2 Nephi 1
| Verse | Original | 7th Grade |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Nephi 1:1 | And now it came to pass that after I, Nephi, had made an end of teaching my brethren, our father, Lehi, also spake many things unto them, and rehearsed unto them, how great things the Lord had done for them in bringing them out of the land of Jerusalem. | After I, Nephi, finished teaching my brothers, our father, Lehi, also spoke to them. He reminded them of all the great things the Lord had done for them by bringing them out of Jerusalem. |
| 2 Nephi 1:2 | And he spake unto them concerning their rebellions upon the waters, and the mercies of God in sparing their lives, that they were not swallowed up in the sea. | He talked to them about their rebellious behavior on the sea and God’s kindness in saving their lives so they weren’t drowned. |
| 2 Nephi 1:3 | And he also spake unto them concerning the land of promise, which they had obtained—how merciful the Lord had been in warning us that we should flee out of the land of Jerusalem. | He also talked to them about the promised land they had received and how merciful the Lord had been in warning them to flee from Jerusalem. |
| 2 Nephi 1:4 | For, behold, said he, I have seen a vision, in which I know that Jerusalem is destroyed; and had we remained in Jerusalem we should also have perished. | He said, “I had a vision and I know that Jerusalem is destroyed. If we had stayed there, we would have died too.” |
| 2 Nephi 1:5 | But, said he, notwithstanding our afflictions, we have obtained a land of promise, a land which is choice above all other lands; a land which the Lord God hath covenanted with me should be a land for the inheritance of my seed. Yea, the Lord hath covenanted this land unto me, and to my children forever, and also all those who should be led out of other countries by the hand of the Lord. | But he said, even though we’ve faced hardships, we’ve reached a promised land that is better than any other. The Lord God promised me that this land would belong to my descendants. Yes, the Lord has promised this land to me and my children forever, and also to everyone He guides here from other countries. |
| 2 Nephi 1:6 | Wherefore, I, Lehi, prophesy according to the workings of the Spirit which is in me, that there shall none come into this land save they shall be brought by the hand of the Lord. | So, I’m Lehi. I’m speaking by the power of the Spirit within me and prophesying that no one will come to this land unless they are led by the hand of the Lord. |
| 2 Nephi 1:7 | Wherefore, this land is consecrated unto him whom he shall bring. And if it so be that they shall serve him according to the commandments which he hath given, it shall be a land of liberty unto them; wherefore, they shall never be brought down into captivity; if so, it shall be because of iniquity; for if iniquity shall abound cursed shall be the land for their sakes, but unto the righteous it shall be blessed forever. | This land is set apart for those He brings here. If they follow His commandments, it will be a land of freedom for them, and they will never be taken captive unless they fall into sin. If sin becomes rampant, the land will be cursed because of them, but it will always be blessed for the righteous. |
| 2 Nephi 1:8 | And behold, it is wisdom that this land should be kept as yet from the knowledge of other nations; for behold, many nations would overrun the land, that there would be no place for an inheritance. | And look, it’s wise to keep this land hidden from other nations for now. Many nations would take over the land, leaving no place for inheritance. |
| 2 Nephi 1:9 | Wherefore, I, Lehi, have obtained a promise, that inasmuch as those whom the Lord God shall bring out of the land of Jerusalem shall keep his commandments, they shall prosper upon the face of this land; and they shall be kept from all other nations, that they may possess this land unto themselves. And if it so be that they shall keep his commandments they shall be blessed upon the face of this land, and there shall be none to molest them, nor to take away the land of their inheritance; and they shall dwell safely forever. | So, I, Lehi, have received a promise: If the people whom God brings out of Jerusalem follow His commandments, they’ll do well in this land and be kept separate from other nations, so they can have this land for themselves. If they keep His commandments, they’ll be blessed and no one will bother them or take their land. They’ll live safely forever. |
| 2 Nephi 1:10 | But behold, when the time cometh that they shall dwindle in unbelief, after they have received so great blessings from the hand of the Lord—having a knowledge of the creation of the earth, and all men, knowing the great and marvelous works of the Lord from the creation of the world; having power given them to do all things by faith; having all the commandments from the beginning, and having been brought by his infinite goodness into this precious land of promise—behold, I say, if the day shall come that they will reject the Holy One of Israel, the true Messiah, their Redeemer and their God, behold, the judgments of him that is just shall rest upon them. | But listen, when the time comes that they start losing their faith after having received such great blessings from the Lord—knowing about the creation of the earth and all people, understanding the Lord’s wonderful works from the beginning, having the power to do all things by faith, having all the commandments from the start, and being brought to this promised land by His infinite goodness—if they then reject the Holy One of Israel, the true Messiah, their Redeemer and their God, then the just judgments of God will come upon them. |
| 2 Nephi 1:11 | Yea, he will bring other nations unto them, and he will give unto them power, and he will take away from them the lands of their possessions, and he will cause them to be scattered and smitten. | Yes, he will bring other nations to them, give them power, take away their lands, and cause them to be scattered and defeated. |
| 2 Nephi 1:12 | Yea, as one generation passeth to another there shall be bloodsheds, and great visitations among them; wherefore, my sons, I would that ye would remember; yea, I would that ye would hearken unto my words. | Yes, as one generation passes to another, there will be wars and great trials among them. So, my sons, I want you to remember and listen to what I say. |
| 2 Nephi 1:13 | O that ye would awake; awake from a deep sleep, yea, even from the sleep of hell, and shake off the awful chains by which ye are bound, which are the chains which bind the children of men, that they are carried away captive down to the eternal gulf of misery and woe. | Oh, that you would wake up; wake up from a deep sleep, yes, even from the sleep of hell, and shake off the terrible chains that bind you, which are the chains that bind humanity, carrying them away down to endless misery and sorrow. |
| 2 Nephi 1:14 | Awake! and arise from the dust, and hear the words of a trembling parent, whose limbs ye must soon lay down in the cold and silent grave, from whence no traveler can return; a few more days and I go the way of all the earth. | Wake up! Get up out of the dust and listen to the words of a trembling parent. Soon you will have to lay me down in the cold, silent grave, from which no one can return. I only have a few more days left and then I’ll go the way of everyone on earth. |
| 2 Nephi 1:15 | But behold, the Lord hath redeemed my soul from hell; I have beheld his glory, and I am encircled about eternally in the arms of his love. | But look, the Lord has saved my soul from hell; I have seen His glory, and I am forever surrounded by His love. |
| 2 Nephi 1:16 | And I desire that ye should remember to observe the statutes and the judgments of the Lord; behold, this hath been the anxiety of my soul from the beginning. | I want you to remember to follow the Lord’s rules and decisions. This has been my deepest concern from the start. |
| 2 Nephi 1:17 | My heart hath been weighed down with sorrow from time to time, for I have feared, lest for the hardness of your hearts the Lord your God should come out in the fulness of his wrath upon you, that ye be cut off and destroyed forever; | My heart has been heavy with sorrow many times because I’ve worried that, due to the hardness of your hearts, the Lord your God might come upon you in His full wrath and you would be cut off and destroyed forever. |
| 2 Nephi 1:18 | Or, that a cursing should come upon you for the space of many generations; and ye are visited by sword, and by famine, and are hated, and are led according to the will and captivity of the devil. | You could be cursed for many generations, suffering from wars, famines, and hatred, being controlled and held captive by the devil. |
| 2 Nephi 1:19 | O my sons, that these things might not come upon you, but that ye might be a choice and a favored people of the Lord. But behold, his will be done; for his ways are righteousness forever. | My sons, I hope these things don’t happen to you. Instead, I hope you become a choice and favored people of the Lord. But, his will be done because his ways are righteous forever. |
| 2 Nephi 1:20 | And he hath said that: Inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall prosper in the land; but inasmuch as ye will not keep my commandments ye shall be cut off from my presence. | God has said: If you keep my commandments, you will succeed in the land. But if you don’t keep my commandments, you will be separated from me. |
| 2 Nephi 1:21 | And now that my soul might have joy in you, and that my heart might leave this world with gladness because of you, that I might not be brought down with grief and sorrow to the grave, arise from the dust, my sons, and be men, and be determined in one mind and in one heart, united in all things, that ye may not come down into captivity; | I want to feel joy and leave this world happily because of you, so I don’t bring grief and sorrow to the grave. Get up, my sons, and be strong and united in everything, with one purpose and heart, so you don’t fall into captivity. |
| 2 Nephi 1:22 | That ye may not be cursed with a sore cursing; and also, that ye may not incur the displeasure of a just God upon you, unto the destruction, yea, the eternal destruction of both soul and body. | So you won’t be cursed badly and make a just God angry at you, leading to the total and eternal destruction of both your soul and body. |
| 2 Nephi 1:23 | Awake, my sons; put on the armor of righteousness. Shake off the chains with which ye are bound, and come forth out of obscurity, and arise from the dust. | Wake up, my children; embrace the armor of righteousness. Break free from the chains holding you down, step out of obscurity, and rise from the ground. |
| 2 Nephi 1:24 | Rebel no more against your brother, whose views have been glorious, and who hath kept the commandments from the time that we left Jerusalem; and who hath been an instrument in the hands of God, in bringing us forth into the land of promise; for were it not for him, we must have perished with hunger in the wilderness; nevertheless, ye sought to take away his life; yea, and he hath suffered much sorrow because of you. | Stop fighting against your brother. He has always followed God’s commandments since we left Jerusalem. He has been a tool in God’s hands to lead us to this promised land. Without him, we would have starved in the wilderness. Yet, you tried to kill him, and he has suffered much because of you. |
| 2 Nephi 1:25 | And I exceedingly fear and tremble because of you, lest he shall suffer again; for behold, ye have accused him that he sought power and authority over you; but I know that he hath not sought for power nor authority over you, but he hath sought the glory of God, and your own eternal welfare. | I’m really scared and shaking because of you, afraid that he might suffer again. You’ve accused him of trying to gain power and control over you, but I know that’s not true. He has only wanted to honor God and ensure your eternal well-being. |
| 2 Nephi 1:26 | And ye have murmured because he hath been plain unto you. Ye say that he hath used sharpness; ye say that he hath been angry with you; but behold, his sharpness was the sharpness of the power of the word of God, which was in him; and that which ye call anger was the truth, according to that which is in God, which he could not restrain, manifesting boldly concerning your iniquities. | You’ve complained because he’s been straightforward with you. You say he was harsh; you say he was angry. But really, his harshness came from the power of God’s word that was in him, and what you call anger was actually the truth of God that he couldn’t hold back, speaking boldly about your sins. |
| 2 Nephi 1:27 | And it must needs be that the power of God must be with him, even unto his commanding you that ye must obey. But behold, it was not he, but it was the Spirit of the Lord which was in him, which opened his mouth to utterance that he could not shut it. | God’s power had to be with him, making it so you had to obey him. But it wasn’t really him speaking; it was the Spirit of the Lord in him, making it so he couldn’t stop speaking. |
| 2 Nephi 1:28 | And now my son, Laman, and also Lemuel and Sam, and also my sons who are the sons of Ishmael, behold, if ye will hearken unto the voice of Nephi ye shall not perish. And if ye will hearken unto him I leave unto you a blessing, yea, even my first blessing. | And now, my son Laman, along with Lemuel, Sam, and the sons of Ishmael: if you listen to Nephi, you won’t perish. If you follow him, I give you my blessing, my very first blessing. |
| 2 Nephi 1:29 | But if ye will not hearken unto him I take away my first blessing, yea, even my blessing, and it shall rest upon him. | But if you don’t listen to him, I’ll take away my first blessing and give it to him instead. |
| 2 Nephi 1:30 | And now Zoram, I speak unto you: Behold, thou art the servant of Laban; nevertheless, thou hast been brought out of the land of Jerusalem, and I know that thou art a true friend unto my son, Nephi, forever. | Zoram, I’m talking to you now: You were Laban’s servant, but now you’ve been brought out of Jerusalem. I see that you’re a true friend to my son, Nephi, forever. |
| 2 Nephi 1:31 | Wherefore, because thou hast been faithful thy seed shall be blessed with his seed, that they dwell in prosperity long upon the face of this land; and nothing, save it shall be iniquity among them, shall harm or disturb their prosperity upon the face of this land forever. | Because you have been faithful, your descendants will be blessed along with his. They will live prosperously on this land for a long time. The only thing that can harm or disturb their prosperity is their own wrongdoing. |
| 2 Nephi 1:32 | Wherefore, if ye shall keep the commandments of the Lord, the Lord hath consecrated this land for the security of thy seed with the seed of my son. | So, if you follow the Lord’s commandments, He has promised that this land will be a safe place for your descendants and the descendants of my son. |
2 Nephi 2
| Verse | Original | 7th Grade |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Nephi 2:1 | And now, Jacob, I speak unto you: Thou art my first-born in the days of my tribulation in the wilderness. And behold, in thy childhood thou hast suffered afflictions and much sorrow, because of the rudeness of thy brethren. | Now, Jacob, I’m talking to you. You were my first-born during the tough times in the wilderness. As a child, you went through a lot of hardships and sorrow because your brothers were rude. |
| 2 Nephi 2:2 | Nevertheless, Jacob, my first-born in the wilderness, thou knowest the greatness of God; and he shall consecrate thine afflictions for thy gain. | Jacob, you’re my first-born in the wilderness, and you know how great God is. He will turn your troubles into blessings for you. |
| 2 Nephi 2:3 | Wherefore, thy soul shall be blessed, and thou shalt dwell safely with thy brother, Nephi; and thy days shall be spent in the service of thy God. Wherefore, I know that thou art redeemed, because of the righteousness of thy Redeemer; for thou hast beheld that in the fulness of time he cometh to bring salvation unto men. | So, your soul will be blessed, and you’ll live safely with your brother, Nephi; and your days will be spent serving God. I know you’re redeemed because of the righteousness of your Redeemer, for you’ve seen that in the fullness of time he will come to bring salvation to everyone. |
| 2 Nephi 2:4 | And thou hast beheld in thy youth his glory; wherefore, thou art blessed even as they unto whom he shall minister in the flesh; for the Spirit is the same, yesterday, today, and forever. And the way is prepared from the fall of man, and salvation is free. | You’ve seen his glory when you were young; so, you’re blessed just like those he will visit in person. The Spirit is always the same, in the past, now, and forever. The way has been prepared since the fall of man, and salvation is free. |
| 2 Nephi 2:5 | And men are instructed sufficiently that they know good from evil. And the law is given unto men. And by the law no flesh is justified; or, by the law men are cut off. Yea, by the temporal law they were cut off; and also, by the spiritual law they perish from that which is good, and become miserable forever. | People have been taught enough to know right from wrong. The law has been given to them. But the law alone can’t save anyone; instead, it separates them from God. The temporal law separates them, and the spiritual law causes them to lose what is good and end up in misery forever. |
| 2 Nephi 2:6 | Wherefore, redemption cometh in and through the Holy Messiah; for he is full of grace and truth. | So, salvation comes through the Holy Messiah, because he is full of grace and truth. |
| 2 Nephi 2:7 | Behold, he offereth himself a sacrifice for sin, to answer the ends of the law, unto all those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit; and unto none else can the ends of the law be answered. | Look, he offers himself as a sacrifice for sin to satisfy the demands of the law for everyone who has a broken heart and a humble spirit; the ends of the law can’t be met for anyone else. |
| 2 Nephi 2:8 | Wherefore, how great the importance to make these things known unto the inhabitants of the earth, that they may know that there is no flesh that can dwell in the presence of God, save it be through the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah, who layeth down his life according to the flesh, and taketh it again by the power of the Spirit, that he may bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, being the first that should rise. | That’s why it’s so important to share these things with everyone on earth, so they understand that no one can live in God’s presence except through the merits, mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah. He gave up His life and took it back again by the power of the Spirit to bring about the resurrection of the dead, being the first to rise. |
| 2 Nephi 2:9 | Wherefore, he is the first-fruits unto God, inasmuch as he shall make intercession for all the children of men; and they that believe in him shall be saved. | So, he is the first and best for God, since he will step in for all of humanity; and those who believe in him will be saved. |
| 2 Nephi 2:10 | And because of the intercession for all, all men come unto God; wherefore, they stand in the presence of him to be judged of him according to the truth and holiness which is in him. Wherefore, the ends of the law which the Holy One hath given, unto the inflicting of the punishment which is affixed, which punishment that is affixed is in opposition to that of the happiness which is affixed, to answer the ends of the atonement— | Because Jesus intercedes for everyone, everyone will come before God; and they will be judged by Him based on His truth and holiness. So, the purposes of the law given by the Holy One are fulfilled by the punishment that comes with it, which is the opposite of the happiness that also comes with it, covering the purposes of the atonement. |
| 2 Nephi 2:11 | For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things. If not so, my first-born in the wilderness, righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad. Wherefore, all things must needs be a compound in one; wherefore, if it should be one body it must needs remain as dead, having no life neither death, nor corruption nor incorruption, happiness nor misery, neither sense nor insensibility. | There has to be opposition in all things. Without it, my firstborn in the wilderness, there could be no righteousness or wickedness, no holiness or misery, no good or bad. Everything would have to be a blend of one thing; if it were just one, it would be dead, having no life or death, no corruption or incorruption, no happiness or misery, no sense or insensibility. |
| 2 Nephi 2:12 | Wherefore, it must needs have been created for a thing of naught; wherefore there would have been no purpose in the end of its creation. Wherefore, this thing must needs destroy the wisdom of God and his eternal purposes, and also the power, and the mercy, and the justice of God. | So, it would have been made for nothing, with no purpose at the end of its creation. This would destroy the wisdom, eternal purposes, power, mercy, and justice of God. |
| 2 Nephi 2:13 | And if ye shall say there is no law, ye shall also say there is no sin. If ye shall say there is no sin, ye shall also say there is no righteousness. And if there be no righteousness there be no happiness. And if there be no righteousness nor happiness there be no punishment nor misery. And if these things are not there is no God. And if there is no God we are not, neither the earth; for there could have been no creation of things, neither to act nor to be acted upon; wherefore, all things must have vanished away. | If you say there is no law, then you’re also saying there’s no sin. If you say there’s no sin, then you’re saying there’s no righteousness either. Without righteousness, there’s no happiness. Without righteousness or happiness, there’s no punishment or misery. Without any of these things, there’s no God. If there’s no God, then we and the earth don’t exist, because nothing could have been created to act or be acted upon. Therefore, everything would just disappear. |
| 2 Nephi 2:14 | And now, my sons, I speak unto you these things for your profit and learning; for there is a God, and he hath created all things, both the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are, both things to act and things to be acted upon. | My sons, I’m telling you these things for your benefit and to help you learn. There is a God who created everything—the heavens, the earth, and everything in them. There are things that act and things that are acted upon. |
| 2 Nephi 2:15 | And to bring about his eternal purposes in the end of man, after he had created our first parents, and the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air, and in fine, all things which are created, it must needs be that there was an opposition; even the forbidden fruit in opposition to the tree of life; the one being sweet and the other bitter. | To fulfill his eternal purposes for humanity, after creating our first parents, the animals, birds, and everything else, there had to be opposition; like the forbidden fruit opposing the tree of life, one being sweet and the other bitter. |
| 2 Nephi 2:16 | Wherefore, the Lord God gave unto man that he should act for himself. Wherefore, man could not act for himself save it should be that he was enticed by the one or the other. | So, God let people make their own choices. But, they can only make choices if they experience influences from both good and bad. |
| 2 Nephi 2:17 | And I, Lehi, according to the things which I have read, must needs suppose that an angel of God, according to that which is written, had fallen from heaven; wherefore, he became a devil, having sought that which was evil before God. | I am Lehi. From what I’ve read, an angel of God fell from heaven because he sought evil before God. That angel became the devil. |
| 2 Nephi 2:18 | And because he had fallen from heaven, and had become miserable forever, he sought also the misery of all mankind. Wherefore, he said unto Eve, yea, even that old serpent, who is the devil, who is the father of all lies, wherefore he said: Partake of the forbidden fruit, and ye shall not die, but ye shall be as God, knowing good and evil. | Since he had fallen from heaven and was doomed to be miserable forever, he wanted all of humanity to be miserable too. So, the devil, that old serpent and the father of all lies, told Eve: Eat the forbidden fruit, you won’t die. Instead, you’ll be like God, knowing good and evil. |
| 2 Nephi 2:19 | And after Adam and Eve had partaken of the forbidden fruit they were driven out of the garden of Eden, to till the earth. | After Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, they were kicked out of the Garden of Eden to farm the land. |
| 2 Nephi 2:20 | And they have brought forth children; yea, even the family of all the earth. | They have had children; the whole human family. |
| 2 Nephi 2:21 | And the days of the children of men were prolonged, according to the will of God, that they might repent while in the flesh; wherefore, their state became a state of probation, and their time was lengthened, according to the commandments which the Lord God gave unto the children of men. For he gave commandment that all men must repent; for he showed unto all men that they were lost, because of the transgression of their parents. | The lives of people were extended by God’s will so they could have time to repent while they were still alive. Because of this, their life became a testing period, and their days were lengthened according to God’s commandments. He commanded everyone to repent because he showed them they were lost due to their parents’ sins. |
| 2 Nephi 2:22 | And now, behold, if Adam had not transgressed he would not have fallen, but he would have remained in the garden of Eden. And all things which were created must have remained in the same state in which they were after they were created; and they must have remained forever, and had no end. | And now, look, if Adam hadn’t sinned, he wouldn’t have fallen and would have stayed in the Garden of Eden. Everything that was created would have stayed the same as when it was made; it would have lasted forever with no end. |
| 2 Nephi 2:23 | And they would have had no children; wherefore they would have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy, for they knew no misery; doing no good, for they knew no sin. | They wouldn’t have had any kids and would have just stayed innocent. They wouldn’t have known joy because they didn’t know misery, and they wouldn’t have done good because they didn’t know sin. |
| 2 Nephi 2:24 | But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things. | But look, everything has been done with the wisdom of the one who knows everything. |
| 2 Nephi 2:25 | Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy. | Adam fell so that people could exist; and people exist so that they can find joy. |
| 2 Nephi 2:26 | And the Messiah cometh in the fulness of time, that he may redeem the children of men from the fall. And because that they are redeemed from the fall they have become free forever, knowing good from evil; to act for themselves and not to be acted upon, save it be by the punishment of the law at the great and last day, according to the commandments which God hath given. | The Messiah will come at the perfect time to save humanity from the fall. Because they are saved from the fall, they are forever free, knowing right from wrong, able to make their own choices, and not be controlled by anything except the punishment of the law on the final day, as commanded by God. |
| 2 Nephi 2:27 | Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself. | So, people are free in the physical sense; everything they need is given to them. They are free to choose either freedom and eternal life through Jesus Christ, the great Mediator, or to choose captivity and death under the devil’s control, because he wants everyone to be as miserable as he is. |
| 2 Nephi 2:28 | And now, my sons, I would that ye should look to the great Mediator, and hearken unto his great commandments; and be faithful unto his words, and choose eternal life, according to the will of his Holy Spirit; | Now, my sons, I want you to look to the great Mediator, listen to His important commandments, be faithful to His words, and choose eternal life according to the guidance of His Holy Spirit. |
| 2 Nephi 2:29 | And not choose eternal death, according to the will of the flesh and the evil which is therein, which giveth the spirit of the devil power to captivate, to bring you down to hell, that he may reign over you in his own kingdom. | Don’t choose eternal death, which follows the desires of the flesh and the evil that comes with it. This gives the devil power to trap you and drag you down to hell so he can rule over you in his own realm. |
| 2 Nephi 2:30 | I have spoken these few words unto you all, my sons, in the last days of my probation; and I have chosen the good part, according to the words of the prophet. And I have none other object save it be the everlasting welfare of your souls. Amen. | I’ve spoken these few words to you, my sons, in the last days of my life. I’ve chosen the right path, just as the prophet said. My only goal is the everlasting welfare of your souls. Amen. |
2 Nephi 3
| Verse | Original | 7th Grade |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Nephi 3:1 | And now I speak unto you, Joseph, my last-born. Thou wast born in the wilderness of mine afflictions; yea, in the days of my greatest sorrow did thy mother bear thee. | Now I’m talking to you, Joseph, my youngest child. You were born during my toughest times, those days when your mother and I faced the most hardship. |
| 2 Nephi 3:2 | And may the Lord consecrate also unto thee this land, which is a most precious land, for thine inheritance and the inheritance of thy seed with thy brethren, for thy security forever, if it so be that ye shall keep the commandments of the Holy One of Israel. | And may the Lord dedicate this land to you, which is a very precious land, as your inheritance and the inheritance of your children and your brothers, for your safety forever, as long as you keep the commandments of the Holy One of Israel. |
| 2 Nephi 3:3 | And now, Joseph, my last-born, whom I have brought out of the wilderness of mine afflictions, may the Lord bless thee forever, for thy seed shall not utterly be destroyed. | Joseph, my youngest child, who I brought out of my troubles, may the Lord bless you forever. Your descendants won’t be completely destroyed. |
| 2 Nephi 3:4 | For behold, thou art the fruit of my loins; and I am a descendant of Joseph who was carried captive into Egypt. And great were the covenants of the Lord which he made unto Joseph. | Listen, you are my descendant; and I am a descendant of Joseph who was taken to Egypt. The Lord made great promises to Joseph. |
| 2 Nephi 3:5 | Wherefore, Joseph truly saw our day. And he obtained a promise of the Lord, that out of the fruit of his loins the Lord God would raise up a righteous branch unto the house of Israel; not the Messiah, but a branch which was to be broken off, nevertheless, to be remembered in the covenants of the Lord that the Messiah should be made manifest unto them in the latter days, in the spirit of power, unto the bringing of them out of darkness unto light—yea, out of hidden darkness and out of captivity unto freedom. | So, Joseph really saw our time. And he got a promise from the Lord that from his descendants, the Lord God would bring up a righteous branch for the house of Israel. It wouldn’t be the Messiah, but a branch that would be separated yet still remembered in the Lord’s covenants, so that the Messiah would eventually be known to them in the last days through the power of the Spirit, bringing them from darkness to light and from captivity to freedom. |
| 2 Nephi 3:6 | For Joseph truly testified, saying: A seer shall the Lord my God raise up, who shall be a choice seer unto the fruit of my loins. | Joseph truly said, “The Lord my God will raise up a seer, a special seer from my descendants.” |
| 2 Nephi 3:7 | Yea, Joseph truly said: Thus saith the Lord unto me: A choice seer will I raise up out of the fruit of thy loins; and he shall be esteemed highly among the fruit of thy loins. And unto him will I give commandment that he shall do a work for the fruit of thy loins, his brethren, which shall be of great worth unto them, even to the bringing of them to the knowledge of the covenants which I have made with thy fathers. | Joseph truly said: The Lord told me that He will raise up a special seer from my descendants who will be highly respected among them. I will give him commandments to do a great work for his brothers, which will be very beneficial to them, bringing them to understand the covenants I made with their ancestors. |
| 2 Nephi 3:8 | And I will give unto him a commandment that he shall do none other work, save the work which I shall command him. And I will make him great in mine eyes; for he shall do my work. | I will give him a command to only do the work I tell him to do. I will make him important to me because he will do my work. |
| 2 Nephi 3:9 | And he shall be great like unto Moses, whom I have said I would raise up unto you, to deliver my people, O house of Israel. | He will be as great as Moses, who I promised to send to rescue my people, O house of Israel. |
| 2 Nephi 3:10 | And Moses will I raise up, to deliver thy people out of the land of Egypt. | I will raise up Moses to lead your people out of Egypt. |
| 2 Nephi 3:11 | But a seer will I raise up out of the fruit of thy loins; and unto him will I give power to bring forth my word unto the seed of thy loins—and not to the bringing forth my word only, saith the Lord, but to the convincing them of my word, which shall have already gone forth among them. | I will raise up a seer from your descendants and give him the power to bring my word to your people. Not just to share my word, says the Lord, but to convince them of what has already been given to them. |
| 2 Nephi 3:12 | Wherefore, the fruit of thy loins shall write; and the fruit of the loins of Judah shall write; and that which shall be written by the fruit of thy loins, and also that which shall be written by the fruit of the loins of Judah, shall grow together, unto the confounding of false doctrines and laying down of contentions, and establishing peace among the fruit of thy loins, and bringing them to the knowledge of their fathers in the latter days, and also to the knowledge of my covenants, saith the Lord. | So, your descendants will write, and the descendants of Judah will write too. What your descendants write, along with what the descendants of Judah write, will come together to expose false teachings, resolve conflicts, and establish peace among your descendants. This will also help them understand their ancestors and my promises in the future days, says the Lord. |
| 2 Nephi 3:13 | And out of weakness he shall be made strong, in that day when my work shall commence among all my people, unto the restoring thee, O house of Israel, saith the Lord. | Out of weakness he will become strong, on that day when my work begins among all my people, to restore you, O house of Israel, says the Lord. |
| 2 Nephi 3:14 | And thus prophesied Joseph, saying: Behold, that seer will the Lord bless; and they that seek to destroy him shall be confounded; for this promise, which I have obtained of the Lord, of the fruit of my loins, shall be fulfilled. Behold, I am sure of the fulfilling of this promise; | Joseph prophesied, saying: Look, the Lord will bless that seer; and those who try to destroy him will be confused. The promise I received from the Lord about my descendants will come true. I am confident that this promise will be fulfilled. |
| 2 Nephi 3:15 | And his name shall be called after me; and it shall be after the name of his father. And he shall be like unto me; for the thing, which the Lord shall bring forth by his hand, by the power of the Lord shall bring my people unto salvation. | He will be named after me, and also after our father. He will be like me, because the Lord will use him to bring our people to salvation through His power. |
| 2 Nephi 3:16 | Yea, thus prophesied Joseph: I am sure of this thing, even as I am sure of the promise of Moses; for the Lord hath said unto me, I will preserve thy seed forever. | Joseph prophesied, “I am sure of this, just as I am sure of Moses’ promise; because the Lord told me, ‘I will preserve your descendants forever.'” |
