Mormon 1
| Verse | Original | 2nd Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Mormon 1:1 | And now I, Mormon, make a record of the things which I have both seen and heard, and call it the Book of Mormon. | Hi, I’m Mormon. I’m writing a book about what I have seen and heard. This book is called the Book of Mormon. |
| Mormon 1:2 | And about the time that Ammaron hid up the records unto the Lord, he came unto me, (I being about ten years of age, and I began to be learned somewhat after the manner of the learning of my people) and Ammaron said unto me: I perceive that thou art a sober child, and art quick to observe; | When Ammaron hid the records, he came to me. I was about ten years old and started to learn. Ammaron said to me, “You are a serious child and you notice things quickly.” |
| Mormon 1:3 | Therefore, when ye are about twenty and four years old I would that ye should remember the things that ye have observed concerning this people; and when ye are of that age go to the land Antum, unto a hill which shall be called Shim; and there have I deposited unto the Lord all the sacred engravings concerning this people. | When you are about 24 years old, remember what you saw about these people. Then go to the land called Antum. There is a hill named Shim. I put all the special writings about these people there for the Lord. |
| Mormon 1:4 | And behold, ye shall take the plates of Nephi unto yourself, and the remainder shall ye leave in the place where they are; and ye shall engrave on the plates of Nephi all the things that ye have observed concerning this people. | Take the plates of Nephi with you. Leave the rest where they are. Write on the Nephi plates what you saw about these people. |
| Mormon 1:5 | And I, Mormon, being a descendant of Nephi, (and my father—s name was Mormon) I remembered the things which Ammaron commanded me. | And I, Mormon, who came after Nephi, (my dad was also named Mormon) remembered what Ammaron told me. |
| Mormon 1:6 | And it came to pass that I, being eleven years old, was carried by my father into the land southward, even to the land of Zarahemla. | When I was eleven, my dad took me to the land of Zarahemla. |
| Mormon 1:7 | The whole face of the land had become covered with buildings, and the people were as numerous almost, as it were the sand of the sea. | The land was full of buildings, and there were almost as many people as the sand on the beach. |
| Mormon 1:8 | And it came to pass in this year there began to be a war between the Nephites, who consisted of the Nephites and the Jacobites and the Josephites and the Zoramites; and this war was between the Nephites, and the Lamanites and the Lemuelites and the Ishmaelites. | In this year, a war started. The war was between the Nephites and the Lamanites. The Nephites had people like the Jacobites, Josephites, and Zoramites. The Lamanites had people like the Lemuelites and Ishmaelites. |
| Mormon 1:9 | Now the Lamanites and the Lemuelites and the Ishmaelites were called Lamanites, and the two parties were Nephites and Lamanites. | Now, the Lamanites, Lemuelites, and Ishmaelites were all called Lamanites. There were two groups: Nephites and Lamanites. |
| Mormon 1:10 | And it came to pass that the war began to be among them in the borders of Zarahemla, by the waters of Sidon. | The war started near Zarahemla by the Sidon River. |
| Mormon 1:11 | And it came to pass that the Nephites had gathered together a great number of men, even to exceed the number of thirty thousand. And it came to pass that they did have in this same year a number of battles, in which the Nephites did beat the Lamanites and did slay many of them. | The Nephites got many men together, more than thirty thousand. That year, they had many battles. The Nephites won and killed many Lamanites. |
| Mormon 1:12 | And it came to pass that the Lamanites withdrew their design, and there was peace settled in the land; and peace did remain for the space of about four years, that there was no bloodshed. | The Lamanites changed their plans. There was peace in the land for about four years. No one got hurt. |
| Mormon 1:13 | But wickedness did prevail upon the face of the whole land, insomuch that the Lord did take away his beloved disciples, and the work of miracles and of healing did cease because of the iniquity of the people. | Bad things were happening everywhere, so the Lord took away his special helpers, and miracles and healing stopped because of the people’s bad choices. |
| Mormon 1:14 | And there were no gifts from the Lord, and the Holy Ghost did not come upon any, because of their wickedness and unbelief. | There were no gifts from God. The Holy Ghost did not come to anyone because they were bad and did not believe. |
| Mormon 1:15 | And I, being fifteen years of age and being somewhat of a sober mind, therefore I was visited of the Lord, and tasted and knew of the goodness of Jesus. | I was 15 years old and serious. Jesus visited me, and I felt His goodness. |
| Mormon 1:16 | And I did endeavor to preach unto this people, but my mouth was shut, and I was forbidden that I should preach unto them; for behold they had wilfully rebelled against their God; and the beloved disciples were taken away out of the land, because of their iniquity. | I tried to talk to the people, but I couldn’t. God said no because they were very bad. The good guys had to leave the land because the people did bad things. |
| Mormon 1:17 | But I did remain among them, but I was forbidden to preach unto them, because of the hardness of their hearts; and because of the hardness of their hearts the land was cursed for their sake. | I stayed with them, but I couldn’t teach them because their hearts were not kind. The land was cursed because of their unkind hearts. |
| Mormon 1:18 | And these Gadianton robbers, who were among the Lamanites, did infest the land, insomuch that the inhabitants thereof began to hide up their treasures in the earth; and they became slippery, because the Lord had cursed the land, that they could not hold them, nor retain them again. | The bad guys called Gadianton robbers were in the land. The people started hiding their treasures in the ground. But the treasures kept disappearing because God cursed the land. |
| Mormon 1:19 | And it came to pass that there were sorceries, and witchcrafts, and magics; and the power of the evil one was wrought upon all the face of the land, even unto the fulfilling of all the words of Abinadi, and also Samuel the Lamanite. | There were bad magic things in the land. The bad power was everywhere. This made the words of Abinadi and Samuel the Lamanite come true. |
Mormon 2
| Verse | Original | 2nd Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Mormon 2:1 | And it came to pass in that same year there began to be a war again between the Nephites and the Lamanites. And notwithstanding I being young, was large in stature; therefore the people of Nephi appointed me that I should be their leader, or the leader of their armies. | In that same year, the Nephites and Lamanites started fighting again. Even though I was young, I was big and strong. The Nephite people made me their leader of the army. |
| Mormon 2:2 | Therefore it came to pass that in my sixteenth year I did go forth at the head of an army of the Nephites, against the Lamanites; therefore three hundred and twenty and six years had passed away. | When I was sixteen years old, I led an army of Nephites to fight the Lamanites. Three hundred and twenty-six years had gone by. |
| Mormon 2:3 | And it came to pass that in the three hundred and twenty and seventh year the Lamanites did come upon us with exceedingly great power, insomuch that they did frighten my armies; therefore they would not fight, and they began to retreat towards the north countries. | In the year 327, the Lamanites came with very strong power. They scared my soldiers, so my soldiers ran away to the north. |
| Mormon 2:4 | And it came to pass that we did come to the city of Angola, and we did take possession of the city, and make preparations to defend ourselves against the Lamanites. And it came to pass that we did fortify the city with our might; but notwithstanding all our fortifications the Lamanites did come upon us and did drive us out of the city. | We went to the city of Angola. We took the city and got ready to fight the Lamanites. We made the city strong. But the Lamanites still came and made us leave the city. |
| Mormon 2:5 | And they did also drive us forth out of the land of David. | They made us leave the land of David. |
| Mormon 2:6 | And we marched forth and came to the land of Joshua, which was in the borders west by the seashore. | We walked to the land of Joshua. It was by the sea. |
| Mormon 2:7 | And it came to pass that we did gather in our people as fast as it were possible, that we might get them together in one body. | We gathered our people as quickly as we could, to be all together. |
| Mormon 2:8 | But behold, the land was filled with robbers and with Lamanites; and notwithstanding the great destruction which hung over my people, they did not repent of their evil doings; therefore there was blood and carnage spread throughout all the face of the land, both on the part of the Nephites and also on the part of the Lamanites; and it was one complete revolution throughout all the face of the land. | The land was full of bad people and Lamanites. Even though there was a lot of trouble, my people did not stop being bad. There was fighting and blood everywhere, with Nephites and Lamanites both fighting. It was like one big fight all over the land. |
| Mormon 2:9 | And now, the Lamanites had a king, and his name was Aaron; and he came against us with an army of forty and four thousand. And behold, I withstood him with forty and two thousand. And it came to pass that I beat him with my army that he fled before me. And behold, all this was done, and three hundred and thirty years had passed away. | The Lamanites had a king named Aaron. He came with an army of 44,000. I fought him with my 42,000 soldiers. I won and he ran away. This happened after 330 years. |
| Mormon 2:10 | And it came to pass that the Nephites began to repent of their iniquity, and began to cry even as had been prophesied by Samuel the prophet; for behold no man could keep that which was his own, for the thieves, and the robbers, and the murderers, and the magic art, and the witchcraft which was in the land. | The Nephites started to feel sorry for their bad choices. They cried because Samuel the prophet said they would. People couldn’t keep their own things because thieves, robbers, and murderers were everywhere. There was also magic and witchcraft in the land. |
