6:1 And now it came to pass that the people of the Nephites did all
return to their own lands in the twenty and sixth year, every man, with
his family, his flocks and his herds, his horses and his cattle, and
all things whatsoever did belong unto them.
6:2 And it came to pass that they had not eaten up all their
provisions; therefore they did take with them all that they had not
devoured, of all their grain of every kind, and their gold, and their
silver, and all their precious things, and they did return to their own
lands and their possessions, both on the north and on the south, both
on the land northward and on the land southward.
6:3 And they granted unto those robbers who had entered into a covenant
to keep the peace of the land, who were desirous to remain Lamanites,
lands, according to their numbers, that they might have, with their
labors, wherewith to subsist upon; and thus they did establish peace in
all the land.
6:4 And they began again to prosper and to wax great; and the twenty
and sixth and seventh years passed away, and there was great order in
the land; and they had formed their laws according to equity and
justice.
6:5 And now there was nothing in all the land to hinder the people from
prospering continually, except they should fall into transgression.
6:6 And now it was Gidgiddoni, and the judge, Lachoneus, and those who
had been appointed leaders, who had established this great peace in the
land.
6:7 And it came to pass that there were many cities built anew, and
there were many old cities repaired.
6:8 And there were many highways cast up, and many roads made, which
led from city to city, and from land to land, and from place to place.
6:9 And thus passed away the twenty and eighth year, and the people had
continual peace.
6:10 But it came to pass in the twenty and ninth year there began to be
some disputings among the people; and some were lifted up unto pride
and boastings because of their exceedingly great riches, yea, even unto
great persecutions;
6:11 For there were many merchants in the land, and also many lawyers,
and many officers.
6:12 And the people began to be distinguished by ranks, according to
their riches and their chances for learning, yea, some were ignorant
because of their poverty, and others did receive great learning because
of their riches.
6:13 Some were lifted up in pride, and others were exceedingly humble;
some did return railing for railing, while others would receive railing
and persecution and all manner of afflictions, and would not turn and
revile again, but were humble and penitent before God.
6:14 And thus there became a great inequality in all the land, insomuch
that the church began to be broken up; yea, insomuch that in the
thirtieth year the church was broken up in all the land save it were
among a few of the Lamanites who were converted unto the true faith;
and they would not depart from it, for they were firm, and steadfast,
and immovable, willing with all diligence to keep the commandments of
the Lord.
6:15 Now the cause of this iniquity of the people was this—Satan had
great power, unto the stirring up of the people to do all manner of
iniquity, and to the puffing them up with pride, tempting them to seek
for power, and authority, and riches, and the vain things of the world.
6:16 And thus Satan did lead away the hearts of the people to do all
manner of iniquity; therefore they had enjoyed peace but a few years.
6:17 And thus, in the commencement of the thirtieth year—the people
having been delivered up for the space of a long time to be carried
about by the temptations of the devil whithersoever he desired to carry
them, and to do whatsoever iniquity he desired they should—and thus in
the commencement of this, the thirtieth year, they were in a state of
awful wickedness.
6:18 Now they did not sin ignorantly, for they knew the will of God
concerning them, for it had been taught unto them; therefore they did
wilfully rebel against God.
6:19 And now it was in the days of Lachoneus, the son of Lachoneus, for
Lachoneus did fill the seat of his father and did govern the people
that year.
6:20 And there began to be men inspired from heaven and sent forth,
standing among the people in all the land, preaching and testifying
boldly of the sins and iniquities of the people, and testifying unto
them concerning the redemption which the Lord would make for his
people, or in other words, the resurrection of Christ; and they did
testify boldly of his death and sufferings.
6:21 Now there were many of the people who were exceedingly angry
because of those who testified of these things; and those who were
angry were chiefly the chief judges, and they who had been high priests
and lawyers; yea, all those who were lawyers were angry with those who
testified of these things.
6:22 Now there was no lawyer nor judge nor high priest that could have
power to condemn any one to death save their condemnation was signed by
the governor of the land.
6:23 Now there were many of those who testified of the things
pertaining to Christ who testified boldly, who were taken and put to
death secretly by the judges, that the knowledge of their death came
not unto the governor of the land until after their death.
6:24 Now behold, this was contrary to the laws of the land, that any
man should be put to death except they had power from the governor of
the land—
6:25 Therefore a complaint came up unto the land of Zarahemla, to the
governor of the land, against these judges who had condemned the
prophets of the Lord unto death, not according to the law.
6:26 Now it came to pass that they were taken and brought up before the
judge to be judged of the crime which they had done, according to the
law which had been given by the people.
6:27 Now it came to pass that those judges had many friends and
kindreds; and the remainder, yea, even almost all the lawyers and the
high priests, did gather themselves together, and unite with the
kindreds of those judges who were to be tried according to the law.
6:28 And they did enter into a covenant one with another, yea, even
into that covenant which was given by them of old, which covenant was
given and administered by the devil, to combine against all
righteousness.
6:29 Therefore they did combine against the people of the Lord, and
enter into a covenant to destroy them, and to deliver those who were
guilty of murder from the grasp of justice, which was about to be
administered according to the law.
6:30 And they did set at defiance the law and the rights of their
country; and they did covenant one with another to destroy the
governor, and to establish a king over the land, that the land should
no more be at liberty but should be subject unto kings.