| 2 Nephi 3:17 | And the Lord hath said: I will raise up a Moses; and I will give power unto him in a rod; and I will give judgment unto him in writing. Yet I will not loose his tongue, that he shall speak much, for I will not make him mighty in speaking. But I will write unto him my law, by the finger of mine own hand; and I will make a spokesman for him. | The Lord said: I will raise up a Moses and give him power through a rod. I will give him judgment in writing. I won’t make him speak much because I won’t make him powerful in speech. But I will write my law for him with my own hand and provide a spokesman for him. |
| 2 Nephi 3:18 | And the Lord said unto me also: I will raise up unto the fruit of thy loins; and I will make for him a spokesman. And I, behold, I will give unto him that he shall write the writing of the fruit of thy loins, unto the fruit of thy loins; and the spokesman of thy loins shall declare it. | The Lord also said to me: I will raise up a descendant from your lineage, and I will give him a spokesperson. I will ensure that he writes the records of your descendants for them, and the spokesperson will announce it to them. |
| 2 Nephi 3:19 | And the words which he shall write shall be the words which are expedient in my wisdom should go forth unto the fruit of thy loins. And it shall be as if the fruit of thy loins had cried unto them from the dust; for I know their faith. | The words he writes will be what I, in my wisdom, decide should be shared with your descendants. It will be as if your descendants are calling out to them from the dust, for I know their faith. |
| 2 Nephi 3:20 | And they shall cry from the dust; yea, even repentance unto their brethren, even after many generations have gone by them. And it shall come to pass that their cry shall go, even according to the simpleness of their words. | They will call out from the dust, asking their descendants to repent, even after many generations have passed. Their message will spread, using simple words. |
| 2 Nephi 3:21 | Because of their faith their words shall proceed forth out of my mouth unto their brethren who are the fruit of thy loins; and the weakness of their words will I make strong in their faith, unto the remembering of my covenant which I made unto thy fathers. | Because of their faith, their words will come from me to their brothers who are your descendants; and I’ll make the weakness in their words strong in their faith, so they’ll remember the promise I made to your ancestors. |
| 2 Nephi 3:22 | And now, behold, my son Joseph, after this manner did my father of old prophesy. | And now, look, my son Joseph, this is how my father prophesied long ago. |
| 2 Nephi 3:23 | Wherefore, because of this covenant thou art blessed; for thy seed shall not be destroyed, for they shall hearken unto the words of the book. | Because of this covenant, you are blessed. Your descendants won’t be destroyed because they’ll listen to the words in the book. |
| 2 Nephi 3:24 | And there shall rise up one mighty among them, who shall do much good, both in word and in deed, being an instrument in the hands of God, with exceeding faith, to work mighty wonders, and do that thing which is great in the sight of God, unto the bringing to pass much restoration unto the house of Israel, and unto the seed of thy brethren. | Someone great will emerge among them who will do a lot of good, both in what they say and what they do, being used by God with tremendous faith to perform incredible miracles and achieve great things in God’s eyes. This will lead to a significant restoration for the house of Israel and the descendants of your brothers. |
| 2 Nephi 3:25 | And now, blessed art thou, Joseph. Behold, thou art little; wherefore hearken unto the words of thy brother, Nephi, and it shall be done unto thee even according to the words which I have spoken. Remember the words of thy dying father. Amen. | And now, Joseph, you are blessed. You are small, so listen to your brother Nephi, and everything will happen just as I said it would. Remember what your dying father told you. Amen. |
2 Nephi 4
| Verse | Original | 7th Grade |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Nephi 4:1 | And now, I, Nephi, speak concerning the prophecies of which my father hath spoken, concerning Joseph, who was carried into Egypt. | And now, I’m Nephi, and I’m going to talk about the prophecies my father mentioned regarding Joseph, who was taken to Egypt. |
| 2 Nephi 4:2 | For behold, he truly prophesied concerning all his seed. And the prophecies which he wrote, there are not many greater. And he prophesied concerning us, and our future generations; and they are written upon the plates of brass. | He prophesied about all his descendants. There aren’t many prophecies greater than the ones he wrote. He also prophesied about us and our future generations, and these prophecies are written on the brass plates. |
| 2 Nephi 4:3 | 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: Behold, my sons, and my daughters, who are the sons and the daughters of my first-born, I would that ye should give ear unto my words. | After my father finished talking about Joseph’s prophecies, he called Laman’s children—his sons and daughters—to him and said: âListen, my sons and daughters, who are the children of my firstborn, to what I have to say.â |
| 2 Nephi 4:4 | For the Lord God hath said that: Inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall prosper in the land; and inasmuch as ye will not keep my commandments ye shall be cut off from my presence. | God has said: If you follow my commandments, you’ll do well in this land; but if you don’t, you’ll be separated from me. |
| 2 Nephi 4:5 | But behold, my sons and my daughters, I cannot go down to my grave save I should leave a blessing upon you; for behold, I know that if ye are brought up in the way ye should go ye will not depart from it. | But listen, my sons and daughters, I can’t pass away without leaving you a blessing. I know that if you are raised the right way, you won’t stray from it. |
| 2 Nephi 4:6 | 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. | So, if you are cursed, I leave my blessing with you so that the curse may be removed and instead fall on your parents. |
| 2 Nephi 4:7 | 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 forever. | So, because of my blessing, the Lord God will make sure you don’t perish; he will be merciful to you and your descendants forever. |
| 2 Nephi 4:8 | 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. | After my father finished talking to Laman’s children, he had Lemuel’s children brought to him. |
| 2 Nephi 4:9 | And he spake unto them, saying: Behold, my sons and my daughters, who are the sons and the daughters of my second son; 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. | He said to them, “Listen, my sons and daughters, who are the children of my second son. I give you the same blessing I gave to Laman’s children; you will not be completely destroyed. In the end, your descendants will be blessed.” |
| 2 Nephi 4:10 | 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. | After my father finished talking to them, he then spoke to the sons of Ishmael and their entire household. |
| 2 Nephi 4:11 | And after he had made an end of speaking unto them, he spake unto Sam, saying: Blessed art thou, and thy seed; for thou shall inherit the land like unto thy brother Nephi. And thy seed shall be numbered with his seed; 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. | After he finished speaking to them, he turned to Sam and said, “Sam, you and your descendants are blessed. You will inherit the land like your brother Nephi, and your descendants will be counted with his. You will be just like your brother, and your descendants like his, and you will be blessed all your life.” |
| 2 Nephi 4:12 | 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. And it came to pass that he died, and was buried. | After my father, Lehi, had spoken to everyone in our household about what was on his heart and what the Spirit of the Lord impressed upon him, he grew old. Eventually, he passed away and was buried. |
| 2 Nephi 4:13 | 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. | Not long after he died, Laman, Lemuel, and the sons of Ishmael were mad at me because of the Lord’s warnings. |
| 2 Nephi 4:14 | For I, Nephi, was constrained to speak unto them, according to his word; for I had spoken many things unto them, and also my father, before his death; many of which sayings are written upon mine other plates; for a more history part are written upon mine other plates. | I, Nephi, felt compelled to speak to them as God instructed; I had already shared many things with them, as had my father before he passed away. Many of these sayings are recorded on my other plates, where more detailed history is written. |
| 2 Nephi 4:15 | And upon these I write the things of my soul, and many of the scriptures which are engraven upon the plates of brass. For my soul delighteth in the scriptures, and my heart pondereth them, and writeth them for the learning and the profit of my children. | I write the things from my heart on these plates, along with many scriptures engraved on the brass plates. I love the scriptures, and I think deeply about them, writing them down so my children can learn and benefit from them. |
| 2 Nephi 4:16 | Behold, my soul delighteth in the things of the Lord; and my heart pondereth continually upon the things which I have seen and heard. | Look, my soul loves the things of the Lord, and I keep thinking about all the stuff I’ve seen and heard. |
| 2 Nephi 4:17 | Nevertheless, notwithstanding 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; my soul grieveth because of mine iniquities. | Even though the Lord has been very good to me and shown me amazing works, my heart cries out: Oh, what a miserable person I am! Yes, my heart is sad because of my weaknesses; my soul is troubled because of my sins. |
| 2 Nephi 4:18 | I am encompassed about, because of the temptations and the sins which do so easily beset me. | I am surrounded by temptations and sins that easily affect me. |
| 2 Nephi 4:19 | And when I desire to rejoice, my heart groaneth because of my sins; nevertheless, I know in whom I have trusted. | When I want to be happy, my heart aches because of my sins. Even so, I know who I have trusted. |
| 2 Nephi 4:20 | 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. | God has supported me; He guided me through my struggles in the wilderness and kept me safe on the vast ocean. |
| 2 Nephi 4:21 | He hath filled me with his love, even unto the consuming of my flesh. | He has filled me with His love so much that it feels like it consumes my whole being. |
| 2 Nephi 4:22 | He hath confounded mine enemies, unto the causing of them to quake before me. | He has confused my enemies, making them tremble before me. |
| 2 Nephi 4:23 | Behold, he hath heard my cry by day, and he hath given me knowledge by visions in the nighttime. | He has heard my prayers during the day and given me knowledge through visions at night. |
| 2 Nephi 4:24 | 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. | During the day, I prayed boldly and intensely to God; I sent my voice up to Heaven, and angels came down and helped me. |
| 2 Nephi 4:25 | And upon the wings of his Spirit hath my body been carried away upon exceedingly high mountains. And mine eyes have beheld great things, yea, even too great for man; therefore I was bidden that I should not write them. | The Spirit lifted my body to incredibly high mountains, and I saw amazing things, even too incredible for humans to understand; so I was told not to write about them. |
| 2 Nephi 4:26 | O then, if I have seen so great things, if the Lord in his condescension unto the children of men hath visited men 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? | So, if I’ve witnessed such great things and the Lord, in His kindness to us, has shown us so much mercy, why should I be sad, feel stuck in sorrow, let my body waste away, and lose my strength because of my troubles? |
| 2 Nephi 4:27 | And why should I yield to sin, because of my flesh? 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? Why am I angry because of mine enemy? | Why should I give in to sin because of my human weaknesses? Why should I let temptations take hold, letting evil ruin my peace and torment my soul? Why am I mad at my enemies? |
| 2 Nephi 4:28 | Awake, my soul! No longer droop in sin. Rejoice, O my heart, and give place no more for the enemy of my soul. | Wake up, my soul! Don’t be weighed down by sin anymore. Be happy, my heart, and don’t give room to the enemy of my soul. |
| 2 Nephi 4:29 | Do not anger again because of mine enemies. Do not slacken my strength because of mine afflictions. | Don’t get angry because of my enemies again. Don’t let my strength fail because of my troubles. |
| 2 Nephi 4:30 | Rejoice, O my heart, and cry unto the Lord, and say: O Lord, I will praise thee forever; yea, my soul will rejoice in thee, my God, and the rock of my salvation. | Be happy, my heart, and pray to the Lord, saying: Lord, I will praise you forever; my soul will rejoice in you, my God, and the rock of my salvation. |
| 2 Nephi 4:31 | O Lord, wilt thou redeem my soul? Wilt thou deliver me out of the hands of mine enemies? Wilt thou make me that I may shake at the appearance of sin? | Lord, will you save my soul? Will you protect me from my enemies? Will you help me be strong enough to turn away from sin? |
| 2 Nephi 4:32 | May the gates of hell be shut continually before me, because that my heart is broken and my spirit is contrite! O Lord, wilt thou not shut the gates of thy righteousness before me, that I may walk in the path of the low valley, that I may be strict in the plain road! | Please, Lord, keep the gates of hell locked against me because my heart is humbled and my spirit is regretful. Don’t close off your righteousness from me, so I can walk humbly and stay on the straightforward path! |
| 2 Nephi 4:33 | O Lord, wilt thou encircle me around in the robe of thy righteousness! O Lord, wilt thou make a way for mine escape before mine enemies! Wilt thou make my path straight before me! Wilt thou not place a stumbling block in my way—but that thou wouldst clear my way before me, and hedge not up my way, but the ways of mine enemy. | Lord, please surround me with your righteousness! Lord, please make a way for me to escape my enemies! Make my path clear and straight! Don’t let any obstacles come in my way; instead, clear my path and block the way of my enemies. |
| 2 Nephi 4:34 | O Lord, I have trusted in thee, and I will trust in thee forever. I will not put my trust in the arm of flesh; for I know that cursed is he that putteth his trust in the arm of flesh. Yea, cursed is he that putteth his trust in man or maketh flesh his arm. | Lord, I’ve always trusted you, and I’ll keep trusting you forever. I won’t rely on human strength, because I know it’s cursed to trust in people or their abilities. Yes, cursed is anyone who depends on human power instead of you. |
| 2 Nephi 4:35 | Yea, I know that God will give liberally to him that asketh. Yea, my God will give me, if I ask not amiss; therefore I will lift up my voice unto thee; yea, I will cry unto thee, my God, the rock of my righteousness. Behold, my voice shall forever ascend up unto thee, my rock and mine everlasting God. Amen. | I know that God will generously give to anyone who asks. I believe that if I ask sincerely, God will grant my requests. So, I will call out to Him, my God, the foundation of my righteousness. My prayers will always rise up to You, my rock and my everlasting God. Amen. |
2 Nephi 5
| Verse | Original | 7th Grade |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Nephi 5:1 | Behold, it came to pass that I, Nephi, did cry much unto the Lord my God, because of the anger of my brethren. | I, Nephi, prayed a lot to the Lord my God because my brothers were so angry. |
| 2 Nephi 5:2 | But behold, their anger did increase against me, insomuch that they did seek to take away my life. | But look, they got even angrier with me, to the point where they wanted to kill me. |
| 2 Nephi 5:3 | Yea, they did murmur against me, saying: Our younger brother thinks to rule over us; and we have had much trial because of him; wherefore, now let us slay him, that we may not be afflicted more because of his words. For behold, we will not have him to be our ruler; for it belongs unto us, who are the elder brethren, to rule over this people. | Yes, they complained about me, saying: Our younger brother thinks he can boss us around; we’ve had a lot of trouble because of him. So now let’s kill him so we won’t have to deal with his words anymore. We won’t let him be our leader because as the older brothers, we should be the ones in charge of this people. |
| 2 Nephi 5:4 | Now I do not write upon these plates all the words which they murmured against me. But it sufficeth me to say, that they did seek to take away my life. | I’m not writing down everything they said against me, but it’s enough to say they wanted to kill me. |
| 2 Nephi 5:5 | And it came to pass that the Lord did warn me, that I, Nephi, should depart from them and flee into the wilderness, and all those who would go with me. | The Lord warned me, Nephi, to leave and go into the wilderness, along with anyone who wanted to come with me. |
| 2 Nephi 5:6 | Wherefore, it came to pass that I, Nephi, did take my family, and also Zoram and his family, and Sam, mine elder brother and his family, and Jacob and Joseph, my younger brethren, and also my sisters, and all those who would go with me. And all those who would go with me were those who believed in the warnings and the revelations of God; wherefore, they did hearken unto my words. | So, I, Nephi, took my family, along with Zoram and his family, my older brother Sam and his family, my younger brothers Jacob and Joseph, my sisters, and everyone else who wanted to come with us. Those who came were the ones who believed in God’s warnings and revelations and listened to me. |
| 2 Nephi 5:7 | And we did take our tents and whatsoever things were possible for us, and did journey in the wilderness for the space of many days. And after we had journeyed for the space of many days we did pitch our tents. | We took our tents and anything else we could carry and traveled through the wilderness for many days. After journeying for a long time, we set up our tents. |
| 2 Nephi 5:8 | And my people would that we should call the name of the place Nephi; wherefore, we did call it Nephi. | My people wanted to name the place Nephi, so that’s what we called it. |
| 2 Nephi 5:9 | And all those who were with me did take upon them to call themselves the people of Nephi. | Everyone with me started calling themselves the people of Nephi. |
| 2 Nephi 5:10 | And we did observe to keep the judgments, and the statutes, and the commandments of the Lord in all things according to the law of Moses. | We followed the judgments, statutes, and commandments of the Lord in everything, as instructed by the law of Moses. |
| 2 Nephi 5:11 | And the Lord was with us; and we did prosper exceedingly; for we did sow seed, and we did reap again in abundance. And we began to raise flocks, and herds, and animals of every kind. | The Lord was with us, and we did very well. We planted seeds and had a great harvest. We started raising all sorts of flocks, herds, and other animals. |
| 2 Nephi 5:12 | And I, Nephi, had also brought the records which were engraven upon the plates of brass; and also the ball, or compass, which was prepared for my father by the hand of the Lord, according to that which is written. | I, Nephi, also brought the records made on the brass plates and the ball, or compass, that the Lord had prepared for my father, just as it was written. |
| 2 Nephi 5:13 | And it came to pass that we began to prosper exceedingly, and to multiply in the land. | We started to do very well and our population grew a lot in the land. |
| 2 Nephi 5:14 | And I, Nephi, did take the sword of Laban, and after the manner of it did make many swords, lest by any means the people who were now called Lamanites should come upon us and destroy us; for I knew their hatred towards me and my children and those who were called my people. | I, Nephi, took Laban’s sword and made more swords just like it to protect us from the Lamanites, who hated us and wanted to destroy me, my family, and our people. |
| 2 Nephi 5:15 | And I did teach my people to build buildings, and to work in all manner of wood, and of iron, and of copper, and of brass, and of steel, and of gold, and of silver, and of precious ores, which were in great abundance. | I taught my people how to build buildings and work with all kinds of materials: wood, iron, copper, brass, steel, gold, silver, and precious ores, all of which we had in great abundance. |
| 2 Nephi 5:16 | And I, Nephi, did build a temple; and I did construct it after the manner of the temple of Solomon save it were not built of so many precious things; for they were not to be found upon the land, wherefore, it could not be built like unto Solomon—s temple. But the manner of the construction was like unto the temple of Solomon; and the workmanship thereof was exceedingly fine. | I, Nephi, built a temple. I modeled it after Solomon’s temple, though it wasn’t made with as many precious materials because we didn’t have those available. Still, the construction was similar to Solomon’s temple, and the craftsmanship was extremely fine. |
| 2 Nephi 5:17 | And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did cause my people to be industrious, and to labor with their hands. | I, Nephi, encouraged my people to be hardworking and to work with their hands. |
| 2 Nephi 5:18 | And it came to pass that they would that I should be their king. But I, Nephi, was desirous that they should have no king; nevertheless, I did for them according to that which was in my power. | The people wanted me to be their king, but I didn’t want them to have a king. Still, I did what I could to help them. |
| 2 Nephi 5:19 | And behold, the words of the Lord had been fulfilled unto my brethren, which he spake concerning them, that I should be their ruler and their teacher. Wherefore, I had been their ruler and their teacher, according to the commandments of the Lord, until the time they sought to take away my life. | The words of the Lord came true for my brothers when He said I would be their leader and teacher. So, I did what the Lord commanded and served as their leader and teacher, until they tried to kill me. |
| 2 Nephi 5:20 | Wherefore, the word of the Lord was fulfilled which he spake unto me, saying that: Inasmuch as they will not hearken unto thy words they shall be cut off from the presence of the Lord. And behold, they were cut off from his presence. | So, what the Lord told me came true: since they didn’t listen to your words, they were separated from the Lord’s presence. And indeed, they were cut off from Him. |
| 2 Nephi 5:21 | And he had caused the cursing to come upon them, yea, even a sore cursing, because of their iniquity. For behold, they had hardened their hearts against him, that they had become like unto a flint; wherefore, as they were white, and exceedingly fair and delightsome, that they might not be enticing unto my people the Lord God did cause a skin of blackness to come upon them. | God put a curse on them because of their wickedness. They had hardened their hearts against Him, becoming as tough as rock. Although they were originally white and beautiful, to make them less attractive to my people, the Lord made their skin dark. |
| 2 Nephi 5:22 | And thus saith the Lord God: I will cause that they shall be loathsome unto thy people, save they shall repent of their iniquities. | Here’s what the Lord God says: I will make them detestable to your people, unless they repent of their sins. |
| 2 Nephi 5:23 | And cursed shall be the seed of him that mixeth with their seed; for they shall be cursed even with the same cursing. And the Lord spake it, and it was done. | Anyone who mixes their descendants with their descendants will be cursed with the same curse. The Lord said it, and it happened. |
| 2 Nephi 5:24 | And because of their cursing which was upon them they did become an idle people, full of mischief and subtlety, and did seek in the wilderness for beasts of prey. | Because of the curse on them, they became a lazy people, full of mischief and cunning, and they hunted wild animals in the wilderness. |
| 2 Nephi 5:25 | And the Lord God said unto me: They shall be a scourge unto thy seed, to stir them up in remembrance of me; and inasmuch as they will not remember me, and hearken unto my words, they shall scourge them even unto destruction. | The Lord God said to me, “They will be a problem for your descendants to remind them of me. If they don’t remember me and listen to my words, they will be punished until they are destroyed.” |
| 2 Nephi 5:26 | And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did consecrate Jacob and Joseph, that they should be priests and teachers over the land of my people. | So, I, Nephi, appointed Jacob and Joseph to be priests and teachers for my people. |
| 2 Nephi 5:27 | And it came to pass that we lived after the manner of happiness. | We lived happily. |
| 2 Nephi 5:28 | And thirty years had passed away from the time we left Jerusalem. | Thirty years have passed since we left Jerusalem. |
| 2 Nephi 5:29 | And I, Nephi, had kept the records upon my plates, which I had made, of my people thus far. | I, Nephi, have kept the records of my people on the plates I made so far. |
| 2 Nephi 5:30 | And it came to pass that the Lord God said unto me: Make other plates; and thou shalt engraven many things upon them which are good in my sight, for the profit of thy people. | The Lord God said to me, “Make other plates; and you shall engrave many things upon them that are good in my sight, for the benefit of your people.” |
| 2 Nephi 5:31 | Wherefore, I, Nephi, to be obedient to the commandments of the Lord, went and made these plates upon which I have engraven these things. | So, because I wanted to obey God’s commands, I went and made these plates to write everything down. |
| 2 Nephi 5:32 | And I engraved that which is pleasing unto God. And if my people are pleased with the things of God they will be pleased with mine engravings which are upon these plates. | I carved what pleases God. If my people like God’s things, they’ll like what I’ve carved on these plates. |
| 2 Nephi 5:33 | And if my people desire to know the more particular part of the history of my people they must search mine other plates. | If my people want to know more details about our history, they need to look at my other plates. |
| 2 Nephi 5:34 | And it sufficeth me to say that forty years had passed away, and we had already had wars and contentions with our brethren. | It’s enough to say that forty years had passed, and we had already experienced wars and conflicts with our brothers. |
2 Nephi 6
| Verse | Original | 7th Grade |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Nephi 6:1 | The words of Jacob, the brother of Nephi, which he spake unto the people of Nephi: | These are the words of Jacob, Nephi’s brother, speaking to the people of Nephi. |
| 2 Nephi 6:2 | Behold, my beloved brethren, I, Jacob, having been called of God, and ordained after the manner of his holy order, and having been consecrated by my brother Nephi, unto whom ye look as a king or a protector, and on whom ye depend for safety, behold ye know that I have spoken unto you exceedingly many things. | Hey, my dear friends. I’m Jacob. God called me, and I was ordained according to His holy order by my brother Nephi, who you see as a king or protector and rely on for safety. You know that I have talked to you about many things. |
| 2 Nephi 6:3 | Nevertheless, I speak unto you again; for I am desirous for the welfare of your souls. Yea, mine anxiety is great for you; and ye yourselves know that it ever has been. For I have exhorted you with all diligence; and I have taught you the words of my father; and I have spoken unto you concerning all things which are written, from the creation of the world. | I am talking to you again because I care about your well-being. I am very worried about you; and you know I always have been. I have urged you with all my effort, and I have taught you the words of my father, and I have told you about everything written since the creation of the world. |
| 2 Nephi 6:4 | And now, behold, I would speak unto you concerning things which are, and which are to come; wherefore, I will read you the words of Isaiah. And they are the words which my brother has desired that I should speak unto you. And I speak unto you for your sakes, that ye may learn and glorify the name of your God. | Now, listen. I want to talk to you about things that are happening now and what will happen in the future. So, I’m going to read you some words from Isaiah. These are words that my brother wanted me to share with you. I’m speaking to you for your benefit so that you can learn and praise the name of your God. |
| 2 Nephi 6:5 | And now, the words which I shall read are they which Isaiah spake concerning all the house of Israel; wherefore, they may be likened unto you, for ye are of the house of Israel. And there are many things which have been spoken by Isaiah which may be likened unto you, because ye are of the house of Israel. | The words I’m about to read are what Isaiah said about all of Israel, so you can relate them to yourselves because you are part of Israel. There are many things Isaiah said that you can apply to yourselves since you are part of Israel. |
| 2 Nephi 6:6 | And now these are the words: Thus saith the Lord God: Behold, I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people; and they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders. | These are the words: This is what the Lord God says: Look, I will reach out to the Gentiles and raise my standard for the people. They will bring your sons in their arms and carry your daughters on their shoulders. |
| 2 Nephi 6:7 | And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers; they shall bow down to thee with their faces towards the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know that I am the Lord; for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me. | Kings and queens will care for you like parents, bowing down to you with their faces to the ground and kissing the dust at your feet. Then you’ll know that I am the Lord. Those who wait for me won’t be disappointed. |
| 2 Nephi 6:8 | And now I, Jacob, would speak somewhat concerning these words. For behold, the Lord has shown me that those who were at Jerusalem, from whence we came, have been slain and carried away captive. | Now I, Jacob, want to talk a bit about these things. The Lord has shown me that the people who were in Jerusalem, where we came from, have been killed and taken away as captives. |
| 2 Nephi 6:9 | Nevertheless, the Lord has shown unto me that they should return again. And he also has shown unto me that the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, should manifest himself unto them in the flesh; and after he should manifest himself they should scourge him and crucify him, according to the words of the angel who spake it unto me. | Even so, the Lord has shown me that they should return. He also showed me that the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, would come to them in the flesh; and after he shows himself, they should whip him and crucify him, just like the angel told me. |
| 2 Nephi 6:10 | And after they have hardened their hearts and stiffened their necks against the Holy One of Israel, behold the judgments of the Holy One of Israel shall come upon them. And the day cometh that they shall be smitten and afflicted. | After they become stubborn and refuse to listen to the Holy One of Israel, the judgments of the Holy One of Israel will come upon them. There will come a day when they will be struck and afflicted. |
| 2 Nephi 6:11 | Wherefore, after they are driven to and fro, for thus saith the angel, many shall be afflicted in the flesh, and shall not be suffered to perish, because of the prayers of the faithful; they shall be scattered, and smitten, and hated; nevertheless, the Lord will be merciful unto them, that when they shall come to the knowledge of their Redeemer, they shall be gathered together again to the lands of their inheritance. | After they’re driven around, as the angel said, many will suffer physically, but they won’t be allowed to die because of the prayers of the faithful. They will be scattered, beaten, and hated, but the Lord will be merciful to them. When they come to know their Redeemer, they will be gathered back to their ancestral lands. |
| 2 Nephi 6:12 | And blessed are the Gentiles, they of whom the prophet has written; for behold, if it so be that they shall repent and fight not against Zion, and do not unite themselves to that great and abominable church, they shall be saved; for the Lord God will fulfil his covenants which he has made unto his children; and for this cause the prophet has written these things. | And blessed are the Gentiles, the ones the prophet wrote about. If they repent, don’t fight against Zion, and don’t join that great and horrible church, they will be saved; because the Lord God will keep the promises He made to His children. That’s why the prophet wrote these things. |
| 2 Nephi 6:13 | Wherefore, they that fight against Zion and the covenant people of the Lord shall lick up the dust of their feet; and the people of the Lord shall not be ashamed. For the people of the Lord are they who wait for him; for they still wait for the coming of the Messiah. | So, those who fight against Zion and the Lord’s covenant people will be defeated and humbled. And the Lord’s people will not be embarrassed because they are the ones who faithfully wait for Him and still look forward to the coming of the Messiah. |
| 2 Nephi 6:14 | And behold, according to the words of the prophet, the Messiah will set himself again the second time to recover them; wherefore, he will manifest himself unto them in power and great glory, unto the destruction of their enemies, when that day cometh when they shall believe in him; and none will he destroy that believe in him. | According to the prophet’s words, the Messiah will come again to save them. He will show himself to them in power and great glory, destroying their enemies. When they believe in him, he will not destroy anyone who believes in him. |
| 2 Nephi 6:15 | And they that believe not in him shall be destroyed, both by fire, and by tempest, and by earthquakes, and by bloodsheds, and by pestilence, and by famine. And they shall know that the Lord is God, the Holy One of Israel. | Those who don’t believe in Him will be destroyed by fire, storms, earthquakes, wars, diseases, and famine. They will know that the Lord is God, the Holy One of Israel. |
| 2 Nephi 6:16 | For shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered? | Can the strong really lose what they’ve taken, or can prisoners who deserve to be held be set free? |
| 2 Nephi 6:17 | But thus saith the Lord: Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered; for the Mighty God shall deliver his covenant people. For thus saith the Lord: I will contend with them that contendeth with thee— | But this is what the Lord says: Even the strong will lose their captives, and the terrible will have their prey taken away. God will save His covenant people. The Lord says: I will fight against anyone who fights against you. |
| 2 Nephi 6:18 | And I will feed them that oppress thee, with their own flesh; and they shall be drunken with their own blood as with sweet wine; and all flesh shall know that I the Lord am thy Savior and thy Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob. | I will make those who oppress you suffer by their own actions; they will be overwhelmed by their own evil as if they were drunk on sweet wine, and everyone will know that I, the Lord, am your Savior and Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob. |
2 Nephi 7
| Verse | Original | 7th Grade |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Nephi 7:1 | Yea, for thus saith the Lord: Have I put thee away, or have I cast thee off forever? For thus saith the Lord: Where is the bill of your mother—s divorcement? To whom have I put thee away, or to which of my creditors have I sold you? Yea, to whom have I sold you? Behold, for your iniquities have ye sold yourselves, and for your transgressions is your mother put away. | Yes, this is what the Lord says: Have I abandoned you, or rejected you forever? Where is the proof of your mother’s divorce? To whom have I sent you away, or to which of my creditors have I sold you? Look, because of your own sins, you have sold yourselves, and your mother is sent away because of your wrongdoings. |
