THE
BOOK OF MORMON
A NOTHER T ESTAMENT
OF J ESUS C HRIST
Title•Intro•Testimonies•Explanation
First Nephi•Second Nephi•Jacob
Enos•Jarom•Omni•Words of Mormon
Mosiah•Alma•Helaman•Third Nephi
Fourth Nephi•Mormon•Ether•Moroni
The Standard Works
The Book of Mormon
TESTIMONIES
OF THE
BOOK OF MORMON
The Testimony of
Three Witnesses
The Testimony of Eight Witnesses
Testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith
The Standard Works
The Book of Mormon
AN ACCOUNT
WRITTEN BY
THE HAND OF
MORMON
UPON PLATES
TAKEN FROM
THE PLATES
OF NEPHI
Wherefore, it is an abridgment of the record of the people of Nephi, and also
of the Lamanites—Written to the Lamanites, who are a remnant of the house of
Israel; and also to Jew and Gentile—Written by way of commandment, and also by
the spirit of prophecy and of revelation—Written and sealed up, and hid up unto
the Lord, that they might not be destroyed—To come forth by the gift and power
of God unto the interpretation thereof—Sealed by the hand of Moroni, and hid up
unto the Lord, to come forth in due time by way of the Gentile—The
interpretation thereof by the gift of God.
An abridgment taken from the Book of Ether also, which is a record of the
people of Jared, who were scattered at the time the Lord confounded the language
of the people, when they were building a tower to get to heaven—Which is to
show unto the remnant of the House of Israel what great things the Lord hath
done for their fathers; and that they may know the covenants of the Lord, that
they are not cast off forever— And also to the convincing of the Jew and
Gentile that JESUS is the CHRIST, the ETERNAL
GOD, manifesting himself unto all
nations—And now, if there are faults they are the mistakes of men; wherefore,
condemn not the things of God, that ye may be found spotless at the
judgment-seat of Christ.
TRANSLATED BY JOSEPH SMITH, JUN.
First English edition published in 1830
The Standard Works
The
Book of Mormon
INTRODUCTION
The Book of Mormon is a
volume of holy scripture comparable to the Bible. It is a record of God’s
dealings with the ancient inhabitants of the Americas and contains, as does the
Bible, the fulness of the everlasting gospel.
The book was written by many ancient prophets by the spirit of prophecy and
revelation. Their words, written on gold plates, were quoted and abridged by a
prophet-historian named Mormon. The record gives an account of two great
civilizations. One came from Jerusalem in 600 B.C., and afterward separated
into two nations, known as the Nephites and the Lamanites. The other came much
earlier when the Lord confounded the tongues at the Tower of Babel. This group
is known as the Jaredites. After thousands of years, all were destroyed except
the Lamanites, and they are the principal ancestors of the American Indians.
The crowning event recorded in the Book of Mormon is the personal ministry of
the Lord Jesus Christ among the Nephites soon after his resurrection. It puts
forth the doctrines of the gospel, outlines the plan of salvation, and tells
men what they must do to gain peace in this life and eternal salvation in the
life to come.
After Mormon completed his writings, he delivered the account to his son
Moroni, who added a few words of his own and hid up the plates in the hill
Cumorah. On September 21, 1823, the same Moroni, then a glorified, resurrected
being, appeared to the Prophet Joseph Smith and instructed him relative to the
ancient record and its destined translation into the English language.
In due course the plates were delivered to Joseph Smith, who translated them by
the gift and power of God. The record is now published in many languages as a
new and additional witness that Jesus Christ is the Son of the living God and
that all who will come unto him and obey the laws and ordinances of his gospel
may be saved.
Concerning this record the Prophet Joseph Smith said: “I told the brethren that
the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone
of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts,
than by any other book.”
In addition to Joseph Smith, the Lord provided for eleven others to see the
gold plates for themselves and to be special witnesses of the truth and divinity
of the Book of Mormon. Their written testimonies are included herewith as “The Testimony of Three Witnesses” and “The Testimony of Eight Witnesses.”
We invite all men everywhere to read the Book of Mormon, to ponder in their
hearts the message it contains, and then to ask God, the Eternal Father, in the
name of Christ if the book is true. Those who pursue this course and ask in
faith will gain a testimony of its truth and divinity by the power of the Holy
Ghost. (See Moroni 10: 3-5.)