| Mormon 2:11 | Thus there began to be a mourning and a lamentation in all the land because of these things, and more especially among the people of Nephi. | So everyone in the land was very sad and crying because of these things, especially the people of Nephi. |
| Mormon 2:12 | And it came to pass that when I, Mormon, saw their lamentation and their mourning and their sorrow before the Lord, my heart did begin to rejoice within me, knowing the mercies and the long-suffering of the Lord, therefore supposing that he would be merciful unto them that they would again become a righteous people. | When I, Mormon, saw the people crying and feeling sad, my heart felt happy. I knew God was kind and patient and hoped He would forgive them and help them be good again. |
| Mormon 2:13 | But behold this my joy was vain, for their sorrowing was not unto repentance, because of the goodness of God; but it was rather the sorrowing of the damned, because the Lord would not always suffer them to take happiness in sin. | But I was not happy for long, because they were not sorry and did not change, even though God is good. They were sad like people who know they did bad things and can’t be happy. |
| Mormon 2:14 | And they did not come unto Jesus with broken hearts and contrite spirits, but they did curse God, and wish to die. Nevertheless they would struggle with the sword for their lives. | They did not say sorry to Jesus. They were mad at God and wanted to die. But they still fought to stay alive. |
| Mormon 2:15 | And it came to pass that my sorrow did return unto me again, and I saw that the day of grace was passed with them, both temporally and spiritually; for I saw thousands of them hewn down in open rebellion against their God, and heaped up as dung upon the face of the land. And thus three hundred and forty and four years had passed away. | I felt sad again because I saw that the good time was over for them. Many people were hurt in a fight against God and piled up on the ground. Three hundred forty and four years had gone by. |
| Mormon 2:16 | And it came to pass that in the three hundred and forty and fifth year the Nephites did begin to flee before the Lamanites; and they were pursued until they came even to the land of Jashon, before it was possible to stop them in their retreat. | In the 345th year, the Nephites started to run away from the Lamanites. The Lamanites chased them until they got to the land of Jashon. |
| Mormon 2:17 | And now, the city of Jashon was near the land where Ammaron had deposited the records unto the Lord, that they might not be destroyed. And behold I had gone according to the word of Ammaron, and taken the plates of Nephi, and did make a record according to the words of Ammaron. | The city of Jashon was close to where Ammaron had put the records safely. I followed Ammaron’s instructions, got the plates of Nephi, and wrote down the records like Ammaron said. |
| Mormon 2:18 | And upon the plates of Nephi I did make a full account of all the wickedness and abominations; but upon these plates I did forbear to make a full account of their wickedness and abominations, for behold, a continual scene of wickedness and abominations has been before mine eyes ever since I have been sufficient to behold the ways of man. | I wrote everything bad that happened on Nephi’s plates, but I didn’t write all the bad things on these plates because I have seen many bad things my whole life. |
| Mormon 2:19 | And wo is me because of their wickedness; for my heart has been filled with sorrow because of their wickedness, all my days; nevertheless, I know that I shall be lifted up at the last day. | I am sad because of their bad choices. It makes me feel very sad. But I know I will be happy in the end. |
| Mormon 2:20 | And it came to pass that in this year the people of Nephi again were hunted and driven. And it came to pass that we were driven forth until we had come northward to the land which was called Shem. | In this year, the Nephites were chased again. We moved north to a place called Shem. |
| Mormon 2:21 | And it came to pass that we did fortify the city of Shem, and we did gather in our people as much as it were possible, that perhaps we might save them from destruction. | We made the city of Shem strong. We brought our people into the city to keep them safe. |
| Mormon 2:22 | And it came to pass in the three hundred and forty and sixth year they began to come upon us again. | In the year 346, they started to come back to us again. |
| Mormon 2:23 | And it came to pass that I did speak unto my people, and did urge them with great energy, that they would stand boldly before the Lamanites and fight for their wives, and their children, and their houses, and their homes. | So I talked to my people and told them very strongly to be brave and fight the Lamanites to protect their families and homes. |
| Mormon 2:24 | And my words did arouse them somewhat to vigor, insomuch that they did not flee from before the Lamanites, but did stand with boldness against them. | My words made them a little stronger, so they did not run away from the Lamanites. They stood bravely against them. |
| Mormon 2:25 | And it came to pass that we did contend with an army of thirty thousand against an army of fifty thousand. And it came to pass that we did stand before them with such firmness that they did flee from before us. | We fought with an army of 30,000 against an army of 50,000. We were so strong that they ran away. |
| Mormon 2:26 | And it came to pass that when they had fled we did pursue them with our armies, and did meet them again, and did beat them; nevertheless the strength of the Lord was not with us; yea, we were left to ourselves, that the Spirit of the Lord did not abide in us; therefore we had become weak like unto our brethren. | When they ran away, we chased them with our soldiers and fought them again and won. But, the Lord was not with us. We were on our own. The Spirit of the Lord was not with us. So, we had become weak like our enemies. |
| Mormon 2:27 | And my heart did sorrow because of this the great calamity of my people, because of their wickedness and their abominations. But behold, we did go forth against the Lamanites and the robbers of Gadianton, until we had again taken possession of the lands of our inheritance. | I felt very sad because my people were doing bad things. But we went to fight the bad Lamanites and robbers until we got our lands back. |
| Mormon 2:28 | And the three hundred and forty and ninth year had passed away. And in the three hundred and fiftieth year we made a treaty with the Lamanites and the robbers of Gadianton, in which we did get the lands of our inheritance divided. | We finished year 349. In year 350, we made a peace deal with the Lamanites and robbers. We shared our lands. |
| Mormon 2:29 | And the Lamanites did give unto us the land northward, yea, even to the narrow passage which led into the land southward. And we did give unto the Lamanites all the land southward. | The Lamanites gave us the land to the north. We gave the Lamanites the land to the south. |
Mormon 3
| Verse | Original | 2nd Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Mormon 3:1 | And it came to pass that the Lamanites did not come to battle again until ten years more had passed away. And behold, I had employed my people, the Nephites, in preparing their lands and their arms against the time of battle. | The Lamanites did not come to fight again for ten more years. And I had the Nephites get ready for battle by preparing their lands and weapons. |
| Mormon 3:2 | And it came to pass that the Lord did say unto me: Cry unto this people—Repent ye, and come unto me, and be ye baptized, and build up again my church, and ye shall be spared. | The Lord said to me: Tell the people to say sorry, come to me, get baptized, and help build my church, and they will be safe. |
| Mormon 3:3 | And I did cry unto this people, but it was in vain; and they did not realize that it was the Lord that had spared them, and granted unto them a chance for repentance. And behold they did harden their hearts against the Lord their God. | I called out to the people, but they didn’t listen. They didn’t know it was the Lord who saved them and gave them a chance to say sorry. They made their hearts hard against the Lord. |
| Mormon 3:4 | And it came to pass that after this tenth year had passed away, making, in the whole, three hundred and sixty years from the coming of Christ, the king of the Lamanites sent an epistle unto me, which gave unto me to know that they were preparing to come again to battle against us. | After ten years, it had been 360 years since Jesus came. The king of the Lamanites sent me a letter saying they were getting ready to fight us again. |
| Mormon 3:5 | And it came to pass that I did cause my people that they should gather themselves together at the land Desolation, to a city which was in the borders, by the narrow pass which led into the land southward. | I told my people to come together at a place called Desolation, near a city by a narrow path that went south. |
| Mormon 3:6 | And there we did place our armies, that we might stop the armies of the Lamanites, that they might not get possession of any of our lands; therefore we did fortify against them with all our force. | We put our soldiers there to stop the Lamanite soldiers so they could not take our land. We made our defenses very strong against them. |
| Mormon 3:7 | And it came to pass that in the three hundred and sixty and first year the Lamanites did come down to the city of Desolation to battle against us; and it came to pass that in that year we did beat them, insomuch that they did return to their own lands again. | In the 361st year, the Lamanites came to fight us in the city of Desolation. We won, and they went back to their lands. |
| Mormon 3:8 | And in the three hundred and sixty and second year they did come down again to battle. And we did beat them again, and did slay a great number of them, and their dead were cast into the sea. | In the year 362, they came to fight us again. We won and many of them died. Their bodies were thrown into the sea. |
| Mormon 3:9 | And now, because of this great thing which my people, the Nephites, had done, they began to boast in their own strength, and began to swear before the heavens that they would avenge themselves of the blood of their brethren who had been slain by their enemies. | Now, because my people, the Nephites, did a big thing, they started to brag about being strong. They said they would get back at their enemies for hurting their brothers. |
