19 For he will not suffer you that ye shall live in your iniquities, to destroy
his people. I say unto you, Nay; he would rather suffer that the Lamanites might destroy all his people
who are called the people of Nephi, if it were possible that they could fall into sins and transgressions, after having had
so much light and so much knowledge given unto them of the Lord their God;
20 Yea, after having been such a highly favored people of the Lord; yea, after
having been favored above every other nation, kindred, tongue, or people; after having had all things made known
unto them, according to their desires, and their faith, and prayers, of that which has been, and which is, and
which is to come;
21 Having been visited by the Spirit of God; having conversed with angels, and
having been spoken unto by the voice of the Lord; and having the spirit of prophecy, and the spirit of revelation,
and also many gifts, the gift of speaking with tongues, and the gift of preaching, and the gift of the Holy Ghost,
and the gift of translation;
22 Yea, and after having been delivered of God out of the land of Jerusalem, by
the hand of the Lord; having been saved from famine, and from sickness, and all manner of diseases of every kind;
and they having waxed strong in battle, that they might not be destroyed; having been brought out of bondage time
after time, and having been kept and preserved until now; and they have been prospered until they are rich in all
manner of things --
23 And now behold I say unto you, that if this people, who have received so
many blessings from the hand of the Lord, should transgress contrary to the light and knowledge which they do
have, I say unto you that if this be the case, that if they should fall into transgression, it would be far more
tolerable for the Lamanites than for them.
24 For behold, the promises of the Lord are extended to the Lamanites, but they
are not unto you if ye transgress; for has not the Lord expressly promised and firmly decreed, that if ye will rebel
against him that ye shall utterly be destroyed from off the face of the earth?
25 And now for this cause, that ye may not be destroyed, the Lord has sent his angel to visit
many of his people, declaring unto them that they must go forth and cry mightily unto this people, saying: epent ye,
for the kingdom of heaven is nigh at hand;