“The prophets proclaim … that all men and women, if they are to achieve true happiness, must ‘come unto Christ, and be perfected in him’ (Moroni 10:32). Indeed, that is the very purpose of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to invite, encourage, and assist all of God’s children, both living and dead, to come to Christ … that ‘ye may receive a remission of your sins, and be filled with the Holy Ghost, that ye may be numbered with my people who are of the house of Israel’ (3 Nephi 30:2). That is why we do missionary work” (Morrison, “Dawning of a New Day in Africa,” 25).
In only forty-nine verses, the book of 4 Nephi covers a lengthy period of nearly three hundred years, which is approximately one-third of the entire Nephite history. The book contrasts the righteousness of the people immediately following Jesus Christ’s ministry with the wickedness of the people a few generations later.
Fourth Nephi begins with the good news that “the people were all converted unto the Lord” and have “all things common” (4 Nephi 1:2–3). The people experience peace, prosperity, miracles, and live in unity and happiness for many years (see 4 Nephi 1:4–18). After Nephi dies, his son Amos keeps the records and then passes the records to his son Amos (see 4 Nephi 1:19–21). Mormon mentions that the people then “become exceedingly rich” and wear “costly apparel” (4 Nephi 1:23–24). Sadly, at that point, the people no longer have all things in common and begin to be “divided into classes.” Satan begins to “get hold upon their hearts” (4 Nephi 1:26–28). The wicked persecute the members of the true Church and the apostles of Jesus Christ, smiting the former and attempting to torture and imprison the latter (4 Nephi 1:29–34). Eventually, the people return to the previous divisions as Nephites and Lamanites. The Lamanites “willfully rebel against the gospel,” teach their children to “hate the children of Nephi,” and begin “again to build up the secret oaths and combinations of Gadianton” (4 Nephi 1:35–42). The book of 4 Nephi ends tragically, as both the Nephites and the Lamanites join the Gadianton robbers, who spread over the face of all the land until “there were none that were righteous save it were the disciples of Jesus” (4 Nephi 1:43–46). Amos dies, and his brother Ammaron keeps the records for a time before being directed by the Holy Ghost to hide them to come forth at a later time (4 Nephi 1:47–49).
Fourth Nephi allows us to follow the narrative immediately after the remarkable visit of Jesus Christ down to the life of young Mormon. In this book, we sense a longing by Mormon for the golden years of Nephite civilization and his regret that pride, division, and corruption began the ruin of his people.
The superscription to the book of 4 Nephi is a single line that appears just under the title. It was part of the ancient record translated by the Prophet Joseph Smith and dictated by him to his scribe (see also, for example, 1 Nephi, Alma 5, and Moroni 9).
Distinct from the superscription is the chapter summary, which is presented in italics between the chapter number and the beginning of the scriptural text. Chapter summaries, originally added in the 1920 edition of the Book of Mormon, give the reader an overview of what each chapter contains.