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The account of Alma, who was the son of Alma the first, and chief judge over the people of Nephi, and also the high priest over the Church. An account of the reign of the judges, and the wars and contentions among the people. And also an account of a war between the Nephites and the Lamanites, according to the record of Alma, the first and chief judge.

Alma 1 Chapter 1

Alma 1:1

1 Now it came to pass that in the first year of the reign of the

judges over the people of Nephi, from this time forward, king

Mosiah having gone the way of all the earth, having warred a good

warfare, walking uprightly before God, leaving none to reign in

his stead; nevertheless he had established laws, and they were

acknowledged by the people; therefore they were obliged to abide

by the laws which he had made.

Alma 1:2

2 And it came to pass that in the first year of the reign of

Alma in the judgment-seat, there was a man brought before him to

be judged, a man who was large, and was noted for his much

strength.

Alma 1:3

3 And he had gone about among the people, preaching to them that

which he termed to be the word of God, bearing down against the

church; declaring unto the people that every priest and teacher

ought to become popular; and they ought not to labor with their

hands, but that they ought to be supported by the people.

Alma 1:4

4 And he also testified unto the people that all mankind should

be saved at the last day, and that they need not fear nor

tremble, but that they might lift up their heads and rejoice; for

the Lord had created all men, and had also redeemed all men; and,

in the end, all men should have eternal life.

Alma 1:5

5 And it came to pass that he did teach these things so much

that many did believe on his words, even so many that they began

to support him and give him money.

Alma 1:6

6 And he began to be lifted up in the pride of his heart, and to

wear very costly apparel, yea, and even began to establish a

church after the manner of his preaching.

Alma 1:7

7 And it came to pass as he was going, to preach to those who

believed on his word, he met a man who belonged to the church of

God, yea, even one of their teachers; and he began to contend

with him sharply, that he might lead away the people of the

church; but the man withstood him, admonishing him with the words

of God.

Alma 1:8

8 Now the name of the man was Gideon; and it was he who was an

instrument in the hands of God in delivering the people of Limhi

out of bondage.

Alma 1:9

9 Now, because Gideon withstood him with the words of God he was

wroth with Gideon, and drew his sword and began to smite him.

Now Gideon being stricken with many years, therefore he was not

able to withstand his blows, therefore he was slain by the sword.

Alma 1:10

10 And the man who slew him was taken by the people of the

church, and was brought before Alma, to be judged according to

the crimes which he had committed.

Alma 1:11

11 And it came to pass that he stood before Alma and pleaded for

himself with much boldness.

Alma 1:12

12 But Alma said unto him: Behold, this is the first time that

priestcraft has been introduced among this people. And behold,

thou art not only guilty of priestcraft, but hast endeavored to

enforce it by the sword; and were priestcraft to be enforced

among this people it would prove their entire destruction.

Alma 1:13

13 And thou hast shed the blood of a righteous man, yea, a man

who has done much good among this people; and were we to spare

thee his blood would come upon us for vengeance.

Alma 1:14

14 Therefore thou art condemned to die, according to the law

which has been given us by Mosiah, our last king; and it has been

acknowledged by this people; therefore this people must abide by

the law.

Alma 1:15

15 And it came to pass that they took him; and his name was

Nehor; and they carried him upon the top of the hill Manti, and

there he was caused, or rather did acknowledge, between the

heavens and the earth, that what he had taught to the people was

contrary to the word of God; and there he suffered an ignominious

death.

Alma 1:16

16 Nevertheless, this did not put an end to the spreading of

priestcraft through the land; for there were many who loved the

vain things of the world, and they went forth preaching false

doctrines; and this they did for the sake of riches and honor.

Alma 1:17

17 Nevertheless, they durst not lie, if it were known, for fear

of the law, for liars were punished; therefore they pretended to

preach according to their belief; and now the law could have no

power on any man for his belief.

Alma 1:18

18 And they durst not steal, for fear of the law, for such were

punished; neither durst they rob, nor murder, for he that

murdered was punished unto death.

Alma 1:19

19 But it came to pass that whosoever did not belong to the

church of God began to persecute those that did belong to the

church of God, and had taken upon them the name of Christ.

Alma 1:20

20 Yea, they did persecute them, and afflict them with all

manner of words, and this because of their humility; because they

were not proud in their own eyes, and because they did impart the

word of God, one with another, without money and without price.

Alma 1:21

21 Now there was a strict law among the people of the church

that there should not any man, belonging to the church, arise and

persecute those that did not belong to the church, and that there

should be no persecution among themselves.

Alma 1:22

22 Nevertheless, there were many among them who began to be

proud, and began to contend warmly with their adversaries, even

unto blows; yea, they would smite one another with their fists.

Alma 1:23

23 Now this was in the second year of the reign of Alma, and it

was a cause of much affliction to the church; yea, it was the

cause of much trial with the church.

Alma 1:24

24 For the hearts of many were hardened, and their names were

blotted out, that they were remembered no more among the people

of God. And also many withdrew themselves from among them.

Alma 1:25

25 Now this was a great trial to those that did stand fast in

the faith; nevertheless, they were steadfast and immovable in

keeping the commandments of God, and they bore with patience the

persecution which was heaped upon them.

Alma 1:26

26 And when the priests left their labor to impart the word of

God unto the people, the people also left their labors to hear

the word of God. And when the priest had imparted unto them the

word of God they all returned again diligently unto their labors;

and the priest, not esteeming himself above his hearers, for the

preacher was no better than the hearer, neither was the teacher

any better than the learner; and thus they were all equal, and

they did all labor, every man according to his strength.

Alma 1:27

27 And they did impart of their substance, every man according

to that which he had, to the poor, and the needy, and the sick,

and the afflicted; and they did not wear costly apparel, yet they

were neat and comely.

Alma 1:28

28 And thus they did establish the affairs of the church; and

thus they began to have continual peace again, notwithstanding

all their persecutions.

Alma 1:29

29 And now, because of the steadiness of the church they began

to be exceedingly rich, having abundance of all things whatsoever

they stood in need—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.

Alma 1:30

30 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; 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.

Alma 1:31

31 And thus they did prosper and become far more wealthy than

those who did not belong to their church.

Alma 1:32

32 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; 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; nevertheless, the law was put in

force upon all those who did transgress it, inasmuch as it was

possible.

Alma 1:33

33 And it came to pass that by thus exercising the law upon

them, every man suffering according to that which he had done,

they became more still, and durst not commit any wickedness if it

were known; therefore, there was much peace among the people of

Nephi until the fifth year of the reign of the judges.

Alma 2 Chapter 2

Alma 2:1

1 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—

Alma 2:2

2 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 king over the

people.

Alma 2:3

3 Now this was alarming to the people of the church, and also to

all those who had not been drawn away after the persuasions of

Amlici; for they knew that according to their law that such

things must be established by the voice of the people.

Alma 2:4

4 Therefore, if it were possible that Amlici should gain the

voice of the people, he, being a wicked man, would deprive them

of their rights and privileges of the church; for it was his

intent to destroy the church of God.

Alma 2:5

5 And it came to pass that the people assembled themselves

together throughout all the land, every man according to his

mind, whether it were for or against Amlici, in separate bodies,

having much dispute and wonderful contentions one with another.

Alma 2:6

6 And thus they did assemble themselves together to cast in

their voices concerning the matter; and they were laid before the

judges.

Alma 2:7

7 And it came to pass that the voice of the people came against

Amlici, that he was not made king over the people.

Alma 2:8

8 Now this did cause much joy in the hearts of those who were

against him; but Amlici did stir up those who were in his favor

to anger against those who were not in his favor.

Alma 2:9

9 And it came to pass that they gathered themselves together,

and did consecrate Amlici to be their king.

Alma 2:10

10 Now when Amlici was made king over them he commanded them

that they should take up arms against their brethren; and this he

did that he might subject them to him.

Alma 2:11

11 Now the people of Amlici were distinguished by the name of

Amlici, being called Amlicites; and the remainder were called

Nephites, or the people of God.

Alma 2:12

12 Therefore the people of the Nephites were aware of the intent

of the Amlicites, and therefore they did prepare to meet them;

yea, they did arm themselves with swords, and with cimeters, and

with bows, and with arrows, and with stones, and with slings, and

with all manner of weapons of war, of every kind.

Alma 2:13

13 And thus they were prepared to meet the Amlicites at the time

of their coming. And there were appointed captains, and higher

captains, and chief captains, according to their numbers.

Alma 2:14

14 And it came to pass that Amlici did arm his men with all

manner of weapons of war of every kind; and he also appointed

rulers and leaders over his people, to lead them to war against

their brethren.

Alma 2:15

15 And it came to pass that the Amlicites came upon the hill

Amnihu, which was east of the river Sidon, which ran by the land

of Zarahemla, and there they began to make war with the Nephites.

Alma 2:16

16 Now Alma, being the chief judge and the governor of the

people of Nephi, therefore he went up with his people, yea, with

his captains, and chief captains, yea, at the head of his armies,

against the Amlicites to battle.

Alma 2:17

17 And they began to slay the Amlicites upon the hill east of

Sidon. And the Amlicites did contend with the Nephites with

great strength, insomuch that many of the Nephites did fall

before the Amlicites.

Alma 2:18

18 Nevertheless the Lord did strengthen the hand of the

Nephites, that they slew the Amlicites with great slaughter, that

they began to flee before them.

Alma 2:19

19 And it came to pass that the Nephites did pursue the

Amlicites all that day, and did slay them with much slaughter,

insomuch that there were slain of the Amlicites twelve thousand

five hundred thirty and two souls; and there were slain of the

Nephites six thousand five hundred sixty and two souls.

Alma 2:20

20 And it came to pass that when Alma could pursue the Amlicites

no longer he caused that his people should pitch their tents in

the valley of Gideon, the valley being called after that Gideon

who was slain by the hand of Nehor with the sword; and in this

valley the Nephites did pitch their tents for the night.

Alma 2:21

21 And Alma sent spies to follow the remnant of the Amlicites,

that he might know of their plans and their plots, whereby he

might guard himself against them, that he might preserve his

people from being destroyed.

Alma 2:22

22 Now those whom he had sent out to watch the camp of the

Amlicites were called Zeram, and Amnor, and Manti, and Limher;

these were they who went out with their men to watch the camp of

the Amlicites.

Alma 2:23

23 And it came to pass that on the morrow they returned into the

camp of the Nephites in great haste, being greatly astonished,

and struck with much fear, saying:

Alma 2:24

24 Behold, we followed the camp of the Amlicites, and to our

great astonishment, in the land of Minon, above the land of

Zarahemla, in the course of the land of Nephi, we saw a numerous

host of the Lamanites; and behold, the Amlicites have joined

them;

Alma 2:25

25 And they are upon our brethren in that land; and they are

fleeing before them with their flocks, and their wives, and their

children, towards our city; and except we make haste they obtain

possession of our city, and our fathers, and our wives, and our

children be slain.

Alma 2:26

26 And it came to pass that the people of Nephi took their

tents, and departed out of the valley of Gideon towards their

city, which was the city of Zarahemla.

Alma 2:27

27 And behold, as they were crossing the river Sidon, the

Lamanites and the Amlicites, being as numerous almost, as it

were, as the sands of the sea, came upon them to destroy them.

Alma 2:28

28 Nevertheless, the Nephites being strengthened by the hand of

the Lord, having prayed mightily to him that he would deliver

them out of the hands of their enemies, therefore the Lord did

hear their cries, and did strengthen them, and the Lamanites and

the Amlicites did fall before them.

Alma 2:29

29 And it came to pass that Alma fought with Amlici with the

sword, face to face; and they did contend mightily, one with

another.

Alma 2:30

30 And it came to pass that Alma, being a man of God, being

exercised with much faith, cried, saying: O Lord, have mercy and

spare my life, that I may be an instrument in thy hands to save

and preserve this people.

Alma 2:31

31 Now when Alma had said these words he contended again with

Amlici; and he was strengthened, insomuch that he slew Amlici

with the sword.

Alma 2:32

32 And he also contended with the king of the Lamanites; but the

king of the Lamanites fled back from before Alma and sent his

guards to contend with Alma.

Alma 2:33

33 But Alma, with his guards, contended with the guards of the

king of the Lamanites until he slew and drove them back.

Alma 2:34

34 And thus he cleared the ground, or rather the bank, which was

on the west of the river Sidon, throwing the bodies of the

Lamanites who had been slain into the waters of Sidon, that

thereby his people might have room to cross and contend with the

Lamanites and the Amlicites on the west side of the river Sidon.

Alma 2:35

35 And it came to pass that when they had all crossed the river

Sidon that the Lamanites and the Amlicites began to flee before

them, notwithstanding they were so numerous that they could not

be numbered.

Alma 2:36

36 And they fled before the Nephites towards the wilderness

which was west and north, away beyond the borders of the land;

and the Nephites did pursue them with their might, and did slay

them.

Alma 2:37

37 Yea, they were met on every hand, and slain and driven, until

they were scattered on the west, and on the north, until they had

reached the wilderness, which was called Hermounts; and it was

that part of the wilderness which was infested by wild and

ravenous beasts.

Alma 2:38

38 And it came to pass that many died in the wilderness of their

wounds, and were devoured by those beasts and also the vultures

of the air; and their bones have been found, and have been heaped

up on the earth.

Alma 3 Chapter 3

Alma 3:1

1 And it came to pass that the Nephites who were not slain by

the weapons of war, after having buried those who had been

slain—now the number of the slain were not numbered, because of

the greatness of their number—after they had finished burying

their dead they all returned to their lands, and to their houses,

and their wives, and their children.

Alma 3:2

2 Now many women and children had been slain with the sword, and

also many of their flocks and their herds; and also many of their

fields of grain were destroyed, for they were trodden down by the

hosts of men.

Alma 3:3

3 And now as many of the Lamanites and the Amlicites who had

been slain upon the bank of the river Sidon were cast into the

waters of Sidon; and behold their bones are in the depths of the

sea, and they are many.

Alma 3:4

4 And the Amlicites were distinguished from the Nephites, for

they had marked themselves with red in their foreheads after the

manner of the Lamanites; nevertheless they had not shorn their

heads like unto the Lamanites.

Alma 3:5

5 Now the heads of the Lamanites were shorn; and they were

naked, save it were skin which was girded about their loins, and

also their armor, which was girded about them, and their bows,

and their arrows, and their stones, and their slings, and so

forth.

Alma 3:6

6 And the skins of the Lamanites were dark, according to the

mark which was set upon their fathers, which was a curse upon

them because of their transgression and their rebellion against

their brethren, who consisted of Nephi, Jacob, and Joseph, and

Sam, who were just and holy men.

Alma 3:7

7 And their brethren sought to destroy them, therefore they were

cursed; and the Lord God set a mark upon them, yea, upon Laman

and Lemuel, and also the sons of Ishmael, and Ishmaelitish women.

Alma 3:8

8 And this was done that their seed might be distinguished from

the seed of their brethren, that thereby the Lord God might

preserve his people, that they might not mix and believe in

incorrect traditions which would prove their destruction.

Alma 3:9

9 And it came to pass that whosoever did mingle his seed with

that of the Lamanites did bring the same curse upon his seed.

Alma 3:10

10 Therefore, whosoever suffered himself to be led away by the

Lamanites was called under that head, and there was a mark set

upon him.

Alma 3:11

11 And it came to pass that whosoever would not believe in the

tradition of the Lamanites, but believed those records which were

brought out of the land of Jerusalem, and also in the tradition

of their fathers, which were correct, who believed in the

commandments of God and kept them, were called the Nephites, or

the people of Nephi, from that time forth—

Alma 3:12

12 And it is they who have kept the records which are true of

their people, and also of the people of the Lamanites.

Alma 3:13

13 Now we will return again to the Amlicites, for they also had

a mark set upon them; yea, they set the mark upon themselves,

yea, even a mark of red upon their foreheads.

Alma 3:14

14 Thus the word of God is fulfilled, for these are the words

which he said to Nephi: Behold, the Lamanites have I cursed, and

I will set a mark on them that they and their seed may be

separated from thee and thy seed, from this time henceforth and

forever, except they repent of their wickedness and turn to me

that I may have mercy upon them.

Alma 3:15

15 And again: I will set a mark upon him that mingleth his seed

with thy brethren, that they may be cursed also.

Alma 3:16

16 And again: I will set a mark upon him that fighteth against

thee and thy seed.

Alma 3:17

17 And again, I say he that departeth from thee shall no more be

called thy seed; and I will bless thee, and whomsoever shall be

called thy seed, henceforth and forever; and these were the

promises of the Lord unto Nephi and to his seed.

Alma 3:18

18 Now the Amlicites knew not that they were fulfilling the

words of God when they began to mark themselves in their

foreheads; nevertheless they had come out in open rebellion

against God; therefore it was expedient that the curse should

fall upon them.

Alma 3:19

19 Now I would that ye should see that they brought upon

themselves the curse; and even so doth every man that is cursed

bring upon himself his own condemnation.

Alma 3:20

20 Now it came to pass that not many days after the battle which

was fought in the land of Zarahemla, by the Lamanites and the

Amlicites, that there was another army of the Lamanites came in

upon the people of Nephi, in the same place where the first army

met the Amlicites.

Alma 3:21

21 And it came to pass that there was an army sent to drive them

out of their land.

Alma 3:22

22 Now Alma himself being afflicted with a wound did not go up

to battle at this time against the Lamanites;

Alma 3:23

23 But he sent up a numerous army against them; and they went up

and slew many of the Lamanites, and drove the remainder of them

out of the borders of their land.

Alma 3:24

24 And then they returned again and began to establish peace in

the land, being troubled no more for a time with their enemies.

Alma 3:25

25 Now all these things were done, yea, all these wars and

contentions were commenced and ended in the fifth year of the

reign of the judges.

Alma 3:26

26 And in one year were thousands and tens of thousands of souls

sent to the eternal world, that they might reap their rewards

according to their works, whether they were good or whether they

were bad, to reap eternal happiness or eternal misery, according

to the spirit which they listed to obey, whether it be a good

spirit or a bad one.