| 2 Nephi 7:2 | Wherefore, when I came, there was no man; when I called, yea, there was none to answer. O house of Israel, is my hand shortened at all that it cannot redeem, or have I no power to deliver? Behold, at my rebuke I dry up the sea, I make their rivers a wilderness and their fish to stink because the waters are dried up, and they die because of thirst. | So, when I came, no one was there; when I called, no one answered. People of Israel, do you think my power is too weak to save you? Or that I have no strength to rescue? Look, with a simple command, I can dry up the sea, turn rivers into deserts, make the fish die and stink because the waters are gone and they die of thirst. |
| 2 Nephi 7:3 | I clothe the heavens with blackness, and I make sackcloth their covering. | I cover the skies with darkness and use sackcloth as their wrapping. |
| 2 Nephi 7:4 | The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season unto thee, O house of Israel. When ye are weary he waketh morning by morning. He waketh mine ear to hear as the learned. | The Lord God has given me the speech of the wise, so I can give timely words to you, O house of Israel. When you are tired, he wakes up morning by morning and wakes up my ear to listen like the learned. |
| 2 Nephi 7:5 | The Lord God hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back. | The Lord God has given me understanding, and I did not resist or turn away. |
| 2 Nephi 7:6 | I gave my back to the smiter, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair. I hid not my face from shame and spitting. | I let them hit my back and pull out the hair on my cheeks. I didn’t try to hide from the shame or the spitting. |
| 2 Nephi 7:7 | For the Lord God will help me, therefore shall I not be confounded. Therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed. | The Lord God will help me, so I won’t be confused or lost. I’ve made up my mind to stay strong, and I know I won’t feel ashamed. |
| 2 Nephi 7:8 | And the Lord is near, and he justifieth me. Who will contend with me? Let us stand together. Who is mine adversary? Let him come near me, and I will smite him with the strength of my mouth. | The Lord is close to me and He stands up for me. Who wants to challenge me? Let’s face each other. Who’s my opponent? Let him come to me, and I will defeat him with the power of my words. |
| 2 Nephi 7:9 | For the Lord God will help me. And all they who shall condemn me, behold, all they shall wax old as a garment, and the moth shall eat them up. | The Lord God will help me. Anyone who condemns me will become like old clothes eaten by moths. |
| 2 Nephi 7:10 | Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness and hath no light? | Who among you fears the Lord and listens to his servant but walks in darkness without any light? |
| 2 Nephi 7:11 | Behold all ye that kindle fire, that compass yourselves about with sparks, walk in the light of your fire and in the sparks which ye have kindled. This shall ye have of mine hand—ye shall lie down in sorrow. | Listen, all of you who start your own fires and surround yourselves with sparks. Walk in the light of your own fire and the sparks you have created. But from me, you will get this—you will end up in sorrow. |
2 Nephi 8
| Verse | Original | 7th Grade |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Nephi 8:1 | Hearken unto me, ye that follow after righteousness. Look unto the rock from whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit from whence ye are digged. | Listen to me, you who strive for righteousness. Remember the rock you were cut from, and the pit you were dug from. |
| 2 Nephi 8:2 | Look unto Abraham, your father, and unto Sarah, she that bare you; for I called him alone, and blessed him. | Look to Abraham, your father, and Sarah, your mother; I called him alone and blessed him. |
| 2 Nephi 8:3 | For the Lord shall comfort Zion, he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord. Joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving and the voice of melody. | The Lord will comfort Zion and all her desolate places. He’ll turn her wilderness into Eden and her desert into a garden like the Lord’s. Joy and gladness will be found there, along with thanksgiving and singing. |
| 2 Nephi 8:4 | Hearken unto me, my people; and give ear unto me, O my nation; for a law shall proceed from me, and I will make my judgment to rest for a light for the people. | Listen to me, my people, and pay attention, my nation. A law will come from me, and my judgment will be a light for the people. |
| 2 Nephi 8:5 | My righteousness is near; my salvation is gone forth, and mine arm shall judge the people. The isles shall wait upon me, and on mine arm shall they trust. | My righteousness is close; my salvation has gone out, and my power will judge the people. The islands will wait for me, and they will trust in my strength. |
| 2 Nephi 8:6 | Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath; for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment; and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner. But my salvation shall be forever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished. | Look up to the sky and take a look at the earth below; the sky will disappear like smoke, and the earth will wear out like an old piece of clothing. The people living there will die just the same. But my salvation will last forever, and my righteousness won’t ever end. |
| 2 Nephi 8:7 | Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart I have written my law, fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings. | Listen to me, you who know what is right. I have written my law in your hearts. Don’t be afraid of what people might say or think about you. |
| 2 Nephi 8:8 | For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool. But my righteousness shall be forever, and my salvation from generation to generation. | Just like moths destroy clothes and worms ruin wool, my righteousness will last forever, and my salvation will continue through all generations. |
| 2 Nephi 8:9 | Awake, awake! Put on strength, O arm of the Lord; awake as in the ancient days. Art thou not he that hath cut Rahab, and wounded the dragon? | Wake up, wake up! Show your strength, O arm of the Lord; wake up as you did in ancient times. Aren’t you the one who defeated Rahab and struck down the dragon? |
| 2 Nephi 8:10 | Art thou not he who hath dried the sea, the waters of the great deep; that hath made the depths of the sea a way for the ransomed to pass over? | Aren’t you the one who dried up the sea, the waters of the great deep, and made a path through the sea so the ransomed could cross over? |
| 2 Nephi 8:11 | Therefore, the redeemed of the Lord shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy and holiness shall be upon their heads; and they shall obtain gladness and joy; sorrow and mourning shall flee away. | So, the redeemed of the Lord will come back, singing joyfully to Zion. Eternal happiness and holiness will be with them, filling their hearts with gladness and joy, while sorrow and mourning disappear. |
| 2 Nephi 8:12 | I am he; yea, I am he that comforteth you. Behold, who art thou, that thou shouldst be afraid of man, who shall die, and of the son of man, who shall be made like unto grass? | I am the one who comforts you. So why are you afraid of mere humans, who will die, and of mortals, who are like grass? |
| 2 Nephi 8:13 | And forgettest the Lord thy maker, that hath stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth, and hast feared continually every day, because of the fury of the oppressor, as if he were ready to destroy? And where is the fury of the oppressor? | And you forget the Lord your maker, who stretched out the heavens and laid the earth’s foundations, and you live in constant fear every day because of the oppressor’s anger, as if he’s ready to destroy you. But where is the oppressor’s anger now? |
| 2 Nephi 8:14 | The captive exile hasteneth, that he may be loosed, and that he should not die in the pit, nor that his bread should fail. | The captive in exile is rushing to be freed, so he won’t die in the pit or run out of food. |
| 2 Nephi 8:15 | But I am the Lord thy God, whose waves roared; the Lord of Hosts is my name. | I am the Lord your God whose waves roared, the Lord of Hosts is my name. |
| 2 Nephi 8:16 | And I have put my words in thy mouth, and have covered thee in the shadow of mine hand, that I may plant the heavens and lay the foundations of the earth, and say unto Zion: Behold, thou art my people. | I’ve given you my words and protected you with my hand so that I can create the skies and build the foundations of the earth, and I say to Zion: You are my people. |
| 2 Nephi 8:17 | Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem, which hast drunk at the hand of the Lord the cup of his fury—thou hast drunken the dregs of the cup of trembling wrung out— | Wake up, wake up, Jerusalem! You’ve drunk from the Lord’s hand, tasting His fury—you’ve drained the cup of trembling to its very last drop. |
| 2 Nephi 8:18 | And none to guide her among all the sons she hath brought forth; neither that taketh her by the hand, of all the sons she hath brought up. | And no one was there to guide her among all the sons she had given birth to; none of them took her by the hand, from all the sons she had raised. |
| 2 Nephi 8:19 | These two sons are come unto thee, who shall be sorry for thee—thy desolation and destruction, and the famine and the sword—and by whom shall I comfort thee? | Your two sons have come to you, and they will lament over your desolation and destruction, your famine and sword. Who will comfort you? |
| 2 Nephi 8:20 | Thy sons have fainted, save these two; they lie at the head of all the streets; as a wild bull in a net, they are full of the fury of the Lord, the rebuke of thy God. | Your sons have fainted, except these two; they lie at the head of every street; like a wild bull trapped in a net, they are filled with the Lord’s fury, the rebuke of your God. |
| 2 Nephi 8:21 | Therefore hear now this, thou afflicted, and drunken, and not with wine: | So listen to me, you who are troubled and acting like you’re drunk, but not from wine. |
| 2 Nephi 8:22 | Thus saith thy Lord, the Lord and thy God pleadeth the cause of his people; behold, I have taken out of thine hand the cup of trembling, the dregs of the cup of my fury; thou shalt no more drink it again. | This is what your Lord, the Lord and your God says: I have fought for my people; look, I have taken the cup of trembling and the dregs of my fury from your hand, and you will never drink from it again. |
| 2 Nephi 8:23 | But I will put it into the hand of them that afflict thee; who have said to thy soul: Bow down, that we may go over—and thou hast laid thy body as the ground and as the street to them that went over. | But I’ll give it to those who oppressed you, the ones who told you: “Bow down so we can walk over you”—and you made your body like the ground and the street for them to walk on. |
| 2 Nephi 8:24 | Awake, awake, put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city; for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean. | Wake up, wake up, Zion; get ready and put on your beautiful clothes, Jerusalem, the holy city. From now on, no one unworthy or impure will enter you. |
| 2 Nephi 8:25 | Shake thyself from the dust; arise, sit down, O Jerusalem; loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion. | Get up and dust yourself off; stand up, sit down, Jerusalem. Free yourself from the chains around your neck, you who are held captive, daughter of Zion. |
2 Nephi 9
| Verse | Original | 7th Grade |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Nephi 9:1 | And now, my beloved brethren, I have read these things that ye might know concerning the covenants of the Lord that he has covenanted with all the house of Israel— | And now, my dear brothers and sisters, I have shared these things with you to help you understand the promises the Lord has made with the entire house of Israel. |
| 2 Nephi 9:2 | That he has spoken unto the Jews, by the mouth of his holy prophets, even from the beginning down, from generation to generation, until the time comes that they shall be restored to the true church and fold of God; when they shall be gathered home to the lands of their inheritance, and shall be established in all their lands of promise. | God has spoken to the Jews through his holy prophets from the beginning, throughout every generation, until the time comes when they will return to the true church and God’s community. Then, they will be gathered back to their inherited lands and established in all their promised lands. |
| 2 Nephi 9:3 | Behold, my beloved brethren, I speak unto you these things that ye may rejoice, and lift up your heads forever, because of the blessings which the Lord God shall bestow upon your children. | Hey, my dear brothers and sisters, I’m telling you these things so you can be happy and always hold your heads high because of the blessings that the Lord God will give to your children. |
| 2 Nephi 9:4 | For I know that ye have searched much, many of you, to know of things to come; wherefore I know that ye know that our flesh must waste away and die; nevertheless, in our bodies we shall see God. | I know many of you have searched a lot to understand what will happen in the future. So, I know you understand that our bodies will waste away and die. But even so, in our bodies, we will see God. |
| 2 Nephi 9:5 | Yea, I know that ye know that in the body he shall show himself unto those at Jerusalem, from whence we came; for it is expedient that it should be among them; for it behooveth the great Creator that he suffereth himself to become subject unto man in the flesh, and die for all men, that all men might become subject unto him. | I know you already understand that he will appear in person to those in Jerusalem, where we came from. It’s necessary for this to happen among them because it’s essential for the great Creator to willingly take on a human body and die for everyone, so that everyone can follow him. |
| 2 Nephi 9:6 | For as death hath passed upon all men, to fulfil the merciful plan of the great Creator, there must needs be a power of resurrection, and the resurrection must needs come unto man by reason of the fall; and the fall came by reason of transgression; and because man became fallen they were cut off from the presence of the Lord. | Since death has affected everyone to fulfill the Creator’s merciful plan, there needs to be the power of resurrection. The resurrection is necessary because of the Fall, and the Fall happened because of transgression. Because humanity fell, they were separated from the presence of the Lord. |
| 2 Nephi 9:7 | Wherefore, it must needs be an infinite atonement—save it should be an infinite atonement this corruption could not put on incorruption. Wherefore, the first judgment which came upon man must needs have remained to an endless duration. And if so, this flesh must have laid down to rot and to crumble to its mother earth, to rise no more. | So, we need an infinite atonement—without it, this corruptible body couldn’t become incorruptible. Because of this, the first judgment that came upon humanity would last forever. If that happened, our bodies would lay down to rot and turn back to the earth, never to rise again. |
| 2 Nephi 9:8 | O the wisdom of God, his mercy and grace! For behold, if the flesh should rise no more our spirits must become subject to that angel who fell from before the presence of the Eternal God, and became the devil, to rise no more. | Oh, the wisdom of God, his mercy and grace! Because if our bodies never rose again, our spirits would be at the mercy of that angel who fell from God’s presence and became the devil, never to rise again. |
| 2 Nephi 9:9 | And our spirits must have become like unto him, and we become devils, angels to a devil, to be shut out from the presence of our God, and to remain with the father of lies, in misery, like unto himself; yea, to that being who beguiled our first parents, who transformeth himself nigh unto an angel of light, and stirreth up the children of men unto secret combinations of murder and all manner of secret works of darkness. | Our spirits would become like his, and we would turn into devils, messengers for a devil, cut off from God’s presence, stuck with the father of lies in misery, just like him—yes, with the one who tricked our first parents, who disguises himself almost like an angel of light, and stirs people up to secret combinations of murder and all kinds of secret evil deeds. |
| 2 Nephi 9:10 | O how great the goodness of our God, who prepareth a way for our escape from the grasp of this awful monster; yea, that monster, death and hell, which I call the death of the body, and also the death of the spirit. | Oh, how great is the goodness of our God, who prepares a way for us to escape from the grip of this terrible monster; yes, that monster, death and hell, which I call the death of the body and also the death of the spirit. |
| 2 Nephi 9:11 | And because of the way of deliverance of our God, the Holy One of Israel, this death, of which I have spoken, which is the temporal, shall deliver up its dead; which death is the grave. | Because of the way our God, the Holy One of Israel, saves us, the physical death I’ve talked about will give up its dead, which means the grave will release those who have died. |
| 2 Nephi 9:12 | And this death of which I have spoken, which is the spiritual death, shall deliver up its dead; which spiritual death is hell; wherefore, death and hell must deliver up their dead, and hell must deliver up its captive spirits, and the grave must deliver up its captive bodies, and the bodies and the spirits of men will be restored one to the other; and it is by the power of the resurrection of the Holy One of Israel. | The spiritual death I’ve mentioned, which is hell, will release its dead. Death and hell must give up the souls they’ve captured, and the grave must give up the bodies it’s holding. Then, the bodies and spirits of people will be reunited by the power of the resurrection from the Holy One of Israel. |
| 2 Nephi 9:13 | O how great the plan of our God! For on the other hand, the paradise of God must deliver up the spirits of the righteous, and the grave deliver up the body of the righteous; and the spirit and the body is restored to itself again, and all men become incorruptible, and immortal, and they are living souls, having a perfect knowledge like unto us in the flesh, save it be that our knowledge shall be perfect. | Oh, how amazing is the plan of our God! Heaven will return the spirits of the righteous, and the grave will return their bodies; then their spirits and bodies will be reunited. Everyone will become incorruptible and immortal, living souls with perfect knowledge, just like we have now, but even more complete. |
| 2 Nephi 9:14 | Wherefore, we shall have a perfect knowledge of all our guilt, and our uncleanness, and our nakedness; and the righteous shall have a perfect knowledge of their enjoyment, and their righteousness, being clothed with purity, yea, even with the robe of righteousness. | So, we will have a complete understanding of all our wrongdoings and impurities, and feel exposed. Meanwhile, the righteous will fully appreciate their joy and their goodness, wrapped in purity and the robe of righteousness. |
| 2 Nephi 9:15 | And it shall come to pass that when all men shall have passed from this first death unto life, insomuch as they have become immortal, they must appear before the judgment-seat of the Holy One of Israel; and then cometh the judgment, and then must they be judged according to the holy judgment of God. | When everyone has moved from the first death to life and become immortal, they will have to stand before the judgment seat of the Holy One of Israel. Then comes the judgment, and they will be judged according to God’s holy judgment. |
| 2 Nephi 9:16 | And assuredly, as the Lord liveth, for the Lord God hath spoken it, and it is his eternal word, which cannot pass away, that they who are righteous shall be righteous still, and they who are filthy shall be filthy still; wherefore, they who are filthy are the devil and his angels; and they shall go away into everlasting fire; prepared for them; and their torment is as a lake of fire and brimstone, whose flame ascendeth up forever and ever and has no end. | As surely as God lives and because He has spoken it, His eternal word cannot be broken. Those who are righteous will stay righteous, and those who are sinful will stay sinful. Thus, the sinful belong to the devil and his followers, and they will be cast into everlasting fire prepared for them, a torment like a lake of burning sulfur, where the flames go up forever without end. |
| 2 Nephi 9:17 | O the greatness and the justice of our God! For he executeth all his words, and they have gone forth out of his mouth, and his law must be fulfilled. | Oh, how great and just our God is! He keeps all His promises, and everything He said has come true. His law must be obeyed. |
| 2 Nephi 9:18 | But, behold, the righteous, the saints of the Holy One of Israel, they who have believed in the Holy One of Israel, they who have endured the crosses of the world, and despised the shame of it, they shall inherit the kingdom of God, which was prepared for them from the foundation of the world, and their joy shall be full forever. | However, the good people, the followers of the Holy One of Israel, those who have believed in Him and endured the challenges of life without being ashamed, they will inherit God’s kingdom, which has been ready for them since the beginning of the world, and their joy will be complete forever. |
| 2 Nephi 9:19 | O the greatness of the mercy of our God, the Holy One of Israel! For he delivereth his saints from that awful monster the devil, and death, and hell, and that lake of fire and brimstone, which is endless torment. | Oh, the incredible mercy of our God, the Holy One of Israel! He saves His followers from that terrible being, the devil, and from death and hell, that lake of fire and brimstone, which brings endless suffering. |
| 2 Nephi 9:20 | O how great the holiness of our God! For he knoweth all things, and there is not anything save he knows it. | Oh, how great is God’s holiness! He knows everything, and there’s nothing he doesn’t know. |
| 2 Nephi 9:21 | And he cometh into the world that he may save all men if they will hearken unto his voice; for behold, he suffereth the pains of all men, yea, the pains of every living creature, both men, women, and children, who belong to the family of Adam. | He comes into the world to save everyone who will listen to him. He suffers the pains of all people—men, women, and children—who are part of the family of Adam. |
| 2 Nephi 9:22 | And he suffereth this that the resurrection might pass upon all men, that all might stand before him at the great and judgment day. | He lets this happen so that everyone can be resurrected and stand before Him on Judgment Day. |
| 2 Nephi 9:23 | And he commandeth all men that they must repent, and be baptized in his name, having perfect faith in the Holy One of Israel, or they cannot be saved in the kingdom of God. | He orders everyone to repent and be baptized in His name, with complete faith in the Holy One of Israel, otherwise they can’t be saved in God’s kingdom. |
| 2 Nephi 9:24 | And if they will not repent and believe in his name, and be baptized in his name, and endure to the end, they must be damned; for the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, has spoken it. | If they don’t repent, believe in His name, get baptized in His name, and stay faithful to the end, they will be condemned because the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, has said so. |
| 2 Nephi 9:25 | Wherefore, he has given a law; and where there is no law given there is no punishment; and where there is no punishment there is no condemnation; and where there is no condemnation the mercies of the Holy One of Israel have claim upon them, because of the atonement; for they are delivered by the power of him. | So, God has given a law, and if there’s no law given, there’s no punishment. Without punishment, there’s no condemnation. And where there’s no condemnation, the mercies of the Holy One of Israel can claim those people because of the atonement, for they are saved by His power. |
| 2 Nephi 9:26 | For the atonement satisfieth the demands of his justice upon all those who have not the law given to them, that they are delivered from that awful monster, death and hell, and the devil, and the lake of fire and brimstone, which is endless torment; and they are restored to that God who gave them breath, which is the Holy One of Israel. | The atonement meets the demands of justice for those who haven’t been given the law, freeing them from death, hell, the devil, and the lake of fire and brimstone, which is endless torment. They are brought back to God, the Holy One of Israel, who gave them life. |
| 2 Nephi 9:27 | But wo unto him that has the law given, yea, that has all the commandments of God, like unto us, and that transgresseth them, and that wasteth the days of his probation, for awful is his state! | But woe to anyone who has the commandments of God, like we do, and breaks them, wasting their time on earth, because their situation is terrible! |
| 2 Nephi 9:28 | O that cunning plan of the evil one! O the vainness, and the frailties, and the foolishness of men! When they are learned they think they are wise, and they hearken not unto the counsel of God, for they set it aside, supposing they know of themselves, wherefore, their wisdom is foolishness and it profiteth them not. And they shall perish. | Oh, the clever tricks of the devil! The arrogance, the weaknesses, and the foolishness of people! When they become learned, they think they are wise and ignore God’s advice, believing they know best. Their so-called wisdom is foolishness and does them no good. And they will face destruction. |
| 2 Nephi 9:29 | But to be learned is good if they hearken unto the counsels of God. | Learning is great, but it’s important to listen to God’s guidance too. |
| 2 Nephi 9:30 | But wo unto the rich, who are rich as to the things of the world. For because they are rich they despise the poor, and they persecute the meek, and their hearts are upon their treasures; wherefore, their treasure is their God. And behold, their treasure shall perish with them also. | But woe to the rich who are focused on worldly things. Because they’re rich, they look down on the poor, mistreat the humble, and are obsessed with their wealth. Their money is like their god. But their wealth will vanish when they do. |
| 2 Nephi 9:31 | And wo unto the deaf that will not hear; for they shall perish. | And trouble to those who refuse to listen; for they will die. |
| 2 Nephi 9:32 | Wo unto the blind that will not see; for they shall perish also. | Woe to those who are blind and refuse to see; they will also perish. |
| 2 Nephi 9:33 | Wo unto the uncircumcised of heart, for a knowledge of their iniquities shall smite them at the last day. | Trouble awaits those who are stubborn and unrepentant, because their sins will be revealed and condemn them on the last day. |
| 2 Nephi 9:34 | Wo unto the liar, for he shall be thrust down to hell. | Woe to the liar, for he will be sent to hell. |
| 2 Nephi 9:35 | Wo unto the murderer who deliberately killeth, for he shall die. | Woe to the murderer who kills on purpose, for they will be punished by death. |
| 2 Nephi 9:36 | Wo unto them who commit whoredoms, for they shall be thrust down to hell. | Woe to those who commit sexual sins, for they will be sent to hell. |
| 2 Nephi 9:37 | Yea, wo unto those that worship idols, for the devil of all devils delighteth in them. | Yes, trouble awaits those who worship idols, because the most evil of devils enjoys their actions. |
| 2 Nephi 9:38 | And, in fine, wo unto all those who die in their sins; for they shall return to God, and behold his face, and remain in their sins. | And finally, trouble awaits those who die in their sins; for they will return to God, see His face, and remain in their sins. |
| 2 Nephi 9:39 | O, my beloved brethren, remember the awfulness in transgressing against that Holy God, and also the awfulness of yielding to the enticings of that cunning one. Remember, to be carnally-minded is death, and to be spiritually-minded is life eternal. | My dear brothers and sisters, remember how serious it is to go against our Holy God and how terrible it is to give in to the temptations of the devil. Remember, focusing on worldly things leads to death, but focusing on spiritual things leads to eternal life. |
| 2 Nephi 9:40 | O, my beloved brethren, give ear to my words. Remember the greatness of the Holy One of Israel. Do not say that I have spoken hard things against you; for if ye do, ye will revile against the truth; for I have spoken the words of your Maker. I know that the words of truth are hard against all uncleanness; but the righteous fear them not, for they love the truth and are not shaken. | Hey, my dear friends, listen to what I have to say. Remember how great the Holy One of Israel is. Don’t say that I’ve been too harsh on you; if you do, you’re rejecting the truth. What I’ve told you are the words of your Creator. I know the truth is tough on all wrongdoing, but good people aren’t afraid of it because they love the truth and stand strong. |
| 2 Nephi 9:41 | O then, my beloved brethren, come unto the Lord, the Holy One. Remember that his paths are righteous. Behold, the way for man is narrow, but it lieth in a straight course before him, and the keeper of the gate is the Holy One of Israel; and he employeth no servant there; and there is none other way save it be by the gate; for he cannot be deceived, for the Lord God is his name. | So, my dear brothers, come to the Lord, the Holy One. Remember that His ways are righteous. The path for us is narrow, but it’s straightforward, and the guardian at the gate is the Holy One of Israel. He doesn’t hire anyone else to do it; there’s no other way except through the gate. He can’t be fooled, because the Lord God is His name. |
| 2 Nephi 9:42 | And whoso knocketh, to him will he open; and the wise, and the learned, and they that are rich, who are puffed up because of their learning, and their wisdom, and their riches—yea, they are they whom he despiseth; and save they shall cast these things away, and consider themselves fools before God, and come down in the depths of humility, he will not open unto them. | Anyone who knocks, the door will be opened to them. But the wise, the learned, and the rich, who are arrogant because of their knowledge, wisdom, and wealth—yes, these are the people he despises. Unless they let go of these things, see themselves as fools before God, and humble themselves deeply, he won’t open the door to them. |
| 2 Nephi 9:43 | But the things of the wise and the prudent shall be hid from them forever—yea, that happiness which is prepared for the saints. | But the things that the wise and prudent know will be hidden from them forever. Yes, even the happiness that is prepared for the saints. |
| 2 Nephi 9:44 | O, my beloved brethren, remember my words. Behold, I take off my garments, and I shake them before you; I pray the God of my salvation that he view me with his all-searching eye; wherefore, ye shall know at the last day, when all men shall be judged of their works, that the God of Israel did witness that I shook your iniquities from my soul, and that I stand with brightness before him, and am rid of your blood. | My dear brothers and sisters, listen to my words. Look, I’m shaking my clothes in front of you. I ask God, my Savior, to see me clearly. So, you’ll know on Judgment Day, when everyone’s deeds are reviewed, that God knew I shook off your sins and stand with a clean conscience before Him, free of your guilt. |
| 2 Nephi 9:45 | O, my beloved brethren, turn away from your sins; shake off the chains of him that would bind you fast; come unto that God who is the rock of your salvation. | My dear brothers and sisters, stop sinning; break free from the chains of the one who wants to trap you; come to God, who is your salvation. |
| 2 Nephi 9:46 | Prepare your souls for that glorious day when justice shall be administered unto the righteous, even the day of judgment, that ye may not shrink with awful fear; that ye may not remember your awful guilt in perfectness, and be constrained to exclaim: Holy, holy are thy judgments, O Lord God Almighty—but I know my guilt; I transgressed thy law, and my transgressions are mine; and the devil hath obtained me, that I am a prey to his awful misery. | Get ready for that amazing day when justice will be served to the righteous, the day of judgment, so you won’t be filled with fear and not remember your guilt completely, being forced to cry out: Holy, holy are your judgments, O Lord God Almighty—but I know my guilt; I broke your law, and my wrongdoings are mine, and the devil has got hold of me, making me suffer his terrible misery. |
| 2 Nephi 9:47 | But behold, my brethren, is it expedient that I should awake you to an awful reality of these things? Would I harrow up your souls if your minds were pure? Would I be plain unto you according to the plainness of the truth if ye were freed from sin? | But listen, my brothers, is it necessary for me to wake you up to these terrifying truths? Would I disturb your peace if your minds were pure? Would I speak so bluntly about the truth if you were free from sin? |
| 2 Nephi 9:48 | Behold, if ye were holy I would speak unto you of holiness; but as ye are not holy, and ye look upon me as a teacher, it must needs be expedient that I teach you the consequences of sin. | Listen, if you were holy, I would talk to you about holiness. But since you’re not holy and you see me as a teacher, I need to teach you about the consequences of sin. |
| 2 Nephi 9:49 | Behold, my soul abhorreth sin, and my heart delighteth in righteousness; and I will praise the holy name of my God. | I hate sin and love doing what is right. I will praise the holy name of my God. |
| 2 Nephi 9:50 | Come, my brethren, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters; and he that hath no money, come buy and eat; yea, come buy wine and milk without money and without price. | Come, everyone who is thirsty, come to the waters. Even if you have no money, come, buy and eat. Come, buy wine and milk without money and at no cost. |
| 2 Nephi 9:51 | Wherefore, do not spend money for that which is of no worth, nor your labor for that which cannot satisfy. Hearken diligently unto me, and remember the words which I have spoken; and come unto the Holy One of Israel, and feast upon that which perisheth not, neither can be corrupted, and let your soul delight in fatness. | So, don’t waste your money on useless things or your effort on stuff that won’t make you happy. Listen to me carefully and remember what I’ve said. Come to the Holy One of Israel and enjoy what is eternal and incorruptible, and let your soul take pleasure in true abundance. |
| 2 Nephi 9:52 | Behold, my beloved brethren, remember the words of your God; pray unto him continually by day, and give thanks unto his holy name by night. Let your hearts rejoice. | Listen, my dear brothers and sisters, remember the words of God; pray to Him throughout the day, and give thanks to His holy name at night. Let your hearts be joyful. |
| 2 Nephi 9:53 | And behold how great the covenants of the Lord, and how great his condescensions unto the children of men; and because of his greatness, and his grace and mercy, he has promised unto us that our seed shall not utterly be destroyed, according to the flesh, but that he would preserve them; and in future generations they shall become a righteous branch unto the house of Israel. | Look at how amazing the Lord’s promises are and how much He has humbled Himself for us. Because of His greatness, grace, and mercy, He has assured us that our descendants will not be completely destroyed but will be preserved. In the future, they will become a righteous group within the house of Israel. |
| 2 Nephi 9:54 | And now, my brethren, I would speak unto you more; but on the morrow I will declare unto you the remainder of my words. Amen. | Now, my brothers, I want to say more to you, but I’ll share the rest of my thoughts with you tomorrow. Amen. |
2 Nephi 10
| Verse | Original | 7th Grade |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Nephi 10:1 | And now I, Jacob, speak unto you again, my beloved brethren, concerning this righteous branch of which I have spoken. | And now I, Jacob, want to talk to you again, my dear brothers, about this righteous branch I mentioned earlier. |
| 2 Nephi 10:2 | For behold, the promises which we have obtained are promises unto us according to the flesh; wherefore, as it has been shown unto me that many of our children shall perish in the flesh because of unbelief, nevertheless, God will be merciful unto many; and our children shall be restored, that they may come to that which will give them the true knowledge of their Redeemer. | Look, the promises we received are for us in this life. I’ve been shown that many of our children will die because they don’t believe. But even so, God will show mercy to many, and our children will be brought back to gain true knowledge of their Redeemer. |
