1:1 And now I, Mormon, being about to deliver up the record which I
have been making into the hands of my son Moroni, behold I have
witnessed almost all the destruction of my people, the Nephites.
1:2 And it is many hundred years after the coming of Christ that I
deliver these records into the hands of my son; and it supposeth me
that he will witness the entire destruction of my people. But may God
grant that he may survive them, that he may write somewhat concerning
them, and somewhat concerning Christ, that perhaps some day it may
profit them.
1:3 And now, I speak somewhat concerning that which I have written; for
after I had made an abridgment from the plates of Nephi, down to the
reign of this king Benjamin, of whom Amaleki spake, I searched among
the records which had been delivered into my hands, and I found these
plates, which contained this small account of the prophets, from Jacob
down to the reign of this king Benjamin, and also many of the words of
Nephi.
1:4 And the things which are upon these plates pleasing me, because of
the prophecies of the coming of Christ; and my fathers knowing that
many of them have been fulfilled; yea, and I also know that as many
things as have been prophesied concerning us down to this day have been
fulfilled, and as many as go beyond this day must surely come to pass—
1:5 Wherefore, I chose these things, to finish my record upon them,
which remainder of my record I shall take from the plates of Nephi; and
I cannot write the hundredth part of the things of my people.
1:6 But behold, I shall take these plates, which contain these
prophesyings and revelations, and put them with the remainder of my
record, for they are choice unto me; and I know they will be choice
unto my brethren.
1:7 And I do this for a wise purpose; for thus it whispereth me,
according to the workings of the Spirit of the Lord which is in me. And
now, I do not know all things; but the Lord knoweth all things which
are to come; wherefore, he worketh in me to do according to his will.
1:8 And my prayer to God is concerning my brethren, that they may once
again come to the knowledge of God, yea, the redemption of Christ; that
they may once again be a delightsome people.
1:9 And now I, Mormon, proceed to finish out my record, which I take
from the plates of Nephi; and I make it according to the knowledge and
the understanding which God has given me.
1:10 Wherefore, it came to pass that after Amaleki had delivered up
these plates into the hands of king Benjamin, he took them and put them
with the other plates, which contained records which had been handed
down by the kings, from generation to generation until the days of king
Benjamin.
1:11 And they were handed down from king Benjamin, from generation to
generation until they have fallen into my hands. And I, Mormon, pray to
God that they may be preserved from this time henceforth. And I know
that they will be preserved; for there are great things written upon
them, out of which my people and their brethren shall be judged at the
great and last day, according to the word of God which is written.
1:12 And now, concerning this king Benjamin—he had somewhat of
contentions among his own people.
1:13 And it came to pass also that the armies of the Lamanites came
down out of the land of Nephi, to battle against his people. But
behold, king Benjamin gathered together his armies, and he did stand
against them; and he did fight with the strength of his own arm, with
the sword of Laban.
1:14 And in the strength of the Lord they did contend against their
enemies, until they had slain many thousands of the Lamanites. And it
came to pass that they did contend against the Lamanites until they had
driven them out of all the lands of their inheritance.
1:15 And it came to pass that after there had been false Christs, and
their mouths had been shut, and they punished according to their
crimes;
1:16 And after there had been false prophets, and false preachers and
teachers among the people, and all these having been punished according
to their crimes; and after there having been much contention and many
dissensions away unto the Lamanites, behold, it came to pass that king
Benjamin, with the assistance of the holy prophets who were among his
people—
1:17 For behold, king Benjamin was a holy man, and he did reign over
his people in righteousness; and there were many holy men in the land,
and they did speak the word of God with power and with authority; and
they did use much sharpness because of the stiffneckedness of the
people—
1:18 Wherefore, with the help of these, king Benjamin, by laboring with
all the might of his body and the faculty of his whole soul, and also
the prophets, did once more establish peace in the land.