Moroni 1
| Verse | Original | 4th 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, Moroni, finished the story of the people of Jared. I thought I wouldn’t write more, but I am still alive. I don’t let the Lamanites find me because they might 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. | Their fights are very bad. Because they hate, they kill every Nephite who will not say they do not 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, and I will always believe in Jesus. So I will 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 write a bit more even though I didn’t plan to. I thought I was done writing. But now I add a few more words. Maybe one day these words will help my Lamanite brothers, if God wants. |
Moroni 2
| Verse | Original | 4th 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— | The words of Christ, which he said to his twelve special helpers when he 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 do this, you will have power. When you put your hands on someone, you will give them the Holy Ghost. Do this in my name, like my apostles 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 could not hear Him, but His special helpers did hear Him. When His helpers touched people, they felt the Holy Spirit. |
Moroni 3
| Verse | Original | 4th Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Moroni 3:1 | The manner which the disciples, who were called the elders of the church, ordained priests and teachers— | The way the church leaders chose and made new 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 in 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 the name of Jesus Christ, I make you a priest. If you are to be a teacher, I make you a teacher. You will teach people to say sorry for their sins and be forgiven because of Jesus Christ. 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. God helped them pick the right people. They used the power of the Holy Ghost to choose them. |
Moroni 4
| Verse | Original | 4th 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 elders and priests gave the bread and water to the church, just like Jesus said. So we know it is true. The elder or priest gave it. |
| Moroni 4:2 | And they did kneel down with the church, and pray to the Father in the name of Christ, saying: | They knelt down 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. | Dear God, we ask you in Jesus’ name to bless this bread for everyone who eats it. Help them remember Jesus’ body and promise to follow Him and keep His commandments, so they can always have His Spirit with them. Amen. |
Moroni 5
| Verse | Original | 4th 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, we ask you, in the name of Jesus, to bless this wine. Help everyone who drinks it remember Jesus and His sacrifice. Let them show you, dear God, that they will always remember Jesus and have His Spirit with them. Amen. |
Moroni 6
| Verse | Original | 4th 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. Look, the leaders, teachers, and priests were baptized. They had to show they were good and ready before they could be baptized. |
| 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 sorry for their mistakes and promised 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. | And nobody was baptized unless they promised to follow Jesus and decided to 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. | And after they were baptized and made clean by the Holy Ghost, they joined the church of Christ. Their names were written down so they would be remembered and taught God’s word, to help them stay on the right path, always praying and trusting in Jesus Christ. |
| 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 members met together often. They fasted, prayed, and talked about how to help each other. |
| 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. | They made sure that no one did bad things. If someone did something bad and three people saw it, the church leaders would talk to them. If the person did not say sorry and stop doing bad things, their name was taken off the list, and they were not counted as part of the group that followed Christ. |
| Moroni 6:8 | But as oft as they repented and sought forgiveness, with real intent, they were forgiven. | But every time 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. | The church meetings followed the guidance of the Holy Ghost. Whatever the Holy Ghost told them to do—preach, encourage, pray, ask for help, or sing—they did it. |
Moroni 7
| Verse | Original | 4th 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. | Now I, Moroni, will write some words from my father, Mormon, about faith, hope, and love. He talked to the people in their church, teaching them. |
| 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. | Hi, I am Mormon. I am talking to you, my dear brothers. God and Jesus Christ are letting me talk to you now because they chose me to do this. |
| 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. | So, I want to talk to you who are part of the church, who follow Jesus peacefully, and who have enough hope to be with the Lord from now on until you are with Him 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. | And now my brothers, I think this about you because you are kind to other people. |
| 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. | I remember God’s words: You can tell people by what they do. If they do good things, 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. | God says a bad person cannot do good things. If he gives a gift or prays to God without really meaning it, it does not help him. |
| Moroni 7:7 | For behold, it is not counted unto him for righteousness. | Look, it does not make him 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 person gives a gift but does not want to, it is like he kept the gift. So, he is still seen as bad by God. |
| 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 man prays but does not really mean it in his heart, and it does him no good because God does not accept such prayers. |
| Moroni 7:10 | Wherefore, a man being evil cannot do that which is good; neither will he give a good gift. | So, a bad person can’t do good things; and he won’t give a good gift. |
| 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 well cannot give good water, and a good well cannot give bad water. So, a person who serves the devil cannot follow Jesus. And if he follows Jesus, he cannot serve 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. | All good things come from God, and bad things come from the devil. The devil is God’s enemy and always fights against God. The devil wants people to do bad things all the time. |
| 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. | But look, anything that comes from God makes us want to do good all the time. So, everything that makes us want to do good, love God, and help Him 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, be careful, my dear brothers and sisters. Don’t think something bad is from God, and don’t think something good and from God is 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. | My friends, you can tell what is good and what is bad. It is easy to see, like the difference between day and 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. | Christ’s Spirit is in every person to help them know good from bad. Here is how to judge: If something encourages you to do good and believe in Christ, 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, deny Him, or not serve God, you can know it is from the devil. The devil never makes people do good things, and neither do his helpers. |