| Mormon 3:10 | And they did swear by the heavens, and also by the throne of God, that they would go up to battle against their enemies, and would cut them off from the face of the land. | They promised by the sky and God’s chair to fight their enemies and make them leave the land. |
| Mormon 3:11 | And it came to pass that I, Mormon, did utterly refuse from this time forth to be a commander and a leader of this people, because of their wickedness and abomination. | I, Mormon, decided to stop being a leader of this people because they were very bad. |
| Mormon 3:12 | Behold, I had led them, notwithstanding their wickedness I had led them many times to battle, and had loved them, according to the love of God which was in me, with all my heart; and my soul had been poured out in prayer unto my God all the day long for them; nevertheless, it was without faith, because of the hardness of their hearts. | I helped them even though they were bad. I took them to battles many times. I loved them like God loves with all my heart. I prayed for them all day. But they did not believe because their hearts were hard. |
| Mormon 3:13 | And thrice have I delivered them out of the hands of their enemies, and they have repented not of their sins. | Three times I saved them from their enemies, but they did not say sorry for their bad choices. |
| Mormon 3:14 | And when they had sworn by all that had been forbidden them by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, that they would go up unto their enemies to battle, and avenge themselves of the blood of their brethren, behold the voice of the Lord came unto me saying: | They promised to fight their enemies because their friends were hurt. Then God talked to me. |
| Mormon 3:15 | Vengeance is mine, and I will repay; and because this people repented not after I had delivered them, behold, they shall be cut off from the face of the earth. | Punishing is my job, and I will do it. These people did not say sorry after I saved them, so they will be taken away from the earth. |
| Mormon 3:16 | And it came to pass that I utterly refused to go up against mine enemies; and I did even as the Lord had commanded me; and I did stand as an idle witness to manifest unto the world the things which I saw and heard, according to the manifestations of the Spirit which had testified of things to come. | I said no to fighting my enemies. I did what God told me to do. I watched and told everyone what I saw and heard, because God’s Spirit showed me what would happen. |
| Mormon 3:17 | Therefore I write unto you, Gentiles, and also unto you, house of Israel, when the work shall commence, that ye shall be about to prepare to return to the land of your inheritance; | I am writing to you, people who are not Israelites, and also to you, people of Israel, to get ready to go back to your special land. |
| Mormon 3:18 | Yea, behold, I write unto all the ends of the earth; yea, unto you, twelve tribes of Israel, who shall be judged according to your works by the twelve whom Jesus chose to be his disciples in the land of Jerusalem. | I am writing to everyone in the world, and to the twelve families of Israel. You will be judged by the twelve people Jesus chose to be his friends in Jerusalem. |
| Mormon 3:19 | And I write also unto the remnant of this people, who shall also be judged by the twelve whom Jesus chose in this land; and they shall be judged by the other twelve whom Jesus chose in the land of Jerusalem. | I write to the people left behind. They will be judged by twelve special helpers Jesus picked here. They will also be judged by twelve special helpers Jesus picked in Jerusalem. |
| Mormon 3:20 | And these things doth the Spirit manifest unto me; therefore I write unto you all. And for this cause I write unto you, that ye may know that ye must all stand before the judgment-seat of Christ, yea, every soul who belongs to the whole human family of Adam; and ye must stand to be judged of your works, whether they be good or evil; | The Spirit shows me these things, so I write them for you. I write this so you know that everyone will stand before Christ’s judgment seat. Everyone from Adam’s family will be judged for their good or bad deeds. |
| Mormon 3:21 | And also that ye may believe the gospel of Jesus Christ, which ye shall have among you; and also that the Jews, the covenant people of the Lord, shall have other witness besides him whom they saw and heard, that Jesus, whom they slew, was the very Christ and the very God. | Believe in Jesus Christ and his teachings. The Jews will have more proof that Jesus, whom they hurt, is truly God. |
| Mormon 3:22 | And I would that I could persuade all ye ends of the earth to repent and prepare to stand before the judgment-seat of Christ. | I wish I could tell everyone to say sorry and get ready to meet Jesus. |
Mormon 4
| Verse | Original | 2nd Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Mormon 4:1 | And now it came to pass that in the three hundred and sixty and third year the Nephites did go up with their armies to battle against the Lamanites, out of the land Desolation. | In the year 363, the Nephites took their soldiers to fight the Lamanites. |
| Mormon 4:2 | And it came to pass that the armies of the Nephites were driven back again to the land of Desolation. And while they were yet weary, a fresh army of the Lamanites did come upon them; and they had a sore battle, insomuch that the Lamanites did take possession of the city Desolation, and did slay many of the Nephites, and did take many prisoners. | The Nephite army went back to the land called Desolation. They were very tired, but a new Lamanite army came. They had a big fight. The Lamanites won, took the city, killed many Nephites, and took many as prisoners. |
| Mormon 4:3 | And the remainder did flee and join the inhabitants of the city Teancum. Now the city Teancum lay in the borders by the seashore; and it was also near the city Desolation. | The rest ran away and went to the city Teancum. The city Teancum was by the sea and near the city Desolation. |
| Mormon 4:4 | And it was because the armies of the Nephites went up unto the Lamanites that they began to be smitten; for were it not for that, the Lamanites could have had no power over them. | The Nephites went to fight the Lamanites and started losing. If they hadn’t gone, the Lamanites couldn’t have hurt them. |
| Mormon 4:5 | But, behold, the judgments of God will overtake the wicked; and it is by the wicked that the wicked are punished; for it is the wicked that stir up the hearts of the children of men unto bloodshed. | Look, God will punish bad people. Bad people hurt each other. Bad people make others angry and cause fights. |
| Mormon 4:6 | And it came to pass that the Lamanites did make preparations to come against the city Teancum. | The Lamanites got ready to go to the city Teancum. |
| Mormon 4:7 | And it came to pass in the three hundred and sixty and fourth year the Lamanites did come against the city Teancum, that they might take possession of the city Teancum also. | In the year 364, the Lamanites came to the city of Teancum to take it. |
| Mormon 4:8 | And it came to pass that they were repulsed and driven back by the Nephites. And when the Nephites saw that they had driven the Lamanites they did again boast of their own strength; and they went forth in their own might, and took possession again of the city Desolation. | The Nephites pushed the Lamanites back. The Nephites felt strong and proud. They took back the city Desolation. |
| Mormon 4:9 | And now all these things had been done, and there had been thousands slain on both sides, both the Nephites and the Lamanites. | Many things happened. Many people were killed. This happened to both the Nephites and the Lamanites. |
| Mormon 4:10 | And it came to pass that the three hundred and sixty and sixth year had passed away, and the Lamanites came again upon the Nephites to battle; and yet the Nephites repented not of the evil they had done, but persisted in their wickedness continually. | A long time passed. The bad guys attacked the good guys again. The good guys did bad things and did not stop doing bad things. |
| Mormon 4:11 | And it is impossible for the tongue to describe, or for man to write a perfect description of the horrible scene of the blood and carnage which was among the people, both of the Nephites and of the Lamanites; and every heart was hardened, so that they delighted in the shedding of blood continually. | It’s too hard to say or write how bad and bloody the fighting was between the Nephites and Lamanites. Everyone was cruel and kept killing each other. |
| Mormon 4:12 | And there never had been so great wickedness among all the children of Lehi, nor even among all the house of Israel, according to the words of the Lord, as was among this people. | There had never been such bad behavior among all the children of Lehi, or even among all the house of Israel, as there was among this people. |
| Mormon 4:13 | And it came to pass that the Lamanites did take possession of the city Desolation, and this because their number did exceed the number of the Nephites. | The Lamanites took over the city of Desolation because there were more of them than the Nephites. |
| Mormon 4:14 | And they did also march forward against the city Teancum, and did drive the inhabitants forth out of her, and did take many prisoners both women and children, and did offer them up as sacrifices unto their idol gods. | They went to the city Teancum. They made the people leave. They took many women and children. They gave them to their idol gods. |
| Mormon 4:15 | And it came to pass that in the three hundred and sixty and seventh year, the Nephites being angry because the Lamanites had sacrificed their women and their children, that they did go against the Lamanites with exceedingly great anger, insomuch that they did beat again the Lamanites, and drive them out of their lands. | In the year 367, the Nephites were very mad because the Lamanites hurt their women and children. So the Nephites fought the Lamanites with great anger. They beat the Lamanites and made them leave their land. |
| Mormon 4:16 | And the Lamanites did not come again against the Nephites until the three hundred and seventy and fifth year. | The Lamanites did not fight the Nephites again until year 375. |
