1 Nephi Chapter 19

And I did read many things unto them which were written in the books of Moses; but that I might more fully persuade them to believe in the Lord their Redeemer I did read unto them that which was written by the prophet Isaiah; for I did liken all scriptures unto us, that it might be for our profit and learning. ~ 1 Nephi 19:23

This is kind of an obvious one to pick but that is okay. Nephi is recounting how he is teaching his brothers.

I like the last part especially, the 'liken all scriptures' part. The scriptures are such a valuable tool. Applying them to your own life is really what can make a difference, much more so than just reading them and marking it off in a chart.

This is also a good reminder for me that there is a lot of great stuff in Isaiah. The language is beautiful but I find a lot of it confusing. I read it through hoping that I get some of it. The next couple chapters are from the book of Isaiah and an example of what Nephi is teaching. It should be interesting to pick a favorite scripture.

Do you want to read this verse in context? Read all of 1 Nephi Chapter 19.

1 Nephi Chapter 13

And he said: Behold it proceedeth out of the mouth of a Jew. And I, Nephi, beheld it; and he said unto me: The book that thou beholdest is a record of the Jews, which contains the covenants of the Lord, which he hath made unto the house of Israel; and it also containeth many of the prophecies of the holy prophets; and it is a record like unto the engravings which are upon the plates of brass, save there are not so many; nevertheless, they contain the covenants of the Lord, which he hath made unto the house of Israel; wherefore, they are of great worth unto the Gentiles. ~ 1 Nephi 13:23

In this part of his vision Nephi sees the Bible going forth among the inhabitants of the New World, specificially the Pilgrims. The angel points it out to him and tells him the Bible contains the record of the covenants the Lord has made to the house of Israel.

I think this is a neat scripture because it compares the Bible to the plates of brass that Nephi retrieved from Laban several chapters ago. It was so important for this people to have the words of the prophets so that they could be taught the commandments. They are a remnant of the house of Israel so the covenants would apply to them also.

This highlights the importance of the scriptures to me in my own life. I know I can't expect to continue doing what is right without access to the word of God. I appreciate that I can have my own scriptures and read them whenever I want.

Want to read this verse in context? Read all of 1 Nephi Chapter 13.

1 Nephi Chapter 3

And behold, it is wisdom in God that we should obtain these records, that we may preserve unto our children the language of our fathers; And also that we may preserve unto them the words which have been spoken by the mouth of all the holy prophets, which have been delivered unto them by the Spirit and power of God, since the world began, even down unto this present time. ~ 1 Nephi 3:19-20

This scripture is perhaps not the obvious choice for this chapter. It is not, "I will go and do the things the Lord has commanded...". Other LDS readers will recognize that scripture mastery verse, as well as the text from a Primary song.

In these two verses Nephi is trying to persuade his wayward brothers that they need to try to get the plates from Laban again. He tells them it is important to preserve their language for their children, and also to have a record of their scriptures. These were the writings of Moses, as well as the words of the prophets current to their time, including Jeremiah and Isaiah.

I love the emphasis he places on the scriptures as literary works, capable of teaching and preserving language, and also as a way to preserve the commandments and writings of the prophets.

I love the scriptures. In them are some of the most beautiful writing. Their primary importance of course is to teach us and to bring us closer to God.

I have been trying hard to read the scriptures every day. My husband and I recently finished the Old Testament. We talked about reading the New Testament but decided a 'change of venue' would be welcome so we restarted the Book of Mormon.

One reason I started this blog was to share my testimony of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. I know someone may read this that doesn't believe it is scripture. That's okay. I think you should spend some time every day reading the scriptures you do believe in. The more people study and try to connect with God the better people we will all be.

Do you want to read this verse in context? Read all of 1 Nephi Chapter 3.