[color-box]For comparison purposes, the original Book of Mormon text is supplied (italicized and indented) after each Modern Book of Mormon verse.[/color-box]

1 They worshiped the Lord and went with me to work on the ship. We worked the timber in a nonconventional way, and from time to time the Lord showed me how to do it.

1 And it came to pass that they did worship the Lord, and did go forth with me; and we did work timbers of curious workmanship. And the Lord did show me from time to time after what manner I should work the timbers of the ship.

2 I didn’t work the timber the way that people usually do, and I didn’t build the ship the way people usually do. I built it the way the Lord showed me how to build it.

2 Now I, Nephi, did not work the timbers after the manner which was learned by men, neither did I build the ship after the manner of men; but I did build it after the manner which the Lord had shown unto me; wherefore, it was not after the manner of men.

3 I went up into the mountain often and prayed to the Lord often, and the Lord showed me great things.

3 And I, Nephi, did go into the mount oft, and I did pray oft unto the Lord; wherefore the Lord showed unto me great things.

4 After I finished constructing the ship the way the Lord said, my brothers saw that it was really well made, and they again repented to the Lord.

4 And it came to pass that after I had finished the ship, according to the word of the Lord, my brethren beheld that it was good, and that the workmanship thereof was exceedingly fine; wherefore, they did humble themselves again before the Lord.

5 The Lord’s voice came to my father and said that we should board the ship.

5 And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord came unto my father, that we should arise and go down into the ship.

6 The next day, after we had prepared everything—a lot of fruit and meat, honey, and other provisions that the Lord had commanded—we boarded the ship with all of our supplies, seeds, and whatever else we brought with us. Every person brought the things appropriate for his or her age. We all went into the ship with our wives and children.

6 And it came to pass that on the morrow, after we had prepared all things, much fruits and meat from the wilderness, and honey in abundance, and provisions according to that which the Lord had commanded us, we did go down into the ship, with all our loading and our seeds, and whatsoever thing we had brought with us, every one according to his age; wherefore, we did all go down into the ship, with our wives and our children.

7 Now, my father had had two sons in the wilderness. Th older was named Jacob and the younger named Joseph.

7 And now, my father had begat two sons in the wilderness; the elder was called Jacob and the younger Joseph.

8 After we had all boarded the ship along with all of our supplies and the things we had been commanded to take, we set sail and were pushed toward the promised land.

8 And it came to pass after we had all gone down into the ship, and had taken with us our provisions and things which had been commanded us, we did put forth into the sea and were driven forth before the wind towards the promised land.

9 And after the wind had blown us along for several days, my brothers, Ishmael’s sons, and his wives had a party. They danced, sang, and spoke rudely, having forgotten the power that had brought them that far. They became very rude.

9 And after we had been driven forth before the wind for the space of many days, behold, my brethren and the sons of Ishmael and also their wives began to make themselves merry, insomuch that they began to dance, and to sing, and to speak with much rudeness, yea, even that they did forget by what power they had been brought thither; yea, they were lifted up unto exceeding rudeness.

10 And I, Nephi, was afraid that the Lord would be angry, punish us for our sins, and sink the ship. I began speaking to them earnestly, but they were angry with me, saying that they wouldn’t let their younger brother rule over them.

10 And I, Nephi, began to fear exceedingly lest the Lord should be angry with us, and smite us because of our iniquity, that we should be swallowed up in the depths of the sea; wherefore, I, Nephi, began to speak to them with much soberness; but behold they were angry with me, saying: We will not that our younger brother shall be a ruler over us.

11 Laman and Lemuel grabbed me, bound me with rope, and treated me harshly. The allowed it so that he could show his power and fulfill what he said about the wicked.

11 And it came to pass that Laman and Lemuel did take me and bind me with cords, and they did treat me with much harshness; nevertheless, the Lord did suffer it that he might show forth his power, unto the fulfilling of his word which he had spoken concerning the wicked.

12 They tied me so that I couldn’t move, and the compass that the Lord gave us stopped working.

12 And it came to pass that after they had bound me insomuch that I could not move, the compass, which had been prepared of the Lord, did cease to work.

13 My brothers didn’t know where to steer the ship, and a violent storm rose up. We were pounded by the storm for three days, and they started to worry that they would drown in the sea. Still, they wouldn’t loosen me.

