3 Nephi 6:17

And thus, in the commencement of the thirtieth year —

the people having been delivered up for the space of a long time

to be carried about by the temptations of the devil

whithersoever he desired to carry them,

and to do whatsoever iniquity he desired they should —

and thus in the commencement of this, the thirtieth year,

they were in a state of awful wickedness.

3 Nephi 6:18

Now they did not sin ignorantly,

for they knew the will of God concerning them,

for it had been taught unto them;

therefore they did wilfully rebel against God.

3 Nephi 6:19

And now it was in the days of Lachoneus, the son of Lachoneus,

for Lachoneus did fill the seat of his father and did govern the people that year.

3 Nephi 6:20

And there began to be men inspired from heaven and sent forth,

standing among the people in all the land,

preaching and testifying boldly of the sins and iniquities of the people,

and testifying unto them concerning the redemption

which the Lord would make for his people,

or in other words, the resurrection of Christ;

and they did testify boldly of his death and sufferings.

3 Nephi 6:21

Now there were many of the people who were exceedingly angry

because of those who testified of these things;

and those who were angry were chiefly the chief judges,

and they who had been high priests and lawyers;

yea, all those who were lawyers were angry

with those who testified of these things.

3 Nephi 6:22

Now there was no lawyer nor judge nor high priest

that could have power to condemn any one to death

save their condemnation was signed by the governor of the land.

3 Nephi 6:23

Now there were many of those

who testified of the things pertaining to Christ

who testified boldly,

who were taken and put to death secretly by the judges,

that the knowledge of their death came not unto the governor of the land

until after their death.

3 Nephi 6:24

Now behold, this was contrary to the laws of the land,

that any man should be put to death

except they had power from the governor of the land —

3 Nephi 6:25

Therefore a complaint came up unto the land of Zarahemla,

to the governor of the land, against these judges

who had condemned the prophets of the Lord unto death,

not according to the law.

3 Nephi 6:26

Now it came to pass that they were taken

and brought up before the judge, to be judged of the crime which they had done,

according to the law which had been given by the people.

3 Nephi 6:27

Now it came to pass that

those judges had many friends and kindreds;

and the remainder, yea, even almost all the lawyers and the high priests,

did gather themselves together, and unite with the kindreds of those judges

who were to be tried according to the law.

3 Nephi 6:28

And they did enter into a covenant one with another,

yea, even into that covenant which was given by them of old,

which covenant was given and administered by the devil,

to combine against all righteousness.

3 Nephi 6:29

Therefore they did combine against the people of the Lord,

and enter into a covenant to destroy them,

and to deliver those who were guilty of murder from the grasp of justice,

which was about to be administered according to the law.