| 2 Nephi 10:3 | Wherefore, as I said unto you, it must needs be expedient that Christ—for in the last night the angel spake unto me that this should be his name—should come among the Jews, among those who are the more wicked part of the world; and they shall crucify him—for thus it behooveth our God, and there is none other nation on earth that would crucify their God. | So, as I told you, it’s necessary for Christ—because last night an angel told me that this would be his name—to come among the Jews, who are among the more wicked people in the world; and they will crucify him—because that’s what God has determined, and there’s no other nation on earth that would crucify their God. |
| 2 Nephi 10:4 | For should the mighty miracles be wrought among other nations they would repent, and know that he be their God. | If other nations saw these great miracles, they would repent and recognize that He is their God. |
| 2 Nephi 10:5 | But because of priestcrafts and iniquities, they at Jerusalem will stiffen their necks against him, that he be crucified. | But because of corruption and sin, the people in Jerusalem will resist Him and have Him crucified. |
| 2 Nephi 10:6 | Wherefore, because of their iniquities, destructions, famines, pestilences, and bloodshed shall come upon them; and they who shall not be destroyed shall be scattered among all nations. | So, because of their wickedness, there will be destructions, famines, diseases, and a lot of bloodshed. Those who survive won’t be destroyed but will be scattered among all nations. |
| 2 Nephi 10:7 | But behold, thus saith the Lord God: When the day cometh that they shall believe in me, that I am Christ, then have I covenanted with their fathers that they shall be restored in the flesh, upon the earth, unto the lands of their inheritance. | But listen, says the Lord God: When the time comes that they believe in me, that I am Christ, I have promised their ancestors that they will be restored in the flesh, on the earth, to the lands they inherited. |
| 2 Nephi 10:8 | And it shall come to pass that they shall be gathered in from their long dispersion, from the isles of the sea, and from the four parts of the earth; and the nations of the Gentiles shall be great in the eyes of me, saith God, in carrying them forth to the lands of their inheritance. | There will come a time when people will be gathered from their long dispersion, from the islands and from all parts of the earth. The Gentile nations will be honored by God for helping them return to their ancestral lands. |
| 2 Nephi 10:9 | Yea, the kings of the Gentiles shall be nursing fathers unto them, and their queens shall become nursing mothers; wherefore, the promises of the Lord are great unto the Gentiles, for he hath spoken it, and who can dispute? | Yes, the leaders of the Gentiles will help support them like fathers do, and their queens will care for them like mothers. Because of this, the promises of the Lord to the Gentiles are great, for He has declared it, and who can argue with that? |
| 2 Nephi 10:10 | But behold, this land, said God, shall be a land of thine inheritance, and the Gentiles shall be blessed upon the land. | But listen, this land, God said, will be a land for your descendants, and the non-Israelites will be blessed here. |
| 2 Nephi 10:11 | And this land shall be a land of liberty unto the Gentiles, and there shall be no kings upon the land, who shall raise up unto the Gentiles. | This land will be a land of freedom for the Gentiles, and there will be no kings here who will rule over the Gentiles. |
| 2 Nephi 10:12 | And I will fortify this land against all other nations. | I will protect this land from all other nations. |
| 2 Nephi 10:13 | And he that fighteth against Zion shall perish, saith God. | Anyone who fights against Zion will perish, says God. |
| 2 Nephi 10:14 | For he that raiseth up a king against me shall perish, for I, the Lord, the king of heaven, will be their king, and I will be a light unto them forever, that hear my words. | Anyone who tries to set up a king against me will be destroyed. I am the Lord, the king of heaven, and I will be their king and guide them forever, as long as they listen to my words. |
| 2 Nephi 10:15 | Wherefore, for this cause, that my covenants may be fulfilled which I have made unto the children of men, that I will do unto them while they are in the flesh, I must needs destroy the secret works of darkness, and of murders, and of abominations. | So that my promises to the people will be fulfilled while they are alive, I have to destroy the secret works of evil, including murders and abominations. |
| 2 Nephi 10:16 | Wherefore, he that fighteth against Zion, both Jew and Gentile, both bond and free, both male and female, shall perish; for they are they who are the whore of all the earth; for they who are not for me are against me, saith our God. | So, anyone who fights against Zion, whether they’re Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male or female, will perish. They are the ones who are deeply corrupt; for if you’re not with me, you’re against me, says our God. |
| 2 Nephi 10:17 | For I will fulfil my promises which I have made unto the children of men, that I will do unto them while they are in the flesh— | Because I will keep the promises I made to people while they are alive. |
| 2 Nephi 10:18 | Wherefore, my beloved brethren, thus saith our God: I will afflict thy seed by the hand of the Gentiles; nevertheless, I will soften the hearts of the Gentiles, that they shall be like unto a father to them; wherefore, the Gentiles shall be blessed and numbered among the house of Israel. | So, my dear brothers, this is what God says: I will allow the Gentiles to bring hardship to your descendants; however, I will make the Gentiles care for them like a father. Because of this, the Gentiles will be blessed and included among the house of Israel. |
| 2 Nephi 10:19 | Wherefore, I will consecrate this land unto thy seed, and them who shall be numbered among thy seed, forever, for the land of their inheritance; for it is a choice land, saith God unto me, above all other lands, wherefore I will have all men that dwell thereon that they shall worship me, saith God. | So, I will dedicate this land to you and your descendants, and to those who will join your descendants, forever, as their inheritance. This land is special, God told me, better than all other lands. Therefore, I want everyone who lives here to worship me, says God. |
| 2 Nephi 10:20 | And now, my beloved brethren, seeing that our merciful God has given us so great knowledge concerning these things, let us remember him, and lay aside our sins, and not hang down our heads, for we are not cast off; nevertheless, we have been driven out of the land of our inheritance; but we have been led to a better land, for the Lord has made the sea our path, and we are upon an isle of the sea. | And now, my dear brothers and sisters, since our merciful God has given us so much knowledge about these things, let’s remember Him and put aside our sins. Don’t be discouraged or hang your heads, because we are not abandoned. We’ve been driven out of our homeland, but we’ve been led to a better place. The Lord has made the sea our path, and now we are on an island in the sea. |
| 2 Nephi 10:21 | But great are the promises of the Lord unto them who are upon the isles of the sea; wherefore as it says isles, there must needs be more than this, and they are inhabited also by our brethren. | But the Lord has made great promises to those who live on the islands of the sea. So, since it mentions islands, there must be more than just this one, and our brothers live on them too. |
| 2 Nephi 10:22 | For behold, the Lord God has led away from time to time from the house of Israel, according to his will and pleasure. And now behold, the Lord remembereth all them who have been broken off, wherefore he remembereth us also. | The Lord God has, at different times, led groups away from the house of Israel whenever He wanted. But remember, the Lord never forgets those who were separated, so He hasn’t forgotten us either. |
| 2 Nephi 10:23 | Therefore, cheer up your hearts, and remember that ye are free to act for yourselves—to choose the way of everlasting death or the way of eternal life. | So, be happy and remember that you have the freedom to make your own choices�either to follow the path that leads to everlasting death or the one that leads to eternal life. |
| 2 Nephi 10:24 | Wherefore, my beloved brethren, reconcile yourselves to the will of God, and not to the will of the devil and the flesh; and remember, after ye are reconciled unto God, that it is only in and through the grace of God that ye are saved. | So, my dear brothers and sisters, align yourselves with God’s will and not the temptations of the devil or physical desires. And remember, once you have aligned with God, it’s only through His grace that you’re saved. |
| 2 Nephi 10:25 | Wherefore, may God raise you from death by the power of the resurrection, and also from everlasting death by the power of the atonement, that ye may be received into the eternal kingdom of God, that ye may praise him through grace divine. Amen. | So, may God bring you back to life through the power of the resurrection, and also save you from eternal death through the power of the atonement, so you can enter God’s eternal kingdom and praise Him through His divine grace. Amen. |
2 Nephi 11
| Verse | Original | 7th Grade |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Nephi 11:1 | And now, Jacob spake many more things to my people at that time; nevertheless only these things have I caused to be written, for the things which I have written sufficeth me. | Jacob said many more things to my people at that time, but I have only written these things down because what I have written is enough for me. |
| 2 Nephi 11:2 | And now I, Nephi, write more of the words of Isaiah, for my soul delighteth in his words. For I will liken his words unto my people, and I will send them forth unto all my children, for he verily saw my Redeemer, even as I have seen him. | Now, I’m Nephi, and I’m going to share more of Isaiah’s words because I really love them. I’ll relate his words to my people and share them with all my descendants because he truly saw my Redeemer just as I have. |
| 2 Nephi 11:3 | And my brother, Jacob, also has seen him as I have seen him; wherefore, I will send their words forth unto my children to prove unto them that my words are true. Wherefore, by the words of three, God hath said, I will establish my word. Nevertheless, God sendeth more witnesses, and he proveth all his words. | My brother Jacob has also seen Him like I have. So, I will share their words with my children to show them that what I’m saying is true. God said He will confirm His word through the words of three people. But God sends more witnesses and proves all His words. |
| 2 Nephi 11:4 | Behold, my soul delighteth in proving unto my people the truth of the coming of Christ; for, for this end hath the law of Moses been given; and all things which have been given of God from the beginning of the world, unto man, are the typifying of him. | Look, my soul loves to show my people the truth about Christ’s coming. The law of Moses was given for this reason, and everything God has given to humanity since the beginning of the world is a sign of Him. |
| 2 Nephi 11:5 | And also my soul delighteth in the covenants of the Lord which he hath made to our fathers; yea, my soul delighteth in his grace, and in his justice, and power, and mercy in the great and eternal plan of deliverance from death. | I love the promises God made to our ancestors. I find joy in His grace, justice, power, and mercy in His great and eternal plan to save us from death. |
| 2 Nephi 11:6 | And my soul delighteth in proving unto my people that save Christ should come all men must perish. | My soul loves to show my people that without Christ coming, everyone would be lost. |
| 2 Nephi 11:7 | For if there be no Christ there be no God; and if there be no God we are not, for there could have been no creation. But there is a God, and he is Christ, and he cometh in the fulness of his own time. | If there’s no Christ, there’s no God. And if there’s no God, we don’t exist, because there wouldn’t have been any creation. But there is a God, and He is Christ, and He will come when it’s His time. |
| 2 Nephi 11:8 | And now I write some of the words of Isaiah, that whoso of my people shall see these words may lift up their hearts and rejoice for all men. Now these are the words, and ye may liken them unto you and unto all men. | Now I’m writing some of Isaiah’s words so that anyone from my people who reads them can feel uplifted and joyful. Here are the words, and you can apply them to yourself and everyone else. |
2 Nephi 12
| Verse | Original | 7th Grade |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Nephi 12:1 | The word that Isaiah, the son of Amoz, saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem: | This is the vision Isaiah, son of Amoz, had about Judah and Jerusalem. |
| 2 Nephi 12:2 | And it shall come to pass in the last days, when the mountain of the Lord—s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills, and all nations shall flow unto it. | In the last days, the Lord’s house will be established at the highest point of the mountains, above all the hills, and people from all nations will come to it. |
| 2 Nephi 12:3 | And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths; for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. | Many people will say, “Come, let’s go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, and we will walk in his paths. For the law will go out from Zion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.” |
| 2 Nephi 12:4 | And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plow-shares, and their spears into pruning-hooks—nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. | He will judge between the nations and correct many people. They will turn their swords into plows and their spears into pruning tools. Nations won’t fight against each other anymore, and they won’t even train for war. |
| 2 Nephi 12:5 | O house of Jacob, come ye and let us walk in the light of the Lord; yea, come, for ye have all gone astray, every one to his wicked ways. | House of Jacob, let’s come and walk in the Lord’s light. You have all strayed and followed your own wicked ways. |
| 2 Nephi 12:6 | Therefore, O Lord, thou hast forsaken thy people, the house of Jacob, because they be replenished from the east, and hearken unto soothsayers like the Philistines, and they please themselves in the children of strangers. | Lord, you have abandoned your people, the house of Jacob, because they have adopted customs from the east and listen to fortune tellers like the Philistines. They are happy to follow the ways of foreigners. |
| 2 Nephi 12:7 | Their land also is full of silver and gold, neither is there any end of their treasures; their land is also full of horses, neither is there any end of their chariots. | Their land is full of silver and gold, and they have endless treasures. Their land is full of horses and they have countless chariots. |
| 2 Nephi 12:8 | Their land is also full of idols; they worship the work of their own hands, that which their own fingers have made. | Their land is full of idols; they worship the things they’ve made with their own hands. |
| 2 Nephi 12:9 | And the mean man boweth not down, and the great man humbleth himself not, therefore, forgive him not. | The average person does not humble themselves, and the important person does not show humility, so do not forgive them. |
| 2 Nephi 12:10 | O ye wicked ones, enter into the rock, and hide thee in the dust, for the fear of the Lord and the glory of his majesty shall smite thee. | You wicked ones, go into the rock, and hide in the dust, because the fear of the Lord and his majestic glory will strike you down. |
| 2 Nephi 12:11 | And it shall come to pass that the lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day. | Proud people will be brought low, and arrogant people will be humbled. Only the Lord will be honored on that day. |
| 2 Nephi 12:12 | For the day of the Lord of Hosts soon cometh upon all nations, yea, upon every one; yea, upon the proud and lofty, and upon every one who is lifted up, and he shall be brought low. | The day of the Lord of Hosts is coming soon for all nations, for everyone, including the proud and the arrogant. Everyone who is lifted up will be brought down low. |
| 2 Nephi 12:13 | Yea, and the day of the Lord shall come upon all the cedars of Lebanon, for they are high and lifted up; and upon all the oaks of Bashan; | Yes, the day of the Lord will come upon all the cedars of Lebanon, because they are tall and proud; and upon all the oaks of Bashan. |
| 2 Nephi 12:14 | And upon all the high mountains, and upon all the hills, and upon all the nations which are lifted up, and upon every people; | On all the high mountains, all the hills, all the nations that are proud, and on every group of people. |
| 2 Nephi 12:15 | And upon every high tower, and upon every fenced wall; | On every tall tower and every fortified wall. |
| 2 Nephi 12:16 | And upon all the ships of the sea, and upon all the ships of Tarshish, and upon all pleasant pictures. | And on all the ships of the sea, and on all the ships of Tarshish, and on all beautiful pictures… |
| 2 Nephi 12:17 | And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be made low; and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day. | People’s pride will be humbled, and their arrogance will be brought down; only the Lord will be honored on that day. |
| 2 Nephi 12:18 | And the idols he shall utterly abolish. | He’ll completely get rid of the idols. |
| 2 Nephi 12:19 | And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for the fear of the Lord shall come upon them and the glory of his majesty shall smite them, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth. | They will hide in the cracks of the rocks and in caves because they will be terrified by the Lord’s power and struck by his majestic presence when he comes to shake the earth violently. |
| 2 Nephi 12:20 | In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which he hath made for himself to worship, to the moles and to the bats; | In that day, a man will throw away his idols of silver and gold, which he made to worship, to the moles and the bats. |
| 2 Nephi 12:21 | To go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the tops of the ragged rocks, for the fear of the Lord shall come upon them and the majesty of his glory shall smite them, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth. | People will try to hide in crevices and cliffs because they’ll be terrified of the Lord. His majestic glory will strike them when he rises to shake the earth violently. |
| 2 Nephi 12:22 | Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils; for wherein is he to be accounted of? | Stop putting your trust in mere humans, who have but a breath in their nostrils. Why consider them at all? |
2 Nephi 13
| Verse | Original | 7th Grade |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Nephi 13:1 | For behold, the Lord, the Lord of Hosts, doth take away from Jerusalem, and from Judah, the stay and the staff, the whole staff of bread, and the whole stay of water— | Look, the Lord, the Lord of Hosts, is taking away from Jerusalem and Judah their support and supplies, all their bread and all their water. |
| 2 Nephi 13:2 | The mighty man, and the man of war, the judge, and the prophet, and the prudent, and the ancient; | The strong man, the soldier, the judge, the prophet, the wise, and the elder. |
| 2 Nephi 13:3 | The captain of fifty, and the honorable man, and the counselor, and the cunning artificer, and the eloquent orator. | The leader of fifty, the respectable man, the advisor, the skilled craftsman, and the persuasive speaker. |
| 2 Nephi 13:4 | And I will give children unto them to be their princes, and babes shall rule over them. | I will make children their leaders, and young people will rule over them. |
| 2 Nephi 13:5 | And the people shall be oppressed, every one by another, and every one by his neighbor; the child shall behave himself proudly against the ancient, and the base against the honorable. | People will oppress each other, neighbor against neighbor. Kids will act arrogantly towards the elderly, and the lowly will defy the honorable. |
| 2 Nephi 13:6 | When a man shall take hold of his brother of the house of his father, and shall say: Thou hast clothing, be thou our ruler, and let not this ruin come under thy hand— | When a man takes hold of his brother from his father’s house and says, “You have clothes, be our leader, and don’t let this disaster fall on us…” |
| 2 Nephi 13:7 | In that day shall he swear, saying: I will not be a healer; for in my house there is neither bread nor clothing; make me not a ruler of the people. | When that time comes, he’ll say, âI’m not going to help; I don’t have any food or clothes in my house. Don’t make me a leader of the people.â |
| 2 Nephi 13:8 | For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen, because their tongues and their doings have been against the Lord, to provoke the eyes of his glory. | Jerusalem is destroyed, and Judah has fallen because their words and actions have been against the Lord, provoking Him. |
| 2 Nephi 13:9 | The show of their countenance doth witness against them, and doth declare their sin to be even as Sodom, and they cannot hide it. Wo unto their souls, for they have rewarded evil unto themselves! | Their faces reveal their guilt, showing their sins like those of Sodom, and they can’t hide it. Shame on their souls, for they have brought evil upon themselves! |
| 2 Nephi 13:10 | Say unto the righteous that it is well with them; for they shall eat the fruit of their doings. | Tell the good people that things are going well for them, because they will enjoy the results of their actions. |
| 2 Nephi 13:11 | Wo unto the wicked, for they shall perish; for the reward of their hands shall be upon them! | Woe to the wicked, for they will perish; they will face the consequences of their actions! |
| 2 Nephi 13:12 | And my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they who lead thee cause thee to err and destroy the way of thy paths. | My people, children are oppressing you, and women are in charge. Oh my people, your leaders are misleading you and ruining your paths. |
| 2 Nephi 13:13 | The Lord standeth up to plead, and standeth to judge the people. | The Lord stands to plead and stands to judge the people. |
| 2 Nephi 13:14 | The Lord will enter into judgment with the ancients of his people and the princes thereof; for ye have eaten up the vineyard and the spoil of the poor in your houses. | The Lord will judge the elders and leaders of His people; because you have destroyed the vineyard and taken what belongs to the poor into your own homes. |
| 2 Nephi 13:15 | What mean ye? Ye beat my people to pieces, and grind the faces of the poor, saith the Lord God of Hosts. | What are you doing? You are destroying my people and mistreating the poor, says the Lord God of Hosts. |
| 2 Nephi 13:16 | Moreover, the Lord saith: Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with stretched-forth necks and wanton eyes, walking and mincing as they go, and making a tinkling with their feet— | God says: Because the daughters of Zion are arrogant, flaunting themselves and flirting as they walk, strutting around and making noise with their jewelry… |
| 2 Nephi 13:17 | Therefore the Lord will smite with a scab the crown of the head of the daughters of Zion, and the Lord will discover their secret parts. | So, the Lord will strike the daughters of Zion with sores on their heads, and He will expose their private parts. |
| 2 Nephi 13:18 | In that day the Lord will take away the bravery of their tinkling ornaments, and cauls, and round tires like the moon; | At that time, the Lord will remove their proud jewelry, fancy scarves, and round pendants like the moon. |
| 2 Nephi 13:19 | The chains and the bracelets, and the mufflers; | The chains, bracelets, and scarves. |
| 2 Nephi 13:20 | The bonnets, and the ornaments of the legs, and the headbands, and the tablets, and the ear-rings; | The hats, leg ornaments, headbands, tablets, and earrings. |
| 2 Nephi 13:21 | The rings, and nose jewels; | The rings and nose jewels. |
| 2 Nephi 13:22 | The changeable suits of apparel, and the mantles, and the wimples, and the crisping-pins; | The stylish outfits, the cloaks, the veils, and the hair accessories. |
| 2 Nephi 13:23 | The glasses, and the fine linen, and hoods, and the veils. | “The glasses, the fine linen clothes, the hoods, and the veils..” |
| 2 Nephi 13:24 | And it shall come to pass, instead of sweet smell there shall be stink; and instead of a girdle, a rent; and instead of well set hair, baldness; and instead of a stomacher, a girding of sackcloth; burning instead of beauty. | Instead of smelling sweet, there will be a stench; instead of a belt, there will be a tear; instead of styled hair, baldness; instead of fine clothes, wearing sackcloth; and scars instead of beauty. |
| 2 Nephi 13:25 | Thy men shall fall by the sword and thy mighty in the war. | Your men will die in battle, and your strong warriors will fall in the war. |
| 2 Nephi 13:26 | And her gates shall lament and mourn; and she shall be desolate, and shall sit upon the ground. | Her gates will cry and mourn; she will be empty and sit on the ground. |
2 Nephi 14
| Verse | Original | 7th Grade |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Nephi 14:1 | And in that day, seven women shall take hold of one man, saying: We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel; only let us be called by thy name to take away our reproach. | In that day, seven women will cling to one man and say, “We’ll provide our own food and clothes. Just let us be called by your name to remove our disgrace.” |
| 2 Nephi 14:2 | In that day shall the branch of the Lord be beautiful and glorious; the fruit of the earth excellent and comely to them that are escaped of Israel. | On that day, the Lord’s branch will be beautiful and glorious; the earth’s fruits will be excellent and lovely for those who have survived from Israel. |
| 2 Nephi 14:3 | And it shall come to pass, they that are left in Zion and remain in Jerusalem shall be called holy, every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem— | Those who are left in Zion and remain in Jerusalem will be called holy, everyone who is listed among the living in Jerusalem. |
| 2 Nephi 14:4 | When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the spirit of judgment and by the spirit of burning. | When the Lord has cleaned away the sins of the daughters of Zion and purified Jerusalem with judgment and burning spirits. |
| 2 Nephi 14:5 | And the Lord will create upon every dwelling-place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night; for upon all the glory of Zion shall be a defence. | The Lord will cover every home in Mount Zion and all her gatherings with a cloud and smoke by day, and with the light of a flaming fire by night. All of Zion’s glory will be protected. |
| 2 Nephi 14:6 | And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the daytime from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and a covert from storm and from rain. | There will be a shelter to provide shade from the heat during the day, a place of safety, and protection from storms and rain. |
2 Nephi 15
| Verse | Original | 7th Grade |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Nephi 15:1 | And then will I sing to my well-beloved a song of my beloved, touching his vineyard. My well-beloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill. | Then I’ll sing a song about my beloved and his vineyard. My dear friend has a vineyard on a very fertile hill. |
| 2 Nephi 15:2 | And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a wine-press therein; and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes. | He enclosed it, removed the stones, planted it with the best vines, built a tower in the middle, and made a wine press there. He expected it to produce good grapes, but it produced wild grapes instead. |
| 2 Nephi 15:3 | And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard. | Now, people of Jerusalem and men of Judah, please decide between me and my vineyard. |
| 2 Nephi 15:4 | What could have been done more to my vineyard that I have not done in it? Wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes it brought forth wild grapes. | What more could I have done for my vineyard that I haven’t already done? So, when I expected it to produce good grapes, why did it produce wild grapes? |
| 2 Nephi 15:5 | And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard—I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and I will break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down; | Okay, here’s what I’m going to do to my vineyard: I’m going to remove its protection, and it will get eaten up. I’ll tear down its wall, and it will be trampled. |
| 2 Nephi 15:6 | And I will lay it waste; it shall not be pruned nor digged; but there shall come up briers and thorns; I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. | I will leave it to become a wasteland; it won’t be pruned or cultivated, and briers and thorns will grow. I will also command the clouds not to rain on it. |
| 2 Nephi 15:7 | For the vineyard of the Lord of Hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant; and he looked for judgment, and behold, oppression; for righteousness, but behold, a cry. | The Lord’s vineyard is the people of Israel; the men of Judah are his cherished plant. He hoped for justice, but saw oppression; he wanted righteousness, but heard cries of distress. |
| 2 Nephi 15:8 | Wo unto them that join house to house, till there can be no place, that they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth! | Watch out for those who keep buying up houses and land until there’s no space left, leaving themselves isolated in the middle of it all! |
| 2 Nephi 15:9 | In mine ears, said the Lord of Hosts, of a truth many houses shall be desolate, and great and fair cities without inhabitant. | The Lord of Hosts has spoken to me: many houses will be empty, and large, beautiful cities will be without people. |
| 2 Nephi 15:10 | Yea, ten acres of vineyard shall yield one bath, and the seed of a homer shall yield an ephah. | Yes, ten acres of vineyard will only produce a small amount of wine, and a large amount of seed will yield just a little grain. |
| 2 Nephi 15:11 | Wo unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink, that continue until night, and wine inflame them! | Bad news for those who wake up early to start drinking and keep it up all day until the wine fuels them more! |
| 2 Nephi 15:12 | And the harp, and the viol, the tabret, and pipe, and wine are in their feasts; but they regard not the work of the Lord, neither consider the operation of his hands. | There are harps, violins, tambourines, flutes, and wine at their parties; but they don’t pay attention to the work of the Lord or think about what He has done. |
| 2 Nephi 15:13 | Therefore, my people are gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge; and their honorable men are famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst. | My people are in captivity because they lack knowledge; their leaders are starving, and the masses are parched with thirst. |
| 2 Nephi 15:14 | Therefore, hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure; and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it. | So, hell has expanded and opened wide, ready to swallow without limit. All their glory, crowds, and grandeur, along with those who celebrate, will descend into it. |
| 2 Nephi 15:15 | And the mean man shall be brought down, and the mighty man shall be humbled, and the eyes of the lofty shall be humbled. | The average man will be brought low, the powerful man will be humbled, and the arrogant will be humbled. |
| 2 Nephi 15:16 | But the Lord of Hosts shall be exalted in judgment, and God that is holy shall be sanctified in righteousness. | But the Lord of Hosts will be praised for His judgments, and the Holy God will be honored for His righteousness. |
| 2 Nephi 15:17 | Then shall the lambs feed after their manner, and the waste places of the fat ones shall strangers eat. | Then the lambs will graze as usual, and strangers will eat in the abandoned places of the rich. |
| 2 Nephi 15:18 | Wo unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with a cart rope; | Woe to those who pull sin along with silly strings and haul wrongdoings like they’re dragging a heavy cart. |
| 2 Nephi 15:19 | That say: Let him make speed, hasten his work, that we may see it; and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw nigh and come, that we may know it. | They say: “Let him hurry up with his work so we can see it; let the advice of the Holy One of Israel come closer so we can understand it.” |
| 2 Nephi 15:20 | Wo unto them that call evil good, and good evil, that put darkness for light, and light for darkness, that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! | Trouble comes to those who say that bad things are good and good things are bad, who swap darkness with light and light with darkness, who mix up what’s bitter and what’s sweet! |
| 2 Nephi 15:21 | Wo unto the wise in their own eyes and prudent in their own sight! | Woe to those who think they are wise and clever in their own eyes! |
| 2 Nephi 15:22 | Wo unto the mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink; | Shame on the strong who drink wine, and the powerful who mix strong drinks. |
| 2 Nephi 15:23 | Who justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him! | They justify the wicked for a bribe and strip the righteous of their righteousness. |
| 2 Nephi 15:24 | Therefore, as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, their root shall be rottenness, and their blossoms shall go up as dust; because they have cast away the law of the Lord of Hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel. | Just as fire burns up straw and flame consumes dry grass, their foundation will decay and their flowers will turn to dust because they have rejected the law of the Lord and dismissed the words of the Holy One of Israel. |
| 2 Nephi 15:25 | Therefore, is the anger of the Lord kindled against his people, and he hath stretched forth his hand against them, and hath smitten them; and the hills did tremble, and their carcasses were torn in the midst of the streets. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still. | So, the Lord’s anger burned against His people, and He raised His hand against them and struck them. The hills shook, and their bodies were scattered in the streets. Even with all this, His anger didn’t go away, and His hand is still raised against them. |
| 2 Nephi 15:26 | And he will lift up an ensign to the nations from far, and will hiss unto them from the end of the earth; and behold, they shall come with speed swiftly; none shall be weary nor stumble among them. | He will raise a signal for distant nations and call to them from the far ends of the earth. They’ll come quickly, with no one tired or stumbling among them. |
| 2 Nephi 15:27 | None shall slumber nor sleep; neither shall the girdle of their loins be loosed, nor the latchet of their shoes be broken; | No one will get tired or fall asleep; their belts will stay tight, and their shoes won’t wear out. |
| 2 Nephi 15:28 | Whose arrows shall be sharp, and all their bows bent, and their horses— hoofs shall be counted like flint, and their wheels like a whirlwind, their roaring like a lion. | Their arrows will be sharp, their bows ready to shoot, their horses’ hooves will be as hard as flint, and their chariot wheels will spin like a whirlwind. They will roar like lions. |
| 2 Nephi 15:29 | They shall roar like young lions; yea, they shall roar, and lay hold of the prey, and shall carry away safe, and none shall deliver. | They will roar like young lions; they will roar, seize their prey, and carry it off safely, and no one will be able to rescue it. |
| 2 Nephi 15:30 | And in that day they shall roar against them like the roaring of the sea; and if they look unto the land, behold, darkness and sorrow, and the light is darkened in the heavens thereof. | On that day, they will roar at them like the ocean’s waves. When they look around, they’ll see only darkness and sadness, and even the sky’s light will be darkened. |
2 Nephi 16
