Mormon 1:1
1 And now I, Mormon, make a record of the things which I have both seen and heard,
and call it the Book of Mormon.
Mormon 1:2
2 And about the time that Ammaron hid up the records unto the Lord, he came unto me,
(I being about ten years of age, and I began to be learned somewhat after the manner of
the learning of my people) and Ammaron said unto me: I perceive that thou art a sober
child, and art quick to observe;
Mormon 1:3
3 Therefore, when ye are about twenty and four years old I would that ye should
remember the things that ye have observed concerning this people; and when ye are of
that age go to the land Antum, unto a hill which shall be called Shim; and there have I
deposited unto the Lord all the sacred engravings concerning this people.
Mormon 1:4
4 And behold, ye shall take the plates of Nephi unto yourself, and the remainder shall ye
leave in the place where they are; and ye shall engrave on the plates of Nephi all the
things that ye have observed concerning this people.
Mormon 1:5
5 And I, Mormon, being a descendant of Nephi, (and my father's name was Mormon) I
remembered the things which Ammaron commanded me.
Mormon 1:6
6 And it came to pass that I, being eleven years old, was carried by my father into the
land southward, even to the land of Zarahemla.
Mormon 1:7
7 The whole face of the land had become covered with buildings, and the people were as
numerous almost, as it were the sand of the sea.
Mormon 1:8
8 And it came to pass in this year there began to be a war between the Nephites, who
consisted of the Nephites and the Jacobites and the Josephites and the Zoramites; and this
war was between the Nephites, and the Lamanites and the Lemuelites and the
Ishmaelites.
9 Now the Lamanites and the Lemuelites and the Ishmaelites were called Lamanites, and
the two parties were Nephites and Lamanites.
Mormon 1:10
10 And it came to pass that the war began to be among them in the borders of
Zarahemla, by the waters of Sidon.
Mormon 1:11
11 And it came to pass that the Nephites had gathered together a great number of men,
even to exceed the number of thirty thousand. And it came to pass that they did have in
this same year a number of battles, in which the Nephites did beat the Lamanites and did
slay many of them.
Mormon 1:12
12 And it came to pass that the Lamanites withdrew their design, and there was peace
settled in the land; and peace did remain for the space of about four years, that there was
no bloodshed.
Mormon 1:13
13 But wickedness did prevail upon the face of the whole land, insomuch that the Lord
did take away his beloved disciples, and the work of miracles and of healing did cease
because of the iniquity of the people.
Mormon 1:14
14 And there were no gifts from the Lord, and the Holy Ghost did not come upon any,
because of their wickedness and unbelief.
Mormon 1:15
15 And I, being fifteen years of age and being somewhat of a sober mind, therefore I was
visited of the Lord, and tasted and knew of the goodness of Jesus.
Mormon 1:16
16 And I did endeavor to preach unto this people, but my mouth was shut, and I was
forbidden that I should preach unto them; for behold they had wilfully rebelled against
their God; and the beloved disciples were taken away out of the land, because of their
iniquity.
Mormon 1:17
17 But I did remain among them, but I was forbidden to preach unto them, because of
the hardness of their hearts; and because of the hardness of their hearts the land was
cursed for their sake.
Mormon 1:18
18 And these Gadianton robbers, who were among the Lamanites, did infest the land,
insomuch that the inhabitants thereof began to hide up their treasures in the earth; and they became slippery, because the Lord had cursed the land, that they could not hold them, nor retain them again.
Mormon 1:19
19 And it came to pass that there were sorceries, and witchcrafts, and magics; and the
power of the evil one was wrought upon all the face of the land, even unto the fulfilling
of all the words of Abinadi, and also Samuel the Lamanite.
Mormon 2:1
1 And it came to pass in that same year there began to be a war again between the
Nephites and the Lamanites. And notwithstanding I being young, was large in stature;
therefore the people of Nephi appointed me that I should be their leader, or the leader of
their armies.
