, that they did not lay
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Speaker 1: their hands on him. Therefore he began again to speak
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Speaker 1: unto them, seeing that he had gained favor in the
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Speaker 1: eyes of some, insomuch that the remainder of them did fear.
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Speaker 1: Therefore he was constrained to speak more unto them, saying, behold,
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Speaker 1: my brethren, have you not read that God gave power
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Speaker 1: unto one man, even Moses, to smite upon the waters
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Speaker 1: of the Red Sea, and they parted hither and thither
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Speaker 1: insomuch that the Israelites, who were our fathers, came through
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Speaker 1: upon dry ground, and the waters closed upon the armies
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Speaker 1: of the Egyptians and swallowed them up. And now, behold,
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Speaker 1: if God gave unto this man such power, then why
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Speaker 1: should ye dispute among yourselves and say that He hath
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Speaker 1: given unto me no power, whereby I may know concerning
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Speaker 1: the judgments that sh come upon you, Except ye repent.
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Speaker 1: But behold, ye not only deny my words, but ye
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Speaker 1: also deny all the words which have been spoken by
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Speaker 1: our fathers, and also the words which were spoken by
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Speaker 1: this man, Moses, who had such great power given unto him. Yea,
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Speaker 1: the words which he hath spoken concerning the coming of
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Speaker 1: the Messiah? Yea, did he not bear record that the
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Speaker 1: Son of God should come? And as he lifted up
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Speaker 1: the brazen serpent in the wilderness. Even so shall he
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Speaker 1: be lifted up, who should come, And as many as
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Speaker 1: should look upon that serpent should live, even so as
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Speaker 1: many as should look upon the Son of God with faith,
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Speaker 1: having a contrite spirit, might live even unto that life
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Speaker 1: which is eternal. And now behold, Moses did not only
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Speaker 1: testify of these things, but also all the holy prophets
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Speaker 1: from his days, even to the days of Abraham. Yea,
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Speaker 1: and behold, Abraham saw of his coming and was filled
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Speaker 1: with gladness, and did rejoice. Yea, and behold, I say
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Speaker 1: unto you that Abraham not only knew of these things,
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Speaker 1: but there were many before the days of Abraham who
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Speaker 1: were called by the order of God. Yea, even after
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Speaker 1: the order of his son. And this that it should
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Speaker 1: be shown unto the people a great many thousand years
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Speaker 1: before his coming, that even redemption should come unto them.
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Speaker 1: And now why would that? Ye should know that even
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Speaker 1: since the days of Abraham, there have been many prophets
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Speaker 1: that have testified these things. Yea, Behold, the prophet Zenas
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Speaker 1: did testify boldly for the which he was slain. And
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Speaker 1: behold also Zenik, and also Isias, and also Isaiah, and Jeremiah.
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Speaker 1: Jeremiah being that same prophet who testified of the destruction
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Speaker 1: of Jerusalem. And now we know that Jerusalem was destroyed
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Speaker 1: according to the words of Jeremiah. Oh, then why not
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Speaker 1: the Son of God come according to his prophecy. And
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Speaker 1: now will ye dispute that Jerusalem was destroyed? Will ye
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Speaker 1: say that the sons of Zedekiah were not slain all
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Speaker 1: except were Mulik yea. And do ye not behold that
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Speaker 1: the seed of Zedekiah are with us, and they were
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Speaker 1: driven out of the land of Jerusalem. But behold, this
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Speaker 1: is not all. Our father Lehi was driven out of
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Speaker 1: Jerusalem because he testified of these things. Nephi also testified
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Speaker 1: of these things, and also almost all of our fathers,
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Speaker 1: even down to this time. Yea, they have testified of
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Speaker 1: the coming of Christ and have looked forward and have
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Speaker 1: rejoiced in his day which is to come. And behold,
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Speaker 1: he is God, and he is with them. And He
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Speaker 1: did manifest himself unto them, that they were redeemed by him,
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Speaker 1: and they gave unto him glory because of that which
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Speaker 1: is to come. And now, seeing ye know these things
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Speaker 1: and cannot deny them, except ye shall lie Therefore in
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Speaker 1: this ye have sinned, for ye have rejected all these things,
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Speaker 1: notwithstanding so many evidences which ye have received. Yea, even
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Speaker 1: ye have received all things, both things in heaven and
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Speaker 1: all things which are in the earth, as a witness
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Speaker 1: that they are true. But behold, ye have rejected the
