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Jacob
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
Chapter 1
Jacob 1:1
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.
Jacob 1:2
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.
Jacob 1:3
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.
Jacob 1:4
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.
Jacob 1:5
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.
Jacob 1:6
6 And we also had many revelations, and the spirit of much
prophecy; wherefore, we knew of Christ and his kingdom, which
should come.
Jacob 1:7
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.
Jacob 1:8
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.
Jacob 1:9
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.
Jacob 1:10
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--
Jacob 1:11
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.
Jacob 1:12
12 And it came to pass that Nephi died.
Jacob 1:13
13 Now the people which were not Lamanites were Nephites;
nevertheless, they were called Nephites, Jacobites, Josephites,
Zoramites, Lamanites, Lemuelites, and Ishmaelites.
Jacob 1:14
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.
Jacob 1:15
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.
Jacob 1:16
16 Yea, and they also began to search much gold and silver, and
began to be lifted up somewhat in pride.
Jacob 1:17
17 Wherefore I, Jacob, gave unto them these words as I taught
them in the temple, having first obtained mine errand from the
Lord.
Jacob 1:18
18 For I, Jacob, and my brother Joseph had been consecrated
priests and teachers of this people, by the hand of Nephi.
Jacob 1:19
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
Chapter 2
Jacob 2:1
1 The words which Jacob, the brother of Nephi, spake unto the
people of Nephi, after the death of Nephi:
Jacob 2:2
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.
Jacob 2:3
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.
Jacob 2:4
4 For behold, as yet, ye have been obedient unto the word of the
Lord, which I have given unto you.
Jacob 2:5
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.
Jacob 2:6
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.
Jacob 2:7
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;
Jacob 2:8
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.
Jacob 2:9
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.
Jacob 2:10
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.
Jacob 2:11
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.
Jacob 2:12
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.
Jacob 2:13
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.
Jacob 2:14
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.
Jacob 2:15
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!
Jacob 2:16
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!
Jacob 2:17
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.
Jacob 2:18
18 But before ye seek for riches, seek ye for the kingdom of
God.
Jacob 2:19
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.
Jacob 2:20
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?
Jacob 2:21
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.
Jacob 2:22
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.
Jacob 2:23
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.
Jacob 2:24
24 Behold, David and Solomon truly had many wives and
concubines, which thing was abominable before me, saith the Lord.
Jacob 2:25
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.
Jacob 2:26
26 Wherefore, I the Lord God will not suffer that this people
shall do like unto them of old.
Jacob 2:27
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;
Jacob 2:28
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.
Jacob 2:29
29 Wherefore, this people shall keep my commandments, saith the
Lord of Hosts, or cursed be the land for their sakes.
Jacob 2:30
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.
Jacob 2:31
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.
Jacob 2:32
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.
Jacob 2:33
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.
Jacob 2:34
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.
Jacob 2:35
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
Chapter 3
Jacob 3:1
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.
Jacob 3:2
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.
Jacob 3:3
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.
Jacob 3:4
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.
Jacob 3:5
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.
Jacob 3:6
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.
Jacob 3:7
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?
Jacob 3:8
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.
Jacob 3:9
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.
Jacob 3:10
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.
Jacob 3:11
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.
Jacob 3:12
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.
Jacob 3:13
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.
Jacob 3:14
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
Chapter 4
Jacob 4:1
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;
Jacob 4:2
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--
Jacob 4:3
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.
Jacob 4:4
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.
Jacob 4:5
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.
Jacob 4:6
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.
Jacob 4:7
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.
Jacob 4:8
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.
Jacob 4:9
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?
Jacob 4:10
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.
Jacob 4:11
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.
Jacob 4:12
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?
Jacob 4:13
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.
Jacob 4:14
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.
Jacob 4:15
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.
Jacob 4:16
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.
Jacob 4:17
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?
Jacob 4:18
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
Chapter 5
Jacob 5:1
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:
Jacob 5:2
2 Hearken, O ye house of Israel, and hear the words of me, a
prophet of the Lord.
Jacob 5:3
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.
Jacob 5:4
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.
