Once more there is the possibility that this use of bear could be interpreted as the past-tense form bare. However, here Nephi is speaking directly to us, his readers. The previous text states that he has written down only what he was permitted to write. So now he bears witness to us that he did indeed see what his father saw. Thus, within the larger context, we read:
There is one other place in the Book of Mormon text proper where the writer bears direct witness to his readers. Here too the correct reading is in the present tense:
Enos wants the reader to know that the Nephites faithfully tried to convert the Lamanites back to the gospel, but in this they failed. The 1830 typesetter interpreted Oliver Cowdery’s bear as the past-tense bare, but the correct present-tense reading was restored in the next edition (1837).
Two similar examples of present-tense bear are found in the witness statements. This usage is appropriate since the witnesses are speaking directly to us, their readers:
For complete discussion of bear versus bare, see bear in volume 3.
Summary: Retain the present-tense usage bear whenever the writer speaks directly to the reader, as in 1 Nephi 14:29 and Enos 1:20 (as well as in the witness statements).