The Book of Mormon: A Reader's Edition

Third Nephi: The Book of Nephi,a the Son of Nephi, Who Was the Son of Helaman

483 Third Nephi: The Book of Nephi,a the Son of Nephi, Who Was the Son of Helaman Third Nephi Headnote And Helaman was the son of Helaman, who was the son of Alma, who was the son of Alma, being a descendant of Nephi who was the son of Lehi, who came out of Jerusalem in the first year of the reign of Zedekiah, the king of Judah.b Nephi2 Transmits the Records to Nephi3 1 1Now it came to pass that the ninety and first year had passed awayc and it was six hundred years from the time that Lehi left Jerusalem; and it was in the year that Lachoneus was the chief judge and the governor over the land.2And Nephi, the son of Helaman, had departed out of the land of Zarahemla, giving charge unto his son Nephi, who was his eldest son, concerning the Plates of Brass, and all the records which had been kept, and all those things which had been kept sacred from the departure of Lehi out of Jerusalem.3Then he departed out of the land, and whither he went, no man knoweth; and his son Nephi did keep the records in his stead, yea, the record of this people. Samuel2’s Prophecies Seem to Fail 4And it came to pass that in the commencement of the ninety and second year,d behold, the prophecies of the prophets began to be fulfilled more fully; for there began to be greater signs and greater miracles wrought among the people. 5But there were some who began to say that the time was past for the words to be fulfilled, which were spoken by Samuel, the Lamanite.e 6 And they a1 Specifically, Nephi3. b1 597 b.c. c1 −1 year. d4 +1 year (i.e., the year in which the signs were given). e5 Helaman 14:2. See the note at Helaman 16:9. 484 3 nephi 1:7–18 began to rejoice over their brethren, saying, “Behold the time is past, and the words of Samuel are not fulfilled; therefore, your joy and your faith concerning this thing hath been vain.” 7And it came to pass that they did make a great uproar throughout the land; and the people who believed began to be very sorrowful, lest by any means those thingswhichhadbeenspokenmightnotcometopass.8Butbehold,theydidwatch steadfastly for that day and that night and that day which should be as one day,as if there were no night, that they might know that their faith had not been vain. 9Now it came to pass that there was a day set apart by the unbelievers, that all those who believed in those traditions should be put to death except the sign should come to pass, which had been given by Samuel the prophet. The Signs of Jesus’ Birth Are Fulfilleda 10Now it came to pass that when Nephi, the son of Nephi, saw this wickedness of his people, his heart was exceedingly sorrowful. 11And it came to pass that he went out and bowed himself down upon the earth, and cried mightily to his God in behalf of his people, yea, those who were about to be destroyed because of their faith in the tradition of their fathers. 12And it came to pass that he cried mightily unto the Lord all the day; and behold, the voice of the Lord came unto him, saying, 13“Lift up your head and be of good cheer; for behold, the time is at hand, and on this night shall the sign be given, and on the morrow come I into the world,to show unto the world that I will fulfil all that which I have caused to be spoken by the mouth of my holy prophets. 14Behold, I come unto my own,to fulfil all things which I have made known unto the children of men from the foundation of the world, and to do the will both of the Father and of the Son—of the Father because of me,and of the Son because of my flesh. And behold, the time is at hand, and this night shall the sign be given.” 15And it came to pass that the words which came unto Nephi were fulfilled, according as they had been spoken; for behold, at the going down of the sun there was no darkness; and the people began to be astonished because there was no darkness when...