| 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. | Now, my friends, you know the light that helps you decide. This light is Christ. Make sure you don’t decide unfairly because you will be judged the same way you judge others. |
| 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, brothers and sisters, to look carefully with the help of Jesus to know what is good and what is bad. If you choose to keep all good things and not reject them, 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 hold onto 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 want to 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 he has always been there. He sent angels to help people and tell them about Jesus. In Jesus, there will be all good things. |
| Moroni 7:23 | And God also declared unto prophets, by his own mouth, that Christ should come. | And 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. | Jesus showed many good things to people. All good things come from Jesus. Without Jesus, people couldn’t have anything good. |
| 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 helped people and God spoke to them. People started to believe in Jesus. By believing, they received many good things. This continued 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 by believing in his name. By believing, they became children of God. Jesus told our ancestors: If you ask God for something good in my name and believe, you will get it. |
| 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 my dear brothers and sisters, have miracles stopped because Jesus went up to heaven and is next to God to ask for kindness for us? |
| 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 has met the demands of the law. He claims all who have faith in him. People with faith in him will hold on to every good thing. He supports the needs of 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. | And because he did 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 do what he says, helping those who have strong faith and are very 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 say sorry for their wrongs, and to do what God asked them to do. They help get things ready by talking about Jesus to special people chosen by God, so those people can tell others about Him. |
| 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. | By doing this, God makes a way for people to believe in Jesus. Then the Holy Ghost can be in their hearts. This helps God keep His promises to them. |
| 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 that if you believe in Him, you will be able to do whatever is needed. |
| 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: Say sorry for your wrongs, everyone everywhere. Come to me, get baptized with 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? | If what I told you is true, God will show you with power and glory on the last day that they are true. 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? | Have angels stopped coming to people? Has God taken away the Holy Ghost from them? Will He ever stop, as long as there is time, or the earth stands, or there is one person to save? |
| 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 and help people because of faith. If these things stop, it is bad for people because they don’t believe, and everything is useless. |
| 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. | Nobody can be saved unless they believe in Jesus. If people don’t have faith anymore, it means nobody has faith, and that’s really bad because it’s like Jesus didn’t save anyone. |
| 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 better things about you. I believe you have faith in Jesus because you are humble. If you don’t have faith in Him, you can’t 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? | My dear friends, 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 Christ died and came back to life. Because of Jesus, you can 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 a person has faith, they also have hope; because without faith, there can’t be any 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 means nothing. God only accepts people who are humble and gentle. If a person is humble and gentle, 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. Love is not jealous. Love is not proud. Love is not selfish. Love is not easily angered. Love does not think bad things. Love is happy with the truth. Love handles everything. Love believes all things. Love hopes for all things. Love stays strong in everything. |
| 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, because love never fails. So, hold on to love, which is the best thing, 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. | But charity means love like Jesus, and it lasts forever; if you have it when everything ends, 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, my dear friends, pray to God with all your heart. Ask for His special love. God gives this love to everyone who follows Jesus. With this love, we can become God’s children. When Jesus comes again, we will be like Him and see Him as He is. This helps us have hope and be clean, just like Jesus is clean. Amen. |
Moroni 8
| Verse | Original | 4th 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, to me, Moroni. He wrote it to me soon after I started my church work. Here’s what he wrote 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 cares about you and has asked you to help Him. |
| 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 when I pray. I ask God the Father, in Jesus’s name, to 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. | Now, my son, I want to talk to you about something that makes me very sad. It makes me sad that you are having arguments. |
| 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 big mistake. This is why I wrote 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 I learned these things from you, I asked God about it. God spoke to me through the Holy Ghost and said: |
| 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 the words of Jesus Christ, your Savior. I came to help those who do wrong, not those who are already good. Healthy people do not need a doctor, but sick people do. Little children are good and do not sin. Because of me, they are free from the curse of Adam. The old law is no longer needed because of me. |
| 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 showed me God’s words. So, my dear son, I know it is wrong before God 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, I tell you to teach this: Everyone who can understand right and wrong should repent and be baptized. Teach parents to repent, be baptized, and be humble like their little children. Then they will be saved, along with their children. |
