3 Nephi 3

Birth of Christ

Christ — the Anointed One

And now it came to pass that in the sixteenth year from the coming of Christ, Lachoneus, the governor of the land, received an epistle from the leader and the governor of this band of robbers; and these were the words which were written, saying: 3 Nephi 3:1

The Nephites now count their years from the coming of Christ into the world. Their whole calendar is built around His birth, which the sign in 3 Nephi 1 confirmed.

How we know: the verse itself names Him

• the same event in 3 Nephi 2:8 — The Nephites began to reckon their time from the coming of Christ.
• alludes to 3 Nephi 1:13 — The Lord's promise to Nephi: on the morrow come I into the world.

Jehovah

Yea, he said unto them: As the Lord liveth, except ye repent of all your iniquities, and cry unto the Lord, ye will in nowise be delivered out of the hands of those Gadianton robbers. 3 Nephi 3:15

Lachoneus swears by the living Lord and teaches that deliverance comes only by repenting and crying to Him. In the Book of Mormon the Lord who delivers Israel is Jehovah, the premortal Christ.

How we know: Jehovah is the premortal Christ (Abraham 1:16; D&C 110:3–4)

Jehovah

And they did fortify themselves against their enemies; and they did dwell in one land, and in one body, and they did fear the words which had been spoken by Lachoneus, insomuch that they did repent of all their sins; and they did put up their prayers unto the Lord their God, that he would deliver them in the time that their enemies should come down against them to battle. 3 Nephi 3:25

After repenting of all their sins, the gathered Nephites pray to the Lord their God as their Deliverer. Mormon later names that Lord as Jesus Christ (3 Nephi 5:20, 26).

How we know: Jehovah is the premortal Christ (Abraham 1:16; D&C 110:3–4)

• interpreted by 3 Nephi 5:26 — Mormon names the Lord their God and Redeemer as Jesus Christ, the Son of God.