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Speaker 1: truth and rebelled against your Holy God. And even at
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Speaker 1: this time, instead of laying up for yourselves treasures in heaven,
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Speaker 1: where nothing doth corrupt, and where nothing can come which
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Speaker 1: is unclean, ye are heaping up for yourselves wrath against
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Speaker 1: the day of judgment. Yea. Even at this time ye
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Speaker 1: are ripening because of your murders and your fornication and
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Speaker 1: wickedness for everlasting destruction. Yea. And except ye repent, it
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Speaker 1: will come unto you soon. Yea. Behold, it is now
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Speaker 1: even at your doors. Yea. Go ye in unto the
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Speaker 1: judgment seat and search. And behold, your judge is murdered,
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Speaker 1: and he lieth in his blood, and he hath been
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Speaker 1: murdered by his brother, who seeketh to sit in the
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Speaker 1: judgment seat. And behold, they both belong to your secret band,
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Speaker 1: whose author is Gadyantin, and the evil one who seeketh
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Speaker 1: to destroy the souls of men he lamon chapter nine. Behold,
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Speaker 1: now it came to pass that when Nephi had spoken
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Speaker 1: these words, certain men who were among them, ran to
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Speaker 1: the judgment seat. Yea, even there were five who went,
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Speaker 1: and they said among themselves as they went, behold, and
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Speaker 1: now we will know of assured whether this man be
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Speaker 1: a prophet, and God hath commanded him to prophesie such
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Speaker 1: marvelous things unto us. Behold, we do not believe that
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Speaker 1: he hath. Yea, we do not believe that he is
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Speaker 1: a prophet. Nevertheless, if this thing which he has said
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Speaker 1: concerning the Chief Judge be true, that he be dead,
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Speaker 1: then will we believe that the other words which he
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Speaker 1: has spoken are true. And it came to pass that
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Speaker 1: they ran in their mind and came in unto the
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Speaker 1: judgment seat. And behold, the Chief Judge had fallen to
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Speaker 1: the earth and did lie in his blood. And now behold,
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Speaker 1: when they saw this, they were astonished exceedingly insomuch that
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Speaker 1: they fell to the earth. For they had not believed
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Speaker 1: the words which Nephi had spoken concerning the Chief Judge.
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Speaker 1: But now when they saw that, they believed, and fear
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Speaker 1: came upon them, lest all the judgments which Nephi had
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Speaker 1: spoken should come upon the people. Therefore they did quake
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Speaker 1: and had fallen to the earth. Now immediately when the
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Speaker 1: judge been murdered, he being stabbed by his brother by
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Speaker 1: a garb of secrecy, and he fled, and the servants
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Speaker 1: ran and told the people, raising the cry of murder
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Speaker 1: among them. And behold, the people did gather themselves together
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Speaker 1: unto the place of the judgment seat. And behold, to
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Speaker 1: their astonishment they saw those five men who had fallen
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Speaker 1: to the earth. And now behold that people knew nothing
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Speaker 1: concerning the multitude who had gathered together at the garden
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Speaker 1: of Nephi. Therefore they set among themselves these men are
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Speaker 1: they who have murdered the judge. And God has smitten them,
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Speaker 1: that they could not flee from us. And it came
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Speaker 1: to pass that they laid hold on them and bound
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Speaker 1: them and cast them into prison. And there was a
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Speaker 1: proclamation sent abroad that the judge was slain, and that
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Speaker 1: the murderers had been taken and were cast into prison.
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Speaker 1: And it came to pass that on the morrow the
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Speaker 1: people did assemble themselves together to mourn and to fast
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Speaker 1: at the burial of the great Chief Judge who had
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Speaker 1: been slain. And thus also those judges who were at
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Speaker 1: the garden of Nephi and heard his words, were also
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Speaker 1: gathered together at the burial. And it came to pass
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Speaker 1: that they inquired among the people, saying, where are the
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Speaker 1: five who were sent to inquire concerning the chief judge
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Speaker 1: whether he was dead? And they answered and said, concerning
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Speaker 1: this five whom ye say ye have sent, we know not,
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Speaker 1: but there are five who are the murderers whom we
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Speaker 1: have cast into prison. And it came to pass that
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Speaker 1: the judges desired that they should be brought, and they
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Speaker 1: were brought, and behold they were the five who were sent.