Alma 3:27

27 For every man receiveth wages of him whom he listeth to obey,

and this according to the words of the spirit of prophecy;

therefore let it be according to the truth. And thus endeth the

fifth year of the reign of the judges.

Alma 4 Chapter 4

Alma 4:1

1 Now it came to pass in the sixth year of the reign of the

judges over the people of Nephi, there were no contentions nor

wars in the land of Zarahemla;

Alma 4:2

2 But the people were afflicted, yea, greatly afflicted for the

loss of their brethren, and also for the loss of their flocks and

herds, and also for the loss of their fields of grain, which were

trodden under foot and destroyed by the Lamanites.

Alma 4:3

3 And so great were their afflictions that every soul had cause

to mourn; and they believed that it was the judgments of God sent

upon them because of their wickedness and their abominations;

therefore they were awakened to a remembrance of their duty.

Alma 4:4

4 And they began to establish the church more fully; yea, and

many were baptized in the waters of Sidon and were joined to the

church of God; yea, they were baptized by the hand of Alma, who

had been consecrated the high priest over the people of the

church, by the hand of his father Alma.

Alma 4:5

5 And it came to pass in the seventh year of the reign of the

judges there were about three thousand five hundred souls that

united themselves to the church of God and were baptized. And

thus endeth the seventh year of the reign of the judges over the

people of Nephi; and there was continual peace in all that time.

Alma 4:6

6 And it came to pass in the eighth year of the reign of the

judges, that the people of the church began to wax proud, because

of their exceeding riches, and their fine silks, and their

fine-twined linen, and because of their many flocks and herds,

and their gold and their silver, and all manner of precious

things, which they had obtained by their industry; and in all

these things were they lifted up in the pride of their eyes, for

they began to wear very costly apparel.

Alma 4:7

7 Now this was the cause of much affliction to Alma, yea, and to

many of the people whom Alma had consecrated to be teachers, and

priests, and elders over the church; yea, many of them were

sorely grieved for the wickedness which they saw had begun to be

among their people.

Alma 4:8

8 For they saw and beheld with great sorrow that the people of

the church began to be lifted up in the pride of their eyes, and

to set their hearts upon riches and upon the vain things of the

world, that they began to be scornful, one towards another, and

they began to persecute those that did not believe according to

their own will and pleasure.

Alma 4:9

9 And thus, in this eighth year of the reign of the judges,

there began to be great contentions among the people of the

church; yea, there were envyings, and strife, and malice, and

persecutions, and pride, even to exceed the pride of those who

did not belong to the church of God.

Alma 4:10

10 And thus ended the eighth year of the reign of the judges;

and the wickedness of the church was a great stumbling-block to

those who did not belong to the church; and thus the church began

to fail in its progress.

Alma 4:11

11 And it came to pass in the commencement of the ninth year,

Alma saw the wickedness of the church, and he saw also that the

example of the church began to lead those who were unbelievers on

from one piece of iniquity to another, thus bringing on the

destruction of the people.

Alma 4:12

12 Yea, he saw great inequality among the people, some lifting

themselves up with their pride, despising others, turning their

backs upon the needy and the naked and those who were hungry, and

those who were athirst, and those who were sick and afflicted.

Alma 4:13

13 Now this was a great cause for lamentations among the people,

while others were abasing themselves, succoring those who stood

in need of their succor, such as imparting their substance to the

poor and the needy, feeding the hungry, and suffering all manner

of afflictions, for Christ's sake, who should come according to

the spirit of prophecy;

Alma 4:14

14 Looking forward to that day, thus retaining a remission of

their sins; being filled with great joy because of the

resurrection of the dead, according to the will and power and

deliverance of Jesus Christ from the bands of death.

Alma 4:15

15 And now it came to pass that Alma, having seen the

afflictions of the humble followers of God, and the persecutions

which were heaped upon them by the remainder of his people, and

seeing all their inequality, began to be very sorrowful;

nevertheless the Spirit of the Lord did not fail him.

Alma 4:16

16 And he selected a wise man who was among the elders of the

church, and gave him power according to the voice of the people,

that he might have power to enact laws according to the laws

which had been given, and to put them in force according to the

wickedness and the crimes of the people.

Alma 4:17

17 Now this man's name was Nephihah, and he was appointed chief

judge; and he sat in the judgment-seat to judge and to govern the

people.

Alma 4:18

18 Now Alma did not grant unto him the office of being high

priest over the church, but he retained the office of high priest

unto himself; but he delivered the judgment-seat unto Nephihah.

Alma 4:19

19 And this he did that he himself might go forth among his

people, or among the people of Nephi, that he might preach the

word of God unto them, to stir them up in remembrance of their

duty, and that he might pull down, by the word of God, all the

pride and craftiness and all the contentions which were among his

people, seeing no way that he might reclaim them save it were in

bearing down in pure testimony against them.

Alma 4:20

20 And thus in the commencement of the ninth year of the reign

of the judges over the people of Nephi, Alma delivered up the

judgment-seat to Nephihah, and confined himself wholly to the

high priesthood of the holy order of God, to the testimony of the

word, according to the spirit of revelation and prophecy.

Alma 5 Chapter 5

Alma 5:1

1 Now it came to pass that Alma began to deliver the word of God

unto the people, first in the land of Zarahemla, and from thence

throughout all the land.

Alma 5:2

2 And these are the words which he spake to the people in the

church which was established in the city of Zarahemla, according

to his own record, saying:

Alma 5:3

3 I, Alma, having been consecrated by my father, Alma, to be a

high priest over the church of God, he having power and authority

from God to do these things, behold, I say unto you that he began

to establish a church in the land which was in the borders of

Nephi; yea, the land which was called the land of Mormon; yea,

and he did baptize his brethren in the waters of Mormon.

Alma 5:4

4 And behold, I say unto you, they were delivered out of the

hands of the people of king Noah, by the mercy and power of God.

Alma 5:5

5 And behold, after that, they were brought into bondage by the

hands of the Lamanites in the wilderness; yea, I say unto you,

they were in captivity, and again the Lord did deliver them out

of bondage by the power of his word; and we were brought into

this land, and here we began to establish the church of God

throughout this land also.

Alma 5:6

6 And now behold, I say unto you, my brethren, you that belong

to this church, have you sufficiently retained in remembrance the

captivity of your fathers? Yea, and have you sufficiently

retained in remembrance his mercy and long-suffering towards

them? And moreover, have ye sufficiently retained in remembrance

that he has delivered their souls from hell?

Alma 5:7

7 Behold, he changed their hearts; yea, he awakened them out of

a deep sleep, and they awoke unto God. Behold, they were in the

midst of darkness; nevertheless, their souls were illuminated by

the light of the everlasting word; yea, they were encircled about

by the bands of death, and the chains of hell, and an everlasting

destruction did await them.

Alma 5:8

8 And now I ask of you, my brethren, were they destroyed?

Behold, I say unto you, Nay, they were not.

Alma 5:9

9 And again I ask, were the bands of death broken, and the

chains of hell which encircled them about, were they loosed? I

say unto you, Yea, they were loosed, and their souls did expand,

and they did sing redeeming love. And I say unto you that they

are saved.

Alma 5:10

10 And now I ask of you on what conditions are they saved? Yea,

what grounds had they to hope for salvation? What is the cause

of their being loosed from the bands of death, yea, and also the

chains of hell?

Alma 5:11

11 Behold, I can tell you—did not my father Alma believe in the

words which were delivered by the mouth of Abinadi? And was he

not a holy prophet? Did he not speak the words of God, and my

father Alma believe them?

Alma 5:12

12 And according to his faith there was a mighty change wrought

in his heart. Behold I say unto you that this is all true.

Alma 5:13

13 And behold, he preached the word unto your fathers, and a

mighty change was also wrought in their hearts, and they humbled

themselves and put their trust in the true and living God. And

behold, they were faithful until the end; therefore they were

saved.

Alma 5:14

14 And now behold, I ask of you, my brethren of the church, have

ye spiritually been born of God? Have ye received his image in

your countenances? Have ye experienced this mighty change in

your hearts?

Alma 5:15

15 Do ye exercise faith in the redemption of him who created

you? Do you look forward with an eye of faith, and view this

mortal body raised in immortality, and this corruption raised in

incorruption, to stand before God to be judged according to the

deeds which have been done in the mortal body?

Alma 5:16

16 I say unto you, can you imagine to yourselves that ye hear

the voice of the Lord, saying unto you, in that day: Come unto me

ye blessed, for behold, your works have been the works of

righteousness upon the face of the earth?

Alma 5:17

17 Or do ye imagine to yourselves that ye can lie unto the Lord

in that day, and say—Lord, our works have been righteous works

upon the face of the earth—and that he will save you?

Alma 5:18

18 Or otherwise, can ye imagine yourselves brought before the

tribunal of God with your souls filled with guilt and remorse,

having a remembrance of all your guilt, yea, a perfect

remembrance of all your wickedness, yea, a remembrance that ye

have set at defiance the commandments of God?

Alma 5:19

19 I say unto you, can ye look up to God at that day with a pure

heart and clean hands? I say unto you, can you look up, having

the image of God engraven upon your countenances?

Alma 5:20

20 I say unto you, can ye think of being saved when you have

yielded yourselves to become subjects to the devil?

Alma 5:21

21 I say unto you, ye will know at that day that ye cannot be

saved; for there can no man be saved except his garments are

washed white; yea, his garments must be purified until they are

cleansed from all stain, through the blood of him of whom it has

been spoken by our fathers, who should come to redeem his people

from their sins.

Alma 5:22

22 And now I ask of you, my brethren, how will any of you feel,

if ye shall stand before the bar of God, having your garments

stained with blood and all manner of filthiness? Behold, what

will these things testify against you?

Alma 5:23

23 Behold will they not testify that ye are murderers, yea, and

also that ye are guilty of all manner of wickedness?

Alma 5:24

24 Behold, my brethren, do ye suppose that such an one can have

a place to sit down in the kingdom of God, with Abraham, with

Isaac, and with Jacob, and also all the holy prophets, whose

garments are cleansed and are spotless, pure and white?

Alma 5:25

25 I say unto you, Nay; except ye make our Creator a liar from

the beginning, or suppose that he is a liar from the beginning,

ye cannot suppose that such can have place in the kingdom of

heaven; but they shall be cast out for they are the children of

the kingdom of the devil.

Alma 5:26

26 And now behold, I say unto you, my brethren, if ye have

experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the

song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now?

Alma 5:27

27 Have ye walked, keeping yourselves blameless before God?

Could ye say, if ye were called to die at this time, within

yourselves, that ye have been sufficiently humble? That your

garments have been cleansed and made white through the blood of

Christ, who will come to redeem his people from their sins?

Alma 5:28

28 Behold, are ye stripped of pride? I say unto you, if ye are

not ye are not prepared to meet God. Behold ye must prepare

quickly; for the kingdom of heaven is soon at hand, and such an

one hath not eternal life.

Alma 5:29

29 Behold, I say, is there one among you who is not stripped of

envy? I say unto you that such an one is not prepared; and I

would that he should prepare quickly, for the hour is close at

hand, and he knoweth not when the time shall come; for such an

one is not found guiltless.

Alma 5:30

30 And again I say unto you, is there one among you that doth

make a mock of his brother, or that heapeth upon him

persecutions?

Alma 5:31

31 Wo unto such an one, for he is not prepared, and the time is

at hand that he must repent or he cannot be saved!

Alma 5:32

32 Yea, even wo unto all ye workers of iniquity; repent, repent,

for the Lord God hath spoken it!

Alma 5:33

33 Behold, he sendeth an invitation unto all men, for the arms

of mercy are extended towards them, and he saith: Repent, and I

will receive you.

Alma 5:34

34 Yea, he saith: Come unto me and ye shall partake of the fruit

of the tree of life; yea, ye shall eat and drink of the bread and

the waters of life freely;

Alma 5:35

35 Yea, come unto me and bring forth works of righteousness, and

ye shall not be hewn down and cast into the fire—

Alma 5:36

36 For behold, the time is at hand that whosoever bringeth forth

not good fruit, or whosoever doeth not the works of

righteousness, the same have cause to wail and mourn.

Alma 5:37

37 O ye workers of iniquity; ye that are puffed up in the vain

things of the world, ye that have professed to have known the

ways of righteousness nevertheless have gone astray, as sheep

having no shepherd, notwithstanding a shepherd hath called after

you and is still calling after you, but ye will not hearken unto

his voice!

Alma 5:38

38 Behold, I say unto you, that the good shepherd doth call you;

yea, and in his own name he doth call you, which is the name of

Christ; and if ye will not hearken unto the voice of the good

shepherd, to the name by which ye are called, behold, ye are not

the sheep of the good shepherd.

Alma 5:39

39 And now if ye are not the sheep of the good shepherd, of what

fold are ye? Behold, I say unto you, that the devil is your

shepherd, and ye are of his fold; and now, who can deny this?

Behold, I say unto you, whosoever denieth this is a liar and a

child of the devil.

Alma 5:40

40 For I say unto you that whatsoever is good cometh from God,

and whatsoever is evil cometh from the devil.

Alma 5:41

41 Therefore, if a man bringeth forth good works he hearkeneth

unto the voice of the good shepherd, and he doth follow him; but

whosoever bringeth forth evil works, the same becometh a child of

the devil, for he hearkeneth unto his voice, and doth follow him.

Alma 5:42

42 And whosoever doeth this must receive his wages of him;

therefore, for his wages he receiveth death, as to things

pertaining unto righteousness, being dead unto all good works.

Alma 5:43

43 And now, my brethren, I would that ye should hear me, for I

speak in the energy of my soul; for behold, I have spoken unto

you plainly that ye cannot err, or have spoken according to the

commandments of God.

Alma 5:44

44 For I am called to speak after this manner, according to the

holy order of God, which is in Christ Jesus; yea, I am commanded

to stand and testify unto this people the things which have been

spoken by our fathers concerning the things which are to come.

Alma 5:45

45 And this is not all. Do ye not suppose that I know of these

things myself? Behold, I testify unto you that I do know that

these things whereof I have spoken are true. And how do ye

suppose that I know of their surety?

Alma 5:46

46 Behold, I say unto you they are made known unto me by the

Holy Spirit of God. Behold, I have fasted and prayed many days

that I might know these things of myself. And now I do know of

myself that they are true; for the Lord God hath made them

manifest unto me by his Holy Spirit; and this is the spirit of

revelation which is in me.

Alma 5:47

47 And moreover, I say unto you that it has thus been revealed

unto me, that the words which have been spoken by our fathers are

true, even so according to the spirit of prophecy which is in me,

which is also by the manifestation of the Spirit of God.

Alma 5:48

48 I say unto you, that I know of myself that whatsoever I shall

say unto you, concerning that which is to come, is true; and I

say unto you, that I know that Jesus Christ shall come, yea, the

Son, the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace, and mercy,

and truth. And behold, it is he that cometh to take away the

sins of the world, yea, the sins of every man who steadfastly

believeth on his name.

Alma 5:49

49 And now I say unto you that this is the order after which I

am called, yea, to preach unto my beloved brethren, yea, and

every one that dwelleth in the land; yea, to preach unto all,

both old and young, both bond and free; yea, I say unto you the

aged, and also the middle aged, and the rising generation; yea,

to cry unto them that they must repent and be born again.

Alma 5:50

50 Yea, thus saith the Spirit: Repent, all ye ends of the earth,

for the kingdom of heaven is soon at hand; yea, the Son of God

cometh in his glory, in his might, majesty, power, and dominion.

Yea, my beloved brethren, I say unto you, that the Spirit saith:

Behold the glory of the King of all the earth; and also the King

of heaven shall very soon shine forth among all the children of

men.

Alma 5:51

51 And also the Spirit saith unto me, yea, crieth unto me with a

mighty voice, saying: Go forth and say unto this people—Repent,

for except ye repent ye can in nowise inherit the kingdom of

heaven.

Alma 5:52

52 And again I say unto you, the Spirit saith: Behold, the ax is

laid at the root of the tree; therefore every tree that bringeth

not forth good fruit shall be hewn down and cast into the fire,

yea, a fire which cannot be consumed, even an unquenchable fire.

Behold, and remember, the Holy One hath spoken it.

Alma 5:53

53 And now my beloved brethren, I say unto you, can ye withstand

these sayings; yea, can ye lay aside these things, and trample

the Holy One under your feet; yea, can ye be puffed up in the

pride of your hearts; yea, will ye still persist in the wearing

of costly apparel and setting your hearts upon the vain things of

the world, upon your riches?

Alma 5:54

54 Yea, will ye persist in supposing that ye are better one than

another; yea, will ye persist in the persecution of your

brethren, who humble themselves and do walk after the holy order

of God, wherewith they have been brought into this church, having

been sanctified by the Holy Spirit, and they do bring forth works

which are meet for repentance—

Alma 5:55

55 Yea, and will you persist in turning your backs upon the

poor, and the needy, and in withholding your substance from them?

Alma 5:56

56 And finally, all ye that will persist in your wickedness, I

say unto you that these are they who shall be hewn down and cast

into the fire except they speedily repent.

Alma 5:57

57 And now I say unto you, all you that are desirous to follow

the voice of the good shepherd, come ye out from the wicked, and

be ye separate, and touch not their unclean things; and behold,

their names shall be blotted out, that the names of the wicked

shall not be numbered among the names of the righteous, that the

word of God may be fulfilled, which saith: The names of the

wicked shall not be mingled with the names of my people;

Alma 5:58

58 For the names of the righteous shall be written in the book

of life, and unto them will I grant an inheritance at my right

hand. And now, my brethren, what have ye to say against this? I

say unto you, if ye speak against it, it matters not, for the

word of God must be fulfilled.

Alma 5:59

59 For what shepherd is there among you having many sheep doth

not watch over them, that the wolves enter not and devour his

flock? And behold, if a wolf enter his flock doth he not drive

him out? Yea, and at the last, if he can, he will destroy him.

