Moroni 1
| Verse | Original | 2nd Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Moroni 1:1 | Now I, Moroni, after having made an end of abridging the account of the people of Jared, I had supposed not to have written more, but I have not as yet perished; and I make not myself known to the Lamanites lest they should destroy me. | I am Moroni. I finished telling the story of the people of Jared. I thought I wouldn’t write more, but I am still alive. I am hiding from the Lamanites so they don’t hurt me. |
| Moroni 1:2 | For behold, their wars are exceedingly fierce among themselves; and because of their hatred they put to death every Nephite that will not deny the Christ. | The people are fighting very hard with each other. They are so mad that they kill any Nephite who won’t say they don’t believe in Christ. |
| Moroni 1:3 | And I, Moroni, will not deny the Christ; wherefore, I wander whithersoever I can for the safety of mine own life. | I am Moroni. I will not say Jesus is not real. So, I go wherever I can to stay safe. |
| Moroni 1:4 | Wherefore, I write a few more things, contrary to that which I had supposed; for I had supposed not to have written any more; but I write a few more things, that perhaps they may be of worth unto my brethren, the Lamanites, in some future day, according to the will of the Lord. | So, I am writing a few more things, even though I didn’t think I would. I hope these things will help my brothers, the Lamanites, someday, if it is what the Lord wants. |
Moroni 2
| Verse | Original | 2nd Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Moroni 2:1 | The words of Christ, which he spake unto his disciples, the twelve whom he had chosen, as he laid his hands upon them— | Jesus talked to his twelve special friends and put his hands on them. |
| Moroni 2:2 | And he called them by name, saying: Ye shall call on the Father in my name, in mighty prayer; and after ye have done this ye shall have power that to him upon whom ye shall lay your hands, ye shall give the Holy Ghost; and in my name shall ye give it, for thus do mine apostles. | He told them their names and said: Pray to the Father using my name. After you pray, you will have power. When you touch someone, you can give them the Holy Ghost using my name. This is what my helpers do. |
| Moroni 2:3 | Now Christ spake these words unto them at the time of his first appearing; and the multitude heard it not, but the disciples heard it; and on as many as they laid their hands, fell the Holy Ghost. | Jesus talked to the people when he first came. Many people did not hear him, but his special helpers did. They touched some people, and the Holy Ghost came to them. |
Moroni 3
| Verse | Original | 2nd Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Moroni 3:1 | The manner which the disciples, who were called the elders of the church, ordained priests and teachers— | How the church leaders chose priests and teachers. |
| Moroni 3:2 | After they had prayed unto the Father in the name of Christ, they laid their hands upon them, and said: | After they talked to God and said Jesus’ name, they put their hands on them and said:. |
| Moroni 3:3 | In the name of Jesus Christ I ordain you to be a priest, (or, if he be a teacher) I ordain you to be a teacher, to preach repentance and remission of sins through Jesus Christ, by the endurance of faith on his name to the end. Amen. | In Jesus’ name, I make you a priest, or if you are a teacher, I make you a teacher. Tell people to say sorry for their bad choices and to be forgiven because of Jesus. Keep believing in Jesus until the end. Amen. |
| Moroni 3:4 | And after this manner did they ordain priests and teachers, according to the gifts and callings of God unto men; and they ordained them by the power of the Holy Ghost, which was in them. | They chose priests and teachers with the help of God. God gave these men gifts, and they used the Holy Ghost to pick them. |
Moroni 4
| Verse | Original | 2nd Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Moroni 4:1 | The manner of their elders and priests administering the flesh and blood of Christ unto the church; and they administered it according to the commandments of Christ; wherefore we know the manner to be true; and the elder or priest did minister it— | The older leaders and priests gave the church the bread and drink of Christ. They did this just as Christ told them. So we know it is true. The older leader or priest did give it to them. |
| Moroni 4:2 | And they did kneel down with the church, and pray to the Father in the name of Christ, saying: | They got down on their knees with the church and prayed to God, saying:. |
| Moroni 4:3 | O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this bread to the souls of all those who partake of it; that they may eat in remembrance of the body of thy Son, and witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they are willing to take upon them the name of thy Son, and always remember him, and keep his commandments which he hath given them, that they may always have his Spirit to be with them. Amen. | God, our Father, we ask you in Jesus’ name to bless this bread. Help us think of Jesus when we eat it. We promise to follow Jesus and remember Him always. Help us keep His commandments. Please let Your Spirit stay with us. Amen. |
Moroni 5
| Verse | Original | 2nd Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Moroni 5:1 | The manner of administering the wine—Behold, they took the cup, and said: | They took the cup and said: |
| Moroni 5:2 | O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee, in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this wine to the souls of all those who drink of it, that they may do it in remembrance of the blood of thy Son, which was shed for them; that they may witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they do always remember him, that they may have his Spirit to be with them. Amen. | Dear God, please bless this drink so we remember Jesus and his sacrifice. Help us always remember him so we can feel his Spirit with us. Amen. |
Moroni 6
| Verse | Original | 2nd Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Moroni 6:1 | And now I speak concerning baptism. Behold, elders, priests, and teachers were baptized; and they were not baptized save they brought forth fruit meet that they were worthy of it. | Now I will talk about baptism. Elders, priests, and teachers were baptized. They were only baptized if they showed they deserved it. |
| Moroni 6:2 | Neither did they receive any unto baptism save they came forth with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, and witnessed unto the church that they truly repented of all their sins. | They only baptized people who were really sorry for their mistakes and showed they wanted to do better. |
| Moroni 6:3 | And none were received unto baptism save they took upon them the name of Christ, having a determination to serve him to the end. | People could only get baptized if they wanted to follow Jesus and serve Him forever. |
