3 Nephi 9
People in this chapter
The people are sitting in a darkness so thick no fire will burn. They have lost whole cities, and their families with them. Then a voice is heard among all the inhabitants of the earth, upon all the face of this land (v. 1).
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3 Nephi 9:1-2A Voice Heard among All the Inhabitants
1And it came to pass that there was a voice heard among all the inhabitants of the earth, upon all the face of this land, crying: 2Wo, wo, wo unto this people; wo unto the inhabitants of the whole earth except they shall repent; for the devil laugheth, and his angels rejoice, because of the slain of the fair sons and daughters of my people; and it is because of their iniquity and abominations that they are fallen!
In the middle of the darkness, everyone in the land hears a voice. They can't see anything, but they can all hear.
The voice begins with wo, wo, wo, words of mourning. The people fell because of their iniquity. Satan laughs at their destruction.
Satan and his angels rejoice when people are destroyed. Heaven rejoices when even one person repents.
3 Nephi 9:3-12That the Blood of the Prophets Shall Not Cry unto Me
3Behold, that great city Zarahemla have I burned with fire, and the inhabitants thereof. 4And behold, that great city Moroni have I caused to be sunk in the depths of the sea, and the inhabitants thereof to be drowned. 5And behold, that great city Moronihah have I covered with earth, and the inhabitants thereof, to hide their iniquities and their abominations from before my face, that the blood of the prophets and the saints shall not come any more unto me against them.
The voice names the cities that were destroyed and takes responsibility: have I burned, have I caused. The reason given is the people's wickedness and the blood of the prophets they had killed.
6And behold, the city of Gilgal have I caused to be sunk, and the inhabitants thereof to be buried up in the depths of the earth; 7Yea, and the city of Onihah and the inhabitants thereof, and the city of Mocum and the inhabitants thereof, and the city of Jerusalem and the inhabitants thereof; and waters have I caused to come up in the stead thereof, to hide their wickedness and abominations from before my face, that the blood of the prophets and the saints shall not come up any more unto me against them. 8And behold, the city of Gadiandi, and the city of Gadiomnah, and the city of Jacob, and the city of Gimgimno, all these have I caused to be sunk, and made hills and valleys in the places thereof; and the inhabitants thereof have I buried up in the depths of the earth, to hide their wickedness and abominations from before my face, that the blood of the prophets and the saints should not come up any more unto me against them. 9And behold, that great city Jacobugath, which was inhabited by the people of king Jacob, have I caused to be burned with fire because of their sins and their wickedness, which was above all the wickedness of the whole earth, because of their secret murders and combinations; for it was they that did destroy the peace of my people and the government of the land; therefore I did cause them to be burned, to destroy them from before my face, that the blood of the prophets and the saints should not come up unto me any more against them.
Jacobugath, the city of king Jacob's people, was burned for its secret murders and combinations. Those combinations had destroyed the peace and government of the land.
10And behold, the city of Laman, and the city of Josh, and the city of Gad, and the city of Kishkumen, have I caused to be burned with fire, and the inhabitants thereof, because of their wickedness in casting out the prophets, and stoning those whom I did send to declare unto them concerning their wickedness and their abominations. 11And because they did cast them all out, that there were none righteous among them, I did send down fire and destroy them, that their wickedness and abominations might be hid from before my face, that the blood of the prophets and the saints whom I sent among them might not cry unto me from the ground against them. 12And many great destructions have I caused to come upon this land, and upon this people, because of their wickedness and their abominations.
Other cities were burned for casting out and stoning the prophets. When they had driven out every righteous person, destruction came.
3 Nephi 9:13-14That I May Heal You
13O all ye that are spared because ye were more righteous than they, will ye not now return unto me, and repent of your sins, and be converted, that I may heal you? 14Yea, verily I say unto you, if ye will come unto me ye shall have eternal life. Behold, mine arm of mercy is extended towards you, and whosoever will come, him will I receive; and blessed are those who come unto me.
The Lord's arm of mercy is stretched out toward them. Whoever comes to Him, He will receive.
