1 Naquele tempo todos os povos falavam uma língua só, todos usavam as mesmas palavras. 2 Alguns partiram do Oriente e chegaram a uma planície em Sinar, onde ficaram morando. 3 Um dia disseram uns aos outros:

— Vamos, pessoal! Vamos fazer tijolos queimados!

Assim, eles tinham tijolos para construir, em vez de pedras, e usavam piche, em vez de massa de pedreiro. 4 Aí disseram:

— Agora vamos construir uma cidade que tenha uma torre que chegue até o céu. Assim ficaremos famosos e não seremos espalhados pelo mundo inteiro.

5 Então o Senhor desceu para ver a cidade e a torre que aquela gente estava construindo. 6 O Senhor disse assim:

— Essa gente é um povo só, e todos falam uma só língua. Isso que eles estão fazendo é apenas o começo. Logo serão capazes de fazer o que quiserem. 7 Vamos descer e atrapalhar a língua que eles falam, a fim de que um não entenda o que o outro está dizendo.

8 Assim, o Senhor os espalhou pelo mundo inteiro, e eles pararam de construir a cidade. 9 A cidade recebeu o nome de Babel , pois ali o Senhor atrapalhou a língua falada por todos os moradores da terra e dali os espalhou pelo mundo inteiro.

10 São estes os descendentes de Sem. Dois anos depois do dilúvio, quando Sem tinha cem anos, nasceu o seu filho Arpaxade. 11 Depois disso Sem viveu mais quinhentos anos e foi pai de outros filhos e filhas.

12 Quando tinha trinta e cinco anos, Arpaxade foi pai de um filho chamado Selá. 13 Depois disso Arpaxade viveu mais quatrocentos e três anos e foi pai de outros filhos e filhas.

14 Quando Selá tinha trinta anos, nasceu o seu filho Éber. 15 Depois disso Selá viveu mais quatrocentos e três anos e foi pai de outros filhos e filhas.

16 Quando Éber tinha trinta e quatro anos, nasceu o seu filho Pelegue. 17 Depois disso Éber viveu mais quatrocentos e trinta anos e foi pai de outros filhos e filhas.

18 Quando tinha trinta anos, Pelegue foi pai de um filho chamado Reú. 19 Depois disso Pelegue viveu mais duzentos e nove anos e foi pai de outros filhos e filhas.

20 Quando Reú tinha trinta e dois anos, nasceu o seu filho Serugue. 21 Depois disso Reú viveu mais duzentos e sete anos e foi pai de outros filhos e filhas.

22 Quando Serugue tinha trinta anos, nasceu o seu filho Naor. 23 Depois disso Serugue viveu mais duzentos anos e foi pai de outros filhos e filhas.

24 Quando Naor tinha vinte e nove anos, nasceu o seu filho Tera. 25 Depois disso Naor viveu mais cento e dezenove anos e foi pai de outros filhos e filhas.

26 Depois que completou setenta anos de idade, Tera foi pai de três filhos: Abrão, Naor e Harã.

27 São estes os descendentes de Tera, que foi o pai de Abrão, de Naor e de Harã. Harã foi o pai de Ló. 28 Tera ainda vivia quando o seu filho Harã morreu na Babilônia, na cidade de Ur, onde havia nascido.

29 Abrão casou com Sarai, e Naor casou com Milca. Milca e Iscá eram filhas de Harã. 30 Sarai não tinha filhos, pois era estéril.

31 Tera saiu da cidade de Ur, na Babilônia, para ir até a terra de Canaã, e levou junto o seu filho Abrão, o seu neto Ló, que era filho de Harã, e a sua nora Sarai, que era mulher de Abrão. Eles chegaram até Harã e ficaram morando ali. 32 E Tera morreu em Harã, com a idade de duzentos e cinco anos.

