BOOK OF MORMON

Book of Jacob

CHAPTERS 4-5

   [Jac 4:1] And now, behold, my brethren, as I said unto you that I would prophesy, behold, this is my prophecy:
   [Jac 4:2] That the things which this prophet Zenos spake, concerning the house of Israel, in the which he likened them unto a tame olive tree, must surely come to pass.
   [Jac 4:3] And in the day that he shall set his hand again the second time to recover his people, is the day, yea, even the last time, that the servants of the Lord shall go forth in his power, to nourish and prune his vineyard; and after that, the end soon cometh.
   [Jac 4:4] And how blessed are they who have labored diligently in his vineyard; and how cursed are they who shall be cast out into their own place!
   [Jac 4:5] And the world shall be burned with fire.
   [Jac 4:6] And how merciful is our God unto us; for he remembereth the house of Israel, both roots and branches; and he stretches forth his hands unto them, all the day long; [7] And they are a stiff-necked, and a gainsaying people; but as many as will not harden their hearts, shall be saved in the kingdom of God.
   [Jac 4:8] Wherefore, my beloved brethren, I beseech of you in words of soberness, that ye would repent, and come with full purpose of heart, and cleave unto God as he cleaveth unto you.
   [Jac 4:9] And while his arm of mercy is extended towards you in the light of the day, harden not your hearts.
   [Jac 4:10] Yea, to-day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts: for why will ye die?
   [Jac 4:11] For behold, after ye have been nourished by the good word of God all the day long, will ye bring forth evil fruit, that ye must be hewn down and cast into the fire?
   [Jac 4:12] Behold, will ye reject these words?
   [Jac 4:13] Will ye reject the words of the prophets and will ye reject all the words which have been spoken concerning Christ, after so many have spoken concerning him? and deny the good word of Christ, and the power of God, and the gift of the Holy Ghost, and quench the Holy Spirit? and make a mock of the great plan of redemption, which hath been laid for you?
   [Jac 4:14] Know ye not that if ye will do these things, that the power of the redemption and the resurrection which is in Christ, will bring you to stand with shame and awful guilt before the bar of God?
   [Jac 4:15] And according to the power of justice, for justice can not be denied, ye must go away into that lake of fire and brimstone, whose flames are unquenchable, and whose smoke ascendeth up for ever and ever, which lake of fire and brimstone, is endless torment.
   [Jac 4:16] O then, my beloved brethren, repent ye, and enter in at the strait gate, and continue in the way which is narrow, until ye shall obtain eternal life.
   [Jac 4:17] O be wise: what can I say more?
   [Jac 4:18] Finally, I bid you farewell, until I shall meet you before the pleasing bar of God, which bar striketh the wicked with awful dread and fear. Amen.