| 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 be baptized. Baptism is for saying sorry and obeying commands to be forgiven for sins. |
| 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 alive with Jesus, always. God loves everyone the same and never changes. Many little children have died without baptism. |
| Moroni 8:13 | Wherefore, if little children could not be saved without baptism, these must have gone to an endless hell. | So, if little children need baptism to be saved, they would have to go to a place with no end. |
| 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, anyone who thinks little children need baptism is making a big mistake and is very wrong. They have no faith, hope, or love. If they die thinking this, they will go to a very 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 got baptized, and lets another child die because they didn’t get 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. | Oh no for those who change God’s ways, they will die if they don’t say sorry. Listen, I speak bravely with God’s power; I am not scared of people because true love removes all fear. |
| 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 special love that lasts forever. I love all children the same. I love little children with a perfect love. All children are the same 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. | I know that God is always fair and never changes; he stays the same forever. |
| 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 cannot say sorry for their sins. So, it is very wrong to not give them God’s kindness. All children are alive in God because of his mercy. |
| 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. | Those who say little children need baptism do not believe in the kindness of Jesus and his saving power. |
| 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. | Watch out! They are in great danger of being hurt forever. I say this bravely because God told me to. Listen to what they say so you will be safe 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, and so are people who don’t know the law. They are saved because they didn’t know the law. If someone is not guilty, they don’t need to repent. For them, getting baptized means nothing. |
| 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. | It is making fun of God, not believing in Jesus, and not trusting in His Holy Spirit, but instead trusting in things that do not help. |
| 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. | Look, my son, this should not happen because repentance is for those who have done wrong and broken the rules. |
| 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 say sorry, the next step is getting baptized. Baptism happens because you believe. Believing helps you follow God’s rules. Following God’s rules makes your sins go away. |
| 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, we become humble and gentle. This helps the Holy Ghost visit us and fill us with hope and love. We keep this love by praying until the end, when everyone who loves God will live with Him forever. |
| 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 don’t leave soon to fight the Lamanites. The Nephites are proud, and this will destroy them 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 scared that God’s Spirit has stopped helping them. Here, they are trying to stop God’s power and they do not believe in the Holy Ghost. |
| 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. | If people choose not to follow the important lessons, my son, they will be in big trouble soon. This will make what the prophets and Jesus said come true. |
| 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 | 4th 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 to let you know that I am still alive. But I must tell you something sad. |
| 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 and we did not win. Archeantus, Luram, and Emron were killed, and many of our best men are gone. |
| 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. | Now look, my son, I am afraid that the Lamanites will hurt our people. They do not say sorry, and Satan keeps making them angry with 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. | Look, I am always working with them. When I speak God’s word strongly, they get scared and mad at me. When I don’t speak strongly, they ignore it. So, I am worried that God’s Spirit 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 that they do not seem to be afraid of dying. They do not love each other anymore and 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. | My dear son, even though things are hard, we must keep working hard. If we stop working, we will be in trouble. We have work to do while we are alive so that we can beat the bad guy and rest in God’s kingdom. |
| 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. | I will now talk about the sad things happening to the people. 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 men killed the dads and husbands. They made the women eat the dads, and made the children eat their dads too. They only gave them a little bit of 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— | The bad things the Lamanites did were very bad, but our people in Moriantum did even worse. They took many Lamanite girls and hurt them in a way that took away the most special and important part of them. |
| 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 killed them very cruelly and hurt them until they died. Then, they ate their bodies like wild animals because their hearts were very bad. They did it to show they were brave. |
| Moroni 9:11 | O my beloved son, how can a people like this, that are without civilization— | Oh my dear son, how can people like this, who are not civilized… |
| Moroni 9:12 | (And only a few years have passed away, and they were a civil and a delightsome people) | It has only been a few years, and the people are 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 bad things… |
| Moroni 9:14 | How can we expect that God will stay his hand in judgment against us? | Why should we think that God won’t judge 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, I feel very sad: Bad things are happening to these people. Please, God, help them and don’t look at their bad actions. |
| 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, there are many widows and their daughters in Sherrizah. The Lamanites took most of the food, but the army of Zenephi took the rest. Now the women have to wander to find food, and many old women get tired 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, and the Lamanite armies are between Sherrizah and me. Many who went to Aaron’s army were hurt by the Lamanites. |
| 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, how bad my people are! They have no rules and are not kind. Look, I am just a man, and I have the strength of a man, and I can no longer make them follow my orders. |
| 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 are cruel to everyone, both old and young. They like doing bad things. The pain of our women and children is terrible. It is so bad that it is hard to talk about or write down. |
