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| * Unlike Mosiah and Alma, Nephi does not talk much about how a nonbeliever can obtain a testimony of truth. Rather, Nephi's exhortations typically assume that the listener already knows what is right and merely needs to be persuaded to "just do it." | | * Unlike Mosiah and Alma, Nephi does not talk much about how a nonbeliever can obtain a testimony of truth. Rather, Nephi's exhortations typically assume that the listener already knows what is right and merely needs to be persuaded to "just do it." |
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− | === Records === | + | === Large and small plates === |
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− | * '''Records of Lehi and Nephi.''' Nephi writes that his record will begin as an abridgment of Lehi's record and that, when he is finished abridging Lehi's record, he will give an account of his own life. "Behold, I make an abridgment of the record of my father, upon plates which I have made with mine own hands; wherefore, after I have abridged the record of my father then will I make an account of mine own life." ([https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/1-ne/1.17?lang=eng#16 1 Ne 1:17]). Nephi clearly identified the dividing point between these two parts of his record when he wrote, midway through his record: "And now I, Nephi, proceed to give an account upon these plates of my proceedings, and my reign and ministry; wherefore, to proceed with mine account …" ([https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/1-ne/10.1?lang=eng#primary 1 Ne 10:1]). A couple of significant things happen to the story at about this point. | + | * Nephi compares and contrasts the brass plates, his own large plates, and his small plates, in four places: [https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/1-ne/5.10-16?lang=eng#9 1 Ne. 5:10-16]; [https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/1-ne/6.1-6?lang=eng 6:1-6]; [https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/1-ne/9.2-6?lang=eng#1 9:2-6]; [https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/1-ne/19.1-6?lang=eng 19:1-6]. In chapter 5 Nephi tells us that the Brass Plates contain two types of information: more secular matters such as histories ([https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/1-ne/5.11-12?lang=eng#10 1 Ne. 5:11-12]) and genealogies ([https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/1-ne/5.14-16?lang=eng#13 1 Ne. 5:14-16]), and matters relating to a more spiritual ministry such as prophecies ([https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/1-ne/5.13?lang=eng#12 1 Ne. 5:13]) and commandments ([https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/1-ne/5.21-22?lang=eng#20 1 Ne. 5:21-22]). Throughout the course of First Nephi he then tells us that his large plates also contain histories and genealogies ([https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/1-ne/19.2,4?lang=eng#1 1 Ne. 19:2, 4]), while his small plates do not ([https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/1-ne/6.1-2?lang=eng 1 Ne. 6:1-2]; [https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/1-ne/9.2,4?lang=eng#1 9:2, 4]), because the small plates are limited to matters of his ministry ([https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/1-ne/6.3-5?lang=eng#2 1 Ne. 6:3-5]; [https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/1-ne/9.3-4?lang=eng#2 9:3-4]; [https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/1-ne/19.3?lang=eng#2 19:3]) specifically including prophecies ([https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/1-ne/19.3?lang=eng#2 1 Ne. 19:3]). |
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− | : First, it is near the central climax of First Nephi. One could argue whether that climax occurs at the beginning or the end of chapter 10, but the outline shows it is at least close to this point.
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− | : Second, Lehi receives six revelations prior to this point. (1. first vision at Jerusalem ([https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/1-ne/1.5-6?lang=eng#4 1 Ne 1:5-6]; 2. Second vision at Jerusalem ([https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/1-ne/1.7-15?lang=eng#6 1 Ne 1:7-15]); 3. Dream instruction to obtain the brass plates ([https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/1-ne/3.2?lang=eng#1 1 Ne 3:2]); 4. Lehi is filled with the Spirit and prophesies concerning his seed ([https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/1-ne/5.17?lang=eng#16 1 Ne 5:17]); 5. Instruction to bring Ishmael to the wilderness ([https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/1-ne/7.1?lang=eng#primary 1 Ne 7:1]); 6. Dream vision of the tree of life ([https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/1-ne/8.2?lang=eng#1 1 Ne 8:2]). Nephi receives three: heart softened to believe, Covenant with Nephi, led by the Spirit to kill Laban. But in the second half of First Nephi, it is Nephi who receives visions and explains them to his brothers.
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− | : It isn't clear exactly what Nephi means by ''abridgment.'' It would be possible to interpret this as a strict abridgement where Nephi summarized points from his father's record without adding any thing himself. (At a minimum though Nephi must have rewritten the story as he records it using the 1st person. Or, Nephi may have added details along the way--since Nephi also was a witness to most of the events discussed. Finally, it could be that by ''abridgment'' Nephi simply means that his own account, on the same subject as his father's, is shorter.
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− | * '''Large and small plates of Nephi.''' Nephi compares and contrasts the brass plates, his own large plates, and his small plates, in four places: [https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/1-ne/5.10-16?lang=eng#9 1 Ne. 5:10-16]; [https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/1-ne/6.1-6?lang=eng 6:1-6]; [https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/1-ne/9.2-6?lang=eng#1 9:2-6]; [https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/1-ne/19.1-6?lang=eng 19:1-6]. In chapter 5 Nephi tells us that the Brass Plates contain two types of information: more secular matters such as histories ([https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/1-ne/5.11-12?lang=eng#10 1 Ne. 5:11-12]) and genealogies ([https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/1-ne/5.14-16?lang=eng#13 1 Ne. 5:14-16]), and matters relating to a more spiritual ministry such as prophecies ([https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/1-ne/5.13?lang=eng#12 1 Ne. 5:13]) and commandments ([https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/1-ne/5.21-22?lang=eng#20 1 Ne. 5:21-22]). Throughout the course of First Nephi he then tells us that his large plates also contain histories and genealogies ([https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/1-ne/19.2,4?lang=eng#1 1 Ne. 19:2, 4]), while his small plates do not ([https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/1-ne/6.1-2?lang=eng 1 Ne. 6:1-2]; [https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/1-ne/9.2,4?lang=eng#1 9:2, 4]), because the small plates are limited to matters of his ministry ([https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/1-ne/6.3-5?lang=eng#2 1 Ne. 6:3-5]; [https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/1-ne/9.3-4?lang=eng#2 9:3-4]; [https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/1-ne/19.3?lang=eng#2 19:3]) specifically including prophecies ([https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/1-ne/19.3?lang=eng#2 1 Ne. 19:3]).
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| <div id="outline"></div> | | <div id="outline"></div> |
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| == Outline and page map == | | == Outline and page map == |
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