1 FOR it came to pass after I had desired to know the things that my father had seen, and believing that the Lord was able to make them known unto me, as I sat pondering in mine heart I was caught away in the Spirit of the Lord, yea, into an exceedingly high mountain, which I never had before seen, and upon which I never had before set my foot.2 And the Spirit said unto me: Behold, what desirest thou?3 And I said: I desire to behold the things which my father saw.4 And the Spirit said unto me: Believest thou that thy father saw the tree of which he hath spoken?5 And I said: Yea, thou knowest that I believe all the words of my father.6 And when I had spoken these words, the Spirit cried with a loud voice, saying: Hosanna to the Lord, the most high God; for he is God over all the earth, yea, even above all. And blessed art thou, Nephi, because thou believest in the Son of the most high God; wherefore, thou shalt behold the things which thou hast desired.7 And behold this thing shall be given unto thee for a sign, that after thou hast beheld the tree which bore the fruit which thy father tasted, thou shalt also behold a man descending out of heaven, and him shall ye witness; and after ye have witnessed him ye shall bear record that it is the Son of God.8 And it came to pass that the Spirit said unto me: Look! And I looked and beheld a tree; and it was like unto the tree which my father had seen; and the beauty thereof was far beyond, yea, exceeding of all beauty; and the whiteness thereof did exceed the whiteness of the driven snow.9 And it came to pass after I had seen the tree, I said unto the Spirit: I behold thou hast shown unto me the tree which is precious above all.10 And he said unto me: What desirest thou?11 And I said unto him: To know the interpretation thereof-for I spake unto him as a man speaketh; for I beheld that he was in the form of a man; yet nevertheless, I knew that it was the Spirit of the Lord; and he spake unto me as a man speaketh with another.12 And it came to pass that he said unto me: Look! And I looked as if to look upon him, and I saw him not; for he had gone from before my presence.13 And it came to pass that I looked and beheld the great city of Jerusalem, and also other cities. And I beheld the city of Nazareth; and in the city of Nazareth I beheld a virgin, and she was exceedingly fair and white.14 And it came to pass that I saw the heavens open; and an angel came down and stood before me; and he said unto me: Nephi, what beholdest thou?15 And I said unto him: A virgin, most beautiful and fair above all other virgins.16 And he said unto me: Knowest thou the condescension of God?17 And I said unto him: I know that he loveth his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things.18 And he said unto me: Behold, the virgin whom thou seest is the mother of the Son of God, after the manner of the flesh.19 And it came to pass that I beheld that she was carried away in the Spirit; and after she had been carried away in the Spirit for the space of a time the angel spake unto me, saying: Look!20 And I looked and beheld the virgin again, bearing a child in her arms.21 And the angel said unto me: Behold the Lamb of God, yea, even the Son of the Eternal Father! Knowest thou the meaning of the tree which thy father saw?22 And I answered him, saying: Yea, it is the love of God, which sheddeth itself abroad in the hearts of the children of men; wherefore, it is the most desirable above all things.23 And he spake unto me, saying: Yea, and the most joyous to the soul.24 And after he had said these words, he said unto me: Look! And I looked, and I beheld the Son of God going forth among the children of men; and I saw many fall down at his feet and worship him.25 And it came to pass that I beheld that the rod of iron, which my father had seen, was the word of God, which led to the fountain of living waters, or to the tree of life; which waters are a representation of the love of God; and I also beheld that the tree of life was a representation of the love of God.26 And the angel said unto me again: Look and behold the condescension of God!27 And I looked and beheld the Redeemer of the world, of whom my father had spoken; and I also beheld the prophet who should prepare the way before him. And the Lamb of God went forth and was baptized of him; and after he was baptized, I beheld the heavens open, and the Holy Ghost come down out of heaven and abide upon him in the form of a dove.28 And I beheld that he went forth ministering unto the people, in power and great glory; and the multitudes were gathered together to hear him; and I beheld that they cast him out from among them.29 And I also beheld twelve others following him. And it came to pass that they were carried away in the Spirit from before my face, and I saw them not.30 And it came to pass that the angel spake unto me again, saying: Look! And I looked, and I beheld the heavens open again, and I saw angels descending upon the children of men; and they did minister unto them.31 And he spake unto me again, saying: Look! And I looked, and I beheld the Lamb of God going forth among the children of men. And I beheld multitudes of people who were sick, and who were afflicted with all manner of diseases, and with devils and unclean spirits; and the angel spake and showed all these things unto me. And they were healed by the power of the Lamb of God; and the devils and the unclean spirits were cast out.32 And it came to pass that the angel spake unto me again, saying: Look! And I looked and beheld the Lamb of God, that he was taken by the people; yea, the Son of the everlasting God was judged of the world; and I saw and bear record.33 And I, Nephi, saw that he was lifted up upon the cross and slain for the sins of the world.34 And after he was slain I saw the multitudes of the earth, that they were gathered together to fight against the apostles of the Lamb; for thus were the twelve called by the angel of the Lord.35 And the multitude of the earth was gathered together; and I beheld that they were in a large and spacious building, like unto the building which my father saw. And the angel of the Lord spake unto me again, saying: Behold the world and the wisdom thereof; yea, behold the house of Israel hath gathered together to fight against the twelve apostles of the Lamb.36 And it came to pass that I saw and bear record, that the great and spacious building was the pride of the world; and it fell, and the fall thereof was exceedingly great. And the angel of the Lord spake unto me again, saying: Thus shall be the destruction of all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, that shall fight against the twelve apostles of the Lamb.