CHAPTER 5

   [Jac 5:1] And now it came to pass after some years had passed away, there came a man among the people of Nephi, whose name was Sherem.
   [Jac 5:2] And it came to pass that he began to preach among the people, and to declare unto them that there should be no Christ.
   [Jac 5:3] And he preached many things which were flattering unto the people; and this he did that he might overthrow the doctrine of Christ.
   [Jac 5:4] And he labored diligently that he might lead away the hearts of the people, insomuch that he did lead away many hearts; [5] And he knowing that I, Jacob, had faith in Christ who should come, he sought much opportunity that he might come unto me.
   [Jac 5:6] And he was learned, that he had a perfect knowledge of the language of the people; wherefore, he could use much flattery, and much power of speech, according to the power of the devil.
   [Jac 5:7] And he had hope to shake me from the faith, notwithstanding the many revelations, and the many things which I had seen concerning these things; for I truly had seen angels, and they had ministered unto me.
   [Jac 5:8] And also, I had heard the voice of the Lord speaking unto me in very word, from time to time; wherefore, I could not be shaken.
   [Jac 5:9] And it came to pass that he came unto me; and on this wise did he speak unto me, saying: Brother Jacob, I have sought much opportunity that I might speak unto you: for I have heard and also know, that thou goest about much, preaching that which ye call the gospel, or the doctrine of Christ; [10] And ye have led away much of this people, that they pervert the right way of God, and keep not the law of Moses, which is the right way; and convert the law of Moses into the worship of a being, which ye say shall come many hundred years hence.
   [Jac 5:11] And now, behold, I, Sherem, declare unto you, that this is blasphemy; for no man knoweth of such things: for he can not tell of things to come.
   [Jac 5:12] And after this manner did Sherem contend against me.
   [Jac 5:13] But behold, the Lord God poured in his Spirit into my soul, insomuch that I did confound him in all his words.
   [Jac 5:14] And I said unto him, Deniest thou the Christ which shall come?
   [Jac 5:15] And he said, If there should be a Christ, I would not deny him; but I know that there is no Christ, neither has been, nor ever will be.
   [Jac 5:16] And I said unto him, Believest thou the scriptures?
   [Jac 5:17] And he said, Yea.
   [Jac 5:18] And I said unto him, Then ye do not understand them; for they truly testify of Christ.
   [Jac 5:19] Behold, I say unto you, that none of the prophets have written, nor prophesied, save they have spoken concerning this Christ.
   [Jac 5:20] And this is not all: it has been made manifest unto me, for I have heard and seen; and it also has been made manifest unto me by the power of the Holy Ghost; [21] Wherefore, I know if there should be no atonement made, all mankind must be lost.
   [Jac 5:22] And it came to pass that he said unto me, Shew me a sign by this power of the Holy Ghost, in the which ye know so much.
   [Jac 5:23] And I said unto him, What am I, that I should tempt God to shew unto thee a sign, in the thing which thou knowest to be true?
   [Jac 5:24] Yet, thou wilt deny it, because thou art of the devil.
   [Jac 5:25] Nevertheless, not my will be done; but if God shall smite thee, let that be a sign unto thee that he has power, both in heaven and in earth; and also, that Christ shall come.
   [Jac 5:26] And thy will, O Lord, be done, and not mine.
   [Jac 5:27] And it came to pass that when I, Jacob, had spoken these words, the power of the Lord came upon him, insomuch that he fell to the earth.
   [Jac 5:28] And it came to pass that he was nourished for the space of many days.
   [Jac 5:29] And it came to pass that he said unto the people, Gather together on the morrow, for I shall die; wherefore, I desire to speak unto the people, before I shall die.
   [Jac 5:30] And it came to pass that on the morrow, the multitude were gathered together; and he spake plainly unto them, and denied the things which he had taught them; and confessed the Christ, and the power of the Holy Ghost, and the ministering of angels.
   [Jac 5:31] And he spake plainly unto them, that he had been deceived by the power of the devil.
   [Jac 5:32] And he spake of hell, and of eternity, and of eternal punishment.
   [Jac 5:33] And he said, I fear lest I have committed the unpardonable sin, for I have lied unto God: for I denied the Christ, and said that I believed the scriptures; and they truly testify of him.
   [Jac 5:34] And because I have thus lied unto God, I greatly fear lest my case shall be awful; but I confess unto God.
   [Jac 5:35] And it came to pass that when he had said these words, he could say no more; and he gave up the ghost.
   [Jac 5:36] And when the multitude had witnessed that he spake these things as he was about to give up the ghost, they were astonished exceedingly; insomuch, that the power of God came down upon them, and they were overcome, that they fell to the earth.
   [Jac 5:37] Now, this thing was pleasing unto me, Jacob; for I had requested it of my Father who was in heaven: for he had heard my cry, and answered my prayer.
   [Jac 5:38] And it came to pass that peace and the love of God were restored again among the people; and they searched the scriptures, and hearkened no more to the words of this wicked man.
   [Jac 5:39] And it came to pass that many means were devised, to reclaim and restore the Lamanites, to the knowledge of the truth; but it was all in vain: for they delighted in wars and bloodshed; and they had an eternal hatred against us, their brethren.
   [Jac 5:40] And they sought by the power of their arms to destroy us continually; [41] Wherefore, the people of Nephi did fortify against them with their armies, and with all their might, trusting in the God and rock of their salvation; wherefore, they became as yet, conquerors of their enemies.
   [Jac 5:42] And it came to pass that I, Jacob, began to be old; and the record of this people being kept on the other plates of Nephi, wherefore, I conclude this record, declaring that I have written according to the best of my knowledge, by saying, [43] That the time passed away with us, and also our lives passed away, like as it were unto us a dream, we being a lonesome and a solemn people, wanderers, cast out from Jerusalem; [44] Born in tribulation, in a wilderness, and hated of our brethren, which caused wars and contentions; wherefore, we did mourn out our days.
   [Jac 5:45] And I, Jacob, saw that I must soon go down to my grave; wherefore, I said unto my son Enos, Take these plates.
   [Jac 5:46] And I told him the things which my brother Nephi had commanded me; and he promised obedience unto the commands.
   [Jac 5:47] And I make an end of my writing upon these plates, which writing has been small; [48] And to the reader I bid farewell, hoping that many of my brethren may read my words. Brethren, adieu.