Alma 5:60

60 And now I say unto you that the good shepherd doth call after

you; and if you will hearken unto his voice he will bring you

into his fold, and ye are his sheep; and he commandeth you that

ye suffer no ravenous wolf to enter among you, that ye may not be

destroyed.

Alma 5:61

61 And now I, Alma, do command you in the language of him who

hath commanded me, that ye observe to do the words which I have

spoken unto you.

Alma 5:62

62 I speak by way of command unto you that belong to the church;

and unto those who do not belong to the church I speak by way of

invitation, saying: Come and be baptized unto repentance, that ye

also may be partakers of the fruit of the tree of life.

Alma 6 Chapter 6

Alma 6:1

1 And now it came to pass that after Alma had made an end of

speaking unto the people of the church, which was established in

the city of Zarahemla, he ordained priests and elders, by laying

on his hands according to the order of God, to preside and watch

over the church.

Alma 6:2

2 And it came to pass that whosoever did not belong to the

church who repented of their sins were baptized unto repentance,

and were received into the church.

Alma 6:3

3 And it also came to pass that whosoever did belong to the

church that did not repent of their wickedness and humble

themselves before God—I mean those who were lifted up in the

pride of their hearts—the same were rejected, and their names

were blotted out, that their names were not numbered among those

of the righteous.

Alma 6:4

4 And thus they began to establish the order of the church in

the city of Zarahemla.

Alma 6:5

5 Now I would that ye should understand that the word of God was

liberal unto all, that none were deprived of the privilege of

assembling themselves together to hear the word of God.

Alma 6:6

6 Nevertheless the children of God were commanded that they

should gather themselves together oft, and join in fasting and

mighty prayer in behalf of the welfare of the souls of those who

knew not God.

Alma 6:7

7 And now it came to pass that when Alma had made these

regulations he departed from them, yea, from the church which was

in the city of Zarahemla, and went over upon the east of the

river Sidon, into the valley of Gideon, there having been a city

built, which was called the city of Gideon, which was in the

valley that was called Gideon, being called after the man who was

slain by the hand of Nehor with the sword.

Alma 6:8

8 And Alma went and began to declare the word of God unto the

church which was established in the valley of Gideon, according

to the revelation of the truth of the word which had been spoken

by his fathers, and according to the spirit of prophecy which was

in him, according to the testimony of Jesus Christ, the Son of

God, who should come to redeem his people from their sins, and

the holy order by which he was called. And thus it is written.

Amen.

Alma 7 Chapter 7

Alma 7:1

1 Behold my beloved brethren, seeing that I have been permitted

to come unto you, therefore I attempt to address you in my

language; yea, by my own mouth, seeing that it is the first time

that I have spoken unto you by the words of my mouth, I having

been wholly confined to the judgment-seat, having had much

business that I could not come unto you.

Alma 7:2

2 And even I could not have come now at this time were it not

that the judgment-seat hath been given to another, to reign in my

stead; and the Lord in much mercy hath granted that I should come

unto you.

Alma 7:3

3 And behold, I have come having great hopes and much desire

that I should find that ye had humbled yourselves before God, and

that ye had continued in the supplicating of his grace, that I

should find that ye were blameless before him, that I should find

that ye were not in the awful dilemma that our brethren were in

at Zarahemla.

Alma 7:4

4 But blessed be the name of God, that he hath given me to know,

yea, hath given unto me the exceedingly great joy of knowing that

they are established again in the way of his righteousness.

Alma 7:5

5 And I trust, according to the Spirit of God which is in me,

that I shall also have joy over you; nevertheless I do not desire

that my joy over you should come by the cause of so much

afflictions and sorrow which I have had for the brethren at

Zarahemla, for behold, my joy cometh over them after wading

through much affliction and sorrow.

Alma 7:6

6 But behold, I trust that ye are not in a state of so much

unbelief as were your brethren; I trust that ye are not lifted up

in the pride of your hearts; yea, I trust that ye have not set

your hearts upon riches and the vain things of the world; yea, I

trust that you do not worship idols, but that ye do worship the

true and living God, and that ye look forward for the remission

of your sins, with an everlasting faith, which is to come.

Alma 7:7

7 For behold, I say unto you there be many things to come; and

behold, there is one thing which is of more importance than they

all—for behold, the time is not far distant that the Redeemer

liveth and cometh among his people.

Alma 7:8

8 Behold, I do not say that he will come among us at the time of

his dwelling in his mortal tabernacle; for behold, the Spirit

hath not said unto me that this should be the case. Now as to

this thing I do not know; but this much I do know, that the Lord

God hath power to do all things which are according to his word.

Alma 7:9

9 But behold, the Spirit hath said this much unto me, saying:

Cry unto this people, saying—Repent ye, and prepare the way of

the Lord, and walk in his paths, which are straight; for behold,

the kingdom of heaven is at hand, and the Son of God cometh upon

the face of the earth.

Alma 7:10

10 And behold, he shall be born of Mary, at Jerusalem which is

the land of our forefathers, she being a virgin, a precious and

chosen vessel, who shall be overshadowed and conceive by the

power of the Holy Ghost, and bring forth a son, yea, even the Son

of God.

Alma 7:11

11 And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and

temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be

fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the

sicknesses of his people.

Alma 7:12

12 And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands

of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their

infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according

to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to

succor his people according to their infirmities.

Alma 7:13

13 Now the Spirit knoweth all things; nevertheless the Son of

God suffereth according to the flesh that he might take upon him

the sins of his people, that he might blot out their

transgressions according to the power of his deliverance; and now

behold, this is the testimony which is in me.

Alma 7:14

14 Now I say unto you that ye must repent, and be born again;

for the Spirit saith if ye are not born again ye cannot inherit

the kingdom of heaven; therefore come and be baptized unto

repentance, that ye may be washed from your sins, that ye may

have faith on the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the

world, who is mighty to save and to cleanse from all

unrighteousness.

Alma 7:15

15 Yea, I say unto you come and fear not, and lay aside every

sin, which easily doth beset you, which doth bind you down to

destruction, yea, come and go forth, and show unto your God that

ye are willing to repent of your sins and enter into a covenant

with him to keep his commandments, and witness it unto him this

day by going into the waters of baptism.

Alma 7:16

16 And whosoever doeth this, and keepeth the commandments of God

from thenceforth, the same will remember that I say unto him,

yea, he will remember that I have said unto him, he shall have

eternal life, according to the testimony of the Holy Spirit,

which testifieth in me.

Alma 7:17

17 And now my beloved brethren, do you believe these things?

Behold, I say unto you, yea, I know that ye believe them; and the

way that I know that ye believe them is by the manifestation of

the Spirit which is in me. And now because your faith is strong

concerning that, yea, concerning the things which I have spoken,

great is my joy.

Alma 7:18

18 For as I said unto you from the beginning, that I had much

desire that ye were not in the state of dilemma like your

brethren, even so I have found that my desires have been

gratified.

Alma 7:19

19 For I perceive that ye are in the paths of righteousness; I

perceive that ye are in the path which leads to the kingdom of

God; yea, I perceive that ye are making his paths straight.

Alma 7:20

20 I perceive that it has been made known unto you, by the

testimony of his word, that he cannot walk in crooked paths;

neither doth he vary from that which he hath said; neither hath

he a shadow of turning from the right to the left, or from that

which is right to that which is wrong; therefore, his course is

one eternal round.

Alma 7:21

21 And he doth not dwell in unholy temples; neither can

filthiness or anything which is unclean be received into the

kingdom of God; therefore I say unto you the time shall come,

yea, and it shall be at the last day, that he who is filthy shall

remain in his filthiness.

Alma 7:22

22 And now my beloved brethren, I have said these things unto

you that I might awaken you to a sense of your duty to God, that

ye may walk blameless before him, that ye may walk after the holy

order of God, after which ye have been received.

Alma 7:23

23 And now I would that ye should be humble, and be submissive

and gentle; easy to be entreated; full of patience and

long-suffering; being temperate in all things; being diligent in

keeping the commandments of God at all times; asking for

whatsoever things ye stand in need, both spiritual and temporal;

always returning thanks unto God for whatsoever things ye do

receive.

Alma 7:24

24 And see that ye have faith, hope, and charity, and then ye

will always abound in good works.

Alma 7:25

25 And may the Lord bless you, and keep your garments spotless,

that ye may at last be brought to sit down with Abraham, Isaac,

and Jacob, and the holy prophets who have been ever since the

world began, having your garments spotless even as their garments

are spotless, in the kingdom of heaven to go no more out.

Alma 7:26

26 And now my beloved brethren, I have spoken these words unto

you according to the Spirit which testifieth in me; and my soul

doth exceedingly rejoice, because of the exceeding diligence and

heed which ye have given unto my word.

Alma 7:27

27 And now, may the peace of God rest upon you, and upon your

houses and lands, and upon your flocks and herds, and all that

you possess, your women and your children, according to your

faith and good works, from this time forth and forever. And thus

I have spoken. Amen.

Alma 8 Chapter 8

Alma 8:1

1 And now it came to pass that Alma returned from the land of

Gideon, after having taught the people of Gideon many things

which cannot be written, having established the order of the

church, according as he had before done in the land of Zarahemla,

yea, he returned to his own house at Zarahemla to rest himself

from the labors which he had performed.

Alma 8:2

2 And thus ended the ninth year of the reign of the judges over

the people of Nephi.

Alma 8:3

3 And it came to pass in the commencement of the tenth year of

the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi, that Alma

departed from thence and took his journey over into the land of

Melek, on the west of the river Sidon, on the west by the borders

of the wilderness.

Alma 8:4

4 And he began to teach the people in the land of Melek

according to the holy order of God, by which he had been called;

and he began to teach the people throughout all the land of

Melek.

Alma 8:5

5 And it came to pass that the people came to him throughout all

the borders of the land which was by the wilderness side. And

they were baptized throughout all the land;

Alma 8:6

6 So that when he had finished his work at Melek he departed

thence, and traveled three days' journey on the north of the land

of Melek; and he came to a city which was called Ammonihah.

Alma 8:7

7 Now it was the custom of the people of Nephi to call their

lands, and their cities, and their villages, yea, even all their

small villages, after the name of him who first possessed them;

and thus it was with the land of Ammonihah.

Alma 8:8

8 And it came to pass that when Alma had come to the city of

Ammonihah he began to preach the word of God unto them.

Alma 8:9

9 Now Satan had gotten great hold upon the hearts of the people

of the city of Ammonihah; therefore they would not hearken unto

the words of Alma.

Alma 8:10

10 Nevertheless Alma labored much in the spirit, wrestling with

God in mighty prayer, that he would pour out his Spirit upon the

people who were in the city; that he would also grant that he

might baptize them unto repentance.

Alma 8:11

11 Nevertheless, they hardened their hearts, saying unto him:

Behold, we know that thou art Alma; and we know that thou art

high priest over the church which thou hast established in many

parts of the land, according to your tradition; and we are not of

thy church, and we do not believe in such foolish traditions.

Alma 8:12

12 And now we know that because we are not of thy church we know

that thou hast no power over us; and thou hast delivered up the

judgment-seat unto Nephihah; therefore thou art not the chief

judge over us.

Alma 8:13

13 Now when the people had said this, and withstood all his

words, and reviled him, and spit upon him, and caused that he

should be cast out of their city, he departed thence and took his

journey towards the city which was called Aaron.

Alma 8:14

14 And it came to pass that while he was journeying thither,

being weighed down with sorrow, wading through much tribulation

and anguish of soul, because of the wickedness of the people who

were in the city of Ammonihah, it came to pass while Alma was

thus weighed down with sorrow, behold an angel of the Lord

appeared unto him, saying:

Alma 8:15

15 Blessed art thou, Alma; therefore, lift up thy head and

rejoice, for thou hast great cause to rejoice; for thou hast been

faithful in keeping the commandments of God from the time which

thou receivedst thy first message from him. Behold, I am he that

delivered it unto you.

Alma 8:16

16 And behold, I am sent to command thee that thou return to the

city of Ammonihah, and preach again unto the people of the city;

yea, preach unto them. Yea, say unto them, except they repent

the Lord God will destroy them.

Alma 8:17

17 For behold, they do study at this time that they may destroy

the liberty of thy people, (for thus saith the Lord) which is

contrary to the statutes, and judgments, and commandments which

he has given unto his people.

Alma 8:18

18 Now it came to pass that after Alma had received his message

from the angel of the Lord he returned speedily to the land of

Ammonihah. And he entered the city by another way, yea, by the

way which is on the south of the city of Ammonihah.

Alma 8:19

19 And as he entered the city he was an hungered, and he said to

a man: Will ye give to an humble servant of God something to eat?

Alma 8:20

20 And the man said unto him: I am a Nephite, and I know that

thou art a holy prophet of God, for thou art the man whom an

angel said in a vision: Thou shalt receive. Therefore, go with

me into my house and I will impart unto thee of my food; and I

know that thou wilt be a blessing unto me and my house.

Alma 8:21

21 And it came to pass that the man received him into his house;

and the man was called Amulek; and he brought forth bread and

meat and set before Alma.

Alma 8:22

22 And it came to pass that Alma ate bread and was filled; and

he blessed Amulek and his house, and he gave thanks unto God.

Alma 8:23

23 And after he had eaten and was filled he said unto Amulek: I

am Alma, and am the high priest over the church of God throughout

the land.

Alma 8:24

24 And behold, I have been called to preach the word of God

among all this people, according to the spirit of revelation and

prophecy; and I was in this land and they would not receive me,

but they cast me out and I was about to set my back towards this

land forever.

Alma 8:25

25 But behold, I have been commanded that I should turn again

and prophesy unto this people, yea, and to testify against them

concerning their iniquities.

Alma 8:26

26 And now, Amulek, because thou hast fed me and taken me in,

thou art blessed; for I was an hungered, for I had fasted many

days.

Alma 8:27

27 And Alma tarried many days with Amulek before he began to

preach unto the people.

Alma 8:28

28 And it came to pass that the people did wax more gross in

their iniquities.

Alma 8:29

29 And the word came to Alma, saying: Go; and also say unto my

servant Amulek, go forth and prophesy unto this people,

saying—Repent ye, for thus saith the Lord, except ye repent I

will visit this people in mine anger; yea, and I will not turn my

fierce anger away.

Alma 8:30

30 And Alma went forth, and also Amulek, among the people, to

declare the words of God unto them; and they were filled with the

Holy Ghost.

Alma 8:31

31 And they had power given unto them, insomuch that they could

not be confined in dungeons; neither was it possible that any man

could slay them; nevertheless they did not exercise their power

until they were bound in bands and cast into prison. Now, this

was done that the Lord might show forth his power in them.

Alma 8:32

32 And it came to pass that they went forth and began to preach

and to prophesy unto the people, according to the spirit and

power which the Lord had given them.

Alma 9 Chapter 9

Alma 9:1

1 And again, I, Alma, having been commanded of God that I should

take Amulek and go forth and preach again unto this people, or

the people who were in the city of Ammonihah, it came to pass as

I began to preach unto them, they began to contend with me,

saying:

Alma 9:2

2 Who art thou? Suppose ye that we shall believe the testimony

of one man, although he should preach unto us that the earth

should pass away?

Alma 9:3

3 Now they understood not the words which they spake; for they

knew not that the earth should pass away.

Alma 9:4

4 And they said also: We will not believe thy words if thou

shouldst prophesy that this great city should be destroyed in one

day.

Alma 9:5

5 Now they knew not that God could do such marvelous works, for

they were a hard-hearted and a stiffnecked people.

Alma 9:6

6 And they said: Who is God, that sendeth no more authority than

one man among this people, to declare unto them the truth of such

great and marvelous things?

Alma 9:7

7 And they stood forth to lay their hands on me; but behold,

they did not. And I stood with boldness to declare unto them,

yea, I did boldly testify unto them, saying:

Alma 9:8

8 Behold, O ye wicked and perverse generation, how have ye

forgotten the tradition of your fathers; yea, how soon ye have

forgotten the commandments of God.

Alma 9:9

9 Do ye not remember that our father, Lehi, was brought out of

Jerusalem by the hand of God? Do ye not remember that they were

all led by him through the wilderness?

Alma 9:10

10 And have ye forgotten so soon how many times he delivered our

fathers out of the hands of their enemies, and preserved them

from being destroyed, even by the hands of their own brethren?

Alma 9:11

11 Yea, and if it had not been for his matchless power, and his

mercy, and his long-suffering towards us, we should unavoidably

have been cut off from the face of the earth long before this

period of time, and perhaps been consigned to a state of endless

misery and woe.

Alma 9:12

12 Behold, now I say unto you that he commandeth you to repent;

and except ye repent, ye can in nowise inherit the kingdom of

God. But behold, this is not all—he has commanded you to

repent, or he will utterly destroy you from off the face of the

earth; yea, he will visit you in his anger, and in his fierce

anger he will not turn away.

Alma 9:13

13 Behold, do ye not remember the words which he spake unto

Lehi, saying that: Inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments, ye

shall prosper in the land? And again it is said that: Inasmuch

as ye will not keep my commandments ye shall be cut off from the

presence of the Lord.

Alma 9:14

14 Now I would that ye should remember, that inasmuch as the

Lamanites have not kept the commandments of God, they have been

cut off from the presence of the Lord. Now we see that the word

of the Lord has been verified in this thing, and the Lamanites

have been cut off from his presence, from the beginning of their

transgressions in the land.

Alma 9:15

15 Nevertheless I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable

for them in the day of judgment than for you, if ye remain in

your sins, yea, and even more tolerable for them in this life

than for you, except ye repent.

Alma 9:16

16 For there are many promises which are extended to the

Lamanites; for it is because of the traditions of their fathers

that caused them to remain in their state of ignorance; therefore

the Lord will be merciful unto them and prolong their existence

in the land.

Alma 9:17

17 And at some period of time they will be brought to believe in

his word, and to know of the incorrectness of the traditions of

their fathers; and many of them will be saved, for the Lord will

be merciful unto all who call on his name.

