The Sealed Book from the Mormon Plates

Acts of the Three Nephites

CHAPTER 14

21-30

 

21 And after a long time, a child is born in the land of Jerusalem, as prophesied by the ancient prophets, in the city of Bethlehem1; and the people that walked in darkness saw a great light; and they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, yea, in the land of the east, the light of the morning shone upon them, proclaiming the coming of him that would be called by the name of Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace2.

(1) Micah 5:2 | (2) Isaiah 9: 6

 

22 And guided by this light was that the astrologers of the orient took the way to the land of Israel, where the throne of David is set as it prophesied, in search of the land of Naphtali, in the way of the Jordan, Galilee of the nations1.

(1) Isaiah 9:1-2, 6-7

 

23 Then the fruits of the branches that came out of the wild olive tree, and were attentive to the signs of every season, whose branches were scattered throughout the region of the east, and the Lord of the vineyard saw that they were good branches; and its fruits, that is, the sentiments of the Jews born in the East and educated in the synagogues of that region, according to the teachings of the prophets, were similar to the fruits of the Jews of the land of Israel, that is, the natural feelings1.

(1) RLDS Jacob 3:52-53 / LDS Jacob 5:17

 

24 For this reason they were easy to mix among their brethren in the land of their ancestors, for they absorbed the moisture of its root, so that its root produced much strength; and because of the great strength of the root the grafted branches produced good fruits, so that they could be grafted again into the good olive tree, that is, that could mix without being aware of the difference between one and the other1.

(1) RLDS Jacob 3:54-57 / LDS Jacob 5:18

 

25 And it came to pass that the servant said unto his master: How art thou come to plant here this tree, or this branch of the tree? For behold, the East was the lowest and unproductive part of all the land of your vineyard. And the Lord of the vineyard said unto him: Give me no counsel. I knew it was an unproductive piece of land; so I told you that I have treated this first tree all this time; and you see that it produced many fruits; gather them, therefore, and keep them for the proper season, that I may bring them unto me1.

(1) RLDS Jacob 3:63-66 / LDS Jacob 5:21-23

 

26 And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard said unto his servant, Look here; see that I have also planted another branch, yea, a second branch in the tree of this unproductive land of the east; and you know that this piece of land was more unproductive than the first. But look at the tree. Behold, I have dealt with her all this time, and she bore many fruits; gather them also, and keep them for a due season, that I may preserve them for myself.

 

27 And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard spake again unto his servant, Look here, and see another branch which I have planted; yea, a third of the orient, and, behold, I have dealt with him also and brought forth good fruit, and of these three branches I will bring those who will serve me.

(1) RLDS Jacob 3:65-67 / LDS Jacob 5:23-24

 

28 And from these three productive branches, coming from the unproductive land from which the Lord of the vineyard mentioned to his servant, came Jews from the schools that map the stars, in order to accompany the development of this boy who was born in Bethlehem, in the land of Jerusalem.

 

29 Being the first of these three, Bunai, noble Rabbi over the synagogues of Greece, which caused him to be accepted into the sect of the Pharisees in Jerusalem, where he had established his residence from my birth until the days of my resurrection, and among the natural Jews of the good olive tree he mixed with the name of Nicodemus. The second known as Joseph; Jewish born in Rome and appointed magistrate in the land of Judea; with powers derived from a judge over the city of Arimathea, which was situated three hours northwest of Jerusalem, where he was a member of the Sanhedrin, but my particular disciple1. The third, noble merchant of the region of Antioch, he preferred to stay away from the leaven of the Pharisees in Bethany under the name Lazarus.

(1) John 19:38-40

 

30 These were the three branches from the wild olive tree planted in the lowlands of the orient; and were great friends from the beginning to the end of my journey on the Earth of their ancestors.