| Mormon 4:17 | And in this year they did come down against the Nephites with all their powers; and they were not numbered because of the greatness of their number. | This year, the enemies came to fight the Nephites with all their strength. There were so many of them that no one could count how many there were. |
| Mormon 4:18 | And from this time forth did the Nephites gain no power over the Lamanites, but began to be swept off by them even as a dew before the sun. | After this, the Nephites could not win against the Lamanites. The Lamanites started to defeat them easily. |
| Mormon 4:19 | And it came to pass that the Lamanites did come down against the city Desolation; and there was an exceedingly sore battle fought in the land Desolation, in the which they did beat the Nephites. | The Lamanites came to the city Desolation. There was a very hard battle in the land Desolation. They beat the Nephites. |
| Mormon 4:20 | And they fled again from before them, and they came to the city Boaz; and there they did stand against the Lamanites with exceeding boldness, insomuch that the Lamanites did not beat them until they had come again the second time. | They ran away to the city called Boaz. There, they bravely faced the Lamanites. The Lamanites couldn’t beat them until they tried again. |
| Mormon 4:21 | And when they had come the second time, the Nephites were driven and slaughtered with an exceedingly great slaughter; their women and their children were again sacrificed unto idols. | The Nephites came back a second time, but were hurt very badly. Their women and children were taken away again. |
| Mormon 4:22 | And it came to pass that the Nephites did again flee from before them, taking all the inhabitants with them, both in towns and villages. | The Nephites ran away again. They took all the people from towns and villages with them. |
| Mormon 4:23 | And now I, Mormon, seeing that the Lamanites were about to overthrow the land, therefore I did go to the hill Shim, and did take up all the records which Ammaron had hid up unto the Lord. | I, Mormon, saw the Lamanites coming. I went to the hill called Shim and got all the records hidden by Ammaron. |
Mormon 5
| Verse | Original | 2nd Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Mormon 5:1 | And it came to pass that I did go forth among the Nephites, and did repent of the oath which I had made that I would no more assist them; and they gave me command again of their armies, for they looked upon me as though I could deliver them from their afflictions. | I went to the Nephites. I said sorry for saying I wouldn’t help them. They gave me control of their armies again because they thought I could save them. |
| Mormon 5:2 | But behold, I was without hope, for I knew the judgments of the Lord which should come upon them; for they repented not of their iniquities, but did struggle for their lives without calling upon that Being who created them. | I felt very sad because I knew what God would do to them. They did not say sorry for doing bad things. They tried to stay alive, but they did not ask God for help. |
| Mormon 5:3 | And it came to pass that the Lamanites did come against us as we had fled to the city of Jordan; but behold, they were driven back that they did not take the city at that time. | The bad guys came after us as we ran to the city of Jordan. But they did not win; we pushed them back, and they did not take the city. |
| Mormon 5:4 | And it came to pass that they came against us again, and we did maintain the city. And there were also other cities which were maintained by Nephites, which strongholds did cut them off that they could not get into the country which lay before us, to destroy the inhabitants of our land. | They attacked us again, but we kept our city safe. There were other cities that were also kept safe by the Nephites. These cities blocked the attackers so they couldn’t enter our land to hurt our people. |
| Mormon 5:5 | And it came to pass that whatsoever lands we had passed by, and the inhabitants thereof were not gathered in, were destroyed by the Lamanites, and their towns, and villages, and cities were burned with fire; and thus three hundred and seventy and nine years passed away. | If we passed by some lands and the people there did not join us, the Lamanites destroyed them and burned their towns and cities. This happened for 379 years. |
| Mormon 5:6 | And it came to pass that in the three hundred and eightieth year the Lamanites did come again against us to battle, and we did stand against them boldly; but it was all in vain, for so great were their numbers that they did tread the people of the Nephites under their feet. | In the year 380, the Lamanites came to fight us again. We were brave, but they had so many people, and they won. |
| Mormon 5:7 | And it came to pass that we did again take to flight, and those whose flight was swifter than the Lamanites— did escape, and those whose flight did not exceed the Lamanites— were swept down and destroyed. | We ran away again. Some people ran faster than the Lamanites and got away, but the people who ran slower got caught and were killed. |
| Mormon 5:8 | And now behold, I, Mormon, do not desire to harrow up the souls of men in casting before them such an awful scene of blood and carnage as was laid before mine eyes; but I, knowing that these things must surely be made known, and that all things which are hid must be revealed upon the house-tops— | I, Mormon, don’t want to scare people by telling them about the terrible battle I saw. But I know I have to tell everyone the truth. |
| Mormon 5:9 | And also that a knowledge of these things must come unto the remnant of these people, and also unto the Gentiles, who the Lord hath said should scatter this people, and this people should be counted as naught among them—therefore I write a small abridgment, daring not to give a full account of the things which I have seen, because of the commandment which I have received, and also that ye might not have too great sorrow because of the wickedness of this people. | I will tell a short story about what happened to these people. Others need to know about it, but not the whole story, so they don’t feel too sad. |
| Mormon 5:10 | And now behold, this I speak unto their seed, and also to the Gentiles who have care for the house of Israel, that realize and know from whence their blessings come. | I am talking to their children and to the people who care about the house of Israel. Remember and know where your blessings come from. |
| Mormon 5:11 | For I know that such will sorrow for the calamity of the house of Israel; yea, they will sorrow for the destruction of this people; they will sorrow that this people had not repented that they might have been clasped in the arms of Jesus. | I know they will be sad because Israel is in trouble. Yes, they will be sad because this people are destroyed. They will be sad that this people did not say sorry and be hugged by Jesus. |
| Mormon 5:12 | Now these things are written unto the remnant of the house of Jacob; and they are written after this manner, because it is known of God that wickedness will not bring them forth unto them; and they are to be hid up unto the Lord that they may come forth in his own due time. | These words are for the people of Jacob’s family. They are written like this because God knows bad people won’t read them. They are saved for the Lord to give them at the right time. |
| Mormon 5:13 | And this is the commandment which I have received; and behold, they shall come forth according to the commandment of the Lord, when he shall see fit, in his wisdom. | I got this rule: they will come out when God says so because He knows best. |
| Mormon 5:14 | And behold, they shall go unto the unbelieving of the Jews; and for this intent shall they go—that they may be persuaded that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God; that the Father may bring about, through his most Beloved, his great and eternal purpose, in restoring the Jews, or all the house of Israel, to the land of their inheritance, which the Lord their God hath given them, unto the fulfilling of his covenant; | And look, they will go to the people who do not believe. They will tell them that Jesus is God’s Son. This will help God’s big plan. God will bring the Jews back to their special land. God promised this land to them. |
| Mormon 5:15 | And also that the seed of this people may more fully believe his gospel, which shall go forth unto them from the Gentiles; for this people shall be scattered, and shall become a dark, a filthy, and a loathsome people, beyond the description of that which ever hath been amongst us, yea, even that which hath been among the Lamanites, and this because of their unbelief and idolatry. | The people will hear the gospel from the Gentiles and believe. But they will be scattered and become bad because they will not believe in God. |
| Mormon 5:16 | For behold, the Spirit of the Lord hath already ceased to strive with their fathers; and they are without Christ and God in the world; and they are driven about as chaff before the wind. | The Spirit of the Lord is not with their fathers anymore. They do not have Christ and God. They are blown like straw in the wind. |
| Mormon 5:17 | They were once a delightsome people, and they had Christ for their shepherd; yea, they were led even by God the Father. | They were happy people and Jesus took care of them. God the Father led them. |
| Mormon 5:18 | But now, behold, they are led about by Satan, even as chaff is driven before the wind, or as a vessel is tossed about upon the waves, without sail or anchor, or without anything wherewith to steer her; and even as she is, so are they. | But now, look, Satan is leading them. They are like bits of straw blown by the wind, or a boat without a sail or anchor, tossed around by the waves. |
| Mormon 5:19 | And behold, the Lord hath reserved their blessings, which they might have received in the land, for the Gentiles who shall possess the land. | Look, God saved their blessings for the people who will live in the land. |
| Mormon 5:20 | But behold, it shall come to pass that they shall be driven and scattered by the Gentiles; and after they have been driven and scattered by the Gentiles, behold, then will the Lord remember the covenant which he made unto Abraham and unto all the house of Israel. | Look! The people will be forced to go away by other people. After they are forced to go away, God will remember the promise He made to Abraham and all of Israel. |
| Mormon 5:21 | And also the Lord will remember the prayers of the righteous, which have been put up unto him for them. | The Lord will remember the good people’s prayers. |