Alma 9:18

18 But behold, I say unto you that if ye persist in your

wickedness that your days shall not be prolonged in the land, for

the Lamanites shall be sent upon you; and if ye repent not they

shall come in a time when you know not, and ye shall be visited

with utter destruction; and it shall be according to the fierce

anger of the Lord.

Alma 9:19

19 For he will not suffer you that ye shall live in your

iniquities, to destroy his people. I say unto you, Nay; he would

rather suffer that the Lamanites might destroy all his people who

are called the people of Nephi, if it were possible that they

could fall into sins and transgressions, after having had so much

light and so much knowledge given unto them of the Lord their

God;

Alma 9:20

20 Yea, after having been such a highly favored people of the

Lord; yea, after having been favored above every other nation,

kindred, tongue, or people; after having had all things made

known unto them, according to their desires, and their faith, and

prayers, of that which has been, and which is, and which is to

come;

Alma 9:21

21 Having been visited by the Spirit of God; having conversed

with angels, and having been spoken unto by the voice of the

Lord; and having the spirit of prophecy, and the spirit of

revelation, and also many gifts, the gift of speaking with

tongues, and the gift of preaching, and the gift of the Holy

Ghost, and the gift of translation;

Alma 9:22

22 Yea, and after having been delivered of God out of the land

of Jerusalem, by the hand of the Lord; having been saved from

famine, and from sickness, and all manner of diseases of every

kind; and they having waxed strong in battle, that they might not

be destroyed; having been brought out of bondage time after time,

and having been kept and preserved until now; and they have been

prospered until they are rich in all manner of things—

Alma 9:23

23 And now behold I say unto you, that if this people, who have

received so many blessings from the hand of the Lord, should

transgress contrary to the light and knowledge which they do

have, I say unto you that if this be the case, that if they

should fall into transgression, it would be far more tolerable

for the Lamanites than for them.

Alma 9:24

24 For behold, the promises of the Lord are extended to the

Lamanites, but they are not unto you if ye transgress; for has

not the Lord expressly promised and firmly decreed, that if ye

will rebel against him that ye shall utterly be destroyed from

off the face of the earth?

Alma 9:25

25 And now for this cause, that ye may not be destroyed, the

Lord has sent his angel to visit many of his people, declaring

unto them that they must go forth and cry mightily unto this

people, saying: Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is nigh at

hand;

Alma 9:26

26 And not many days hence the Son of God shall come in his

glory; and his glory shall be the glory of the Only Begotten of

the Father, full of grace, equity, and truth, full of patience,

mercy, and long-suffering, quick to hear the cries of his people

and to answer their prayers.

Alma 9:27

27 And behold, he cometh to redeem those who will be baptized

unto repentance, through faith on his name.

Alma 9:28

28 Therefore, prepare ye the way of the Lord, for the time is at

hand that all men shall reap a reward of their works, according

to that which they have been—if they have been righteous they

shall reap the salvation of their souls, according to the power

and deliverance of Jesus Christ; and if they have been evil they

shall reap the damnation of their souls, according to the power

and captivation of the devil.

Alma 9:29

29 Now behold, this is the voice of the angel, crying unto the

people.

Alma 9:30

30 And now, my beloved brethren, for ye are my brethren, and ye

ought to be beloved, and ye ought to bring forth works which are

meet for repentance, seeing that your hearts have been grossly

hardened against the word of God, and seeing that ye are a lost

and a fallen people.

Alma 9:31

31 Now it came to pass that when I, Alma, had spoken these

words, behold, the people were wroth with me because I said unto

them that they were a hard-hearted and a stiffnecked people.

Alma 9:32

32 And also because I said unto them that they were a lost and a

fallen people they were angry with me, and sought to lay their

hands upon me, that they might cast me into prison.

Alma 9:33

33 But it came to pass that the Lord did not suffer them that

they should take me at that time and cast me into prison.

Alma 9:34

34 And it came to pass that Amulek went and stood forth, and

began to preach unto them also. And now the words of Amulek are

not all written, nevertheless a part of his words are written in

this book.

Alma 10 Chapter 10

Alma 10:1

1 Now these are the words which Amulek preached unto the people

who were in the land of Ammonihah, saying:

Alma 10:2

2 I am Amulek; I am the son of Giddonah, who was the son of

Ishmael, who was a descendant of Aminadi; and it was the same

Aminadi who interpreted the writing which was upon the wall of

the temple, which was written by the finger of God.

Alma 10:3

3 And Aminadi was a descendant of Nephi, who was the son of

Lehi, who came out of the land of Jerusalem, who was a descendant

of Manasseh, who was the son of Joseph who was sold into Egypt by

the hands of his brethren.

Alma 10:4

4 And behold, I am also a man of no small reputation among all

those who know me; yea, and behold, I have many kindreds and

friends, and I have also acquired much riches by the hand of my

industry.

Alma 10:5

5 Nevertheless, after all this, I never have known much of the

ways of the Lord, and his mysteries and marvelous power. I said

I never had known much of these things; but behold, I mistake,

for I have seen much of his mysteries and his marvelous power;

yea, even in the preservation of the lives of this people.

Alma 10:6

6 Nevertheless, I did harden my heart, for I was called many

times and I would not hear; therefore I knew concerning these

things, yet I would not know; therefore I went on rebelling

against God, in the wickedness of my heart, even until the fourth

day of this seventh month, which is in the tenth year of the

reign of the judges.

Alma 10:7

7 As I was journeying to see a very near kindred, behold an

angel of the Lord appeared unto me and said: Amulek, return to

thine own house, for thou shalt feed a prophet of the Lord; yea,

a holy man, who is a chosen man of God; for he has fasted many

days because of the sins of this people, and he is an hungered,

and thou shalt receive him into thy house and feed him, and he

shall bless thee and thy house; and the blessing of the Lord

shall rest upon thee and thy house.

Alma 10:8

8 And it came to pass that I obeyed the voice of the angel, and

returned towards my house. And as I was going thither I found

the man whom the angel said unto me: Thou shalt receive into thy

house—and behold it was this same man who has been speaking unto

you concerning the things of God.

Alma 10:9

9 And the angel said unto me he is a holy man; wherefore I know

he is a holy man because it was said by an angel of God.

Alma 10:10

10 And again, I know that the things whereof he hath testified

are true; for behold I say unto you, that as the Lord liveth,

even so has he sent his angel to make these things manifest unto

me; and this he has done while this Alma hath dwelt at my house.

Alma 10:11

11 For behold, he hath blessed mine house, he hath blessed me,

and my women, and my children, and my father and my kinsfolk;

yea, even all my kindred hath he blessed, and the blessing of the

Lord hath rested upon us according to the words which he spake.

Alma 10:12

12 And now, when Amulek had spoken these words the people began

to be astonished, seeing there was more than one witness who

testified of the things whereof they were accused, and also of

the things which were to come, according to the spirit of

prophecy which was in them.

Alma 10:13

13 Nevertheless, there were some among them who thought to

question them, that by their cunning devices they might catch

them in their words, that they might find witness against them,

that they might deliver them to their judges that they might be

judged according to the law, and that they might be slain or cast

into prison, according to the crime which they could make appear

or witness against them.

Alma 10:14

14 Now it was those men who sought to destroy them, who were

lawyers, who were hired or appointed by the people to administer

the law at their times of trials, or at the trials of the crimes

of the people before the judges.

Alma 10:15

15 Now these lawyers were learned in all the arts and cunning of

the people; and this was to enable them that they might be

skilful in their profession.

Alma 10:16

16 And it came to pass that they began to question Amulek, that

thereby they might make him cross his words, or contradict the

words which he should speak.

Alma 10:17

17 Now they knew not that Amulek could know of their designs.

But it came to pass as they began to question him, he perceived

their thoughts, and he said unto them: O ye wicked and perverse

generation, ye lawyers and hypocrites, for ye are laying the

foundation of the devil; for ye are laying traps and snares to

catch the holy ones of God.

Alma 10:18

18 Ye are laying plans to pervert the ways of the righteous, and

to bring down the wrath of God upon your heads, even to the utter

destruction of this people.

Alma 10:19

19 Yea, well did Mosiah say, who was our last king, when he was

about to deliver up the kingdom, having no one to confer it upon,

causing that this people should be governed by their own

voices—yea, well did he say that if the time should come that

the voice of this people should choose iniquity, that is, if the

time should come that this people should fall into transgression,

they would be ripe for destruction.

Alma 10:20

20 And now I say unto you that well doth the Lord judge of your

iniquities; well doth he cry unto this people, by the voice of

his angels: Repent ye, repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at

hand.

Alma 10:21

21 Yea, well doth he cry, by the voice of his angels that: I

will come down among my people, with equity and justice in my

hands.

Alma 10:22

22 Yea, and I say unto you that if it were not for the prayers

of the righteous, who are now in the land, that ye would even now

be visited with utter destruction; yet it would not be by flood,

as were the people in the days of Noah, but it would be by

famine, and by pestilence, and the sword.

Alma 10:23

23 But it is by the prayers of the righteous that ye are spared;

now therefore, if ye will cast out the righteous from among you

then will not the Lord stay his hand; but in his fierce anger he

will come out against you; then ye shall be smitten by famine,

and by pestilence, and by the sword; and the time is soon at hand

except ye repent.

Alma 10:24

24 And now it came to pass that the people were more angry with

Amulek, and they cried out, saying: This man doth revile against

our laws which are just, and our wise lawyers whom we have

selected.

Alma 10:25

25 But Amulek stretched forth his hand, and cried the mightier

unto them, saying: O ye wicked and perverse generation, why hath

Satan got such great hold upon your hearts? Why will ye yield

yourselves unto him that he may have power over you, to blind

your eyes, that ye will not understand the words which are

spoken, according to their truth?

Alma 10:26

26 For behold, have I testified against your law? Ye do not

understand; ye say that I have spoken against your law; but I

have not, but I have spoken in favor of your law, to your

condemnation.

Alma 10:27

27 And now behold, I say unto you, that the foundation of the

destruction of this people is beginning to be laid by the

unrighteousness of your lawyers and your judges.

Alma 10:28

28 And now it came to pass that when Amulek had spoken these

words the people cried out against him, saying: Now we know that

this man is a child of the devil, for he hath lied unto us; for

he hath spoken against our law. And now he says that he has not

spoken against it.

Alma 10:29

29 And again, he has reviled against our lawyers, and our

judges.

Alma 10:30

30 And it came to pass that the lawyers put it into their hearts

that they should remember these things against him.

Alma 10:31

31 And there was one among them whose name was Zeezrom. Now he

was the foremost to accuse Amulek and Alma, he being one of the

most expert among them, having much business to do among the

people.

Alma 10:32

32 Now the object of these lawyers was to get gain; and they got

gain according to their employ.

Alma 11 Chapter 11

Alma 11:1

1 Now it was in the law of Mosiah that every man who was a judge

of the law, or those who were appointed to be judges, should

receive wages according to the time which they labored to judge

those who were brought before them to be judged.

Alma 11:2

2 Now if a man owed another, and he would not pay that which he

did owe, he was complained of to the judge; and the judge

executed authority, and sent forth officers that the man should

be brought before him; and he judged the man according to the law

and the evidences which were brought against him, and thus the

man was compelled to pay that which he owed, or be stripped, or

be cast out from among the people as a thief and a robber.

Alma 11:3

3 And the judge received for his wages according to his time—a

senine of gold for a day, or a senum of silver, which is equal to

a senine of gold; and this is according to the law which was

given.

Alma 11:4

4 Now these are the names of the different pieces of their gold,

and of their silver, according to their value. And the names are

given by the Nephites, for they did not reckon after the manner

of the Jews who were at Jerusalem; neither did they measure after

the manner of the Jews; but they altered their reckoning and

their measure, according to the minds and the circumstances of

the people, in every generation, until the reign of the judges,

they having been established by king Mosiah.

Alma 11:5

5 Now the reckoning is thus—a senine of gold, a seon of gold, a

shum of gold, and a limnah of gold.

Alma 11:6

6 A senum of silver, an amnor of silver, an ezrom of silver, and

an onti of silver.

Alma 11:7

7 A senum of silver was equal to a senine of gold, and either

for a measure of barley, and also for a measure of every kind of

grain.

Alma 11:8

8 Now the amount of a seon of gold was twice the value of a

senine.

Alma 11:9

9 And a shum of gold was twice the value of a seon.

Alma 11:10

10 And a limnah of gold was the value of them all.

Alma 11:11

11 And an amnor of silver was as great as two senums.

Alma 11:12

12 And an ezrom of silver was as great as four senums.

Alma 11:13

13 And an onti was as great as them all.

Alma 11:14

14 Now this is the value of the lesser numbers of their

reckoning—

Alma 11:15

15 A shiblon is half of a senum; therefore, a shiblon for half a

measure of barley.

Alma 11:16

16 And a shiblum is a half of a shiblon.

Alma 11:17

17 And a leah is the half of a shiblum.

Alma 11:18

18 Now this is their number, according to their reckoning.

Alma 11:19

19 Now an antion of gold is equal to three shiblons.

Alma 11:20

20 Now, it was for the sole purpose to get gain, because they

received their wages according to their employ, therefore, they

did stir up the people to riotings, and all manner of

disturbances and wickedness, that they might have more employ,

that they might get money according to the suits which were

brought before them; therefore they did stir up the people

against Alma and Amulek.

Alma 11:21

21 And this Zeezrom began to question Amulek, saying: Will ye

answer me a few questions which I shall ask you? Now Zeezrom was

a man who was expert in the devices of the devil, that he might

destroy that which was good; therefore, he said unto Amulek: Will

ye answer the questions which I shall put unto you?

Alma 11:22

22 And Amulek said unto him: Yea, if it be according to the

Spirit of the Lord, which is in me; for I shall say nothing which

is contrary to the Spirit of the Lord. And Zeezrom said unto

him: Behold, here are six onties of silver, and all these will I

give thee if thou wilt deny the existence of a Supreme Being.

Alma 11:23

23 Now Amulek said: O thou child of hell, why tempt ye me?

Knowest thou that the righteous yieldeth to no such temptations?

Alma 11:24

24 Believest thou that there is no God? I say unto you, Nay,

thou knowest that there is a God, but thou lovest that lucre more

than him.

Alma 11:25

25 And now thou hast lied before God unto me. Thou saidst unto

me—Behold these six onties, which are of great worth, I will

give unto thee—when thou hadst it in thy heart to retain them

from me; and it was only thy desire that I should deny the true

and living God, that thou mightest have cause to destroy me. And

now behold, for this great evil thou shalt have thy reward.

Alma 11:26

26 And Zeezrom said unto him: Thou sayest there is a true and

living God?

Alma 11:27

27 And Amulek said: Yea, there is a true and living God.

Alma 11:28

28 Now Zeezrom said: Is there more than one God?

Alma 11:29

29 And he answered, No.

Alma 11:30

30 Now Zeezrom said unto him again: How knowest thou these

things?

Alma 11:31

31 And he said: An angel hath made them known unto me.

Alma 11:32

32 And Zeezrom said again: Who is he that shall come? Is it the

Son of God?

Alma 11:33

33 And he said unto him, Yea.

Alma 11:34

34 And Zeezrom said again: Shall he save his people in their

sins? And Amulek answered and said unto him: I say unto you he

shall not, for it is impossible for him to deny his word.

Alma 11:35

35 Now Zeezrom said unto the people: See that ye remember these

things; for he said there is but one God; yet he saith that the

Son of God shall come, but he shall not save his people—as

though he had authority to command God.

Alma 11:36

36 Now Amulek saith again unto him: Behold thou hast lied, for

thou sayest that I spake as though I had authority to command God

because I said he shall not save his people in their sins.

Alma 11:37

37 And I say unto you again that he cannot save them in their

sins; for I cannot deny his word, and he hath said that no

unclean thing can inherit the kingdom of heaven; therefore, how

can ye be saved, except ye inherit the kingdom of heaven?

Therefore, ye cannot be saved in your sins.

Alma 11:38

38 Now Zeezrom saith again unto him: Is the Son of God the very

Eternal Father?

Alma 11:39

39 And Amulek said unto him: Yea, he is the very Eternal Father

of heaven and of earth, and all things which in them are; he is

the beginning and the end, the first and the last;

Alma 11:40

40 And he shall come into the world to redeem his people; and he

shall take upon him the transgressions of those who believe on

his name; and these are they that shall have eternal life, and

salvation cometh to none else.

Alma 11:41

41 Therefore the wicked remain as though there had been no

redemption made, except it be the loosing of the bands of death;

for behold, the day cometh that all shall rise from the dead and

stand before God, and be judged according to their works.

Alma 11:42

42 Now, there is a death which is called a temporal death; and

the death of Christ shall loose the bands of this temporal death,

that all shall be raised from this temporal death.

Alma 11:43

43 The spirit and the body shall be reunited again in its

perfect form; both limb and joint shall be restored to its proper

frame, even as we now are at this time; and we shall be brought

to stand before God, knowing even as we know now, and have a

bright recollection of all our guilt.

Alma 11:44

44 Now, this restoration shall come to all, both old and young,

both bond and free, both male and female, both the wicked and the

righteous; and even there shall not so much as a hair of their

heads be lost; but every thing shall be restored to its perfect

frame, as it is now, or in the body, and shall be brought and be

arraigned before the bar of Christ the Son, and God the Father,

and the Holy Spirit, which is one Eternal God, to be judged

according to their works, whether they be good or whether they be

evil.

Alma 11:45

45 Now, behold, I have spoken unto you concerning the death of

the mortal body, and also concerning the resurrection of the

mortal body. I say unto you that this mortal body is raised to

an immortal body, that is from death, even from the first death

unto life, that they can die no more; their spirits uniting with

their bodies, never to be divided; thus the whole becoming

spiritual and immortal, that they can no more see corruption.

