5:1 And it came to pass that in this same year, behold, Nephi delivered
up the judgment-seat to a man whose name was Cezoram.
5:2 For as their laws and their governments were established by the
voice of the people, and they who chose evil were more numerous than
they who chose good, therefore they were ripening for destruction, for
the laws had become corrupted.
5:3 Yea, and this was not all; they were a stiffnecked people, insomuch
that they could not be governed by the law nor justice, save it were to
their destruction.
5:4 And it came to pass that Nephi had become weary because of their
iniquity; and he yielded up the judgment-seat, and took it upon him to
preach the word of God all the remainder of his days, and his brother
Lehi also, all the remainder of his days;
5:5 For they remembered the words which their father Helaman spake unto
them. And these are the words which he spake:
5:6 Behold, my sons, I desire that ye should remember to keep the
commandments of God; and I would that ye should declare unto the people
these words. Behold, I have given unto you the names of our first
parents who came out of the land of Jerusalem; and this I have done
that when you remember your names ye may remember them; and when ye
remember them ye may remember their works; and when ye remember their
works ye may know how that it is said, and also written, that they were
good.
5:7 Therefore, my sons, I would that ye should do that which is good,
that it may be said of you, and also written, even as it has been said
and written of them.
5:8 And now my sons, behold I have somewhat more to desire of you,
which desire is, that ye may not do these things that ye may boast, but
that ye may do these things to lay up for yourselves a treasure in
heaven, yea, which is eternal, and which fadeth not away; yea, that ye
may have that precious gift of eternal life, which we have reason to
suppose hath been given to our fathers.
5:9 O remember, remember, my sons, the words which king Benjamin spake
unto his people; yea, remember that there is no other way nor means
whereby man can be saved, only through the atoning blood of Jesus
Christ, who shall come, yea, remember that he cometh to redeem the
world.
5:10 And remember also the words which Amulek spake unto Zeezrom, in
the city of Ammonihah; for he said unto him that the Lord surely should
come to redeem his people, but that he should not come to redeem them
in their sins, but to redeem them from their sins.
5:11 And he hath power given unto him from the Father to redeem them
from their sins because of repentance; therefore he hath sent his
angels to declare the tidings of the conditions of repentance, which
bringeth unto the power of the Redeemer, unto the salvation of their
souls.
5:12 And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of
our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your
foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea,
his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty
storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you
down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon
which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if
men build they cannot fall.
5:13 And it came to pass that these were the words which Helaman taught
to his sons; yea, he did teach them many things which are not written,
and also many things which are written.
5:14 And they did remember his words; and therefore they went forth,
keeping the commandments of God, to teach the word of God among all the
people of Nephi, beginning at the city Bountiful;
5:15 And from thenceforth to the city of Gid; and from the city of Gid
to the city of Mulek;
5:16 And even from one city to another, until they had gone forth among
all the people of Nephi who were in the land southward; and from thence
into the land of Zarahemla, among the Lamanites.
5:17 And it came to pass that they did preach with great power,
insomuch that they did confound many of those dissenters who had gone
over from the Nephites, insomuch that they came forth and did confess
their sins and were baptized unto repentance, and immediately returned
to the Nephites to endeavor to repair unto them the wrongs which they
had done.
5:18 And it came to pass that Nephi and Lehi did preach unto the
Lamanites with such great power and authority, for they had power and
authority, given unto them that they might speak, and they also had
what they should speak given unto them—
5:19 Therefore they did speak unto the great astonishment of the
Lamanites, to the convincing them, insomuch that there were eight
thousand of the Lamanites who were in the land of Zarahemla and round
about baptized unto repentance, and were convinced of the wickedness of
the traditions of their fathers.
5:20 And it came to pass that Nephi and Lehi did proceed from thence to
go to the land of Nephi.
5:21 And it came to pass that they were taken by an army of the
Lamanites and cast into prison; yea, even in that same prison in which
Ammon and his brethren were cast by the servants of Limhi.
5:22 And after they had been cast into prison many days without food,
behold, they went forth into the prison to take them that they might
slay them.
5:23 And it came to pass that Nephi and Lehi were encircled about as if
by fire, even insomuch that they durst not lay their hands upon them
for fear lest they should be burned. Nevertheless, Nephi and Lehi were
not burned; and they were as standing in the midst of fire and were not
burned.
5:24 And when they saw that they were encircled about with a pillar of
fire, and that it burned them not, their hearts did take courage.
5:25 For they saw that the Lamanites durst not lay their hands upon
them; neither durst they come near unto them, but stood as if they were
struck dumb with amazement.