Mormon 2:2
2 Therefore it came to pass that in my sixteenth year I did go forth at the head of an army
of the Nephites, against the Lamanites; therefore three hundred and twenty and six years
had passed away.
Mormon 2:3
3 And it came to pass that in the three hundred and twenty and seventh year the
Lamanites did come upon us with exceedingly great power, insomuch that they did
frighten my armies; therefore they would not fight, and they began to retreat towards the
north countries.
Mormon 2:4
4 And it came to pass that we did come to the city of Angola, and we did take possession
of the city, and make preparations to defend ourselves against the Lamanites. And it came
to pass that we did fortify the city with our might; but notwithstanding all our
fortifications the Lamanites did come upon us and did drive us out of the city.
5 And they did also drive us forth out of the land of David.
Mormon 2:6
6 And we marched forth and came to the land of Joshua, which was in the borders west
by the seashore.
Mormon 2:7
7 And it came to pass that we did gather in our people as fast as it were possible, that we
might get them together in one body.
8 But behold, the land was filled with robbers and with Lamanites; and notwithstanding
the great destruction which hung over my people, they did not repent of their evil doings;
therefore there was blood and carnage spread throughout all the face of the land, both on
the part of the Nephites and also on the part of the Lamanites; and it was one complete
revolution throughout all the face of the land.
Mormon 2:9
9 And now, the Lamanites had a king, and his name was Aaron; and he came against us
with an army of forty and four thousand. And behold, I withstood him with forty and two
thousand. And it came to pass that I beat him with my army that he fled before me. And
behold, all this was done, and three hundred and thirty years had passed away.
Mormon 2:10
10 And it came to pass that the Nephites began to repent of their iniquity, and began to
cry even as had been prophesied by Samuel the prophet; for behold no man could keep
that which was his own, for the thieves, and the robbers, and the murderers, and the
magic art, and the witchcraft which was in the land.
Mormon 2:11
11 Thus there began to be a mourning and a lamentation in all the land because of these
things, and more especially among the people of Nephi.
Mormon 2:12
12 And it came to pass that when I, Mormon, saw their lamentation and their mourning
and their sorrow before the Lord, my heart did begin to rejoice within me, knowing the
mercies and the long-suffering of the Lord, therefore supposing that he would be merciful
unto them that they would again become a righteous people.
Mormon 2:13
13 But behold this my joy was vain, for their sorrowing was not unto repentance,
because of the goodness of God; but it was rather the sorrowing of the damned, because
the Lord would not always suffer them to take happiness in sin.
Mormon 2:14
14 And they did not come unto Jesus with broken hearts and contrite spirits, but they did
curse God, and wish to die. Nevertheless they would struggle with the sword for their
lives.
Mormon 2:15
15 And it came to pass that my sorrow did return unto me again, and I saw that the day
of grace was passed with them, both temporally and spiritually; for I saw thousands of
them hewn down in open rebellion against their God, and heaped up as dung upon the
face of the land. And thus three hundred and forty and four years had passed away. 16 And it came to pass that in the three hundred and forty and fifth year the Nephites did
begin to flee before the Lamanites; and they were pursued until they came even to the
land of Jashon, before it was possible to stop them in their retreat.
Mormon 2:17
17 And now, the city of Jashon was near the land where Ammaron had deposited the
records unto the Lord, that they might not be destroyed. And behold I had gone according
to the word of Ammaron, and taken the plates of Nephi, and did make a record according
to the words of Ammaron.
Mormon 2:18
18 And upon the plates of Nephi I did make a full account of all the wickedness and
abominations; but upon these plates I did forbear to make a full account of their
wickedness and abominations, for behold, a continual scene of wickedness and
abominations has been before mine eyes ever since I have been sufficient to behold the
ways of man.
Mormon 2:19
19 And wo is me because of their wickedness; for my heart has been filled with sorrow
because of their wickedness, all my days; nevertheless, I know that I shall be lifted up at
the last day.
Mormon 2:20
20 And it came to pass that in this year the people of Nephi again were hunted and
driven. And it came to pass that we were driven forth until we had come northward to the
land which was called Shem.
