Emphasis Scriptures

The word 'began' occurs 621 times in the standard works.

288 of those occurances are found in the list of scriptures highlighted below. These verses have the highest concentration of the word 'began' in the standard works and contain 46.4% of all occurances. Assuming 30 seconds per verse, it would take about 116 minutes to read the entire list.

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3 Ne. 1:22-2:1 (10 in 10 verses)

Alma 4:4-11 (9 in 8 verses)


1 Ne. 18:9-15 (7 in 7 verses)

 18:9 And after we had been driven forth before the wind for the space of many days, behold, my brethren and the sons of Ishmael and also their wives began to make themselves merry, insomuch that they began to dance, and to sing, and to speak with much rudeness, yea, even that they did forget by what power they had been brought thither; yea, they were lifted up unto exceeding rudeness.

 18:10 And I, Nephi, began to fear exceedingly lest the Lord should be angry with us, and smite us because of our iniquity, that we should be swallowed up in the depths of the sea; wherefore, I, Nephi, began to speak to them with much soberness; but behold they were angry with me, saying: We will not that our younger brother shall be a ruler over us.

 18:11 And it came to pass that Laman and Lemuel did take me and bind me with cords, and they did treat me with much harshness; nevertheless, the Lord did suffer it that he might show forth his power, unto the fulfilling of his word which he had spoken concerning the wicked.

 18:12 And it came to pass that after they had bound me insomuch that I could not move, the compass, which had been prepared of the Lord, did cease to work.

 18:13 Wherefore, they knew not whither they should steer the ship, insomuch that there arose a great storm, yea, a great and terrible tempest, and we were driven back upon the waters for the space of three days; and they began to be frightened exceedingly lest they should be drowned in the sea; nevertheless they did not loose me.

 18:14 And on the fourth day, which we had been driven back, the tempest began to be exceedingly sore.

 18:15 And it came to pass that we were about to be swallowed up in the depths of the sea. And after we had been driven back upon the waters for the space of four days, my brethren began to see that the judgments of God were upon them, and that they must perish save that they should repent of their iniquities; wherefore, they came unto me, and loosed the bands which were upon my wrists, and behold they had swollen exceedingly; and also mine ankles were much swollen, and great was the soreness thereof.




Mosiah 24:4-10 (7 in 7 verses)

Ether 9:30-10:1 (7 in 7 verses)

Mosiah 21:1-6 (6 in 6 verses)

Hel. 16:12-17 (6 in 6 verses)

Alma 25:6-8 (5 in 3 verses)

Hel. 11:20-23 (5 in 4 verses)

3 Ne. 1:4-7 (5 in 4 verses)

Alma 1:5-9 (5 in 5 verses)

Mosiah 21:15-16 (4 in 2 verses)

Alma 11:46-12:1 (4 in 2 verses)

Alma 14:6-7 (4 in 2 verses)

Alma 17:36-37 (4 in 2 verses)

Hel. 6:16-17 (4 in 2 verses)

4 Ne. 1:24-26 (4 in 3 verses)

Ether 15:1-3 (4 in 3 verses)

Jacob 5:3-6 (4 in 4 verses)

Mosiah 9:11-14 (4 in 4 verses)

Alma 22:21-24 (4 in 4 verses)

Jacob 5:73 (3 in 1 verse)

Mosiah 10:6 (3 in 1 verse)

Mosiah 27:6 (3 in 1 verse)

Alma 24:21 (3 in 1 verse)

Alma 62:48 (3 in 1 verse)

3 Ne. 4:1 (3 in 1 verse)

Jacob 1:15-16 (3 in 2 verses)

Mosiah 19:2-3 (3 in 2 verses)

Alma 2:1-2 (3 in 2 verses)

Alma 8:32-9:1 (3 in 2 verses)

Alma 21:4-5 (3 in 2 verses)

Alma 21:9-10 (3 in 2 verses)

Alma 56:29-30 (3 in 2 verses)

Alma 56:51-52 (3 in 2 verses)

Hel. 11:7-8 (3 in 2 verses)

Morm. 2:10-11 (3 in 2 verses)

Moses 1:20-21 (3 in 2 verses)

2 Chr. 34:1-3 (3 in 3 verses)

Mosiah 20:9-11 (3 in 3 verses)

