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; yea, having had a great knowledge
of the goodness and the mysteries of God, therefore I make a record of
my proceedings in my days.
1:2 Yea, I make a record in the language of my father, which consists
of the learning of the Jews and the language of the Egyptians.
1:3 And I know that the record which I make is true; and I make it with
mine own hand; and I make it according to my knowledge.
1:4 For it came to pass in the commencement of the first 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 many
prophets, prophesying unto the people that they must repent, or the
great city Jerusalem must be destroyed.
1:5 Wherefore it came to pass that my father, Lehi, as he went forth
prayed unto the Lord, yea, even with all his heart, in behalf of his
people.
1:6 And it came to pass as he prayed unto 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 did quake and
tremble exceedingly.
1:7 And it came to pass that 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.
1:8 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.
1:9 And it came to pass that he saw One descending out of the midst of
heaven, and he beheld that his luster was above that of the sun at
noon-day.
1:10 And he also saw twelve others following him, and their brightness
did exceed that of the stars in the firmament.
1:11 And they came down and went forth upon the face of the earth; and
the first came and stood before my father, and gave unto him a book,
and bade him that he should read.
1:12 And it came to pass that as he read, he was filled with the Spirit
of the Lord.
1:13 And he read, saying: Wo, wo, unto Jerusalem, for I have seen thine
abominations! Yea, and many things did my father read concerning
Jerusalem—that it should be destroyed, and the inhabitants thereof;
many should perish by the sword, and many should be carried away
captive into Babylon.
1:14 And it came to pass that when my father had read and seen many
great and marvelous things, he did exclaim many things unto the Lord;
such as: Great and marvelous are thy works, O Lord God Almighty! Thy
throne is high in the heavens, and thy power, and goodness, and mercy
are over all the inhabitants of the earth, and, because thou art
merciful, thou wilt not suffer those who come unto thee that they shall
perish!
1:15 And after this manner was the language of my father in the
praising of his God; for his soul did rejoice, and his whole heart was
filled, because of the things which he had seen, yea, which the Lord
had shown unto him.
1:16 And now I, Nephi, do not make a full account of the things which
my father hath written, for he hath written many things which he saw in
visions and in dreams; and he also hath written many things which he
prophesied and spake unto his children, of which I shall not make a
full account.
1:17 But I shall make an account of my proceedings in my days. Behold,
I make an abridgment of the record of my father, upon plates which I
have made with mine own hands; wherefore, after I have abridged the
record of my father then will I make an account of mine own life.
1:18 Therefore, I would that ye should know, that after the Lord had
shown so many marvelous things unto my father, Lehi, yea, concerning
the destruction of Jerusalem, behold he went forth among the people,
and began to prophesy and to declare unto them concerning the things
which he had both seen and heard.
1:19 And it came to pass that the Jews did mock 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 the Messiah, and also the
redemption of the world.
1:20 And when the Jews heard these things they were angry with him;
yea, 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 hath chosen, because of
their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance.