Jacob III

4Now behold, it came to pass that I Jacob having ministered much unto my people in word —and I cannot write but a little of my words because of the difficulty of engraving our words upon plates— and we know that the things which we write upon plates must remain, 2but whatsoever things we write upon any thing save it be upon plates must perish and vanish away; but we can write a few words upon plates, which will give our children and also our beloved brethren a small degree of knowledge concerning us or concerning their fathers. 3Now in this thing we do rejoice, and we labor diligently to engraven these words upon plates, hoping that our beloved brethren and our children will receive them with thankful hearts and look upon them that they may learn with joy and not with sorrow neither with contempt, concerning their first parents.

4For for this intent have we written these things that they may know that we knew of Christ, and we had a hope of his glory many hundred years before his coming. And not only we ourselves had a hope of his glory, but also all the holy prophets which were before us. 5Behold, they believed in Christ and worshipped the Father in his name; and also we worship the Father in his name. And for this intent we keep the law of Moses, it pointing our souls to him. And for this cause it is sanctified unto us for righteousness, even as it was accounted unto Abraham in the wilderness to be obedient unto the commands of God in offering up his son Isaac, which was a similitude of God and his Only Begotten Son.

6Wherefore we search the prophets, and we have many revelations and the spirit of prophesy. And having all these witnesses, we obtain a hope and our faith becometh unshaken, insomuch that we truly can command in the name of Jesus and the very trees obey us or the mountains or the waves of the sea. 7Nevertheless the Lord God sheweth us our weakness that we may know that it is by his grace and his great condescensions unto the children of men that we have power to do these things.

8Behold, great and marvelous are the works of the Lord! How unsearchable are the depths of the mysteries of him! And it is impossible that man should find out all his ways. And no man knoweth of his ways save it be revealed unto him; wherefore, brethren, despise not the revelations of God. 9For behold, by the power of his word man came upon the face of the earth, which earth was created by the power of his word. Wherefore if God being able to speak and the world was and to speak and man was created, O then why not able to command the earth, or the workmanship of his hands upon the face of it, according to his will and pleasure?

10Wherefore, brethren, seek not to counsel the Lord, but to take counsel from his hand. For behold, ye yourselves know that he counseleth in wisdom and in justice and in great mercy over all his works. 11Wherefore, beloved, be reconciled unto him through the atonement of Christ his Only Begotten Son, that ye may obtain a resurrection according to the power of the resurrection which is in Christ and be presented as the firstfruits of Christ unto God, having faith and having obtained a good hope of glory in him before he manifesteth himself in the flesh.

12And now beloved, marvel not that I tell you these things; for why not speak of the atonement of Christ and attain to a perfect knowledge of him as to attain to the knowledge of a resurrection and the world to come? 13Behold, my brethren, he that prophesieth, let him prophesy to the understanding of men, for the Spirit speaketh the truth and lieth not. Wherefore it speaketh of things as they really are and of things as they really will be. Wherefore these things are manifested unto us plainly for the salvation of our souls.

But behold, we are not witnesses alone in these things; for God also spake them unto prophets of old. 14But behold, the Jews were a stiffnecked people, and they despised the words of plainness and killed the prophets and sought for things that they could not understand. Wherefore because of their blindness, which blindness came by looking beyond the mark, they must needs fall; for God hath taken away his plainness from them and delivered unto them many things which they cannot understand because they desired it. And because they desired it, God hath done it that they may stumble.

15And now I Jacob am led on by the Spirit unto prophesying, for I perceive by the workings of the Spirit which is in me that by the stumbling of the Jews they will reject the stone upon which they might build and have safe foundation. 16But behold, according to the scriptures, this stone shall become the great and the last and the only sure foundation upon which the Jews can build. 17And now my beloved, how is it possible that these, after having rejected the sure foundation, can ever build upon it that it may become the head of their corner? 18Behold, my beloved brethren, I will unfold this mystery unto you if I do not by any means get shaken from my firmness in the Spirit and stumble because of my overanxiety for you.