Alma 12:7-9 (3 in 3 verses)

Alma 50:13-15 (3 in 3 verses)

Hel. 6:34-36 (3 in 3 verses)

4 Ne. 1:42-44 (3 in 3 verses)

Moses 5:1-3 (3 in 3 verses)

2 Chr. 29:27 (2 in 1 verse)

Mosiah 6:4 (2 in 1 verse)

Mosiah 10:1 (2 in 1 verse)

Mosiah 23:5 (2 in 1 verse)

Alma 1:22 (2 in 1 verse)

Alma 8:4 (2 in 1 verse)

Alma 15:17 (2 in 1 verse)

Alma 17:28 (2 in 1 verse)

Alma 27:2 (2 in 1 verse)

Alma 35:15 (2 in 1 verse)

Alma 43:50 (2 in 1 verse)

Hel. 10:18 (2 in 1 verse)

Hel. 11:36 (2 in 1 verse)

Morm. 3:9 (2 in 1 verse)

Ether 6:28 (2 in 1 verse)

Ether 9:26 (2 in 1 verse)

Ether 14:27 (2 in 1 verse)

Judg. 20:39-40 (2 in 2 verses)

1 Kgs. 22:41-42 (2 in 2 verses)

2 Kgs. 8:16-17 (2 in 2 verses)

2 Kgs. 11:21-12:1 (2 in 2 verses)

2 Kgs. 15:1-2 (2 in 2 verses)

2 Kgs. 15:32-33 (2 in 2 verses)

2 Kgs. 16:1-2 (2 in 2 verses)

2 Kgs. 18:1-2 (2 in 2 verses)

2 Chr. 3:1-2 (2 in 2 verses)

Matt. 16:21-22 (2 in 2 verses)

Mark 8:31-32 (2 in 2 verses)

1 Ne. 16:20-21 (2 in 2 verses)

Mosiah 9:8-9 (2 in 2 verses)

Mosiah 11:16-17 (2 in 2 verses)

Mosiah 27:22-23 (2 in 2 verses)

Alma 1:28-29 (2 in 2 verses)

Alma 2:17-18 (2 in 2 verses)

Alma 10:16-17 (2 in 2 verses)

Alma 15:3-4 (2 in 2 verses)

Alma 15:11-12 (2 in 2 verses)

Alma 19:14-15 (2 in 2 verses)

Alma 19:18-19 (2 in 2 verses)

Alma 32:1-2 (2 in 2 verses)

Alma 35:10-11 (2 in 2 verses)

Alma 43:35-36 (2 in 2 verses)

Alma 44:17-18 (2 in 2 verses)

Alma 49:21-22 (2 in 2 verses)

Alma 52:23-24 (2 in 2 verses)

Hel. 1:1-2 (2 in 2 verses)

Hel. 3:21-22 (2 in 2 verses)

3 Ne. 1:17-18 (2 in 2 verses)

3 Ne. 8:3-4 (2 in 2 verses)

Ether 6:18-19 (2 in 2 verses)

Ether 11:7-8 (2 in 2 verses)

D&C 101:46-47 (2 in 2 verses)

Exact Word Count

  FULL PART ALL
OT 105 0 105
NT 74 0 74
BM 418 0 418
1 Ne. 22 0 22
2 Ne. 2 0 2
Jacob 14 0 14
Enos 3 0 3
Jarom 1 0 1
Omni 1 0 1
Mosiah 67 0 67
Alma 165 0 165
Hel. 42 0 42
3 Ne. 39 0 39
4 Ne. 8 0 8
Morm. 15 0 15
Ether 38 0 38
Moro. 1 0 1
DC 5 0 5
PGP 19 0 19
TOTAL 621 0 621

1 Ne. 1:18
Therefore, I would that ye should know, that after the Lord had shown so many marvelous things unto my father, Lehi, yea, concerning the destruction of Jerusalem, behold he went forth among the people, and began to prophesy and to declare unto them concerning the things which he had both seen and heard.

1 Ne. 3:14
But Laman fled out of his presence, and told the things which Laban had done, unto us. And we began to be exceedingly sorrowful, and my brethren were about to return unto my father in the wilderness.

