1 Nephi 13
People in this chapter
Chapter 13 reaches across the centuries after Christ. Nephi sees the nations and kingdoms of the Gentiles, a church founded by the devil, a man crossing the ocean, nations fighting for their freedom, and a book carried from land to land. It reads almost like a history lesson, except that it was written about six hundred years before Christ.
Much of the chapter is about a book. Nephi sees the Bible go forth from the Jews in purity, and then sees many plain and precious things taken away from it. He sees what happens to people who read the Bible without them: they stumble.
Tap any highlighted phrase to jump to the commentary that unpacks it.
1 Nephi 13:1-9The Formation of a Great Church
1And it came to pass that the angel spake unto me, saying: Look! And I looked and beheld many nations and kingdoms. 2And the angel said unto me: What beholdest thou? And I said: I behold many nations and kingdoms. 3And he said unto me: These are the nations and kingdoms of the Gentiles.
The angel shows Nephi the nations of the Gentiles, the peoples who are not of the house of Israel. Much of what follows happens among them.
4And it came to pass that I saw among the nations of the Gentiles the formation of a great church. 5And the angel said unto me: Behold the formation of a church which is most abominable above all other churches, which slayeth the saints of God, yea, and tortureth them and bindeth them down, and yoketh them with a yoke of iron, and bringeth them down into captivity. 6And it came to pass that I beheld this great and abominable church; and I saw the devil that he was the founder of it.
Nephi sees a great church that persecutes the Saints of God. Its founder is the devil. Nephi later learns there are only two churches: the church of the Lamb and the church of the devil. It stands for everything that fights against God.
7And I also saw gold, and silver, and silks, and scarlets, and fine-twined linen, and all manner of precious clothing; and I saw many harlots. 8And the angel spake unto me, saying: Behold the gold, and the silver, and the silks, and the scarlets, and the fine-twined linen, and the precious clothing, and the harlots, are the desires of this great and abominable church. 9And also for the praise of the world do they destroy the saints of God, and bring them down into captivity.
This church wants gold, silver, fine clothes, immorality, and the praise of the world. Those desires are what drive it to destroy the Saints.
1 Nephi 13:10-19A Man among the Gentiles
10And it came to pass that I looked and beheld many waters; and they divided the Gentiles from the seed of my brethren. 11And it came to pass that the angel said unto me: Behold the wrath of God is upon the seed of thy brethren. 12And I looked and beheld a man among the Gentiles, who was separated from the seed of my brethren by the many waters; and I beheld the Spirit of God, that it came down and wrought upon the man; and he went forth upon the many waters, even unto the seed of my brethren, who were in the promised land.
Nephi sees many waters separating the Gentiles from his brothers' descendants. Then the Spirit of God moves a man to cross them. Latter-day Saints have long understood this man to be Christopher Columbus.
13And it came to pass that I beheld the Spirit of God, that it wrought upon other Gentiles; and they went forth out of captivity, upon the many waters. 14And it came to pass that I beheld many multitudes of the Gentiles upon the land of promise; and I beheld the wrath of God, that it was upon the seed of my brethren; and they were scattered before the Gentiles and were smitten.
Other Gentiles follow, coming out of captivity across the ocean. The Spirit works on them too.
The descendants of Nephi's brothers are scattered before the Gentiles and smitten. The Lord sees their suffering, and He promises they will not be destroyed (vv. 30-31).
15And I beheld the Spirit of the Lord, that it was upon the Gentiles, and they did prosper and obtain the land for their inheritance; and I beheld that they were white, and exceedingly fair and beautiful, like unto my people before they were slain. 16And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld that the Gentiles who had gone forth out of captivity did humble themselves before the Lord; and the power of the Lord was with them. 17And I beheld that their mother Gentiles were gathered together upon the waters, and upon the land also, to battle against them. 18And I beheld that the power of God was with them, and also that the wrath of God was upon all those that were gathered together against them to battle. 19And I, Nephi, beheld that the Gentiles that had gone out of captivity were delivered by the power of God out of the hands of all other nations.