| 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. | Now, my son, I will not talk more about this terrible thing. You know how bad these people are. You know they have no kindness and do not care about others. They are even 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. | My son, I ask God to help you, and I believe Jesus will save you. I pray that God will keep you safe to see his people come back to him or be destroyed. They must repent and come back to God to be saved. |
| 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 were stubborn, wanting to hurt others 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 joined the Lamanites, and more will join them too. So, write a few things if you are safe and I die and cannot see you. But I hope to see you soon, because I have important 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 child, trust in Jesus. Don’t let my words make you sad. Let Jesus lift you up. Remember that Jesus suffered and died for us. He showed himself to our ancestors. He is kind and patient. Always think about His goodness and the promise of living forever with Him. |
| 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’s love be with you forever. Amen. |
Moroni 10
| Verse | Original | 4th 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 my brothers, the Lamanites. I want them to know that more than 420 years have gone by since the sign of Jesus Christ’s 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 these books 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. | Listen, I want you to remember this: When you read these words, if it is God’s plan for you to do so, think about how kind and loving God has been to people, from 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 this book, I suggest you ask God, in Jesus’ name, if it is true. If you ask with a sincere heart and faith in Jesus, God will show you the truth through the Holy Ghost. |
| 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 what is true. |
| 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. So, anything good does not refuse Christ but says he is real. |
| 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 He is real by the power of the Holy Ghost. I tell you not to deny God’s power. God works by power because of people’s faith, and He does this always, now and forever. |
| 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. | Please, my brothers, do not say no to God’s gifts. There are many gifts, but they all come from God. There are different ways these gifts are given, but it’s the same God doing it all. These gifts come from God’s Spirit to help people. |
| 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 a gift from God’s Spirit to teach about being wise. |
| Moroni 10:10 | And to another, that he may teach the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; | And to another, that he can teach knowledge by the same Spirit;. |
| Moroni 10:11 | And to another, exceedingly great faith; and to another, the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; | To one person, very great faith; to another, the gifts of healing from the same Spirit. |
| Moroni 10:12 | And again, to another, that he may work mighty miracles; | And another, so he can do big miracles. |
| Moroni 10:13 | And again, to another, that he may prophesy concerning all things; | And again, to someone else, so he can tell about things that will happen in the future. |
| Moroni 10:14 | And again, to another, the beholding of angels and ministering spirits; | And also, to another person, seeing angels and helping spirits. |
| Moroni 10:15 | And again, to another, all kinds of tongues; | And to another person, the gift to speak many languages. |
| Moroni 10:16 | And again, to another, the interpretation of languages and of divers kinds of tongues. | And also, to someone else, the ability to understand different languages and ways of speaking. |
| 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 Christ. Everyone gets different gifts, just as He wants. |
| Moroni 10:18 | And I would exhort you, my beloved brethren, that ye remember that every good gift cometh of Christ. | I want to remind you, dear friends, that all good things come 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. | I want to remind you, my dear friends, that God never changes. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. All the special gifts I talked about will always be here, unless people stop believing in them. |
| 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. | So, we need to have faith. When we have faith, we also need to have hope. And when we have hope, we also need to be kind and loving. |
| 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. | You can’t live with God if you don’t have love. You can’t live with God if you don’t have faith. You also can’t if you don’t have 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 be very sad; being very sad happens 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. | Christ told our fathers: If you have faith, you can do all the things 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. | Now I talk to everyone. If God’s power and gifts go away, it will be because people 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 this happens; no one will do good, not even one. But if there is one person who does good, it will be because of God’s help and gifts. |
| 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. | And bad things will happen to those who do wrong and die because they won’t be saved. This is what Jesus says, and I am telling the truth. |
| 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? | I ask you to remember these things. Soon, you will know I tell the truth because you will see me with God. God will ask you, “Didn’t I tell you my words through this man, like someone speaking from the dead?” |
| 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 am telling you this to complete what was predicted. These words will come from God, and his message will be passed from parents to children over time. |
| 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 come to Jesus and take all good things. Do not take bad things or dirty 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 home strong and bigger so that you won’t be confused anymore. This way, the promises God made to 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, and try to be like him. Stop doing bad things. Love God with all your heart and do your best. God will help you be like Jesus. If God helps you, you can believe in his power. |
| 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 God helps you to be good in Christ, and you believe in His power, then you are made clean by God, because Christ died for you. This promise from God makes your sins go away, so you can be holy and clean. |
| 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 am going to rest with God. One day, my spirit and body will come back together, and I will meet you. God will be our judge. Amen. |
Book of Mormon Simplified 