| Mormon 5:22 | And then, O ye Gentiles, how can ye stand before the power of God, except ye shall repent and turn from your evil ways? | And then, you people, how can you be safe from the power of God, unless you are sorry and stop doing bad things? |
| Mormon 5:23 | Know ye not that ye are in the hands of God? Know ye not that he hath all power, and at his great command the earth shall be rolled together as a scroll? | Don’t you know God takes care of you? Don’t you know He is very strong and can do anything? When He wants, the world can be rolled up like a piece of paper. |
| Mormon 5:24 | Therefore, repent ye, and humble yourselves before him, lest he shall come out in justice against you—lest a remnant of the seed of Jacob shall go forth among you as a lion, and tear you in pieces, and there is none to deliver. | So, say sorry and be very humble to God, or else he might be very fair and come against you. If you are not humble, a small group of Jacob’s family might come and hurt you, and no one can save you. |
Mormon 6
| Verse | Original | 2nd Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Mormon 6:1 | And now I finish my record concerning the destruction of my people, the Nephites. And it came to pass that we did march forth before the Lamanites. | I am done writing about how my people, the Nephites, were destroyed. Then we walked in front of the Lamanites. |
| Mormon 6:2 | And I, Mormon, wrote an epistle unto the king of the Lamanites, and desired of him that he would grant unto us that we might gather together our people unto the land of Cumorah, by a hill which was called Cumorah, and there we could give them battle. | I, Mormon, wrote a letter to the king of the Lamanites. I asked him to let us gather our people at a place called Cumorah, near a hill. There, we could have a battle. |
| Mormon 6:3 | And it came to pass that the king of the Lamanites did grant unto me the thing which I desired. | The king of the Lamanites said yes to what I wanted. |
| Mormon 6:4 | And it came to pass that we did march forth to the land of Cumorah, and we did pitch our tents around about the hill Cumorah; and it was in a land of many waters, rivers, and fountains; and here we had hope to gain advantage over the Lamanites. | We went to a place called Cumorah. We set up our tents by a big hill. There were lots of waters, rivers, and springs. We hoped to beat the Lamanites there. |
| Mormon 6:5 | And when three hundred and eighty and four years had passed away, we had gathered in all the remainder of our people unto the land of Cumorah. | After 384 years, we brought all our people to the land of Cumorah. |
| Mormon 6:6 | And it came to pass that when we had gathered in all our people in one to the land of Cumorah, behold I, Mormon, began to be old; and knowing it to be the last struggle of my people, and having been commanded of the Lord that I should not suffer the records which had been handed down by our fathers, which were sacred, to fall into the hands of the Lamanites, (for the Lamanites would destroy them) therefore I made this record out of the plates of Nephi, and hid up in the hill Cumorah all the records which had been entrusted to me by the hand of the Lord, save it were these few plates which I gave unto my son Moroni. | When all of our people came to the land of Cumorah, I, Mormon, was old. I knew it was the last fight for my people. God told me to protect our important records. The Lamanites would destroy them. So I made this record and hid all the other records in the hill Cumorah. I gave these few plates to my son Moroni. |
| Mormon 6:7 | And it came to pass that my people, with their wives and their children, did now behold the armies of the Lamanites marching towards them; and with that awful fear of death which fills the breasts of all the wicked, did they await to receive them. | My people and their families saw the Lamanite soldiers coming. They were very scared because they thought they might die. |
| Mormon 6:8 | And it came to pass that they came to battle against us, and every soul was filled with terror because of the greatness of their numbers. | They came to fight us, and everyone was very scared because there were so many of them. |
| Mormon 6:9 | And it came to pass that they did fall upon my people with the sword, and with the bow, and with the arrow, and with the ax, and with all manner of weapons of war. | They hurt my people with swords, bows, arrows, axes, and other weapons. |
| Mormon 6:10 | And it came to pass that my men were hewn down, yea, even my ten thousand who were with me, and I fell wounded in the midst; and they passed by me that they did not put an end to my life. | My men were all hurt badly. Even my ten thousand friends with me. I got hurt too. And the others did not kill me. |
| Mormon 6:11 | And when they had gone through and hewn down all my people save it were twenty and four of us, (among whom was my son Moroni) and we having survived the dead of our people, did behold on the morrow, when the Lamanites had returned unto their camps, from the top of the hill Cumorah, the ten thousand of my people who were hewn down, being led in the front by me. | When the bad people killed almost everyone, there were only twenty-four of us left, including my son Moroni. We looked down from the hill and saw many of our friends who had died. I was leading them. |
| Mormon 6:12 | And we also beheld the ten thousand of my people who were led by my son Moroni. | We saw ten thousand of my people who were led by my son Moroni. |
| Mormon 6:13 | And behold, the ten thousand of Gidgiddonah had fallen, and he also in the midst. | Gidgiddonah and all his 10,000 soldiers fell. |
| Mormon 6:14 | And Lamah had fallen with his ten thousand; and Gilgal had fallen with his ten thousand; and Limhah had fallen with his ten thousand; and Jeneum had fallen with his ten thousand; and Cumenihah, and Moronihah, and Antionum, and Shiblom, and Shem, and Josh, had fallen with their ten thousand each. | Lamah fell down with his 10,000 people. Gilgal fell down with his 10,000 people. Limhah fell down with his 10,000 people. Jeneum fell down with his 10,000 people. Cumenihah, Moronihah, Antionum, Shiblom, Shem, and Josh also fell down with their 10,000 people each. |
| Mormon 6:15 | And it came to pass that there were ten more who did fall by the sword, with their ten thousand each; yea, even all my people, save it were those twenty and four who were with me, and also a few who had escaped into the south countries, and a few who had deserted over unto the Lamanites, had fallen; and their flesh, and bones, and blood lay upon the face of the earth, being left by the hands of those who slew them to molder upon the land, and to crumble and to return to their mother earth. | Ten groups of ten thousand people were killed. All my people died, except for twenty-four with me, some who went south, and some who joined the enemy. Their bodies were left on the ground to decay. |
| Mormon 6:16 | And my soul was rent with anguish, because of the slain of my people, and I cried: | I was very sad because so many of my people died, and I cried. |
| Mormon 6:17 | O ye fair ones, how could ye have departed from the ways of the Lord! O ye fair ones, how could ye have rejected that Jesus, who stood with open arms to receive you! | Oh you good ones, why did you leave God’s ways? Oh you good ones, why did you turn away from Jesus, who was ready to hug you? |
| Mormon 6:18 | Behold, if ye had not done this, ye would not have fallen. But behold, ye are fallen, and I mourn your loss. | Look, if you didn’t do this, you wouldn’t be sad. But now you are sad, and I feel sorry for you. |
| Mormon 6:19 | O ye fair sons and daughters, ye fathers and mothers, ye husbands and wives, ye fair ones, how is it that ye could have fallen! | Oh good boys and girls, moms and dads, husbands and wives, how could you make such a mistake! |
| Mormon 6:20 | But behold, ye are gone, and my sorrows cannot bring your return. | But you are gone and my sadness can’t bring you back. |
| Mormon 6:21 | And the day soon cometh that your mortal must put on immortality, and these bodies which are now moldering in corruption must soon become incorruptible bodies; and then ye must stand before the judgment-seat of Christ to be judged according to your works and if it so be that ye are righteous, then are ye blessed with your fathers who have gone before you. | Soon, your body will not die anymore. These bodies that get old and sick will become perfect. Then, you will go to Jesus to be judged. If you did good things, you will be happy like your ancestors. |
| Mormon 6:22 | O that ye had repented before this great destruction had come upon you. But behold, ye are gone, and the Father, yea, the Eternal Father of heaven, knoweth your state; and he doeth with you according to his justice and mercy. | I wish you had felt sorry before this big trouble came. But now, you are gone, and God knows where you are. He will treat you fairly and kindly. |
Mormon 7
| Verse | Original | 2nd Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Mormon 7:1 | And now, behold, I would speak somewhat unto the remnant of this people who are spared, if it so be that God may give unto them my words, that they may know of the things of their fathers; yea, I speak unto you, ye remnant of the house of Israel; and these are the words which I speak: | Now I want to talk to the people who are left. I hope God lets them hear my words so they know about their ancestors. I am talking to you, the people of Israel. Here is what I want to say: |
| Mormon 7:2 | Know ye that ye are of the house of Israel. | You are part of the family of Israel. |
| Mormon 7:3 | Know ye that ye must come unto repentance, or ye cannot be saved. | You need to say sorry for doing bad things, or you can’t be saved. |
| Mormon 7:4 | Know ye that ye must lay down your weapons of war, and delight no more in the shedding of blood, and take them not again, save it be that God shall command you. | You must put down your weapons and stop hurting others. Do not pick them up again unless God tells you. |
| Mormon 7:5 | Know ye that ye must come to the knowledge of your fathers, and repent of all your sins and iniquities, and believe in Jesus Christ, that he is the Son of God, and that he was slain by the Jews, and by the power of the Father he hath risen again, whereby he hath gained the victory over the grave; and also in him is the sting of death swallowed up. | You need to learn about your parents’ teachings. Say sorry for your bad choices and believe in Jesus. Jesus is God’s Son. He died but came back to life. Jesus beat death, so death is not the end. |