| Verse | Original | 7th Grade |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Nephi 16:1 | In the year that king Uzziah died, I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. | The year King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a high and exalted throne, and his robe filled the temple. |
| 2 Nephi 16:2 | Above it stood the seraphim; each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. | Above it stood the seraphim; each one had six wings. With two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. |
| 2 Nephi 16:3 | And one cried unto another, and said: Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of Hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory. | One called to another and said, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Hosts; the whole earth is filled with His glory.” |
| 2 Nephi 16:4 | And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke. | The doorposts shook at the voice of the one who called out, and the house was filled with smoke. |
| 2 Nephi 16:5 | Then said I: Wo is unto me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips; and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of Hosts. | I said, “Oh no! I’m ruined because I have unclean lips, and I live among people with unclean lips, for I have seen the King, the Lord of Hosts.” |
| 2 Nephi 16:6 | Then flew one of the seraphim unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar; | One of the seraphim flew over to me with a burning coal he had taken from the altar with tongs. |
| 2 Nephi 16:7 | And he laid it upon my mouth, and said: Lo, this has touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged. | He touched my mouth with it and said, “Look, this has touched your lips. Your sins are taken away and forgiven.” |
| 2 Nephi 16:8 | Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then I said: Here am I; send me. | I also heard the Lord’s voice saying, “Who should I send? Who will go for us?” And I said, “Here I am; send me.” |
| 2 Nephi 16:9 | And he said: Go and tell this people—Hear ye indeed, but they understood not; and see ye indeed, but they perceived not. | He said: Go and tell these people, “You hear, but you don’t understand; you see, but you don’t perceive.” |
| 2 Nephi 16:10 | Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes—lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and be converted and be healed. | Make these people stubborn and unresponsive; block their ears, and close their eyes. Otherwise, they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, turn to me, and be healed. |
| 2 Nephi 16:11 | Then said I: Lord, how long? And he said: Until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate; | Then I asked, “Lord, how long will this last?” And He replied, “Until the cities are empty and abandoned, the houses are without people, and the land is completely desolate.” |
| 2 Nephi 16:12 | And the Lord have removed men far away, for there shall be a great forsaking in the midst of the land. | The Lord has sent the people far away, and there will be a lot of abandonment in the land. |
| 2 Nephi 16:13 | But yet there shall be a tenth, and they shall return, and shall be eaten, as a teil-tree, and as an oak whose substance is in them when they cast their leaves; so the holy seed shall be the substance thereof. | But a tenth will remain, and they will come back. They will be like a teil tree or an oak that has substance even when it sheds its leaves; the holy people will be like this substance. |
2 Nephi 17
| Verse | Original | 7th Grade |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Nephi 17:1 | And it came to pass in the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, that Rezin, king of Syria, and Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, went up toward Jerusalem to war against it, but could not prevail against it. | During the time when Ahaz was king of Judah, Rezin, king of Syria, and Pekah, king of Israel, went to fight against Jerusalem, but they couldn’t defeat it. |
| 2 Nephi 17:2 | And it was told the house of David, saying: Syria is confederate with Ephraim. And his heart was moved, and the heart of his people, as the trees of the wood are moved with the wind. | Word came to the house of David: Syria has allied with Ephraim. This news shook his heart and the hearts of his people like trees swaying in the wind. |
| 2 Nephi 17:3 | Then said the Lord unto Isaiah: Go forth now to meet Ahaz, thou and Shearjashub thy son, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool in the highway of the fuller—s field; | Then the Lord said to Isaiah, “Go and meet Ahaz, you and your son Shearjashub, at the end of the aqueduct of the upper pool, by the road to the launderer’s field.” |
| 2 Nephi 17:4 | And say unto him: Take heed, and be quiet; fear not, neither be faint-hearted for the two tails of these smoking firebrands, for the fierce anger of Rezin with Syria, and of the son of Remaliah. | Tell him: Be careful, stay calm, don’t be afraid, and don’t be discouraged because of these two smoldering stubs—because of the fierce anger of Rezin from Syria and the son of Remaliah. |
| 2 Nephi 17:5 | Because Syria, Ephraim, and the son of Remaliah, have taken evil counsel against thee, saying: | Since Syria, Ephraim, and the son of Remaliah have plotted evil against you, saying:. |
| 2 Nephi 17:6 | Let us go up against Judah and vex it, and let us make a breach therein for us, and set a king in the midst of it, yea, the son of Tabeal. | Let’s fight against Judah, cause trouble, break through their defenses, and put our own king there, the son of Tabeal. |
| 2 Nephi 17:7 | Thus saith the Lord God: It shall not stand, neither shall it come to pass. | This is what the Lord God says: It won’t happen and it won’t come to pass. |
| 2 Nephi 17:8 | For the head of Syria is Damascus, and the head of Damascus, Rezin; and within three score and five years shall Ephraim be broken that it be not a people. | The capital of Syria is Damascus, and the ruler of Damascus is Rezin. In sixty-five years, Ephraim will be destroyed and no longer be a people. |
| 2 Nephi 17:9 | And the head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is Remaliah—s son. If ye will not believe surely ye shall not be established. | The leader of Ephraim is Samaria, and the ruler of Samaria is the son of Remaliah. If you don’t believe, you won’t be established. |
| 2 Nephi 17:10 | Moreover, the Lord spake again unto Ahaz, saying: | Then the Lord spoke to Ahaz again and said: |
| 2 Nephi 17:11 | Ask thee a sign of the Lord thy God; ask it either in the depths, or in the heights above. | Ask the Lord your God for a sign, whether from deep below or high above. |
| 2 Nephi 17:12 | But Ahaz said: I will not ask, neither will I tempt the Lord. | But Ahaz said, “I won’t ask, and I won’t test the Lord.” |
| 2 Nephi 17:13 | And he said: Hear ye now, O house of David; is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will ye weary my God also? | He said, “Listen up, house of David! Is it not enough for you to test the patience of people, but you also want to tire out my God?” |
| 2 Nephi 17:14 | Therefore, the Lord himself shall give you a sign—Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and shall bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. | So, the Lord himself is going to give you a sign—look, a virgin will get pregnant, have a son, and she will name him Immanuel. |
| 2 Nephi 17:15 | Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil and to choose the good. | He will eat butter and honey so he will know how to refuse evil and choose good. |
| 2 Nephi 17:16 | For before the child shall know to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land that thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of both her kings. | Before the child knows right from wrong, the land you hate will be abandoned by both its kings. |
| 2 Nephi 17:17 | The Lord shall bring upon thee, and upon thy people, and upon thy father—s house, days that have not come from the day that Ephraim departed from Judah, the king of Assyria. | The Lord will bring upon you, your people, and your father’s house, days unlike any since Ephraim left Judah—the king of Assyria. |
| 2 Nephi 17:18 | And it shall come to pass in that day that the Lord shall hiss for the fly that is in the uttermost part of Egypt, and for the bee that is in the land of Assyria. | When the time comes, the Lord will call for the fly from the farthest parts of Egypt, and for the bee from the land of Assyria. |
| 2 Nephi 17:19 | And they shall come, and shall rest all of them in the desolate valleys, and in the holes of the rocks, and upon all thorns, and upon all bushes. | They will come and rest in the empty valleys, in the crevices of the rocks, and among all the thorns and bushes. |
| 2 Nephi 17:20 | In the same day shall the Lord shave with a razor that is hired, by them beyond the river, by the king of Assyria, the head, and the hair of the feet; and it shall also consume the beard. | On that same day, the Lord will bring in a razor from beyond the river, hired by the king of Assyria, and it will shave the head, the hair on the legs, and even the beard. |
| 2 Nephi 17:21 | And it shall come to pass in that day, a man shall nourish a young cow and two sheep; | In that day, a man will take care of a young cow and two sheep. |
| 2 Nephi 17:22 | And it shall come to pass, for the abundance of milk they shall give he shall eat butter; for butter and honey shall every one eat that is left in the land. | Because there will be so much milk, people will eat butter. Everyone who remains in the land will eat butter and honey. |
| 2 Nephi 17:23 | And it shall come to pass in that day, every place shall be, where there were a thousand vines at a thousand silverlings, which shall be for briers and thorns. | In that day, every place that used to have a thousand vines worth a thousand pieces of silver will be filled with briers and thorns. |
| 2 Nephi 17:24 | With arrows and with bows shall men come thither, because all the land shall become briers and thorns. | People will come there with bows and arrows because the whole land will be overgrown with briers and thorns. |
| 2 Nephi 17:25 | And all hills that shall be digged with the mattock, there shall not come thither the fear of briers and thorns; but it shall be for the sending forth of oxen, and the treading of lesser cattle. | All hills dug with a mattock won’t have to worry about briers and thorns; instead, they’ll be used for sending out oxen and for the livestock to graze. |
2 Nephi 18
| Verse | Original | 7th Grade |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Nephi 18:1 | Moreover, the word of the Lord said unto me: Take thee a great roll, and write in it with a man—s pen, concerning Maher-shalal-hash-baz. | Then the word of the Lord came to me: Take a large scroll and write on it with a man’s pen about Maher-shalal-hash-baz. |
| 2 Nephi 18:2 | And I took unto me faithful witnesses to record, Uriah the priest, and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah. | I took with me trusted witnesses to document everything: Uriah the priest, and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah. |
| 2 Nephi 18:3 | And I went unto the prophetess; and she conceived and bare a son. Then said the Lord to me: Call his name, Maher-shalal-hash-baz. | I went to the prophetess; she got pregnant and had a son. Then the Lord told me, “Name him Maher-shalal-hash-baz.” |
| 2 Nephi 18:4 | For behold, the child shall not have knowledge to cry, My father, and my mother, before the riches of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria shall be taken away before the king of Assyria. | The child won’t even know how to say “Mom” or “Dad” before Damascus’s wealth and Samaria’s treasures are taken by the king of Assyria. |
| 2 Nephi 18:5 | The Lord spake also unto me again, saying: | The Lord spoke to me again, saying: |
| 2 Nephi 18:6 | Forasmuch as this people refuseth the waters of Shiloah that go softly, and rejoice in Rezin and Remaliah—s son; | Since these people reject the gentle waters of Shiloah and are happy with Rezin and Remaliah’s son, |
| 2 Nephi 18:7 | Now therefore, behold, the Lord bringeth up upon them the waters of the river, strong and many, even the king of Assyria and all his glory; and he shall come up over all his channels, and go over all his banks. | So now, watch out! The Lord is bringing the powerful waters of the river, which represent the king of Assyria and all his might. He will flood over all the channels and overflow the banks. |
| 2 Nephi 18:8 | And he shall pass through Judah; he shall overflow and go over, he shall reach even to the neck; and the stretching out of his wings shall fill the breadth of thy land, O Immanuel. | He will pass through Judah, overflow and spread out, reaching up to the neck; and his wings will cover your entire land, O Immanuel. |
| 2 Nephi 18:9 | Associate yourselves, O ye people, and ye shall be broken in pieces; and give ear all ye of far countries; gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces; gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces. | Gather together, people, and you will be shattered; listen, all of you from distant lands; prepare yourselves, and you will be shattered; prepare yourselves, and you will be shattered. |
| 2 Nephi 18:10 | Take counsel together, and it shall come to naught; speak the word, and it shall not stand; for God is with us. | Plan together all you want, it won’t work; make your declarations, they won’t hold up, because God is with us. |
| 2 Nephi 18:11 | For the Lord spake thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people, saying: | “The Lord spoke to me strongly and told me not to follow the ways of these people, saying:” |
| 2 Nephi 18:12 | Say ye not, A confederacy, to all to whom this people shall say, A confederacy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid. | Don’t call everything a conspiracy like these people do. Don’t fear what they fear; don’t be afraid. |
| 2 Nephi 18:13 | Sanctify the Lord of Hosts himself, and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. | Honor the Lord of Hosts himself, and make him your focus and your reverence. |
| 2 Nephi 18:14 | And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling, and for a rock of offense to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. | He will be a place of safety, but also a cause for some to trip and be offended, affecting both families of Israel, and he will be a trap and a snare for the people of Jerusalem. |
| 2 Nephi 18:15 | And many among them shall stumble and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken. | And a lot of them will trip and fall, get hurt, get trapped, and be captured. |
| 2 Nephi 18:16 | Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples. | Gather the testimony and preserve the law among my followers. |
| 2 Nephi 18:17 | And I will wait upon the Lord, that hideth his face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for him. | I will wait for the Lord, who is hiding his face from the house of Jacob, and I will seek him out. |
| 2 Nephi 18:18 | Behold, I and the children whom the Lord hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the Lord of Hosts, which dwelleth in Mount Zion. | Look, the Lord has given me and my children to be signs and miracles in Israel. The Lord Almighty lives in Mount Zion. |
| 2 Nephi 18:19 | And when they shall say unto you: Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep and mutter—should not a people seek unto their God for the living to hear from the dead? | And when people tell you to consult with those who claim to speak to spirits or wizards who whisper and mutter—shouldn’t a people seek their God instead of trying to hear from the dead? |
| 2 Nephi 18:20 | To the law and to the testimony; and if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. | Follow the law and the testimony; if they don’t speak according to this word, it’s because they have no light in them. |
| 2 Nephi 18:21 | And they shall pass through it hardly bestead and hungry; and it shall come to pass that when they shall be hungry, they shall fret themselves, and curse their king and their God, and look upward. | They will struggle and be hungry; when they are starving, they will become angry and curse their king and their God, and look upward. |
| 2 Nephi 18:22 | And they shall look unto the earth and behold trouble, and darkness, dimness of anguish, and shall be driven to darkness. | They will look at the earth and see trouble and darkness, the gloom of anguish, and they will be driven into darkness. |
2 Nephi 19
| Verse | Original | 7th Grade |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Nephi 19:1 | Nevertheless, the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation, when at first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun, and the land of Naphtali, and afterwards did more grievously afflict by the way of the Red Sea beyond Jordan in Galilee of the nations. | But the darkness will not be as bad as when she was troubled before, when he lightly afflicted the lands of Zebulun and Naphtali at first, and then later brought more severe affliction on the way to the Red Sea beyond the Jordan in Galilee among the nations. |
| 2 Nephi 19:2 | The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light; they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. | The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who live in the land of death’s shadow, a light has shined on them. |
| 2 Nephi 19:3 | Thou hast multiplied the nation, and increased the joy—they joy before thee according to the joy in harvest, and as men rejoice when they divide the spoil. | You have made the nation larger and increased their joy. They celebrate before you as people do at harvest time, and as warriors do when they divide the loot. |
| 2 Nephi 19:4 | For thou hast broken the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor. | You’ve shattered the burdens he carried, the staff on his shoulder, and the rod of his oppressor. |
| 2 Nephi 19:5 | For every battle of the warrior is with confused noise, and garments rolled in blood; but this shall be with burning and fuel of fire. | Every battle a warrior fights is chaotic and bloody, but this one will be with burning and fire. |
| 2 Nephi 19:6 | For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder; and his name shall be called, Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. | A child has been born for us, a son has been given to us; he will lead us, and his names will be Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. |
| 2 Nephi 19:7 | Of the increase of government and peace there is no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will perform this. | There will always be growth in government and peace, sitting on David’s throne and ruling his kingdom. It will be established with fairness and justice forever. The Lord’s passion will make this happen. |
| 2 Nephi 19:8 | The Lord sent his word unto Jacob and it hath lighted upon Israel. | The Lord sent his message to Jacob, and it has come to Israel. |
| 2 Nephi 19:9 | And all the people shall know, even Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria, that say in the pride and stoutness of heart: | Everyone will know, including the people of Ephraim and Samaria, who say with pride and arrogance:. |
| 2 Nephi 19:10 | The bricks are fallen down, but we will build with hewn stones; the sycamores are cut down, but we will change them into cedars. | The bricks have fallen, but we will rebuild with strong stones; the sycamores have been cut down, but we will replace them with cedars. |
| 2 Nephi 19:11 | Therefore the Lord shall set up the adversaries of Rezin against him, and join his enemies together; | So, the Lord will bring Rezin’s enemies against him and unite his foes together. |
| 2 Nephi 19:12 | The Syrians before and the Philistines behind; and they shall devour Israel with open mouth. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still. | The Syrians are in front, and the Philistines are behind; they will ravage Israel openly. Despite all this, God’s anger is not turned away, and His hand is still stretched out. |
| 2 Nephi 19:13 | For the people turneth not unto him that smiteth them, neither do they seek the Lord of Hosts. | The people don’t turn to the one who strikes them. They don’t seek the Lord of Hosts. |
| 2 Nephi 19:14 | Therefore will the Lord cut off from Israel head and tail, branch and rush in one day. | So, the Lord will cut off Israel’s leaders and followers, high and low, all in one day. |
| 2 Nephi 19:15 | The ancient, he is the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail. | The elder is the leader; the prophet who teaches lies is at the bottom. |
| 2 Nephi 19:16 | For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed. | The leaders are leading the people astray, and those who follow them are being ruined. |
| 2 Nephi 19:17 | Therefore the Lord shall have no joy in their young men, neither shall have mercy on their fatherless and widows; for every one of them is a hypocrite and an evildoer, and every mouth speaketh folly. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still. | So, the Lord won’t take any pleasure in their young men, nor will He show mercy to their orphans and widows, because everyone is a hypocrite and does evil, and everyone speaks nonsense. Despite all this, His anger isn’t turned away, and His hand is still extended. |
| 2 Nephi 19:18 | For wickedness burneth as the fire; it shall devour the briers and thorns, and shall kindle in the thickets of the forests, and they shall mount up like the lifting up of smoke. | Wickedness spreads like fire; it will consume the briers and thorns, ignite the forest thickets, and rise up like smoke. |
| 2 Nephi 19:19 | Through the wrath of the Lord of Hosts is the land darkened, and the people shall be as the fuel of the fire; no man shall spare his brother. | Because of the Lord’s anger, the land is dark, and the people will be like fuel for the fire; no one will spare their brother. |
| 2 Nephi 19:20 | And he shall snatch on the right hand and be hungry; and he shall eat on the left hand and they shall not be satisfied; they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm— | He will grab on the right and still be hungry; he’ll eat on the left but won’t be satisfied; they will each eat their own arms. |
| 2 Nephi 19:21 | Manasseh, Ephraim; and Ephraim, Manasseh; they together shall be against Judah. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still. | Manasseh and Ephraim will unite against Judah. Despite all this, God’s anger hasn’t turned away, and His hand is still stretched out. |
2 Nephi 20
| Verse | Original | 7th Grade |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Nephi 20:1 | Wo unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, and that write grievousness which they have prescribed; | Woe to those who make unfair rules and write down harsh laws they’ve created. |
| 2 Nephi 20:2 | To turn away the needy from judgment, and to take away the right from the poor of my people, that widows may be their prey, and that they may rob the fatherless! | To deny the needy a fair chance, to take away the rights of the poor, to exploit widows, and to steal from orphans. |
| 2 Nephi 20:3 | And what will ye do in the day of visitation, and in the desolation which shall come from far? to whom will ye flee for help? and where will ye leave your glory? | What will you do when judgement day comes and disaster strikes from afar? Who will you run to for help, and where will you put your pride? |
| 2 Nephi 20:4 | Without me they shall bow down under the prisoners, and they shall fall under the slain. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still. | Without me, they’ll have to bow down with the prisoners and fall among the dead. Even with all this, my anger isn’t gone, but my hand is still reaching out. |
| 2 Nephi 20:5 | O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is their indignation. | Assyria, you’re the tool of my anger, and the weapon in their hands is their fury. |
| 2 Nephi 20:6 | I will send him against a hypocritical nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets. | I’ll send him against a hypocritical nation, and against the people I’m angry with, I’ll give him orders to take their spoil, seize their prey, and trample them down like mud in the streets. |
| 2 Nephi 20:7 | Howbeit he meaneth not so, neither doth his heart think so; but in his heart it is to destroy and cut off nations not a few. | He doesn’t actually think that way, and his heart doesn’t consider it, but deep down he wants to destroy and wipe out many nations. |
| 2 Nephi 20:8 | For he saith: Are not my princes altogether kings? | He says: Aren’t all my leaders basically kings? |
| 2 Nephi 20:9 | Is not Calno as Carchemish? Is not Hamath as Arpad? Is not Samaria as Damascus? | Aren’t Calno and Carchemish the same? Isn’t Hamath just like Arpad? And Samaria, isn’t it just like Damascus? |
| 2 Nephi 20:10 | As my hand hath founded the kingdoms of the idols, and whose graven images did excel them of Jerusalem and of Samaria; | I established the kingdoms of the idols, and their carved images surpassed those of Jerusalem and Samaria. |
| 2 Nephi 20:11 | Shall I not, as I have done unto Samaria and her idols, so do to Jerusalem and to her idols? | Shouldn’t I do to Jerusalem and its idols just like I did to Samaria and its idols? |
| 2 Nephi 20:12 | Wherefore it shall come to pass that when the Lord hath performed his whole work upon Mount Zion and upon Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks. | So, when the Lord finishes His work on Mount Zion and Jerusalem, I will punish the prideful king of Assyria and the arrogance he shows. |
| 2 Nephi 20:13 | For he saith: By the strength of my hand and by my wisdom I have done these things; for I am prudent; and I have moved the borders of the people, and have robbed their treasures, and I have put down the inhabitants like a valiant man; | He says: By my own strength and wisdom I have done these things; because I’m smart and have moved people’s boundaries, stolen their treasures, and defeated the inhabitants like a hero. |
| 2 Nephi 20:14 | And my hand hath found as a nest the riches of the people; and as one gathereth eggs that are left have I gathered all the earth; and there was none that moved the wing, or opened the mouth, or peeped. | I’ve found the wealth of nations like finding a nest full of eggs. I gathered up everything, and no one did anything about it or even made a sound. |
| 2 Nephi 20:15 | Shall the ax boast itself against him that heweth therewith? Shall the saw magnify itself against him that shaketh it? As if the rod should shake itself against them that lift it up, or as if the staff should lift up itself as if it were no wood! | Can the ax brag about cutting if it’s the one swinging it? Can the saw show off if it’s the one moving it? It’s like a stick trying to move the person using it, or a staff acting like it’s not even made of wood! |
| 2 Nephi 20:16 | Therefore shall the Lord, the Lord of Hosts, send among his fat ones, leanness; and under his glory he shall kindle a burning like the burning of a fire. | So, the Lord, the Lord of Hosts, will bring leanness to the wealthy ones; and beneath His glory, He will ignite a fire like a blazing flame. |
| 2 Nephi 20:17 | And the light of Israel shall be for a fire, and his Holy One for a flame, and shall burn and shall devour his thorns and his briers in one day; | The light of Israel will be like a fire, and its Holy One like a flame. In just one day, they will burn and destroy all the thorns and briers. |
| 2 Nephi 20:18 | And shall consume the glory of his forest, and of his fruitful field, both soul and body; and they shall be as when a standard-bearer fainteth. | They’ll destroy the beauty of his land and its rich fields, affecting both people and the land itself; they’ll be like an exhausted soldier who collapses. |
| 2 Nephi 20:19 | And the rest of the trees of his forest shall be few, that a child may write them. | The remaining trees in his forest will be so few that even a child could count them. |
| 2 Nephi 20:20 | And it shall come to pass in that day, that the remnant of Israel, and such as are escaped of the house of Jacob, shall no more again stay upon him that smote them, but shall stay upon the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, in truth. | In that day, the remaining people of Israel and those who escaped from Jacob’s family won’t rely on the one who hurt them anymore. They will rely on the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, and follow Him truthfully. |
| 2 Nephi 20:21 | The remnant shall return, yea, even the remnant of Jacob, unto the mighty God. | The remaining descendants of Jacob will come back to the mighty God. |
| 2 Nephi 20:22 | For though thy people Israel be as the sand of the sea, yet a remnant of them shall return; the consumption decreed shall overflow with righteousness. | Even though the people of Israel are as countless as the sand by the sea, only a small group of them will return; what’s been decided will be overwhelmingly fair and just. |
| 2 Nephi 20:23 | For the Lord God of Hosts shall make a consumption, even determined in all the land. | The Lord God of Hosts will bring an end, as determined, across the entire land. |
| 2 Nephi 20:24 | Therefore, thus saith the Lord God of Hosts: O my people that dwellest in Zion, be not afraid of the Assyrian; he shall smite thee with a rod, and shall lift up his staff against thee, after the manner of Egypt. | So, this is what the Lord God of Hosts says: My people who live in Zion, don’t be afraid of the Assyrian. He will strike you with a rod and lift his staff against you, just like in Egypt. |
| 2 Nephi 20:25 | For yet a very little while, and the indignation shall cease, and mine anger in their destruction. | It won’t be long before the anger stops, and my fury ends with their downfall. |
| 2 Nephi 20:26 | And the Lord of Hosts shall stir up a scourge for him according to the slaughter of Midian at the rock of Oreb; and as his rod was upon the sea so shall he lift it up after the manner of Egypt. | The Lord of Hosts will bring a punishment on him like the defeat of Midian at the rock of Oreb. Just as He used His power to part the sea in Egypt, He will act again in a similar way. |
| 2 Nephi 20:27 | And it shall come to pass in that day that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing. | In that day, his burden will be lifted from your shoulder, his yoke will be taken off your neck, and the yoke will be destroyed because of the anointing. |
| 2 Nephi 20:28 | He is come to Aiath, he is passed to Migron; at Michmash he hath laid up his carriages. | He has come to Aiath, passed through Migron, and left his supplies at Michmash. |
| 2 Nephi 20:29 | They are gone over the passage; they have taken up their lodging at Geba; Ramath is afraid; Gibeah of Saul is fled. | They crossed the passage; they’ve set up camp at Geba; Ramah is scared; Gibeah of Saul has run away. |
| 2 Nephi 20:30 | Lift up the voice, O daughter of Gallim; cause it to be heard unto Laish, O poor Anathoth. | Raise your voice, people of Gallim; make sure it’s heard in Laish, poor Anathoth. |
| 2 Nephi 20:31 | Madmenah is removed; the inhabitants of Gebim gather themselves to flee. | Madmenah has been abandoned; the people of Gebim are getting ready to run away. |
| 2 Nephi 20:32 | As yet shall he remain at Nob that day; he shall shake his hand against the mount of the daughter of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem. | He will stay at Nob that day, shaking his fist at the hill of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem. |
| 2 Nephi 20:33 | Behold, the Lord, the Lord of Hosts shall lop the bough with terror; and the high ones of stature shall be hewn down; and the haughty shall be humbled. | Look, the Lord, the Lord of Hosts, will cut off the branches with fear; the tall ones will be cut down, and the proud will be made humble. |
| 2 Nephi 20:34 | And he shall cut down the thickets of the forests with iron, and Lebanon shall fall by a mighty one. | He will cut down the forest thickets with iron, and a powerful one will bring down Lebanon. |
2 Nephi 21
| Verse | Original | 7th Grade |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Nephi 21:1 | And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. | A rod will come out from the family of Jesse, and a branch will grow from his roots. |
| 2 Nephi 21:2 | And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord; | The Spirit of the Lord will be with him, giving him wisdom, understanding, good advice, strength, knowledge, and respect for the Lord. |
| 2 Nephi 21:3 | And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord; and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears. | He will be quick to understand and respect the Lord. He will not judge by what he sees or decide by what he hears. |
| 2 Nephi 21:4 | But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. | But he will judge the poor fairly and make just decisions for the meek. His words will bring correction to the earth, and his breath will destroy the wicked. |
| 2 Nephi 21:5 | And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins. | Righteousness will be like a belt around his waist, and faithfulness will be the belt around his hips. |
| 2 Nephi 21:6 | The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid, and the calf and the young lion and fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. | Wolves will live peacefully with lambs, leopards will rest with baby goats, calves and young lions and fattened animals will be together, and a little child will lead them. |
| 2 Nephi 21:7 | And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. | The cow and the bear will eat together; their young will rest together; and the lion will eat hay like the ox. |
| 2 Nephi 21:8 | And the suckling child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice—s den. | A baby will play near a snake’s hole, and a toddler will reach into a viper’s nest. |
| 2 Nephi 21:9 | They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea. | No one will harm or destroy anyone on my holy mountain, because the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord, just like the waters cover the sea. |
| 2 Nephi 21:10 | And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek; and his rest shall be glorious. | In that time, a descendant of Jesse will become an important leader for the people; the Gentiles will seek him, and his rest will be wonderful. |
| 2 Nephi 21:11 | And it shall come to pass in that day that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea. | On that day, the Lord will once again reach out to gather the remaining people from Assyria, Egypt, Pathros, Cush, Elam, Shinar, Hamath, and the islands of the sea. |
| 2 Nephi 21:12 | And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth. | He will raise a banner for the nations and gather the exiles of Israel, bringing together the scattered people of Judah from the four corners of the earth. |
| 2 Nephi 21:13 | The envy of Ephraim also shall depart, and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off; Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim. | The jealousy of Ephraim will end, and Judah’s enemies will be defeated; Ephraim won’t be jealous of Judah, and Judah won’t trouble Ephraim. |
| 2 Nephi 21:14 | But they shall fly upon the shoulders of the Philistines towards the west; they shall spoil them of the east together; they shall lay their hand upon Edom and Moab; and the children of Ammon shall obey them. | They will fly over the Philistines towards the west; together they will take the spoil from the east; they will conquer Edom and Moab, and the people of Ammon will obey them. |
| 2 Nephi 21:15 | And the Lord shall utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian sea; and with his mighty wind he shall shake his hand over the river, and shall smite it in the seven streams, and make men go over dry shod. | The Lord will completely dry up the Egyptian sea; with his powerful wind, he will wave his hand over the river and break it into seven streams so people can walk across on dry ground. |
| 2 Nephi 21:16 | And there shall be a highway for the remnant of his people which shall be left, from Assyria, like as it was to Israel in the day that he came up out of the land of Egypt. | There will be a way for the remaining people from Assyria, just like there was for Israel when they left Egypt. |
2 Nephi 22
| Verse | Original | 7th Grade |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Nephi 22:1 | And in that day thou shalt say: O Lord, I will praise thee; though thou wast angry with me thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedst me. | On that day you’ll say, “O Lord, I will praise You; even though You were angry with me, Your anger has gone away, and You have comforted me.” |
