THE BOOK OF JACOB
THE BROTHER OF NEPHI
The words of his preaching unto his brethren. He confoundeth a man who
seeketh to overthrow the doctrine of Christ. A few words concerning the
history of the people of Nephi.
Jacob 1
1 For behold, it came to pass that fifty and five years had passed away from
the time that Lehi left Jerusalem; wherefore, Nephi gave me, Jacob, a
commandment concerning the small plates, upon which these things are
engraven.
2 And he gave me, Jacob, a commandment that I should write upon these
plates a few of the things which I consider to be most precious; that I should
not touch, save it were lightly, concerning the history of this people which
are called the people of Nephi.
3 For he said that the history of his people should be engraven upon his
other plates, and that I should preserve these plates and hand them down
unto my seed, from generation to generation.
4 And if there were preaching which was sacred, or revelation which was
great, or prophesying, that I should engraven the heads of them upon these
plates, and touch upon them as much as it were possible, for Christ's sake,
and for the sake of our people.
5 For because of faith and great anxiety, it truly had been made manifest
unto us concerning our people, what things should happen unto them.
6 And we also had many revelations, and the spirit of much prophecy;
wherefore, we knew of Christ and his kingdom, which should come.
7 Wherefore we labored diligently among our people, that we might
persuade them to come unto Christ, and partake of the goodness of God,
that they might enter into his rest, lest by any means he should swear in his
wrath they should not enter in, as in the provocation in the days of
temptation while the children of Israel were in the wilderness.
8 Wherefore, we would to God that we could persuade all men not to rebel
against God, to provoke him to anger, but that all men would believe in
Christ, and view his death, and suffer his cross and bear the shame of the
world; wherefore, I, Jacob, take it upon me to fulfil the commandment of my
brother Nephi.
9 Now Nephi began to be old, and he saw that he must soon die; wherefore,
he anointed a man to be a king and a ruler over his people now, according to
the reigns of the kings.
10 The people having loved Nephi exceedingly, he having been a great
protector for them, having wielded the sword of Laban in their defence, and
having labored in all his days for their welfare —
11 Wherefore, the people were desirous to retain in remembrance his name.
And whoso should reign in his stead were called by the people, second
Nephi, third Nephi, and so forth, according to the reigns of the kings; and
thus they were called by the people, let them be of whatever name they
would.
12 And it came to pass that Nephi died.
13 Now the people which were not Lamanites were Nephites; nevertheless,
they were called Nephites, Jacobites, Josephites, Zoramites, Lamanites,
Lemuelites, and Ishmaelites.
14 But I, Jacob, shall not hereafter distinguish them by these names, but I
shall call them Lamanites that seek to destroy the people of Nephi, and those
who are friendly to Nephi I shall call Nephites, or the people of Nephi,
according to the reigns of the kings.
15 And now it came to pass that the people of Nephi, under the reign of the
second king, began to grow hard in their hearts, and indulge themselves
somewhat in wicked practices, such as like unto David of old desiring many
wives and concubines, and also Solomon, his son.
16 Yea, and they also began to search much gold and silver, and began to be
lifted up somewhat in pride.
17 Wherefore I, Jacob, gave unto them these words as I taught them in the
temple, having first obtained mine errand from the Lord.
18 For I, Jacob, and my brother Joseph had been consecrated priests and
teachers of this people, by the hand of Nephi.
19 And we did magnify our office unto the Lord, taking upon us the
responsibility, answering the sins of the people upon our own heads if we did
not teach them the word of God with all diligence; wherefore, by laboring
with our might their blood might not come upon our garments; otherwise
their blood would come upon our garments, and we would not be found
spotless at the last day.
Jacob 2
1 The words which Jacob, the brother of Nephi, spake unto the people of
Nephi, after the death of Nephi:
2 Now, my beloved brethren, I, Jacob, according to the responsibility which
I am under to God, to magnify mine office with soberness, and that I might
rid my garments of your sins, I come up into the temple this day that I might
declare unto you the word of God.
3 And ye yourselves know that I have hitherto been diligent in the office of
my calling; but I this day am weighed down with much more desire and
anxiety for the welfare of your souls than I have hitherto been.
4 For behold, as yet, ye have been obedient unto the word of the Lord,
which I have given unto you.
5 But behold, hearken ye unto me, and know that by the help of the
all-powerful Creator of heaven and earth I can tell you concerning your
thoughts, how that ye are beginning to labor in sin, which sin appeareth very
abominable unto me, yea, and abominable unto God.
6 Yea, it grieveth my soul and causeth me to shrink with shame before the
presence of my Maker, that I must testify unto you concerning the
wickedness of your hearts.
7 And also it grieveth me that I must use so much boldness of speech
concerning you, before your wives and your children, many of whose feelings
are exceedingly tender and chaste and delicate before God, which thing is
pleasing unto God;
8 And it supposeth me that they have come up hither to hear the pleasing
word of God, yea, the word which healeth the wounded soul.
9 Wherefore, it burdeneth my soul that I should be constrained, because of
the strict commandment which I have received from God, to admonish you
according to your crimes, to enlarge the wounds of those who are already
wounded, instead of consoling and healing their wounds; and those who have
not been wounded, instead of feasting upon the pleasing word of God have
daggers placed to pierce their souls and wound their delicate minds.
