Nephi leaves Zarahemla, and his son, also named Nephi, takes responsibility for the sacred records. Unbelievers threaten the believers with death if Samuel’s sign doesn’t appear by a certain date. The night before the deadline, Nephi prays and receives confirmation that the Savior will be born that night. When the sun goes down that night, it remains light all night. Nearly everyone is converted at that point, and peace is established. However, within a couple of years, the Gadianton robbers begin to grow again.
Chapter Outline
- Threats from unbelievers (v. 1-9)
- Nephi prays, and the sign appears (v. 10-21)
- Peace is established (v. 22-26)
- Resurgence of the Gadianton robbers (v. 27-31)
My Takeaways
- God’s words will all be fulfilled, but not necessarily on our timeline.
- We can seek personal revelation about the challenges we face and the decisions we need to make.
- Let your priorities and your plans be guided by the needs of those you serve, not by your own ego.
Featured Blog Posts
❖ Threats from unbelievers – 3 Nephi 1:1-9
“The Time Is Past” – 3 Nephi 1:6
Samuel the Lamanite preached to the Nephites in Zarahemla during the eighty-sixth year of the reign of the judges (Helaman 13:1-2, 16:1-9). During that sermon, he said, “Five years more cometh, and behold, then cometh the Son of God to redeem all those who shall believe on his name” (Helaman 14:2). He provided an unmistakeable…
That They Might Know – 3 Nephi 1:7-8
7 And it came to pass that they did make a great uproar throughout the land; and the people who believed began to be very sorrowful, lest by any means those things which had been spoken might not come to pass.8 But behold, they did watch steadfastly for that day and that night and that…
❖ The sign of the Savior’s birth – 3 Nephi 1:10-21
“The Voice of the Lord Came unto Him” – 3 Nephi 1:12
Nephi, the son of Helaman, prayed on a tower beside a highway, expressing his sorrow for wickedness of his people (Helaman 7:10-11). Twenty-two years later, his son, also named Nephi, also became sorrowful when the unbelievers among his people threatened to put to death the believers. And it came to pass that he went out…
Good Cheer
Multiple times during His mortal ministry, Jesus counseled people to be of good cheer. When Nephi prayed for his people the night the Savior was born, he received the same counsel. Calmness and cheerfulness are manifestations of our trust in Jesus Christ.
Jesus Quoting Abinadi
Jesus quoted Abinadi twice, once just before He was born, and once just after His death. Nephi, whose great-great-great-grandfather Alma had heard Abinadi speak those words, may have recognized this as an endorsement of Abinadi’s testimony.
Every Valley
Samuel’s prophecies were literally fulfilled. They also symbolize the Savior’s influence in our lives, as He smooths our rough edges, brings us down where we are proud, lifts us up where we lack confidence and gives us hope, like a new star.
❖ Peace – 3 Nephi 1:22-26
3 Nephi 1:22 Notwithstanding These Lyings and Deceivings…
22 And it came to pass that from this time forth there began to be lyings sent forth among the people, by Satan, to harden their hearts, to the intent that they might not believe in those signs and wonders which they had seen; but notwithstanding these lyings and deceivings the more part of the…
❖ Resurgence of the Gadianton robbers – 3 Nephi 1:27-31
“They Became for Themselves” – 3 Nephi 1:29
About two years after the dramatic sign of the Savior’s birth, the Gadianton robbers began to swell in numbers once again. Many of the Nephites joined their ranks, which was disappointing but not surprising, since the Nephites had previously built up and supported this corrosive organization (Helaman 6:37-38). But the Lamanites, too, who had previously…
Old Testament Foundations
Star of Jacob / Star of Bethlehem
As the children of Israel approached the promised land under the leadership of Moses, the king of Moab, Balak, requested a prophet in his country named Balaam to curse the new arrivals. Balaam warned the king’s servants, “If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word…
The Star
Why is a star such a powerful symbol for the birth of the Savior? Stars represent us. The Lord referred to stars to illustrate for the vast number of descendants he would have. “Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy…
Why Is Light an Appropriate Symbol for the Birth of Christ?