Those who gain this divine witness from the Holy Spirit will also come to know
by the same power that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world, that Joseph
Smith is his revelator and prophet in these last days, and that The Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Lord’s kingdom once again established
on the earth, preparatory to the second coming of the Messiah.
The Standard Works
The Book of Mormon
THE TESTIMONY OF
THREE WITNESSES
Be it known unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, unto whom this work shall come: That we, through the grace of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, have seen the plates which contain this record, which is a record of the people of Nephi, and also of the Lamanites, their brethren, and also of the people of Jared, who came from the tower of which hath been spoken. And we also know that they have been translated by the gift and power of God, for his voice hath declared it unto us; wherefore we know of a surety that the work is true. And we also testify that we have seen the engravings which are upon the plates; and they have been shown unto us by the power of God, and not of man. And we declare with words of soberness, that an angel of God came down from heaven, and he brought and laid before our eyes, that we beheld and saw the plates, and the engravings thereon; and we know that it is by the grace of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, that we beheld and bear record that these things are true. And it is marvelous in our eyes. Nevertheless, the voice of the Lord commanded us that we should bear record of it; wherefore, to be obedient unto the commandments of God, we bear testimony of these things. And we know that if we are faithful in Christ, we shall rid our garments of the blood of all men, and be found spotless before the judgment-seat of Christ, and shall dwell with him eternally in the heavens. And the honor be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, which is one God. Amen.
|
|
|
The Standard Works
The
Book of Mormon
THE TESTIMONY OF
EIGHT WITNESSES
Be it known unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, unto whom this
work shall come: That Joseph Smith, Jun., the translator of this work, has
shown unto us the plates of which hath been spoken, which have the appearance
of gold; and as many of the leaves as the said Smith has translated we did
handle with our hands; and we also saw the engravings thereon, all of which has
the appearance of ancient work, and of curious workmanship. And this we bear
record with words of soberness, that the said Smith has shown unto us, for we
have seen and hefted, and know of a surety that the said Smith has got the
plates of which we have spoken. And we give our names unto the world, to
witness unto the world that which we have seen. And we lie not, God bearing witness
of it.
|
|
HIRAM PAGE |
The Standard Works
The
Book of Mormon
TESTIMONY OF
THE
PROPHET
JOSEPH
SMITH
The Prophet Joseph
Smith’s own words about the coming forth of the Book of Mormon are:
“On the evening of the . . . twenty-first of September [1823] . . . I betook
myself to prayer and supplication to Almighty God . . . .
“While I was thus in the act of calling upon God, I discovered a light
appearing in my room, which continued to increase until the room was lighter
than at noonday, when immediately a personage appeared at my bedside, standing
in the air, for his feet did not touch the floor.
“He had on a loose robe of most exquisite whiteness. It was a whiteness beyond
anything earthly I had ever seen; nor do I believe that any earthly thing could
be made to appear so exceedingly white and brilliant. His hands were naked, and
his arms also, a little above the wrists; so, also, were his feet naked, as
were his legs, a little above the ankles. His head and neck were also bare. I
could discover that he had no other clothing on but this robe, as it was open,
so that I could see into his bosom.
“Not only was his robe exceedingly white, but his whole person was glorious
beyond description, and his countenance truly like lightning. The room was
exceedingly light, but not so very bright as immediately around his person.
When I first looked upon him, I was afraid; but the fear soon left me.
“He called me by name, and said unto me that he was a messenger sent from the
presence of God to me, and that his name was Moroni; that God had a work for me
to do; and that my name should be had for good and evil among all nations,
kindreds, and tongues, or that it should be both good and evil spoken of among
all people.
“He said there was a book deposited, written upon gold plates, giving an
account of the former inhabitants of this continent, and the source from whence
they sprang. He also said that the fulness of the everlasting Gospel was
contained in it, as delivered by the Savior to the ancient inhabitants;
“Also, that there were two stones in silver bows—and these stones, fastened to
a breastplate, constituted what is called the Urim and Thummim—deposited with
the plates; and the possession and use of these stones were what constituted Seers
in ancient or former times; and that God had prepared them for the purpose of
translating the book.
* * * * * * *
“Again, he told me, that when I got those plates of which he had spoken—for the
time that they should be obtained was not yet fulfilled—I should not show them
to any person; neither the breastplate with the Urim and Thummim; only to those
to whom I should be commanded to show them; if I did I should be destroyed.