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Speaker 1: And to behold, the judges inquired of them to know
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Speaker 1: concerning the matter, And they told them all that they
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Speaker 1: had done, saying, we ran and came to the place
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Speaker 1: of the judgment seat. And when we saw all things,
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Speaker 1: even as nie if I had testified, we were astonished,
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Speaker 1: insomuch that we fell to the earth. And when we
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Speaker 1: were recovered from our astonishment, behold they cast us into prison. Now,
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Speaker 1: as for the murder of this man, we know not
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Speaker 1: who has done it, And only this much we know.
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Speaker 1: We ran and came according as ye desired, and behold,
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Speaker 1: he was dead, according to the words of Nephi. And
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Speaker 1: now it came to pass that the judges did expound
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Speaker 1: the matter unto the people, and did cry against Nephi, saying, behold,
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Speaker 1: we know that this Nephi must have agreed with some
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Speaker 1: one to slay the judge, and then he might declare
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Speaker 1: it unto us, that he might convert us unto his faith,
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Speaker 1: that he might raise himself to be a great man,
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Speaker 1: chosen of God and a prophet. And now behold, we
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Speaker 1: will detect this man, and he shall confess his fault
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Speaker 1: and make known unto us the true murderer of this judge.
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Speaker 1: And it came to pass that the five were liberated
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Speaker 1: on the day of the burial. Nevertheless, they did rebuke
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Speaker 1: the judges and the words which they had spoken against Nephi,
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Speaker 1: and did contend with them one by one, insomuch that
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Speaker 1: they did confound them. Nevertheless, they caused that Nephi should
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Speaker 1: be taken and bound and brought before the multitude, and
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Speaker 1: they began to question him in divers ways, that they
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Speaker 1: might cross him, that they might accuse him to death, saying,
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Speaker 1: unto him, thou art confederate. Who is this man that
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Speaker 1: hath done this murder? Now tell us and acknowledge thy fault, saying, behold,
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Speaker 1: here is money, and also we will grant unto thee
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Speaker 1: thy life if thou wilt tell us and acknowledge the
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Speaker 1: agreement which thou hast made with him. But Nephi said
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Speaker 1: unto them, O, ye fools, ye uncircumcised of heart, ye blind,
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Speaker 1: and ye stiff naked people. Do ye know how long
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Speaker 1: the Lord your God will suffer you that ye shall
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Speaker 1: go on in this your way of sin? O? Ye
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Speaker 1: ought to begin to howl and mourn because of the
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Speaker 1: great destruction which at this time doth await you, except
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Speaker 1: ye shall repent. Behold, ye say that I have agreed
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Speaker 1: with a man that he should murder Caesorum, our chief judge.
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Speaker 1: But behold, I say unto you that this is because
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Speaker 1: I have testified unto you that ye might know concerning
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Speaker 1: this thing. Yea, even for a witness unto you, that
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Speaker 1: I did know of the wickedness and abominations which are
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Speaker 1: among you. And because I have done this, ye say
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Speaker 1: that I have agreed with a man that he should
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Speaker 1: do this thing. YEA, because I shewed unto you this sign,
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Speaker 1: ye are angry with me and seek to destroy my life.
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Speaker 1: And now behold, I will show unto you another sign,
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Speaker 1: and see if ye will, in this thing seek to
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Speaker 1: destroy me. Behold, I say unto you, go to the
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Speaker 1: house of Sciantum, who is the brother of Caesorum, and
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Speaker 1: say unto him, has Nephi the pretended prophet who doth
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Speaker 1: prophesy so much ye concerning this people agreed with thee
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Speaker 1: in the which ye have murdered Caesorum, who is your brother.
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Speaker 1: And behold, he shall say unto you, nay, And ye
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Speaker 1: shall say unto him, have ye murdered your brother? And
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Speaker 1: he shall stand with fear and wist not what to say.
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Speaker 1: And behold, he shall deny unto you, and he shall
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Speaker 1: make as if he were astonished. Nevertheless, he shall declare
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Speaker 1: unto you that he is innocent. But behold, ye shall
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Speaker 1: examine him, and ye shall find blood upon the skirts
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Speaker 1: of his cloak. And when ye have seen this, ye
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Speaker 1: shall say, from whence cometh this blood? Do we not
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Speaker 1: know that it is the blood of your brother? And
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Speaker 1: then shall he tremble and shall look pale, even as
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Speaker 1: if death had come upon him, And then shall ye say,
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Speaker 1: because of this fear and this paleness which has come
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Speaker 1: upon your face, behold, we know that thou art guilty.
