15:1 And now, my beloved brethren, behold, I declare unto you that
except ye shall repent your houses shall be left unto you desolate.
15:2 Yea, except ye repent, your women shall have great cause to mourn
in the day that they shall give suck; for ye shall attempt to flee and
there shall be no place for refuge; yea, and wo unto them which are
with child, for they shall be heavy and cannot flee; therefore, they
shall be trodden down and shall be left to perish.
15:3 Yea, wo unto this people who are called the people of Nephi except
they shall repent, when they shall see all these signs and wonders
which shall be showed unto them; for behold, they have been a chosen
people of the Lord; yea, the people of Nephi hath he loved, and also
hath he chastened them; yea, in the days of their iniquities hath he
chastened them because he loveth them.
15:4 But behold my brethren, the Lamanites hath he hated because their
deeds have been evil continually, and this because of the iniquity of
the tradition of their fathers. But behold, salvation hath come unto
them through the preaching of the Nephites; and for this intent hath
the Lord prolonged their days.
15:5 And I would that ye should behold that the more part of them are
in the path of their duty, and they do walk circumspectly before God,
and they do observe to keep his commandments and his statutes and his
judgments according to the law of Moses.
15:6 Yea, I say unto you, that the more part of them are doing this,
and they are striving with unwearied diligence that they may bring the
remainder of their brethren to the knowledge of the truth; therefore
there are many who do add to their numbers daily.
15:7 And behold, ye do know of yourselves, for ye have witnessed it,
that as many of them as are brought to the knowledge of the truth, and
to know of the wicked and abominable traditions of their fathers, and
are led to believe the holy scriptures, yea, the prophecies of the holy
prophets, which are written, which leadeth them to faith on the Lord,
and unto repentance, which faith and repentance bringeth a change of
heart unto them—
15:8 Therefore, as many as have come to this, ye know of yourselves are
firm and steadfast in the faith, and in the thing wherewith they have
been made free.
15:9 And ye know also that they have buried their weapons of war, and
they fear to take them up lest by any means they should sin; yea, ye
can see that they fear to sin—for behold they will suffer themselves
that they be trodden down and slain by their enemies, and will not lift
their swords against them, and this because of their faith in Christ.
15:10 And now, because of their steadfastness when they do believe in
that thing which they do believe, for because of their firmness when
they are once enlightened, behold, the Lord shall bless them and
prolong their days, notwithstanding their iniquity—
15:11 Yea, even if they should dwindle in unbelief the Lord shall
prolong their days, until the time shall come which hath been spoken of
by our fathers, and also by the prophet Zenos, and many other prophets,
concerning the restoration of our brethren, the Lamanites, again to the
knowledge of the truth—
15:12 Yea, I say unto you, that in the latter times the promises of the
Lord have been extended to our brethren, the Lamanites; and
notwithstanding the many afflictions which they shall have, and
notwithstanding they shall be driven to and fro upon the face of the
earth, and be hunted, and shall be smitten and scattered abroad, having
no place for refuge, the Lord shall be merciful unto them.
15:13 And this is according to the prophecy, that they shall again be
brought to the true knowledge, which is knowledge of their Redeemer,
and their great and true shepherd, and be numbered among his sheep.
15:14 Therefore I say unto you, it shall be better for them than for
you except ye repent.
15:15 For behold, had the mighty works been shown unto them which have
been shown unto you, yea, unto them who have dwindled in unbelief
because of the traditions of their fathers, ye can see of yourselves
that they never would again have dwindled in unbelief.
15:16 Therefore, saith the Lord: I will not utterly destroy them, but I
will cause that in the day of my wisdom they shall return again unto
me, saith the Lord.
15:17 And now behold, saith the Lord, concerning the people of the
Nephites: If they will not repent, and observe to do my will, I will
utterly destroy them, saith the Lord, because of their unbelief
notwithstanding the many mighty works which I have done among them; and
as surely as the Lord liveth shall these things be, saith the Lord.