Mormon 2:21
21 And it came to pass that we did fortify the city of Shem, and we did gather in our
people as much as it were possible, that perhaps we might save them from destruction.
Mormon 2:22
22 And it came to pass in the three hundred and forty and sixth year they began to come
upon us again.
Mormon 2:23
23 And it came to pass that I did speak unto my people, and did urge them with great
energy, that they would stand boldly before the Lamanites and fight for their wives, and
their children, and their houses, and their homes.
Mormon 2:24
24 And my words did arouse them somewhat to vigor, insomuch that they did not flee
from before the Lamanites, but did stand with boldness against them. 25 And it came to pass that we did contend with an army of thirty thousand against an
army of fifty thousand. And it came to pass that we did stand before them with such
firmness that they did flee from before us.
Mormon 2:26
26 And it came to pass that when they had fled we did pursue them with our armies, and
did meet them again, and did beat them; nevertheless the strength of the Lord was not
with us; yea, we were left to ourselves, that the Spirit of the Lord did not abide in us;
therefore we had become weak like unto our brethren.
Mormon 2:27
27 And my heart did sorrow because of this the great calamity of my people, because of
their wickedness and their abominations. But behold, we did go forth against the
Lamanites and the robbers of Gadianton, until we had again taken possession of the lands
of our inheritance.
Mormon 2:28
28 And the three hundred and forty and ninth year had passed away. And in the three
hundred and fiftieth year we made a treaty with the Lamanites and the robbers of
Gadianton, in which we did get the lands of our inheritance divided.
Mormon 2:29
29 And the Lamanites did give unto us the land northward, yea, even to the narrow
passage which led into the land southward. And we did give unto the Lamanites all the
land southward.
Mormon 3:1
1 And it came to pass that the Lamanites did not come to battle again until ten years
more had passed away. And behold, I had employed my people, the Nephites, in
preparing their lands and their arms against the time of battle.
Mormon 3:2
2 And it came to pass that the Lord did say unto me: Cry unto this people--Repent ye,
and come unto me, and be ye baptized, and build up again my church, and ye shall be
spared.
Mormon 3:3
3 And I did cry unto this people, but it was in vain; and they did not realize that it was
the Lord that had spared them, and granted unto them a chance for repentance. And
behold they did harden their hearts against the Lord their God.
4 And it came to pass that after this tenth year had passed away, making, in the whole,
three hundred and sixty years from the coming of Christ, the king of the Lamanites sent
an epistle unto me, which gave unto me to know that they were preparing to come again
to battle against us.
Mormon 3:5
5 And it came to pass that I did cause my people that they should gather themselves
together at the land Desolation, to a city which was in the borders, by the narrow pass
which led into the land southward.
Mormon 3:6
6 And there we did place our armies, that we might stop the armies of the Lamanites,
that they might not get possession of any of our lands; therefore we did fortify against
them with all our force.
Mormon 3:7
7 And it came to pass that in the three hundred and sixty and first year the Lamanites did
come down to the city of Desolation to battle against us; and it came to pass that in that
year we did beat them, insomuch that they did return to their own lands again.
Mormon 3:8
8 And in the three hundred and sixty and second year they did come down again to
battle. And we did beat them again, and did slay a great number of them, and their dead
were cast into the sea.
Mormon 3:9
9 And now, because of this great thing which my people, the Nephites, had done, they
began to boast in their own strength, and began to swear before the heavens that they
would avenge themselves of the blood of their brethren who had been slain by their
enemies.
Mormon 3:10
10 And they did swear by the heavens, and also by the throne of God, that they would go
up to battle against their enemies, and would cut them off from the face of the land.
Mormon 3:11
11 And it came to pass that I, Mormon, did utterly refuse from this time forth to be a
commander and a leader of this people, because of their wickedness and abomination.
Mormon 3:12
12 Behold, I had led them, notwithstanding their wickedness I had led them many times
to battle, and had loved them, according to the love of God which was in me, with all my
heart; and my soul had been poured out in prayer unto my God all the day long for them;
nevertheless, it was without faith, because of the hardness of their hearts. 13 And thrice have I delivered them out of the hands of their enemies, and they have
repented not of their sins.