| 2 Nephi 22:2 | Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid; for the Lord JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also has become my salvation. | Look, God is my salvation; I’m going to trust and not be afraid. The Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song. He has also become my salvation. |
| 2 Nephi 22:3 | Therefore, with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. | So, then with joy you’ll draw water from the wells of salvation. |
| 2 Nephi 22:4 | And in that day shall ye say: Praise the Lord, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted. | On that day you’ll say: Praise the Lord, call on His name, tell everyone about what He’s done, and let them know His name is lifted high. |
| 2 Nephi 22:5 | Sing unto the Lord; for he hath done excellent things; this is known in all the earth. | Sing to the Lord; He’s done amazing things that everyone knows about. |
| 2 Nephi 22:6 | Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion; for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee. | Shout and rejoice, people of Zion, because the Holy One of Israel is with you and He is great. |
2 Nephi 23
| Verse | Original | 7th Grade |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Nephi 23:1 | The burden of Babylon, which Isaiah the son of Amoz did see. | The message about Babylon that Isaiah, son of Amoz, received. |
| 2 Nephi 23:2 | Lift ye up a banner upon the high mountain, exalt the voice unto them, shake the hand, that they may go into the gates of the nobles. | Raise a banner on the high mountain, shout out to them, wave your hand, so they can enter the gates of the nobles. |
| 2 Nephi 23:3 | I have commanded my sanctified ones, I have also called my mighty ones, for mine anger is not upon them that rejoice in my highness. | I’ve commanded those I’ve set apart, and I’ve called on my strong ones. They’re not angry with me; they take joy in my greatness. |
| 2 Nephi 23:4 | The noise of the multitude in the mountains like as of a great people, a tumultuous noise of the kingdoms of nations gathered together, the Lord of Hosts mustereth the hosts of the battle. | The sound of a large crowd in the mountains is like a great throng of people, a chaotic noise of many nations gathered together. The Lord of Hosts is bringing together the armies for battle. |
| 2 Nephi 23:5 | They come from a far country, from the end of heaven, yea, the Lord, and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole land. | They come from a distant place, from the farthest parts of the sky, yes, the Lord and the weapons of His anger, to destroy the entire land. |
| 2 Nephi 23:6 | Howl ye, for the day of the Lord is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty. | Cry out, because the Lord’s day is near; it will come as a disaster from the Almighty. |
| 2 Nephi 23:7 | Therefore shall all hands be faint, every man—s heart shall melt; | So everyone’s strength will weaken, and their hearts will be filled with fear. |
| 2 Nephi 23:8 | And they shall be afraid; pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as flames. | They will be scared; pain and suffering will grip them, and they’ll look at each other in shock; their faces will be flushed. |
| 2 Nephi 23:9 | Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate; and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it. | Look, the Lord’s day is coming, and it will be harsh with anger and fury. It will make the land desolate, and He will destroy sinners from it. |
| 2 Nephi 23:10 | For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light; the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine. | The stars and constellations in the sky won’t shine; the sun will be dark when it rises, and the moon won’t shine either. |
| 2 Nephi 23:11 | And I will punish the world for evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay down the haughtiness of the terrible. | I will punish the world for its evil and the wicked for their sins. I will stop the arrogance of the proud and bring down the pride of the ruthless. |
| 2 Nephi 23:12 | I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir. | I will make a man more valuable than fine gold, more valuable than the rarest gold from Ophir. |
| 2 Nephi 23:13 | Therefore, I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the Lord of Hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger. | So, I will shake the skies, and the earth will move from its place, because of the Lord’s fury and on the day of His intense anger. |
| 2 Nephi 23:14 | And it shall be as the chased roe, and as a sheep that no man taketh up; and they shall every man turn to his own people, and flee every one into his own land. | It will be like a scared deer and an abandoned sheep; everyone will return to their own people and go back to their own land. |
| 2 Nephi 23:15 | Every one that is proud shall be thrust through; yea, and every one that is joined to the wicked shall fall by the sword. | Everyone who is proud will be struck down, and anyone who joins with the wicked will die by the sword. |
| 2 Nephi 23:16 | Their children, also shall be dashed to pieces before their eyes; their houses shall be spoiled and their wives ravished. | Their children will be killed in front of them, their houses will be looted, and their wives violated. |
| 2 Nephi 23:17 | Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them, which shall not regard silver and gold, nor shall they delight in it. | I will bring the Medes against them, and they won’t care about silver and gold, nor will they take pleasure in it. |
| 2 Nephi 23:18 | Their bows shall also dash the young men to pieces, and they shall have no pity on the fruit of the womb; their eyes shall not spare children. | Their weapons will kill the young men, and they won’t have any mercy on pregnant women; they won’t spare the children. |
| 2 Nephi 23:19 | And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees— excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. | Babylon, once the most glorious of kingdoms and the pride of the Chaldeans, will be destroyed just like God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. |
| 2 Nephi 23:20 | It shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation: neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there; neither shall the shepherds make their fold there. | It will never be lived in again. No one will stay there, not even the Arabs with their tents or the shepherds with their flocks. |
| 2 Nephi 23:21 | But wild beasts of the desert shall lie there; and their houses shall be full of doleful creatures; and owls shall dwell there, and satyrs shall dance there. | Wild animals will live there, and their houses will be filled with sorrowful creatures. Owls will make their homes there, and mythical creatures will dance around. |
| 2 Nephi 23:22 | And the wild beasts of the islands shall cry in their desolate houses, and dragons in their pleasant palaces; and her time is near to come, and her day shall not be prolonged. For I will destroy her speedily; yea, for I will be merciful unto my people, but the wicked shall perish. | The wild animals on the islands will howl in their empty homes, and dragons will be in their beautiful palaces. Her end is near, and her time won’t be extended. I will destroy her quickly. I will show mercy to my people, but the wicked will be destroyed. |
2 Nephi 24
| Verse | Original | 7th Grade |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Nephi 24:1 | For the Lord will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel, and set them in their own land; and the strangers shall be joined with them, and they shall cleave to the house of Jacob. | The Lord will show kindness to Jacob and choose Israel again. He will bring them back to their land, and others will join and become part of the family of Jacob. |
| 2 Nephi 24:2 | And the people shall take them and bring them to their place; yea, from far unto the ends of the earth; and they shall return to their lands of promise. And the house of Israel shall possess them, and the land of the Lord shall be for servants and handmaids; and they shall take them captives unto whom they were captives; and they shall rule over their oppressors. | The people will take them and bring them to their place; yes, from far away to the ends of the earth; and they will return to their promised lands. The house of Israel will possess them, and the land of the Lord will have servants and handmaids; they will make captives of those who had captured them; and they will rule over their oppressors. |
| 2 Nephi 24:3 | And it shall come to pass in that day that the Lord shall give thee rest, from thy sorrow, and from thy fear, and from the hard bondage wherein thou wast made to serve. | In that time, the Lord will give you rest from your sorrow, your fear, and the hard work you were forced to do. |
| 2 Nephi 24:4 | And it shall come to pass in that day, that thou shalt take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say: How hath the oppressor ceased, the golden city ceased! | One day, you’ll speak out against the king of Babylon, saying: “Look how the oppressor has fallen, the golden city is no more!” |
| 2 Nephi 24:5 | The Lord hath broken the staff of the wicked, the scepters of the rulers. | The Lord has smashed the power of the wicked and the authority of the rulers. |
| 2 Nephi 24:6 | He who smote the people in wrath with a continual stroke, he that ruled the nations in anger, is persecuted, and none hindereth. | The person who struck down others in anger and ruled nations with fury is now being persecuted and no one stops it. |
| 2 Nephi 24:7 | The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet; they break forth into singing. | The whole world is calm and quiet; they start singing. |
| 2 Nephi 24:8 | Yea, the fir-trees rejoice at thee, and also the cedars of Lebanon, saying: Since thou art laid down no feller is come up against us. | Yes, the fir trees and the cedar trees of Lebanon are happy because no woodcutter comes to chop us down now that you are gone. |
| 2 Nephi 24:9 | Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming; it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations. | Hell below is ready to meet you when you arrive; it awakens the dead for you, even the most powerful ones of the earth; it has lifted up all the kings of the nations from their thrones. |
| 2 Nephi 24:10 | All they shall speak and say unto thee: Art thou also become weak as we? Art thou become like unto us? | They will all say to you: “Have you become as weak as we are? Have you become like us?” |
| 2 Nephi 24:11 | Thy pomp is brought down to the grave; the noise of thy viols is not heard; the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee. | Your grandeur is brought down to the grave; the sound of your stringed instruments is no longer heard; maggots are laid out beneath you, and worms cover you. |
| 2 Nephi 24:12 | How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! Art thou cut down to the ground, which did weaken the nations! | How did you fall from heaven, Lucifer, morning star? You who weakened the nations are cut down to the ground! |
| 2 Nephi 24:13 | For thou hast said in thy heart: I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north; | You have said to yourself, “I’ll climb up to heaven and set my throne above God’s stars; I’ll sit on the mountain where the assembly meets, far in the north.” |
| 2 Nephi 24:14 | I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High. | I will rise above the clouds and be like the Most High. |
| 2 Nephi 24:15 | Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. | You’ll be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. |
| 2 Nephi 24:16 | They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and shall consider thee, and shall say: Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms? | People will stare at you and think about you, saying: Is this the person who made the earth shake and caused kingdoms to fall? |
| 2 Nephi 24:17 | And made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof, and opened not the house of his prisoners? | He turned the world into a wasteland, destroyed its cities, and didn’t free his prisoners. |
| 2 Nephi 24:18 | All the kings of the nations, yea, all of them, lie in glory, every one of them in his own house. | All the kings of the nations, every one of them, lie in glory in their own houses. |
| 2 Nephi 24:19 | But thou art cast out of thy grave like an abominable branch, and the remnant of those that are slain, thrust through with a sword, that go down to the stones of the pit; as a carcass trodden under feet. | But you are thrown out of your grave like a cursed branch, along with the remains of those killed by the sword, who go down to the depths; like a corpse trampled underfoot. |
| 2 Nephi 24:20 | Thou shalt not be joined with them in burial, because thou hast destroyed thy land and slain thy people; the seed of evil-doers shall never be renowned. | You won’t be buried with them because you’ve destroyed your land and killed your people. The descendants of evildoers will never be famous. |
| 2 Nephi 24:21 | Prepare slaughter for his children for the iniquities of their fathers, that they do not rise, nor possess the land, nor fill the face of the world with cities. | Get ready to punish their children for the sins of their fathers so they don’t take control, own the land, or cover the world with their cities. |
| 2 Nephi 24:22 | For I will rise up against them, saith the Lord of Hosts, and cut off from Babylon the name, and remnant, and son, and nephew, saith the Lord. | I will rise up against them, says the Lord of Hosts. I will cut off from Babylon their name, their descendants, and their relatives, says the Lord. |
| 2 Nephi 24:23 | I will also make it a possession for the bittern, and pools of water; and I will sweep it with the besom of destruction, saith the Lord of Hosts. | I will also make it a place for wild birds and pools of water; and I will destroy it completely, says the Lord of Hosts. |
| 2 Nephi 24:24 | The Lord of Hosts hath sworn, saying: Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand— | The Lord of Hosts has promised, saying: Just as I have planned, it will happen; and just as I have decided, it will be. |
| 2 Nephi 24:25 | That I will bring the Assyrian in my land, and upon my mountains tread him under foot; then shall his yoke depart from off them, and his burden depart from off their shoulders. | I will bring the Assyrian into my land and trample him on my mountains. Then their yoke will be broken from them, and their burden will be lifted from their shoulders. |
| 2 Nephi 24:26 | This is the purpose that is purposed upon the whole earth; and this is the hand that is stretched out upon all nations. | This is the plan for the whole earth; and this is the power extended to all nations. |
| 2 Nephi 24:27 | For the Lord of Hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul? And his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back? | The Lord of Hosts has made a plan, and who can cancel it? His hand is reached out, and who can stop it? |
| 2 Nephi 24:28 | In the year that king Ahaz died was this burden. | The year King Ahaz died, this message came. |
| 2 Nephi 24:29 | Rejoice not thou, whole Palestina, because the rod of him that smote thee is broken; for out of the serpent—s root shall come forth a cockatrice, and his fruit shall be a fiery flying serpent. | Don’t celebrate just yet, all of Philistia, because the one who struck you down is gone. From the root of that snake will come an even more dangerous creature, and its offspring will be a fiery flying serpent. |
| 2 Nephi 24:30 | And the first-born of the poor shall feed, and the needy shall lie down in safety; and I will kill thy root with famine, and he shall slay thy remnant. | The poor will have enough to eat, and the needy will rest in safety. I will destroy your foundation with famine, and your survivors will be killed. |
| 2 Nephi 24:31 | Howl, O gate; cry, O city; thou, whole Palestina, art dissolved; for there shall come from the north a smoke, and none shall be alone in his appointed times. | Mourn, O gate; wail, O city; all of Palestine is finished; smoke will come from the north, and everyone will arrive at their destined times. |
| 2 Nephi 24:32 | What shall then answer the messengers of the nations? That the Lord hath founded Zion, and the poor of his people shall trust in it. | What should we say to the messengers from other nations? The Lord has established Zion, and the poor among His people will find security there. |
2 Nephi 25
| Verse | Original | 7th Grade |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Nephi 25:1 | Now I, Nephi, do speak somewhat concerning the words which I have written, which have been spoken by the mouth of Isaiah. For behold, Isaiah spake many things which were hard for many of my people to understand; for they know not concerning the manner of prophesying among the Jews. | I’m Nephi, and I want to talk a bit about the words I’ve written, which were spoken by Isaiah. You see, Isaiah said a lot of things that were difficult for many of my people to understand because they didn’t know much about the way the Jews prophesy. |
| 2 Nephi 25:2 | For I, Nephi, have not taught them many things concerning the manner of the Jews; for their works were works of darkness, and their doings were doings of abominations. | I, Nephi, didn’t teach them much about the ways of the Jews because their actions were evil and their practices were abominable. |
| 2 Nephi 25:3 | Wherefore, I write unto my people, unto all those that shall receive hereafter these things which I write, that they may know the judgments of God, that they come upon all nations, according to the word which he hath spoken. | So, I’m writing to my people and anyone in the future who reads this, so they can understand God’s judgments that will impact all nations, just like He said. |
| 2 Nephi 25:4 | Wherefore, hearken, O my people, which are of the house of Israel, and give ear unto my words; for because the words of Isaiah are not plain unto you, nevertheless they are plain unto all those that are filled with the spirit of prophecy. But I give unto you a prophecy, according to the spirit which is in me; wherefore I shall prophesy according to the plainness which hath been with me from the time that I came out from Jerusalem with my father; for behold, my soul delighteth in plainness unto my people, that they may learn. | Listen up, my people who are part of the house of Israel, and pay attention to what I’m saying. Even though Isaiah’s words might be hard for you to understand, they are clear to those with the spirit of prophecy. I’m going to give you a prophecy based on the spirit that is within me, and I’ll speak clearly, just as I have since I left Jerusalem with my father. I love being clear with my people so they can learn. |
| 2 Nephi 25:5 | Yea, and my soul delighteth in the words of Isaiah, for I came out from Jerusalem, and mine eyes hath beheld the things of the Jews, and I know that the Jews do understand the things of the prophets, and there is none other people that understand the things which were spoken unto the Jews like unto them, save it be that they are taught after the manner of the things of the Jews. | I really love the words of Isaiah because I came from Jerusalem and have seen the ways of the Jews. I know that they truly understand the words of the prophets, and no other people understand those words like they do, unless they are taught in the ways of the Jews. |
| 2 Nephi 25:6 | But behold, I, Nephi, have not taught my children after the manner of the Jews; but behold, I, of myself, have dwelt at Jerusalem, wherefore I know concerning the regions round about; and I have made mention unto my children concerning the judgments of God, which hath come to pass among the Jews, unto my children, according to all that which Isaiah hath spoken, and I do not write them. | But look, I, Nephi, didn’t teach my children the ways of the Jews. However, I lived in Jerusalem, so I know the surrounding areas well. I’ve told my children about God’s judgments that happened to the Jews, just as Isaiah said. But I won’t write those here. |
| 2 Nephi 25:7 | But behold, I proceed with mine own prophecy, according to my plainness; in the which I know that no man can err; nevertheless, in the days that the prophecies of Isaiah shall be fulfilled men shall know of a surety, at the times when they shall come to pass. | But look, I’ll continue with my own prophecy clearly and plainly. I know no one can misunderstand. However, when Isaiah’s prophecies come true, people will definitely know it when it happens. |
| 2 Nephi 25:8 | Wherefore, they are of worth unto the children of men, and he that supposeth that they are not, unto them will I speak particularly, and confine the words unto mine own people; for I know that they shall be of great worth unto them in the last days; for in that day shall they understand them; wherefore, for their good have I written them. | So, these words are valuable to people, and if anyone thinks they’re not, I’m speaking directly to them and focusing my words on my own people. I know they will be very valuable to them in the future. They will understand them then. That’s why I wrote them, for their benefit. |
| 2 Nephi 25:9 | And as one generation hath been destroyed among the Jews because of iniquity, even so have they been destroyed from generation to generation according to their iniquities; and never hath any of them been destroyed save it were foretold them by the prophets of the Lord. | Just as one generation of the Jews was destroyed because of their wickedness, the same has happened from generation to generation due to their sins. And none of them were destroyed without being warned by the prophets of the Lord. |
| 2 Nephi 25:10 | Wherefore, it hath been told them concerning the destruction which should come upon them, immediately after my father left Jerusalem; nevertheless, they hardened their hearts; and according to my prophecy they have been destroyed, save it be those which are carried away captive into Babylon. | So, they were warned about the destruction that would come right after my dad left Jerusalem, but they still chose to ignore it and harden their hearts. As I predicted, they’ve been destroyed, except for those who were taken captive to Babylon. |
| 2 Nephi 25:11 | And now this I speak because of the spirit which is in me. And notwithstanding they have been carried away they shall return again, and possess the land of Jerusalem; wherefore, they shall be restored again to the land of their inheritance. | I’m saying this because of the spirit within me. Even though they have been taken away, they will return and take possession of the land of Jerusalem again; they will be restored to their ancestral land. |
| 2 Nephi 25:12 | But, behold, they shall have wars, and rumors of wars; and when the day cometh that the Only Begotten of the Father, yea, even the Father of heaven and of earth, shall manifest himself unto them in the flesh, behold, they will reject him, because of their iniquities, and the hardness of their hearts, and the stiffness of their necks. | But look, they’ll have wars and talk of wars; and when the day comes that the Only Begotten of the Father, yes, the Father of heaven and earth, shows Himself to them in the flesh, they will reject Him because of their sins and their hard and stubborn hearts. |
| 2 Nephi 25:13 | Behold, they will crucify him; and after he is laid in a sepulchre for the space of three days he shall rise from the dead, with healing in his wings; and all those who shall believe on his name shall be saved in the kingdom of God. Wherefore, my soul delighteth to prophesy concerning him, for I have seen his day, and my heart doth magnify his holy name. | Look, they will crucify him; and after he is laid in a tomb for three days, he will rise from the dead with healing powers. Everyone who believes in him will be saved in God’s kingdom. This is why I love to prophesy about him, because I have seen his day, and my heart praises his holy name. |
| 2 Nephi 25:14 | And behold it shall come to pass that after the Messiah hath risen from the dead, and hath manifested himself unto his people, unto as many as will believe on his name, behold, Jerusalem shall be destroyed again; for wo unto them that fight against God and the people of his church. | And look, it will happen that after the Messiah has risen from the dead and shown himself to his people, to all who believe in his name, Jerusalem will be destroyed again. It’s bad news for those who fight against God and his church’s people. |
| 2 Nephi 25:15 | Wherefore, the Jews shall be scattered among all nations; yea, and also Babylon shall be destroyed; wherefore, the Jews shall be scattered by other nations. | So, the Jews will be scattered among all the nations, and Babylon will be destroyed. Because of this, the Jews will be scattered by other nations. |
| 2 Nephi 25:16 | And after they have been scattered, and the Lord God hath scourged them by other nations for the space of many generations, yea, even down from generation to generation until they shall be persuaded to believe in Christ, the Son of God, and the atonement, which is infinite for all mankind—and when that day shall come that they shall believe in Christ, and worship the Father in his name, with pure hearts and clean hands, and look not forward any more for another Messiah, then, at that time, the day will come that it must needs be expedient that they should believe these things. | After they have been scattered, and the Lord has allowed other nations to punish them for many generations, from one generation to another, until they are convinced to believe in Christ, the Son of God, and the infinite atonement for all mankind—when that day comes, and they believe in Christ and worship the Father in His name with pure hearts and clean hands, no longer waiting for another Messiah, then it will be necessary for them to believe these things. |
| 2 Nephi 25:17 | And the Lord will set his hand again the second time to restore his people from their lost and fallen state. Wherefore, he will proceed to do a marvelous work and a wonder among the children of men. | God will step in once again to rescue His people from their lost and fallen state. He’s going to do something amazing and wonderful among everyone. |
| 2 Nephi 25:18 | Wherefore, he shall bring forth his words unto them, which words shall judge them at the last day, for they shall be given them for the purpose of convincing them of the true Messiah, who was rejected by them; and unto the convincing of them that they need not look forward any more for a Messiah to come, for there should not any come, save it should be a false Messiah which should deceive the people; for there is save one Messiah spoken of by the prophets, and that Messiah is he who should be rejected of the Jews. | So, He will share His words with them, and those words will judge them on the last day. These words are meant to convince them of the true Messiah, whom they rejected. They shouldn’t expect any other Messiah to come because any other would be a false one that would deceive people. The prophets only spoke of one true Messiah, and that is the one who the Jews rejected. |
| 2 Nephi 25:19 | For according to the words of the prophets, the Messiah cometh in six hundred years from the time that my father left Jerusalem; and according to the words of the prophets, and also the word of the angel of God, his name shall be Jesus Christ, the Son of God. | According to the prophets, the Messiah will come 600 years after my father left Jerusalem. The prophets and an angel of God have said his name will be Jesus Christ, the Son of God. |
| 2 Nephi 25:20 | And now, my brethren, I have spoken plainly that ye cannot err. And as the Lord God liveth that brought Israel up out of the land of Egypt, and gave unto Moses power that he should heal the nations after they had been bitten by the poisonous serpents, if they would cast their eyes unto the serpent which he did raise up before them, and also gave him power that he should smite the rock and the water should come forth; yea, behold I say unto you, that as these things are true, and as the Lord God liveth, there is none other name given under heaven save it be this Jesus Christ, of which I have spoken, whereby man can be saved. | And now, my brothers and sisters, I’ve spoken clearly so you won’t get it wrong. As surely as the Lord God lives, who brought Israel out of Egypt and gave Moses the power to heal the nations if they looked at the serpent he raised, and gave him the power to bring water from the rock, I tell you, just as these things are true, and as the Lord God lives, there’s no other name given under heaven except Jesus Christ by which we can be saved. |
| 2 Nephi 25:21 | Wherefore, for this cause hath the Lord God promised unto me that these things which I write shall be kept and preserved, and handed down unto my seed, from generation to generation, that the promise may be fulfilled unto Joseph, that his seed should never perish as long as the earth should stand. | So, for this reason, the Lord God promised me that the things I write will be kept and passed down to my descendants, generation after generation. This is to fulfill the promise made to Joseph, that his descendants would never disappear as long as the earth exists. |
| 2 Nephi 25:22 | Wherefore, these things shall go from generation to generation as long as the earth shall stand; and they shall go according to the will and pleasure of God; and the nations who shall possess them shall be judged of them according to the words which are written. | So, these things will be passed down from generation to generation as long as the earth exists. They’ll go according to God’s will and pleasure, and the nations that possess them will be judged by them according to what’s written. |
| 2 Nephi 25:23 | For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do. | We work hard to write and persuade our children and our brothers to believe in Christ and reconcile with God because we know that we are saved by grace, after all we can do. |
| 2 Nephi 25:24 | And, notwithstanding we believe in Christ, we keep the law of Moses, and look forward with steadfastness unto Christ, until the law shall be fulfilled. | Even though we believe in Christ, we still follow the law of Moses and look forward to the time when Christ will fulfill that law. |
| 2 Nephi 25:25 | For, for this end was the law given; wherefore the law hath become dead unto us, and we are made alive in Christ because of our faith; yet we keep the law because of the commandments. | The law was given for this purpose, so now the law isn’t what saves us; instead, we are made alive in Christ because of our faith. Yet, we still follow the law because of the commandments. |
| 2 Nephi 25:26 | And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins. | We talk about Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we teach Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies so that our children will know where to look for forgiveness of their sins. |
| 2 Nephi 25:27 | Wherefore, we speak concerning the law that our children may know the deadness of the law; and they, by knowing the deadness of the law, may look forward unto that life which is in Christ, and know for what end the law was given. And after the law is fulfilled in Christ, that they need not harden their hearts against him when the law ought to be done away. | We teach our children about the law so they understand that it is lifeless on its own. By realizing this, they can look forward to the life found in Christ and understand the purpose of the law. Once Christ fulfills the law, they won’t need to resist him since the law should no longer be followed. |
| 2 Nephi 25:28 | And now behold, my people, ye are a stiffnecked people; wherefore, I have spoken plainly unto you, that ye cannot misunderstand. And the words which I have spoken shall stand as a testimony against you; for they are sufficient to teach any man the right way; for the right way is to believe in Christ and deny him not; for by denying him ye also deny the prophets and the law. | And now listen up, my people. You are stubborn, so I have spoken clearly to you so there’s no way you can misunderstand. My words will stand as evidence against you because they are enough to guide anyone to the right path. Believing in Christ and not denying Him is the right way. If you deny Him, you are also denying the prophets and the law. |
| 2 Nephi 25:29 | And now behold, I say unto you that the right way is to believe in Christ, and deny him not; and Christ is the Holy One of Israel; wherefore ye must bow down before him, and worship him with all your might, mind, and strength, and your whole soul; and if ye do this ye shall in nowise be cast out. | Listen, I’m telling you that the right way is to believe in Christ and never deny Him. Christ is the Holy One of Israel. So, you need to bow down and worship Him with all your might, mind, strength, and soul. If you do this, you will never be rejected. |
| 2 Nephi 25:30 | And, inasmuch as it shall be expedient, ye must keep the performances and ordinances of God until the law shall be fulfilled which was given unto Moses. | As long as it’s necessary, you need to follow God’s ordinances and rituals until the law given to Moses is fulfilled. |
2 Nephi 26
| Verse | Original | 7th Grade |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Nephi 26:1 | And after Christ shall have risen from the dead he shall show himself unto you, my children, and my beloved brethren; and the words which he shall speak unto you shall be the law which ye shall do. | After Christ has risen from the dead, he will show himself to you, my children and my dear brothers. The words he speaks to you will be the law you need to follow. |
| 2 Nephi 26:2 | For behold, I say unto you that I have beheld that many generations shall pass away, and there shall be great wars and contentions among my people. | Listen, I’m telling you that I have seen that many generations will come and go, and there will be big wars and lots of fighting among my people. |
| 2 Nephi 26:3 | And after the Messiah shall come there shall be signs given unto my people of his birth, and also of his death and resurrection; and great and terrible shall that day be unto the wicked, for they shall perish; and they perish because they cast out the prophets, and the saints, and stone them, and slay them; wherefore the cry of the blood of the saints shall ascend up to God from the ground against them. | After the Messiah comes, there will be signs for my people about His birth, death, and resurrection. That day will be terrible for the wicked because they will perish. They will perish because they rejected and killed the prophets and the saints. Therefore, the blood of the saints will cry out to God against them from the ground. |
| 2 Nephi 26:4 | Wherefore, all those who are proud, and that do wickedly, the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of Hosts, for they shall be as stubble. | So, all those who are arrogant and do evil will be burned up when the day comes, says the Lord of Hosts, because they’ll be like dry stubble. |
| 2 Nephi 26:5 | And they that kill the prophets, and the saints, the depths of the earth shall swallow them up, saith the Lord of Hosts; and mountains shall cover them, and whirlwinds shall carry them away, and buildings shall fall upon them and crush them to pieces and grind them to powder. | Anyone who kills the prophets and the saints will be swallowed up by the earth, says the Lord of Hosts. Mountains will cover them, whirlwinds will carry them away, and buildings will fall on them, crushing them to pieces. |
| 2 Nephi 26:6 | And they shall be visited with thunderings, and lightnings, and earthquakes, and all manner of destructions, for the fire of the anger of the Lord shall be kindled against them, and they shall be as stubble, and the day that cometh shall consume them, saith the Lord of Hosts. | They will experience thunderstorms, lightning, earthquakes, and all sorts of disasters, because the Lord’s anger will burn against them. They will be like dry straw, and the coming day will destroy them, says the Lord of Hosts. |
| 2 Nephi 26:7 | O the pain, and the anguish of my soul for the loss of the slain of my people! For I, Nephi, have seen it, and it well nigh consumeth me before the presence of the Lord; but I must cry unto my God: Thy ways are just. | The pain and anguish in my soul for the loss of my people is overwhelming! I, Nephi, have seen this, and it nearly consumes me before the Lord. But I must cry out to my God: Your ways are just. |