| Moroni 6:4 | And after they had been received unto baptism, and were wrought upon and cleansed by the power of the Holy Ghost, they were numbered among the people of the church of Christ; and their names were taken, that they might be remembered and nourished by the good word of God, to keep them in the right way, to keep them continually watchful unto prayer, relying alone upon the merits of Christ, who was the author and the finisher of their faith. | After they got baptized and cleaned by the Holy Ghost, they joined the church of Christ. Their names were written down so people would remember them and help them. They were taught to pray and trust Jesus. |
| Moroni 6:5 | And the church did meet together oft, to fast and to pray, and to speak one with another concerning the welfare of their souls. | The church met often to fast, to pray, and to talk about their souls. |
| Moroni 6:6 | And they did meet together oft to partake of bread and wine, in remembrance of the Lord Jesus. | They met often to eat bread and drink wine to remember Jesus. |
| Moroni 6:7 | And they were strict to observe that there should be no iniquity among them; and whoso was found to commit iniquity, and three witnesses of the church did condemn them before the elders, and if they repented not, and confessed not, their names were blotted out, and they were not numbered among the people of Christ. | The people made sure no one did bad things. If someone did bad things and three church people saw it, they told the church leaders. If the person did not say sorry and make it right, their name was crossed off the list and they were not part of Christ’s people anymore. |
| Moroni 6:8 | But as oft as they repented and sought forgiveness, with real intent, they were forgiven. | If they said sorry and really meant it, they were forgiven. |
| Moroni 6:9 | And their meetings were conducted by the church after the manner of the workings of the Spirit, and by the power of the Holy Ghost; for as the power of the Holy Ghost led them whether to preach, or to exhort, or to pray, or to supplicate, or to sing, even so it was done. | Their meetings were run by the church. The Holy Ghost helped them know what to do. They preached, prayed, and sang as the Holy Ghost told them. |
Moroni 7
| Verse | Original | 2nd Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Moroni 7:1 | And now I, Moroni, write a few of the words of my father Mormon, which he spake concerning faith, hope, and charity; for after this manner did he speak unto the people, as he taught them in the synagogue which they had built for the place of worship. | Hi, I’m Moroni. Here are some things my dad, Mormon, said to the people about faith, hope, and love. He talked to them in the special place they made for praying. |
| Moroni 7:2 | And now I, Mormon, speak unto you, my beloved brethren; and it is by the grace of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, and his holy will, because of the gift of his calling unto me, that I am permitted to speak unto you at this time. | I am Mormon. God and Jesus let me talk to you now. |
| Moroni 7:3 | Wherefore, I would speak unto you that are of the church, that are the peaceable followers of Christ, and that have obtained a sufficient hope by which ye can enter into the rest of the Lord, from this time henceforth until ye shall rest with him in heaven. | I want to talk to the people in the church who follow Jesus and have hope. You will be happy with Jesus now and forever in heaven. |
| Moroni 7:4 | And now my brethren, I judge these things of you because of your peaceable walk with the children of men. | My brothers, I say this because you are kind to others. |
| Moroni 7:5 | For I remember the word of God, which saith by their works ye shall know them; for if their works be good, then they are good also. | Remember what God says: if people do good things, then they are good people. |
| Moroni 7:6 | For behold, God hath said a man being evil cannot do that which is good; for if he offereth a gift, or prayeth unto God, except he shall do it with real intent it profiteth him nothing. | Listen, God said that a bad person cannot do good things. If he gives a gift or prays to God, but doesn’t really mean it, it doesn’t help him at all. |
| Moroni 7:7 | For behold, it is not counted unto him for righteousness. | It is not seen as being good. |
| Moroni 7:8 | For behold, if a man being evil giveth a gift, he doeth it grudgingly; wherefore it is counted unto him the same as if he had retained the gift; wherefore he is counted evil before God. | If a bad man gives a gift, but he doesn’t want to, it’s like he didn’t give a gift at all. So, God still sees him as bad. |
| Moroni 7:9 | And likewise also is it counted evil unto a man, if he shall pray and not with real intent of heart; yea, and it profiteth him nothing, for God receiveth none such. | It is bad if a person prays but does not really mean it. It does not help him because God does not listen to such prayers. |
| Moroni 7:10 | Wherefore, a man being evil cannot do that which is good; neither will he give a good gift. | An evil man cannot do good things, and he won’t give good gifts. |
| Moroni 7:11 | For behold, a bitter fountain cannot bring forth good water; neither can a good fountain bring forth bitter water; wherefore, a man being a servant of the devil cannot follow Christ; and if he follow Christ he cannot be a servant of the devil. | A bad fountain cannot give good water. A good fountain cannot give bad water. A man who follows the devil cannot follow Jesus. If he follows Jesus, he cannot follow the devil. |
| Moroni 7:12 | Wherefore, all things which are good cometh of God; and that which is evil cometh of the devil; for the devil is an enemy unto God, and fighteth against him continually, and inviteth and enticeth to sin, and to do that which is evil continually. | Good things come from God. Bad things come from the devil. The devil is against God and always tries to make people do bad things. |
| Moroni 7:13 | But behold, that which is of God inviteth and enticeth to do good continually; wherefore, every thing which inviteth and enticeth to do good, and to love God, and to serve him, is inspired of God. | Good things come from God. Anything that makes us want to do good, love God, and help others is from God. |
| Moroni 7:14 | Wherefore, take heed, my beloved brethren, that ye do not judge that which is evil to be of God, or that which is good and of God to be of the devil. | So, my dear friends, be careful not to say bad things are from God or good things are from the devil. |
| Moroni 7:15 | For behold, my brethren, it is given unto you to judge, that ye may know good from evil; and the way to judge is as plain, that ye may know with a perfect knowledge, as the daylight is from the dark night. | Listen, my friends. You can decide what is good and bad. It is very simple, like knowing day from night. |
