5  Wherefore, Joseph truly ^asaw our day. And he obtained a promise of the Lord, that out of the fruit of his loins the Lord God would raise up a righteous branch unto the house of Israel; not the Messiah, but a branch which was to be broken off, nevertheless, to be remembered in the covenants of the Lord that the Messiah should be made manifest unto them in the latter days, in the spirit of power, unto the bringing of them out of darkness unto light—yea, out of hidden darkness and out of captivity unto freedom.

  30  Wherefore, my brethren, I would that ye should consider that the things which have been written upon the ^aplates of brass are true; and they testify that a man must be obedient to the commandments of God.

  12  And I, Nephi, had also brought the records which were engraven upon the ^aplates of brass; and also the ball, or compass, which was prepared for my father by the hand of the Lord, according to that which is written.

  1  And now it came to pass that after I, Nephi, had read these things which were engraven upon the ^aplates of brass, my brethren came unto me and said unto me: What meaneth these things which ye have read? Behold, are they to be understood according to things which are spiritual, which shall come to pass according to the spirit and not the flesh?