Alma 11:46

46 Now, when Amulek had finished these words the people began

again to be astonished, and also Zeezrom began to tremble. And

thus ended the words of Amulek, or this is all that I have

written.

Alma 12 Chapter 12

Alma 12:1

1 Now Alma, seeing that the words of Amulek had silenced

Zeezrom, for he beheld that Amulek had caught him in his lying

and deceiving to destroy him, and seeing that he began to tremble

under a consciousness of his guilt, he opened his mouth and began

to speak unto him, and to establish the words of Amulek, and to

explain things beyond, or to unfold the scriptures beyond that

which Amulek had done.

Alma 12:2

2 Now the words that Alma spake unto Zeezrom were heard by the

people round about; for the multitude was great, and he spake on

this wise:

Alma 12:3

3 Now Zeezrom, seeing that thou hast been taken in thy lying and

craftiness, for thou hast not lied unto men only but thou hast

lied unto God; for behold, he knows all thy thoughts, and thou

seest that thy thoughts are made known unto us by his Spirit;

Alma 12:4

4 And thou seest that we know that thy plan was a very subtle

plan, as to the subtlety of the devil, for to lie and to deceive

this people that thou mightest set them against us, to revile us

and to cast us out—

Alma 12:5

5 Now this was a plan of thine adversary, and he hath exercised

his power in thee. Now I would that ye should remember that what

I say unto thee I say unto all.

Alma 12:6

6 And behold I say unto you all that this was a snare of the

adversary, which he has laid to catch this people, that he might

bring you into subjection unto him, that he might encircle you

about with his chains, that he might chain you down to

everlasting destruction, according to the power of his captivity.

Alma 12:7

7 Now when Alma had spoken these words, Zeezrom began to tremble

more exceedingly, for he was convinced more and more of the power

of God; and he was also convinced that Alma and Amulek had a

knowledge of him, for he was convinced that they knew the

thoughts and intents of his heart; for power was given unto them

that they might know of these things according to the spirit of

prophecy.

Alma 12:8

8 And Zeezrom began to inquire of them diligently, that he might

know more concerning the kingdom of God. And he said unto Alma:

What does this mean which Amulek hath spoken concerning the

resurrection of the dead, that all shall rise from the dead, both

the just and the unjust, and are brought to stand before God to

be judged according to their works?

Alma 12:9

9 And now Alma began to expound these things unto him, saying:

It is given unto many to know the mysteries of God; nevertheless

they are laid under a strict command that they shall not impart

only according to the portion of his word which he doth grant

unto the children of men, according to the heed and diligence

which they give unto him.

Alma 12:10

10 And therefore, he that will harden his heart, the same

receiveth the lesser portion of the word; and he that will not

harden his heart, to him is given the greater portion of the

word, until it is given unto him to know the mysteries of God

until he know them in full.

Alma 12:11

11 And they that will harden their hearts, to them is given the

lesser portion of the word until they know nothing concerning his

mysteries; and then they are taken captive by the devil, and led

by his will down to destruction. Now this is what is meant by

the chains of hell.

Alma 12:12

12 And Amulek hath spoken plainly concerning death, and being

raised from this mortality to a state of immortality, and being

brought before the bar of God, to be judged according to our

works.

Alma 12:13

13 Then if our hearts have been hardened, yea, if we have

hardened our hearts against the word, insomuch that it has not

been found in us, then will our state be awful, for then we shall

be condemned.

Alma 12:14

14 For our words will condemn us, yea, all our works will

condemn us; we shall not be found spotless; and our thoughts will

also condemn us; and in this awful state we shall not dare to

look up to our God; and we would fain be glad if we could command

the rocks and the mountains to fall upon us to hide us from his

presence.

Alma 12:15

15 But this cannot be; we must come forth and stand before him

in his glory, and in his power, and in his might, majesty, and

dominion, and acknowledge to our everlasting shame that all his

judgments are just; that he is just in all his works, and that he

is merciful unto the children of men, and that he has all power

to save every man that believeth on his name and bringeth forth

fruit meet for repentance.

Alma 12:16

16 And now behold, I say unto you then cometh a death, even a

second death, which is a spiritual death; then is a time that

whosoever dieth in his sins, as to a temporal death, shall also

die a spiritual death; yea, he shall die as to things pertaining

unto righteousness.

Alma 12:17

17 Then is the time when their torments shall be as a lake of

fire and brimstone, whose flame ascendeth up forever and ever;

and then is the time that they shall be chained down to an

everlasting destruction, according to the power and captivity of

Satan, he having subjected them according to his will.

Alma 12:18

18 Then, I say unto you, they shall be as though there had been

no redemption made; for they cannot be redeemed according to

God's justice; and they cannot die, seeing there is no more

corruption.

Alma 12:19

19 Now it came to pass that when Alma had made an end of

speaking these words, the people began to be more astonished;

Alma 12:20

20 But there was one Antionah, who was a chief ruler among them,

came forth and said unto him: What is this that thou hast said,

that man should rise from the dead and be changed from this

mortal to an immortal state that the soul can never die?

Alma 12:21

21 What does the scripture mean, which saith that God placed

cherubim and a flaming sword on the east of the garden of Eden,

lest our first parents should enter and partake of the fruit of

the tree of life, and live forever? And thus we see that there

was no possible chance that they should live forever.

Alma 12:22

22 Now Alma said unto him: This is the thing which I was about

to explain, now we see that Adam did fall by the partaking of the

forbidden fruit, according to the word of God; and thus we see,

that by his fall, all mankind became a lost and fallen people.

Alma 12:23

23 And now behold, I say unto you that if it had been possible

for Adam to have partaken of the fruit of the tree of life at

that time, there would have been no death, and the word would

have been void, making God a liar, for he said: If thou eat thou

shalt surely die.

Alma 12:24

24 And we see that death comes upon mankind, yea, the death

which has been spoken of by Amulek, which is the temporal death;

nevertheless there was a space granted unto man in which he might

repent; therefore this life became a probationary state; a time

to prepare to meet God; a time to prepare for that endless state

which has been spoken of by us, which is after the resurrection

of the dead.

Alma 12:25

25 Now, if it had not been for the plan of redemption, which was

laid from the foundation of the world, there could have been no

resurrection of the dead; but there was a plan of redemption

laid, which shall bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, of

which has been spoken.

Alma 12:26

26 And now behold, if it were possible that our first parents

could have gone forth and partaken of the tree of life they would

have been forever miserable, having no preparatory state; and

thus the plan of redemption would have been frustrated, and the

word of God would have been void, taking none effect.

Alma 12:27

27 But behold, it was not so; but it was appointed unto men that

they must die; and after death, they must come to judgment, even

that same judgment of which we have spoken, which is the end.

Alma 12:28

28 And after God had appointed that these things should come

unto man, behold, then he saw that it was expedient that man

should know concerning the things whereof he had appointed unto

them;

Alma 12:29

29 Therefore he sent angels to converse with them, who caused

men to behold of his glory.

Alma 12:30

30 And they began from that time forth to call on his name;

therefore God conversed with men, and made known unto them the

plan of redemption, which had been prepared from the foundation

of the world; and this he made known unto them according to their

faith and repentance and their holy works.

Alma 12:31

31 Wherefore, he gave commandments unto men, they having first

transgressed the first commandments as to things which were

temporal, and becoming as Gods, knowing good from evil, placing

themselves in a state to act, or being placed in a state to act

according to their wills and pleasures, whether to do evil or to

do good—

Alma 12:32

32 Therefore God gave unto them commandments, after having made

known unto them the plan of redemption, that they should not do

evil, the penalty thereof being a second death, which was an

everlasting death as to things pertaining unto righteousness; for

on such the plan of redemption could have no power, for the works

of justice could not be destroyed, according to the supreme

goodness of God.

Alma 12:33

33 But God did call on men, in the name of his Son, (this being

the plan of redemption which was laid) saying: If ye will repent

and harden not your hearts, then will I have mercy upon you,

through mine Only Begotten Son;

Alma 12:34

34 Therefore, whosoever repenteth, and hardeneth not his heart,

he shall have claim on mercy through mine Only Begotten Son, unto

a remission of his sins; and these shall enter into my rest.

Alma 12:35

35 And whosoever will harden his heart and will do iniquity,

behold, I swear in my wrath that he shall not enter into my rest.

Alma 12:36

36 And now, my brethren, behold I say unto you, that if ye will

harden your hearts ye shall not enter into the rest of the Lord;

therefore your iniquity provoketh him that he sendeth down his

wrath upon you as in the first provocation, yea, according to his

word in the last provocation as well as the first, to the

everlasting destruction of your souls; therefore, according to

his word, unto the last death, as well as the first.

Alma 12:37

37 And now, my brethren, seeing we know these things, and they

are true, let us repent, and harden not our hearts, that we

provoke not the Lord our God to pull down his wrath upon us in

these his second commandments which he has given unto us; but let

us enter into the rest of God, which is prepared according to his

word.

Alma 13 Chapter 13

Alma 13:1

1 And again, my brethren, I would cite your minds forward to the

time when the Lord God gave these commandments unto his children;

and I would that ye should remember that the Lord God ordained

priests, after his holy order, which was after the order of his

Son, to teach these things unto the people.

Alma 13:2

2 And those priests were ordained after the order of his Son, in

a manner that thereby the people might know in what manner to

look forward to his Son for redemption.

Alma 13:3

3 And this is the manner after which they were ordained—being

called and prepared from the foundation of the world according to

the foreknowledge of God, on account of their exceeding faith and

good works; in the first place being left to choose good or evil;

therefore they having chosen good, and exercising exceedingly

great faith, are called with a holy calling, yea, with that holy

calling which was prepared with, and according to, a preparatory

redemption for such.

Alma 13:4

4 And thus they have been called to this holy calling on account

of their faith, while others would reject the Spirit of God on

account of the hardness of their hearts and blindness of their

minds, while, if it had not been for this they might have had as

great privilege as their brethren.

Alma 13:5

5 Or in fine, in the first place they were on the same standing

with their brethren; thus this holy calling being prepared from

the foundation of the world for such as would not harden their

hearts, being in and through the atonement of the Only Begotten

Son, who was prepared—

Alma 13:6

6 And thus being called by this holy calling, and ordained unto

the high priesthood of the holy order of God, to teach his

commandments unto the children of men, that they also might enter

into his rest—

Alma 13:7

7 This high priesthood being after the order of his Son, which

order was from the foundation of the world; or in other words,

being without beginning of days or end of years, being prepared

from eternity to all eternity, according to his foreknowledge of

all things—

Alma 13:8

8 Now they were ordained after this manner—being called with a

holy calling, and ordained with a holy ordinance, and taking upon

them the high priesthood of the holy order, which calling, and

ordinance, and high priesthood, is without beginning or end—

Alma 13:9

9 Thus they become high priests forever, after the order of the

Son, the Only Begotten of the Father, who is without beginning of

days or end of years, who is full of grace, equity, and truth.

And thus it is. Amen.

Alma 13:10

10 Now, as I said concerning the holy order, or this high

priesthood, there were many who were ordained and became high

priests of God; and it was on account of their exceeding faith

and repentance, and their righteousness before God, they choosing

to repent and work righteousness rather than to perish;

Alma 13:11

11 Therefore they were called after this holy order, and were

sanctified, and their garments were washed white through the

blood of the Lamb.

Alma 13:12

12 Now they, after being sanctified by the Holy Ghost, having

their garments made white, being pure and spotless before God,

could not look upon sin save it were with abhorrence; and there

were many, exceedingly great many, who were made pure and entered

into the rest of the Lord their God.

Alma 13:13

13 And now, my brethren, I would that ye should humble

yourselves before God, and bring forth fruit meet for repentance,

that ye may also enter into that rest.

Alma 13:14

14 Yea, humble yourselves even as the people in the days of

Melchizedek, who was also a high priest after this same order

which I have spoken, who also took upon him the high priesthood

forever.

Alma 13:15

15 And it was this same Melchizedek to whom Abraham paid tithes;

yea, even our father Abraham paid tithes of one-tenth part of all

he possessed.

Alma 13:16

16 Now these ordinances were given after this manner, that

thereby the people might look forward on the Son of God, it being

a type of his order, or it being his order, and this that they

might look forward to him for a remission of their sins, that

they might enter into the rest of the Lord.

Alma 13:17

17 Now this Melchizedek was a king over the land of Salem; and

his people had waxed strong in iniquity and abomination; yea,

they had all gone astray; they were full of all manner of

wickedness;

Alma 13:18

18 But Melchizedek having exercised mighty faith, and received

the office of the high priesthood according to the holy order of

God, did preach repentance unto his people. And behold, they did

repent; and Melchizedek did establish peace in the land in his

days; therefore he was called the prince of peace, for he was the

king of Salem; and he did reign under his father.

Alma 13:19

19 Now, there were many before him, and also there were many

afterwards, but none were greater; therefore, of him they have

more particularly made mention.

Alma 13:20

20 Now I need not rehearse the matter; what I have said may

suffice. Behold, the scriptures are before you; if ye will wrest

them it shall be to your own destruction.

Alma 13:21

21 And now it came to pass that when Alma had said these words

unto them, he stretched forth his hand unto them and cried with a

mighty voice, saying: Now is the time to repent, for the day of

salvation draweth nigh;

Alma 13:22

22 Yea, and the voice of the Lord, by the mouth of angels, doth

declare it unto all nations; yea, doth declare it, that they may

have glad tidings of great joy; yea, and he doth sound these glad

tidings among all his people, yea, even to them that are

scattered abroad upon the face of the earth; wherefore they have

come unto us.

Alma 13:23

23 And they are made known unto us in plain terms, that we may

understand, that we cannot err; and this because of our being

wanderers in a strange land; therefore, we are thus highly

favored, for we have these glad tidings declared unto us in all

parts of our vineyard.

Alma 13:24

24 For behold, angels are declaring it unto many at this time in

our land; and this is for the purpose of preparing the hearts of

the children of men to receive his word at the time of his coming

in his glory.

Alma 13:25

25 And now we only wait to hear the joyful news declared unto us

by the mouth of angels, of his coming; for the time cometh, we

know not how soon. Would to God that it might be in my day; but

let it be sooner or later, in it I will rejoice.

Alma 13:26

26 And it shall be made known unto just and holy men, by the

mouth of angels, at the time of his coming, that the words of our

fathers may be fulfilled, according to that which they have

spoken concerning him, which was according to the spirit of

prophecy which was in them.

Alma 13:27

27 And now, my brethren, I wish from the inmost part of my

heart, yea, with great anxiety even unto pain, that ye would

hearken unto my words, and cast off your sins, and not

procrastinate the day of your repentance;

Alma 13:28

28 But that ye would humble yourselves before the Lord, and call

on his holy name, and watch and pray continually, that ye may not

be tempted above that which ye can bear, and thus be led by the

Holy Spirit, becoming humble, meek, submissive, patient, full of

love and all long-suffering;

Alma 13:29

29 Having faith on the Lord; having a hope that ye shall receive

eternal life; having the love of God always in your hearts, that

ye may be lifted up at the last day and enter into his rest.

Alma 13:30

30 And may the Lord grant unto you repentance, that ye may not

bring down his wrath upon you, that ye may not be bound down by

the chains of hell, that ye may not suffer the second death.

Alma 13:31

31 And Alma spake many more words unto the people, which are not

written in this book.

Alma 14 Chapter 14

Alma 14:1

1 And it came to pass after he had made an end of speaking unto

the people many of them did believe on his words, and began to

repent, and to search the scriptures.

Alma 14:2

2 But the more part of them were desirous that they might

destroy Alma and Amulek; for they were angry with Alma, because

of the plainness of his words unto Zeezrom; and they also said

that Amulek had lied unto them, and had reviled against their law

and also against their lawyers and judges.

Alma 14:3

3 And they were also angry with Alma and Amulek; and because

they had testified so plainly against their wickedness, they

sought to put them away privily.

Alma 14:4

4 But it came to pass that they did not; but they took them and

bound them with strong cords, and took them before the chief

judge of the land.

Alma 14:5

5 And the people went forth and witnessed against

them—testifying that they had reviled against the law, and their

lawyers and judges of the land, and also of all the people that

were in the land; and also testified that there was but one God,

and that he should send his Son among the people, but he should

not save them; and many such things did the people testify

against Alma and Amulek. Now this was done before the chief

judge of the land.

Alma 14:6

6 And it came to pass that Zeezrom was astonished at the words

which had been spoken; and he also knew concerning the blindness

of the minds, which he had caused among the people by his lying

words; and his soul began to be harrowed up under a consciousness

of his own guilt; yea, he began to be encircled about by the

pains of hell.

Alma 14:7

7 And it came to pass that he began to cry unto the people,

saying: Behold, I am guilty, and these men are spotless before

God. And he began to plead for them from that time forth; but

they reviled him, saying: Art thou also possessed with the devil?

And they spit upon him, and cast him out from among them, and

also all those who believed in the words which had been spoken by

Alma and Amulek; and they cast them out, and sent men to cast

stones at them.

Alma 14:8

8 And they brought their wives and children together, and

whosoever believed or had been taught to believe in the word of

God they caused that they should be cast into the fire, and they

also brought forth their records which contained the holy

scriptures, and cast them into the fire also, that they might be

burned and destroyed by fire.

Alma 14:9

9 And it came to pass that they took Alma and Amulek, and

carried them forth to the place of martyrdom, that they might

witness the destruction of those who were consumed by fire.

Alma 14:10

10 And when Amulek saw the pains of the women and children who

were consuming in the fire, he also was pained; and he said unto

Alma: How can we witness this awful scene? Therefore let us

stretch forth our hands, and exercise the power of God which is

in us, and save them from the flames.

Alma 14:11

11 But Alma said unto him: The Spirit constraineth me that I

must not stretch forth mine hand; for behold the Lord receiveth

them up unto himself, in glory; and he doth suffer that they may

do this thing, or that the people may do this thing unto them,

according to the hardness of their hearts, that the judgments

which he shall exercise upon them in his wrath may be just; and

the blood of the innocent shall stand as a witness against them,

yea, and cry mightily against them at the last day.

