3 Now the Lamanites had taken many women and children; and there was not a woman nor a child among all the prisoners of Moroni; or the prisoners whom Moroni had taken;
4 Therefore Moroni resolved upon a stratagem, to obtain as many prisoners of the Nephites from the Lamanites, as it were possible; therefore he wrote an epistle, and sent it by the servant of Ammoron, the same who had brought an epistle to Moroni.
5 Now these are the words which he wrote unto Ammoron, saying, Behold, Ammoron, I have written unto you somewhat concerning this war which ye have waged against my people, or rather which thy brother hath waged against them, and which ye are still determined to carry on after his death.
6 Behold I would tell you something concerning the justice of God, and the sword of his Almighty wrath, which doth hang over you, except ye repent and withdraw your armies into your own lands, or the lands of your possessions, which is the land of Nephi; yea, I would tell you these things, if ye were capable of hearkening unto them;
7 Yea, I would tell you concerning that awful hell that awaits to receive such murderers as thou and thy brother have been, except ye repent and withdraw your murderous purposes, and return with your armies to your own lands;
8 But as ye have once rejected these things, and have fought against the people of the Lord, even so I may expect you will do it again.
9 And now behold, we are prepared to receive you; yea, and except ye withdraw your purposes, behold, ye will pull down the wrath of that God whom you have rejected, upon you, even to your utter destruction;
10 But as the Lord liveth, our armies shall come upon you, except ye withdraw, and ye shall soon be visited with death, for we will retain our cities and our lands; yea, and we will maintain our religion and the cause of our God.
11 But behold, it supposeth me that I talk to you concerning these things in vain; or it supposeth me that thou art a child of hell; therefore, I will close my epistle, by telling you that I will not exchange prisoners, save it be on conditions that ye will deliver up a man, and his wife, and his children, for one prisoner; if this be the case that ye will do it, I will exchange.
12 And behold, if ye do not this, I will come against you with my armies; yea, even I will arm my women and my children, and I will come against you, and I will follow you even into your own land, which is the land of our first inheritance; yea, and it shall be blood for blood; yea, life for life; and I will give you battle, even until you are destroyed from off the face of the earth.
13 Behold, I am in my anger, and also my people; ye have sought to murder us, and we have only sought to defend ourselves.