| Moroni 7:16 | For behold, the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil; wherefore, I show unto you the way to judge; for every thing which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God. | God gives everyone a gift. This gift helps us know what is good and what is bad. If something makes us want to do good and believe in Jesus, it is from God. This is how we can know for sure it is from God. |
| Moroni 7:17 | But whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do evil, and believe not in Christ, and deny him, and serve not God, then ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of the devil; for after this manner doth the devil work, for he persuadeth no man to do good, no, not one; neither do his angels; neither do they who subject themselves unto him. | If something makes people do bad things, not believe in Jesus, say He is not real, and not follow God, you know it comes from the devil. The devil always tries to get people to do bad things. He never tries to get people to do good things. His helpers do bad things too. |
| Moroni 7:18 | And now, my brethren, seeing that ye know the light by which ye may judge, which light is the light of Christ, see that ye do not judge wrongfully; for with that same judgment which ye judge ye shall also be judged. | My friends, you know that the light to judge is the light of Christ. Make sure to judge fairly because you will be judged the same way. |
| Moroni 7:19 | Wherefore, I beseech of you, brethren, that ye should search diligently in the light of Christ that ye may know good from evil; and if ye will lay hold upon every good thing, and condemn it not, ye certainly will be a child of Christ. | So, I ask you, friends, to look hard with Jesus’ help to know what’s good and bad. If you choose good things and don’t say they are bad, you will be a child of Jesus. |
| Moroni 7:20 | And now, my brethren, how is it possible that ye can lay hold upon every good thing? | And now, my brothers, how can you get every good thing? |
| Moroni 7:21 | And now I come to that faith, of which I said I would speak; and I will tell you the way whereby ye may lay hold on every good thing. | Now I will talk about faith. I will tell you how to get every good thing. |
| Moroni 7:22 | For behold, God knowing all things, being from everlasting to everlasting, behold, he sent angels to minister unto the children of men, to make manifest concerning the coming of Christ; and in Christ there should come every good thing. | God knows everything and has always been here. He sent angels to help people and tell them about Jesus. Jesus brings every good thing. |
| Moroni 7:23 | And God also declared unto prophets, by his own mouth, that Christ should come. | God told the prophets that Christ would come. |
| Moroni 7:24 | And behold, there were divers ways that he did manifest things unto the children of men, which were good; and all things which are good cometh of Christ; otherwise men were fallen, and there could no good thing come unto them. | Look, Jesus showed people many good things. All good things come from Him. Without Him, people would not have any good things. |
| Moroni 7:25 | Wherefore, by the ministering of angels, and by every word which proceeded forth out of the mouth of God, men began to exercise faith in Christ; and thus by faith, they did lay hold upon every good thing; and thus it was until the coming of Christ. | Angels came to help people. God spoke, and people started to believe in Jesus. Because they believed, they found many good things. This happened until Jesus came. |
| Moroni 7:26 | And after that he came men also were saved by faith in his name; and by faith, they become the sons of God. And as sure as Christ liveth he spake these words unto our fathers, saying: Whatsoever thing ye shall ask the Father in my name, which is good, in faith believing that ye shall receive, behold, it shall be done unto you. | After Jesus came, people were saved if they believed in Him. By believing, they became God’s children. Jesus told our fathers that if they ask God for something good, and believe they will get it, it will be done. |
| Moroni 7:27 | Wherefore, my beloved brethren, have miracles ceased because Christ hath ascended into heaven, and hath sat down on the right hand of God, to claim of the Father his rights of mercy which he hath upon the children of men? | So, dear brothers and sisters, have miracles stopped because Jesus went back to heaven to be with God and ask for mercy for all people? |
| Moroni 7:28 | For he hath answered the ends of the law, and he claimeth all those who have faith in him; and they who have faith in him will cleave unto every good thing; wherefore he advocateth the cause of the children of men; and he dwelleth eternally in the heavens. | He did what the law needed. He takes care of all who believe in him. They will follow all good things. He helps people and lives forever in heaven. |
| Moroni 7:29 | And because he hath done this, my beloved brethren, have miracles ceased? Behold I say unto you, Nay; neither have angels ceased to minister unto the children of men. | Because he has done this, my dear brothers, have miracles stopped? No, and angels still help people. |
| Moroni 7:30 | For behold, they are subject unto him, to minister according to the word of his command, showing themselves unto them of strong faith and a firm mind in every form of godliness. | They listen to him and help those who have strong faith and a firm mind to be good. |
| Moroni 7:31 | And the office of their ministry is to call men unto repentance, and to fulfill and to do the work of the covenants of the Father, which he hath made unto the children of men, to prepare the way among the children of men, by declaring the word of Christ unto the chosen vessels of the Lord, that they may bear testimony of him. | Their job is to tell people to be sorry for their mistakes, to do what God promised, and to get things ready by telling people about Jesus. |
| Moroni 7:32 | And by so doing, the Lord God prepareth the way that the residue of men may have faith in Christ, that the Holy Ghost may have place in their hearts, according to the power thereof; and after this manner bringeth to pass the Father, the covenants which he hath made unto the children of men. | God helps everyone believe in Jesus so the Holy Ghost can be in their hearts. This way, God keeps His promises to all people. |
| Moroni 7:33 | And Christ hath said: If ye will have faith in me ye shall have power to do whatsoever thing is expedient in me. | Jesus said: If you believe in me, you can do anything that is good for me. |
| Moroni 7:34 | And he hath said: Repent all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me, and be baptized in my name, and have faith in me, that ye may be saved. | He said: Everyone, say sorry for your sins, come to me, get baptized in my name, and believe in me so you can be saved. |