10 But, notwithstanding the greatness of the task, I must do according to
the strict commands of God, and tell you concerning your wickedness and
abominations, in the presence of the pure in heart, and the broken heart, and
under the glance of the piercing eye of the Almighty God.
11 Wherefore, I must tell you the truth according to the plainness of the
word of God. For behold, as I inquired of the Lord, thus came the word
unto me, saying: Jacob, get thou up into the temple on the morrow, and
declare the word which I shall give thee unto this people.
12 And now behold, my brethren, this is the word which I declare unto you,
that many of you have begun to search for gold, and for silver, and for all
manner of precious ores, in the which this land, which is a land of promise
unto you and to your seed, doth abound most plentifully.
13 And the hand of providence hath smiled upon you most pleasingly, that
you have obtained many riches; and because some of you have obtained more
abundantly than that of your brethren ye are lifted up in the pride of your
hearts, and wear stiff necks and high heads because of the costliness of your
apparel, and persecute your brethren because ye suppose that ye are better
than they.
14 And now, my brethren, do ye suppose that God justifieth you in this
thing? Behold, I say unto you, Nay. But he condemneth you, and if ye
persist in these things his judgments must speedily come unto you.
15 O that he would show you that he can pierce you, and with one glance of
his eye he can smite you to the dust!
16 O that he would rid you from this iniquity and abomination. $ And, O
that ye would listen unto the word of his commands, and let not this pride of
your hearts destroy your souls!
17 Think of your brethren like unto yourselves, and be familiar with all and
free with your substance, that they may be rich like unto you.
18 But before ye seek for riches, seek ye for the kingdom of God.
19 And after ye have obtained a hope in Christ ye shall obtain riches, if ye
seek them; and ye will seek them for the intent to do good — to clothe the
naked, and to feed the hungry, and to liberate the captive, and administer
relief to the sick and the afflicted.
20 And now, my brethren, I have spoken unto you concerning pride; and
those of you which have afflicted your neighbor, and persecuted him because
ye were proud in your hearts, of the things which God hath given you, what
say ye of it?
21 Do ye not suppose that such things are abominable unto him who created
all flesh? And the one being is as precious in his sight as the other. And all
flesh is of the dust; and for the selfsame end hath he created them, that they
should keep his commandments and glorify him forever.
22 And now I make an end of speaking unto you concerning this pride. And
were it not that I must speak unto you concerning a grosser crime, my heart
would rejoice exceedingly because of you.
23 But the word of God burdens me because of your grosser crimes. For
behold, thus saith the Lord: This people begin to wax in iniquity; they
understand not the scriptures, for they seek to excuse themselves in
committing whoredoms, because of the things which were written
concerning David, and Solomon his son.
24 Behold, David and Solomon truly had many wives and concubines, which
thing was abominable before me, saith the Lord.
25 Wherefore, thus saith the Lord, I have led this people forth out of the
land of Jerusalem, by the power of mine arm, that I might raise up unto me a
righteous branch from the fruit of the loins of Joseph.
26 Wherefore, I the Lord God will not suffer that this people shall do like
unto them of old.
27 Wherefore, my brethren, hear me, and hearken to the word of the Lord:
For there shall not any man among you have save it be one wife; and
concubines he shall have none;
28 For I, the Lord God, delight in the chastity of women. And whoredoms
are an abomination before me; thus saith the Lord of Hosts.
29 Wherefore, this people shall keep my commandments, saith the Lord of
Hosts, or cursed be the land for their sakes.
30 For if I will, saith the Lord of Hosts, raise up seed unto me, I will
command my people; otherwise they shall hearken unto these things.
31 For behold, I, the Lord, have seen the sorrow, and heard the mourning of
the daughters of my people in the land of Jerusalem, yea, and in all the lands
of my people, because of the wickedness and abominations of their husbands.
32 And I will not suffer, saith the Lord of Hosts, that the cries of the fair
daughters of this people, which I have led out of the land of Jerusalem, shall
come up unto me against the men of my people, saith the Lord of Hosts.
33 For they shall not lead away captive the daughters of my people because
of their tenderness, save I shall visit them with a sore curse, even unto
destruction; for they shall not commit whoredoms, like unto them of old,
saith the Lord of Hosts.
34 And now behold, my brethren, ye know that these commandments were
given to our father, Lehi; wherefore, ye have known them before; and ye
have come unto great condemnation; for ye have done these things which ye
ought not to have done.
35 Behold, ye have done greater iniquities than the Lamanites, our brethren.
Ye have broken the hearts of your tender wives, and lost the confidence of
your children, because of your bad examples before them; and the sobbings
of their hearts ascend up to God against you. And because of the strictness
of the word of God, which cometh down against you, many hearts died,
pierced with deep wounds.
Jacob 3
1 But behold, I, Jacob, would speak unto you that are pure in heart. Look
unto God with firmness of mind, and pray unto him with exceeding faith, and
he will console you in your afflictions, and he will plead your cause, and send
down justice upon those who seek your destruction.