5:26 And it came to pass that Nephi and Lehi did stand forth and began
to speak unto them, saying: Fear not, for behold, it is God that has
shown unto you this marvelous thing, in the which is shown unto you
that ye cannot lay your hands on us to slay us.
5:27 And behold, when they had said these words, the earth shook
exceedingly, and the walls of the prison did shake as if they were
about to tumble to the earth; but behold, they did not fall. And
behold, they that were in the prison were Lamanites and Nephites who
were dissenters.
5:28 And it came to pass that they were overshadowed with a cloud of
darkness, and an awful solemn fear came upon them.
5:29 And it came to pass that there came a voice as if it were above
the cloud of darkness, saying: Repent ye, repent ye, and seek no more
to destroy my servants whom I have sent unto you to declare good
tidings.
5:30 And it came to pass when they heard this voice, and beheld that it
was not a voice of thunder, neither was it a voice of a great
tumultuous noise, but behold, it was a still voice of perfect mildness,
as if it had been a whisper, and it did pierce even to the very soul—
5:31 And notwithstanding the mildness of the voice, behold the earth
shook exceedingly, and the walls of the prison trembled again, as if it
were about to tumble to the earth; and behold the cloud of darkness,
which had overshadowed them, did not disperse—
5:32 And behold the voice came again, saying: Repent ye, repent ye, for
the kingdom of heaven is at hand; and seek no more to destroy my
servants. And it came to pass that the earth shook again, and the walls
trembled.
5:33 And also again the third time the voice came, and did speak unto
them marvelous words which cannot be uttered by man; and the walls did
tremble again, and the earth shook as if it were about to divide
asunder.
5:34 And it came to pass that the Lamanites could not flee because of
the cloud of darkness which did overshadow them; yea, and also they
were immovable because of the fear which did come upon them.
5:35 Now there was one among them who was a Nephite by birth, who had
once belonged to the church of God but had dissented from them.
5:36 And it came to pass that he turned him about, and behold, he saw
through the cloud of darkness the faces of Nephi and Lehi; and behold,
they did shine exceedingly, even as the faces of angels. And he beheld
that they did lift their eyes to heaven; and they were in the attitude
as if talking or lifting their voices to some being whom they beheld.
5:37 And it came to pass that this man did cry unto the multitude, that
they might turn and look. And behold, there was power given unto them
that they did turn and look; and they did behold the faces of Nephi and
Lehi.
5:38 And they said unto the man: Behold, what do all these things mean,
and who is it with whom these men do converse?
5:39 Now the man’s name was Aminadab. And Aminadab said unto them: They
do converse with the angels of God.
5:40 And it came to pass that the Lamanites said unto him: What shall
we do, that this cloud of darkness may be removed from overshadowing
us?
5:41 And Aminadab said unto them: You must repent, and cry unto the
voice, even until ye shall have faith in Christ, who was taught unto
you by Alma, and Amulek, and Zeezrom; and when ye shall do this, the
cloud of darkness shall be removed from overshadowing you.
5:42 And it came to pass that they all did begin to cry unto the voice
of him who had shaken the earth; yea, they did cry even until the cloud
of darkness was dispersed.
5:43 And it came to pass that when they cast their eyes about, and saw
that the cloud of darkness was dispersed from overshadowing them,
behold, they saw that they were encircled about, yea every soul, by a
pillar of fire.
5:44 And Nephi and Lehi were in the midst of them; yea, they were
encircled about; yea, they were as if in the midst of a flaming fire,
yet it did harm them not, neither did it take hold upon the walls of
the prison; and they were filled with that joy which is unspeakable and
full of glory.
5:45 And behold, the Holy Spirit of God did come down from heaven, and
did enter into their hearts, and they were filled as if with fire, and
they could speak forth marvelous words.
5:46 And it came to pass that there came a voice unto them, yea, a
pleasant voice, as if it were a whisper, saying:
5:47 Peace, peace be unto you, because of your faith in my Well
Beloved, who was from the foundation of the world.
5:48 And now, when they heard this they cast up their eyes as if to
behold from whence the voice came; and behold, they saw the heavens
open; and angels came down out of heaven and ministered unto them.
5:49 And there were about three hundred souls who saw and heard these
things; and they were bidden to go forth and marvel not, neither should
they doubt.
5:50 And it came to pass that they did go forth, and did minister unto
the people, declaring throughout all the regions round about all the
things which they had heard and seen, insomuch that the more part of
the Lamanites were convinced of them, because of the greatness of the
evidences which they had received.
5:51 And as many as were convinced did lay down their weapons of war,
and also their hatred and the tradition of their fathers.
5:52 And it came to pass that they did yield up unto the Nephites the
lands of their possession.