| Mormon 7:6 | And he bringeth to pass the resurrection of the dead, whereby man must be raised to stand before his judgment-seat. | He makes dead people come alive again so they can stand in front of him to be judged. |
| Mormon 7:7 | And he hath brought to pass the redemption of the world, whereby he that is found guiltless before him at the judgment day hath it given unto him to dwell in the presence of God in his kingdom, to sing ceaseless praises with the choirs above, unto the Father, and unto the Son, and unto the Holy Ghost, which are one God, in a state of happiness which hath no end. | God made a way for all of us to be happy forever with Him. If we are good and follow Him, we can live with Him and sing praises together forever. |
| Mormon 7:8 | Therefore repent, and be baptized in the name of Jesus, and lay hold upon the gospel of Christ, which shall be set before you, not only in this record but also in the record which shall come unto the Gentiles from the Jews, which record shall come from the Gentiles unto you. | So say sorry for your wrongs, get baptized in Jesus’ name, and follow Jesus’ teachings. There are two books to help you: this one and another one from the Jews that Gentiles will bring to you. |
| Mormon 7:9 | For behold, this is written for the intent that ye may believe that; and if ye believe that ye will believe this also; and if ye believe this ye will know concerning your fathers, and also the marvelous works which were wrought by the power of God among them. | This is written so you can believe. If you believe this, you will know about your fathers and the amazing things God did for them. |
| Mormon 7:10 | And ye will also know that ye are a remnant of the seed of Jacob; therefore ye are numbered among the people of the first covenant; and if it so be that ye believe in Christ, and are baptized, first with water, then with fire and with the Holy Ghost, following the example of our Savior, according to that which he hath commanded us, it shall be well with you in the day of judgment. Amen. | You are part of Jacob’s family. If you believe in Jesus, get baptized with water and the Holy Ghost, like Jesus showed us, everything will be good for you when God judges us. Amen. |
Mormon 8
| Verse | Original | 2nd Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Mormon 8:1 | Behold I, Moroni, do finish the record of my father, Mormon. Behold, I have but few things to write, which things I have been commanded by my father. | Look, I am Moroni. I am finishing my dad Mormon’s book. I have just a few things to write because my dad told me to. |
| Mormon 8:2 | And now it came to pass that after the great and tremendous battle at Cumorah, behold, the Nephites who had escaped into the country southward were hunted by the Lamanites, until they were all destroyed. | The Nephites ran away after a big fight. The Lamanites chased them and caught them all. |
| Mormon 8:3 | And my father also was killed by them, and I even remain alone to write the sad tale of the destruction of my people. But behold, they are gone, and I fulfil the commandment of my father. And whether they will slay me, I know not. | My dad was also killed by them, and now I am alone to tell the sad story of my people. But they are gone, and I do what my dad told me to do. I don’t know if they will kill me. |
| Mormon 8:4 | Therefore I will write and hide up the records in the earth; and whither I go it mattereth not. | So I will write and bury the records in the ground; it doesn’t matter where I go. |
| Mormon 8:5 | Behold, my father hath made this record, and he hath written the intent thereof. And behold, I would write it also if I had room upon the plates, but I have not; and ore I have none, for I am alone. My father hath been slain in battle, and all my kinsfolk, and I have not friends nor whither to go; and how long the Lord will suffer that I may live I know not. | My father wrote this book. I want to write too, but I have no space and no supplies. I am alone. My father and family died in battle. I have no friends or place to go. I don’t know how long I will live. |
| Mormon 8:6 | Behold, four hundred years have passed away since the coming of our Lord and Savior. | Look, 400 years have gone by since our Lord and Savior came. |
| Mormon 8:7 | And behold, the Lamanites have hunted my people, the Nephites, down from city to city and from place to place, even until they are no more; and great has been their fall; yea, great and marvelous is the destruction of my people, the Nephites. | The Lamanites have chased my people, the Nephites, from city to city and place to place until they are all gone. This has been a big and sad loss. |
| Mormon 8:8 | And behold, it is the hand of the Lord which hath done it. And behold also, the Lamanites are at war one with another; and the whole face of this land is one continual round of murder and bloodshed; and no one knoweth the end of the war. | Look, God did this. The Lamanites are fighting each other. There is killing everywhere. No one knows when the war will stop. |
| Mormon 8:9 | And now, behold, I say no more concerning them, for there are none save it be the Lamanites and robbers that do exist upon the face of the land. | Now, I say nothing more about them because only the Lamanites and robbers live on the land. |
| Mormon 8:10 | And there are none that do know the true God save it be the disciples of Jesus, who did tarry in the land until the wickedness of the people was so great that the Lord would not suffer them to remain with the people; and whether they be upon the face of the land no man knoweth. | Only Jesus’ helpers knew the true God. They stayed until people became very bad. Then the Lord took them away. No one knows where they are now. |
| Mormon 8:11 | But behold, my father and I have seen them, and they have ministered unto us. | But look, my dad and I have seen them, and they have helped us. |
| Mormon 8:12 | And whoso receiveth this record, and shall not condemn it because of the imperfections which are in it, the same shall know of greater things than these. Behold, I am Moroni; and were it possible, I would make all things known unto you. | If you get this book and don’t judge it for its mistakes, you will learn many great things. I am Moroni and I wish I could tell you everything. |
| Mormon 8:13 | Behold, I make an end of speaking concerning this people. I am the son of Mormon, and my father was a descendant of Nephi. | I am done talking about these people. I am the son of Mormon, and my dad came from Nephi’s family. |
| Mormon 8:14 | And I am the same who hideth up this record unto the Lord; the plates thereof are of no worth, because of the commandment of the Lord. For he truly saith that no one shall have them to get gain; but the record thereof is of great worth; and whoso shall bring it to light, him will the Lord bless. | I am the one who hides this book for the Lord. The plates are not worth money because the Lord said no one should use them to get rich. But the words are very important. The Lord will bless anyone who shares them. |
| Mormon 8:15 | For none can have power to bring it to light save it be given him of God; for God wills that it shall be done with an eye single to his glory, or the welfare of the ancient and long dispersed covenant people of the Lord. | Only God can help someone show this because He wants it done to honor Him and help His people. |
| Mormon 8:16 | And blessed be he that shall bring this thing to light; for it shall be brought out of darkness unto light, according to the word of God; yea, it shall be brought out of the earth, and it shall shine forth out of darkness, and come unto the knowledge of the people; and it shall be done by the power of God. | Happy is the person who shows this to everyone; it will come from dark to light because God said so; it will come from the ground, shine in the light, and everyone will know about it because God is powerful. |
| Mormon 8:17 | And if there be faults they be the faults of a man. But behold, we know no fault; nevertheless God knoweth all things; therefore, he that condemneth, let him be aware lest he shall be in danger of hell fire. | If there are mistakes, they are because of people. But we don’t see any mistakes. God knows everything. So, if someone blames, they should be careful or they might go to hell. |
| Mormon 8:18 | And he that saith: Show unto me, or ye shall be smitten—let him beware lest he commandeth that which is forbidden of the Lord. | If someone says, “Show me or I will hurt you,” he should be careful because he might be asking for something God does not allow. |
| Mormon 8:19 | For behold, the same that judgeth rashly shall be judged rashly again; for according to his works shall his wages be; therefore, he that smiteth shall be smitten again, of the Lord. | If you judge quickly, you will be judged quickly. If you hurt others, you will be hurt back by the Lord. |
| Mormon 8:20 | Behold what the scripture says—man shall not smite, neither shall he judge; for judgment is mine, saith the Lord, and vengeance is mine also, and I will repay. | Look at what the scripture says. People should not hit or judge; because judging and punishing belong to the Lord, and He will take care of it. |
| Mormon 8:21 | And he that shall breathe out wrath and strifes against the work of the Lord, and against the covenant people of the Lord who are the house of Israel, and shall say: We will destroy the work of the Lord, and the Lord will not remember his covenant which he hath made unto the house of Israel—the same is in danger to be hewn down and cast into the fire; | Anyone who gets very angry and tries to stop God’s work and hurt His people, and says God’s work will be destroyed and He won’t remember His promise to His people, will be in big trouble and might be thrown into the fire. |
| Mormon 8:22 | For the eternal purposes of the Lord shall roll on, until all his promises shall be fulfilled. | God’s plan will keep going until all He promised happens. |
| Mormon 8:23 | Search the prophecies of Isaiah. Behold, I cannot write them. Yea, behold I say unto you, that those saints who have gone before me, who have possessed this land, shall cry, yea, even from the dust will they cry unto the Lord; and as the Lord liveth he will remember the covenant which he hath made with them. | Read the words of Isaiah. I cannot write them. The people who lived here before, will cry to the Lord. The Lord will remember His promise to them. |