While he was conversing with me about the plates, the vision was opened to my
mind that I could see the place where the plates were deposited, and that so
clearly and distinctly that I knew the place again when I visited it.
“After this communication, I saw the light in the room begin to gather
immediately around the person of him who had been speaking to me, and it
continued to do so, until the room was again left dark, except just around him,
when instantly I saw, as it were, a conduit open right up into heaven, and he
ascended until he entirely disappeared, and the room was left as it had been
before this heavenly light had made its appearance.
“I lay musing on the singularity of the scene, and marveling greatly at what
had been told to me by this extraordinary messenger; when, in the midst of my
meditation, I suddenly discovered that my room was again beginning to get
lighted, and in an instant, as it were, the same heavenly messenger was again
by my bedside.
“He commenced, and again related the very same things which he had done at his
first visit, without the least variation; which having done, he informed me of
great judgments which were coming upon the earth, with great desolations by
famine, sword, and pestilence; and that these grievous judgments would come on
the earth in this generation. Having related these things, he again ascended as
he had done before.
“By this time, so deep were the impressions made on my mind, that sleep had
fled from my eyes, and I lay overwhelmed in astonishment at what I had both
seen and heard. But what was my surprise when again I beheld the same messenger
at my bedside, and heard him rehearse or repeat over again to me the same things
as before; and added a caution to me, telling me that Satan would try to tempt
me (in consequence of the indigent circumstances of my father’s family), to get
the plates for the purpose of getting rich. This he forbade me, saying that I
must have no other object in view in getting the plates but to glorify God, and
must not be influenced by any other motive than that of building His kingdom;
otherwise I could not get them.
“After this third visit, he again ascended into heaven as before, and I was again
left to ponder on the strangeness of what I had just experienced; when almost
immediately after the heavenly messenger had ascended from me the third time,
the cock crowed, and I found that day was approaching, so that our interviews
must have occupied the whole of that night.
“I shortly after arose from my bed, and, as usual, went to the necessary labors
of the day; but, in attempting to work as at other times, I found my strength
so exhausted as to render me entirely unable. My father, who was laboring along
with me, discovered something to be wrong with me, and told me to go home. I
started with the intention of going to the house; but, in attempting to cross
the fence out of the field where we were, my strength entirely failed me, and I
fell helpless on the ground, and for a time was quite unconscious of anything.
“The first thing that I can recollect was a voice speaking unto me, calling me
by name. I looked up, and beheld the same messenger standing over my head,
surrounded by light as before. He then again related unto me all that he had
related to me the previous night, and commanded me to go to my father and tell
him of the vision and commandments which I had received.
“I obeyed; I returned to my father in the field, and rehearsed the whole matter
to him. He replied to me that it was of God, and told me to go and do as
commanded by the messenger. I left the field, and went to the place where the
messenger had told me the plates were deposited; and owing to the distinctness
of the vision which I had had concerning it, I knew the place the instant that
I arrived there.
“Convenient to the village of Manchester, Ontario county, New York, stands a
hill of considerable size, and the most elevated of any in the neighborhood. On
the west side of this hill, not far from the top, under a stone of considerable
size, lay the plates, deposited in a stone box. This stone was thick and
rounding in the middle on the upper side, and thinner towards the edges, so
that the middle part of it was visible above the ground, but the edge all
around was covered with earth.
“Having removed the earth, I obtained a lever, which I got fixed under the edge
of the stone, and with a little exertion raised it up. I looked in, and there
indeed did I behold the plates, the Urim and Thummim, and the breastplate, as
stated by the messenger. The box in which they lay was formed by laying stones
together in some kind of cement. In the bottom of the box were laid two stones
crossways of the box, and on these stones lay the plates and the other things
with them.
“I made an attempt to take them out, but was forbidden by the messenger, and
was again informed that the time for bringing them forth had not yet arrived,
neither would it, until four years from that time; but he told me that I should
come to that place precisely in one year from that time, and that he would
there meet with me, and that I should continue to do so until the time should
come for obtaining the plates.
“Accordingly, as I had been commanded, I went at the end of each year, and at
each time I found the same messenger there, and received instruction and
intelligence from him at each of our interviews, respecting what the Lord was
going to do, and how and in what manner His kingdom was to be conducted in the
last days.
