2 Nephi 26
People in this chapter
In the last chapter Nephi told the story of the Jews and their Messiah. Now he turns to his own descendants. He has seen their future in vision (1 Nephi 12), and he tells it plainly: the risen Christ will come to them, they will live in peace for generations, and then they will fall. It is hard for him to write. O the pain, and the anguish of my soul for the loss of the slain of my people! (v. 7).
Tap any highlighted phrase to jump to the commentary that unpacks it.
2 Nephi 26:1-3He Shall Show Himself unto You
1And after Christ shall have risen from the dead he shall show himself unto you, my children, and my beloved brethren; and the words which he shall speak unto you shall be the law which ye shall do. 2For behold, I say unto you that I have beheld that many generations shall pass away, and there shall be great wars and contentions among my people. 3And after the Messiah shall come there shall be signs given unto my people of his birth, and also of his death and resurrection; and great and terrible shall that day be unto the wicked, for they shall perish; and they perish because they cast out the prophets, and the saints, and stone them, and slay them; wherefore the cry of the blood of the saints shall ascend up to God from the ground against them.
There would be signs of Christ's birth, death, and Resurrection among the Nephites. Samuel the Lamanite later named them, and they all came to pass.
2 Nephi 26:4-11The Son of Righteousness Shall Appear unto Them
4Wherefore, all those who are proud, and that do wickedly, the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of Hosts, for they shall be as stubble. 5And they that kill the prophets, and the saints, the depths of the earth shall swallow them up, saith the Lord of Hosts; and mountains shall cover them, and whirlwinds shall carry them away, and buildings shall fall upon them and crush them to pieces and grind them to powder. 6And they shall be visited with thunderings, and lightnings, and earthquakes, and all manner of destructions, for the fire of the anger of the Lord shall be kindled against them, and they shall be as stubble, and the day that cometh shall consume them, saith the Lord of Hosts. 7O the pain, and the anguish of my soul for the loss of the slain of my people! For I, Nephi, have seen it, and it well nigh consumeth me before the presence of the Lord; but I must cry unto my God: Thy ways are just.
Nephi describes the destruction that would come at the Savior's death: fire, earthquakes, whirlwinds, cities sunk. It happened just as he said (3 Nephi 8-9).
Seeing his people's destruction nearly overwhelms Nephi. Still he prays, Thy ways are just.
8But behold, the righteous that hearken unto the words of the prophets, and destroy them not, but look forward unto Christ with steadfastness for the signs which are given, notwithstanding all persecution—behold, they are they which shall not perish. 9But the Son of Righteousness shall appear unto them; and he shall heal them, and they shall have peace with him, until three generations shall have passed away, and many of the fourth generation shall have passed away in righteousness.
The righteous who wait for Christ will not perish. The Savior will come, heal them, and give them peace for generations.
10And when these things have passed away a speedy destruction cometh unto my people; for, notwithstanding the pains of my soul, I have seen it; wherefore, I know that it shall come to pass; and they sell themselves for naught; for, for the reward of their pride and their foolishness they shall reap destruction; for because they yield unto the devil and choose works of darkness rather than light, therefore they must go down to hell. 11For the Spirit of the Lord will not always strive with man. And when the Spirit ceaseth to strive with man then cometh speedy destruction, and this grieveth my soul.
2 Nephi 26:12-19Their Speech Shall Whisper out of the Dust
12And as I spake concerning the convincing of the Jews, that Jesus is the very Christ, it must needs be that the Gentiles be convinced also that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God; 13And that he manifesteth himself unto all those who believe in him, by the power of the Holy Ghost; yea, unto every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, working mighty miracles, signs, and wonders, among the children of men according to their faith.
Nephi's record must convince both Jews and Gentiles that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God. He shows Himself to believers in every nation by the Holy Ghost.
14But behold, I prophesy unto you concerning the last days; concerning the days when the Lord God shall bring these things forth unto the children of men. 15After my seed and the seed of my brethren shall have dwindled in unbelief, and shall have been smitten by the Gentiles; yea, after the Lord God shall have camped against them round about, and shall have laid siege against them with a mount, and raised forts against them; and after they shall have been brought down low in the dust, even that they are not, yet the words of the righteous shall be written, and the prayers of the faithful shall be heard, and all those who have dwindled in unbelief shall not be forgotten. 16For those who shall be destroyed shall speak unto them out of the ground, and their speech shall be low out of the dust, and their voice shall be as one that hath a familiar spirit; for the Lord God will give unto him power, that he may whisper concerning them, even as it were out of the ground; and their speech shall whisper out of the dust. 17For thus saith the Lord God: They shall write the things which shall be done among them, and they shall be written and sealed up in a book, and those who have dwindled in unbelief shall not have them, for they seek to destroy the things of God.
Nephi borrows Isaiah's words: a destroyed people will speak out of the dust. Their record, buried in the earth, will come forth and speak to the world.
18Wherefore, as those who have been destroyed have been destroyed speedily; and the multitude of their terrible ones shall be as chaff that passeth away—yea, thus saith the Lord God: It shall be at an instant, suddenly— 19And it shall come to pass, that those who have dwindled in unbelief shall be smitten by the hand of the Gentiles.
2 Nephi 26:20-28Come unto Me All Ye Ends of the Earth
20And the Gentiles are lifted up in the pride of their eyes, and have stumbled, because of the greatness of their stumbling block, that they have built up many churches; nevertheless, they put down the power and miracles of God, and preach up unto themselves their own wisdom and their own learning, that they may get gain and grind upon the face of the poor. 21And there are many churches built up which cause envyings, and strifes, and malice. 22And there are also secret combinations, even as in times of old, according to the combinations of the devil, for he is the founder of all these things; yea, the founder of murder, and works of darkness; yea, and he leadeth them by the neck with a flaxen cord, until he bindeth them with his strong cords forever. 23For behold, my beloved brethren, I say unto you that the Lord God worketh not in darkness.
