3 Nephi 6:1
And now it came to pa** that the people of the Nephites did
all return to their own lands in the twenty and sixth year, every
man, with his family, his flocks and his herds, his horses and
his cattle, and all things whatsoever did belong unto them.
3 Nephi 6:2
And it came to pa** that they had not eaten up all their
provisions; therefore they did take with them all that they had
not devoured, of all their grain of every kind, and their gold,
and their silver, and all their precious things, and they did
return to their own lands and their possessions, both on the
north and on the south, both on the land northward and on the
land southward.
3 Nephi 6:3
And they granted unto those robbers who had entered into a
covenant to keep the peace of the land, who were desirous to
remain Lamanites, lands, according to their numbers, that they
might have, with their labors, wherewith to subsist upon; and
thus they did establish peace in all the land.
3 Nephi 6:4
And they began again to prosper and to wax great; and the
twenty and sixth and seventh years pa**ed away, and there was
great order in the land; and they had formed their laws according
to equity and justice.
3 Nephi 6:5
And now there was nothing in all the land to hinder the people
from prospering continually, except they should fall into
transgression.
3 Nephi 6:6
And now it was Gidgiddoni, and the judge, Lachoneus, and those
who had been appointed leaders, who had established this great
peace in the land.
3 Nephi 6:7
And it came to pa** that there were many cities built anew,
and there were many old cities repaired.
3 Nephi 6:8
And there were many highways cast up, and many roads made,
which led from city to city, and from land to land, and from
place to place.
3 Nephi 6:9
And thus pa**ed away the twenty and eighth year, and the
people had continual peace.
3 Nephi 6:10
But it came to pa** in the twenty and ninth year there began
to be some disputings among the people; and some were lifted up
unto pride and boastings because of their exceedingly great
riches, yea, even unto great persecutions;
3 Nephi 6:11
For there were many merchants in the land, and also many
lawyers, and many officers.
3 Nephi 6:12
And the people began to be distinguished by ranks, according
to their riches and their chances for learning, yea, some were
ignorant because of their poverty, and others did receive great
learning because of their riches.
3 Nephi 6:13
Some were lifted up in pride, and others were exceedingly
humble; some did return railing for railing, while others would
receive railing and persecution and all manner of afflictions,
and would not turn and revile again, but were humble and penitent
before God.
3 Nephi 6:14
And thus there became a great inequality in all the land,
insomuch that the church began to be broken up; yea, insomuch
that in the thirtieth year the church was broken up in all the
land save it were among a few of the Lamanites who were converted
unto the true faith; and they would not depart from it, for they
were firm, and steadfast, and immovable, willing with all
diligence to keep the commandments of the Lord.
3 Nephi 6:15
Now the cause of this iniquity of the people was this—Satan
had great power, unto the stirring up of the people to do all
manner of iniquity, and to the puffing them up with pride,
tempting them to seek for power, and authority, and riches, and
the vain things of the world.
3 Nephi 6:16
And thus Satan did lead away the hearts of the people to do
all manner of iniquity; therefore they had enjoyed peace but a
few years.
3 Nephi 6:17
And thus, in the commencement of the thirtieth year—the
people having been delivered up for the space of a long time to
be carried about by the temptations of the devil whithersoever he
desired to carry them, and to do whatsoever iniquity he desired
they should—and thus in the commencement of this, the thirtieth
year, they were in a state of awful wickedness.
3 Nephi 6:18
Now they did not sin ignorantly, for they knew the will of
God concerning them, for it had been taught unto them; therefore
they did wilfully rebel against God.
3 Nephi 6:19
And now it was in the days of Lachoneus, the son of
Lachoneus, for Lachoneus did fill the seat of his father and did
govern the people that year.
3 Nephi 6:20
And there began to be men inspired from heaven and sent
forth, standing among the people in all the land, preaching and
testifying boldly of the sins and iniquities of the people, and
testifying unto them concerning the redemption which the Lord
would make for his people, or in other words, the resurrection of
Christ; and they did testify boldly of his d**h and sufferings.
3 Nephi 6:21
Now there were many of the people who were exceedingly angry
because of those who testified of these things; and those who
were angry were chiefly the chief judges, and they who had been
high priests and lawyers; yea, all those who were lawyers were
angry with those who testified of these things.
3 Nephi 6:22
Now there was no lawyer nor judge nor high priest that could
have power to condemn any one to d**h save their condemnation
was signed by the governor of the land.
3 Nephi 6:23
Now there were many of those who testified of the things
pertaining to Christ who testified boldly, who were taken and put
to d**h secretly by the judges, that the knowledge of their
d**h came not unto the governor of the land until after their
d**h.
3 Nephi 6:24
Now behold, this was contrary to the laws of the land, that
any man should be put to d**h except they had power from the
governor of the land—
3 Nephi 6:25
Therefore a complaint came up unto the land of Zarahemla, to
the governor of the land, against these judges who had condemned
the prophets of the Lord unto d**h, not according to the law.
3 Nephi 6:26
Now it came to pa** that they were taken and brought up
before the judge to be judged of the crime which they had done,
according to the law which had been given by the people.
3 Nephi 6:27
Now it came to pa** that those judges had many friends and
kindreds; and the remainder, yea, even almost all the lawyers and
the high priests, did gather themselves together, and unite with
the kindreds of those judges who were to be tried according to
the law.
3 Nephi 6:28
And they did enter into a covenant one with another, yea,
even into that covenant which was given by them of old, which
covenant was given and administered by the devil, to combine
against all righteousness.
3 Nephi 6:29
Therefore they did combine against the people of the Lord,
and enter into a covenant to destroy them, and to deliver those
who were guilty of murder from the grasp of justice, which was
about to be administered according to the law.
3 Nephi 6:30
And they did set at defiance the law and the rights of their
country; and they did covenant one with another to destroy the
governor, and to establish a king over the land, that the land
should no more be at liberty but should be subject unto kings.