| 2 Nephi 26:8 | But behold, the righteous that hearken unto the words of the prophets, and destroy them not, but look forward unto Christ with steadfastness for the signs which are given, notwithstanding all persecution—behold, they are they which shall not perish. | But look, those who are righteous and listen to the words of the prophets, and do not harm them, but instead look forward to Christ with determination for the signs given, despite all the persecution—they are the ones who will not perish. |
| 2 Nephi 26:9 | But the Son of righteousness shall appear unto them; and he shall heal them, and they shall have peace with him, until three generations shall have passed away, and many of the fourth generation shall have passed away in righteousness. | But the Son of righteousness will come to them, and he will heal them. They will have peace with Him for three generations, and many in the fourth generation will live righteously. |
| 2 Nephi 26:10 | And when these things have passed away a speedy destruction cometh unto my people; for, notwithstanding the pains of my soul, I have seen it; wherefore, I know that it shall come to pass; and they sell themselves for naught; for, for the reward of their pride and their foolishness they shall reap destruction; for because they yield unto the devil and choose works of darkness rather than light, therefore they must go down to hell. | When all these things are over, my people will face swift destruction. Even though it pains me to say it, I have seen it will happen. They have sold themselves for nothing; their pride and foolishness will bring about their own downfall. Because they follow the devil and prefer darkness over light, they must go to hell. |
| 2 Nephi 26:11 | For the Spirit of the Lord will not always strive with man. And when the Spirit ceaseth to strive with man then cometh speedy destruction, and this grieveth my soul. | The Spirit of the Lord won’t always stay with humans. When the Spirit stops working with people, destruction comes quickly, and this makes me very sad. |
| 2 Nephi 26:12 | And as I spake concerning the convincing of the Jews, that Jesus is the very Christ, it must needs be that the Gentiles be convinced also that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God; | As I talked about convincing the Jews that Jesus is the Christ, it’s also necessary to convince the Gentiles that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God. |
| 2 Nephi 26:13 | And that he manifesteth himself unto all those who believe in him, by the power of the Holy Ghost; yea, unto every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, working mighty miracles, signs, and wonders, among the children of men according to their faith. | He reveals himself to all who believe in him through the Holy Ghost’s power. To every nation, family, language, and people, he performs miracles, signs, and wonders according to their faith. |
| 2 Nephi 26:14 | But behold, I prophesy unto you concerning the last days; concerning the days when the Lord God shall bring these things forth unto the children of men. | Listen, I’m going to tell you about the last days when the Lord God will bring these things to the people. |
| 2 Nephi 26:15 | After my seed and the seed of my brethren shall have dwindled in unbelief, and shall have been smitten by the Gentiles; yea, after the Lord God shall have camped against them round about, and shall have laid siege against them with a mount, and raised forts against them; and after they shall have been brought down low in the dust, even that they are not, yet the words of the righteous shall be written, and the prayers of the faithful shall be heard, and all those who have dwindled in unbelief shall not be forgotten. | After my descendants and the descendants of my brothers lose their faith and are oppressed by others, and after God surrounds them and besieges them until they are humbled to the dust, even to the point of almost disappearing, the words of the righteous will still be written, the prayers of the faithful will be heard, and those who have lost their faith will not be forgotten. |
| 2 Nephi 26:16 | For those who shall be destroyed shall speak unto them out of the ground, and their speech shall be low out of the dust, and their voice shall be as one that hath a familiar spirit; for the Lord God will give unto him power, that he may whisper concerning them, even as it were out of the ground; and their speech shall whisper out of the dust. | Those who are destroyed will speak to them from the ground, their voices soft like a whisper in the dirt, sounding familiar. The Lord God will give them the power to speak about these things, almost like they are whispering from beneath the ground. Their words will be like whispers out of the dust. |
| 2 Nephi 26:17 | For thus saith the Lord God: They shall write the things which shall be done among them, and they shall be written and sealed up in a book, and those who have dwindled in unbelief shall not have them, for they seek to destroy the things of God. | This is what the Lord God says: They will write down what happens among them and it will be written and sealed in a book. Those who have lost their faith won’t have it, because they try to destroy the things of God. |
| 2 Nephi 26:18 | Wherefore, as those who have been destroyed have been destroyed speedily; and the multitude of their terrible ones shall be as chaff that passeth away—yea, thus saith the Lord God: It shall be at an instant, suddenly— | So, those who were destroyed were destroyed quickly; and their many wicked ones will disappear like chaff blown away by the wind. Yes, the Lord God says this: It will happen in an instant, suddenly. |
| 2 Nephi 26:19 | And it shall come to pass, that those who have dwindled in unbelief shall be smitten by the hand of the Gentiles. | Those who have stopped believing will be struck down by the Gentiles. |
| 2 Nephi 26:20 | And the Gentiles are lifted up in the pride of their eyes, and have stumbled, because of the greatness of their stumbling block, that they have built up many churches; nevertheless, they put down the power and miracles of God, and preach up unto themselves their own wisdom and their own learning, that they may get gain and grind upon the face of the poor. | The Gentiles have become arrogant and have stumbled greatly. They have built many churches, but they deny God’s power and miracles. Instead, they promote their own wisdom to gain wealth and exploit the poor. |
| 2 Nephi 26:21 | And there are many churches built up which cause envyings, and strifes, and malice. | There are many churches that cause envy, strife, and malice. |
| 2 Nephi 26:22 | And there are also secret combinations, even as in times of old, according to the combinations of the devil, for he is the founder of all these things; yea, the founder of murder, and works of darkness; yea, and he leadeth them by the neck with a flaxen cord, until he bindeth them with his strong cords forever. | There are secret groups, just like in the past, working in the ways of the devil, because he started all these things. He is the creator of murder and evil acts, and he traps people with thin cords until he binds them tightly forever. |
| 2 Nephi 26:23 | For behold, my beloved brethren, I say unto you that the Lord God worketh not in darkness. | Listen, my dear brothers and sisters, I tell you that the Lord God doesn’t work in darkness. |
| 2 Nephi 26:24 | He doeth not anything save it be for the benefit of the world; for he loveth the world, even that he layeth down his own life that he may draw all men unto him. Wherefore, he commandeth none that they shall not partake of his salvation. | He doesn’t do anything unless it’s for the benefit of the world; because he loves the world and even gave his own life to bring everyone to him. Therefore, he doesn’t tell anyone they can’t partake of his salvation. |
| 2 Nephi 26:25 | Behold, doth he cry unto any, saying: Depart from me? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; but he saith: Come unto me all ye ends of the earth, buy milk and honey, without money and without price. | Look, does he tell anyone to go away? No, I tell you, he says, “Come to me, everyone from all over the earth, and get milk and honey for free.” |
| 2 Nephi 26:26 | Behold, hath he commanded any that they should depart out of the synagogues, or out of the houses of worship? Behold, I say unto you, Nay. | Has He ever told anyone to leave the synagogues or houses of worship? No, He hasn’t. |
| 2 Nephi 26:27 | Hath he commanded any that they should not partake of his salvation? Behold I say unto you, Nay; but he hath given it free for all men; and he hath commanded his people that they should persuade all men to repentance. | Has God told anyone that they can’t receive his salvation? I tell you, no; he’s given it freely to everyone. And he’s commanded his people to encourage everyone to repent. |
| 2 Nephi 26:28 | Behold, hath the Lord commanded any that they should not partake of his goodness? Behold I say unto you, Nay; but all men are privileged the one like unto the other, and none are forbidden. | Has the Lord told anyone they can’t experience His goodness? No, everyone has the same privilege, and no one is excluded. |
| 2 Nephi 26:29 | He commandeth that there shall be no priestcrafts; for, behold priestcrafts are that men preach and set themselves up for a light unto the world, that they may get gain and praise of the world; but they seek not the welfare of Zion. | He commands that there should be no priestcrafts. Priestcrafts are when people preach and set themselves up as a guide to the world to gain wealth and praise, but they don’t care about the well-being of Zion. |
| 2 Nephi 26:30 | Behold, the Lord hath forbidden this thing; wherefore, the Lord God hath given a commandment that all men should have charity, which charity is love, and except they should have charity they were nothing. Wherefore, if they should have charity they would not suffer the laborer in Zion to perish. | Look, the Lord has forbidden this thing. So, the Lord God has given a command that everyone should have charity, which is love, and without charity, they are nothing. So, if they have charity, they wouldn’t let the worker in Zion suffer. |
| 2 Nephi 26:31 | But the laborer in Zion shall labor for Zion; for if they labor for money they shall perish. | The worker in Zion will work for Zion. If they work for money, they will perish. |
| 2 Nephi 26:32 | And again, the Lord God hath commanded that men should not murder; that they should not lie; that they should not steal; that they should not take the name of the Lord their God in vain; that they should not envy; that they should not have malice; that they should not contend one with another; that they should not commit whoredoms; and that they should do none of these things; for whoso doeth them shall perish. | Once again, the Lord God has commanded that we shouldn’t murder, lie, steal, misuse His name, be envious, harbor malice, quarrel with each other, or commit sexual sins. We should avoid all these things because those who do them will face destruction. |
| 2 Nephi 26:33 | For none of these iniquities come of the Lord; for he doeth that which is good among the children of men; and he doeth nothing save it be plain unto the children of men; and he inviteth them all to come unto him and partake of his goodness; and he denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and free, male and female; and he remembereth the heathen; and all are alike unto God, both Jew and Gentile. | None of these sins come from the Lord; He does good among people and makes His will clear to them. He invites everyone to come to Him and enjoy His goodness. He doesn’t turn away anyone who comes to Him â it doesn’t matter if they’re black or white, enslaved or free, male or female. He remembers everyone, including those who don’t believe. To God, everyone is the same, both Jew and Gentile. |
2 Nephi 27
| Verse | Original | 7th Grade |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Nephi 27:1 | But, behold, in the last days, or in the days of the Gentiles—yea, behold all the nations of the Gentiles and also the Jews, both those who shall come upon this land and those who shall be upon other lands, yea, even upon all the lands of the earth, behold, they will be drunken with iniquity and all manner of abominations— | But look, in the last days, or the days of the Gentiles—all the Gentile nations and the Jews, whether they’re on this land or other lands, yes, even all the lands on Earth—they will be filled with sin and all kinds of evil. |
| 2 Nephi 27:2 | And when that day shall come they shall be visited of the Lord of Hosts, with thunder and with earthquake, and with a great noise, and with storm, and with tempest, and with the flame of devouring fire. | When that day comes, the Lord of Hosts will visit them with thunder, earthquakes, loud noises, storms, tempests, and consuming fire. |
| 2 Nephi 27:3 | And all the nations that fight against Zion, and that distress her, shall be as a dream of a night vision; yea, it shall be unto them, even as unto a hungry man which dreameth, and behold he eateth but he awaketh and his soul is empty; or like unto a thirsty man which dreameth, and behold he drinketh but he awaketh and behold he is faint, and his soul hath appetite; yea, even so shall the multitude of all the nations be that fight against Mount Zion. | All the nations that fight against Zion and try to harm her will feel like they’re in a dream. It will be like a starving man dreaming of food, but when he wakes up, he’s still hungry. Or like a thirsty man dreaming of water, but when he wakes up, he’s still faint and craving. That’s how all the nations will be that fight against Mount Zion. |
| 2 Nephi 27:4 | For behold, all ye that doeth iniquity, stay yourselves and wonder, for ye shall cry out, and cry; yea, ye shall be drunken but not with wine, ye shall stagger but not with strong drink. | Listen up, all you who do evil. Stop and be astonished, for you’re going to cry out and sob. You’ll act like you’re drunk, but not from wine, and you’ll stumble around, but not because of strong drink. |
| 2 Nephi 27:5 | For behold, the Lord hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep. For behold, ye have closed your eyes, and ye have rejected the prophets; and your rulers, and the seers hath he covered because of your iniquity. | Look, the Lord has put you into a deep sleep. You’ve shut your eyes and ignored the prophets. Your leaders and visionaries are hidden because of your wrongdoings. |
| 2 Nephi 27:6 | And it shall come to pass that the Lord God shall bring forth unto you the words of a book, and they shall be the words of them which have slumbered. | The Lord God will bring you the words of a book, and they will be the words of those who have passed on. |
| 2 Nephi 27:7 | And behold the book shall be sealed; and in the book shall be a revelation from God, from the beginning of the world to the ending thereof. | The book will be sealed, and it will contain God’s revelation, from the beginning of the world to its end. |
| 2 Nephi 27:8 | Wherefore, because of the things which are sealed up, the things which are sealed shall not be delivered in the day of the wickedness and abominations of the people. Wherefore the book shall be kept from them. | So, because of what’s sealed up, these sealed things won’t be given out during the time of the people’s wickedness and abominations. So the book will be kept from them. |
| 2 Nephi 27:9 | But the book shall be delivered unto a man, and he shall deliver the words of the book, which are the words of those who have slumbered in the dust, and he shall deliver these words unto another; | The book will be given to a man, and he will share its words, which are from those who have long passed away, and he will share these words with someone else. |
| 2 Nephi 27:10 | But the words which are sealed he shall not deliver, neither shall he deliver the book. For the book shall be sealed by the power of God, and the revelation which was sealed shall be kept in the book until the own due time of the Lord, that they may come forth; for behold, they reveal all things from the foundation of the world unto the end thereof. | But the sealed words and the book won’t be given. The book is sealed by God’s power, and the revelation in it will stay sealed until the Lord decides the time is right. Then everything from the beginning of the world to the end will be revealed. |
| 2 Nephi 27:11 | And the day cometh that the words of the book which were sealed shall be read upon the house tops; and they shall be read by the power of Christ; and all things shall be revealed unto the children of men which ever have been among the children of men, and which ever will be even unto the end of the earth. | There will come a day when the words of the sealed book will be read aloud for everyone to hear; they will be revealed through the power of Christ, and everything ever experienced by or that will ever happen to humanity will be made known until the end of the world. |
| 2 Nephi 27:12 | Wherefore, at that day when the book shall be delivered unto the man of whom I have spoken, the book shall be hid from the eyes of the world, that the eyes of none shall behold it save it be that three witnesses shall behold it, by the power of God, besides him to whom the book shall be delivered; and they shall testify to the truth of the book and the things therein. | So, when the book is given to the man I talked about, it will be hidden from the world. Only three witnesses, besides the man who receives the book, will see it through God’s power. They will testify to the truth of the book and its contents. |
| 2 Nephi 27:13 | And there is none other which shall view it, save it be a few according to the will of God, to bear testimony of his word unto the children of men; for the Lord God hath said that the words of the faithful should speak as if it were from the dead. | No one else will see it, except for a few chosen by God’s will, to testify of His word to the people; because the Lord has said that the words of the faithful should speak as if they were from the dead. |
| 2 Nephi 27:14 | Wherefore, the Lord God will proceed to bring forth the words of the book; and in the mouth of as many witnesses as seemeth him good will he establish his word; and wo be unto him that rejecteth the word of God! | Because of this, the Lord God will bring out the words of the book; and He will confirm His word through as many witnesses as He sees fit. But trouble awaits anyone who rejects the word of God! |
| 2 Nephi 27:15 | But behold, it shall come to pass that the Lord God shall say unto him to whom he shall deliver the book: Take these words which are not sealed and deliver them to another, that he may show them unto the learned, saying: Read this, I pray thee. And the learned shall say: Bring hither the book, and I will read them. | But listen, the time will come when the Lord God will tell the person who gets the book to take the unsealed words and give them to someone else to show to a scholar, saying: “Please read this.” And the scholar will say: “Give me the book, and I will read it.” |
| 2 Nephi 27:16 | And now, because of the glory of the world and to get gain will they say this, and not for the glory of God. | And now, because they desire the praise of the world and to make money, they will say these things, and not to honor God. |
| 2 Nephi 27:17 | And the man shall say: I cannot bring the book, for it is sealed. | The man will say, “I can’t bring the book because it’s sealed.” |
| 2 Nephi 27:18 | Then shall the learned say: I cannot read it. | Then the scholar will say, “I can’t read it.” |
| 2 Nephi 27:19 | Wherefore it shall come to pass, that the Lord God will deliver again the book and the words thereof to him that is not learned; and the man that is not learned shall say: I am not learned. | So, the Lord God will give the book and its words to someone who isn’t educated, and this person will say: “I am not educated.” |
| 2 Nephi 27:20 | Then shall the Lord God say unto him: The learned shall not read them, for they have rejected them, and I am able to do mine own work; wherefore thou shalt read the words which I shall give unto thee. | Then the Lord God will say to him: The educated will not read these things because they have rejected them, and I can handle my own work. So you will read the words I give to you. |
| 2 Nephi 27:21 | Touch not the things which are sealed, for I will bring them forth in mine own due time; for I will show unto the children of men that I am able to do mine own work. | Don’t touch the sealed things, because I’ll reveal them when the time is right. I’ll show everyone that I can do my own work. |
| 2 Nephi 27:22 | Wherefore, when thou hast read the words which I have commanded thee, and obtained the witnesses which I have promised unto thee, then shalt thou seal up the book again, and hide it up unto me, that I may preserve the words which thou hast not read, until I shall see fit in mine own wisdom to reveal all things unto the children of men. | So, when you’ve read the words I’ve told you to, and got the witnesses I promised, you should seal up the book again and hide it, so I can keep the words you haven’t read safe until I decide it’s the right time to reveal everything to everyone. |
| 2 Nephi 27:23 | For behold, I am God; and I am a God of miracles; and I will show unto the world that I am the same yesterday, today, and forever; and I work not among the children of men save it be according to their faith. | I am God. I am a God of miracles, and I will show the world that I am the same yesterday, today, and forever. I work among people only if they have faith. |
| 2 Nephi 27:24 | And again it shall come to pass that the Lord shall say unto him that shall read the words that shall be delivered him: | And again, the time will come when the Lord will speak to the person who reads the words given to them. |
| 2 Nephi 27:25 | Forasmuch as this people draw near unto me with their mouth, and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their hearts far from me, and their fear towards me is taught by the precepts of men— | These people talk about being close to me and honor me with their words, but their hearts are far from me. They only follow men’s teachings about how to revere me. |
| 2 Nephi 27:26 | Therefore, I will proceed to do a marvelous work among this people, yea, a marvelous work and a wonder, for the wisdom of their wise and learned shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent shall be hid. | So, I’m going to do something truly amazing with these people—something that will blow their minds. The wisdom of their smart and educated people will disappear, and the insights of their careful thinkers will be hidden. |
| 2 Nephi 27:27 | And wo unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the Lord! And their works are in the dark; and they say: Who seeth us, and who knoweth us? And they also say: Surely, your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter—s clay. But behold, I will show unto them, saith the Lord of Hosts, that I know all their works. For shall the work say of him that made it, he made me not? Or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it, he had no understanding? | And woe to those who try hard to hide their plans from the Lord! They do their deeds in the dark and say, “Who sees us? Who knows what we’re doing?” They also say, “Surely, flipping things upside down is just part of the plan.” But look, I will show them, says the Lord of Hosts, that I see everything they do. Can what was made say to its maker, “You didn’t make me”? Or can a creation say to its creator, “You didn’t understand what you were doing”? |
| 2 Nephi 27:28 | But behold, saith the Lord of Hosts: I will show unto the children of men that it is yet a very little while and Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field; and the fruitful field shall be esteemed as a forest. | But listen, says the Lord of Hosts: I will show people that soon Lebanon will become a fertile land, and the fertile land will be seen as a forest. |
| 2 Nephi 27:29 | And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity and out of darkness. | In that day, the deaf will be able to hear the words from the book, and the blind will see clearly out of darkness. |
| 2 Nephi 27:30 | And the meek also shall increase, and their joy shall be in the Lord, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel. | The meek will grow and find joy in the Lord, and the poor will celebrate in the Holy One of Israel. |
| 2 Nephi 27:31 | For assuredly as the Lord liveth they shall see that the terrible one is brought to naught, and the scorner is consumed, and all that watch for iniquity are cut off; | Just as surely as the Lord lives, they will see that the oppressor is defeated, the mocker is destroyed, and everyone who goes looking for trouble is cut off. |
| 2 Nephi 27:32 | And they that make a man an offender for a word, and lay a snare for him that reproveth in the gate, and turn aside the just for a thing of naught. | Those who accuse someone for a single word, set traps for those who speak out publicly, and sideline the righteous for trivial reasons… |
| 2 Nephi 27:33 | Therefore, thus saith the Lord, who redeemed Abraham, concerning the house of Jacob: Jacob shall not now be ashamed, neither shall his face now wax pale. | So, this is what the Lord, who saved Abraham, says about Jacob’s family: Jacob won’t be embarrassed anymore, and he won’t be scared. |
| 2 Nephi 27:34 | But when he seeth his children, the work of my hands, in the midst of him, they shall sanctify my name, and sanctify the Holy One of Jacob, and shall fear the God of Israel. | But when he sees his children, the work of my hands, among them, they will honor my name, honor the Holy One of Jacob, and respect the God of Israel. |
| 2 Nephi 27:35 | They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding, and they that murmured shall learn doctrine. | Those who were wrong in spirit will gain understanding, and those who complained will learn the teachings. |
2 Nephi 28
| Verse | Original | 7th Grade |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Nephi 28:1 | And now, behold, my brethren, I have spoken unto you, according as the Spirit hath constrained me; wherefore, I know that they must surely come to pass. | Now, my brothers, I’ve told you what the Spirit has urged me to say. So, I know these things will definitely happen. |
| 2 Nephi 28:2 | And the things which shall be written out of the book shall be of great worth unto the children of men, and especially unto our seed, which is a remnant of the house of Israel. | The things written in this book will be very valuable to everyone, especially to our descendants, who are part of the house of Israel. |
| 2 Nephi 28:3 | For it shall come to pass in that day that the churches which are built up, and not unto the Lord, when the one shall say unto the other: Behold, I, I am the Lord—s; and the others shall say: I, I am the Lord—s; and thus shall every one say that hath built up churches, and not unto the Lord— | In that day, churches will be built that aren’t devoted to the Lord. One group will say to another, “Look, I belong to the Lord,” and the others will say, “I belong to the Lord.” Each one will claim to be of the Lord even if their churches aren’t truly dedicated to Him. |
| 2 Nephi 28:4 | And they shall contend one with another; and their priests shall contend one with another, and they shall teach with their learning, and deny the Holy Ghost, which giveth utterance. | They will argue with each other, and their priests will argue too. They will teach using their own knowledge and deny the Holy Ghost, who gives the words to speak. |
| 2 Nephi 28:5 | And they deny the power of God, the Holy One of Israel; and they say unto the people: Hearken unto us, and hear ye our precept; for behold there is no God today, for the Lord and the Redeemer hath done his work, and he hath given his power unto men; | They deny God’s power and say to the people, “Listen to us and follow our teachings. There’s no God today; the Lord and Redeemer has finished his work and given his power to men.” |
| 2 Nephi 28:6 | Behold, hearken ye unto my precept; if they shall say there is a miracle wrought by the hand of the Lord, believe it not; for this day he is not a God of miracles; he hath done his work. | Listen to my advice: if anyone claims a miracle was done by the hand of the Lord, don’t believe it; for today, He is not a God of miracles; He has already finished His work. |
| 2 Nephi 28:7 | Yea, and there shall be many which shall say: Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die; and it shall be well with us. | “Sure, many people will say, ‘Eat, drink, and have fun, because we might die tomorrow, and everything will be fine with us.'” |
| 2 Nephi 28:8 | And there shall also be many which shall say: Eat, drink, and be merry; nevertheless, fear God—he will justify in committing a little sin; yea, lie a little, take the advantage of one because of his words, dig a pit for thy neighbor; there is no harm in this; and do all these things, for tomorrow we die; and if it so be that we are guilty, God will beat us with a few stripes, and at last we shall be saved in the kingdom of God. | There will be many who will say: “Eat, drink, and be happy; but still fear God—He will excuse us for committing minor sins. It’s okay to lie a little, take advantage of someone, or set traps for your neighbor; these things are harmless. Do all of this because we might die tomorrow. And if we are guilty, God will just punish us a bit, but in the end, we’ll still be saved in God’s kingdom.” |
| 2 Nephi 28:9 | Yea, and there shall be many which shall teach after this manner, false and vain and foolish doctrines, and shall be puffed up in their hearts, and shall seek deep to hide their counsels from the Lord; and their works shall be in the dark. | Yes, lots of people will teach false and silly doctrines, and they’ll be proud and try to hide their plans from the Lord. They’ll do things in secret. |
| 2 Nephi 28:10 | And the blood of the saints shall cry from the ground against them. | The blood of the saints will cry out from the ground against them. |
| 2 Nephi 28:11 | Yea, they have all gone out of the way; they have become corrupted. | Yes, they’ve all strayed from the path and become corrupted. |
| 2 Nephi 28:12 | Because of pride, and because of false teachers, and false doctrine, their churches have become corrupted, and their churches are lifted up; because of pride they are puffed up. | Because of pride, and because of false teachers and false doctrine, their churches have become corrupted and arrogant. Due to pride, they are full of themselves. |
| 2 Nephi 28:13 | They rob the poor because of their fine sanctuaries; they rob the poor because of their fine clothing; and they persecute the meek and the poor in heart, because in their pride they are puffed up. | They steal from the poor to build their fancy churches and to buy their expensive clothes. They look down on humble and poor-hearted people because they’re full of pride. |
| 2 Nephi 28:14 | They wear stiff necks and high heads; yea, and because of pride, and wickedness, and abominations, and whoredoms, they have all gone astray save it be a few, who are the humble followers of Christ; nevertheless, they are led, that in many instances they do err because they are taught by the precepts of men. | They are arrogant and proud; because of their pride, wickedness, and immoral behavior, most have gone astray except a few who are humble followers of Christ. However, even they sometimes make mistakes because they are influenced by the teachings of men. |
| 2 Nephi 28:15 | O the wise, and the learned, and the rich, that are puffed up in the pride of their hearts, and all those who preach false doctrines, and all those who commit whoredoms, and pervert the right way of the Lord, wo, wo, wo be unto them, saith the Lord God Almighty, for they shall be thrust down to hell! | Oh, the wise, the educated, and the rich, who are full of pride, and all those who spread false teachings, and those who commit immoral acts and twist the Lord’s true path—watch out! The Lord God Almighty says they will be thrown down to hell! |
| 2 Nephi 28:16 | Wo unto them that turn aside the just for a thing of naught and revile against that which is good, and say that is of no worth! For the day shall come that the Lord God will speedily visit the inhabitants of the earth; and in that day that they are fully ripe in iniquity they shall perish. | Woe to those who dismiss the righteous for something worthless and speak against what is good, claiming it has no value! For the day will come when the Lord God will quickly visit the people of the earth; and when they are fully steeped in wickedness, they will perish. |
| 2 Nephi 28:17 | But behold, if the inhabitants of the earth shall repent of their wickedness and abominations they shall not be destroyed, saith the Lord of Hosts. | But listen, if the people of Earth repent from their wickedness and terrible actions, they won’t be destroyed, says the Lord of Hosts. |
| 2 Nephi 28:18 | But behold, that great and abominable church, the whore of all the earth, must tumble to the earth, and great must be the fall thereof. | But listen, that huge and wicked church, the corrupt one of the whole earth, has to collapse, and its fall will be massive. |
| 2 Nephi 28:19 | For the kingdom of the devil must shake, and they which belong to it must needs be stirred up unto repentance, or the devil will grasp them with his everlasting chains, and they be stirred up to anger, and perish; | The kingdom of the devil will crumble, and those who belong to it must be called to repent, or else the devil will trap them forever, and they’ll become angry and perish. |
| 2 Nephi 28:20 | For behold, at that day shall he rage in the hearts of the children of men, and stir them up to anger against that which is good. | Look, when that time comes, he’ll fill people’s hearts with rage and make them angry at what is good. |
| 2 Nephi 28:21 | And others will he pacify, and lull them away into carnal security, that they will say: All is well in Zion; yea, Zion prospereth, all is well—and thus the devil cheateth their souls, and leadeth them away carefully down to hell. | The devil will make others feel safe and comfortable in their sins, leading them to think, “Everything is fine in Zion; Zion is doing great, everything is good.” In this way, he deceives them and subtly leads them down to hell. |
| 2 Nephi 28:22 | And behold, others he flattereth away, and telleth them there is no hell; and he saith unto them: I am no devil, for there is none—and thus he whispereth in their ears, until he grasps them with his awful chains, from whence there is no deliverance. | And look, he flatters some people and tells them there’s no hell. He says to them, “I’m not the devil, because there is no devil.” He keeps whispering this to them until he’s got them trapped in his terrible chains, from which there’s no escape. |
| 2 Nephi 28:23 | Yea, they are grasped with death, and hell; and death, and hell, and the devil, and all that have been seized therewith must stand before the throne of God, and be judged according to their works, from whence they must go into the place prepared for them, even a lake of fire and brimstone, which is endless torment. | Yes, they are taken by death and hell. Everyone who is caught in this way must stand before God’s throne and be judged based on what they have done. From there, they will go to the place prepared for them, which is a lake of fire and brimstone, where they will experience endless torment. |
| 2 Nephi 28:24 | Therefore, wo be unto him that is at ease in Zion! | So, watch out for anyone who gets too comfortable in Zion! |
| 2 Nephi 28:25 | Wo be unto him that crieth: All is well! | Woe to the person who says, “Everything is fine!” |
| 2 Nephi 28:26 | Yea, wo be unto him that hearkeneth unto the precepts of men, and denieth the power of God, and the gift of the Holy Ghost! | Woe to anyone who listens to human teachings and denies the power of God and the gift of the Holy Ghost! |
| 2 Nephi 28:27 | Yea, wo be unto him that saith: We have received, and we need no more! | Woe to anyone who says: We have received it all and don’t need anything more! |
| 2 Nephi 28:28 | And in fine, wo unto all those who tremble, and are angry because of the truth of God! For behold, he that is built upon the rock receiveth it with gladness; and he that is built upon a sandy foundation trembleth lest he shall fall. | And in the end, sorrow to everyone who shakes and gets angry because of God’s truth! Those who are strong and built on the rock welcome it with joy, but those built on shaky ground fear they will fall. |
| 2 Nephi 28:29 | Wo be unto him that shall say: We have received the word of God, and we need no more of the word of God, for we have enough! | Woe to anyone who says, âWe’ve got God’s word and don’t need any more because we have enough!â |