* * * * * * *
“At length the time arrived for obtaining the plates, the Urim and Thummim, and
the breastplate. On the twenty-second day of September, one thousand eight
hundred and twenty-seven, having gone as usual at the end of another year to
the place where they were deposited, the same heavenly messenger delivered them
up to me with this charge: That I should be responsible for them; that if I
should let them go carelessly, or through any neglect of mine, I should be cut
off; but that if I would use all my endeavors to preserve them, until he, the
messenger, should call for them, they should be protected.
“I soon found out the reason why I had received such strict charges to keep
them safe, and why it was that the messenger had said that when I had done what
was required at my hand, he would call for them. For no sooner was it known
that I had them, than the most strenuous exertions were used to get them from
me. Every stratagem that could be invented was resorted to for that purpose.
The persecution became more bitter and severe than before, and multitudes were
on the alert continually to get them from me if possible. But by the wisdom of
God, they remained safe in my hands, until I had accomplished by them what was
required at my hand. When, according to arrangements, the messenger called for
them, I delivered them up to him; and he has them in his charge until this day,
being the second day of May, one thousand eight hundred and thirty-eight.”
For the complete record, see Joseph
Smith—History, in the Pearl of Great Price, and History of The Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, volume 1, chapters 1 through 6.
The ancient record thus brought forth from the earth as the voice of a people
speaking from the dust, and translated into modern speech by the gift and power
of God as attested by Divine affirmation, was first published to the world in
the year 1830 as THE BOOK OF MORMON.
The Standard Works
The
Book of Mormon
A BRIEF EXPLANATION ABOUT
THE BOOK OF MORMON
The Book of Mormon is a sacred record of peoples in ancient America, and was engraved upon sheets of metal. Four kinds of metal record plates are spoken of in the book itself
- The Plates of Nephi, which were of two kinds: the Small Plates and the Large Plates. The former were more particularly devoted to the spiritual matters and the ministry and teachings of the prophets, while the latter were occupied mostly by a secular history of the peoples concerned (1 Nephi 9: 2-4). From the time of Mosiah, however, the large plates also included items of major spiritual importance.
- The Plates of Mormon, which consist of an abridgment by Mormon from the Large Plates of Nephi, with many commentaries. These plates also contained a continuation of the history by Mormon and additions by his son Moroni.
- The Plates of Ether, which present a history of the Jaredites. This record was abridged by Moroni, who inserted comments of his own and incorporated the record with the general history under the title “Book of Ether.”
- The Plates of Brass brought by the people of Lehi from Jerusalem in 600 B.C. These contained “the five books of Moses, . . . And also a record of the Jews from the beginning, . . . down to the commencement of the reign of Zedekiah, king of Judah; And also the prophecies of the holy prophets” (1 Nephi 5: 11-13). Many quotations from these plates, citing Isaiah and other biblical and nonbiblical prophets, appear in the Book of Mormon.
The Book of Mormon comprises fifteen main parts or divisions, known, with one
exception, as books, each designated by the name of its principal author. The
first portion (the first six books, ending with Omni) is a translation from the
Small Plates of Nephi. Between books of Omni and Mosiah is an insert called The
Words of Mormon. This insert connects the record engraved on the Small Plates
with Mormon’s abridgment of the Large Plates.
The longest portion, from Mosiah to Mormon, chapter 7, inclusive, is a
translation of Mormon’s abridgment of the Large Plates of Nephi. The concluding
portion, from Mormon, chapter 8, to the end to the volume, was engraved by
Mormon’s son Moroni, who, after finishing the record of his father’s life, made
an abridgment of the Jaredite record (as the Book of Ether) and later added the
parts known as the Book of Moroni.
In or about the year A.D. 421, Moroni,
the last of the Nephite prophet-historians, sealed the sacred record and hid it
up unto the Lord, to be brought forth in the latter days, as predicted by the
voice of God through his ancient prophets. In A.D.
1823, this same Moroni, then a resurrected personage, visited the Prophet
Joseph Smith and subsequently delivered the engraved plates to him.
About this edition: Some minor errors in the text have been perpetuated
in past editions of the Book of Mormon. This edition contains corrections that
seem appropriate to bring the material into conformity with prepublication
manuscripts and early editions edited by the Prophet Joseph Smith.