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Speaker 1: And then shalt the greater fear come upon him? And
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Speaker 1: then shall he confess unto you and deny no more
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Speaker 1: that he has done this murder. And then shall he
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Speaker 1: say unto you, that I, neph I know nothing concerning
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Speaker 1: the matter, save it were given unto me by the
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Speaker 1: power of God. And then shall ye know that I
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Speaker 1: am an honest man, and that I am sent unto
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Speaker 1: you from God. And it came to pass that they
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Speaker 1: went and did even according as Nephi had said unto them.
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Speaker 1: And behold, the words which he had said were true.
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Speaker 1: For according to the words he did deny, and also
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Speaker 1: according to the words he did confess. And he was
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Speaker 1: brought to prove that he himself was the very murderer,
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Speaker 1: insomuch that the five were set at liberty, and also
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Speaker 1: was Nephi. And there were some of the Nephites who
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Speaker 1: believed on the words of Nephi. And there were some
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Speaker 1: also who believed because of the testimony of the five,
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Speaker 1: for they had been converted while they were in prison.
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Speaker 1: And now there were some among the people who said
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Speaker 1: that Nephi was a prophet, and there were others who said, behold,
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Speaker 1: he is a god. For except he was a god,
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Speaker 1: he could not know of all things. For behold, he
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Speaker 1: has told us the thoughts of our hearts, and also
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Speaker 1: has told us things. And even he has brought unto
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Speaker 1: our knowledge the true murderer of our chief, Judge Helimann
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Speaker 1: chapter ten. And it came to pass that there arose
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Speaker 1: a division among the people, insomuch that they divided hither
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Speaker 1: and thither, and went their ways, leaving Nephi alone, as
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Speaker 1: he was standing in the midst of them. And it
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Speaker 1: came to pass that Nephi went his way towards his
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Speaker 1: own house, pondering upon the things which the Lord had
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Speaker 1: shown unto him. And it came to pass as he
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Speaker 1: was thus pondering, being much cast down because of the
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Speaker 1: wickedness of the people of the Nephites, their secret works
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Speaker 1: of darkness, and their murderings, and their plunderings, and all
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Speaker 1: manner of iniquities. And it came to pass, as he
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Speaker 1: was thus pondering in his heart, behold a voice came
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Speaker 1: unto him, saying, blessed art thou Nephi, for those things
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Speaker 1: which thou hast done, for I have beheld, how thou hast,
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Speaker 1: with unwearyingness, declared the word which I have given unto THEE,
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Speaker 1: unto this people. And thou hast not feared them, and
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Speaker 1: hast not sought thine own life, but hast sought my
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Speaker 1: will and to keep my commandments. And now because thou
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Speaker 1: hast done this with such unwearyingness, behold, I will bless
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Speaker 1: THEE forever, and I will make THEE mighty in word
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Speaker 1: and indeed in faith and in works. Yea even that
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Speaker 1: all things shall be done unto THEE according to thy word,
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Speaker 1: For thou shalt not ask that which is contrary to
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Speaker 1: My will. Behold, Thou art Nephi, and I am God. Behold,
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Speaker 1: I declare it unto THEE in the presence of mine angels,
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Speaker 1: that ye shall have power over this people and shall
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Speaker 1: smite the earth with famine and with pestilence and destruction
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Speaker 1: according to the wickedness of this people. Behold, I give
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Speaker 1: unto you power that whatsoever ye shall seal on earth
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Speaker 1: shall be sealed in heaven. And whatsoever ye shall loose
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Speaker 1: on earth shall be loosed in heaven. And thus shall
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Speaker 1: ye have power among this people. And thus, if ye
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Speaker 1: shall say unto this temple, it shall be rent in
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Speaker 1: twain it shall be done. And if ye shall say
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Speaker 1: unto this mountain, be thou cast down and become smooth,
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Speaker 1: it shall be done. And behold, if ye shall say
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Speaker 1: that God shall smite this people, it shall come to pass.