| Moroni 7:35 | And now, my beloved brethren, if this be the case that these things are true which I have spoken unto you, and God will show unto you, with power and great glory at the last day, that they are true, and if they are true has the day of miracles ceased? | And now, my dear brothers and sisters, if what I said is true, God will show you on the last day that they are true. And if they are true, have miracles stopped? |
| Moroni 7:36 | Or have angels ceased to appear unto the children of men? Or has he withheld the power of the Holy Ghost from them? Or will he, so long as time shall last, or the earth shall stand, or there shall be one man upon the face thereof to be saved? | Do angels still come to people? Has God taken away the Holy Ghost? Will He ever stop helping people? |
| Moroni 7:37 | Behold I say unto you, Nay; for it is by faith that miracles are wrought; and it is by faith that angels appear and minister unto men; wherefore, if these things have ceased wo be unto the children of men, for it is because of unbelief, and all is vain. | Listen, I tell you, no; miracles happen because of faith; angels come because of faith; if these stop, it is bad for people because they don’t believe, and nothing matters. |
| Moroni 7:38 | For no man can be saved, according to the words of Christ, save they shall have faith in his name; wherefore, if these things have ceased, then has faith ceased also; and awful is the state of man, for they are as though there had been no redemption made. | People can’t be saved unless they believe in Jesus. If people stop believing, it’s very bad, like Jesus didn’t save them. |
| Moroni 7:39 | But behold, my beloved brethren, I judge better things of you, for I judge that ye have faith in Christ because of your meekness; for if ye have not faith in him then ye are not fit to be numbered among the people of his church. | But listen, my dear friends, I think you are good because you believe in Jesus and are humble. If you do not believe in him, you cannot be part of his church. |
| Moroni 7:40 | And again, my beloved brethren, I would speak unto you concerning hope. How is it that ye can attain unto faith, save ye shall have hope? | And again, my dear brothers, I want to talk to you about hope. How can you have faith if you don’t have hope first? |
| Moroni 7:41 | And what is it that ye shall hope for? Behold I say unto you that ye shall have hope through the atonement of Christ and the power of his resurrection, to be raised unto life eternal, and this because of your faith in him according to the promise. | What should you hope for? You should hope because Jesus died and came back to life. This gives you hope to live forever if you believe in Him. |
| Moroni 7:42 | Wherefore, if a man have faith he must needs have hope; for without faith there cannot be any hope. | So, if someone believes, they need to have hope. Without believing, there is no hope. |
| Moroni 7:43 | And again, behold I say unto you that he cannot have faith and hope, save he shall be meek, and lowly of heart. | He cannot have faith and hope unless he is humble and kind. |
| Moroni 7:44 | If so, his faith and hope is vain, for none is acceptable before God, save the meek and lowly in heart; and if a man be meek and lowly in heart, and confesses by the power of the Holy Ghost that Jesus is the Christ, he must needs have charity; for if he have not charity he is nothing; wherefore he must needs have charity. | If someone does not have faith and hope, it is useless. God only likes people who are humble and kind. If a person is humble and kind, and says by the Holy Ghost that Jesus is the Christ, he must have love. If he does not have love, he is nothing. So, he must have love. |
| Moroni 7:45 | And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. | Love is patient and kind. It is not jealous, proud, or selfish. It does not get angry easily. Love is happy with the truth. It always protects, trusts, hopes, and keeps going. |
| Moroni 7:46 | Wherefore, my beloved brethren, if ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail— | So, my dear friends, if you do not have love, you are nothing. Love never gives up. So, hold on to love, it is the best, because everything else can fail. |
| Moroni 7:47 | But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him. | Love is like Jesus’ love, and it lasts forever. If you have this love when Jesus comes again, you will be happy. |
| Moroni 7:48 | Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen. | So, dear friends, pray to God with all your heart to be filled with love that he gives to true followers of Jesus. Then you can be God’s children. When Jesus comes, we will be like him and see him as he is. This gives us hope and makes us pure like him. Amen. |
Moroni 8
| Verse | Original | 2nd Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Moroni 8:1 | An epistle of my father Mormon, written to me, Moroni; and it was written unto me soon after my calling to the ministry. And on this wise did he write unto me, saying: | A letter from my dad Mormon, written to me, Moroni. He wrote it to me after I started my new job. This is what he said to me. |
| Moroni 8:2 | My beloved son, Moroni, I rejoice exceedingly that your Lord Jesus Christ hath been mindful of you, and hath called you to his ministry, and to his holy work. | My dear son Moroni, I am very happy that Jesus loves you and wants you to help Him with His special work. |
| Moroni 8:3 | I am mindful of you always in my prayers, continually praying unto God the Father in the name of his Holy Child, Jesus, that he, through his infinite goodness and grace, will keep you through the endurance of faith on his name to the end. | I always think of you in my prayers. I pray to God the Father in the name of Jesus. I ask that he, because he is very good, will help you stay strong in your faith until the end. |
| Moroni 8:4 | And now, my son, I speak unto you concerning that which grieveth me exceedingly; for it grieveth me that there should disputations rise among you. | My son, I am very sad because you are arguing with each other. |
| Moroni 8:5 | For, if I have learned the truth, there have been disputations among you concerning the baptism of your little children. | If I understand correctly, you have been arguing about baptizing your little children. |
| Moroni 8:6 | And now, my son, I desire that ye should labor diligently, that this gross error should be removed from among you; for, for this intent I have written this epistle. | Now, my son, I want you to work hard to fix this mistake. This is why I wrote you this letter. |
| Moroni 8:7 | For immediately after I had learned these things of you I inquired of the Lord concerning the matter. And the word of the Lord came to me by the power of the Holy Ghost, saying: | Right after you told me these things, I asked God about it. God’s word came to me through the Holy Ghost, saying: |
