Jacob Speaks out Against Adultery

“I, Jacob, now speak to the pure in heart. Look to God with determination, praying to Him with great faith, and He will comfort you in your trials. He will plead your cause and send down justice upon those who try to destroy you. All you who are pure in heart, lift up your heads and receive God’s pleasing words. If you are committed to doing right, you will enjoy His love forever. But those of you who are not pure in heart are greatly cursed. Unless you repent, the land is cursed for your sakes. The Lamanites, who are also cursed, but who are not sinful like you, will destroy you. Unless you repent, the Lamanites will soon possess the land of your inheritance and the Lord will lead the righteous out from among you. The Lamanites, your brethren, whom you hate because of their sinfulness and curse of dark skin, are more righteous than you, for they have not forgotten the Lord’s commandment to have only one wife and not to commit these types of sins. Because they keep this commandment, the Lord will not destroy them. He will be merciful to them and one day they will become a blessed people. Their husbands love their wives, their wives love their husbands, and they all love their children. They hate you and do not believe in God because of their fathers’ false traditions. So how much better are you than they in the sight of your Creator? Oh my brethren, I am afraid that unless you repent, their skin will be lighter than yours when you stand next to them before God’s throne.

“I command you, by the word of God, not to hate them because of their dark skin and sinfulness! Remember your own sinfulness, and that their sinfulness came because of their fathers. Remember how you have grieved your children’s hearts because of your bad examples. Your sinfulness may bring them to destruction, and if so, their sins will be upon your heads at the last day. Oh my brethren, listen to me. Awaken your souls from the sleep of death. Loosen yourselves from the pains of hell so that you will not become angels to the devil. Do not be thrown into a lake of fire to your second death (dead to righteousness forever).”

I, Jacob, said many other things to Nephi’s people, warning them against sexual sins and every kind of sin, telling them the awful consequences of them. But not even one percent of what these people did can be engraved upon these smaller plates. However, many of their proceedings are engraved on the larger plates—their wars, disputes, and the reigns of their kings. Some of these smaller plates that I am now engraving upon are called Jacob’s Plates, even though my brother Nephi made them.