2 O all ye that are pure in heart, lift up your heads and receive the pleasing
word of God, and feast upon his love; for ye may, if your minds are firm,
forever.
3 But, wo, wo, unto you that are not pure in heart, that are filthy this day
before God; for except ye repent the land is cursed for your sakes; and the
Lamanites, which are not filthy like unto you, nevertheless they are cursed
with a sore cursing, shall scourge you even unto destruction.
4 And the time speedily cometh, that except ye repent they shall possess the
land of your inheritance, and the Lord God will lead away the righteous out
from among you.
5 Behold, the Lamanites your brethren, whom ye hate because of their
filthiness and the cursing which hath come upon their skins, are more
righteous than you; for they have not forgotten the commandment of the
Lord, which was given unto our father — that they should have save it were
one wife, and concubines they should have none, and there should not be
whoredoms committed among them.
6 And now, this commandment they observe to keep; wherefore, because of
this observance, in keeping this commandment, the Lord God will not
destroy them, but will be merciful unto them; and one day they shall become
a blessed people.
7 Behold, their husbands love their wives, and their wives love their
husbands; and their husbands and their wives love their children; and their
unbelief and their hatred towards you is because of the iniquity of their
fathers; wherefore, how much better are you than they, in the sight of your
great Creator?
8 O my brethren, I fear that unless ye shall repent of your sins that their
skins will be whiter than yours, when ye shall be brought with them before
the throne of God.
9 Wherefore, a commandment I give unto you, which is the word of God,
that ye revile no more against them because of the darkness of their skins;
neither shall ye revile against them because of their filthiness; but ye shall
remember your own filthiness, and remember that their filthiness came
because of their fathers.
10 Wherefore, ye shall remember your children, how that ye have grieved
their hearts because of the example that ye have set before them; and also,
remember that ye may, because of your filthiness, bring your children unto
destruction, and their sins be heaped upon your heads at the last day.
11 O my brethren, hearken unto my words; arouse the faculties of your
souls; shake yourselves that ye may awake from the slumber of death; and
loose yourselves from the pains of hell that ye may not become angels to the
devil, to be cast into that lake of fire and brimstone which is the second
death.
12 And now I, Jacob, spake many more things unto the people of Nephi,
warning them against fornication and lasciviousness, and every kind of sin,
telling them the awful consequences of them.
13 And a hundredth part of the proceedings of this people, which now began
to be numerous, cannot be written upon these plates; but many of their
proceedings are written upon the larger plates, and their wars, and their
contentions, and the reigns of their kings.
14 These plates are called the plates of Jacob, and they were made by the
hand of Nephi. And I make an end of speaking these words.
Jacob 4
1 Now behold, it came to pass that I, Jacob, having ministered much unto
my people in word, (and I cannot write but a little of my words, because of
the difficulty of engraving our words upon plates) and we know that the
things which we write upon plates must remain;
2 But whatsoever things we write upon anything save it be upon plates must
perish and vanish away; but we can write a few words upon plates, which
will give our children, and also our beloved brethren, a small degree of
knowledge concerning us, or concerning their fathers —
3 Now in this thing we do rejoice; and we labor diligently to engraven these
words upon plates, hoping that our beloved brethren and our children will
receive them with thankful hearts, and look upon them that they may learn
with joy and not with sorrow, neither with contempt, concerning their first
parents.
4 For, for this intent have we written these things, that they may know that
we knew of Christ, and we had a hope of his glory many hundred years
before his coming; and not only we ourselves had a hope of his glory, but
also all the holy prophets which were before us.
5 Behold, they believed in Christ and worshiped the Father in his name, and
also we worship the Father in his name. And for this intent we keep the law
of Moses, it pointing our souls to him; and for this cause it is sanctified unto
us for righteousness, even as it was accounted unto Abraham in the
wilderness to be obedient unto the commands of God in offering up his son
Isaac, which is a similitude of God and his Only Begotten Son.
6 Wherefore, we search the prophets, and we have many revelations and the
spirit of prophecy; and having all these witnesses we obtain a hope, and our
faith becometh unshaken, insomuch that we truly can command in the name
of Jesus and the very trees obey us, or the mountains, or the waves of the
sea.
7 Nevertheless, the Lord God showeth us our weakness that we may know
that it is by his grace, and his great condescensions unto the children of men,
that we have power to do these things.
8 Behold, great and marvelous are the works of the Lord. How
unsearchable are the depths of the mysteries of him; and it is impossible that
man should find out all his ways. And no man knoweth of his ways save it be
revealed unto him; wherefore, brethren, despise not the revelations of God.
9 For behold, by the power of his word man came upon the face of the
earth, which earth was created by the power of his word. $ Wherefore, if
God being able to speak and the world was, and to speak and man was
created, O then, why not able to command the earth, or the workmanship of
his hands upon the face of it, according to his will and pleasure?
10 Wherefore, brethren, seek not to counsel the Lord, but to take counsel
from his hand. For behold, ye yourselves know that he counseleth in
wisdom, and in justice, and in great mercy, over all his works.