5Behold, my brethren, do ye not remember to have read the words of the prophet Zenos which he spake unto the house of Israel, saying: 2Hearken, O ye house of Israel, and hear the words of me, a prophet of the Lord. 3For behold, thus saith the Lord, I will liken thee, O house of Israel, like unto a tame olive tree which a man took and nourished in his vineyard, and it grew and waxed old and began to decay. 4And it came to pass that the master of the vineyard went forth and he saw that his olive tree began to decay, and he saith: I will prune it and dig about it and nourish it, that perhaps it may shoot forth young and tender branches and it perish not. 5And it came to pass that he pruned it and digged about it and nourished it according to his word.

6And it came to pass that after many days it began to put forth somewhat a little young and tender branches, but behold the main top thereof began to perish. 7And it came to pass that the master of the vineyard saw it, and he saith unto his servant: It grieveth me that I should lose this tree. Wherefore go and pluck the branches from a wild olive tree and bring them hither unto me; and we will pluck off those main branches, which are beginning to wither away, and we will cast them into the fire that they may be burned.

8And behold, saith the Lord of the vineyard, I will take away many of these young and tender branches, and I will graft them withersoever I will—and it mattereth not— that if it so be that the root of this tree will perish, I may preserve the fruit thereof unto myself. Wherefore I will take these young and tender branches, and I will graft them withersoever I will. 9Take thou the branches of the wild olive tree and graft them in in the stead thereof. And these which I have plucked off, I will cast into the fire and burn them, that they may not cumber the ground of my vineyard.

10And it came to pass that the servant of the Lord of the vineyard done according to the word of the Lord of the vineyard and grafted in the branches of the wild olive tree. 11And the Lord of the vineyard caused that it should be digged about and pruned and nourished, saying unto his servant: It grieveth me that I should lose this tree; wherefore that perhaps I might preserve the roots thereof, that they perish not, that I might preserve them unto myself, I have done this thing. 12Wherefore go thy way; watch the tree and nourish it according to my words. 13And these will I place in the nithermost parts of my vineyard, whithersoever I will, it mattereth not unto thee. And I do it that I may preserve unto myself the natural branches of the tree, and also that I may lay up fruit thereof against the season unto myself. For it grieveth me that I should lose this tree and the fruit thereof.

14And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard went his way and hid the natural branches of the tame olive tree in the nithermost parts of the vineyard, some in one and some in another, according to his will and pleasure. 15And it came to pass that a long time passed away, and the Lord of the vineyard saith unto his servant: Come, let us go down into the vineyard that we may labor in the vineyard. 16And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard and also the servant went down into the vineyard to labor.

And it came to pass that the servant saith unto his master: Behold, look here; behold the tree. 17And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard looked and beheld the tree in the which the wild olive branches had been grafted, and it had sprang forth and began to bear fruit. And he beheld that it was good, and the fruit thereof was like unto the natural fruit. 18And he saith unto the servant: Behold, the branches of the wild tree hath taken hold of the moisture of the root thereof, that the root thereof hath brought forth much strength. And because of the much strength of the root thereof, the wild branches hath brought forth tame fruit. Now if we had not grafted in these branches, the tree thereof would have perished. And now behold, I shall lay up much fruit, which the tree thereof hath brought forth. And the fruit thereof I shall lay up against the season unto mine own self.

19And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard saith unto the servant: Come, let us go to the nithermost parts of the vineyard, and behold if the natural branches of the tree hath not brought forth much fruit also, that I may lay up of the fruit thereof against the season unto mine own self. 20And it came to pass that they went forth whither the master of the vineyard had hid the natural branches of the tree, and he saith unto the servant: Behold these! And he beheld the first, that it had brought forth much fruit, and he beheld also that it was good. And he saith unto the servant: Take of the fruit thereof and lay it up against the season, that I may preserve it unto mine own self. For behold, saith he, this long time have I nourished it, and it hath brought forth much fruit.

