CHAPTER 3
1 And now I, Nephi, speak concerning the prophecies of which my father hath spoken, concerning Joseph, who was carried into Egypt:
2 For behold, he truly prophesied concerning all his seed.
3 And the prophecies which he wrote, there are not many greater.
4 And he prophesied concerning us, and our future generations;
5 And they are written upon the plates of brass.
6 Wherefore, after my father had made an end of speaking concerning the prophecies of Joseph, he called the children of Laman, his sons, and his daughters, and said unto them,
7 Behold my sons, and my daughters, who are the sons and daughters of my first born, I would that ye should give ear unto my words:
8 For the Lord God hath said, That inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments, ye shall prosper in the land;
9 And inasmuch as ye will not keep my commandments, ye shall be cut off from my presence.
10 But behold, my sons and my daughters, I can not go down to my grave, save I should leave a blessing upon you:
11 For behold, I know that if ye are brought up in the way ye should go, ye will not depart from it.
12 Wherefore, if ye are cursed, behold, I leave my blessing upon you, that the cursing may be taken from you, and be answered upon the heads of your parents.
13 Wherefore, because of my blessing, the Lord God will not suffer that ye shall perish; wherefore, he will be merciful unto you, and unto your seed for ever.
14 And it came to pass that after my father had made an end of speaking to the sons and daughters of Laman, he caused the sons and daughters of Lemuel to be brought before him.
15 And he spake unto them, saying: Behold, my sons and my daughters, who are the sons and the daughters of my second son;
16 Behold, I leave unto you the same blessing, which I left unto the sons and daughters of Laman; wherefore, thou shalt not utterly be destroyed; but in the end thy seed shall be blessed.
17 And it came to pass that when my father had made an end of speaking unto them, behold, he spake unto the sons of Ishmael, yea, and even all his household.
18 And after he had made an end of speaking unto them, he spake unto Sam, saying:
19 Blessed art thou, and thy seed: for thou shalt inherit the land, like unto thy brother Nephi.
20 And thy seed shall be numbered with his seed;
21 And thou shalt be even like unto thy brother, and thy seed like unto his seed; and thou shalt be blessed in all thy days.
22 And it came to pass after my father Lehi had spoken unto all his household, according to the feelings of his heart, and the Spirit of the Lord which was in him, he waxed old.
23 And it came to pass that he died, and was buried.
24 And it came to pass that not many days after his death, Laman and Lemuel, and the sons of Ishmael, were angry with me because of the admonitions of the Lord:
25 For I, Nephi, was constrained to speak unto them, according to his word.
26 For I had spake many things unto them, and also my father, before his death;
27 Many of which sayings, are written upon mine other plates: for a more history part are written upon mine other plates.
28 And upon these, I write the things of my soul, and many of the scriptures which are engraven upon the plates of brass:
29 For my soul delighteth in the scriptures, and my heart pondereth them, and writeth them for the learning and the profit of my children.
30 Behold, my soul delighteth in the things of the Lord; and my heart pondereth continually upon the things which I have seen and heard.
31 Nevertheless, the great goodness of the Lord, in showing me his great and marvelous works, my heart exclaimeth, O wretched man that I am; yea, my heart sorroweth because of my flesh.
32 My soul grieveth because of mine iniquities.
33 I am encompassed about because of the temptations and the sins which doth so easily beset me.
34 And when I desire to rejoice, my heart groaneth because of my sins; nevertheless, I know in whom I have trusted.
35 My God hath been my support; he hath led me through mine afflictions in the wilderness; and he hath preserved me upon the waters of the great deep.
36 He hath filled me with his love, even unto the consuming of my flesh.
37 He hath confounded mine enemies, unto the causing of them to quake before me.
38 Behold, he hath heard my cry by day, and he hath given me knowledge by visions in the night time.
39 And by day have I waxed bold in mighty prayer before him; yea, my voice have I sent up on high; and angels came down and ministered unto me.
40 And upon the wings of his Spirit hath my body been carried away upon exceeding high mountains.
41 And mine eyes have beheld great things; yea, even too great for man; therefore I was bidden that I should not write them.
42 O then, if I have seen so great things; if the Lord in his condescension unto the children of men, hath visited me in so much mercy, why should my heart weep, and my soul linger in the valley of sorrow, and my flesh waste away, and my strength slacken, because of mine afflictions?
43 And why should I yield to sin, because of my flesh?
44 Yea, why should I give way to temptations, that the evil one have place in my heart, to destroy my peace and afflict my soul?
45 Why am I angry because of mine enemy?
46 Awake, my soul! No longer droop in sin.
47 Rejoice, O my heart, and give place no more for the enemy of my soul.
48 Do not anger again, because of mine enemies.
49 Do not slacken my strength, because of mine afflictions.
50 Rejoice, O my heart, and cry unto the Lord, and say, O Lord, I will praise thee for ever; yea, my soul will rejoice in thee, my God, and the rock of my salvation.