11 Wherefore, beloved brethren, be reconciled unto him through the
atonement of Christ, his Only Begotten Son, and ye may obtain a
resurrection, according to the power of the resurrection which is in Christ,
and be presented as the first-fruits of Christ unto God, having faith, and
obtained a good hope of glory in him before he manifesteth himself in the
flesh.
12 And now, beloved, marvel not that I tell you these things; for why not
speak of the atonement of Christ, and attain to a perfect knowledge of him,
as to attain to the knowledge of a resurrection and the world to come?
13 Behold, my brethren, he that prophesieth, let him prophesy to the
understanding of men; for the Spirit speaketh the truth and lieth not.
Wherefore, it speaketh of things as they really are, and of things as they
really will be; wherefore, these things are manifested unto us plainly, for the
salvation of our souls. But behold, we are not witnesses alone in these
things; for God also spake them unto prophets of old.
14 But behold, the Jews were a stiffnecked people; and they despised the
words of plainness, and killed the prophets, and sought for things that they
could not understand. Wherefore, because of their blindness, which
blindness came by looking beyond the mark, they must needs fall; for God
hath taken away his plainness from them, and delivered unto them many
things which they cannot understand, because they desired it. And because
they desired it God hath done it, that they may stumble.
15 And now I, Jacob, am led on by the Spirit unto prophesying; for I
perceive by the workings of the Spirit which is in me, that by the stumbling
of the Jews they will reject the stone upon which they might build and have
safe foundation.
16 But behold, according to the scriptures, this stone shall become the great,
and the last, and the only sure foundation, upon which the Jews can build.
17 And now, my beloved, how is it possible that these, after having rejected
the sure foundation, can ever build upon it, that it may become the head of
their corner?
18 Behold, my beloved brethren, I will unfold this mystery unto you; if I do
not, by any means, get shaken from my firmness in the Spirit, and stumble
because of my over anxiety for you.
Jacob 5
1 Behold, my brethren, do ye not remember to have read the words of the
prophet Zenos, which he spake unto the house of Israel, saying:
2 Hearken, O ye house of Israel, and hear the words of me, a prophet of the
Lord.
3 For behold, thus saith the Lord, I will liken thee, O house of Israel, like
unto a tame olive-tree, which a man took and nourished in his vineyard; and
it grew, and waxed old, and began to decay.
4 And it came to pass that the master of the vineyard went forth, and he saw
that his olive-tree began to decay; and he said: I will prune it, and dig about
it, and nourish it, that perhaps it may shoot forth young and tender branches,
and it perish not.
5 And it came to pass that he pruned it, and digged about it, and nourished it
according to his word.
6 And it came to pass that after many days it began to put forth somewhat a
little, young and tender branches; but behold, the main top thereof began to
perish.
7 And it came to pass that the master of the vineyard saw it, and he said
unto his servant: It grieveth me that I should lose this tree; wherefore, go and
pluck the branches from a wild olive-tree, and bring them hither unto me; and
we will pluck off those main branches which are beginning to wither away,
and we will cast them into the fire that they may be burned.
8 And behold, saith the Lord of the vineyard, I take away many of these
young and tender branches, and I will graft them whithersoever I will; and it
mattereth not that if it so be that the root of this tree will perish, I may
preserve the fruit thereof unto myself; wherefore, I will take these young and
tender branches, and I will graft them whithersoever I will.
9 Take thou the branches of the wild olive-tree, and graft them in, in the
stead thereof; and these which I have plucked off I will cast into the fire and
burn them, that they may not cumber the ground of my vineyard.
10 And it came to pass that the servant of the Lord of the vineyard did
according to the word of the Lord of the vineyard, and grafted in the
branches of the wild olive-tree.
11 And the Lord of the vineyard caused that it should be digged about, and
pruned, and nourished, saying unto his servant: It grieveth me that I should
lose this tree; wherefore, that perhaps I might preserve the roots thereof that
they perish not, that I might preserve them unto myself, I have done this
thing.
12 Wherefore, go thy way; watch the tree, and nourish it, according to my
words.
13 And these will I place in the nethermost part of my vineyard,
whithersoever I will, it mattereth not unto thee; and I do it that I may
preserve unto myself the natural branches of the tree; and also, that I may lay
up fruit thereof against the season, unto myself; for it grieveth me that I
should lose this tree and the fruit thereof.
14 And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard went his way, and hid
the natural branches of the tame olive-tree in the nethermost parts of the
vineyard, some in one and some in another, according to his will and
pleasure.
15 And it came to pass that a long time passed away, and the Lord of the
vineyard said unto his servant: Come, let us go down into the vineyard, that
we may labor in the vineyard.
16 And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard, and also the servant,
went down into the vineyard to labor. And it came to pass that the servant
said unto his master: Behold, look here; behold the tree.
17 And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard looked and beheld the
tree in the which the wild olive branches had been grafted; and it had sprung
forth and begun to bear fruit. And he beheld that it was good; and the fruit
thereof was like unto the natural fruit.
18 And he said unto the servant: Behold, the branches of the wild tree have
taken hold of the moisture of the root thereof, that the root thereof hath
brought forth much strength; and because of the much strength of the root
thereof the wild branches have brought forth tame fruit. Now, if we had not
grafted in these branches, the tree thereof would have perished. $ And now,
behold, I shall lay up much fruit, which the tree thereof hath brought forth;
and the fruit thereof I shall lay up against the season, unto mine own self.
