RCE Verse Context

44 "And now except ye do repent of that which ye have done and begin to be up and doing, And send forth food and men unto us, and also unto Helaman that he may support those parts of our country which he hath obtained, And that we may also recover the remainder of our possessions in these parts, Behold, it will be expedient that we contend no more with the Lamanites until we have first cleansed our inward vessel, yea, even the great head of our government.

45 "And except ye grant mine epistle and come out and show unto me a true spirit of freedom, And strive to strengthen and fortify our armies and grant unto them food for their support, Behold, I will leave a part of my Freemen to maintain this part of our land; And I will leave the strength and the blessings of God upon them, that none other power can operate against them - and this because of their exceeding faith and their patience in their tribulations -

46 And I will come unto you; And if there be any among you that hath a desire for freedom, yea, if there be even a spark of freedom remaining, Behold, I will stir up insurrections among you, even until those who hath desires to usurp power and authority shall become extinct.

47 "Yea, behold I do not fear your power nor your authority, But it is my God whom I fear; And it is according to His commandments that I do take my sword to defend the cause of my country; And it is because of your iniquity that we have suffered so much loss.

48 "Behold, it is time; Yea, the time is now at hand, that except ye do bestir yourselves in the defense of your country and your little ones, the sword of justice doth hang over you - Yea, and it shall fall upon you and visit you even to your utter destruction.

49 "Behold, I wait for assistance from you; And except ye do administer unto our relief, Behold, I come unto you - even into the Land of Zarahemla - and smite you with the sword, Insomuch that ye can have no more power to impede the progress of this people in the cause of our freedom;

50 For behold, the Lord will not suffer that ye shall live and wax strong in your iniquities to destroy His righteous people.

51 "Behold, can you suppose that the Lord will spare you and come out in judgment against the Lamanites, when it is the tradition of their fathers that hath caused their hatred?

52 Yea, and it hath been redoubled by those which have dissented from us, While your iniquity is for the cause of your love of glory and the vain things of the world.

53 "Ye know that ye do transgress the laws of God, And ye do know that ye do trample them under your feet.

54 "Behold, the Lord saith unto me: 'If those whom ye have appointed your governors do not repent of their sins and iniquities, ye shall go up to battle against them.'