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Speaker 1: And now behold, I command you that ye shall go
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Speaker 1: and declare unto this people that thus saith the Lord God,
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Speaker 1: who is the Almighty. Except ye repent, ye shall be smitten,
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Speaker 1: even unto destruction. And behold, now it came to pass
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Speaker 1: that when the Lord had spoken these words unto Nephi,
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Speaker 1: he did stop and did not go unto his own house,
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Speaker 1: but did return unto the multitudes who were scattered about
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Speaker 1: upon the face of the land, and began to declare
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Speaker 1: unto them the word of the Lord which had been
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Speaker 1: spoken unto him, concerning their destruction. If they did not repent,
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Speaker 1: now behold, notwithstanding that great miracle which Nephi had done
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Speaker 1: in telling them concerning the death of the chief judge,
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Speaker 1: they did harden their hearts and did not hearken unto
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Speaker 1: the words of the Lord. Therefore, Nephi did declare unto
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Speaker 1: them the word of the Lord, saying, except ye repent
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Speaker 1: thus saith the Lord, ye shall be smitten, even unto destruction.
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Speaker 1: And it came to pass that when Nephi had declared
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Speaker 1: unto them the word, Behold, they did still harden their
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Speaker 1: hearts and would not hearken unto his words. Therefore they
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Speaker 1: did revile against him, and did seek to lay their
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Speaker 1: hands upon him, that they might cast him into prison.
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Speaker 1: But behold, the power of God was with him, and
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Speaker 1: they could not take him to cast him into prison,
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Speaker 1: for he was taken by the spirit and conveyed away
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Speaker 1: out of the midst of them. And it came to
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Speaker 1: pass that thus he did go fourth in the spirit,
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Speaker 1: from multitude to multitude, declaring the word of God, even
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Speaker 1: until he had declared it unto them all, or sent
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Speaker 1: it forth among all the people. And it came to
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Speaker 1: pass that they would not hearken unto his words. And
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Speaker 1: there began to be contentions insomuch that they were divided
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Speaker 1: against themselves and began to slay one another with the sword.
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Speaker 1: And thus ended the seventy and first year of the
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Speaker 1: reign of the Judges over the people of Nephi Helimann
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Speaker 1: chapter eleven. And now it came to pass in the
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Speaker 1: seventy and second year of the reign of the Judges,
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Speaker 1: that the contentions did increase, insomuch that there were wars
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Speaker 1: throughout all the land among all the people of Nephi.
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Speaker 1: And it was this secret band of robbers who did
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Speaker 1: carry on this work of destruction and wickedness. And this
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Speaker 1: war did last all that year. And in the seventy
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Speaker 1: and third year it did also last. And it came
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Speaker 1: to pass that in this year Nephi did cry, and
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Speaker 1: the Lord saying, O Lord, do not suffer that this
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Speaker 1: people shall be destroyed by the sword. But O Lord, rather,
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Speaker 1: let there be a famine in the land to stir
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Speaker 1: them up in remembrance of the Lord their God, and
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Speaker 1: perhaps they will repent and turn unto thee. And so
20:18
Speaker 1: it was done according to the words of Nephi, and
20:21
Speaker 1: there was a great famine upon the land among all
20:24
Speaker 1: the people of Nephi. And thus in the seventy and
20:27
Speaker 1: fourth year the famine did continue, and the work of
20:30
Speaker 1: destruction did cease by the sword, but became sore by famine.
20:35
Speaker 1: And this work of destruction did also continue in the
20:37
Speaker 1: seventy and fifth year, for the earth was smitten, that
20:41
Speaker 1: it was dry and did not yield forth grain in
20:44
Speaker 1: the season of grain. And the whole earth was smitten,
20:48
Speaker 1: even among the Lamanites as well as among the Nephites,
20:51
Speaker 1: so that they were smitten, that they did perish by
20:54
Speaker 1: thousands in the more wicked parts of the land. And
20:57
Speaker 1: it came to pass that the people saw that they
20:59
Speaker 1: were about to perish by famine, and they began to
21:02
Speaker 1: remember the Lord, their God, and they began to remember
21:05
Speaker 1: the words of Nephi. And the people began to plead
21:08
Speaker 1: with their chief judges and their leaders that they would
21:11
Speaker 1: say unto Nephi, behold, we know that thou art a
21:14
Speaker 1: man of God. And therefore cry unto the Lord, our God,
21:17
Speaker 1: that he turn away from us this famine, lest all
21:20
Speaker 1: the words which thou hast spoken concerning our destruction be fulfilled.