The Spirit of the Lord is upon the Gentiles, and they prosper in the land. The Book of Mormon teaches that all are alike unto God (2 Nephi 26:33).
The Gentiles in the new land humble themselves, and when their mother Gentiles come to fight them, God delivers them. Latter-day Saint leaders have seen the American Revolution here, which prepared a land of freedom for the Restoration.
1 Nephi 13:20-29A Book Proceeding out of the Mouth of a Jew
20And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld that they did prosper in the land; and I beheld a book, and it was carried forth among them. 21And the angel said unto me: Knowest thou the meaning of the book? 22And I said unto him: I know not. 23And he said: Behold it proceedeth out of the mouth of a Jew. And I, Nephi, beheld it; and he said unto me: The book that thou beholdest is a record of the Jews, which contains the covenants of the Lord, which he hath made unto the house of Israel; and it also containeth many of the prophecies of the holy prophets; and it is a record like unto the engravings which are upon the plates of brass, save there are not so many; nevertheless, they contain the covenants of the Lord, which he hath made unto the house of Israel; wherefore, they are of great worth unto the Gentiles.
Nephi sees a book carried among the Gentiles. It is the Bible, a record of the Jews containing the Lord's covenants and the words of the prophets. The angel says it is of great worth.
24And the angel of the Lord said unto me: Thou hast beheld that the book proceeded forth from the mouth of a Jew; and when it proceeded forth from the mouth of a Jew it contained the fulness of the gospel of the Lord, of whom the twelve apostles bear record; and they bear record according to the truth which is in the Lamb of God. 25Wherefore, these things go forth from the Jews in purity unto the Gentiles, according to the truth which is in God.
When the Bible first went forth, it held the fulness of the gospel of the Lord, and it went out in purity. The twelve Apostles bore record of the Lamb according to the truth in Him.
26And after they go forth by the hand of the twelve apostles of the Lamb, from the Jews unto the Gentiles, thou seest the formation of that great and abominable church, which is most abominable above all other churches; for behold, they have taken away from the gospel of the Lamb many parts which are plain and most precious; and also many covenants of the Lord have they taken away. 27And all this have they done that they might pervert the right ways of the Lord, that they might blind the eyes and harden the hearts of the children of men. 28Wherefore, thou seest that after the book hath gone forth through the hands of the great and abominable church, that there are many plain and precious things taken away from the book, which is the book of the Lamb of God. 29And after these plain and precious things were taken away it goeth forth unto all the nations of the Gentiles; and after it goeth forth unto all the nations of the Gentiles, yea, even across the many waters which thou hast seen with the Gentiles which have gone forth out of captivity, thou seest—because of the many plain and precious things which have been taken out of the book, which were plain unto the understanding of the children of men, according to the plainness which is in the Lamb of God—because of these things which are taken away out of the gospel of the Lamb, an exceedingly great many do stumble, yea, insomuch that Satan hath great power over them.
After the Apostles, many parts which are plain and most precious, and many covenants, were taken from the gospel. The angel says this was done to pervert the right ways of the Lord.
Because the plain and precious things were missing, an exceedingly great many do stumble. People who sincerely love the Bible can still lose their way without them.
1 Nephi 13:30-37I Will Be Merciful unto the Gentiles, Saith the Lamb
30Nevertheless, thou beholdest that the Gentiles who have gone forth out of captivity, and have been lifted up by the power of God above all other nations, upon the face of the land which is choice above all other lands, which is the land that the Lord God hath covenanted with thy father that his seed should have for the land of their inheritance; wherefore, thou seest that the Lord God will not suffer that the Gentiles will utterly destroy the mixture of thy seed, which are among thy brethren. 31Neither will he suffer that the Gentiles shall destroy the seed of thy brethren. 32Neither will the Lord God suffer that the Gentiles shall forever remain in that awful state of blindness, which thou beholdest they are in, because of the plain and most precious parts of the gospel of the Lamb which have been kept back by that abominable church, whose formation thou hast seen. 33Wherefore saith the Lamb of God: I will be merciful unto the Gentiles, unto the visiting of the remnant of the house of Israel in great judgment.