1 Ne. 3:20
And also that we may preserve unto them the words which have been spoken by the mouth of all the holy prophets, which have been delivered unto them by the Spirit and power of God, since the world began, even down unto this present time.

1 Ne. 3:31
And after the angel had departed, Laman and Lemuel again began to murmur, saying: How is it possible that the Lord will deliver Laban into our hands? Behold, he is a mighty man, and he can command fifty, yea, even he can slay fifty; then why not us?

1 Ne. 4:30
And it came to pass that when the servant of Laban beheld my brethren he began to tremble, and was about to flee from before me and return to the city of Jerusalem.

1 Ne. 5:17
And now when my father saw all these things, he was filled with the Spirit, and began to prophesy concerning his seed--

1 Ne. 8:8
And after I had traveled for the space of many hours in darkness, I began to pray unto the Lord that he would have mercy on me, according to the multitude of his tender mercies.

1 Ne. 8:12
And as I partook of the fruit thereof it filled my soul with exceedingly great joy; wherefore, I began to be desirous that my family should partake of it also; for I knew that it was desirable above all other fruit.

1 Ne. 14:16
And as there began to be wars and rumors of wars among all the nations which belonged to the mother of abominations, the angel spake unto me, saying: Behold, the wrath of God is upon the mother of harlots; and behold, thou seest all these things--

1 Ne. 16:20
And it came to pass that Laman and Lemuel and the sons of Ishmael did begin to murmur exceedingly, because of their sufferings and afflictions in the wilderness; and also my father began to murmur against the Lord his God; yea, and they were all exceedingly sorrowful, even that they did murmur against the Lord.

1 Ne. 16:21
Now it came to pass that I, Nephi, having been afflicted with my brethren because of the loss of my bow, and their bows having lost their springs, it began to be exceedingly difficult, yea, insomuch that we could obtain no food.

1 Ne. 17:2
And so great were the blessings of the Lord upon us, that while we did live upon raw meat in the wilderness, our women did give plenty of suck for their children, and were strong, yea, even like unto the men; and they began to bear their journeyings without murmurings.

1 Ne. 17:17
And when my brethren saw that I was about to build a ship, they began to murmur against me, saying: Our brother is a fool, for he thinketh that he can build a ship; yea, and he also thinketh that he can cross these great waters.

1 Ne. 17:19
And now it came to pass that I, Nephi, was exceedingly sorrowful because of the hardness of their hearts; and now when they saw that I began to be sorrowful they were glad in their hearts, insomuch that they did rejoice over me, saying: We knew that ye could not construct a ship, for we knew that ye were lacking in judgment; wherefore, thou canst not accomplish so great a work.

1 Ne. 18:9
And after we had been driven forth before the wind for the space of many days, behold, my brethren and the sons of Ishmael and also their wives began to make themselves merry, insomuch that they began to dance, and to sing, and to speak with much rudeness, yea, even that they did forget by what power they had been brought thither; yea, they were lifted up unto exceeding rudeness.

1 Ne. 18:10
And I, Nephi, began to fear exceedingly lest the Lord should be angry with us, and smite us because of our iniquity, that we should be swallowed up in the depths of the sea; wherefore, I, Nephi, began to speak to them with much soberness; but behold they were angry with me, saying: We will not that our younger brother shall be a ruler over us.

1 Ne. 18:13
Wherefore, they knew not whither they should steer the ship, insomuch that there arose a great storm, yea, a great and terrible tempest, and we were driven back upon the waters for the space of three days; and they began to be frightened exceedingly lest they should be drowned in the sea; nevertheless they did not loose me.

1 Ne. 18:14
And on the fourth day, which we had been driven back, the tempest began to be exceedingly sore.

1 Ne. 18:15
And it came to pass that we were about to be swallowed up in the depths of the sea. And after we had been driven back upon the waters for the space of four days, my brethren began to see that the judgments of God were upon them, and that they must perish save that they should repent of their iniquities; wherefore, they came unto me, and loosed the bands which were upon my wrists, and behold they had swollen exceedingly; and also mine ankles were much swollen, and great was the soreness thereof.

1 Ne. 18:24
And it came to pass that we did begin to till the earth, and we began to plant seeds; yea, we did put all our seeds into the earth, which we had brought from the land of Jerusalem. And it came to pass that they did grow exceedingly; wherefore, we were blessed in abundance.