19 And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard said unto the servant:
Come, let us go to the nethermost part of the vineyard, and behold if the
natural branches of the tree have not brought forth much fruit also, that I
may lay up of the fruit thereof against the season, unto mine own self.
20 And it came to pass that they went forth whither the master had hid the
natural branches of the tree, and he said unto the servant: Behold these; and
he beheld the first that it had brought forth much fruit; and he beheld also
that it was good. $ And he said unto the servant: Take of the fruit thereof,
and lay it up against the season, that I may preserve it unto mine own self;
for behold, said he, this long time have I nourished it, and it hath brought
forth much fruit.
21 And it came to pass that the servant said unto his master: How comest
thou hither to plant this tree, or this branch of the tree? For behold, it was
the poorest spot in all the land of thy vineyard.
22 And the Lord of the vineyard said unto him: Counsel me not; I knew that
it was a poor spot of ground; wherefore, I said unto thee, I have nourished it
this long time, and thou beholdest that it hath brought forth much fruit.
23 And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard said unto his servant:
Look hither; behold I have planted another branch of the tree also; and thou
knowest that this spot of ground was poorer than the first. But, behold the
tree. I have nourished it this long time, and it hath brought forth much fruit;
therefore, gather it, and lay it up against the season, that I may preserve it
unto mine own self.
24 And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard said again unto his
servant: Look hither, and behold another branch also, which I have planted;
behold that I have nourished it also, and it hath brought forth fruit.
25 And he said unto the servant: Look hither and behold the last. Behold,
this have I planted in a good spot of ground; and I have nourished it this long
time, and only a part of the tree hath brought forth tame fruit, and the other
part of the tree hath brought forth wild fruit; behold, I have nourished this
tree like unto the others.
26 And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard said unto the servant:
Pluck off the branches that have not brought forth good fruit, and cast them
into the fire.
27 But behold, the servant said unto him: Let us prune it, and dig about it,
and nourish it a little longer, that perhaps it may bring forth good fruit unto
thee, that thou canst lay it up against the season.
28 And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard and the servant of the
Lord of the vineyard did nourish all the fruit of the vineyard.
29 And it came to pass that a long time had passed away, and the Lord of
the vineyard said unto his servant: Come, let us go down into the vineyard,
that we may labor again in the vineyard. For behold, the time draweth near,
and the end soon cometh; wherefore, I must lay up fruit against the season,
unto mine own self.
30 And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard and the servant went
down into the vineyard; and they came to the tree whose natural branches
had been broken off, and the wild branches had been grafted in; and behold
all sorts of fruit did cumber the tree.
31 And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard did taste of the fruit,
every sort according to its number. And the Lord of the vineyard said:
Behold, this long time have we nourished this tree, and I have laid up unto
myself against the season much fruit.
32 But behold, this time it hath brought forth much fruit, and there is none
of it which is good. And behold, there are all kinds of bad fruit; and it
profiteth me nothing, notwithstanding all our labor; and now it grieveth me
that I should lose this tree.
33 And the Lord of the vineyard said unto the servant: What shall we do
unto the tree, that I may preserve again good fruit thereof unto mine own
self?
34 And the servant said unto his master: Behold, because thou didst graft in
the branches of the wild olive-tree they have nourished the roots, that they
are alive and they have not perished; wherefore thou beholdest that they are
yet good.
35 And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard said unto his servant:
The tree profiteth me nothing, and the roots thereof profit me nothing so
long as it shall bring forth evil fruit.
36 Nevertheless, I know that the roots are good, and for mine own purpose
I have preserved them; and because of their much strength they have hitherto
brought forth, from the wild branches, good fruit.
37 But behold, the wild branches have grown and have overrun the roots
thereof; and because that the wild branches have overcome the roots thereof
it hath brought forth much evil fruit; and because that it hath brought forth so
much evil fruit thou beholdest that it beginneth to perish; and it will soon
become ripened, that it may be cast into the fire, except we should do
something for it to preserve it.
38 And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard said unto his servant:
Let us go down into the nethermost parts of the vineyard, and behold if the
natural branches have also brought forth evil fruit.
39 And it came to pass that they went down into the nethermost parts of the
vineyard. And it came to pass that they beheld that the fruit of the natural
branches had become corrupt also; yea, the first and the second and also the
last; and they had all become corrupt.
40 And the wild fruit of the last had overcome that part of the tree which
brought forth good fruit, even that the branch had withered away and died.
41 And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard wept, and said unto the
servant: What could I have done more for my vineyard?
42 Behold, I knew that all the fruit of the vineyard, save it were these, had
become corrupted. And now these which have once brought forth good fruit
have also become corrupted; and now all the trees of my vineyard are good
for nothing save it be to be hewn down and cast into the fire.
43 And behold this last, whose branch hath withered away, I did plant in a
good spot of ground; yea, even that which was choice unto me above all
other parts of the land of my vineyard.
44 And thou beheldest that I also cut down that which cumbered this spot of
ground, that I might plant this tree in the stead thereof.