Alma 14:12

12 Now Amulek said unto Alma: Behold, perhaps they will burn us

also.

Alma 14:13

13 And Alma said: Be it according to the will of the Lord. But,

behold, our work is not finished; therefore they burn us not.

Alma 14:14

14 Now it came to pass that when the bodies of those who had

been cast into the fire were consumed, and also the records which

were cast in with them, the chief judge of the land came and

stood before Alma and Amulek, as they were bound; and he smote

them with his hand upon their cheeks, and said unto them: After

what ye have seen, will ye preach again unto this people, that

they shall be cast into a lake of fire and brimstone?

Alma 14:15

15 Behold, ye see that ye had not power to save those who had

been cast into the fire; neither has God saved them because they

were of thy faith. And the judge smote them again upon their

cheeks, and asked: What say ye for yourselves?

Alma 14:16

16 Now this judge was after the order and faith of Nehor, who

slew Gideon.

Alma 14:17

17 And it came to pass that Alma and Amulek answered him

nothing; and he smote them again, and delivered them to the

officers to be cast into prison.

Alma 14:18

18 And when they had been cast into prison three days, there

came many lawyers, and judges, and priests, and teachers, who

were of the profession of Nehor; and they came in unto the prison

to see them, and they questioned them about many words; but they

answered them nothing.

Alma 14:19

19 And it came to pass that the judge stood before them, and

said: Why do ye not answer the words of this people? Know ye not

that I have power to deliver you up unto the flames? And he

commanded them to speak; but they answered nothing.

Alma 14:20

20 And it came to pass that they departed and went their ways,

but came again on the morrow; and the judge also smote them again

on their cheeks. And many came forth also, and smote them,

saying: Will ye stand again and judge this people, and condemn

our law? If ye have such great power why do ye not deliver

yourselves?

Alma 14:21

21 And many such things did they say unto them, gnashing their

teeth upon them, and spitting upon them, and saying: How shall we

look when we are damned?

Alma 14:22

22 And many such things, yea, all manner of such things did they

say unto them; and thus they did mock them for many days. And

they did withhold food from them that they might hunger, and

water that they might thirst; and they also did take from them

their clothes that they were naked; and thus they were bound with

strong cords, and confined in prison.

Alma 14:23

23 And it came to pass after they had thus suffered for many

days, (and it was on the twelfth day, in the tenth month, in the

tenth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi)

that the chief judge over the land of Ammonihah and many of their

teachers and their lawyers went in unto the prison where Alma and

Amulek were bound with cords.

Alma 14:24

24 And the chief judge stood before them, and smote them again,

and said unto them: If ye have the power of God deliver

yourselves from these bands, and then we will believe that the

Lord will destroy this people according to your words.

Alma 14:25

25 And it came to pass that they all went forth and smote them,

saying the same words, even until the last; and when the last had

spoken unto them the power of God was upon Alma and Amulek, and

they rose and stood upon their feet.

Alma 14:26

26 And Alma cried, saying: How long shall we suffer these great

afflictions, O Lord? O Lord, give us strength according to our

faith which is in Christ, even unto deliverance. And they broke

the cords with which they were bound; and when the people saw

this, they began to flee, for the fear of destruction had come

upon them.

Alma 14:27

27 And it came to pass that so great was their fear that they

fell to the earth, and did not obtain the outer door of the

prison; and the earth shook mightily, and the walls of the prison

were rent in twain, so that they fell to the earth; and the chief

judge, and the lawyers, and priests, and teachers, who smote upon

Alma and Amulek, were slain by the fall thereof.

Alma 14:28

28 And Alma and Amulek came forth out of the prison, and they

were not hurt; for the Lord had granted unto them power,

according to their faith which was in Christ. And they

straightway came forth out of the prison; and they were loosed

from their bands; and the prison had fallen to the earth, and

every soul within the walls thereof, save it were Alma and

Amulek, was slain; and they straightway came forth into the city.

Alma 14:29

29 Now the people having heard a great noise came running

together by multitudes to know the cause of it; and when they saw

Alma and Amulek coming forth out of the prison, and the walls

thereof had fallen to the earth, they were struck with great

fear, and fled from the presence of Alma and Amulek even as a

goat fleeth with her young from two lions; and thus they did flee

from the presence of Alma and Amulek.

Alma 15 Chapter 15

Alma 15:1

1 And it came to pass that Alma and Amulek were commanded to

depart out of that city; and they departed, and came out even

into the land of Sidom; and behold, there they found all the

people who had departed out of the land of Ammonihah, who had

been cast out and stoned, because they believed in the words of

Alma.

Alma 15:2

2 And they related unto them all that had happened unto their

wives and children, and also concerning themselves, and of their

power of deliverance.

Alma 15:3

3 And also Zeezrom lay sick at Sidom, with a burning fever,

which was caused by the great tribulations of his mind on account

of his wickedness, for he supposed that Alma and Amulek were no

more; and he supposed that they had been slain because of his

iniquity. And this great sin, and his many other sins, did

harrow up his mind until it did become exceedingly sore, having

no deliverance; therefore he began to be scorched with a burning

heat.

Alma 15:4

4 Now, when he heard that Alma and Amulek were in the land of

Sidom, his heart began to take courage; and he sent a message

immediately unto them, desiring them to come unto him.

Alma 15:5

5 And it came to pass that they went immediately, obeying the

message which he had sent unto them; and they went in unto the

house unto Zeezrom; and they found him upon his bed, sick, being

very low with a burning fever; and his mind also was exceedingly

sore because of his iniquities; and when he saw them he stretched

forth his hand, and besought them that they would heal him.

Alma 15:6

6 And it came to pass that Alma said unto him, taking him by the

hand: Believest thou in the power of Christ unto salvation?

Alma 15:7

7 And he answered and said: Yea, I believe all the words that

thou hast taught.

Alma 15:8

8 And Alma said: If thou believest in the redemption of Christ

thou canst be healed.

Alma 15:9

9 And he said: Yea, I believe according to thy words.

Alma 15:10

10 And then Alma cried unto the Lord, saying: O Lord our God,

have mercy on this man, and heal him according to his faith which

is in Christ.

Alma 15:11

11 And when Alma had said these words, Zeezrom leaped upon his

feet, and began to walk; and this was done to the great

astonishment of all the people; and the knowledge of this went

forth throughout all the land of Sidom.

Alma 15:12

12 And Alma baptized Zeezrom unto the Lord; and he began from

that time forth to preach unto the people.

Alma 15:13

13 And Alma established a church in the land of Sidom, and

consecrated priests and teachers in the land, to baptize unto the

Lord whosoever were desirous to be baptized.

Alma 15:14

14 And it came to pass that they were many; for they did flock

in from all the region round about Sidom, and were baptized.

Alma 15:15

15 But as to the people that were in the land of Ammonihah, they

yet remained a hard-hearted and a stiffnecked people; and they

repented not of their sins, ascribing all the power of Alma and

Amulek to the devil; for they were of the profession of Nehor,

and did not believe in the repentance of their sins.

Alma 15:16

16 And it came to pass that Alma and Amulek, Amulek having

forsaken all his gold, and silver, and his precious things, which

were in the land of Ammonihah, for the word of God, he being

rejected by those who were once his friends and also by his

father and his kindred;

Alma 15:17

17 Therefore, after Alma having established the church at Sidom,

seeing a great check, yea, seeing that the people were checked as

to the pride of their hearts, and began to humble themselves

before God, and began to assemble themselves together at their

sanctuaries to worship God before the altar, watching and praying

continually, that they might be delivered from Satan, and from

death, and from destruction—

Alma 15:18

18 Now as I said, Alma having seen all these things, therefore

he took Amulek and came over to the land of Zarahemla, and took

him to his own house, and did administer unto him in his

tribulations, and strengthened him in the Lord.

Alma 15:19

19 And thus ended the tenth year of the reign of the judges over

the people of Nephi.

Alma 16 Chapter 16

Alma 16:1

1 And it came to pass in the eleventh year of the reign of the

judges over the people of Nephi, on the fifth day of the second

month, there having been much peace in the land of Zarahemla,

there having been no wars nor contentions for a certain number of

years, even until the fifth day of the second month in the

eleventh year, there was a cry of war heard throughout the land.

Alma 16:2

2 For behold, the armies of the Lamanites had come in upon the

wilderness side, into the borders of the land, even into the city

of Ammonihah, and began to slay the people and destroy the city.

Alma 16:3

3 And now it came to pass, before the Nephites could raise a

sufficient army to drive them out of the land, they had destroyed

the people who were in the city of Ammonihah, and also some

around the borders of Noah, and taken others captive into the

wilderness.

Alma 16:4

4 Now it came to pass that the Nephites were desirous to obtain

those who had been carried away captive into the wilderness.

Alma 16:5

5 Therefore, he that had been appointed chief captain over the

armies of the Nephites, (and his name was Zoram, and he had two

sons, Lehi and Aha)—now Zoram and his two sons, knowing that

Alma was high priest over the church, and having heard that he

had the spirit of prophecy, therefore they went unto him and

desired of him to know whither the Lord would that they should go

into the wilderness in search of their brethren, who had been

taken captive by the Lamanites.

Alma 16:6

6 And it came to pass that Alma inquired of the Lord concerning

the matter. And Alma returned and said unto them: Behold, the

Lamanites will cross the river Sidon in the south wilderness,

away up beyond the borders of the land of Manti. And behold

there shall ye meet them, on the east of the river Sidon, and

there the Lord will deliver unto thee thy brethren who have been

taken captive by the Lamanites.

Alma 16:7

7 And it came to pass that Zoram and his sons crossed over the

river Sidon, with their armies, and marched away beyond the

borders of Manti into the south wilderness, which was on the east

side of the river Sidon.

Alma 16:8

8 And they came upon the armies of the Lamanites, and the

Lamanites were scattered and driven into the wilderness; and they

took their brethren who had been taken captive by the Lamanites,

and there was not one soul of them had been lost that were taken

captive. And they were brought by their brethren to possess

their own lands.

Alma 16:9

9 And thus ended the eleventh year of the judges, the Lamanites

having been driven out of the land, and the people of Ammonihah

were destroyed; yea, every living soul of the Ammonihahites was

destroyed, and also their great city, which they said God could

not destroy, because of its greatness.

Alma 16:10

10 But behold, in one day it was left desolate; and the

carcasses were mangled by dogs and wild beasts of the wilderness.

Alma 16:11

11 Nevertheless, after many days their dead bodies were heaped

up upon the face of the earth, and they were covered with a

shallow covering. And now so great was the scent thereof that

the people did not go in to possess the land of Ammonihah for

many years. And it was called Desolation of Nehors; for they

were of the profession of Nehor, who were slain; and their lands

remained desolate.

Alma 16:12

12 And the Lamanites did not come again to war against the

Nephites until the fourteenth year of the reign of the judges

over the people of Nephi. And thus for three years did the

people of Nephi have continual peace in all the land.

Alma 16:13

13 And Alma and Amulek went forth preaching repentance to the

people in their temples, and in their sanctuaries, and also in

their synagogues, which were built after the manner of the Jews.

Alma 16:14

14 And as many as would hear their words, unto them they did

impart the word of God, without any respect of persons,

continually.

Alma 16:15

15 And thus did Alma and Amulek go forth, and also many more who

had been chosen for the work, to preach the word throughout all

the land. And the establishment of the church became general

throughout the land, in all the region round about, among all the

people of the Nephites.

Alma 16:16

16 And there was no inequality among them; the Lord did pour out

his Spirit on all the face of the land to prepare the minds of

the children of men, or to prepare their hearts to receive the

word which should be taught among them at the time of his

coming—

Alma 16:17

17 That they might not be hardened against the word, that they

might not be unbelieving, and go on to destruction, but that they

might receive the word with joy, and as a branch be grafted into

the true vine, that they might enter into the rest of the Lord

their God.

Alma 16:18

18 Now those priests who did go forth among the people did

preach against all lyings, and deceivings, and envyings, and

strifes, and malice, and revilings, and stealing, robbing,

plundering, murdering, committing adultery, and all manner of

lasciviousness, crying that these things ought not so to be—

Alma 16:19

19 Holding forth things which must shortly come; yea, holding

forth the coming of the Son of God, his sufferings and death, and

also the resurrection of the dead.

Alma 16:20

20 And many of the people did inquire concerning the place where

the Son of God should come; and they were taught that he would

appear unto them after his resurrection; and this the people did

hear with great joy and gladness.

Alma 16:21

21 And now after the church had been established throughout all

the land—having got the victory over the devil, and the word of

God being preached in its purity in all the land, and the Lord

pouring out his blessings upon the people—thus ended the

fourteenth year of the reign of the judges over the people of

Nephi.

Alma 17 Chapter 17

Alma 17:1

1 And now it came to pass that as Alma was journeying from the

land of Gideon southward, away to the land of Manti, behold, to

his astonishment, he met with the sons of Mosiah journeying

towards the land of Zarahemla.

Alma 17:2

2 Now these sons of Mosiah were with Alma at the time the angel

first appeared unto him; therefore Alma did rejoice exceedingly

to see his brethren; and what added more to his joy, they were

still his brethren in the Lord; yea, and they had waxed strong in

the knowledge of the truth; for they were men of a sound

understanding and they had searched the scriptures diligently,

that they might know the word of God.

Alma 17:3

3 But this is not all; they had given themselves to much prayer,

and fasting; therefore they had the spirit of prophecy, and the

spirit of revelation, and when they taught, they taught with

power and authority of God.

Alma 17:4

4 And they had been teaching the word of God for the space of

fourteen years among the Lamanites, having had much success in

bringing many to the knowledge of the truth; yea, by the power of

their words many were brought before the altar of God, to call on

his name and confess their sins before him.

Alma 17:5

5 Now these are the circumstances which attended them in their

journeyings, for they had many afflictions; they did suffer much,

both in body and in mind, such as hunger, thirst and fatigue, and

also much labor in the spirit.

Alma 17:6

6 Now these were their journeyings: Having taken leave of their

father, Mosiah, in the first year of the judges; having refused

the kingdom which their father was desirous to confer upon them,

and also this was the minds of the people;

Alma 17:7

7 Nevertheless they departed out of the land of Zarahemla, and

took their swords, and their spears, and their bows, and their

arrows, and their slings; and this they did that they might

provide food for themselves while in the wilderness.

Alma 17:8

8 And thus they departed into the wilderness with their numbers

which they had selected, to go up to the land of Nephi, to preach

the word of God unto the Lamanites.

Alma 17:9

9 And it came to pass that they journeyed many days in the

wilderness, and they fasted much and prayed much that the Lord

would grant unto them a portion of his Spirit to go with them,

and abide with them, that they might be an instrument in the

hands of God to bring, if it were possible, their brethren, the

Lamanites, to the knowledge of the truth, to the knowledge of the

baseness of the traditions of their fathers, which were not

correct.

Alma 17:10

10 And it came to pass that the Lord did visit them with his

Spirit, and said unto them: Be comforted. And they were

comforted.

Alma 17:11

11 And the Lord said unto them also: Go forth among the

Lamanites, thy brethren, and establish my word; yet ye shall be

patient in long-suffering and afflictions, that ye may show forth

good examples unto them in me, and I will make an instrument of

thee in my hands unto the salvation of many souls.

Alma 17:12

12 And it came to pass that the hearts of the sons of Mosiah,

and also those who were with them, took courage to go forth unto

the Lamanites to declare unto them the word of God.

Alma 17:13

13 And it came to pass when they had arrived in the borders of

the land of the Lamanites, that they separated themselves and

departed one from another, trusting in the Lord that they should

meet again at the close of their harvest; for they supposed that

great was the work which they had undertaken.

Alma 17:14

14 And assuredly it was great, for they had undertaken to preach

the word of God to a wild and a hardened and a ferocious people;

a people who delighted in murdering the Nephites, and robbing and

plundering them; and their hearts were set upon riches, or upon

gold and silver, and precious stones; yet they sought to obtain

these things by murdering and plundering, that they might not

labor for them with their own hands.

Alma 17:15

15 Thus they were a very indolent people, many of whom did

worship idols, and the curse of God had fallen upon them because

of the traditions of their fathers; notwithstanding the promises

of the Lord were extended unto them on the conditions of

repentance.

Alma 17:16

16 Therefore, this was the cause for which the sons of Mosiah

had undertaken the work, that perhaps they might bring them unto

repentance; that perhaps they might bring them to know of the

plan of redemption.

Alma 17:17

17 Therefore they separated themselves one from another, and

went forth among them, every man alone, according to the word and

power of God which was given unto him.

Alma 17:18

18 Now Ammon being the chief among them, or rather he did

administer unto them, and he departed from them, after having

blessed them according to their several stations, having imparted

the word of God unto them, or administered unto them before his

departure; and thus they took their several journeys throughout

the land.

Alma 17:19

19 And Ammon went to the land of Ishmael, the land being called

after the sons of Ishmael, who also became Lamanites.

Alma 17:20

20 And as Ammon entered the land of Ishmael, the Lamanites took

him and bound him, as was their custom to bind all the Nephites

who fell into their hands, and carry them before the king; and

thus it was left to the pleasure of the king to slay them, or to

retain them in captivity, or to cast them into prison, or to cast

them out of his land, according to his will and pleasure.

Alma 17:21

21 And thus Ammon was carried before the king who was over the

land of Ishmael; and his name was Lamoni; and he was a descendant

of Ishmael.

Alma 17:22

22 And the king inquired of Ammon if it were his desire to dwell

in the land among the Lamanites, or among his people.

Alma 17:23

23 And Ammon said unto him: Yea, I desire to dwell among this

people for a time; yea, and perhaps until the day I die.

Alma 17:24

24 And it came to pass that king Lamoni was much pleased with

Ammon, and caused that his bands should be loosed; and he would

that Ammon should take one of his daughters to wife.