21And it came to pass that the servant saith unto his master: How camest thou hither to plant this tree or this branch of the tree? For behold, it was the poorest spot in all the land of thy vineyard. 22And the Lord of the vineyard saith unto him: Counsel me not. I knew that it was a poor spot of ground. Wherefore I said unto thee I have nourished it this long time, and thou beholdest that it hath brought forth much fruit.

23And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard saith unto his servant: Look hither! Behold, I have planted another branch of the tree also, and thou knowest that this spot of ground was poorer than the first. But behold the tree! I have nourished it this long time, and it hath brought forth much fruit. Therefore gather it and lay it up against the season, that I may preserve it unto mine own self.

24And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard saith again unto his servant: Look hither and behold another branch also which I have planted. Behold that I have nourished it also, and it hath brought forth fruit. 25And he saith unto the servant: Look hither and behold the last! Behold, this have I planted in a good spot of ground, and I have nourished it this long time. And only a part of the tree hath brought forth tame fruit, and the other part of the tree hath brought forth wild fruit. Behold, I have nourished this tree like unto the others.

26And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard saith unto the servant: Pluck off the branches that have not brought forth good fruit, and cast them into the fire. 27But behold, the servant saith unto him: Let us prune it and dig about it and nourish it a little longer, that perhaps it may bring forth good fruit unto thee, that thou canst lay it up against the season.

28And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard and the servant of the Lord of the vineyard did nourish all the fruit of the vineyard. 29And it came to pass that a long time had passed away, and the Lord of the vineyard saith unto his servant: Come, let us go down into the vineyard, that we may labor again in the vineyard. For behold, the time draweth near and the end soon cometh; wherefore I must lay up fruit against the season unto mine own self.

30And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard and the servant went down into the vineyard, and they came to the tree whose natural branches had been broken off and the wild branches had been grafted in; and behold, all sorts of fruit did cumber the tree. 31And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard did taste of the fruit, every sort according to its number.

And the Lord of the vineyard saith: Behold, this long time have we nourished this tree, and I have laid up unto myself against the season much fruit. 32But behold, this time it hath brought forth much fruit, and there is none of it which is good; and behold, there are all kinds of bad fruit, and it profiteth me nothing, notwithstanding all our labor. And now it grieveth me that I should lose this tree.

33And the Lord of the vineyard saith unto the servant: What shall we do unto the tree that I may preserve again good fruit thereof unto mine own self? 34And the servant saith unto his master: Behold, because thou didst graft in the branches of the wild olive tree, they have nourished the roots, that they are alive and they have not perished; wherefore thou beholdest that they are yet good.

35And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard saith unto his servant: The tree profiteth me nothing and the roots thereof profiteth me nothing so long as it shall bring forth evil fruit. 36Nevertheless I know that the roots are good, and for mine own purpose I have preserved them. And because of their much strength they have hitherto brought forth from the wild branches good fruit. 37But behold, the wild branches have grew and have overran the roots thereof. And because that the wild branches have overcome the roots thereof, it hath brought forth much evil fruit. And because that it hath brought forth so much evil fruit, thou beholdest that it beginning to perish. And it will soon become ripened that it may be cast into the fire except we should do something for it to preserve it.

38And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard saith unto his servant: Let us go down into the nithermost parts of the vineyard, and behold if the natural branches have also brought forth evil fruit. 39And it came to pass that they went down into the nithermost parts of the vineyard. And it came to pass that they beheld that the fruit of the natural branches had become corrupt also —yea, the first and the second and also the last— and they had all become corrupt. 40And the wild fruit of the last had overcome that part of the tree which brought forth good fruit, even that the branch had withered away and died.

