1
In the meantime, while Martin Harris was gone with the writings, I went to visit my father’s family at Manchester.
2
I continued there for a short season, and then returned to my place in Pennsylvania.
3
Immediately after my return home, I was walking out a little distance, when, behold, the former heavenly messenger appeared and handed to me the seer stone again;
4
For it too had been taken from me in consequence of my having wearied the Lord in asking for the privilege of letting Martin Harris take the writings, which he lost by transgression;
5
And I inquired of the Lord through it, and obtained the following:
6 [2:1a/3:1-2a]
¶ The works, and the designs, and the purposes of God cannot be frustrated, neither can they come to naught, for God doth not walk in crooked paths;
7 [2:1b-c1/3:2b]
Neither doth He turn to the right hand nor to the left; neither doth He vary from that which He hath said;
8 [2:1c2/3:2c]
Therefore his paths are straight, and his course is one eternal round.
9 [2:2a/3:3]
¶ Remember, remember, that it is not the work of God that is frustrated, but the work of men.
10 [2:2b1/3:4a]
For although a man may have many revelations, and have power to do many mighty works,
11 [2:2b2/3:4b]
Yet, if he boasts in his own strength, and sets at naught the counsels of God, and follows after the dictates of his own will, and carnal desires, he must fall to the earth and incur the vengeance of a just God upon him.
12 [2:3a/3:5a]
¶ Behold, you have been entrusted with these things, but strict were your commandments;
13 [2:3b1/3:5b]
And remember, also, the promises which were made to you, if you transgressed them;
14 [2:3b2/3:6]
And behold, how oft you have transgressed the them and have gone on in the persuasions of men.
15 [2:3c1/3:7a]
For behold, you should not have feared man more than God.
16 [2:3c2/3:7b-8a]
Although men set at naught the counsels of God, and despise his words, yet you should have been faithful,
17 [2:3c3/3:8b]
And he would have extended his arm and supported you against all the fiery darts of the adversary, and he would have been with you in every time of trouble.
18 [2:4a1/3:9]
¶ Behold thou art Joseph, and thou wast chosen to do the work of the Lord, but because of transgression thou mayest fall.
19 [2:4a2/3:10a]
But remember God is merciful;
20 [2:4b/3:10b]
Therefore, repent of that which thou hast done, and he will only cause thee to be afflicted for a season, and thou art still chosen, and will again be called to the work;
21 [2:4c/3:11]
And except thou doest this, thou shalt be delivered up and become as other men and have no more gift.
22 [2:5a1/3:12-13a]
¶ And when thou didst deliver up that which God had given thee the right to translate, thou didst deliver up that which was sacred, into the hands of a wicked man, who has set at naught the counsels of God;
23 [2:5a2/3:13b]
And hath broken the most sacred promises, which were made before God, and has depended upon his own judgment, and boasted in his own wisdom;
24 [2:5b/3:14-15]
And this is the reason that thou hast lost thy privileges for a season, for thou hast suffered that the counsel of thy directors to be trampled upon from the beginning.
25 [2:6a-6b1/3:16-18a]
¶ For as the knowledge of a Savior hath come to the world, so shall the knowledge of my people, the Nephites, and the Jacobites, and the Josephites, and the Lamanites, come to the knowledge of the Lamanites; and the Lamanites and the Ishmaelites;
26 [2:6b2/3:18b]
Which dwindled in unbelief, because of the iniquities of their fathers, who hath been suffered to destroy their brethren, because of their iniquities, and their abominations.
27 [2:6c/3:19]
And for this very purpose are these plates prepared which contain these records, and that the promises of the Lord might be fulfilled, which he made to his people;
28 [2:6d1/3:20a]
And that the Lamanites might come to the knowledge of their fathers;
29 [2:6d2-e1/3:20b]
And that they may know the Promises of the Lord, that they may believe the Gospel and rely upon the merits of Jesus Christ;
30 [2:6e2/3:20c]
And that they might be glorified through faith in his name;
31 [2:6e3/3:20d]
And that they might, through faith in his name, repent and be saved; Amen.