2 Nephi 25
People in this chapter
Nephi has just copied thirteen chapters of Isaiah, and he knows his people found them hard. Isaiah spake many things which were hard for many of my people to understand (v. 1). So he gives two kinds of help. First he explains why Isaiah is hard and how to understand him. Then he sets Isaiah aside and prophesies according to my plainness (v. 7).
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2 Nephi 25:1-8My Soul Delighteth in Plainness
1Now I, Nephi, do speak somewhat concerning the words which I have written, which have been spoken by the mouth of Isaiah. For behold, Isaiah spake many things which were hard for many of my people to understand; for they know not concerning the manner of prophesying among the Jews. 2For I, Nephi, have not taught them many things concerning the manner of the Jews; for their works were works of darkness, and their doings were doings of abominations. 3Wherefore, I write unto my people, unto all those that shall receive hereafter these things which I write, that they may know the judgments of God, that they come upon all nations, according to the word which he hath spoken.
If Isaiah is hard for you, you are in good company. Nephi's own people found him hard. They didn't know the Jewish way of prophesying.
4Wherefore, hearken, O my people, which are of the house of Israel, and give ear unto my words; for because the words of Isaiah are not plain unto you, nevertheless they are plain unto all those that are filled with the spirit of prophecy. But I give unto you a prophecy, according to the spirit which is in me; wherefore I shall prophesy according to the plainness which hath been with me from the time that I came out from Jerusalem with my father; for behold, my soul delighteth in plainness unto my people, that they may learn.
Nephi gives the key to Isaiah: his words are plain unto all those that are filled with the spirit of prophecy. John says the spirit of prophecy is the testimony of Jesus.
Nephi says, my soul delighteth in plainness. He wants to be understood, so he will prophesy as plainly as he can.
5Yea, and my soul delighteth in the words of Isaiah, for I came out from Jerusalem, and mine eyes hath beheld the things of the Jews, and I know that the Jews do understand the things of the prophets, and there is none other people that understand the things which were spoken unto the Jews like unto them, save it be that they are taught after the manner of the things of the Jews. 6But behold, I, Nephi, have not taught my children after the manner of the Jews; but behold, I, of myself, have dwelt at Jerusalem, wherefore I know concerning the regions round about; and I have made mention unto my children concerning the judgments of God, which hath come to pass among the Jews, unto my children, according to all that which Isaiah hath spoken, and I do not write them. 7But behold, I proceed with mine own prophecy, according to my plainness; in the which I know that no man can err; nevertheless, in the days that the prophecies of Isaiah shall be fulfilled men shall know of a surety, at the times when they shall come to pass. 8Wherefore, they are of worth unto the children of men, and he that supposeth that they are not, unto them will I speak particularly, and confine the words unto mine own people; for I know that they shall be of great worth unto them in the last days; for in that day shall they understand them; wherefore, for their good have I written them.
Nephi loves Isaiah even though his people struggle with him. He says Isaiah will be of great worth... in the last days, when the prophecies come to pass.
2 Nephi 25:9-15He Shall Rise from the Dead
9And as one generation hath been destroyed among the Jews because of iniquity, even so have they been destroyed from generation to generation according to their iniquities; and never hath any of them been destroyed save it were foretold them by the prophets of the Lord. 10Wherefore, it hath been told them concerning the destruction which should come upon them, immediately after my father left Jerusalem; nevertheless, they hardened their hearts; and according to my prophecy they have been destroyed, save it be those which are carried away captive into Babylon. 11And now this I speak because of the spirit which is in me. And notwithstanding they have been carried away they shall return again, and possess the land of Jerusalem; wherefore, they shall be restored again to the land of their inheritance.
God always warns before destruction comes. Jerusalem was warned, and it fell, as Lehi said. Nephi also prophesies that the Jews will return.