21:25
Speaker 1: And it came to pass that the judges did say
21:27
Speaker 1: unto Nephi according to the words which had been desired.
21:31
Speaker 1: And it came to pass that when Nephi saw that
21:33
Speaker 1: the people had repented and had humble themselves in sacloth,
21:37
Speaker 1: he cried again unto the Lord, saying O Lord, behold,
21:41
Speaker 1: this people repenteth, and they have swept away the band
21:44
Speaker 1: of Geddyentin from amongst them, insomuch that they have become extinct,
21:49
Speaker 1: and they have concealed their secret plans in the earth. Now,
21:53
Speaker 1: O Lord, because of this their humility, wilt thou turn
21:57
Speaker 1: away thine anger, and let thine anger be appeased in
22:00
Speaker 1: the destruction of those wicked men whom thou hast already destroyed.
22:04
Speaker 1: O Lord, Wilt thou turn away thine anger, yea, thy
22:08
Speaker 1: fierce anger, and cause that this famine may cease in
22:11
Speaker 1: this land? O Lord, Wilt thou hearken unto me, and
22:16
Speaker 1: cause that it may be done according to my words,
22:19
Speaker 1: and send forth rain upon the face of the earth,
22:22
Speaker 1: that she may bring forth her fruit and her grain
22:24
Speaker 1: in the season of grain. O Lord, Thou didst hearken
22:28
Speaker 1: unto my words when I said, let there be a famine,
22:31
Speaker 1: that the pestilence of the sword might cease. And I
22:35
Speaker 1: know that thou wilt even at this time hearken unto
22:38
Speaker 1: my words. For thou say'st that if this people repent,
22:41
Speaker 1: I will spare them, yea, O Lord, And thou seest
22:46
Speaker 1: that they have repented because of the famine and the
22:49
Speaker 1: pestilence and destruction which has come unto them. And now,
22:52
Speaker 1: O Lord, wilt thou turn away thine anger and try
22:56
Speaker 1: again if they will serve thee. And if so, o Lord,
23:00
Speaker 1: thou canst bless them according to thy words which thou
23:03
Speaker 1: hast said. And it came to pass that in the
23:07
Speaker 1: seventy and sixth year, the Lord did turn away his
23:10
Speaker 1: anger from the people and caused that rain should fall
23:14
Speaker 1: upon the earth insomuch that it did bring forth her
23:18
Speaker 1: fruit in the season of her fruit. And it came
23:21
Speaker 1: to pass that it did bring forth her grain in
23:23
Speaker 1: the season of her grain. And behold, the people did
23:26
Speaker 1: rejoice and glorify God, and the whole face of the
23:30
Speaker 1: land was filled with rejoicing. And they did no more
23:33
Speaker 1: seek to destroy Nephi. But they did esteem him as
23:36
Speaker 1: a great prophet and a man of God, having great
23:39
Speaker 1: power and authority given unto him from God. And to behold,
23:43
Speaker 1: Lehi his brother, was not a whit behind him as
23:46
Speaker 1: to things pertaining to righteousness. And thus it did come
23:50
Speaker 1: to pass that the people of Nephi began to prosper
23:53
Speaker 1: again in the land, and began to build up their
23:56
Speaker 1: waste places, and began to multiply and spread even until
23:59
Speaker 1: they did cover the whole face of the land, both
24:02
Speaker 1: on the northward and on the southward, from the sea
24:05
Speaker 1: west to the sea east. And it came to pass
24:09
Speaker 1: that the seventy and sixth year did end in peace,
24:12
Speaker 1: and the seventy and seventh year began in peace, and
24:15
Speaker 1: the Church did spread throughout the face of all the land,
24:18
Speaker 1: and the more part of the people, both the Nephites
24:21
Speaker 1: and the Lamanites did belong to the Church, and they
24:24
Speaker 1: did have exceedingly great peace in the land, and thus
24:27
Speaker 1: ended the seventy and seventh year. And also they had
24:31
Speaker 1: peace in the seventy and eighth year, save it were
24:34
Speaker 1: a few contentions concerning the points of doctrine which had
24:37
Speaker 1: been laid down by the prophets, And in the seventy
24:41
Speaker 1: and ninth year there began to be much strife. But
24:44
Speaker 1: it came to pass that Nephi and Lehi, and many
24:47
Speaker 1: of their brethren, who knew concerning the true points of doctrine,
24:50