45 And thou beheldest that a part thereof brought forth good fruit, and a
part thereof brought forth wild fruit; and because I plucked not the branches
thereof and cast them into the fire, behold, they have overcome the good
branch that it hath withered away.
46 And now, behold, notwithstanding all the care which we have taken of
my vineyard, the trees thereof have become corrupted, that they bring forth
no good fruit; and these I had hoped to preserve, to have laid up fruit thereof
against the season, unto mine own self. But, behold, they have become like
unto the wild olive-tree, and they are of no worth but to be hewn down and
cast into the fire; and it grieveth me that I should lose them.
47 But what could I have done more in my vineyard? Have I slackened
mine hand, that I have not nourished it, Nay, I have nourished it, and I have
digged about it, and I have pruned it, and I have dunged it; and I have
stretched forth mine hand almost all the day long, and the end draweth nigh.
And it grieveth me that I should hew down all the trees of my vineyard, and
cast them into the fire that they should be burned. Who is it that has
corrupted my vineyard?
48 And it came to pass that the servant said unto his master: Is it not the
loftiness of thy vineyard — have not the branches thereof overcome the roots
which are good? And because the branches have overcome the roots
thereof, behold they grew faster than the strength of the roots, taking
strength unto themselves. $ Behold, I say, is not this the cause that the trees
of thy vineyard have become corrupted?
49 And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard said unto the servant:
Let us go to and hew down the trees of the vineyard and cast them into the
fire, that they shall not cumber the ground of my vineyard, for I have done
all. What could I have done more for my vineyard?
50 But, behold, the servant said unto the Lord of the vineyard: Spare it a
little longer.
51 And the Lord said: Yea, I will spare it a little longer, for it grieveth me
that I should lose the trees of my vineyard.
52 Wherefore, let us take of the branches of these which I have planted in
the nethermost parts of my vineyard, and let us graft them into the tree from
whence they came; and let us pluck from the tree those branches whose fruit
is most bitter, and graft in the natural branches of the tree in the stead
thereof.
53 And this will I do that the tree may not perish, that, perhaps, I may
preserve unto myself the roots thereof for mine own purpose.
54 And, behold, the roots of the natural branches of the tree which I planted
whithersoever I would are yet alive; wherefore, that I may preserve them also
for mine own purpose, I will take of the branches of this tree, and I will graft
them in unto them.
Yea, I will graft in unto them the branches of their mother tree, that I may
preserve the roots also unto mine own self, that when they shall be
sufficiently strong perhaps they may bring forth good fruit unto me, and I
may yet have glory in the fruit of my vineyard.
55 And it came to pass that they took from the natural tree which had
become wild, and grafted in unto the natural trees, which also had become
wild.
56 And they also took of the natural trees which had become wild, and
grafted into their mother tree.
57 And the Lord of the vineyard said unto the servant: Pluck not the wild
branches from the trees, save it be those which are most bitter; and in them
ye shall graft according to that which I have said.
58 And we will nourish again the trees of the vineyard, and we will trim up
the branches thereof; and we will pluck from the trees those branches which
are ripened, that must perish, and cast them into the fire.
59 And this I do that, perhaps, the roots thereof may take strength because
of their goodness; and because of the change of the branches, that the good
may overcome the evil.
60 And because that I have preserved the natural branches and the roots
thereof, and that I have grafted in the natural branches again into their
mother tree, and have preserved the roots of their mother tree, that, perhaps,
the trees of my vineyard may bring forth again good fruit; and that I may
have joy again in the fruit of my vineyard, and, perhaps, that I may rejoice
exceedingly that I have preserved the roots and the branches of the first fruit
—
61 Wherefore, go to, and call servants, that we may labor diligently with our
might in the vineyard, that we may prepare the way, that I may bring forth
again the natural fruit, which natural fruit is good and the most precious
above all other fruit.
62 Wherefore, let us go to and labor with our might this last time, for behold
the end draweth nigh, and this is for the last time that I shall prune my
vineyard.
63 Graft in the branches; begin at the last that they may be first, and that the
first may be last, and dig about the trees, both old and young, the first and
the last; and the last and the first, that all may be nourished once again for the
last time.
64 Wherefore, dig about them, and prune them, and dung them once more,
for the last time, for the end draweth nigh. And if it be so that these last
grafts shall grow, and bring forth the natural fruit, then shall ye prepare the
way for them, that they may grow.
65 And as they begin to grow ye shall clear away the branches which bring
forth bitter fruit, according to the strength of the good and the size thereof;
and ye shall not clear away the bad thereof all at once, lest the roots thereof
should be too strong for the graft, and the graft thereof shall perish, and I
lose the trees of my vineyard.
66 For it grieveth me that I should lose the trees of my vineyard; wherefore
ye shall clear away the bad according as the good shall grow, that the root
and the top may be equal in strength, until the good shall overcome the bad,
and the bad be hewn down and cast into the fire, that they cumber not the
ground of my vineyard; and thus will I sweep away the bad out of my
vineyard.
67 And the branches of the natural tree will I graft in again into the natural
tree;
68 And the branches of the natural tree will I graft into the natural branches
of the tree; and thus will I bring them together again, that they shall bring
forth the natural fruit, and they shall be one.