Mormon 3:14
14 And when they had sworn by all that had been forbidden them by our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ, that they would go up unto their enemies to battle, and avenge
themselves of the blood of their brethren, behold the voice of the Lord came unto me
saying:
Mormon 3:15
15 Vengeance is mine, and I will repay; and because this people repented not after I had
delivered them, behold, they shall be cut off from the face of the earth.
Mormon 3:16
16 And it came to pass that I utterly refused to go up against mine enemies; and I did
even as the Lord had commanded me; and I did stand as an idle witness to manifest unto
the world the things which I saw and heard, according to the manifestations of the Spirit
which had testified of things to come.
Mormon 3:17
17 Therefore I write unto you, Gentiles, and also unto you, house of Israel, when the
work shall commence, that ye shall be about to prepare to return to the land of your
inheritance;
Mormon 3:18
18 Yea, behold, I write unto all the ends of the earth; yea, unto you, twelve tribes of
Israel, who shall be judged according to your works by the twelve whom Jesus chose to
be his disciples in the land of Jerusalem.
Mormon 3:19
19 And I write also unto the remnant of this people, who shall also be judged by the
twelve whom Jesus chose in this land; and they shall be judged by the other twelve whom
Jesus chose in the land of Jerusalem.
Mormon 3:20
20 And these things doth the Spirit manifest unto me; therefore I write unto you all. And
for this cause I write unto you, that ye may know that ye must all stand before the
judgment-seat of Christ, yea, every soul who belongs to the whole human family of
Adam; and ye must stand to be judged of your works, whether they be good or evil;
Mormon 3:21
21 And also that ye may believe the gospel of Jesus Christ, which ye shall have among
you; and also that the Jews, the covenant people of the Lord, shall have other witness
besides him whom they saw and heard, that Jesus, whom they slew, was the very Christ
and the very God.
22 And I would that I could persuade all ye ends of the earth to repent and prepare to
stand before the judgment-seat of Christ.
Mormon 4:1
1 And now it came to pass that in the three hundred and sixty and third year the Nephites
did go up with their armies to battle against the Lamanites, out of the land Desolation.
Mormon 4:2
2 And it came to pass that the armies of the Nephites were driven back again to the land
of Desolation. And while they were yet weary, a fresh army of the Lamanites did come
upon them; and they had a sore battle, insomuch that the Lamanites did take possession
of the city Desolation, and did slay many of the Nephites, and did take many prisoners.
Mormon 4:3
3 And the remainder did flee and join the inhabitants of the city Teancum. Now the city
Teancum lay in the borders by the seashore; and it was also near the city Desolation.
Mormon 4:4
4 And it was because the armies of the Nephites went up unto the Lamanites that they
began to be smitten; for were it not for that, the Lamanites could have had no power over
them.
Mormon 4:5
5 But, behold, the judgments of God will overtake the wicked; and it is by the wicked
that the wicked are punished; for it is the wicked that stir up the hearts of the children of
men unto bloodshed.
Mormon 4:6
6 And it came to pass that the Lamanites did make preparations to come against the city
Teancum.
Mormon 4:7
7 And it came to pass in the three hundred and sixty and fourth year the Lamanites did
come against the city Teancum, that they might take possession of the city Teancum also.
Mormon 4:8
8 And it came to pass that they were repulsed and driven back by the Nephites. And
when the Nephites saw that they had driven the Lamanites they did again boast of their
own strength; and they went forth in their own might, and took possession again of the
city Desolation.
9 And now all these things had been done, and there had been thousands slain on both
sides, both the Nephites and the Lamanites.
Mormon 4:10
10 And it came to pass that the three hundred and sixty and sixth year had passed away,
and the Lamanites came again upon the Nephites to battle; and yet the Nephites repented
not of the evil they had done, but persisted in their wickedness continually.