In the last days many would trust their own learning, use religion for gain, and push aside God's power and miracles.
The devil leads people with a thin flax thread at first, then binds them with strong cords. But the Lord does not work in darkness.
24He doeth not anything save it be for the benefit of the world; for he loveth the world, even that he layeth down his own life that he may draw all men unto him. Wherefore, he commandeth none that they shall not partake of his salvation. 25Behold, doth he cry unto any, saying: Depart from me? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; but he saith: Come unto me all ye ends of the earth, buy milk and honey, without money and without price.
Does the Lord ever say "Depart from me"? Nephi answers: Nay. He says, Come unto me, and His salvation is free.
26Behold, hath he commanded any that they should depart out of the synagogues, or out of the houses of worship? Behold, I say unto you, Nay. 27Hath he commanded any that they should not partake of his salvation? Behold I say unto you, Nay; but he hath given it free for all men; and he hath commanded his people that they should persuade all men to repentance. 28Behold, hath the Lord commanded any that they should not partake of his goodness? Behold I say unto you, Nay; but all men are privileged the one like unto the other, and none are forbidden.
2 Nephi 26:29-33All Are Alike unto God
29He commandeth that there shall be no priestcrafts; for, behold, priestcrafts are that men preach and set themselves up for a light unto the world, that they may get gain and praise of the world; but they seek not the welfare of Zion. 30Behold, the Lord hath forbidden this thing; wherefore, the Lord God hath given a commandment that all men should have charity, which charity is love. And except they should have charity they were nothing. Wherefore, if they should have charity they would not suffer the laborer in Zion to perish. 31But the laborer in Zion shall labor for Zion; for if they labor for money they shall perish.
Priestcraft is preaching to get money or praise instead of to bless people. The Lord forbids it and commands charity instead.
32And again, the Lord God hath commanded that men should not murder; that they should not lie; that they should not steal; that they should not take the name of the Lord their God in vain; that they should not envy; that they should not have malice; that they should not contend one with another; that they should not commit whoredoms; and that they should do none of these things; for whoso doeth them shall perish.
33For none of these iniquities come of the Lord; for he doeth that which is good among the children of men; and he doeth nothing save it be plain unto the children of men; and he inviteth them all to come unto him and partake of his goodness; and he denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and free, male and female; and he remembereth the heathen; and all are alike unto God, both Jew and Gentile.
The Lord invites everyone to come to Him and denies none: black and white, bond and free, male and female. All are alike unto God.
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 Did Nephi Say That All Are Alike Unto God?Explains how startling verse 33 would have sounded in a world where each nation's god was thought to care only for its own people.
- PriestcraftDefines priestcraft using verse 29 and gathers the other scriptures that warn against preaching for gain or praise.
- CharityThe Church's summary of charity, the pure love of Christ, which Nephi sets against priestcraft in verse 30.
Where this echoes in Scripture
He Shall Show Himself unto You
- 1 Nephi 12:6I saw the heavens open, and the Lamb of God descending out of heaven; and he came down and showed himself unto them.Nephi's vision of the visit.
- 3 Nephi 11:8-10They saw a Man descending out of heaven... Behold, I am Jesus Christ, whom the prophets testified shall come into the world.The fulfillment.
- 3 Nephi 15:9Behold, I am the law, and the light. Look unto me, and endure to the end, and ye shall live.
- Helaman 14:3, 20In the night before he cometh there shall be no darkness... the sun shall be darkened.Samuel names the signs of birth and death.
The Son of Righteousness Shall Appear unto Them
- 3 Nephi 10:12It was the more righteous part of the people who were saved, and it was they who received the prophets and stoned them not.
- 3 Nephi 17:9He did heal them every one as they were brought forth unto him.
- Malachi 4:1-2All the proud... shall be stubble... unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings.
- 3 Nephi 27:32It sorroweth me because of the fourth generation from this generation.
- Genesis 6:3My spirit shall not always strive with man.
Their Speech Shall Whisper out of the Dust
- Isaiah 29:4Thou shalt be brought down, and shalt speak out of the ground, and thy speech shall be low out of the dust.The words Nephi borrows.
- Moroni 10:27Like as one crying from the dead, yea, even as one speaking out of the dust.
- Mormon 8:26Out of the earth shall they come, by the hand of the Lord, and none can stay it.
- Enos 1:13That the Lord God would preserve a record of my people... that it might be brought forth at some future day unto the Lamanites.Another prayer of the faithful for the same people.
Come unto Me All Ye Ends of the Earth
- John 12:32And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.
- 3 Nephi 27:14My Father sent me that I might be lifted up upon the cross... that I might draw all men unto me.
- Isaiah 55:1Come ye, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
- John 3:16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son.
- 1 Nephi 13:5-8A church which is most abominable above all other churches... the gold, and the silver... are the desires of this great and abominable church.Nephi's earlier vision of religion turned to gain.
All Are Alike unto God
- Galatians 3:28There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
- Acts 10:34-35God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.
- Alma 1:3-6Every priest and teacher ought to become popular; and they ought not to labor with their hands, but that they ought to be supported by the people.Nehor's priestcraft.
- 1 Corinthians 13:2Though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
- 3 Nephi 11:29He that hath the spirit of contention is not of me, but is of the devil.