69 And the bad shall be cast away, yea, even out of all the land of my
vineyard; for behold, only this once will I prune my vineyard.
70 And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard sent his servant; and
the servant went and did as the Lord had commanded him, and brought other
servants; and they were few.
71 And the Lord of the vineyard said unto them: Go to, and labor in the
vineyard, with your might. For behold, this is the last time that I shall
nourish my vineyard; for the end is nigh at hand, and the season speedily
cometh; and if ye labor with your might with me ye shall have joy in the fruit
which I shall lay up unto myself against the time which will soon come.
72 And it came to pass that the servants did go and labor with their mights;
and the Lord of the vineyard labored also with them; and they did obey the
commandments of the Lord of the vineyard in all things.
73 And there began to be the natural fruit again in the vineyard; and the
natural branches began to grow and thrive exceedingly; and the wild
branches began to be plucked off and to be cast away; and they did keep the
root and the top thereof equal, according to the strength thereof.
74 And thus they labored, with all diligence, according to the
commandments of the Lord of the vineyard, even until the bad had been cast
away out of the vineyard, and the Lord had preserved unto himself that the
trees had become again the natural fruit; and they became like unto one body;
and the fruits were equal; and the Lord of the vineyard had preserved unto
himself the natural fruit, which was most precious unto him from the
beginning.
75 And it came to pass that when the Lord of the vineyard saw that his fruit
was good, and that his vineyard was no more corrupt, he called up his
servants, and said unto them: Behold, for this last time have we nourished my
vineyard; and thou beholdest that I have done according to my will; and I
have preserved the natural fruit, that it is good, even like as it was in the
beginning. And blessed art thou; for because ye have been diligent in
laboring with me in my vineyard, and have kept my commandments, and
have brought unto me again the natural fruit, that my vineyard is no more
corrupted, and the bad is cast away, behold ye shall have joy with me
because of the fruit of my vineyard.
76 For behold, for a long time will I lay up of the fruit of my vineyard unto
mine own self against the season, which speedily cometh; and for the last
time have I nourished my vineyard, and pruned it, and dug about it, and
dunged it; wherefore I will lay up unto mine own self of the fruit, for a long
time, according to that which I have spoken.
77 And when the time cometh that evil fruit shall again come into my
vineyard, then will I cause the good and the bad to be gathered; and the good
will I preserve unto myself, and the bad will I cast away into its own place.
And then cometh the season and the end; and my vineyard will I cause to be
burned with fire.
Jacob 6
1 And now, behold, my brethren, as I said unto you that I would prophesy,
behold, this is my prophecy — that the things which this prophet Zenos
spake, concerning the house of Israel, in the which he likened them unto a
tame olive-tree, must surely come to pass.
2 And the day that he shall set his hand again the second time to recover his
people, is the day, yea, even the last time, that the servants of the Lord shall
go forth in his power, to nourish and prune his vineyard; and after that the
end soon cometh.
3 And how blessed are they who have labored diligently in his vineyard; and
how cursed are they who shall be cast out into their own place! And the
world shall be burned with fire.
4 And how merciful is our God unto us, for he remembereth the house of
Israel, both roots and branches; and he stretches forth his hands unto them all
the day long; and they are a stiffnecked and a gainsaying people; but as many
as will not harden their hearts shall be saved in the kingdom of God.
5 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, I beseech of you in words of soberness
that ye would repent, and come with full purpose of heart, and cleave unto
God as he cleaveth unto you. And while his arm of mercy is extended
towards you in the light of the day, harden not your hearts.
6 Yea, today, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts; for why will
ye die?
7 For behold, after ye have been nourished by the good word of God all the
day long, will ye bring forth evil fruit, that ye must be hewn down and cast
into the fire?
8 Behold, will ye reject these words? Will ye reject the words of the
prophets; and will ye reject all the words which have been spoken concerning
Christ, after so many have spoken concerning him; and deny the good word
of Christ, and the power of God, and the gift of the Holy Ghost, and quench
the Holy Spirit, and make a mock of the great plan of redemption, which
hath been laid for you?
9 Know ye not that if ye will do these things, that the power of the
redemption and the resurrection, which is in Christ, will bring you to stand
with shame and awful guilt before the bar of God?
10 And according to the power of justice, for justice cannot be denied, ye
must go away into that lake of fire and brimstone, whose flames are
unquenchable, and whose smoke ascendeth up forever and ever, which lake
of fire and brimstone is endless torment.
11 O then, my beloved brethren, repent ye, and enter in at the strait gate,
and continue in the way which is narrow, until ye shall obtain eternal life.
12 O be wise; what can I say more?
13 Finally, I bid you farewell, until I shall meet you before the pleasing bar
of God, which bar striketh the wicked with awful dread and fear. Amen.
Jacob 7
1 And now it came to pass after some years had passed away, there came a
man among the people of Nephi, whose name was Sherem.
2 And it came to pass that he began to preach among the people, and to
declare unto them that there should be no Christ. And he preached many
things which were flattering unto the people; and this he did that he might
overthrow the doctrine of Christ.