| Moroni 8:8 | Listen to the words of Christ, your Redeemer, your Lord and your God. Behold, I came into the world not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance; the whole need no physician, but they that are sick; wherefore, little children are whole, for they are not capable of committing sin; wherefore the curse of Adam is taken from them in me, that it hath no power over them; and the law of circumcision is done away in me. | Listen to Jesus. He came to help people who do bad things say sorry. Healthy people don’t need a doctor, but sick people do. Little children are good and can’t do bad things. The bad thing Adam did doesn’t hurt them. The old rule is gone. |
| Moroni 8:9 | And after this manner did the Holy Ghost manifest the word of God unto me; wherefore, my beloved son, I know that it is solemn mockery before God, that ye should baptize little children. | The Holy Ghost told me God’s word. So, dear son, I know it is wrong to baptize little children. |
| Moroni 8:10 | Behold I say unto you that this thing shall ye teach—repentance and baptism unto those who are accountable and capable of committing sin; yea, teach parents that they must repent and be baptized, and humble themselves as their little children, and they shall all be saved with their little children. | Listen! Tell people to say sorry for their wrongs and get baptized, especially those who can do wrong things. Teach parents to say sorry, get baptized, and be as humble as their kids. Then, everyone will be saved together. |
| Moroni 8:11 | And their little children need no repentance, neither baptism. Behold, baptism is unto repentance to the fulfilling the commandments unto the remission of sins. | Their little children do not need to say sorry or get baptized. Baptism is for people to say sorry and follow rules to be forgiven. |
| Moroni 8:12 | But little children are alive in Christ, even from the foundation of the world; if not so, God is a partial God, and also a changeable God, and a respecter to persons; for how many little children have died without baptism! | Little children are safe with Jesus. They have always been. If not, God would be unfair and change His mind. Many children have died without being baptized. |
| Moroni 8:13 | Wherefore, if little children could not be saved without baptism, these must have gone to an endless hell. | So, if little kids can’t be saved without being baptized, they would have to go to never-ending bad place. |
| Moroni 8:14 | Behold I say unto you, that he that supposeth that little children need baptism is in the gall of bitterness and in the bonds of iniquity, for he hath neither faith, hope, nor charity; wherefore, should he be cut off while in the thought, he must go down to hell. | Listen, I tell you, if someone thinks little children need to be baptized, they are very wrong and unhappy. They do not have faith, hope, or love. If they die thinking this, they will go to a bad place. |
| Moroni 8:15 | For awful is the wickedness to suppose that God saveth one child because of baptism, and the other must perish because he hath no baptism. | It’s very wrong to think that God saves one child because they are baptized, and lets another die because they are not baptized. |
| Moroni 8:16 | Wo be unto them that shall pervert the ways of the Lord after this manner, for they shall perish except they repent. Behold, I speak with boldness, having authority from God; and I fear not what man can do; for perfect love casteth out all fear. | Bad things will happen to people who change God’s ways unless they are sorry. God gave me the power to say this, and I am not scared. Love makes fear go away. |
| Moroni 8:17 | And I am filled with charity, which is everlasting love; wherefore, all children are alike unto me; wherefore, I love little children with a perfect love; and they are all alike and partakers of salvation. | I have a lot of love for everyone. I love all children the same. My love is perfect. All children are special and can be saved. |
| Moroni 8:18 | For I know that God is not a partial God, neither a changeable being; but he is unchangeable from all eternity to all eternity. | God is always the same and treats everyone the same. |
| Moroni 8:19 | Little children cannot repent; wherefore, it is awful wickedness to deny the pure mercies of God unto them, for they are all alive in him because of his mercy. | Little children can’t say sorry because they don’t know they did something wrong. It is very bad to think God is not kind to them. God loves all the little children. |
| Moroni 8:20 | And he that saith that little children need baptism denieth the mercies of Christ, and setteth at naught the atonement of him and the power of his redemption. | If someone says little children need to be baptized, they don’t believe in Jesus’ love and sacrifice. |
| Moroni 8:21 | Wo unto such, for they are in danger of death, hell, and an endless torment. I speak it boldly; God hath commanded me. Listen unto them and give heed, or they stand against you at the judgment-seat of Christ. | Oh no for them! They might be in big trouble forever. I speak strongly; God told me to. Listen to them or they will be against you when you meet Jesus. |
| Moroni 8:22 | For behold that all little children are alive in Christ, and also all they that are without the law. For the power of redemption cometh on all them that have no law; wherefore, he that is not condemned, or he that is under no condemnation, cannot repent; and unto such baptism availeth nothing— | All little children are alive in Christ. People who do not know the law are also alive in Christ. They cannot repent because they are not condemned. Therefore, baptism does not help them. |
| Moroni 8:23 | But it is mockery before God, denying the mercies of Christ, and the power of his Holy Spirit, and putting trust in dead works. | But it is wrong to make fun of God, say no to Jesus’ help, and not believe in the Holy Spirit’s power, and to trust in things that don’t bring life. |
| Moroni 8:24 | Behold, my son, this thing ought not to be; for repentance is unto them that are under condemnation and under the curse of a broken law. | Listen, my son, this should not happen; saying sorry is for those who did something wrong and broke a rule. |
| Moroni 8:25 | And the first fruits of repentance is baptism; and baptism cometh by faith unto the fulfilling the commandments; and the fulfilling the commandments bringeth remission of sins; | When you repent, the first thing you do is get baptized. You get baptized because you have faith. Following the commandments washes away your sins. |
| Moroni 8:26 | And the remission of sins bringeth meekness, and lowliness of heart; and because of meekness and lowliness of heart cometh the visitation of the Holy Ghost, which Comforter filleth with hope and perfect love, which love endureth by diligence unto prayer, until the end shall come, when all the saints shall dwell with God. | When our sins are forgiven, it makes us kind and humble. Because we are kind and humble, the Holy Ghost visits us. The Holy Ghost brings us hope and perfect love. This love stays with us when we work hard and pray, until the end, when all good people live with God. |
