chapter_01.adoc

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I, the writer, was born of Presbyterian parents…​

The Rights of Christ, 1815, p. 1

…​many men call it Nephi.

KJV Apocrypha, 1611, 2 Maccabees 1:36

…​those who have been highly favoured of the Lord…​

Volume 11, 1828, New York Source: p.52, Methodist Magazine Note: In the above Methodist context, being "highly favored of the Lord" seems to indicate that the person is a special recipient of divine revelation.

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1 Nephi 1:1 I Nephi having been born of goodly parents, therefore I was taught somewhat in all the learning of my father. And having seen many afflictions in the course of my days, nevertheless having been highly favored of the Lord in all my days, yea, having had a great knowledge of the goodness and the mysteries of God, therefore I make a record of my proceedings in my days.

{% margin %} Joseph Smith had a Talisman of Jupiter on him when he died, given to him as a child, that had both Egyptian and Hebrew on it. Sandra Tanner, Joseph Smith—​The Early Years, The Smith Family and Magic {% endmargin %}

1 Nephi 1:2 Yea, I make a record in the language of my father, which consists of the learning of the Jews and the language of the Egyptians.

1 Nephi 1:3 And I know that the record which I make to be true. And I make it with mine own hand, and I make it according to my knowledge.

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And the king of Babylon made Mattaniah his father’s brother king in his stead, and changed his name to Zedekiah.

KJV Bible, 1769, II Kings 24:8-17

…​and spread themselves in Lehi.

KJV Bible, 1769, Judges 15:9

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1 Nephi 1:4 For it came to pass in the commencement of the first year of the reign of Zedekiah, king of Judah—​my father Lehi having dwelt at Jerusalem in all his days—​and in that same year there came many prophets prophesying unto the people that they must repent or the great city Jerusalem must be destroyed.

1 Nephi 1:5 Wherefore it came to pass that my father Lehi, as he went forth, prayed unto the Lord, yea, even with all his heart, in behalf of his people.

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…​the pillar of fire by night…​

KJV Bible, 1769, Exodus 13:22

…​with quaking, and drink thy water with trembling…​

KJV Bible, 1769, Ezekiel 12:18

And as when Moses prayed unto the Lord, the fire came down from heaven..

KJV Bible, 1769, II Maccabees 2:10

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1 Nephi 1:6 And it came to pass as he prayed unto the Lord, there came a pillar of fire and dwelt upon a rock before him, and he saw and heard much. And because of the things which he saw and heard, he did quake and tremble exceedingly.

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And immediately I was in the spirit…​

KJV Bible, 1769, Revelation 4:2

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1 Nephi 1:7 And it came to pass that he returned to his own house at Jerusalem. And he cast himself upon his bed, being overcome with the Spirit and the things which he had seen.

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…​behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne…​

KJV Bible, 1769, Revelation 4:2

And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne…​

KJV Bible, 1769, Revelation 5:11

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1 Nephi 1:8 And being thus overcome with the Spirit, he was carried away in a vision, even that he saw the heavens open and he thought he saw God sitting upon his throne, surrounded with numberless concourses of angels in the attitude of singing and praising their God.

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…​and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.

KJV Bible, 1769, Revelation 1:16

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1 Nephi 1:9 And it came to pass that he saw one descending out of the midst of heaven, and he beheld that his luster was above that of the sun at noonday.

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And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.

KJV Bible, 1769, Daniel 12:3

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1 Nephi 1:10 And he also saw twelve others following him, and their brightness did exceed that of the stars in the firmament.

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8 …​Go and take the little book…​

9 …​Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter…​

KJV Bible, 1769, Revelation 10:8-9

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1 Nephi 1:11 And they came down and went forth upon the face of the earth. And the first came and stood before my father and gave unto him a book and bade him that he should read.

1 Nephi 1:12 And it came to pass that as he read, he was filled with the Spirit of the Lord.

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I have seen thine adulteries, and thy neighings, the lewdness of thy whoredom, and thine abominations on the hills in the fields. Woe unto thee, O Jerusalem! wilt thou not be made clean? when shall it once be?

KJV Bible, 1769, Jeremiah 13:27

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1 Nephi 1:13 And he read, saying: Woe woe unto Jerusalem, for I have seen thine abominations. Yea, and many things did my father read concerning Jerusalem, that it should be destroyed and the inhabitants thereof; many should perish by the sword and many should be carried away captive into Babylon.

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1. saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; …​

KJV Bible, 1769, Revelation 15:3

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1 Nephi 1:14 And it came to pass that when my father had read and saw many great and marvelous things, he did exclaim many things unto the Lord, such as: Great and marvelous are thy works, O Lord God Almighty. Thy throne is high in the heavens, and thy power and goodness and mercy is over all the inhabitants of the earth. And because thou art merciful, thou wilt not suffer those who come unto thee that they shall perish.

1 Nephi 1:15 And after this manner was the language of my father in the praising of his God, for his soul did rejoice and his whole heart was filled because of the things which he had seen, yea, which the Lord had shewn unto him.

1 Nephi 1:16 And now I Nephi do not make a full account of the things which my father hath written, for he hath written many things which he saw in visions and in dreams. And he also hath written many things which he prophesied and spake unto his children, of which I shall not make a full account.

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…​that will make an abridgment.

KJV Bible, 1769, II Maccabees 2:31

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1 Nephi 1:17 But I shall make an account of my proceedings in my days. Behold, I make an abridgment of the record of my father upon plates which I have made with mine own hands. Wherefore after that I have abridged the record of my father, then will I make an account of mine own life.

1 Nephi 1:18 Therefore I would that ye should know that after the Lord had shewn so many marvelous things unto my father Lehi, yea, concerning the destruction of Jerusalem, behold, he went forth among the people and began to prophesy and to declare unto them concerning the things which he had both seen and heard.

1 Nephi 1:19 And it came to pass that the Jews did mock him because of the things which he testified of them, for he truly testified of their wickedness and their abominations. And he testified that the things which he saw and heard, and also the things which he read in the book, manifested plainly of the coming of a Messiah and also the redemption of the world.

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When they heard these things…​

KJV Bible, 1769, Acts 7:54

…​which killest the prophets, and stonest them…​

KJV Bible, 1769, Acts 13:34

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1 Nephi 1:20 And when the Jews heard these things, they were angry with him, yea, even as with the prophets of old, whom they had cast out and stoned and slain. And they also sought his life that they might take it away. But behold, I Nephi will shew unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord is over all them whom he hath chosen because of their faith to make them mighty, even unto the power of deliverance.