Mormon 4:11
11 And it is impossible for the tongue to describe, or for man to write a perfect
description of the horrible scene of the blood and carnage which was among the people,
both of the Nephites and of the Lamanites; and every heart was hardened, so that they
delighted in the shedding of blood continually.
Mormon 4:12
12 And there never had been so great wickedness among all the children of Lehi, nor
even among all the house of Israel, according to the words of the Lord, as was among this
people.
Mormon 4:13
13 And it came to pass that the Lamanites did take possession of the city Desolation, and
this because their number did exceed the number of the Nephites.
Mormon 4:14
14 And they did also march forward against the city Teancum, and did drive the
inhabitants forth out of her, and did take many prisoners both women and children, and
did offer them up as sacrifices unto their idol gods.
Mormon 4:15
15 And it came to pass that in the three hundred and sixty and seventh year, the Nephites
being angry because the Lamanites had sacrificed their women and their children, that
they did go against the Lamanites with exceedingly great anger, insomuch that they did
beat again the Lamanites, and drive them out of their lands.
Mormon 4:16
16 And the Lamanites did not come again against the Nephites until the three hundred
and seventy and fifth year.
Mormon 4:17
17 And in this year they did come down against the Nephites with all their powers; and
they were not numbered because of the greatness of their number.
Mormon 4:18
18 And from this time forth did the Nephites gain no power over the Lamanites, but
began to be swept off by them even as a dew before the sun.
19 And it came to pass that the Lamanites did come down against the city Desolation;
and there was an exceedingly sore battle fought in the land Desolation, in the which they
did beat the Nephites.
Mormon 4:20
20 And they fled again from before them, and they came to the city Boaz; and there they
did stand against the Lamanites with exceeding boldness, insomuch that the Lamanites
did not beat them until they had come again the second time.
Mormon 4:21
21 And when they had come the second time, the Nephites were driven and slaughtered
with an exceedingly great slaughter; their women and their children were again sacrificed
unto idols.
Mormon 4:22
22 And it came to pass that the Nephites did again flee from before them, taking all the
inhabitants with them, both in towns and villages.
Mormon 4:23
23 And now I, Mormon, seeing that the Lamanites were about to overthrow the land,
therefore I did go to the hill Shim, and did take up all the records which Ammaron had
hid up unto the Lord.
Mormon 5:1
1 And it came to pass that I did go forth among the Nephites, and did repent of the oath
which I had made that I would no more assist them; and they gave me command again of
their armies, for they looked upon me as though I could deliver them from their
afflictions.
Mormon 5:2
2 But behold, I was without hope, for I knew the judgments of the Lord which should
come upon them; for they repented not of their iniquities, but did struggle for their lives
without calling upon that Being who created them.
Mormon 5:3
3 And it came to pass that the Lamanites did come against us as we had fled to the city
of Jordan; but behold, they were driven back that they did not take the city at that time.
Mormon 5:4
4 And it came to pass that they came against us again, and we did maintain the city. And there were also other cities which were maintained by Nephites, which strongholds did cut them off that they could not get into the country which lay before us, to destroy the inhabitants of our land.
Mormon 5:5
5 And it came to pass that whatsoever lands we had passed by, and the inhabitants
thereof were not gathered in, were destroyed by the Lamanites, and their towns, and
villages, and cities were burned with fire; and thus three hundred and seventy and nine
years passed away.
Mormon 5:6
6 And it came to pass that in the three hundred and eightieth year the Lamanites did
come again against us to battle, and we did stand against them boldly; but it was all in
vain, for so great were their numbers that they did tread the people of the Nephites under
their feet.
Mormon 5:7
7 And it came to pass that we did again take to flight, and those whose flight was swifter
than the Lamanites' did escape, and those whose flight did not exceed the Lamanites'
were swept down and destroyed.
Mormon 5:8
8 And now behold, I, Mormon, do not desire to harrow up the souls of men in casting
before them such an awful scene of blood and carnage as was laid before mine eyes; but
I, knowing that these things must surely be made known, and that all things which are hid