41And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard wept and saith unto the servant: What could I have done more for my vineyard? 42Behold, I knew that all the fruit of the vineyard, save it were these, had become corrupted. And now these which have once brought forth good fruit have also become corrupted. And now all the trees of my vineyard are good for nothing, save it be to be hewn down and cast into the fire.

43And behold, this last whose branch hath withered away I did plant in a good spot of ground, yea, even that which was choice unto me above all other parts of the land of my vineyard. 44And thou beholdest that I also cut down that which cumbered this spot of ground that I might plant this tree in the stead thereof. 45And thou beholdest that a part thereof brought forth good fruit and the other part thereof brought forth wild fruit. And because that I plucked not the branches thereof and cast them into the fire, behold, they have overcome the good branch, that it hat withered away.

46And now behold, notwithstanding all the care which we have taken of my vineyard, the trees thereof hath become corrupted, that they bring forth no good fruit. And these I had hope to preserve, to have laid up fruit thereof against the season unto mine own self. But behold, they have become like unto the wild olive tree, and they are no worth but to be hewn down and cast into the fire. And it grieveth me that I should lose them.

47But what could I have done more in my vineyard? Have I slackened mine hand that I have not nourished it? Nay, I have nourished it and I have digged it and I have pruned it and I have dunged it, and I have stretched forth mine hand almost all the day long; and the end draweth nigh. And it grieveth me that I should hew down all the trees of my vineyard and cast them into the fire that they should be burned. Who is it that hath corrupted my vineyard?

48And it came to pass that the servant saith unto his master: Is it not the loftiness of thy vineyard? Hath not the branches thereof overcame the roots which are good? And because that the branches have overcame the roots thereof —for behold, they grew faster than the strength of the roots thereof, taking strength unto themselves— behold, I say: Is not this the cause that the trees of thy vineyard hath become corrupted?

49And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard saith unto the servant: Let us go to and hew down the trees of the vineyard and cast them into the fire, that they shall not cumber the ground of my vineyard, for I have done all. What could I have done more for my vineyard? 50But behold, the servant saith unto the Lord of the vineyard: Spare it a little longer. 51And the Lord saith: Yea, I will spare it a little longer, for it grieveth me that I should lose the trees of my vineyard. 52Wherefore let us take of the branches of these which I have planted in the nithermost parts of my vineyard and let us graft them into the tree from whence they came. And let us pluck from the tree those branches whose fruit is most bitter and graft in the natural branches of the tree in the stead thereof. 53And this will I do that the tree may not perish, that perhaps I may preserve unto myself the roots thereof for mine own purpose.

54And behold, the roots of the natural branches of the tree, which I planted withersoever I would, are yet alive; wherefore that I may preserve them also for mine own purpose, I will take of the branches of this tree and I will graft them in unto them. Yea, I will graft in unto them the branches of their mother tree, that I may preserve the roots also unto mine own self, that when they shall be sufficiently strong that perhaps they may bring forth good fruit unto me, and I may yet have glory in the fruit of my vineyard.

55And it came to pass that they took from the natural tree which had become wild and grafted in unto the natural trees which also had become wild. 56And they also took of the natural trees which had become wild and grafted into their mother tree. 57And the Lord of the vineyard saith unto the servant: Pluck not the wild branches from the trees save it be those which are most bitter. And in them ye shall graft according to that which I have said. 58And we will nourish again the trees of the vineyard. And we will trim up the branches thereof, and we will pluck from the trees those branches which are ripened, that must perish, and cast them into the fire. 59And this I do that perhaps the roots thereof may take strength because of their goodness and because of the change of the branches, that the good may overcome the evil.

60And because that I have preserved the natural branches and the roots thereof, and that I have grafted in the natural branches again into their mother tree and have preserved the roots of their mother tree, that perhaps the trees of my vineyard may bring forth gain good fruit, and that I may have joy again in the fruit of my vineyard, and perhaps that I may rejoice exceedingly that I have preserved the roots and the branches of the first fruit, 61wherefore go to and call servants, that we may labor diligently with our mights in the vineyard, that we may prepare the way that I may bring forth again the natural fruit, which natural fruit is good and the most precious above all other fruit.

