came to pass that I, Jacob, having ministered
much unto my people in word, (and I cannot write but a little of
my words, because of the difficulty of engraving our words upon
plates) and we know that the things which we write upon plates
must remain;

Jacob 4:2
2 But whatsoever things we write upon anything save it be upon
plates must perish and vanish away; but we can write a few words
upon plates, which will give our children, and also our beloved
brethren, a small degree of knowledge concerning us, or
concerning their fathers--

Jacob 4:3
3 Now in this thing we do rejoice; and we labor diligently to
engraven these words upon plates, hoping that our beloved
brethren and our children will receive them with thankful hearts,
and look upon them that they may learn with joy and not with
sorrow, neither with contempt, concerning their first parents.

Jacob 4:4
4 For, for this intent have we written these things, that they
may know that we knew of Christ, and we had a hope of his glory
many hundred years before his coming; and not only we ourselves
had a hope of his glory, but also all the holy prophets which
were before us.

Jacob 4:5
5 Behold, they believed in Christ and worshiped the Father in
his name, and also we worship the Father in his name. And for
this intent we keep the law of Moses, it pointing our souls to
him; and for this cause it is sanctified unto us for
righteousness, even as it was accounted unto Abraham in the
wilderness to be obedient unto the commands of God in offering up
his son Isaac, which is a similitude of God and his Only Begotten
Son.

Jacob 4:6
6 Wherefore, we search the prophets, and we have many
revelations and the spirit of prophecy; and having all these
witnesses we obtain a hope, and our faith becometh unshaken,
insomuch that we truly can command in the name of Jesus and the
very trees obey us, or the mountains, or the waves of the sea.

Jacob 4:7
7 Nevertheless, the Lord God showeth us our weakness that we may
know that it is by his grace, and his great condescensions unto
the children of men, that we have power to do these things.

Jacob 4:8
8 Behold, great and marvelous are the works of the Lord. How
unsearchable are the depths of the mysteries of him; and it is
impossible that man should find out all his ways. And no man
knoweth of his ways save it be revealed unto him; wherefore,
brethren, despise not the revelations of God.

Jacob 4:9
9 For behold, by the