Alma 17:25

25 But Ammon said unto him: Nay, but I will be thy servant.

Therefore Ammon became a servant to king Lamoni. And it came to

pass that he was set among other servants to watch the flocks of

Lamoni, according to the custom of the Lamanites.

Alma 17:26

26 And after he had been in the service of the king three days,

as he was with the Lamanitish servants going forth with their

flocks to the place of water, which was called the water of

Sebus, and all the Lamanites drive their flocks hither, that they

may have water—

Alma 17:27

27 Therefore, as Ammon and the servants of the king were driving

forth their flocks to this place of water, behold, a certain

number of the Lamanites, who had been with their flocks to water,

stood and scattered the flocks of Ammon and the servants of the

king, and they scattered them insomuch that they fled many ways.

Alma 17:28

28 Now the servants of the king began to murmur, saying: Now the

king will slay us, as he has our brethren because their flocks

were scattered by the wickedness of these men. And they began to

weep exceedingly, saying: Behold, our flocks are scattered

already.

Alma 17:29

29 Now they wept because of the fear of being slain. Now when

Ammon saw this his heart was swollen within him with joy; for,

said he, I will show forth my power unto these my

fellow-servants, or the power which is in me, in restoring these

flocks unto the king, that I may win the hearts of these my

fellow-servants, that I may lead them to believe in my words.

Alma 17:30

30 And now, these were the thoughts of Ammon, when he saw the

afflictions of those whom he termed to be his brethren.

Alma 17:31

31 And it came to pass that he flattered them by his words,

saying: My brethren, be of good cheer and let us go in search of

the flocks, and we will gather them together and bring them back

unto the place of water; and thus we will preserve the flocks

unto the king and he will not slay us.

Alma 17:32

32 And it came to pass that they went in search of the flocks,

and they did follow Ammon, and they rushed forth with much

swiftness and did head the flocks of the king, and did gather

them together again to the place of water.

Alma 17:33

33 And those men again stood to scatter their flocks; but Ammon

said unto his brethren: Encircle the flocks round about that they

flee not; and I go and contend with these men who do scatter our

flocks.

Alma 17:34

34 Therefore, they did as Ammon commanded them, and he went

forth and stood to contend with those who stood by the waters of

Sebus; and they were in number not a few.

Alma 17:35

35 Therefore they did not fear Ammon, for they supposed that one

of their men could slay him according to their pleasure, for they

knew not that the Lord had promised Mosiah that he would deliver

his sons out of their hands; neither did they know anything

concerning the Lord; therefore they delighted in the destruction

of their brethren; and for this cause they stood to scatter the

flocks of the king.

Alma 17:36

36 But Ammon stood forth and began to cast stones at them with

his sling; yea, with mighty power he did sling stones amongst

them; and thus he slew a certain number of them insomuch that

they began to be astonished at his power; nevertheless they were

angry because of the slain of their brethren, and they were

determined that he should fall; therefore, seeing that they could

not hit him with their stones, they came forth with clubs to slay

him.

Alma 17:37

37 But behold, every man that lifted his club to smite Ammon, he

smote off their arms with his sword; for he did withstand their

blows by smiting their arms with the edge of his sword, insomuch

that they began to be astonished, and began to flee before him;

yea, and they were not few in number; and he caused them to flee

by the strength of his arm.

Alma 17:38

38 Now six of them had fallen by the sling, but he slew none

save it were their leader with his sword; and he smote off as

many of their arms as were lifted against him, and they were not

a few.

Alma 17:39

39 And when he had driven them afar off, he returned and they

watered their flocks and returned them to the pasture of the

king, and then went in unto the king, bearing the arms which had

been smitten off by the sword of Ammon, of those who sought to

slay him; and they were carried in unto the king for a testimony

of the things which they had done.

Alma 18 Chapter 18

Alma 18:1

1 And it came to pass that king Lamoni caused that his servants

should stand forth and testify to all the things which they had

seen concerning the matter.

Alma 18:2

2 And when they had all testified to the things which they had

seen, and he had learned of the faithfulness of Ammon in

preserving his flocks, and also of his great power in contending

against those who sought to slay him, he was astonished

exceedingly, and said: Surely, this is more than a man. Behold,

is not this the Great Spirit who doth send such great punishments

upon this people, because of their murders?

Alma 18:3

3 And they answered the king, and said: Whether he be the Great

Spirit or a man, we know not; but this much we do know, that he

cannot be slain by the enemies of the king; neither can they

scatter the king's flocks when he is with us, because of his

expertness and great strength; therefore, we know that he is a

friend to the king. And now, O king, we do not believe that a

man has such great power, for we know he cannot be slain.

Alma 18:4

4 And now, when the king heard these words, he said unto them:

Now I know that it is the Great Spirit; and he has come down at

this time to preserve your lives, that I might not slay you as I

did your brethren. Now this is the Great Spirit of whom our

fathers have spoken.

Alma 18:5

5 Now this was the tradition of Lamoni, which he had received

from his father, that there was a Great Spirit. Notwithstanding

they believed in a Great Spirit they supposed that whatsoever

they did was right; nevertheless, Lamoni began to fear

exceedingly, with fear lest he had done wrong in slaying his

servants;

Alma 18:6

6 For he had slain many of them because their brethren had

scattered their flocks at the place of water; and thus, because

they had had their flocks scattered they were slain.

Alma 18:7

7 Now it was the practice of these Lamanites to stand by the

waters of Sebus to scatter the flocks of the people, that thereby

they might drive away many that were scattered unto their own

land, it being a practice of plunder among them.

Alma 18:8

8 And it came to pass that king Lamoni inquired of his servants,

saying: Where is this man that has such great power?

Alma 18:9

9 And they said unto him: Behold, he is feeding thy horses. Now

the king had commanded his servants, previous to the time of the

watering of their flocks, that they should prepare his horses and

chariots, and conduct him forth to the land of Nephi; for there

had been a great feast appointed at the land of Nephi, by the

father of Lamoni, who was king over all the land.

Alma 18:10

10 Now when king Lamoni heard that Ammon was preparing his

horses and his chariots he was more astonished, because of the

faithfulness of Ammon, saying: Surely there has not been any

servant among all my servants that has been so faithful as this

man; for even he doth remember all my commandments to execute

them.

Alma 18:11

11 Now I surely know that this is the Great Spirit, and I would

desire him that he come in unto me, but I durst not.

Alma 18:12

12 And it came to pass that when Ammon had made ready the horses

and the chariots for the king and his servants, he went in unto

the king, and he saw that the countenance of the king was

changed; therefore he was about to return out of his presence.

Alma 18:13

13 And one of the king's servants said unto him, Rabbanah, which

is, being interpreted, powerful or great king, considering their

kings to be powerful; and thus he said unto him: Rabbanah, the

king desireth thee to stay.

Alma 18:14

14 Therefore Ammon turned himself unto the king, and said unto

him: What wilt thou that I should do for thee, O king? And the

king answered him not for the space of an hour, according to

their time, for he knew not what he should say unto him.

Alma 18:15

15 And it came to pass that Ammon said unto him again: What

desirest thou of me? But the king answered him not.

Alma 18:16

16 And it came to pass that Ammon, being filled with the Spirit

of God, therefore he perceived the thoughts of the king. And he

said unto him: Is it because thou hast heard that I defended thy

servants and thy flocks, and slew seven of their brethren with

the sling and with the sword, and smote off the arms of others,

in order to defend thy flocks and thy servants; behold, is it

this that causeth thy marvelings?

Alma 18:17

17 I say unto you, what is it, that thy marvelings are so great?

Behold, I am a man, and am thy servant; therefore, whatsoever

thou desirest which is right, that will I do.

Alma 18:18

18 Now when the king had heard these words, he marveled again,

for he beheld that Ammon could discern his thoughts; but

notwithstanding this, king Lamoni did open his mouth, and said

unto him: Who art thou? Art thou that Great Spirit, who knows

all things?

Alma 18:19

19 Ammon answered and said unto him: I am not.

Alma 18:20

20 And the king said: How knowest thou the thoughts of my heart?

Thou mayest speak boldly, and tell me concerning these things;

and also tell me by what power ye slew and smote off the arms of

my brethren that scattered my flocks—

Alma 18:21

21 And now, if thou wilt tell me concerning these things,

whatsoever thou desirest I will give unto thee; and if it were

needed, I would guard thee with my armies; but I know that thou

art more powerful than all they; nevertheless, whatsoever thou

desirest of me I will grant it unto thee.

Alma 18:22

22 Now Ammon being wise, yet harmless, he said unto Lamoni: Wilt

thou hearken unto my words, if I tell thee by what power I do

these things? And this is the thing that I desire of thee.

Alma 18:23

23 And the king answered him, and said: Yea, I will believe all

thy words. And thus he was caught with guile.

Alma 18:24

24 And Ammon began to speak unto him with boldness, and said

unto him: Believest thou that there is a God?

Alma 18:25

25 And he answered, and said unto him: I do not know what that

meaneth.

Alma 18:26

26 And then Ammon said: Believest thou that there is a Great

Spirit?

Alma 18:27

27 And he said, Yea.

Alma 18:28

28 And Ammon said: This is God. And Ammon said unto him again:

Believest thou that this Great Spirit, who is God, created all

things which are in heaven and in the earth?

Alma 18:29

29 And he said: Yea, I believe that he created all things which

are in the earth; but I do not know the heavens.

Alma 18:30

30 And Ammon said unto him: The heavens is a place where God

dwells and all his holy angels.

Alma 18:31

31 And king Lamoni said: Is it above the earth?

Alma 18:32

32 And Ammon said: Yea, and he looketh down upon all the

children of men; and he knows all the thoughts and intents of the

heart; for by his hand were they all created from the beginning.

Alma 18:33

33 And king Lamoni said: I believe all these things which thou

hast spoken. Art thou sent from God?

Alma 18:34

34 Ammon said unto him: I am a man; and man in the beginning was

created after the image of God, and I am called by his Holy

Spirit to teach these things unto this people, that they may be

brought to a knowledge of that which is just and true;

Alma 18:35

35 And a portion of that Spirit dwelleth in me, which giveth me

knowledge, and also power according to my faith and desires which

are in God.

Alma 18:36

36 Now when Ammon had said these words, he began at the creation

of the world, and also the creation of Adam, and told him all the

things concerning the fall of man, and rehearsed and laid before

him the records and the holy scriptures of the people, which had

been spoken by the prophets, even down to the time that their

father, Lehi, left Jerusalem.

Alma 18:37

37 And he also rehearsed unto them (for it was unto the king and

to his servants) all the journeyings of their fathers in the

wilderness, and all their sufferings with hunger and thirst, and

their travail, and so forth.

Alma 18:38

38 And he also rehearsed unto them concerning the rebellions of

Laman and Lemuel, and the sons of Ishmael, yea, all their

rebellions did he relate unto them; and he expounded unto them

all the records and scriptures from the time that Lehi left

Jerusalem down to the present time.

Alma 18:39

39 But this is not all; for he expounded unto them the plan of

redemption, which was prepared from the foundation of the world;

and he also made known unto them concerning the coming of Christ,

and all the works of the Lord did he make known unto them.

Alma 18:40

40 And it came to pass that after he had said all these things,

and expounded them to the king, that the king believed all his

words.

Alma 18:41

41 And he began to cry unto the Lord, saying: O Lord, have

mercy; according to thy abundant mercy which thou hast had upon

the people of Nephi, have upon me, and my people.

Alma 18:42

42 And now, when he had said this, he fell unto the earth, as if

he were dead.

Alma 18:43

43 And it came to pass that his servants took him and carried

him in unto his wife, and laid him upon a bed; and he lay as if

he were dead for the space of two days and two nights; and his

wife, and his sons, and his daughters mourned over him, after the

manner of the Lamanites, greatly lamenting his loss.

Alma 19 Chapter 19

Alma 19:1

1 And it came to pass that after two days and two nights they

were about to take his body and lay it in a sepulchre, which they

had made for the purpose of burying their dead.

Alma 19:2

2 Now the queen having heard of the fame of Ammon, therefore she

sent and desired that he should come in unto her.

Alma 19:3

3 And it came to pass that Ammon did as he was commanded, and

went in unto the queen, and desired to know what she would that

he should do.

Alma 19:4

4 And she said unto him: The servants of my husband have made it

known unto me that thou art a prophet of a holy God, and that

thou hast power to do many mighty works in his name;

Alma 19:5

5 Therefore, if this is the case, I would that ye should go in

and see my husband, for he has been laid upon his bed for the

space of two days and two nights; and some say that he is not

dead, but others say that he is dead and that he stinketh, and

that he ought to be placed in the sepulchre; but as for myself,

to me he doth not stink.

Alma 19:6

6 Now, this was what Ammon desired, for he knew that king Lamoni

was under the power of God; he knew that the dark veil of

unbelief was being cast away from his mind, and the light which

did light up his mind, which was the light of the glory of God,

which was a marvelous light of his goodness—yea, this light had

infused such joy into his soul, the cloud of darkness having been

dispelled, and that the light of everlasting life was lit up in

his soul, yea, he knew that this had overcome his natural frame,

and he was carried away in God—

Alma 19:7

7 Therefore, what the queen desired of him was his only desire.

Therefore, he went in to see the king according as the queen had

desired him; and he saw the king, and he knew that he was not

dead.

Alma 19:8

8 And he said unto the queen: He is not dead, but he sleepeth in

God, and on the morrow he shall rise again; therefore bury him

not.

Alma 19:9

9 And Ammon said unto her: Believest thou this? And she said

unto him: I have had no witness save thy word, and the word of

our servants; nevertheless I believe that it shall be according

as thou hast said.

Alma 19:10

10 And Ammon said unto her: Blessed art thou because of thy

exceeding faith; I say unto thee, woman, there has not been such

great faith among all the people of the Nephites.

Alma 19:11

11 And it came to pass that she watched over the bed of her

husband, from that time even until that time on the morrow which

Ammon had appointed that he should rise.

Alma 19:12

12 And it came to pass that he arose, according to the words of

Ammon; and as he arose, he stretched forth his hand unto the

woman, and said: Blessed be the name of God, and blessed art

thou.

Alma 19:13

13 For as sure as thou livest, behold, I have seen my Redeemer;

and he shall come forth, and be born of a woman, and he shall

redeem all mankind who believe on his name. Now, when he had

said these words, his heart was swollen within him, and he sunk

again with joy; and the queen also sunk down, being overpowered

by the Spirit.

Alma 19:14

14 Now Ammon seeing the Spirit of the Lord poured out according

to his prayers upon the Lamanites, his brethren, who had been the

cause of so much mourning among the Nephites, or among all the

people of God because of their iniquities and their traditions,

he fell upon his knees, and began to pour out his soul in prayer

and thanksgiving to God for what he had done for his brethren;

and he was also overpowered with joy; and thus they all three had

sunk to the earth.

Alma 19:15

15 Now, when the servants of the king had seen that they had

fallen, they also began to cry unto God, for the fear of the Lord

had come upon them also, for it was they who had stood before the

king and testified unto him concerning the great power of Ammon.

Alma 19:16

16 And it came to pass that they did call on the name of the

Lord, in their might, even until they had all fallen to the

earth, save it were one of the Lamanitish women, whose name was

Abish, she having been converted unto the Lord for many years, on

account of a remarkable vision of her father—

Alma 19:17

17 Thus, having been converted to the Lord, and never having

made it known, therefore, when she saw that all the servants of

Lamoni had fallen to the earth, and also her mistress, the queen,

and the king, and Ammon lay prostrate upon the earth, she knew

that it was the power of God; and supposing that this

opportunity, by making known unto the people what had happened

among them, that by beholding this scene it would cause them to

believe in the power of God, therefore she ran forth from house

to house, making it known unto the people.

Alma 19:18

18 And they began to assemble themselves together unto the house

of the king. And there came a multitude, and to their

astonishment they beheld the king, and the queen, and their

servants prostrate upon the earth, and they all lay there as

though they were dead; and they also saw Ammon, and behold, he

was a Nephite.

Alma 19:19

19 And now the people began to murmur among themselves; some

saying that it was a great evil that had come upon them, or upon

the king and his house, because he had suffered that the Nephite

should remain in the land.

Alma 19:20

20 But others rebuked them, saying: The king hath brought this

evil upon his house, because he slew his servants who had had

their flocks scattered at the waters of Sebus.

Alma 19:21

21 And they were also rebuked by those men who had stood at the

waters of Sebus and scattered the flocks which belonged to the

king, for they were angry with Ammon because of the number which

he had slain of their brethren at the waters of Sebus, while

defending the flocks of the king.

Alma 19:22

22 Now, one of them, whose brother had been slain with the sword

of Ammon, being exceedingly angry with Ammon, drew his sword and

went forth that he might let it fall upon Ammon, to slay him; and

as he lifted the sword to smite him, behold, he fell dead.

Alma 19:23

23 Now we see that Ammon could not be slain, for the Lord had

said unto Mosiah, his father: I will spare him, and it shall be

unto him according to thy faith—therefore, Mosiah trusted him

unto the Lord.

Alma 19:24

24 And it came to pass that when the multitude beheld that the

man had fallen dead, who lifted the sword to slay Ammon, fear

came upon them all, and they durst not put forth their hands to

touch him or any of those who had fallen; and they began to

marvel again among themselves what could be the cause of this

great power, or what all these things could mean.

Alma 19:25

25 And it came to pass that there were many among them who said

that Ammon was the Great Spirit, and others said he was sent by

the Great Spirit;

Alma 19:26

26 But others rebuked them all, saying that he was a monster,

who had been sent from the Nephites to torment them.

Alma 19:27

27 And there were some who said that Ammon was sent by the Great

Spirit to afflict them because of their iniquities; and that it

was the Great Spirit that had always attended the Nephites, who

had ever delivered them out of their hands; and they said that it

was this Great Spirit who had destroyed so many of their

brethren, the Lamanites.

Alma 19:28

28 And thus the contention began to be exceedingly sharp among

them. And while they were thus contending, the woman servant who

had caused the multitude to be gathered together came, and when

she saw the contention which was among the multitude she was

exceedingly sorrowful, even unto tears.

