Words of Mormon (4th Grade)

Words of Mormon 1

Verse	Original	4th Grade
Words of Mormon 1:1	And now I, Mormon, being about to deliver up the record which I have been making into the hands of my son Moroni, behold I have witnessed almost all the destruction of my people, the Nephites.	Hi, I’m Mormon. I’m going to give the book I’ve written to my son Moroni. I have seen almost all of my people, the Nephites, be destroyed.
Words of Mormon 1:2	And it is many hundred years after the coming of Christ that I deliver these records into the hands of my son; and it supposeth me that he will witness the entire destruction of my people. But may God grant that he may survive them, that he may write somewhat concerning them, and somewhat concerning Christ, that perhaps some day it may profit them.	It has been many hundreds of years since Jesus came. I am giving these writings to my son because I think he will see our people be destroyed. I pray that God lets him live so he can write about them and about Jesus, and maybe someday it can help them.
Words of Mormon 1:3	And now, I speak somewhat concerning that which I have written; for after I had made an abridgment from the plates of Nephi, down to the reign of this king Benjamin, of whom Amaleki spake, I searched among the records which had been delivered into my hands, and I found these plates, which contained this small account of the prophets, from Jacob down to the reign of this king Benjamin, and also many of the words of Nephi.	Now I will talk about what I wrote. After I made a shorter version from Nephi’s plates, up to King Benjamin, I looked at the records I had. I found plates that had a small story of the prophets from Jacob to King Benjamin and also many words from Nephi.
Words of Mormon 1:4	And the things which are upon these plates pleasing me, because of the prophecies of the coming of Christ; and my fathers knowing that many of them have been fulfilled; yea, and I also know that as many things as have been prophesied concerning us down to this day have been fulfilled, and as many as go beyond this day must surely come to pass—	I like what is written on these plates because they tell about Jesus coming. My fathers knew that many things written have come true. I also know that everything written about us until now has happened, and everything written about the future will happen too.
Words of Mormon 1:5	Wherefore, I chose these things, to finish my record upon them, which remainder of my record I shall take from the plates of Nephi; and I cannot write the hundredth part of the things of my people.	So, I picked these things to finish my writing. I will take the rest of my story from Nephi’s plates. I can’t write everything about my people.
Words of Mormon 1:6	But behold, I shall take these plates, which contain these prophesyings and revelations, and put them with the remainder of my record, for they are choice unto me; and I know they will be choice unto my brethren.	I will take these special plates with important messages and put them with the rest of my book because they are very important to me. I know my brothers will think they are important too.
Words of Mormon 1:7	And I do this for a wise purpose; for thus it whispereth me, according to the workings of the Spirit of the Lord which is in me. And now, I do not know all things; but the Lord knoweth all things which are to come; wherefore, he worketh in me to do according to his will.	I am doing this for a good reason. The Spirit of the Lord tells me to. I do not know everything, but the Lord knows everything that will happen. He helps me to do what He wants.
Words of Mormon 1:8	And my prayer to God is concerning my brethren, that they may once again come to the knowledge of God, yea, the redemption of Christ; that they may once again be a delightsome people.	I pray to God that my brothers learn about God and Jesus, and become happy people again.
Words of Mormon 1:9	And now I, Mormon, proceed to finish out my record, which I take from the plates of Nephi; and I make it according to the knowledge and the understanding which God has given me.	Now I, Mormon, will finish my book. I take it from Nephi’s plates. I write it with the knowledge God gave me.
Words of Mormon 1:10	Wherefore, it came to pass that after Amaleki had delivered up these plates into the hands of king Benjamin, he took them and put them with the other plates, which contained records which had been handed down by the kings, from generation to generation until the days of king Benjamin.	So, after Amaleki gave the plates to king Benjamin, the king took them and put them with other plates that had stories from the kings before him, all the way down to king Benjamin’s time.
Words of Mormon 1:11	And they were handed down from king Benjamin, from generation to generation until they have fallen into my hands. And I, Mormon, pray to God that they may be preserved from this time henceforth. And I know that they will be preserved; for there are great things written upon them, out of which my people and their brethren shall be judged at the great and last day, according to the word of God which is written.	The writings were passed down from King Benjamin to many people until I, Mormon, got them. I pray to God to keep them safe. I believe they will be safe because they have important things written on them. These writings will help judge my people and their brothers at the end of time, as God said.
Words of Mormon 1:12	And now, concerning this king Benjamin—he had somewhat of contentions among his own people.	King Benjamin had some arguments with his people.
Words of Mormon 1:13	And it came to pass also that the armies of the Lamanites came down out of the land of Nephi, to battle against his people. But behold, king Benjamin gathered together his armies, and he did stand against them; and he did fight with the strength of his own arm, with the sword of Laban.	The Lamanite army came to fight from Nephi. But King Benjamin gathered his army and fought back with his sword.
Words of Mormon 1:14	And in the strength of the Lord they did contend against their enemies, until they had slain many thousands of the Lamanites. And it came to pass that they did contend against the Lamanites until they had driven them out of all the lands of their inheritance.	With God’s help, they fought their enemies and defeated many of the Lamanites. They kept fighting until the Lamanites left their lands.
Words of Mormon 1:15	And it came to pass that after there had been false Christs, and their mouths had been shut, and they punished according to their crimes;	After some people pretended to be Christ, they were stopped, and they were punished for doing bad things.
Words of Mormon 1:16	And after there had been false prophets, and false preachers and teachers among the people, and all these having been punished according to their crimes; and after there having been much contention and many dissensions away unto the Lamanites, behold, it came to pass that king Benjamin, with the assistance of the holy prophets who were among his people—	After there were bad prophets and teachers who were punished, and after many people left to join the Lamanites, king Benjamin, with the help of good prophets…
Words of Mormon 1:17	For behold, king Benjamin was a holy man, and he did reign over his people in righteousness; and there were many holy men in the land, and they did speak the word of God with power and with authority; and they did use much sharpness because of the stiffneckedness of the people—	King Benjamin was a good man. He was the leader of his people and he was fair. There were many other good men, too. They talked about God with power. They spoke strictly because the people were stubborn.
Words of Mormon 1:18	Wherefore, with the help of these, king Benjamin, by laboring with all the might of his body and the faculty of his whole soul, and also the prophets, did once more establish peace in the land.	So, King Benjamin worked very hard with his body and his heart, and with help from the prophets, he made the land peaceful again.