2:1 And now, Jacob, I speak unto you: Thou art my first-born in the
days of my tribulation in the wilderness. And behold, in thy childhood
thou hast suffered afflictions and much sorrow, because of the rudeness
of thy brethren.
2:2 Nevertheless, Jacob, my first-born in the wilderness, thou knowest
the greatness of God; and he shall consecrate thine afflictions for thy
gain.
2:3 Wherefore, thy soul shall be blessed, and thou shalt dwell safely
with thy brother, Nephi; and thy days shall be spent in the service of
thy God. Wherefore, I know that thou art redeemed, because of the
righteousness of thy Redeemer; for thou hast beheld that in the fulness
of time he cometh to bring salvation unto men.
2:4 And thou hast beheld in thy youth his glory; wherefore, thou art
blessed even as they unto whom he shall minister in the flesh; for the
Spirit is the same, yesterday, today, and forever. And the way is
prepared from the fall of man, and salvation is free.
2:5 And men are instructed sufficiently that they know good from evil.
And the law is given unto men. And by the law no flesh is justified;
or, by the law men are cut off. Yea, by the temporal law they were cut
off; and also, by the spiritual law they perish from that which is
good, and become miserable forever.
2:6 Wherefore, redemption cometh in and through the Holy Messiah; for
he is full of grace and truth.
2:7 Behold, he offereth himself a sacrifice for sin, to answer the ends
of the law, unto all those who have a broken heart and a contrite
spirit; and unto none else can the ends of the law be answered.
2:8 Wherefore, how great the importance to make these things known unto
the inhabitants of the earth, that they may know that there is no flesh
that can dwell in the presence of God, save it be through the merits,
and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah, who layeth down his life
according to the flesh, and taketh it again by the power of the Spirit,
that he may bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, being the first
that should rise.
2:9 Wherefore, he is the first-fruits unto God, inasmuch as he shall
make intercession for all the children of men; and they that believe in
him shall be saved.
2:10 And because of the intercession for all, all men come unto God;
wherefore, they stand in the presence of him to be judged of him
according to the truth and holiness which is in him. Wherefore, the
ends of the law which the Holy One hath given, unto the inflicting of
the punishment which is affixed, which punishment that is affixed is in
opposition to that of the happiness which is affixed, to answer the
ends of the atonement—
2:11 For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things.
If not so, my first-born in the wilderness, righteousness could not be
brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery,
neither good nor bad. Wherefore, all things must needs be a compound in
one; wherefore, if it should be one body it must needs remain as dead,
having no life neither death, nor corruption nor incorruption,
happiness nor misery, neither sense nor insensibility.
2:12 Wherefore, it must needs have been created for a thing of naught;
wherefore there would have been no purpose in the end of its creation.
Wherefore, this thing must needs destroy the wisdom of God and his
eternal purposes, and also the power, and the mercy, and the justice of
God.
2:13 And if ye shall say there is no law, ye shall also say there is no
sin. If ye shall say there is no sin, ye shall also say there is no
righteousness. And if there be no righteousness there be no happiness.
And if there be no righteousness nor happiness there be no punishment
nor misery. And if these things are not there is no God. And if there
is no God we are not, neither the earth; for there could have been no
creation of things, neither to act nor to be acted upon; wherefore, all
things must have vanished away.
2:14 And now, my sons, I speak unto you these things for your profit
and learning; for there is a God, and he hath created all things, both
the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are, both things
to act and things to be acted upon.
2:15 And to bring about his eternal purposes in the end of man, after
he had created our first parents, and the beasts of the field and the
fowls of the air, and in fine, all things which are created, it must
needs be that there was an opposition; even the forbidden fruit in
opposition to the tree of life; the one being sweet and the other
bitter.
2:16 Wherefore, the Lord God gave unto man that he should act for
himself. Wherefore, man could not act for himself save it should be
that he was enticed by the one or the other.
2:17 And I, Lehi, according to the things which I have read, must needs
suppose that an angel of God, according to that which is written, had
fallen from heaven; wherefore, he became a devil, having sought that
which was evil before God.
2:18 And because he had fallen from heaven, and had become miserable
forever, he sought also the misery of all mankind. Wherefore, he said
unto Eve, yea, even that old serpent, who is the devil, who is the
father of all lies, wherefore he said: Partake of the forbidden fruit,
and ye shall not die, but ye shall be as God, knowing good and evil.
2:19 And after Adam and Eve had partaken of the forbidden fruit they
were driven out of the garden of Eden, to till the earth.
2:20 And they have brought forth children; yea, even the family of all
the earth.
2:21 And the days of the children of men were prolonged, according to
the will of God, that they might repent while in the flesh; wherefore,
their state became a state of probation, and their time was lengthened,
according to the commandments which the Lord God gave unto the children
of men. For he gave commandment that all men must repent; for he showed
unto all men that they were lost, because of the transgression of their
parents.
2:22 And now, behold, if Adam had not transgressed he would not have
fallen, but he would have remained in the garden of Eden. And all
things which were created must have remained in the same state in which
they were after they were created; and they must have remained forever,
and had no end.
2:23 And they would have had no children; wherefore they would have
remained in a state of innocence, having no joy, for they knew no
misery; doing no good, for they knew no sin.
2:24 But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of him who
knoweth all things.
2:25 Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have
joy.
2:26 And the Messiah cometh in the fulness of time, that he may redeem
the children of men from the fall. And because that they are redeemed
from the fall they have become free forever, knowing good from evil; to
act for themselves and not to be acted upon, save it be by the
punishment of the law at the great and last day, according to the
commandments which God hath given.
2:27 Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are
given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose
liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to
choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the
devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto
himself.
2:28 And now, my sons, I would that ye should look to the great
Mediator, and hearken unto his great commandments; and be faithful unto
his words, and choose eternal life, according to the will of his Holy
Spirit;
2:29 And not choose eternal death, according to the will of the flesh
and the evil which is therein, which giveth the spirit of the devil
power to captivate, to bring you down to hell, that he may reign over
you in his own kingdom.
2:30 I have spoken these few words unto you all, my sons, in the last
days of my probation; and I have chosen the good part, according to the
words of the prophet. And I have none other object save it be the
everlasting welfare of your souls. Amen.