Jacob 5:5
5 And it came to pass that he pruned it, and digged about it,
and nourished it according to his word.
Jacob 5:6
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.
Jacob 5:7
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.
Jacob 5:8
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.
Jacob 5:9
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.
Jacob 5:10
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.
Jacob 5:11
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.
Jacob 5:12
12 Wherefore, go thy way; watch the tree, and nourish it,
according to my words.
Jacob 5:13
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.
Jacob 5:14
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.
Jacob 5:15
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.
Jacob 5:16
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.
Jacob 5:17
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.
Jacob 5:18
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.
Jacob 5:19
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.
Jacob 5:20
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.
Jacob 5:21
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.
Jacob 5:22
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.
Jacob 5:23
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.
Jacob 5:24
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.
Jacob 5:25
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.
Jacob 5:26
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.
Jacob 5:27
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.
Jacob 5:28
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.
Jacob 5:29
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.
Jacob 5:30
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.
Jacob 5:31
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.
Jacob 5:32
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.
Jacob 5:33
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?
Jacob 5:34
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.
Jacob 5:35
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.
Jacob 5:36
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.
Jacob 5:37
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.
Jacob 5:38
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.
Jacob 5:39
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.
Jacob 5:40
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.
Jacob 5:41
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?
Jacob 5:42
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.
Jacob 5:43
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.
Jacob 5:44
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.
Jacob 5:45
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.
Jacob 5:46
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.
Jacob 5:47
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?
Jacob 5:48
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?
Jacob 5:49
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?
Jacob 5:50
50 But, behold, the servant said unto the Lord of the vineyard:
Spare it a little longer.
Jacob 5:51
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.
Jacob 5:52
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.
Jacob 5:53
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.
Jacob 5:54
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.
Jacob 5:55
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.
Jacob 5:56
56 And they also took of the natural trees which had become
wild, and grafted into their mother tree.
Jacob 5:57
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.
Jacob 5:58
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.
Jacob 5:59
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.
Jacob 5:60
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--
Jacob 5:61
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.
Jacob 5:62
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.
Jacob 5:63
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.
Jacob 5:64
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.
Jacob 5:65
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.
Jacob 5:66
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.
Jacob 5:67
67 And the branches of the natural tree will I graft in again
into the natural tree;
Jacob 5:68
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.
Jacob 5:69
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.
Jacob 5:70
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.
Jacob 5:71
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.
Jacob 5:72
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.
Jacob 5:73
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.
Jacob 5:74
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.
Jacob 5:75
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.
Jacob 5:76
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.
Jacob 5:77
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
Chapter 6
Jacob 6:1
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.
Jacob 6:2
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.
Jacob 6:3
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.
Jacob 6:4
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.
Jacob 6:5
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.
Jacob 6:6
6 Yea, today, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts;
for why will ye die?
Jacob 6:7
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?
Jacob 6:8
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?
Jacob 6:9
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?
Jacob 6:10
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.
Jacob 6:11
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.
Jacob 6:12
12 O be wise; what can I say more?
Jacob 6:13
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
Chapter 7
Jacob 7:1
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.
Jacob 7:2
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.
Jacob 7:3
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.
Jacob 7:4
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.
Jacob 7:5
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.
Jacob 7:6
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.
Jacob 7:7
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.
Jacob 7:8
8 But behold, the Lord God poured in his Spirit into my soul,
insomuch that I did confound him in all his words.
Jacob 7:9
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.
Jacob 7:10
10 And I said unto him: Believest thou the scriptures? And he
said, Yea.
Jacob 7:11
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.
Jacob 7:12
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.
Jacob 7:13
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.
Jacob 7:14
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.
Jacob 7:15
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.
Jacob 7:16
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.
Jacob 7:17
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.
Jacob 7:18
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.
Jacob 7:19
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.
Jacob 7:20
20 And it came to pass that when he had said these words he
could say no more, and he gave up the ghost.
Jacob 7:21
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.
Jacob 7:22
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.
Jacob 7:23
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.
Jacob 7:24
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.
Jacob 7:25
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.
Jacob 7:26
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.
Jacob 7:27
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.
Next: Enos