3 And he labored diligently that he might lead away the hearts of the people,
insomuch that he did lead away many hearts; and he knowing that I, Jacob,
had faith in Christ who should come, he sought much opportunity that he
might come unto me.
4 And he was learned, that he had a perfect knowledge of the language of
the people; wherefore, he could use much flattery, and much power of
speech, according to the power of the devil.
5 And he had hope to shake me from the faith, notwithstanding the many
revelations and the many things which I had seen concerning these things; for
I truly had seen angels, and they had ministered unto me. And also, I had
heard the voice of the Lord speaking unto me in very word, from time to
time; wherefore, I could not be shaken.
6 And it came to pass that he came unto me, and on this wise did he speak
unto me, saying: Brother Jacob, I have sought much opportunity that I might
speak unto you; for I have heard and also know that thou goest about much,
preaching that which ye call the gospel, or the doctrine of Christ.
7 And ye have led away much of this people that they pervert the right way
of God, and keep not the law of Moses which is the right way; and convert
the law of Moses into the worship of a being which ye say shall come many
hundred years hence. And now behold, I, Sherem, declare unto you that this
is blasphemy; for no man knoweth of such things; for he cannot tell of things
to come. And after this manner did Sherem contend against me.
8 But behold, the Lord God poured in his Spirit into my soul, insomuch that
I did confound him in all his words.
9 And I said unto him: Deniest thou the Christ who shall come? $ And he
said: If there should be a Christ, I would not deny him; but I know that there
is no Christ, neither has been, nor ever will be.
10 And I said unto him: Believest thou the scriptures? And he said, Yea.
11 And I said unto him: Then ye do not understand them; for they truly
testify of Christ. Behold, I say unto you that none of the prophets have
written, nor prophesied, save they have spoken concerning this Christ.
12 And this is not all — it has been made manifest unto me, for I have heard
and seen; and it also has been made manifest unto me by the power of the
Holy Ghost; wherefore, I know if there should be no atonement made all
mankind must be lost.
13 And it came to pass that he said unto me: Show me a sign by this power
of the Holy Ghost, in the which ye know so much.
14 And I said unto him: What am I that I should tempt God to show unto
thee a sign in the thing which thou knowest to be true?
Yet thou wilt deny it, because thou art of the devil. $ Nevertheless, not my
will be done; but if God shall smite thee, let that be a sign unto thee that he
has power, both in heaven and in earth; and also, that Christ shall come. And
thy will, O Lord, be done, and not mine.
15 And it came to pass that when I, Jacob, had spoken these words, the
power of the Lord came upon him, insomuch that he fell to the earth. And it
came to pass that he was nourished for the space of many days.
16 And it came to pass that he said unto the people: Gather together on the
morrow, for I shall die; wherefore, I desire to speak unto the people before I
shall die.
17 And it came to pass that on the morrow the multitude were gathered
together; and he spake plainly unto them and denied the things which he had
taught them, and confessed the Christ, and the power of the Holy Ghost, and
the ministering of angels.
18 And he spake plainly unto them, that he had been deceived by the power
of the devil. And he spake of hell, and of eternity, and of eternal punishment.
19 And he said: I fear lest I have committed the unpardonable sin, for I have
lied unto God; for I denied the Christ, and said that I believed the scriptures;
and they truly testify of him. $ And because I have thus lied unto God I
greatly fear lest my case shall be awful; but I confess unto God.
20 And it came to pass that when he had said these words he could say no
more, and he gave up the ghost.
21 And when the multitude had witnessed that he spake these things as he
was about to give up the ghost, they were astonished exceedingly; insomuch
that the power of God came down upon them, and they were overcome that
they fell to the earth.
22 Now, this thing was pleasing unto me, Jacob, for I had requested it of my
Father who was in heaven; for he had heard my cry and answered my prayer.
23 And it came to pass that peace and the love of God was restored again
among the people; and they searched the scriptures, and hearkened no more
to the words of this wicked man.
24 And it came to pass that many means were devised to reclaim and restore
the Lamanites to the knowledge of the truth; but it all was vain, for they
delighted in wars and bloodshed, and they had an eternal hatred against us,
their brethren. And they sought by the power of their arms to destroy us
continually.
25 Wherefore, the people of Nephi did fortify against them with their arms,
and with all their might, trusting in the God and rock of their salvation;
wherefore, they became as yet, conquerors of their enemies.
26 And it came to pass that I, Jacob, began to be old; and the record of this
people being kept on the other plates of Nephi, wherefore, I conclude this
record, declaring that I have written according to the best of my knowledge,
by saying that the time passed away with us, and also our lives passed away
like as it were unto us a dream, we being a lonesome and a solemn people,
wanderers, cast out from Jerusalem, born in tribulation, in a wilderness, and
hated of our brethren, which caused wars and contentions; wherefore, we did
mourn out our days.
27 And I, Jacob, saw that I must soon go down to my grave; wherefore, I
said unto my son Enos: Take these plates. And I told him the things which
my brother Nephi had commanded me, and he promised obedience unto the
commands. And I make an end of my writing upon these plates, which
writing has been small; and to the reader I bid farewell, hoping that many of
my brethren may read my words. Brethren, adieu.