3 Nephi 9:15-18I Am Jesus Christ the Son of God
15Behold, I am Jesus Christ the Son of God. I created the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are. I was with the Father from the beginning. I am in the Father, and the Father in me; and in me hath the Father glorified his name. 16I came unto my own, and my own received me not. And the scriptures concerning my coming are fulfilled. 17And as many as have received me, to them have I given to become the sons of God; and even so will I to as many as shall believe on my name, for behold, by me redemption cometh, and in me is the law of Moses fulfilled. 18I am the light and the life of the world. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end.
Jesus says He created the heavens and the earth, was with the Father from the beginning, and is one with the Father. The Father and the Son are separate beings, perfectly united.
Jesus says that the scriptures about His coming are fulfilled, that redemption comes through Him, and that the law of Moses is fulfilled in Him.
3 Nephi 9:19-22A Broken Heart and a Contrite Spirit
19And ye shall offer up unto me no more the shedding of blood; yea, your sacrifices and your burnt offerings shall be done away, for I will accept none of your sacrifices and your burnt offerings. 20And ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit. And whoso cometh unto me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, him will I baptize with fire and with the Holy Ghost, even as the Lamanites, because of their faith in me at the time of their conversion, were baptized with fire and with the Holy Ghost, and they knew it not.
Those who come to Christ with a broken heart will be baptized with fire and the Holy Ghost. Some Lamanites had received this gift and didn't even realize it.
21Behold, I have come unto the world to bring redemption unto the world, to save the world from sin. 22Therefore, whoso repenteth and cometh unto me as a little child, him will I receive, for of such is the kingdom of God. Behold, for such I have laid down my life, and have taken it up again; therefore repent, and come unto me ye ends of the earth, and be saved.
Jesus says He came to save the world from sin. Whoever comes to Him like a little child, He will receive. He laid down His life for them and invites the whole earth to come.
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.
- Jesus ChristScriptures on the titles the voice uses for Himself in verses 15-18: Son of God, Creator, Light of the World, Alpha and Omega.
- Broken HeartGathers the scriptures on the offering the Lord asks for in verse 20.
- SacrificeExplains how animal sacrifice pointed to Christ and why it ended with His sacrifice (v. 19).
- Law of MosesBackground for the Savior's words in me is the law of Moses fulfilled (v. 17).
- Holy GhostScriptures on the baptism with fire and with the Holy Ghost promised in verse 20.
Where this echoes in Scripture
A Voice Heard among All the Inhabitants
- 1 Nephi 19:11Some with his voice, because of their righteousness... and others with the thunderings and the lightnings of his power.Zenos foresaw both the thunder and the voice.
- Moses 7:26-28He looked up and laughed, and his angels rejoiced... and the God of heaven... wept.Enoch saw the same contrast.
- Luke 15:7Joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth.
- 2 Nephi 2:27He seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself.Why the adversary laughs.
That the Blood of the Prophets Shall Not Cry unto Me
- Genesis 4:10The voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground.
- Ether 8:22The blood of his saints... shall always cry unto him from the ground for vengeance upon them and yet he avenge them not.
- Helaman 13:12-14It is because of those who are righteous that it is saved.Samuel's warning to Zarahemla.
- 2 Nephi 26:3They perish because they cast out the prophets, and the saints, and stone them, and slay them.Nephi's prophecy of these days.
- Genesis 18:32I will not destroy it for ten's sake.
That I May Heal You
- Matthew 13:15Lest at any time they should... understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
- Alma 5:33Behold, he sendeth an invitation unto all men, for the arms of mercy are extended towards them.
- Deuteronomy 26:8The LORD brought us forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm.
- Matthew 11:28Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
I Am Jesus Christ the Son of God
- John 1:1-12He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God.The passage verses 15-18 echo.
- Mosiah 3:8Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Father of heaven and earth, the Creator of all things from the beginning.
- Moses 1:33Worlds without number have I created... and by the Son I created them, which is mine Only Begotten.
- John 17:21That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee.
- 3 Nephi 15:4-5Behold, I am he that gave the law... the law in me is fulfilled.He explains verse 17 when He stands among them.
A Broken Heart and a Contrite Spirit
- Psalm 51:17The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
- Hebrews 10:10-12We are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
- Alma 34:13-14This is the whole meaning of the law, every whit pointing to that great and last sacrifice.
- D&C 59:8Thou shalt offer a sacrifice unto the Lord thy God in righteousness, even that of a broken heart and a contrite spirit.
- John 10:17-18I lay down my life, that I might take it again... I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again.