Mormon — Chapter 5
1 Then I went to the Nephites and told them I would help them again, so they made me leader of their armies. They thought I could save them.
2 But I knew the Lord was going to punish them because they would not repent of their wickedness. They fought for their lives without praying to God.
3 The Lamanites came against us as we ran to the city of Jordan, but we chased them back. So they did not win the city at that time.
4 They came against us again, but we kept the city. The Nephites kept other important cities, protecting our people living in the lands nearby from the Lamanites.
5 But whatever lands were not protected were taken over by the Lamanites, who burned all the towns and villages, and killed all the people who could not get to our strong cities. Three hundred seventy-nine years had gone by.
6 During the three hundred eightieth year the Lamanites made war against us. We fought them bravely, but it was no use. There were so many of them that they walked right over us.
7 So we ran away again. Those who could run from the Lamanites fast enough got away, but those who could not were killed.
8 Now I, Mormon, do not want to make people feel bad by telling them about all the blood and death I saw. But since I know people will find out about these things, and since hidden things will be made known as if shouted from the rooftops —
9 And since I know that this people’s descendants must learn about these things, and that the Gentiles will know about them (and the Lord has said the Gentiles will scatter the rest of this people and treat them badly) — this is why I will tell you a little bit about the things I have seen. I will not tell you everything I have seen, because it would make you feel too sad to know how wicked these people have been.
10 Now I want to talk to the descendants of this people, and also to those Gentiles who care about the House of Israel — who know where their blessings come from.
11 I know those people will feel very sad about the terrible things which happened to the House of Israel, and they will be sad that my people were destroyed. They will be very sad that my people would not repent and be protected by Jesus.
12 This book is written to the descendants of the House of Jacob. God will not let the wicked know about these things, and this book will be hidden under God’s protection until the time is right.
13 God has commanded me to hide this book. It will come out of hiding when the Lord in his wisdom commands it, when the time is right.
14 This book will go to the Jews who do not believe in Jesus, so they will come to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. This book will go to the Jews so the Father, through Jesus, will bring them (and all the House of Israel) back to their ancestors’ lands which the Lord gave them, as he promised.
15 This book will go to the Jews so the Nephites’ descendants will believe even more in his gospel, which they will learn about from the Gentiles. My people will be scattered, and become a dark and filthy and lazy people — even worse than we ever thought about the Lamanites (because of their unbelief and false gods).
16 The Spirit of the Lord left their ancestors, and they do not know Christ or God in this world. They are scattered like dry grass in the wind.
17 Once they were beautiful and righteous people, and Christ was their shepherd — yes, God the Father himself led them.
18 But now Satan leads them. They are being scattered like dry grass in the wind, or like a boat without sail or anchor or rudder — tossed by the waves, with no way to be steered.
19 The Lord has taken away the blessings they could have enjoyed in the promised land, and has kept them for the Gentiles to come.
20 The Gentiles will scatter and chase them. Then the Lord will remember the promise he made to Abraham and all the House of Israel,
21 And the Lord will remember all the prayers which the righteous people have prayed for them.
22 Then, O you Gentiles, how will you stand before God’s power, unless you repent and stop doing evil?
23 Do you not know you are in God’s hands? Do you not know he has all power, and that when he gives the great command, the earth will be completely changed?
24 So then, repent and be humble, so his justice will not punish you, and so the rest of Jacob’s descendants will not tear you to pieces like a lion, with no one able to save you.
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