Speaker 1: having many revelations daily. Therefore they did preach unto the people,
24:54
Speaker 1: insomuch that they did put an end to their strife
24:57
Speaker 1: in that same year. And it came to pass that
25:01
Speaker 1: in the eightieth year of the reign of the Judges
25:03
Speaker 1: over the people of Nephi, there were a certain number
25:06
Speaker 1: of the dissenters from the people of Nephi, who had
25:09
Speaker 1: some years before gone over unto the Lamanites and taken
25:12
Speaker 1: upon themselves the name of Lamanites, and also a certain
25:15
Speaker 1: number who were real descendants of the Lamanites. Being stirred
25:18
Speaker 1: up to anger by them or by those dissenters, therefore
25:22
Speaker 1: they commenced a war with their brethren, and they did
25:25
Speaker 1: commit murder and plunder, and then they would retreat back
25:29
Speaker 1: into the mountains and into the wilderness and secret places,
25:32
Speaker 1: hiding themselves that they could not be discovered, receiving daily
25:36
Speaker 1: an addition to their numbers, inasmuch as there were dissenters
25:39
Speaker 1: that went forth among them. And thus in time, yea,
25:42
Speaker 1: even in the space of not many years, they became
25:45
Speaker 1: an exceedingly great band of robbers, and they did search
25:49
Speaker 1: out all the secret plans of Gerdyantin, and thus they
25:52
Speaker 1: became robbers of Garyantin. Now behold, these robbers did make
25:56
Speaker 1: great havoc yea, even great destruction among the people of Nephi,
26:01
Speaker 1: and also among the people of the Lamanites. And it
26:04
Speaker 1: came to pass that it was expedient that there should
26:07
Speaker 1: be a stop put to this work of destruction. Therefore
26:10
Speaker 1: they sent an army of strong men into the wilderness
26:12
Speaker 1: and upon the mountains to search out this band of
26:15
Speaker 1: robbers and to destroy them. But to behold, it came
26:18
Speaker 1: to pass that in that same year they were driven
26:21
Speaker 1: back even into their own lands. And thus and the
26:24
Speaker 1: eightieth year of the reign of the judges over the
26:26
Speaker 1: people of Nephi, and it came to pass in the
26:29
Speaker 1: commencement of the eighty and first year, they did go
26:32
Speaker 1: forth again against this band of robbers, and did destroy many,
26:36
Speaker 1: and they were also visited with much destruction. And they
26:39
Speaker 1: were again obliged to return out of the wilderness and
26:42
Speaker 1: out of the mountains unto their own lands, because of
26:45
Speaker 1: the exceeding greatness of the numbers of those robbers who
26:48
Speaker 1: infested the mountains in the wilderness. And it came to
26:52
Speaker 1: pass that thus ended this year, and the robbers did
26:55
Speaker 1: still increase and wax strong, insomuch that they did defy
26:58
Speaker 1: the whole armies of the Nephites, and also of the Lamanites,
27:02
Speaker 1: and they did cause great fear to come unto the
27:04
Speaker 1: people upon all the face of the land. Yea. For
27:07
Speaker 1: they did visit many parts of the land, and did
27:10
Speaker 1: do great destruction unto them, Yea, did kill many, and
27:14
Speaker 1: did carry away others captive into the wilderness. Yea, and
27:17
Speaker 1: more especially their women and their children. Now, this great
27:21
Speaker 1: evil which came unto the people because of their iniquity,
27:24
Speaker 1: did stir them up again in remembrance of the Lord
27:27
Speaker 1: their God. And thus ended the Adian first year of
27:30
Speaker 1: the reign of the Judges. And in the Adean second
27:33
Speaker 1: year they began again to forget the Lord their God.
27:36
Speaker 1: And in the Adean third year they began to whack
27:39
Speaker 1: strong in iniquity. And in the Adean fourth year they
27:43
Speaker 1: did not mend their ways, and it came to pass
27:47
Speaker 1: in the eighty and fifth year they did whack stronger
27:50
Speaker 1: and stronger in their pride and in their wickedness. And
27:52
Speaker 1: thus they were ripening again for destruction, and thus ended
27:56
Speaker 1: the eighty and fifth year of Helimann Chapters eight through
28:01
Speaker 1: eleven