8:1 And now it came to pass that when Nephi had said these words,
behold, there were men who were judges, who also belonged to the secret
band of Gadianton, and they were angry, and they cried out against him,
saying unto the people: Why do ye not seize upon this man and bring him
forth, that he may be condemned according to the crime which he has
done?
8:2 Why seest thou this man, and hearest him revile against this people
and against our law?
8:3 For behold, Nephi had spoken unto them concerning the corruptness
of their law; yea, many things did Nephi speak which cannot be written;
and nothing did he speak which was contrary to the commandments of God.
8:4 And those judges were angry with him because he spake plainly unto
them concerning their secret works of darkness; nevertheless, they
durst not lay their own hands upon him, for they feared the people lest
they should cry out against them.
8:5 Therefore they did cry unto the people, saying: Why do you suffer
this man to revile against us? For behold he doth condemn all this
people, even unto destruction; yea, and also that these our great
cities shall be taken from us, that we shall have no place in them.
8:6 And now we know that this is impossible, for behold, we are
powerful, and our cities great, therefore our enemies can have no power
over us.
8:7 And it came to pass that thus they did stir up the people to anger
against Nephi, and raised contentions among them; for there were some
who did cry out: Let this man alone, for he is a good man, and those
things which he saith will surely come to pass except we repent;
8:8 Yea, behold, all the judgments will come upon us which he has
testified unto us; for we know that he has testified aright unto us
concerning our iniquities. And behold they are many, and he knoweth as
well all things which shall befall us as he knoweth of our iniquities;
8:9 Yea, and behold, if he had not been a prophet he could not have
testified concerning those things.
8:10 And it came to pass that those people who sought to destroy Nephi
were compelled because of their fear, that they did not lay their hands
on him; therefore he began again to speak unto them, seeing that he had
gained favor in the eyes of some, insomuch that the remainder of them
did fear.
8:11 Therefore he was constrained to speak more unto them saying:
Behold, my brethren, have ye not read that God gave power unto one man,
even Moses, to smite upon the waters of the Red Sea, and they parted
hither and thither, insomuch that the Israelites, who were our fathers,
came through upon dry ground, and the waters closed upon the armies of
the Egyptians and swallowed them up?
8:12 And now behold, if God gave unto this man such power, then why
should ye dispute among yourselves, and say that he hath given unto me
no power whereby I may know concerning the judgments that shall come
upon you except ye repent?
8:13 But, behold, ye not only deny my words, but ye also deny all the
words which have been spoken by our fathers, and also the words which
were spoken by this man, Moses, who had such great power given unto
him, yea, the words which he hath spoken concerning the coming of the
Messiah.
8:14 Yea, did he not bear record that the Son of God should come? And
as he lifted up the brazen serpent in the wilderness, even so shall he
be lifted up who should come.
8:15 And as many as should look upon that serpent should live, even so
as many as should look upon the Son of God with faith, having a
contrite spirit, might live, even unto that life which is eternal.
8:16 And now behold, Moses did not only testify of these things, but
also all the holy prophets, from his days even to the days of Abraham.
8:17 Yea, and behold, Abraham saw of his coming, and was filled with
gladness and did rejoice.
8:18 Yea, and behold I say unto you, that Abraham not only knew of
these things, but there were many before the days of Abraham who were
called by the order of God; yea, even after the order of his Son; and
this that it should be shown unto the people, a great many thousand
years before his coming, that even redemption should come unto them.
8:19 And now I would that ye should know, that even since the days of
Abraham there have been many prophets that have testified these things;
yea, behold, the prophet Zenos did testify boldly; for the which he was
slain.
8:20 And behold, also Zenock, and also Ezias, and also Isaiah, and
Jeremiah, (Jeremiah being that same prophet who testified of the
destruction of Jerusalem) and now we know that Jerusalem was destroyed
according to the words of Jeremiah. O then why not the Son of God come,
according to his prophecy?
8:21 And now will you dispute that Jerusalem was destroyed? Will ye say
that the sons of Zedekiah were not slain, all except it were Mulek?
Yea, and do ye not behold that the seed of Zedekiah are with us, and
they were driven out of the land of Jerusalem? But behold, this is not
all—
8:22 Our father Lehi was driven out of Jerusalem because he testified
of these things. Nephi also testified of these things, and also almost
all of our fathers, even down to this time; yea, they have testified of
the coming of Christ, and have looked forward, and have rejoiced in his
day which is to come.
8:23 And behold, he is God, and he is with them, and he did manifest
himself unto them, that they were redeemed by him; and they gave unto
him glory, because of that which is to come.
8:24 And now, seeing ye know these things and cannot deny them except
ye shall lie, therefore in this ye have sinned, for ye have rejected
all these things, notwithstanding so many evidences which ye have
received; yea, even ye have received all things, both things in heaven,
and all things which are in the earth, as a witness that they are true.
8:25 But behold, ye have rejected the truth, and rebelled against your
holy God; and even at this time, instead of laying up for yourselves
treasures in heaven, where nothing doth corrupt, and where nothing can
come which is unclean, ye are heaping up for yourselves wrath against
the day of judgment.
8:26 Yea, even at this time ye are ripening, because of your murders
and your fornication and wickedness, for everlasting destruction; yea,
and except ye repent it will come unto you soon.
8:27 Yea, behold it is now even at your doors; yea, go ye in unto the
judgment-seat, and search; and behold, your judge is murdered, and he
lieth in his blood; and he hath been murdered by his brother, who
seeketh to sit in the judgment-seat.
8:28 And behold, they both belong to your secret band, whose author is
Gadianton and the evil one who seeketh to destroy the souls of men.