Three promises: the Lord will not let Nephi's descendants or his brothers' be destroyed, and He will not leave the Gentiles in blindness forever.
34And it came to pass that the angel of the Lord spake unto me, saying: Behold, saith the Lamb of God, after I have visited the remnant of the house of Israel—and this remnant of whom I speak is the seed of thy father—wherefore, after I have visited them in judgment, and smitten them by the hand of the Gentiles, and after the Gentiles do stumble exceedingly, because of the most plain and precious parts of the gospel of the Lamb which have been kept back by that abominable church, which is the mother of harlots, saith the Lamb—I will be merciful unto the Gentiles in that day, insomuch that I will bring forth unto them, in mine own power, much of my gospel, which shall be plain and precious, saith the Lamb. 35For, behold, saith the Lamb: I will manifest myself unto thy seed, that they shall write many things which I shall minister unto them, which shall be plain and precious; and after thy seed shall be destroyed, and dwindle in unbelief, and also the seed of thy brethren, behold, these things shall be hid up, to come forth unto the Gentiles, by the gift and power of the Lamb. 36And in them shall be written my gospel, saith the Lamb, and my rock and my salvation.
Nephi's descendants will write what the Savior teaches them. The record will be hidden up and come forth to the Gentiles by the gift and power of the Lamb. That record is the Book of Mormon.
37And blessed are they who shall seek to bring forth my Zion at that day, for they shall have the gift and the power of the Holy Ghost; and if they endure unto the end they shall be lifted up at the last day, and shall be saved in the everlasting kingdom of the Lamb; and whoso shall publish peace, yea, tidings of great joy, how beautiful upon the mountains shall they be.
The Lamb blesses those who seek to bring forth my Zion. They will have the Holy Ghost, and if they endure they will be saved. Those who share the gospel are beautiful to Him.
1 Nephi 13:38-42These Last Records Shall Establish the Truth of the First
38And it came to pass that I beheld the remnant of the seed of my brethren, and also the book of the Lamb of God, which had proceeded forth from the mouth of the Jew, that it came forth from the Gentiles unto the remnant of the seed of my brethren. 39And after it had come forth unto them I beheld other books, which came forth by the power of the Lamb, from the Gentiles unto them, unto the convincing of the Gentiles and the remnant of the seed of my brethren, and also the Jews who were scattered upon all the face of the earth, that the records of the prophets and of the twelve apostles of the Lamb are true.
Nephi sees the Bible come to his brothers' descendants. Then other books come forth by the power of the Lamb. Their purpose is to convince everyone that the Bible is true.
40And the angel spake unto me, saying: These last records, which thou hast seen among the Gentiles, shall establish the truth of the first, which are of the twelve apostles of the Lamb, and shall make known the plain and precious things which have been taken away from them; and shall make known to all kindreds, tongues, and people, that the Lamb of God is the Son of the Eternal Father, and the Savior of the world; and that all men must come unto him, or they cannot be saved. 41And they must come according to the words which shall be established by the mouth of the Lamb; and the words of the Lamb shall be made known in the records of thy seed, as well as in the records of the twelve apostles of the Lamb; wherefore they both shall be established in one; for there is one God and one Shepherd over all the earth.
42And the time cometh that he shall manifest himself unto all nations, both unto the Jews and also unto the Gentiles; and after he has manifested himself unto the Jews and also unto the Gentiles, then he shall manifest himself unto the Gentiles and also unto the Jews, and the last shall be first, and the first shall be last.