| Moroni 8:27 | Behold, my son, I will write unto you again if I go not out soon against the Lamanites. Behold, the pride of this nation, or the people of the Nephites, hath proven their destruction except they should repent. | Listen, my son, I will write to you again if I do not go soon to fight the Lamanites. The Nephite people are in trouble because of their pride unless they say sorry and change. |
| Moroni 8:28 | Pray for them, my son, that repentance may come unto them. But behold, I fear lest the Spirit hath ceased striving with them; and in this part of the land they are also seeking to put down all power and authority which cometh from God; and they are denying the Holy Ghost. | Pray for them, my son, so they can say sorry and change. But I am afraid that God’s Spirit is not helping them anymore. Here, in this place, they are trying to stop all the power from God, and they are saying the Holy Spirit is not real. |
| Moroni 8:29 | And after rejecting so great a knowledge, my son, they must perish soon, unto the fulfilling of the prophecies which were spoken by the prophets, as well as the words of our Savior himself. | They didn’t want to learn, my son, so they will have to die soon, just like the prophets and our Savior said would happen. |
| Moroni 8:30 | Farewell, my son, until I shall write unto you, or shall meet you again. Amen. | Goodbye, my son. I will write to you or see you again. Amen. |
Moroni 9
| Verse | Original | 2nd Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Moroni 9:1 | My beloved son, I write unto you again that ye may know that I am yet alive; but I write somewhat of that which is grievous. | Dear son, I am writing to you again so you know I am still alive. But I have some sad news. |
| Moroni 9:2 | For behold, I have had a sore battle with the Lamanites, in which we did not conquer; and Archeantus has fallen by the sword, and also Luram and Emron; yea, and we have lost a great number of our choice men. | We had a big fight with the Lamanites. We did not win. Archeantus, Luram, and Emron are dead. We lost many good men. |
| Moroni 9:3 | And now behold, my son, I fear lest the Lamanites shall destroy this people; for they do not repent, and Satan stirreth them up continually to anger one with another. | My son, I am scared the Lamanites will hurt our people because they do not say sorry, and Satan makes them angry at each other. |
| Moroni 9:4 | Behold, I am laboring with them continually; and when I speak the word of God with sharpness they tremble and anger against me; and when I use no sharpness they harden their hearts against it; wherefore, I fear lest the Spirit of the Lord hath ceased striving with them. | I am always helping them. When I say God’s words strongly, they get scared and mad at me. When I don’t say them strongly, they ignore them. So, I am worried that God has stopped helping them. |
| Moroni 9:5 | For so exceedingly do they anger that it seemeth me that they have no fear of death; and they have lost their love, one towards another; and they thirst after blood and revenge continually. | They are so angry they don’t fear dying; they don’t love each other anymore; they always want to hurt and get back at others. |
| Moroni 9:6 | And now, my beloved son, notwithstanding their hardness, let us labor diligently; for if we should cease to labor, we should be brought under condemnation; for we have a labor to perform whilst in this tabernacle of clay, that we may conquer the enemy of all righteousness, and rest our souls in the kingdom of God. | Dear son, even though they are hard, let’s work hard. If we stop working, we will be in trouble. We have a job to do in our bodies, so we can beat the bad and rest with God. |
| Moroni 9:7 | And now I write somewhat concerning the sufferings of this people. For according to the knowledge which I have received from Amoron, behold, the Lamanites have many prisoners, which they took from the tower of Sherrizah; and there were men, women, and children. | Now I will tell you about the sad times these people had. Amoron told me that the Lamanites have many prisoners. They took men, women, and children from the tower of Sherrizah. |
| Moroni 9:8 | And the husbands and fathers of those women and children they have slain; and they feed the women upon the flesh of their husbands, and the children upon the flesh of their fathers; and no water, save a little, do they give unto them. | The bad people killed the dads and husbands. They made the moms eat the dads, and the kids eat their dads. They gave them only a little water. |
| Moroni 9:9 | And notwithstanding this great abomination of the Lamanites, it doth not exceed that of our people in Moriantum. For behold, many of the daughters of the Lamanites have they taken prisoners; and after depriving them of that which was most dear and precious above all things, which is chastity and virtue— | Even though the Lamanites did bad things, our people in Moriantum did even worse things. They took many Lamanite girls as prisoners and took away the girls’ most special thing, which is their purity. |
| Moroni 9:10 | And after they had done this thing, they did murder them in a most cruel manner, torturing their bodies even unto death; and after they have done this, they devour their flesh like unto wild beasts, because of the hardness of their hearts; and they do it for a token of bravery. | After they did this, they hurt and killed them very badly. Then, they ate their bodies like wild animals because their hearts were very hard. They did this to show they were brave. |
| Moroni 9:11 | O my beloved son, how can a people like this, that are without civilization— | My dear son, how can people like this live without rules? |
| Moroni 9:12 | (And only a few years have passed away, and they were a civil and a delightsome people) | And a few years went by, and the people were nice and happy. |
| Moroni 9:13 | But O my son, how can a people like this, whose delight is in so much abomination— | But oh my son, how can people who love doing so many bad things… |
| Moroni 9:14 | How can we expect that God will stay his hand in judgment against us? | How can we think that God won’t be mad at us? |
| Moroni 9:15 | Behold, my heart cries: Wo unto this people. Come out in judgment, O God, and hide their sins, and wickedness, and abominations from before thy face! | Look, my heart is sad: Oh no, these people are bad. God, come and judge them, and hide their bad actions from you. |
| Moroni 9:16 | And again, my son, there are many widows and their daughters who remain in Sherrizah; and that part of the provisions which the Lamanites did not carry away, behold, the army of Zenephi has carried away, and left them to wander whithersoever they can for food; and many old women do faint by the way and die. | My son, many moms without husbands and their daughters are still in Sherrizah. The Lamanites took some food. Zenephi’s army took the rest. These moms and daughters have to walk everywhere to find food. Many old women are so tired and hungry that they fall and die. |