13 Wherefore, they knew not whither they should steer the ship, insomuch that there arose a great storm, yea, a great and terrible tempest, and we were driven back upon the waters for the space of three days; and they began to be frightened exceedingly lest they should be drowned in the sea; nevertheless they did not loose me.

14 On the fourth day, the storm got even worse.

14 And on the fourth day, which we had been driven back, the tempest began to be exceedingly sore.

15 The ship was about to sink. After being beaten by the storm for four days, my brothers started to understand that God’s judgements were on them and that they needed to repent. They then came to me and untied me. My wrists and ankles were swollen and painful.

15 And it came to pass that we were about to be swallowed up in the depths of the sea. And after we had been driven back upon the waters for the space of four days, my brethren began to see that the judgments of God were upon them, and that they must perish save that they should repent of their iniquities; wherefore, they came unto me, and loosed the bands which were upon my wrists, and behold they had swollen exceedingly; and also mine ankles were much swollen, and great was the soreness thereof.

16 I turned to God and praised him all day long. I didn’t complain to the Lord about my hardships.

16 Nevertheless, I did look unto my God, and I did praise him all the day long; and I did not murmur against the Lord because of mine afflictions.

17 My father, Lehi, said many things to my brothers and to Ishmael’s sons, but they threatened anyone that tried to help me. My parents were getting old and, having suffered a lot because of their children, were bedridden.

17 Now my father, Lehi, had said many things unto them, and also unto the sons of Ishmael; but, behold, they did breathe out much threatenings against anyone that should speak for me; and my parents being stricken in years, and having suffered much grief because of their children, they were brought down, yea, even upon their sick-beds.

18 Because of their grief and sorrow and the sins of my brothers, they came close to dying. Their gray heads were about to fall down for the last time, and they almost had to be buried at sea.

18 Because of their grief and much sorrow, and the iniquity of my brethren, they were brought near even to be carried out of this time to meet their God; yea, their grey hairs were about to be brought down to lie low in the dust; yea, even they were near to be cast with sorrow into a watery grave.

19 And Jacob and Joseph, both of whom were young and needed attention, were also troubled by my mother’s problems. Neither my wife with her tears nor my children could persuade Laman and Lemuel to untie me.

19 And Jacob and Joseph also, being young, having need of much nourishment, were grieved because of the afflictions of their mother; and also my wife with her tears and prayers, and also my children, did not soften the hearts of my brethren that they would loose me.

20 Nothing except the looming threat of destruction by the power of God could persuade them. When they saw that they were about to drown at sea, they repented of what they had done and untied me.

20 And there was nothing save it were the power of God, which threatened them with destruction, could soften their hearts; wherefore, when they saw that they were about to be swallowed up in the depths of the sea they repented of the thing which they had done, insomuch that they loosed me.

21 After they untied me, I looked at the compass and saw that it was working. I prayed to the Lord and the storm ended. Everything became very calm.

21 And it came to pass after they had loosed me, behold, I took the compass, and it did work whither I desired it. And it came to pass that I prayed unto the Lord; and after I had prayed the winds did cease, and the storm did cease, and there was a great calm.

22 I guided the ship and we again sailed in the direction of the promised land.

22 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did guide the ship, that we sailed again towards the promised land.

23 After we had been sailing for many days, we arrived at the promised land. We went onto the land, set up camp, and called it the promised land.

23 And it came to pass that after we had sailed for the space of many days we did arrive at the promised land; and we went forth upon the land, and did pitch our tents; and we did call it the promised land.

24 We tilled the soil and planted seeds. We planted all of the seeds that we had brought from Jerusalem. They grew well, and we were blessed profusely.

24 And it came to pass that we did begin to till the earth, and we began to plant seeds; yea, we did put all our seeds into the earth, which we had brought from the land of Jerusalem. And it came to pass that they did grow exceedingly; wherefore, we were blessed in abundance.

25 As we continued inland, we saw all kinds of animals there in the wilderness, including cows, oxen, donkeys, goats, and all sorts of wild animals that were useful to us. We also found all kinds of ore, including gold, silver, and copper.

25 And it came to pass that we did find upon the land of promise, as we journeyed in the wilderness, that there were beasts in the forests of every kind, both the cow and the ox, and the ass and the horse, and the goat and the wild goat, and all manner of wild animals, which were for the use of men. And we did find all manner of ore, both of gold, and of silver, and of copper.