12But, behold, they shall have wars, and rumors of wars; and when the day cometh that the Only Begotten of the Father, yea, even the Father of heaven and of earth, shall manifest himself unto them in the flesh, behold, they will reject him, because of their iniquities, and the hardness of their hearts, and the stiffness of their necks. 13Behold, they will crucify him; and after he is laid in a sepulchre for the space of three days he shall rise from the dead, with healing in his wings; and all those who shall believe on his name shall be saved in the kingdom of God. Wherefore, my soul delighteth to prophesy concerning him, for I have seen his day, and my heart doth magnify his holy name.
14And behold it shall come to pass that after the Messiah hath risen from the dead, and hath manifested himself unto his people, unto as many as will believe on his name, behold, Jerusalem shall be destroyed again; for wo unto them that fight against God and the people of his church. 15Wherefore, the Jews shall be scattered among all nations; yea, and also Babylon shall be destroyed; wherefore, the Jews shall be scattered by other nations.
2 Nephi 25:16-20None Other Name Given under Heaven
16And after they have been scattered, and the Lord God hath scourged them by other nations for the space of many generations, yea, even down from generation to generation until they shall be persuaded to believe in Christ, the Son of God, and the atonement, which is infinite for all mankind—and when that day shall come that they shall believe in Christ, and worship the Father in his name, with pure hearts and clean hands, and look not forward any more for another Messiah, then, at that time, the day will come that it must needs be expedient that they should believe these things. 17And the Lord will set his hand again the second time to restore his people from their lost and fallen state. Wherefore, he will proceed to do a marvelous work and a wonder among the children of men. 18Wherefore, he shall bring forth his words unto them, which words shall judge them at the last day, for they shall be given them for the purpose of convincing them of the true Messiah, who was rejected by them; and unto the convincing of them that they need not look forward any more for a Messiah to come, for there should not any come, save it should be a false Messiah which should deceive the people; for there is save one Messiah spoken of by the prophets, and that Messiah is he who should be rejected of the Jews.
The Jews will be gathered when they come to believe in Christ. The Lord will do a marvelous work and a wonder and bring forth His words to convince them. The Book of Mormon is part of that work.
19For according to the words of the prophets, the Messiah cometh in six hundred years from the time that my father left Jerusalem; and according to the words of the prophets, and also the word of the angel of God, his name shall be Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 20And now, my brethren, I have spoken plainly that ye cannot err. And as the Lord God liveth that brought Israel up out of the land of Egypt, and gave unto Moses power that he should heal the nations after they had been bitten by the poisonous serpents, if they would cast their eyes unto the serpent which he did raise up before them, and also gave him power that he should smite the rock and the water should come forth; yea, behold I say unto you, that as these things are true, and as the Lord God liveth, there is none other name given under heaven save it be this Jesus Christ, of which I have spoken, whereby man can be saved.
2 Nephi 25:21-23By Grace We Are Saved, After All We Can Do
21Wherefore, for this cause hath the Lord God promised unto me that these things which I write shall be kept and preserved, and handed down unto my seed, from generation to generation, that the promise may be fulfilled unto Joseph, that his seed should never perish as long as the earth should stand. 22Wherefore, these things shall go from generation to generation as long as the earth shall stand; and they shall go according to the will and pleasure of God; and the nations who shall possess them shall be judged of them according to the words which are written.
The Lord promised Nephi that his record would be preserved for his descendants. We now hold it, and we will be judged by what we do with it.
23For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.
We are saved by Christ's grace. "After all we can do" does not mean we earn grace or that it waits until we have done everything. What we can do is believe in Christ and be reconciled to God, and His grace helps us every step.
2 Nephi 25:24-27We Talk of Christ, We Rejoice in Christ
24And, notwithstanding we believe in Christ, we keep the law of Moses, and look forward with steadfastness unto Christ, until the law shall be fulfilled. 25For, for this end was the law given; wherefore the law hath become dead unto us, and we are made alive in Christ because of our faith; yet we keep the law because of the commandments.
Nephi's people kept the law of Moses, but they knew it pointed to Christ. The law had no power to save by itself. Life comes from Christ.