| 2 Nephi 28:30 | For behold, thus saith the Lord God: I will give unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little; and blessed are those who hearken unto my precepts, and lend an ear unto my counsel, for they shall learn wisdom; for unto him that receiveth I will give more; and from them that shall say, We have enough, from them shall be taken away even that which they have. | This is what the Lord says: I will teach the children of men little by little, giving them instructions bit by bit; those who listen to my teachings and follow my advice will grow wise. I will give more knowledge to those who accept my guidance, but those who think they already have enough will lose even what they have. |
| 2 Nephi 28:31 | Cursed is he that putteth his trust in man, or maketh flesh his arm, or shall hearken unto the precepts of men, save their precepts shall be given by the power of the Holy Ghost. | Cursed is the one who trusts in people, relies on human strength, or follows human teachings, unless those teachings come by the power of the Holy Ghost. |
| 2 Nephi 28:32 | Wo be unto the Gentiles, saith the Lord God of Hosts! For notwithstanding I shall lengthen out mine arm unto them from day to day, they will deny me; nevertheless, I will be merciful unto them, saith the Lord God, if they will repent and come unto me; for mine arm is lengthened out all the day long, saith the Lord God of Hosts. | The Lord God of Hosts says, “Woe to the Gentiles! Even though I reach out to them every day, they will still deny me. But I will show mercy to them if they repent and come to me, for my arm is extended all day long,” says the Lord God of Hosts. |
2 Nephi 29
| Verse | Original | 7th Grade |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Nephi 29:1 | But behold, there shall be many—at that day when I shall proceed to do a marvelous work among them, that I may remember my covenants which I have made unto the children of men, that I may set my hand again the second time to recover my people, which are of the house of Israel; | But look, there will be many people at that time when I start to do something amazing among them, so I can remember the promises I made to humanity. I’ll reach out once more to bring back my people, who are from the house of Israel. |
| 2 Nephi 29:2 | And also, that I may remember the promises which I have made unto thee, Nephi, and also unto thy father, that I would remember your seed; and that the words of your seed should proceed forth out of my mouth unto your seed; and my words shall hiss forth unto the ends of the earth, for a standard unto my people, which are of the house of Israel; | Also, so I can remember the promises I made to you, Nephi, and to your father, that I would remember your descendants; and that your descendants would hear my words; that my words would spread to the ends of the earth as a sign to my people, who are part of the house of Israel;. |
| 2 Nephi 29:3 | And because my words shall hiss forth—many of the Gentiles shall say: A Bible! A Bible! We have got a Bible, and there cannot be any more Bible. | Because my words will spread, many of the Gentiles will say, “We already have a Bible, and we don’t need any more scripture.” |
| 2 Nephi 29:4 | But thus saith the Lord God: O fools, they shall have a Bible; and it shall proceed forth from the Jews, mine ancient covenant people. And what thank they the Jews for the Bible which they receive from them? Yea, what do the Gentiles mean? Do they remember the travails, and the labors, and the pains of the Jews, and their diligence unto me, in bringing forth salvation unto the Gentiles? | But this is what God says: “You fools, you’ll have a Bible, and it’ll come from the Jews, my ancient covenant people. And how do you thank the Jews for the Bible you get from them? Do you, Gentiles, remember the hardships, the labors, and the pains of the Jews, and their commitment to me in bringing salvation to you?” |
| 2 Nephi 29:5 | O ye Gentiles, have ye remembered the Jews, mine ancient covenant people? Nay; but ye have cursed them, and have hated them, and have not sought to recover them. But behold, I will return all these things upon your own heads; for I the Lord have not forgotten my people. | Hey, you Gentiles, have you remembered the Jews, my ancient covenant people? No, instead you’ve cursed and hated them and haven’t tried to help them. But look, I will turn all these actions back on you because I, the Lord, have not forgotten my people. |
| 2 Nephi 29:6 | Thou fool, that shall say: A Bible, we have got a Bible, and we need no more Bible. Have ye obtained a Bible save it were by the Jews? | You fool, who says: “We have a Bible, and we don’t need any more scripture.” Did you get the Bible from anyone other than the Jews? |
| 2 Nephi 29:7 | Know ye not that there are more nations than one? Know ye not that I, the Lord your God, have created all men, and that I remember those who are upon the isles of the sea; and that I rule in the heavens above and in the earth beneath; and I bring forth my word unto the children of men, yea, even upon all the nations of the earth? | Don’t you know that there are many nations? Don’t you know that I, the Lord your God, created everyone, and that I remember those on the islands in the sea? I rule both in heaven and on earth, and I share my word with all the people on the earth. |
| 2 Nephi 29:8 | Wherefore murmur ye, because that ye shall receive more of my word? Know ye not that the testimony of two nations is a witness unto you that I am God, that I remember one nation like unto another? Wherefore, I speak the same words unto one nation like unto another. And when the two nations shall run together the testimony of the two nations shall run together also. | Why do you complain about getting more of my word? Don’t you know that the testimony of two nations is proof that I am God and that I remember all nations equally? That’s why I give the same words to every nation. When these two nations come together, their testimonies will also come together. |
| 2 Nephi 29:9 | And I do this that I may prove unto many that I am the same yesterday, today, and forever; and that I speak forth my words according to mine own pleasure. And because that I have spoken one word ye need not suppose that I cannot speak another; for my work is not yet finished; neither shall it be until the end of man, neither from that time henceforth and forever. | I do this to show many people that I am the same yesterday, today, and forever, and that I speak my words as I choose. Just because I have spoken one word, don’t think I can’t speak another; my work isn’t finished yet and it won’t be until the end of humanity, and it will continue forever after that. |
| 2 Nephi 29:10 | Wherefore, because that ye have a Bible ye need not suppose that it contains all my words; neither need ye suppose that I have not caused more to be written. | So, just because you have a Bible, don’t think it has everything I have to say; and don’t think I haven’t made sure more has been written. |
| 2 Nephi 29:11 | For I command all men, both in the east and in the west, and in the north, and in the south, and in the islands of the sea, that they shall write the words which I speak unto them; for out of the books which shall be written I will judge the world, every man according to their works, according to that which is written. | I command everyone, in the east, west, north, south, and on the islands, to write down the words I tell them. For I will judge the world out of the books that are written, every person based on their deeds, according to what is written. |
| 2 Nephi 29:12 | For behold, I shall speak unto the Jews and they shall write it; and I shall also speak unto the Nephites and they shall write it; and I shall also speak unto the other tribes of the house of Israel, which I have led away, and they shall write it; and I shall also speak unto all nations of the earth and they shall write it. | I will speak to the Jews, and they will write it down; I will speak to the Nephites, and they will write it down; I will speak to the other tribes of Israel that I have led away, and they will write it down; and I will speak to all nations of the earth, and they will write it down. |
| 2 Nephi 29:13 | And it shall come to pass that the Jews shall have the words of the Nephites, and the Nephites shall have the words of the Jews; and the Nephites and the Jews shall have the words of the lost tribes of Israel; and the lost tribes of Israel shall have the words of the Nephites and the Jews. | There will come a time when the Jews will have the Nephites’ writings, and the Nephites will have the Jews’ writings. Both the Nephites and the Jews will also have the writings of the lost tribes of Israel, and the lost tribes of Israel will have the writings of the Nephites and the Jews. |
| 2 Nephi 29:14 | And it shall come to pass that my people, which are of the house of Israel, shall be gathered home unto the lands of their possessions; and my word also shall be gathered in one. And I will show unto them that fight against my word and against my people, who are of the house of Israel, that I am God, and that I covenanted with Abraham that I would remember his seed forever. | My people, who are part of the house of Israel, will return to their lands. My word will also be united. I’ll show those who oppose my word and my people, who are of the house of Israel, that I am God and that I made a promise to Abraham to remember his descendants forever. |
2 Nephi 30
| Verse | Original | 7th Grade |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Nephi 30:1 | And now behold, my beloved brethren, I would speak unto you; for I, Nephi, would not suffer that ye should suppose that ye are more righteous than the Gentiles shall be. For behold, except ye shall keep the commandments of God ye shall all likewise perish; and because of the words which have been spoken ye need not suppose that the Gentiles are utterly destroyed. | Listen, my dear friends, I have something to say to you. I, Nephi, don’t want you to think that you’re more righteous than the Gentiles will be. Remember, unless you keep God’s commandments, you will all face the same consequences. And because of what has been said, don’t think that the Gentiles are completely doomed. |
| 2 Nephi 30:2 | For behold, I say unto you that as many of the Gentiles as will repent are the covenant people of the Lord; and as many of the Jews as will not repent shall be cast off; for the Lord covenanteth with none save it be with them that repent and believe in his Son, who is the Holy One of Israel. | Listen, I’m telling you that all the Gentiles who repent are the Lord’s chosen people; and any Jews who don’t repent will be cut off. The Lord only makes covenants with those who repent and believe in His Son, the Holy One of Israel. |
| 2 Nephi 30:3 | And now, I would prophesy somewhat more concerning the Jews and the Gentiles. For after the book of which I have spoken shall come forth, and be written unto the Gentiles, and sealed up again unto the Lord, there shall be many which shall believe the words which are written; and they shall carry them forth unto the remnant of our seed. | Now, I want to talk a little more about the Jews and the Gentiles. After the book I’ve mentioned comes out, is written for the Gentiles, and then sealed back up for the Lord, many people will believe the words written in it. They will share them with the remaining members of our descendants. |
| 2 Nephi 30:4 | And then shall the remnant of our seed know concerning us, how that we came out from Jerusalem, and that they are descendants of the Jews. | Then our descendants will know about us—how we left Jerusalem and that they are descendants of the Jews. |
| 2 Nephi 30:5 | And the gospel of Jesus Christ shall be declared among them; wherefore, they shall be restored unto the knowledge of their fathers, and also to the knowledge of Jesus Christ, which was had among their fathers. | The gospel of Jesus Christ will be shared with them, and they will learn about their ancestors and about Jesus Christ, just as their ancestors did. |
| 2 Nephi 30:6 | And then shall they rejoice; for they shall know that it is a blessing unto them from the hand of God; and their scales of darkness shall begin to fall from their eyes; and many generations shall not pass away among them, save they shall be a pure and delightsome people. | And then they will be happy because they’ll understand it’s a blessing from God. The darkness blinding their minds will start to clear up, and it won’t be long before they become a pure and happy people. |
| 2 Nephi 30:7 | And it shall come to pass that the Jews which are scattered also shall begin to believe in Christ; and they shall begin to gather in upon the face of the land; and as many as shall believe in Christ shall also become a delightsome people. | The scattered Jews will start to believe in Christ and come together in the land. Those who believe in Christ will become a delightful people. |
| 2 Nephi 30:8 | And it shall come to pass that the Lord God shall commence his work among all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, to bring about the restoration of his people upon the earth. | God will start his work among all nations, families, languages, and people to restore his people on Earth. |
| 2 Nephi 30:9 | And with righteousness shall the Lord God judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth. And he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth; and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. | With fairness and justice, the Lord God will judge the poor and will treat the humble right. He will strike the earth with the command of His mouth, and with His words, He will destroy the wicked. |
| 2 Nephi 30:10 | For the time speedily cometh that the Lord God shall cause a great division among the people, and the wicked will he destroy; and he will spare his people, yea, even if it so be that he must destroy the wicked by fire. | The time is coming quickly when the Lord God will create a big separation among the people. He will destroy the wicked, but will save his followers, even if it means destroying the wicked with fire. |
| 2 Nephi 30:11 | And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins. | Righteousness will be his belt, and faithfulness will be the belt around his waist. |
| 2 Nephi 30:12 | And then shall the wolf dwell with the lamb; and the leopard shall lie down with the kid, and the calf, and the young lion, and the fatling, together; and a little child shall lead them. | Then the wolf will live with the lamb; the leopard will lie down with the goat, and the calf, the young lion, and the fattened calf will be together, and a little child will lead them. |
| 2 Nephi 30:13 | And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. | The cow and the bear will eat together, their young ones will rest side by side, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. |
| 2 Nephi 30:14 | And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice—s den. | The nursing child will play near the snake’s hole, and the toddler will reach into the viper’s nest. |
| 2 Nephi 30:15 | They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. | They won’t harm or destroy on all my holy mountain, because the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. |
| 2 Nephi 30:16 | Wherefore, the things of all nations shall be made known; yea, all things shall be made known unto the children of men. | So, the things of all nations will be made known; yes, everything will be revealed to everyone. |
| 2 Nephi 30:17 | There is nothing which is secret save it shall be revealed; there is no work of darkness save it shall be made manifest in the light; and there is nothing which is sealed upon the earth save it shall be loosed. | There’s nothing that’s hidden that won’t be revealed; no dark deeds that won’t be brought to light; and nothing sealed on earth that won’t be opened. |
| 2 Nephi 30:18 | Wherefore, all things which have been revealed unto the children of men shall at that day be revealed; and Satan shall have power over the hearts of the children of men no more, for a long time. And now, my beloved brethren, I make an end of my sayings. | So, everything that’s been revealed to people will be shown again on that day. And Satan won’t have power over people’s hearts for a long time. Now, my dear friends, that’s the end of what I have to say. |
2 Nephi 31
| Verse | Original | 7th Grade |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Nephi 31:1 | And now I, Nephi, make an end of my prophesying unto you, my beloved brethren. And I cannot write but a few things, which I know must surely come to pass; neither can I write but a few of the words of my brother Jacob. | And now I’m done prophesying to you, my dear brothers. I can only write a few things that I know will definitely happen, and I can only write a few words from my brother Jacob. |
| 2 Nephi 31:2 | Wherefore, the things which I have written sufficeth me, save it be a few words which I must speak concerning the doctrine of Christ; wherefore, I shall speak unto you plainly, according to the plainness of my prophesying. | So, what I’ve written is enough for me, except I need to say a few things about the doctrine of Christ. So, I’ll speak to you clearly, just like I’ve always prophesied plainly. |
| 2 Nephi 31:3 | For my soul delighteth in plainness; for after this manner doth the Lord God work among the children of men. For the Lord God giveth light unto the understanding; for he speaketh unto men according to their language, unto their understanding. | I enjoy speaking plainly because that’s how God works with us. He gives us understanding by communicating in ways we can grasp, speaking to us in our own language and according to our own understanding. |
| 2 Nephi 31:4 | Wherefore, I would that ye should remember that I have spoken unto you concerning that prophet which the Lord showed unto me, that should baptize the Lamb of God, which should take away the sins of the world. | So, remember I told you about the prophet that God showed me, the one who would baptize the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world. |
| 2 Nephi 31:5 | And now, if the Lamb of God, he being holy, should have need to be baptized by water, to fulfil all righteousness, O then, how much more need have we, being unholy, to be baptized, yea, even by water! | If the holy Lamb of God needed to be baptized by water to fulfill all righteousness, then how much more do we need to be baptized, since we are unholy? Yes, even by water! |
| 2 Nephi 31:6 | And now, I would ask of you, my beloved brethren, wherein the Lamb of God did fulfil all righteousness in being baptized by water? | Now I’d like to ask you, my dear friends, how did the Lamb of God fulfill all righteousness by being baptized with water? |
| 2 Nephi 31:7 | Know ye not that he was holy? But notwithstanding he being holy, he showeth unto the children of men that, according to the flesh he humbleth himself before the Father, and witnesseth unto the Father that he would be obedient unto him in keeping his commandments. | Don’t you know that he was holy? But even though he was holy, he showed the people that he humbled himself before the Father and promised to be obedient by keeping his commandments. |
| 2 Nephi 31:8 | Wherefore, after he was baptized with water the Holy Ghost descended upon him in the form of a dove. | So, after he was baptized with water, the Holy Ghost came down on him like a dove. |
| 2 Nephi 31:9 | And again, it showeth unto the children of men the straightness of the path, and the narrowness of the gate, by which they should enter, he having set the example before them. | It shows everyone the clear path and the narrow gate they should enter by, having set the example for them. |
| 2 Nephi 31:10 | And he said unto the children of men: Follow thou me. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, can we follow Jesus save we shall be willing to keep the commandments of the Father? | He said to the people: Follow me. So, my dear friends, how can we follow Jesus unless we are willing to keep God’s commandments? |
| 2 Nephi 31:11 | And the Father said: Repent ye, repent ye, and be baptized in the name of my Beloved Son. | And God said, “Turn away from your sins, repent, and get baptized in the name of my Beloved Son.” |
| 2 Nephi 31:12 | And also, the voice of the Son came unto me, saying: He that is baptized in my name, to him will the Father give the Holy Ghost, like unto me; wherefore, follow me, and do the things which ye have seen me do. | And the voice of the Son came to me, saying: Whoever is baptized in my name, the Father will give them the Holy Ghost, just like me. So, follow me and do the things you have seen me do. |
| 2 Nephi 31:13 | Wherefore, my beloved brethren, I know that if ye shall follow the Son, with full purpose of heart, acting no hypocrisy and no deception before God, but with real intent, repenting of your sins, witnessing unto the Father that ye are willing to take upon you the name of Christ, by baptism—yea, by following your Lord and your Savior down into the water, according to his word, behold, then shall ye receive the Holy Ghost; yea, then cometh the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost; and then can ye speak with the tongue of angels, and shout praises unto the Holy One of Israel. | So, my dear friends, I know that if you follow the Son sincerely, without any pretense or deception before God, and with genuine intent, repenting of your sins, and showing God that you are willing to take on the name of Christ by being baptized—yes, by following your Lord and Savior into the water as He instructed—then you will receive the Holy Ghost. You will experience the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost, and then you will be able to speak with the voice of angels and praise the Holy One of Israel. |
| 2 Nephi 31:14 | But, behold, my beloved brethren, thus came the voice of the Son unto me, saying: After ye have repented of your sins, and witnessed unto the Father that ye are willing to keep my commandments, by the baptism of water, and have received the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost, and can speak with a new tongue, yea, even with the tongue of angels, and after this should deny me, it would have been better for you that ye had not known me. | But listen, my dear brothers, this is what the voice of the Son told me: After you’ve repented of your sins and shown the Father that you’re willing to follow my commandments by being baptized with water, and have also received the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost, and can speak in a new way, even like angels, if you then deny me, it would have been better for you if you had never known me. |
| 2 Nephi 31:15 | And I heard a voice from the Father, saying: Yea, the words of my Beloved are true and faithful. He that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved. | I heard the Father’s voice saying, “Yes, my Beloved’s words are true and trustworthy. Those who endure to the end will be saved.” |
| 2 Nephi 31:16 | And now, my beloved brethren, I know by this that unless a man shall endure to the end, in following the example of the Son of the living God, he cannot be saved. | And now, my dear friends, I know that unless someone sticks with it to the end, following the example of the Son of God, they cannot be saved. |
| 2 Nephi 31:17 | Wherefore, do the things which I have told you I have seen that your Lord and your Redeemer should do; for, for this cause have they been shown unto me, that ye might know the gate by which ye should enter. For the gate by which ye should enter is repentance and baptism by water; and then cometh a remission of your sins by fire and by the Holy Ghost. | So, do the things I told you I saw your Lord and Redeemer do. These things were shown to me so you would know the way to enter. The way to enter is through repentance and baptism by water, and then you will receive forgiveness for your sins through the Holy Ghost. |
| 2 Nephi 31:18 | And then are ye in this strait and narrow path which leads to eternal life; yea, ye have entered in by the gate; ye have done according to the commandments of the Father and the Son; and ye have received the Holy Ghost, which witnesses of the Father and the Son, unto the fulfilling of the promise which he hath made, that if ye entered in by the way ye should receive. | Now you are on the narrow path that leads to eternal life. You’ve entered through the gate by following the commandments of the Father and the Son. You’ve received the Holy Ghost, which testifies of the Father and the Son, fulfilling God’s promise that if you enter this way, you will receive eternal life. |
| 2 Nephi 31:19 | And now, my beloved brethren, after ye have gotten into this strait and narrow path, I would ask if all is done? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for ye have not come thus far save it were by the word of Christ with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save. | Now, my dear brothers and sisters, now that you’re on this straight and narrow path, do you think everything is finished? No, it’s not. You’ve come this far by the word of Christ, with unshakable faith in Him, relying completely on the merits of Him who has the power to save you. |
| 2 Nephi 31:20 | Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life. | So, you need to keep moving forward firmly rooted in Christ, filled with unwavering hope, and loving God and all people. If you keep moving forward, immersing yourself in Christ’s teachings, and persevere to the end, God promises: You will have eternal life. |
| 2 Nephi 31:21 | And now, behold, my beloved brethren, this is the way; and there is none other way nor name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God. And now, behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, and the only and true doctrine of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, which is one God, without end. Amen. | So, listen up, my dear brothers and sisters, this is the way; and there’s no other way or name under heaven by which you can be saved in God’s kingdom. This is the doctrine of Christ, the one true doctrine of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, who are one God forever. Amen. |
2 Nephi 32
| Verse | Original | 7th Grade |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Nephi 32:1 | And now, behold, my beloved brethren, I suppose that ye ponder somewhat in your hearts concerning that which ye should do after ye have entered in by the way. But, behold, why do ye ponder these things in your hearts? | Now, my dear brothers, I think you might be wondering in your hearts about what you should do after you’ve started on this path. But, really, why are you pondering these things in your hearts? |
| 2 Nephi 32:2 | Do ye not remember that I said unto you that after ye had received the Holy Ghost ye could speak with the tongue of angels? And now, how could ye speak with the tongue of angels save it were by the Holy Ghost? | Don’t you remember that I told you that after you received the Holy Spirit, you could speak like angels? And now, how could you speak like angels unless it was through the Holy Spirit? |
| 2 Nephi 32:3 | Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ. Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do. | Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost, so they speak the words of Christ. So I tell you to feast on the words of Christ, because they will tell you everything you should do. |
| 2 Nephi 32:4 | Wherefore, now after I have spoken these words, if ye cannot understand them it will be because ye ask not, neither do ye knock; wherefore, ye are not brought into the light, but must perish in the dark. | So, after I’ve said these things, if you don’t understand them, it’s because you haven’t asked or tried to learn. That’s why you’re not enlightened and remain in the dark. |
| 2 Nephi 32:5 | For behold, again I say unto you that if ye will enter in by the way, and receive the Holy Ghost, it will show unto you all things what ye should do. | Listen, I’ll say it again: if you choose to follow the path and receive the Holy Ghost, it will guide you in everything you need to do. |
| 2 Nephi 32:6 | Behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, and there will be no more doctrine given until after he shall manifest himself unto you in the flesh. And when he shall manifest himself unto you in the flesh, the things which he shall say unto you shall ye observe to do. | This is the doctrine of Christ, and no more doctrine will be given until he comes to you in person. When he comes in person, you should do what he tells you. |
| 2 Nephi 32:7 | And now I, Nephi, cannot say more; the Spirit stoppeth mine utterance, and I am left to mourn because of the unbelief, and the wickedness, and the ignorance, and the stiffneckedness of men; for they will not search knowledge, nor understand great knowledge, when it is given unto them in plainness, even as plain as word can be. | Now, I, Nephi, can’t say any more; the Spirit stops me from speaking, and I’m left to mourn because of the disbelief, wickedness, ignorance, and stubbornness of people. They won’t seek knowledge or understand it, even when it’s given to them as clearly as possible. |
| 2 Nephi 32:8 | And now, my beloved brethren, I perceive that ye ponder still in your hearts; and it grieveth me that I must speak concerning this thing. For if ye would hearken unto the Spirit which teacheth a man to pray ye would know that ye must pray; for the evil spirit teacheth not a man to pray, but teacheth him that he must not pray. | Now, my dear brothers, I see you’re still thinking about this deeply, and it makes me sad that I have to talk about it. If you would listen to the Spirit, which teaches us to pray, you’d know that you need to pray. The evil spirit doesn’t teach us to pray; it teaches us not to. |
| 2 Nephi 32:9 | But behold, I say unto you that ye must pray always, and not faint; that ye must not perform any thing unto the Lord save in the first place ye shall pray unto the Father in the name of Christ, that he will consecrate thy performance unto thee, that thy performance may be for the welfare of thy soul. | But listen, you must always pray and not give up; you shouldn’t do anything for the Lord without first praying to the Father in Christ’s name, asking Him to bless what you’re doing, so it benefits your soul. |
2 Nephi 33
| Verse | Original | 7th Grade |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Nephi 33:1 | And now I, Nephi, cannot write all the things which were taught among my people; neither am I mighty in writing, like unto speaking; for when a man speaketh by the power of the Holy Ghost the power of the Holy Ghost carrieth it unto the hearts of the children of men. | I’m Nephi, and I can’t write about everything that was taught among my people. I’m not as good at writing as I am at speaking. When someone speaks with the power of the Holy Ghost, it touches people’s hearts in a way that writing can’t. |
| 2 Nephi 33:2 | But behold, there are many that harden their hearts against the Holy Spirit, that it hath no place in them; wherefore, they cast many things away which are written and esteem them as things of naught. | But listen, there are many people who ignore the Holy Spirit, so it can’t be with them. Because of this, they dismiss many written things and think they are worthless. |
| 2 Nephi 33:3 | But I, Nephi, have written what I have written, and I esteem it as of great worth, and especially unto my people. For I pray continually for them by day, and mine eyes water my pillow by night, because of them; and I cry unto my God in faith, and I know that he will hear my cry. | I, Nephi, have written what I have, and I believe it is very important, especially for my people. I pray for them all the time, and I cry into my pillow at night thinking about them. I call out to God in faith, and I know He will hear me. |
| 2 Nephi 33:4 | And I know that the Lord God will consecrate my prayers for the gain of my people. And the words which I have written in weakness will be made strong unto them; for it persuadeth them to do good; it maketh known unto them of their fathers; and it speaketh of Jesus, and persuadeth them to believe in him, and to endure to the end, which is life eternal. | I know that God will answer my prayers for the benefit of my people. Even though I wrote these words with weakness, they will become strong for them; they encourage them to do good; they teach them about their ancestors; they talk about Jesus and encourage them to believe in him, and to keep going until the end, which leads to eternal life. |
| 2 Nephi 33:5 | And it speaketh harshly against sin, according to the plainness of the truth; wherefore, no man will be angry at the words which I have written save he shall be of the spirit of the devil. | It speaks bluntly against sin with the plain truth; so, no one will be angry at my words unless they are influenced by the devil. |
| 2 Nephi 33:6 | I glory in plainness; I glory in truth; I glory in my Jesus, for he hath redeemed my soul from hell. | I take pride in being straightforward. I take pride in the truth. I take pride in my Jesus, because He has saved my soul from hell. |
| 2 Nephi 33:7 | I have charity for my people, and great faith in Christ that I shall meet many souls spotless at his judgment-seat. | I care deeply for my people and have great faith in Christ that I will see many people clean and pure at His judgment. |
| 2 Nephi 33:8 | I have charity for the Jew—I say Jew, because I mean them from whence I came. | I care about the Jews—I say Jews because they are my own people. |
| 2 Nephi 33:9 | I also have charity for the Gentiles. But behold, for none of these can I hope except they shall be reconciled unto Christ, and enter into the narrow gate, and walk in the strait path which leads to life, and continue in the path until the end of the day of probation. | I also care about the non-Israelites. But look, I can’t hope for any of them unless they turn to Christ, enter through the narrow gate, walk the straight path that leads to life, and stay on that path until the end of their time on earth. |
| 2 Nephi 33:10 | And now, my beloved brethren, and also Jew, and all ye ends of the earth, hearken unto these words and believe in Christ; and if ye believe not in these words believe in Christ. And if ye shall believe in Christ ye will believe in these words, for they are the words of Christ, and he hath given them unto me; and they teach all men that they should do good. | Now, my dear brothers and sisters, Jews and everyone around the world, listen to these words and believe in Christ; and if you don’t believe these words, at least believe in Christ. If you believe in Christ, you will believe these words, because they are His words, and He gave them to me. They teach everyone to do good. |
| 2 Nephi 33:11 | And if they are not the words of Christ, judge ye—for Christ will show unto you, with power and great glory, that they are his words, at the last day; and you and I shall stand face to face before his bar; and ye shall know that I have been commanded of him to write these things, notwithstanding my weakness. | If these aren’t Christ’s words, you decide, because Christ will show you with power and great glory that they are his words in the end. You and I will stand face to face before him, and you’ll know that I was commanded by him to write these things, despite my weaknesses. |
| 2 Nephi 33:12 | And I pray the Father in the name of Christ that many of us, if not all, may be saved in his kingdom at that great and last day. | I pray to the Father in the name of Christ that many of us, if not everyone, will be saved in His kingdom on that great and final day. |
| 2 Nephi 33:13 | And now, my beloved brethren, all those who are of the house of Israel, and all ye ends of the earth, I speak unto you as the voice of one crying from the dust: Farewell until that great day shall come. | And now, my dear brothers and sisters, everyone from the house of Israel and people all over the world, I speak to you like someone calling out from the dust: Farewell until that great day comes. |
| 2 Nephi 33:14 | And you that will not partake of the goodness of God, and respect the words of the Jews, and also my words, and the words which shall proceed forth out of the mouth of the Lamb of God, behold, I bid you an everlasting farewell, for these words shall condemn you at the last day. | And those of you who choose not to embrace God’s goodness and respect the words of the Jews, my words, and the words spoken by the Lamb of God, I say goodbye to you forever, because these words will condemn you in the end. |
| 2 Nephi 33:15 | For what I seal on earth, shall be brought against you at the judgment bar; for thus hath the Lord commanded me, and I must obey. Amen. | What I finalize here on earth will be used against you at the judgment day, because the Lord has commanded me to do so, and I have to obey. Amen. |
Book of Mormon Simplified 