62Wherefore let us go to and labor with our mights this last time; for behold, the end draweth nigh, and this is for the last time that I shall prune my vineyard. 63Graft in the branches —begin at the last, that they may be first and that the first may be last— and dig about the trees, both old and young —the first and the last, and the last and the first— that all may be nourished once again for the last time. 64Wherefore dig about them and prune them and dung them once more for the last time; for the end draweth nigh. And if if so be that these last grafts shall grow and bring forth the natural fruit, then shall ye prepare the way for them that they may grow.

65And as they begin to grow, ye shall clear away the branches which bring forth bitter fruit, according to the strength of the good and the size thereof. And ye shall not clear away the bad thereof all at once, lest the roots thereof should be too strong of the graft and the graft thereof shall perish and I lose the trees of my vineyard, 66for it grieveth me that I should lose the trees of my vineyard. Wherefore ye shall clear away the bad according as the good shall grow, that the root and the top may be equal in strength until the good shall overcome the bad and the bad be hewn down and cast into the fire, that they cumber not the ground of my vineyard; and thus will I sweep away the bad out of my vineyard.

67And the branches of the natural tree will I graft in again into the natural tree, 68and the branches of the natural tree will I graft into the natural branches of the tree. And thus will I bring them together again, that they shall bring forth the natural fruit, and they shall be one. 69And the bad shall be cast away, yea, even out of all the land of my vineyard. For behold, only this once will I prune my vineyard.

70And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard sent his servant, and the servant went and did as the Lord had commanded him and brought other servants, and they were few. 71And the Lord of the vineyard saith unto them: Go to and labor in the vineyard with your mights. for behold, this is the last time that I shall nourish my vineyard; for the end is nigh at hand and the season speedily cometh. And if ye labor with your mights with me, ye shall have joy in the fruit which I shall lay up unto myself against the time which will soon come.

72And it came to pass that the servants did go to it and labor with their mights, and the Lord of the vineyard labored also with them. And they did obey the commandments of the Lord of the vineyard in all things. 73And there began to be the natural fruit again in the vineyard, and the natural branches began to grow and thrive exceedingly; and the wild branches began to be plucked off and to be cast away. And they did keep the root and thee top thereof equal according to the strength thereof.

74And thus they labored with all diligence according to the commandments of the Lord of the vineyard and the good the Lord had preserved unto himself, that the trees had brought again the natural fruit. And they became like unto one body and the fruit were equal; and the Lord of the vineyard had preserved unto himself the natural fruit, which was most precious unto him from the beginning.

75And it came to pass that when the Lord of the vineyard saw that his fruit was good and that his vineyard was no more corrupt, he calleth up his servants and saith unto them: Behold, for this last time have we nourished my vineyard. And thou beholdest that I have done according to my will; and I have preserved the natural fruit, that it is good even like as it was in the beginning. And blessed art thou, for because that ye have been diligent in laboring with me in my vineyard and have kept my commandments —and it hath brought unto me again the natural fruit, that my vineyard is no more corrupted and the bad is cast away— behold, ye shall have joy with me because of the fruit of my vineyard.

76For behold, for a long time will I lay up of the fruit of my vineyard unto mine own self against the season, which speedily cometh. And for the last time have I nourished my vineyard and pruned it and dug about it and dunged it. Wherefore I will lay up unto mine own self of the fruit for a long time, according to that which I have spoken. 77And when the time cometh that evil fruit shall again come into my vineyard, then will I cause the good and the bad to be gathered; and the good will I preserve unto myself, and the bad will I cast away into its own place. And then cometh the season and the end, and my vineyard will I cause to be burned with fire.