| Moroni 9:17 | And the army which is with me is weak; and the armies of the Lamanites are betwixt Sherrizah and me; and as many as have fled to the army of Aaron have fallen victims to their awful brutality. | My army is weak. The Lamanite armies are between Sherrizah and me. Many who ran to Aaron’s army have been hurt badly. |
| Moroni 9:18 | O the depravity of my people! They are without order and without mercy. Behold, I am but a man, and I have but the strength of a man, and I cannot any longer enforce my commands. | Oh, my people are very bad! They don’t follow rules and they are not kind. Look, I am just a man, and I am only as strong as a man. I can’t make them do what I say anymore. |
| Moroni 9:19 | And they have become strong in their perversion; and they are alike brutal, sparing none, neither old nor young; and they delight in everything save that which is good; and the suffering of our women and our children upon all the face of this land doth exceed everything; yea, tongue cannot tell, neither can it be written. | They have become very bad and mean. They hurt everyone, both old people and young people. They only like bad things. The women and children are hurting so much, it’s hard to say how much they hurt. |
| Moroni 9:20 | And now, my son, I dwell no longer upon this horrible scene. Behold, thou knowest the wickedness of this people; thou knowest that they are without principle, and past feeling; and their wickedness doth exceed that of the Lamanites. | I don’t want to think about this bad thing anymore, my son. You know these people are very wicked and mean. They are worse than the Lamanites. |
| Moroni 9:21 | Behold, my son, I cannot recommend them unto God lest he should smite me. | Look, my son, I can’t tell God they are good because He might punish me. |
| Moroni 9:22 | But behold, my son, I recommend thee unto God, and I trust in Christ that thou wilt be saved; and I pray unto God that he will spare thy life, to witness the return of his people unto him, or their utter destruction; for I know that they must perish except they repent and return unto him. | But listen, my son, I tell you to go to God, and I trust Jesus will save you. I ask God to keep you safe so you can see his people come back to him, or else be destroyed. They will die if they don’t say sorry and come back to God. |
| Moroni 9:23 | And if they perish it will be like unto the Jaredites, because of the wilfulness of their hearts, seeking for blood and revenge. | If they die, it will be like the Jaredites because they wanted to fight and get revenge. |
| Moroni 9:24 | And if it so be that they perish, we know that many of our brethren have deserted over unto the Lamanites, and many more will also desert over unto them; wherefore, write somewhat a few things, if thou art spared and I shall perish and not see thee; but I trust that I may see thee soon; for I have sacred records that I would deliver up unto thee. | If they die, we know that many of our friends went to the Lamanites, and more will go to them too. So, write a few things if you stay safe and I die and don’t see you. But I hope to see you soon because I have special records to give you. |
| Moroni 9:25 | My son, be faithful in Christ; and may not the things which I have written grieve thee, to weigh thee down unto death; but may Christ lift thee up, and may his sufferings and death, and the showing his body unto our fathers, and his mercy and long-suffering, and the hope of his glory and of eternal life, rest in your mind forever. | My son, trust in Jesus. Don’t be sad by my words. Let Jesus help you feel better. Remember how Jesus suffered and died for us. Think about his mercy and love, and always hope for eternal life. |
| Moroni 9:26 | And may the grace of God the Father, whose throne is high in the heavens, and our Lord Jesus Christ, who sitteth on the right hand of his power, until all things shall become subject unto him, be, and abide with you forever. Amen. | May God’s love and Jesus’ love be with you always. Amen. |
Moroni 10
| Verse | Original | 2nd Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Moroni 10:1 | Now I, Moroni, write somewhat as seemeth me good; and I write unto my brethren, the Lamanites; and I would that they should know that more than four hundred and twenty years have passed away since the sign was given of the coming of Christ. | I am Moroni. I am writing to the Lamanites. I want them to know that 420 years have gone by since the sign of Jesus coming. |
| Moroni 10:2 | And I seal up these records, after I have spoken a few words by way of exhortation unto you. | I close up these records after giving you some advice. |
| Moroni 10:3 | Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down unto the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts. | Look, I want to tell you: when you read this, if God thinks it’s good for you to read it, remember how kind God has been to people since the time of Adam until now, and think about it in your heart. |
| Moroni 10:4 | And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost. | When you get these things, I want you to ask God, in the name of Jesus, if they are true. If you ask with a good heart and believe in Jesus, God will show you the truth through the Holy Spirit. |
| Moroni 10:5 | And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things. | The Holy Ghost can help you know the truth of everything. |
| Moroni 10:6 | And whatsoever thing is good is just and true; wherefore, nothing that is good denieth the Christ, but acknowledgeth that he is. | Anything that is good is fair and true. Nothing good says no to Jesus, but says yes to him. |
| Moroni 10:7 | And ye may know that he is, by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore I would exhort you that ye deny not the power of God; for he worketh by power, according to the faith of the children of men, the same today and tomorrow, and forever. | You can know God is real by the Holy Ghost. Do not say God’s power isn’t real. God works by power because of people’s faith, now and always. |
| Moroni 10:8 | And again, I exhort you, my brethren, that ye deny not the gifts of God, for they are many; and they come from the same God. And there are different ways that these gifts are administered; but it is the same God who worketh all in all; and they are given by the manifestations of the Spirit of God unto men, to profit them. | I ask you, my friends, don’t say no to God’s gifts. There are many gifts, and they all come from God. There are different ways to use these gifts, but it is the same God who does it all. These gifts are given by God’s Spirit to help everyone. |
| Moroni 10:9 | For behold, to one is given by the Spirit of God, that he may teach the word of wisdom; | Look! One person gets help from God to teach smart words. |