The Lord will show Himself to all nations. The gospel went first to the Jews, then to the Gentiles. In the last days it goes first to the Gentiles and then back to the Jews.
Research trail
Sources & further study
These references support the historical, linguistic, manuscript, and contextual notes in this chapter. Scripture remains the primary text; external sources are provided so readers can inspect the research directly.
- Devil: The church of the devilThe Church's scripture guide defines the church of the devil as every evil and worldly organization that perverts the gospel and fights against the Lamb of God, citing verse 6 and 1 Nephi 14:10.
- Why Did Nephi Prophesy of Christopher Columbus?Explains why Latter-day Saints identify the man in verse 12 as Christopher Columbus.
- Were Plain and Precious Doctrines Lost?Surveys what scholars have found about how early Christian texts and practices changed in the centuries after the Apostles, in light of verses 26-29.
- Joseph Smith Translation (JST)Joseph Smith's inspired revision of the King James Bible, one of the ways the Lord began restoring plain and precious things to the Bible itself.
- Race and the PriesthoodThe Church's statement disavowing past theories that dark skin is a sign of divine disfavor or curse. Important background for reading verse 15.
- ApostasyThe Church's overview of the Great Apostasy after the deaths of the Apostles and the Restoration that ended it, the history verses 24-36 foresee.
Where this echoes in Scripture
The Formation of a Great Church
- 1 Nephi 14:10There are save two churches only; the one is the church of the Lamb of God, and the other is the church of the devil.The angel's own definition, one chapter later.
- Revelation 17:4-5Arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold… MOTHER OF HARLOTS.John saw the same figure.
- D&C 18:20Contend against no church, save it be the church of the devil.
- 1 Nephi 22:14All that fight against Zion shall be destroyed.
A Man among the Gentiles
- 2 Nephi 1:6-8This land should be kept as yet from the knowledge of other nations.Lehi's prophecy about the land.
- 1 Nephi 13:30-31The Lord God will not suffer that the Gentiles will utterly destroy the mixture of thy seed.The promise in the same chapter.
- 3 Nephi 16:10When the Gentiles shall sin against my gospel… I will bring the fulness of my gospel from among them.The Savior's warning to the Gentiles.
- D&C 101:80I established the Constitution of this land, by the hands of wise men whom I raised up unto this very purpose.
- 2 Nephi 26:33He denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and free… all are alike unto God.
A Book Proceeding out of the Mouth of a Jew
- 2 Nephi 29:4-6What thank they the Jews for the Bible which they receive from them?The Lord defends the people who gave us the Bible.
- Amos 8:11-12A famine in the land… of hearing the words of the LORD.An apostasy foretold in the Old Testament.
- 2 Thessalonians 2:3That day shall not come, except there come a falling away first.Paul foresaw the apostasy.
- Articles of Faith 1:8We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly.
- Moses 1:41When the children of men shall esteem my words as naught and take many of them from the book… I will raise up another like unto thee.The Lord told Moses the same thing would happen.
I Will Be Merciful unto the Gentiles, Saith the Lamb
- Isaiah 52:7How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace.
- Mosiah 15:18How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that is the founder of peace.Abinadi applies the verse to the Lord.
- Helaman 5:12It is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation.
- Joseph Smith—History 1:33-34There was a book deposited, written upon gold plates.The hidden record comes forth.
- Moses 7:18The Lord called his people Zion, because they were of one heart and one mind.
These Last Records Shall Establish the Truth of the First
- Ezekiel 37:16-17Take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah… and another stick… For Joseph… and they shall become one in thine hand.
- 2 Nephi 3:12That which shall be written by the fruit of thy loins, and also… by the fruit of the loins of Judah, shall grow together.
- Mormon 7:9This is written for the intent that ye may believe that.The Book of Mormon testifies of the Bible.
- John 10:16Other sheep I have, which are not of this fold… and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.
- Matthew 20:16So the last shall be first, and the first last.