In a passage quoted by Nephi, Isaiah used the imagery of light to describe the birth of the Messiah: The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light; they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined…. For unto us a child is born (Isaiah…
New Testament Parallels
Be of Good Cheer – 3 Nephi 1:13-14
13 Lift up your head and be of good cheer; for behold, the time is at hand, and on this night shall the sign be given, and on the morrow come I into the world, to show unto the world that I will fulfil all that which I have caused to be spoken by the…
By the Mouth of My Holy Prophets – 3 Nephi 1:13-14
13 Lift up your head and be of good cheer; for behold, the time is at hand, and on this night shall the sign be given, and on the morrow come I into the world, to show unto the world that I will fulfil all that which I have caused to be spoken by the…
Letters to the Seven Churches
John wrote letters to seven congregations of the church. In those letters, he described the Savior, gave feedback, and listed some blessings of exaltation. Taken together, the letters can motivate us to repent and receive the blessings God offers us.
Prologue of Hebrews
God speaks to us in many ways, but none of those channels is so direct and so impactful as the words of His Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus is greater than angels, prophets and priests, and all of them point us toward Him.
A New Star Did Appear – 3 Nephi 1:21
21 And it came to pass also that a new star did appear, according to the word. (3 Nephi 1:21) Five years before the birth of Jesus Christ, Samuel the Lamanite prophesied of His birth and described a number of unmistakeable signs that would mark the time of His birth and His death. The signs…
Church History Connections
The Rising Generation
Twice in the Book of Mormon, we read of times when young people turned away from the faith of their parents: “Now it came to pass that there were many of the rising generation that could not understand the words of king Benjamin, being little children at the time he spake unto his people; and they did not…
All Posts Referencing 3 Nephi 1
- Wise Men: We Have Seen His Star (12/27/2025)
- As a Thief in the Night (9/23/2025)
- Choosing to Be of Good Cheer (6/26/2025)
- On the Day After Christmas (12/26/2024)
- Repentance and Remission of Sins (12/5/2024)
- Chronicling My Life (10/15/2024)
- Good Cheer (9/17/2024)
- Every Valley (9/12/2024)
- Being the Father and the Son (5/19/2024)
- Jesus Quoting Abinadi (5/15/2024)
- Christmas, Easter, and the Book of Mormon (3/27/2024)
- Christ Is Born! (12/25/2023)
- Letters to the Seven Churches (12/7/2023)
- Prologue of Hebrews (11/3/2023)
- All Scripture Is Profitable (10/25/2023)
- Star of Jacob / Star of Bethlehem (12/24/2022)
- The Ordinances of the Sun, Moon, and Stars (10/20/2022)
- “A Sign Between Me and You” (4/28/2022)
- The Rising Generation (10/24/2021)
- The Star (12/24/2020)
- “My Time Is at Hand” – 3 Nephi 17:1 (9/29/2020)
- Signs and Wonders – 3 Nephi 2:1-3 (9/12/2020)
- “The Voice of the Lord Came unto Him” – 3 Nephi 1:12 (9/11/2020)
- “They Became for Themselves” – 3 Nephi 1:29 (9/9/2020)
- “The Time Is Past” – 3 Nephi 1:6 (9/8/2020)
- Why Is Light an Appropriate Symbol for the Birth of Christ? (12/7/2019)
- Why Is It Important to Lift Up Our Heads? (9/7/2019)
- How Can I Recognize the Temptations of the Devil? (8/18/2019)
- Why Did the Nephites Keep the Law of Moses? (8/11/2019)
- What Does It Mean to “Fulfill” God’s Commandments? (7/6/2019)
- How Is Jesus Both “the Father and the Son?” (3/18/2019)
- What Does It Mean to Be “Baptized Unto Repentance?” (2/22/2019)
- A New Star Did Appear – 3 Nephi 1:21 (12/25/2018)
- Be of Good Cheer – 3 Nephi 1:13-14 (12/2/2018)
- By the Mouth of My Holy Prophets – 3 Nephi 1:13-14 (12/10/2017)
- That They Might Know – 3 Nephi 1:7-8 (4/22/2017)
- They Became for Themselves – 3 Nephi 1:29 (9/27/2015)
- 3 Nephi 1:22 Notwithstanding These Lyings and Deceivings… (11/29/2014)