40 Yea, I say unto you, great are the reasons which we have to mourn: for behold, how many of our brethren have been slain, and their blood has been spilt in vain, and all because of iniquity.
41 For if this people had not fallen into transgressions, the Lord would not have suffered that this great evil should come upon them.
42 But behold, they would not hearken unto his words; but there arose contentions among them, even so much that they did shed blood among themselves.
43 And a prophet of the Lord have they slain; yea, a chosen man of God, who told them of their wickedness and abominations, and prophesied of many things which are to come, yea, even the coming of Christ.
44 And because he said unto them, that Christ was the God, the Father of all things, and said that he should take upon him the image of man, and it should be the image after which man was created in the beginning;
45 Or in other words, he said that man was created after the image of God, and that God should come down among the children of men, and take upon him flesh and blood, and go forth upon the face of the earth;
46 And now because he said this, they did put him to death; and many more things did they do, which brought down the wrath of God upon them.
47 Therefore, who wondereth that they are in bondage, and that they are smitten with sore afflictions?
48 For behold, the Lord has said, I will not succor my people in the day of their transgression; but I will hedge up their ways, that they prosper not; and their doings shall be as a stumbling block before them.