| Mormon 8:24 | And he knoweth their prayers, that they were in behalf of their brethren. And he knoweth their faith, for in his name could they remove mountains; and in his name could they cause the earth to shake; and by the power of his word did they cause prisons to tumble to the earth; yea, even the fiery furnace could not harm them, neither wild beasts nor poisonous serpents, because of the power of his word. | He knows their prayers for their friends. He knows their strong belief; they could move mountains. They could make the earth shake. By his word, they made prisons fall down. Fire did not hurt them, and wild animals and snakes could not harm them because of his word. |
| Mormon 8:25 | And behold, their prayers were also in behalf of him that the Lord should suffer to bring these things forth. | They prayed for him to help bring these things. |
| Mormon 8:26 | And no one need say they shall not come, for they surely shall, for the Lord hath spoken it; for out of the earth shall they come, by the hand of the Lord, and none can stay it; and it shall come in a day when it shall be said that miracles are done away; and it shall come even as if one should speak from the dead. | They will come because the Lord said so. No one can stop it. It will happen when people think miracles are gone. It will be like someone talking from the dead. |
| Mormon 8:27 | And it shall come in a day when the blood of saints shall cry unto the Lord, because of secret combinations and the works of darkness. | On that day, good people will ask God for help because of bad secrets and dark things. |
| Mormon 8:28 | Yea, it shall come in a day when the power of God shall be denied, and churches become defiled and be lifted up in the pride of their hearts; yea, even in a day when leaders of churches and teachers shall rise in the pride of their hearts, even to the envying of them who belong to their churches. | Yes, this will happen when people don’t believe in God, and churches become bad and proud; even the leaders and teachers will become proud and jealous of the people in their churches. |
| Mormon 8:29 | Yea, it shall come in a day when there shall be heard of fires, and tempests, and vapors of smoke in foreign lands; | Yes, this will happen when people hear about fires, storms, and smoke in other places. |
| Mormon 8:30 | And there shall also be heard of wars, rumors of wars, and earthquakes in divers places. | There will be talk about wars and earthquakes happening in many places. |
| Mormon 8:31 | Yea, it shall come in a day when there shall be great pollutions upon the face of the earth; there shall be murders, and robbing, and lying, and deceivings, and whoredoms, and all manner of abominations; when there shall be many who will say, Do this, or do that, and it mattereth not, for the Lord will uphold such at the last day. But wo unto such for they are in the gall of bitterness and in the bonds of iniquity. | In the future, there will be lots of bad things on the earth. People will do bad things like killing and stealing and telling lies. Some people will say it’s okay to do these things because God won’t punish them. But they are very wrong and are doing very bad things. |
| Mormon 8:32 | Yea, it shall come in a day when there shall be churches built up that shall say: Come unto me, and for your money you shall be forgiven of your sins. | One day, there will be churches that say: Come to us, and if you give us money, your sins will be forgiven. |
| Mormon 8:33 | O ye wicked and perverse and stiffnecked people, why have ye built up churches unto yourselves to get gain? Why have ye transfigured the holy word of God, that ye might bring damnation upon your souls? Behold, look ye unto the revelations of God; for behold, the time cometh at that day when all these things must be fulfilled. | Hey bad and stubborn people, why did you make your own churches to get money? Why did you change God’s holy word to hurt yourselves? Look at God’s revelations because one day everything will come true. |
| Mormon 8:34 | Behold, the Lord hath shown unto me great and marvelous things concerning that which must shortly come, at that day when these things shall come forth among you. | Look, God showed me amazing things about what will soon happen. |
| Mormon 8:35 | Behold, I speak unto you as if ye were present, and yet ye are not. But behold, Jesus Christ hath shown you unto me, and I know your doing. | Look, I talk to you like you are here, but you are not. But Jesus Christ showed you to me, and I know what you do. |
| Mormon 8:36 | And I know that ye do walk in the pride of your hearts; and there are none save a few only who do not lift themselves up in the pride of their hearts, unto the wearing of very fine apparel, unto envying, and strifes, and malice, and persecutions, and all manner of iniquities; and your churches, yea, even every one, have become polluted because of the pride of your hearts. | I know you are very proud. Most people are proud. They wear fancy clothes. They want what others have. They fight. They are mean. They do bad things. Your churches are bad because of pride. |
| Mormon 8:37 | For behold, ye do love money, and your substance, and your fine apparel, and the adorning of your churches, more than ye love the poor and the needy, the sick and the afflicted. | You love money and nice clothes and buildings more than you love helping poor, sick, and needy people. |
| Mormon 8:38 | O ye pollutions, ye hypocrites, ye teachers, who sell yourselves for that which will canker, why have ye polluted the holy church of God? Why are ye ashamed to take upon you the name of Christ? Why do ye not think that greater is the value of an endless happiness than that misery which never dies—because of the praise of the world? | Why do you do bad things, say one thing but do another, and teach others to do bad things? Why do you ruin God’s holy church? Why are you afraid to take the name of Christ? Why do you not think that forever happiness is better than never-ending sadness because people praise you? |
| Mormon 8:39 | Why do ye adorn yourselves with that which hath no life, and yet suffer the hungry, and the needy, and the naked, and the sick and the afflicted to pass by you, and notice them not? | Why do you wear fancy things, but ignore hungry, poor, and sick people who need help? |
| Mormon 8:40 | Yea, why do ye build up your secret abominations to get gain, and cause that widows should mourn before the Lord, and also orphans to mourn before the Lord, and also the blood of their fathers and their husbands to cry unto the Lord from the ground, for vengeance upon your heads? | Why do you make secret plans to get money and make widows and orphans sad, and cause their loved ones to cry to God for help? |
| Mormon 8:41 | Behold, the sword of vengeance hangeth over you; and the time soon cometh that he avengeth the blood of the saints upon you, for he will not suffer their cries any longer. | Look, a big sword is above you; soon He will punish you because you hurt His good people. He won’t wait anymore. |
Mormon 9
| Verse | Original | 2nd Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Mormon 9:1 | And now, I speak also concerning those who do not believe in Christ. | Now, I talk about those who do not believe in Jesus. |
| Mormon 9:2 | Behold, will ye believe in the day of your visitation—behold, when the Lord shall come, yea, even that great day when the earth shall be rolled together as a scroll, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, yea, in that great day when ye shall be brought to stand before the Lamb of God—then will ye say that there is no God? | Look, will you believe when the Lord comes? On that big day when the Earth changes a lot and everything gets very hot, on that day when you stand before God, will you say there is no God? |
| Mormon 9:3 | Then will ye longer deny the Christ, or can ye behold the Lamb of God? Do ye suppose that ye shall dwell with him under a consciousness of your guilt? Do ye suppose that ye could be happy to dwell with that holy Being, when your souls are racked with a consciousness of guilt that ye have ever abused his laws? | Will you still say no to Jesus? Can you look at Jesus, the Lamb of God? Do you think you can live with Him if you feel guilty? Do you think you will be happy living with Him if you know in your heart that you have broken His rules? |
| Mormon 9:4 | Behold, I say unto you that ye would be more miserable to dwell with a holy and just God, under a consciousness of your filthiness before him, than ye would to dwell with the damned souls in hell. | Listen, I tell you that you would feel worse living with a perfect and good God who sees your bad choices than living with bad people in a bad place. |
| Mormon 9:5 | For behold, when ye shall be brought to see your nakedness before God, and also the glory of God, and the holiness of Jesus Christ, it will kindle a flame of unquenchable fire upon you. | When you see yourself and see God’s glory and Jesus’ holiness, you will feel a very strong feeling inside you. |
| Mormon 9:6 | O then ye unbelieving, turn ye unto the Lord; cry mightily unto the Father in the name of Jesus, that perhaps ye may be found spotless, pure, fair, and white, having been cleansed by the blood of the Lamb, at that great and last day. | Oh you who do not believe, turn to God; pray strongly to God in Jesus’ name, so you can be clean and pure at the end. |
| Mormon 9:7 | And again I speak unto you who deny the revelations of God, and say that they are done away, that there are no revelations, nor prophecies, nor gifts, nor healing, nor speaking with tongues, and the interpretation of tongues; | I will talk to you who say God’s messages are gone. You say there are no more messages, no prophecies, no gifts, no healing, no speaking different languages, and no understanding different languages. |
| Mormon 9:8 | Behold I say unto you, he that denieth these things knoweth not the gospel of Christ; yea, he has not read the scriptures; if so, he does not understand them. | Listen, I tell you, anyone who says these things are not true does not know about Jesus; they have not read the Bible; if they have, they do not understand it. |
| Mormon 9:9 | For do we not read that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and in him there is no variableness neither shadow of changing? | God is always the same and never changes. |