| Moroni 10:10 | And to another, that he may teach the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; | He can teach people what he knows using the Spirit. |
| Moroni 10:11 | And to another, exceedingly great faith; and to another, the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; | And to one, very strong faith; and to another, the gift of healing from the same Spirit. |
| Moroni 10:12 | And again, to another, that he may work mighty miracles; | And again, to another, so he can do big magic things. |
| Moroni 10:13 | And again, to another, that he may prophesy concerning all things; | And again, to another, that he can tell about everything. |
| Moroni 10:14 | And again, to another, the beholding of angels and ministering spirits; | And also, seeing angels and helping spirits. |
| Moroni 10:15 | And again, to another, all kinds of tongues; | And again, to another, all kinds of languages. |
| Moroni 10:16 | And again, to another, the interpretation of languages and of divers kinds of tongues. | And to someone else, the understanding of different languages and ways of talking. |
| Moroni 10:17 | And all these gifts come by the Spirit of Christ; and they come unto every man severally, according as he will. | All these gifts come from the Spirit of Jesus. They come to each person as he chooses. |
| Moroni 10:18 | And I would exhort you, my beloved brethren, that ye remember that every good gift cometh of Christ. | I want to tell you, my dear friends, to remember that every good thing comes from Jesus. |
| Moroni 10:19 | And I would exhort you, my beloved brethren, that ye remember that he is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and that all these gifts of which I have spoken, which are spiritual, never will be done away, even as long as the world shall stand, only according to the unbelief of the children of men. | Dear friends, remember that God is the same always. He gives us special gifts that will never go away as long as the world exists, unless people stop believing. |
| Moroni 10:20 | Wherefore, there must be faith; and if there must be faith there must also be hope; and if there must be hope there must also be charity. | We need to have faith. Faith means we also need hope. Hope means we also need to be kind. |
| Moroni 10:21 | And except ye have charity ye can in nowise be saved in the kingdom of God; neither can ye be saved in the kingdom of God if ye have not faith; neither can ye if ye have no hope. | If you do not have love, you cannot be saved in God’s kingdom. You also cannot be saved if you do not have faith or hope. |
| Moroni 10:22 | And if ye have no hope ye must needs be in despair; and despair cometh because of iniquity. | If you have no hope, you will feel very sad. You feel sad because of bad choices. |
| Moroni 10:23 | And Christ truly said unto our fathers: If ye have faith ye can do all things which are expedient unto me. | Jesus told our fathers: If you believe, you can do anything that I want you to do. |
| Moroni 10:24 | And now I speak unto all the ends of the earth—that if the day cometh that the power and gifts of God shall be done away among you, it shall be because of unbelief. | I’m talking to everyone. If God’s power and gifts go away, it’s because you do not believe. |
| Moroni 10:25 | And wo be unto the children of men if this be the case; for there shall be none that doeth good among you, no not one. For if there be one among you that doeth good, he shall work by the power and gifts of God. | It will be bad for the people if no one is good. No one will do good things. If someone does good, it is because God helps them. |
| Moroni 10:26 | And wo unto them who shall do these things away and die, for they die in their sins, and they cannot be saved in the kingdom of God; and I speak it according to the words of Christ; and I lie not. | Bad for those who do wrong and die, because they can’t be saved and go to God’s kingdom. Jesus said this, and it’s true. |
| Moroni 10:27 | And I exhort you to remember these things; for the time speedily cometh that ye shall know that I lie not, for ye shall see me at the bar of God; and the Lord God will say unto you: Did I not declare my words unto you, which were written by this man, like as one crying from the dead, yea, even as one speaking out of the dust? | Remember what I said. Soon you will know I’m telling the truth. You will see me with God. God will ask you, “Did I not tell you my words, written by this man, like someone speaking from the dead, even from the dust?” |
| Moroni 10:28 | I declare these things unto the fulfilling of the prophecies. And behold, they shall proceed forth out of the mouth of the everlasting God; and his word shall hiss forth from generation to generation. | I tell you this because it will happen like the prophets said. God will speak, and His words will be heard forever. |
| Moroni 10:29 | And God shall show unto you, that that which I have written is true. | God will show you that what I have written is true. |
| Moroni 10:30 | And again I would exhort you that ye would come unto Christ, and lay hold upon every good gift, and touch not the evil gift, nor the unclean thing. | I want to tell you to go to Jesus. Take all the good things and stay away from bad things. |
| Moroni 10:31 | And awake, and arise from the dust, O Jerusalem; yea, and put on thy beautiful garments, O daughter of Zion; and strengthen thy stakes and enlarge thy borders forever, that thou mayest no more be confounded, that the covenants of the Eternal Father which he hath made unto thee, O house of Israel, may be fulfilled. | Wake up and get up, Jerusalem. Put on your nice clothes, daughter of Zion. Make your tents stronger and bigger forever, so you won’t be confused anymore. The promises that Father in Heaven made to you, the house of Israel, will come true. |
| Moroni 10:32 | Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God. | Come to Jesus. Be good like Jesus. Stop doing bad things. Love God a lot. If you do this, God will help you be good. God is powerful. |
| Moroni 10:33 | And again, if ye by the grace of God are perfect in Christ, and deny not his power, then are ye sanctified in Christ by the grace of God, through the shedding of the blood of Christ, which is in the covenant of the Father unto the remission of your sins, that ye become holy, without spot. | If you believe in Jesus and his power, you will be clean and forgiven. |
| Moroni 10:34 | And now I bid unto all, farewell. I soon go to rest in the paradise of God, until my spirit and body shall again reunite, and I am brought forth triumphant through the air, to meet you before the pleasing bar of the great Jehovah, the Eternal Judge of both quick and dead. Amen. | Goodbye, everyone. I will rest with God soon. Later, my spirit and body will come together again, and I will rise to see you with God, the eternal judge. Amen. |
Book of Mormon Simplified 