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In Mormonism, Nephites are described as a people descended from Nephi, son of the Jewish prophet Lehi. Lehi led a colony from Jerusalem to America around 600 BCE. The Nephites were organized as a church by the resurrected Christ and were eventually exterminated by the Lamanites, another group descended from Lehi's colony.12

The history of the Nephites and Lamanites is recorded in the Book of Mormon, which is considered holy scripture by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and other Mormon churches. According to the Book of Mormon, Jesus Christ appeared to the Nephites after his ascension. The book itself claims to be an abridgment of records kept by prophets, including Mormon and his son Moroni, who delivered the plates to Joseph Smith, the founder of the church, for translation.23

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3 Britannica Sources
  1. Nephite
  2. Book of Mormon
  3. Joseph Smith

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