| Mormon 9:10 | And now if ye have imagined up unto yourselves a god who doth vary, and in whom there is shadow of changing, then have ye imagined up unto yourselves a god who is not God of miracles. | And now if you think of a god who changes and is not the same, then you have thought of a god who is not a God of miracles. |
| Mormon 9:11 | But behold, I will show unto you a God of miracles, even the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; and it is that same God who created the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are. | Look, I will show you a God who does amazing things. He is the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. He is the same God who made the sky, the earth, and everything in them. |
| Mormon 9:12 | Behold he created Adam, and by Adam came the fall of man. And because of the fall of man came Jesus Christ, even the Father and the Son; and because of Jesus Christ came the redemption of man. | God made Adam. Adam’s choice made people need help. Jesus came to help people. Jesus can save everyone. |
| Mormon 9:13 | And because of the redemption of man, which came by Jesus Christ, they are brought back into the presence of the Lord; yea, this is wherein all men are redeemed, because the death of Christ bringeth to pass the resurrection, which bringeth to pass a redemption from an endless sleep, from which sleep all men shall be awakened by the power of God when the trump shall sound; and they shall come forth, both small and great, and all shall stand before his bar, being redeemed and loosed from this eternal band of death, which death is a temporal death. | Because Jesus saved everyone, they can be with God again. Jesus died and then came back to life. This means everyone will wake up again after they die. When God calls, everyone will come back to life and stand before Him. |
| Mormon 9:14 | And then cometh the judgment of the Holy One upon them; and then cometh the time that he that is filthy shall be filthy still; and he that is righteous shall be righteous still; he that is happy shall be happy still; and he that is unhappy shall be unhappy still. | Then God will judge them. The bad people stay bad. The good people stay good. The happy people stay happy. The sad people stay sad. |
| Mormon 9:15 | And now, O all ye that have imagined up unto yourselves a god who can do no miracles, I would ask of you, have all these things passed, of which I have spoken? Has the end come yet? Behold I say unto you, Nay; and God has not ceased to be a God of miracles. | Now, everyone who thinks there is a god who does no miracles, I ask you, have all these things happened? Is it the end yet? I say, No; and God still does miracles. |
| Mormon 9:16 | Behold, are not the things that God hath wrought marvelous in our eyes? Yea, and who can comprehend the marvelous works of God? | Look! Aren’t the things God made amazing? Yes, and who can understand the amazing works of God? |
| Mormon 9:17 | Who shall say that it was not a miracle that by his word the heaven and the earth should be; and by the power of his word man was created of the dust of the earth; and by the power of his word have miracles been wrought? | Who can say it was not magic? By his words, the sky and ground were made. By his words, people were made from dust. By his words, many amazing things happened. |
| Mormon 9:18 | And who shall say that Jesus Christ did not many mighty miracles? And there were many mighty miracles wrought by the hands of the apostles. | Who can say that Jesus did not do many big miracles? And the apostles did many big miracles too. |
| Mormon 9:19 | And if there were miracles wrought then, why has God ceased to be a God of miracles and yet be an unchangeable Being? And behold, I say unto you he changeth not; if so he would cease to be God; and he ceaseth not to be God, and is a God of miracles. | If there were miracles before, why would God stop doing miracles? God does not change. If He did change, He would not be God. But He is still God and does miracles. |
| Mormon 9:20 | And the reason why he ceaseth to do miracles among the children of men is because that they dwindle in unbelief, and depart from the right way, and know not the God in whom they should trust. | God stops doing miracles for people when they stop believing in Him, stop doing good things, and do not trust Him. |
| Mormon 9:21 | Behold, I say unto you that whoso believeth in Christ, doubting nothing, whatsoever he shall ask the Father in the name of Christ it shall be granted him; and this promise is unto all, even unto the ends of the earth. | Listen, if you believe in Jesus and do not doubt, you can ask God for anything in Jesus’ name and it will be given to you. This promise is for everyone, everywhere. |
| Mormon 9:22 | For behold, thus said Jesus Christ, the Son of God, unto his disciples who should tarry, yea, and also to all his disciples, in the hearing of the multitude: Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature; | Jesus said to his friends, “Go and tell everyone about God’s love.” |
| Mormon 9:23 | And he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned; | If you believe and are baptized, you will be saved. If you do not believe, you will be punished. |
| Mormon 9:24 | And these signs shall follow them that believe—in my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover; | People who believe in Jesus will do amazing things. They will make bad spirits go away, speak new languages, not be hurt by snakes, drink poison and not get sick, and make sick people better by touching them. |
| Mormon 9:25 | And whosoever shall believe in my name, doubting nothing, unto him will I confirm all my words, even unto the ends of the earth. | If someone believes in my name and doesn’t doubt, I will show them all my words everywhere. |
| Mormon 9:26 | And now, behold, who can stand against the works of the Lord? Who can deny his sayings? Who will rise up against the almighty power of the Lord? Who will despise the works of the Lord? Who will despise the children of Christ? Behold, all ye who are despisers of the works of the Lord, for ye shall wonder and perish. | Who can go against what God does? Who can say God is wrong? No one is stronger than God. No one should hate what God does. No one should hate the people of Jesus. If you hate what God does, you will be surprised and be gone. |
| Mormon 9:27 | O then despise not, and wonder not, but hearken unto the words of the Lord, and ask the Father in the name of Jesus for what things soever ye shall stand in need. Doubt not, but be believing, and begin as in times of old, and come unto the Lord with all your heart, and work out your own salvation with fear and trembling before him. | Listen to God and pray to the Father in Jesus’ name for what you need. Do not doubt, but believe. Come to God with all your heart and follow Him. |
| Mormon 9:28 | Be wise in the days of your probation; strip yourselves of all uncleanness; ask not, that ye may consume it on your lusts, but ask with a firmness unshaken, that ye will yield to no temptation, but that ye will serve the true and living God. | Be smart while you have time. Get rid of bad things. Don’t ask for things just to use them for bad reasons. Ask strongly to not give in to bad things. Serve the real and living God. |
| Mormon 9:29 | See that ye are not baptized unworthily; see that ye partake not of the sacrament of Christ unworthily; but see that ye do all things in worthiness, and do it in the name of Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God; and if ye do this, and endure to the end, ye will in nowise be cast out. | Make sure you are ready and good before you get baptized. Make sure you are ready and good before you take the sacrament. Do everything in a good way and in the name of Jesus Christ. If you do this and keep doing good, you will not be turned away. |
| Mormon 9:30 | Behold, I speak unto you as though I spake from the dead; for I know that ye shall have my words. | Look, I am talking to you like I am speaking from the dead because I know you will have my words. |
| Mormon 9:31 | Condemn me not because of mine imperfection, neither my father, because of his imperfection, neither them who have written before him; but rather give thanks unto God that he hath made manifest unto you our imperfections, that ye may learn to be more wise than we have been. | Don’t blame me or my father or the people who wrote before us for our mistakes. Instead, thank God for showing you our mistakes so you can learn to be smarter than us. |
| Mormon 9:32 | And now, behold, we have written this record according to our knowledge, in the characters which are called among us the reformed Egyptian, being handed down and altered by us, according to our manner of speech. | We wrote this record using our own language, called reformed Egyptian, which we changed to match how we talk. |
| Mormon 9:33 | And if our plates had been sufficiently large we should have written in Hebrew; but the Hebrew hath been altered by us also; and if we could have written in Hebrew, behold, ye would have had no imperfection in our record. | If our plates were bigger, we would have written in Hebrew. But we changed the Hebrew too. If we wrote in Hebrew, you would see no mistakes in our record. |
| Mormon 9:34 | But the Lord knoweth the things which we have written, and also that none other people knoweth our language; and because that none other people knoweth our language, therefore he hath prepared means for the interpretation thereof. | But God knows what we wrote. No other people know our language. So, God made a way to understand it. |
| Mormon 9:35 | And these things are written that we may rid our garments of the blood of our brethren, who have dwindled in unbelief. | We write these things to help our brothers who do not believe. |
| Mormon 9:36 | And behold, these things which we have desired concerning our brethren, yea, even their restoration to the knowledge of Christ, are according to the prayers of all the saints who have dwelt in the land. | And see, we want our brothers to know about Christ. All the good people here have prayed for this. |
| Mormon 9:37 | And may the Lord Jesus Christ grant that their prayers may be answered according to their faith; and may God the Father remember the covenant which he hath made with the house of Israel; and may he bless them forever, through faith on the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. | I hope Jesus answers their prayers because they believe. I hope God remembers his promise to the people of Israel. I hope God blesses them forever because they believe in Jesus. Amen. |
Book of Mormon Simplified 