44 An abundance of flocks, and herds, and fatlings of every kind, and also abundance of grain, and of gold, and of silver, and of precious things; and abundance of silk and fine twined linen, and all manner of good homely cloth.
45 And thus in their prosperous circumstances they did not send away any who were naked, or that were hungry, or that were athirst, or that were sick, or that had not been nourished;
46 And they did not set their hearts upon riches; therefore they were liberal to all, both old and young, both bond and free, both male and female, whether out of the church or in the church, having no respect to persons as to those who stood in need;
47 And thus they did prosper and become far more wealthy than those who did not belong to their church.
48 For those who did not belong to their church did indulge themselves in sorceries, and in idolatry or idleness, and in babblings, and in envyings and strife;
49 And wearing costly apparel; being lifted up in the pride of their own eyes; persecuting, lying, thieving, robbing, committing whoredoms, and murdering, and all manner of wickedness;
50 Nevertheless, the law was put in force upon all those who did transgress it, inasmuch as it were possible.
51 And it came to pass that by thus exercising the law upon them, every man suffering according to that which he had done, they become more still, and durst not commit any wickedness, if it were known:
52 Therefore there was much peace among the people of Nephi, until the fifth year of the reign of the Judges.
53 And it came to pass in the commencement of the fifth year of their reign, there began to be a contention among the people, for a certain man, being called Amlici; he being a very cunning man, yea, a wise man, as to the wisdom of the world; he being after the order of the man that slew Gideon by the sword, who was executed according to the law.
54 Now this Amlici had, by his cunning, drawn away much people after him; even so much that they began to be very powerful; and they began to endeavor to establish Amlici to be a king over the people.