26And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins. 27Wherefore, we speak concerning the law that our children may know the deadness of the law; and they, by knowing the deadness of the law, may look forward unto that life which is in Christ, and know for what end the law was given. And after the law is fulfilled in Christ, that they need not harden their hearts against him when the law ought to be done away.
2 Nephi 25:28-30The Right Way Is to Believe in Christ
28And now behold, my people, ye are a stiffnecked people; wherefore, I have spoken plainly unto you, that ye cannot misunderstand. And the words which I have spoken shall stand as a testimony against you; for they are sufficient to teach any man the right way; for the right way is to believe in Christ and deny him not; for by denying him ye also deny the prophets and the law. 29And now behold, I say unto you that the right way is to believe in Christ, and deny him not; and Christ is the Holy One of Israel; wherefore ye must bow down before him, and worship him with all your might, mind, and strength, and your whole soul; and if ye do this ye shall in nowise be cast out. 30And, inasmuch as it shall be expedient, ye must keep the performances and ordinances of God until the law shall be fulfilled which was given unto Moses.
Nephi says it twice: the right way is to believe in Christ and deny him not. Christ is the Holy One of Israel Isaiah wrote about. Worship Him with everything you have.
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.
- Why Does Nephi State that We Are Saved by Grace “After All We Can Do”?Reads verse 23 alongside Jacob's words in 2 Nephi 10:24, where being reconciled unto God comes first and salvation comes only in and through the grace of God. Notes that God's grace sustains us before, during, and after our efforts.
- Jared W. Ludlow, “After All We Can Do” (2 Nephi 25:23)Argues that the phrase should be read in its setting, where Nephi's people were keeping the law of Moses while looking forward to Christ (vv. 24-27).
- GraceThe Church's summary of grace as the divine help and strength given through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, a gift we receive rather than earn.
Where this echoes in Scripture
My Soul Delighteth in Plainness
- Revelation 19:10The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
- 2 Nephi 31:3He speaketh unto men according to their language, unto their understanding.
- 3 Nephi 23:1Ye ought to search these things. Yea, a commandment I give unto you that ye search these things diligently; for great are the words of Isaiah.
- 2 Nephi 11:2My soul delighteth in his words... for he verily saw my Redeemer, even as I have seen him.
He Shall Rise from the Dead
- Malachi 4:2Unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings.
- Mosiah 3:8Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Father of heaven and earth, the Creator of all things from the beginning.
- Luke 24:6-7He is not here, but is risen... the third day rise again.
- Ezra 1:1-3Who is there among you of all his people?... let him go up to Jerusalem.The return Nephi foretold in verse 11.
- Luke 21:20-24When ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.
None Other Name Given under Heaven
- Acts 4:12There is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
- John 3:14-15As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up.
- Numbers 21:8-9Every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.
- 1 Nephi 17:41Because of the simpleness of the way, or the easiness of it, there were many who perished.
- 3 Nephi 1:1, 13Six hundred years from the time that Lehi left Jerusalem... on the morrow come I into the world.Nephi's prophecy fulfilled to the year.
By Grace We Are Saved, After All We Can Do
- 2 Nephi 10:24Remember, after ye are reconciled unto God, that it is only in and through the grace of God that ye are saved.Jacob's version of the same teaching.
- Ephesians 2:8-9For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.
- Mosiah 2:21If ye should serve him with all your whole souls yet ye would be unprofitable servants.
- Moroni 10:32Come unto Christ, and be perfected in him... his grace is sufficient for you.
- Ether 12:27My grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me.
We Talk of Christ, We Rejoice in Christ
- 2 Nephi 11:4All things which have been given of God from the beginning of the world, unto man, are the typifying of him.
- Jacob 4:5We keep the law of Moses, it pointing our souls to him.
- 3 Nephi 9:17In me is the law of Moses fulfilled.
- John 14:6I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
- Deuteronomy 6:6-7Thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house.
The Right Way Is to Believe in Christ
- Deuteronomy 6:5Thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
- John 6:37Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
- D&C 4:2Serve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength.
- 1 Nephi 22:21This prophet of whom Moses spake was the Holy One of Israel.