Alma 19:29

29 And it came to pass that she went and took the queen by the

hand, that perhaps she might raise her from the ground; and as

soon as she touched her hand she arose and stood upon her feet,

and cried with a loud voice, saying: O blessed Jesus, who has

saved me from an awful hell! O blessed God, have mercy on this

people!

Alma 19:30

30 And when she had said this, she clasped her hands, being

filled with joy, speaking many words which were not understood;

and when she had done this, she took the king, Lamoni, by the

hand, and behold he arose and stood upon his feet.

Alma 19:31

31 And he, immediately, seeing the contention among his people,

went forth and began to rebuke them, and to teach them the words

which he had heard from the mouth of Ammon; and as many as heard

his words believed, and were converted unto the Lord.

Alma 19:32

32 But there were many among them who would not hear his words;

therefore they went their way.

Alma 19:33

33 And it came to pass that when Ammon arose he also

administered unto them, and also did all the servants of Lamoni;

and they did all declare unto the people the selfsame thing—that

their hearts had been changed; that they had no more desire to do

evil.

Alma 19:34

34 And behold, many did declare unto the people that they had

seen angels and had conversed with them; and thus they had told

them things of God, and of his righteousness.

Alma 19:35

35 And it came to pass that there were many that did believe in

their words; and as many as did believe were baptized; and they

became a righteous people, and they did establish a church among

them.

Alma 19:36

36 And thus the work of the Lord did commence among the

Lamanites; thus the Lord did begin to pour out his Spirit upon

them; and we see that his arm is extended to all people who will

repent and believe on his name.

Alma 20 Chapter 20

Alma 20:1

1 And it came to pass that when they had established a church in

that land, that king Lamoni desired that Ammon should go with him

to the land of Nephi, that he might show him unto his father.

Alma 20:2

2 And the voice of the Lord came to Ammon saying: Thou shalt not

go up to the land of Nephi, for behold, the king will seek thy

life; but thou shalt go to the land of Middoni; for behold, thy

brother Aaron, and also Muloki and Ammah are in prison.

Alma 20:3

3 Now it came to pass that when Ammon had heard this, he said

unto Lamoni: Behold, my brother and brethren are in prison at

Middoni, and I go that I may deliver them.

Alma 20:4

4 Now Lamoni said unto Ammon: I know, in the strength of the

Lord thou canst do all things. But behold, I will go with thee

to the land of Middoni; for the king of the land of Middoni,

whose name is Antiomno, is a friend unto me; therefore I go to

the land of Middoni, that I may flatter the king of the land, and

he will cast thy brethren out of prison. Now Lamoni said unto

him: Who told thee that thy brethren were in prison?

Alma 20:5

5 And Ammon said unto him: No one hath told me, save it be God;

and he said unto me—Go and deliver thy brethren, for they are in

prison in the land of Middoni.

Alma 20:6

6 Now when Lamoni had heard this he caused that his servants

should make ready his horses and his chariots.

Alma 20:7

7 And he said unto Ammon: Come, I will go with thee down to the

land of Middoni, and there I will plead with the king that he

will cast thy brethren out of prison.

Alma 20:8

8 And it came to pass that as Ammon and Lamoni were journeying

thither, they met the father of Lamoni, who was king over all the

land.

Alma 20:9

9 And behold, the father of Lamoni said unto him: Why did ye not

come to the feast on that great day when I made a feast unto my

sons, and unto my people?

Alma 20:10

10 And he also said: Whither art thou going with this Nephite,

who is one of the children of a liar?

Alma 20:11

11 And it came to pass that Lamoni rehearsed unto him whither he

was going, for he feared to offend him.

Alma 20:12

12 And he also told him all the cause of his tarrying in his own

kingdom, that he did not go unto his father to the feast which he

had prepared.

Alma 20:13

13 And now when Lamoni had rehearsed unto him all these things,

behold, to his astonishment, his father was angry with him, and

said: Lamoni, thou art going to deliver these Nephites, who are

sons of a liar. Behold, he robbed our fathers; and now his

children are also come amongst us that they may, by their cunning

and their lyings, deceive us, that they again may rob us of our

property.

Alma 20:14

14 Now the father of Lamoni commanded him that he should slay

Ammon with the sword. And he also commanded him that he should

not go to the land of Middoni, but that he should return with him

to the land of Ishmael.

Alma 20:15

15 But Lamoni said unto him: I will not slay Ammon, neither will

I return to the land of Ishmael, but I go to the land of Middoni

that I may release the brethren of Ammon, for I know that they

are just men and holy prophets of the true God.

Alma 20:16

16 Now when his father had heard these words, he was angry with

him, and he drew his sword that he might smite him to the earth.

Alma 20:17

17 But Ammon stood forth and said unto him: Behold, thou shalt

not slay thy son; nevertheless, it were better that he should

fall than thee, for behold, he has repented of his sins; but if

thou shouldst fall at this time, in thine anger, thy soul could

not be saved.

Alma 20:18

18 And again, it is expedient that thou shouldst forbear; for if

thou shouldst slay thy son, he being an innocent man, his blood

would cry from the ground to the Lord his God, for vengeance to

come upon thee; and perhaps thou wouldst lose thy soul.

Alma 20:19

19 Now when Ammon had said these words unto him, he answered

him, saying: I know that if I should slay my son, that I should

shed innocent blood; for it is thou that hast sought to destroy

him.

Alma 20:20

20 And he stretched forth his hand to slay Ammon. But Ammon

withstood his blows, and also smote his arm that he could not use

it.

Alma 20:21

21 Now when the king saw that Ammon could slay him, he began to

plead with Ammon that he would spare his life.

Alma 20:22

22 But Ammon raised his sword, and said unto him: Behold, I will

smite thee except thou wilt grant unto me that my brethren may be

cast out of prison.

Alma 20:23

23 Now the king, fearing he should lose his life, said: If thou

wilt spare me I will grant unto thee whatsoever thou wilt ask,

even to half of the kingdom.

Alma 20:24

24 Now when Ammon saw that he had wrought upon the old king

according to his desire, he said unto him: If thou wilt grant

that my brethren may be cast out of prison, and also that Lamoni

may retain his kingdom, and that ye be not displeased with him,

but grant that he may do according to his own desires in

whatsoever thing he thinketh, then will I spare thee; otherwise I

will smite thee to the earth.

Alma 20:25

25 Now when Ammon had said these words, the king began to

rejoice because of his life.

Alma 20:26

26 And when he saw that Ammon had no desire to destroy him, and

when he also saw the great love he had for his son Lamoni, he was

astonished exceedingly, and said: Because this is all that thou

hast desired, that I would release thy brethren, and suffer that

my son Lamoni should retain his kingdom, behold, I will grant

unto you that my son may retain his kingdom from this time and

forever; and I will govern him no more—

Alma 20:27

27 And I will also grant unto thee that thy brethren may be cast

out of prison, and thou and thy brethren may come unto me, in my

kingdom; for I shall greatly desire to see thee. For the king

was greatly astonished at the words which he had spoken, and also

at the words which had been spoken by his son Lamoni, therefore

he was desirous to learn them.

Alma 20:28

28 And it came to pass that Ammon and Lamoni proceeded on their

journey towards the land of Middoni. And Lamoni found favor in

the eyes of the king of the land; therefore the brethren of Ammon

were brought forth out of prison.

Alma 20:29

29 And when Ammon did meet them he was exceedingly sorrowful,

for behold they were naked, and their skins were worn exceedingly

because of being bound with strong cords. And they also had

suffered hunger, thirst, and all kinds of afflictions;

nevertheless they were patient in all their sufferings.

Alma 20:30

30 And, as it happened, it was their lot to have fallen into the

hands of a more hardened and a more stiffnecked people; therefore

they would not hearken unto their words, and they had cast them

out, and had smitten them, and had driven them from house to

house, and from place to place, even until they had arrived in

the land of Middoni; and there they were taken and cast into

prison, and bound with strong cords, and kept in prison for many

days, and were delivered by Lamoni and Ammon.

Alma 21 Chapter 21

Alma 21:1

1 Now when Ammon and his brethren separated themselves in the

borders of the land of the Lamanites, behold Aaron took his

journey towards the land which was called by the Lamanites,

Jerusalem, calling it after the land of their fathers' nativity;

and it was away joining the borders of Mormon.

Alma 21:2

2 Now the Lamanites and the Amalekites and the people of Amulon

had built a great city, which was called Jerusalem.

Alma 21:3

3 Now the Lamanites of themselves were sufficiently hardened,

but the Amalekites and the Amulonites were still harder;

therefore they did cause the Lamanites that they should harden

their hearts, that they should wax strong in wickedness and their

abominations.

Alma 21:4

4 And it came to pass that Aaron came to the city of Jerusalem,

and first began to preach to the Amalekites. And he began to

preach to them in their synagogues, for they had built synagogues

after the order of the Nehors; for many of the Amalekites and the

Amulonites were after the order of the Nehors.

Alma 21:5

5 Therefore, as Aaron entered into one of their synagogues to

preach unto the people, and as he was speaking unto them, behold

there arose an Amalekite and began to contend with him, saying:

What is that thou hast testified? Hast thou seen an angel? Why

do not angels appear unto us? Behold are not this people as good

as thy people?

Alma 21:6

6 Thou also sayest, except we repent we shall perish. How

knowest thou the thought and intent of our hearts? How knowest

thou that we have cause to repent? How knowest thou that we are

not a righteous people? Behold, we have built sanctuaries, and

we do assemble ourselves together to worship God. We do believe

that God will save all men.

Alma 21:7

7 Now Aaron said unto him: Believest thou that the Son of God

shall come to redeem mankind from their sins?

Alma 21:8

8 And the man said unto him: We do not believe that thou knowest

any such thing. We do not believe in these foolish traditions.

We do not believe that thou knowest of things to come, neither do

we believe that thy fathers and also that our fathers did know

concerning the things which they spake, of that which is to come.

Alma 21:9

9 Now Aaron began to open the scriptures unto them concerning

the coming of Christ, and also concerning the resurrection of the

dead, and that there could be no redemption for mankind save it

were through the death and sufferings of Christ, and the

atonement of his blood.

Alma 21:10

10 And it came to pass as he began to expound these things unto

them they were angry with him, and began to mock him; and they

would not hear the words which he spake.

Alma 21:11

11 Therefore, when he saw that they would not hear his words, he

departed out of their synagogue, and came over to a village which

was called Ani-Anti, and there he found Muloki preaching the word

unto them; and also Ammah and his brethren. And they contended

with many about the word.

Alma 21:12

12 And it came to pass that they saw that the people would

harden their hearts, therefore they departed and came over into

the land of Middoni. And they did preach the word unto many, and

few believed on the words which they taught.

Alma 21:13

13 Nevertheless, Aaron and a certain number of his brethren were

taken and cast into prison, and the remainder of them fled out of

the land of Middoni unto the regions round about.

Alma 21:14

14 And those who were cast into prison suffered many things, and

they were delivered by the hand of Lamoni and Ammon, and they

were fed and clothed.

Alma 21:15

15 And they went forth again to declare the word, and thus they

were delivered for the first time out of prison; and thus they

had suffered.

Alma 21:16

16 And they went forth whithersoever they were led by the Spirit

of the Lord, preaching the word of God in every synagogue of the

Amalekites, or in every assembly of the Lamanites where they

could be admitted.

Alma 21:17

17 And it came to pass that the Lord began to bless them,

insomuch that they brought many to the knowledge of the truth;

yea, they did convince many of their sins, and of the traditions

of their fathers, which were not correct.

Alma 21:18

18 And it came to pass that Ammon and Lamoni returned from the

land of Middoni to the land of Ishmael, which was the land of

their inheritance.

Alma 21:19

19 And king Lamoni would not suffer that Ammon should serve him,

or be his servant.

Alma 21:20

20 But he caused that there should be synagogues built in the

land of Ishmael; and he caused that his people, or the people who

were under his reign, should assemble themselves together.

Alma 21:21

21 And he did rejoice over them, and he did teach them many

things. And he did also declare unto them that they were a

people who were under him, and that they were a free people, that

they were free from the oppressions of the king, his father; for

that his father had granted unto him that he might reign over the

people who were in the land of Ishmael, and in all the land round

about.

Alma 21:22

22 And he also declared unto them that they might have the

liberty of worshiping the Lord their God according to their

desires, in whatsoever place they were in, if it were in the land

which was under the reign of king Lamoni.

Alma 21:23

23 And Ammon did preach unto the people of king Lamoni; and it

came to pass that he did teach them all things concerning things

pertaining to righteousness. And he did exhort them daily, with

all diligence; and they gave heed unto his word, and they were

zealous for keeping the commandments of God.

Alma 22 Chapter 22

Alma 22:1

1 Now, as Ammon was thus teaching the people of Lamoni

continually, we will return to the account of Aaron and his

brethren; for after he departed from the land of Middoni he was

led by the Spirit to the land of Nephi, even to the house of the

king which was over all the land save it were the land of

Ishmael; and he was the father of Lamoni.

Alma 22:2

2 And it came to pass that he went in unto him into the king's

palace, with his brethren, and bowed himself before the king, and

said unto him: Behold, O king, we are the brethren of Ammon, whom

thou hast delivered out of prison.

Alma 22:3

3 And now, O king, if thou wilt spare our lives, we will be thy

servants. And the king said unto them: Arise, for I will grant

unto you your lives, and I will not suffer that ye shall be my

servants; but I will insist that ye shall administer unto me; for

I have been somewhat troubled in mind because of the generosity

and the greatness of the words of thy brother Ammon; and I desire

to know the cause why he has not come up out of Middoni with

thee.

Alma 22:4

4 And Aaron said unto the king: Behold, the Spirit of the Lord

has called him another way; he has gone to the land of Ishmael,

to teach the people of Lamoni.

Alma 22:5

5 Now the king said unto them: What is this that ye have said

concerning the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, this is the thing

which doth trouble me.

Alma 22:6

6 And also, what is this that Ammon said—If ye will repent ye

shall be saved, and if ye will not repent, ye shall be cast off

at the last day?

Alma 22:7

7 And Aaron answered him and said unto him: Believest thou that

there is a God? And the king said: I know that the Amalekites

say that there is a God, and I have granted unto them that they

should build sanctuaries, that they may assemble themselves

together to worship him. And if now thou sayest there is a God,

behold I will believe.

Alma 22:8

8 And now when Aaron heard this, his heart began to rejoice, and

he said: Behold, assuredly as thou livest, O king, there is a

God.

Alma 22:9

9 And the king said: Is God that Great Spirit that brought our

fathers out of the land of Jerusalem?

Alma 22:10

10 And Aaron said unto him: Yea, he is that Great Spirit, and he

created all things both in heaven and in earth. Believest thou

this?

Alma 22:11

11 And he said: Yea, I believe that the Great Spirit created all

things, and I desire that ye should tell me concerning all these

things, and I will believe thy words.

Alma 22:12

12 And it came to pass that when Aaron saw that the king would

believe his words, he began from the creation of Adam, reading

the scriptures unto the king—how God created man after his own

image, and that God gave him commandments, and that because of

transgression, man had fallen.

Alma 22:13

13 And Aaron did expound unto him the scriptures from the

creation of Adam, laying the fall of man before him, and their

carnal state and also the plan of redemption, which was prepared

from the foundation of the world, through Christ, for all

whosoever would believe on his name.

Alma 22:14

14 And since man had fallen he could not merit anything of

himself; but the sufferings and death of Christ atone for their

sins, through faith and repentance, and so forth; and that he

breaketh the bands of death, that the grave shall have no

victory, and that the sting of death should be swallowed up in

the hopes of glory; and Aaron did expound all these things unto

the king.

Alma 22:15

15 And it came to pass that after Aaron had expounded these

things unto him, the king said: What shall I do that I may have

this eternal life of which thou hast spoken? Yea, what shall I

do that I may be born of God, having this wicked spirit rooted

out of my breast, and receive his Spirit, that I may be filled

with joy, that I may not be cast off at the last day? Behold,

said he, I will give up all that I possess, yea, I will forsake

my kingdom, that I may receive this great joy.

Alma 22:16

16 But Aaron said unto him: If thou desirest this thing, if thou

wilt bow down before God, yea, if thou wilt repent of all thy

sins, and will bow down before God, and call on his name in

faith, believing that ye shall receive, then shalt thou receive

the hope which thou desirest.

Alma 22:17

17 And it came to pass that when Aaron had said these words, the

king did bow down before the Lord, upon his knees; yea, even he

did prostrate himself upon the earth, and cried mightily, saying:

Alma 22:18

18 O God, Aaron hath told me that there is a God; and if there

is a God, and if thou art God, wilt thou make thyself known unto

me, and I will give away all my sins to know thee, and that I may

be raised from the dead, and be saved at the last day. And now

when the king had said these words, he was struck as if he were

dead.

Alma 22:19

19 And it came to pass that his servants ran and told the queen

all that had happened unto the king. And she came in unto the

king; and when she saw him lay as if he were dead, and also Aaron

and his brethren standing as though they had been the cause of

his fall, she was angry with them, and commanded that her

servants, or the servants of the king, should take them and slay

them.

Alma 22:20

20 Now the servants had seen the cause of the king's fall,

therefore they durst not lay their hands on Aaron and his

brethren; and they pled with the queen saying: Why commandest

thou that we should slay these men, when behold one of them is

mightier than us all? Therefore we shall fall before them.

Alma 22:21

21 Now when the queen saw the fear of the servants she also

began to fear exceedingly, lest there should some evil come upon

her. And she commanded her servants that they should go and call

the people, that they might slay Aaron and his brethren.

Alma 22:22

22 Now when Aaron saw the determination of the queen, he, also

knowing the hardness of the hearts of the people, feared lest

that a multitude should assemble themselves together, and there

should be a great contention and a disturbance among them;

therefore he put forth his hand and raised the king from the

earth, and said unto him: Stand. And he stood upon his feet,

receiving his strength.

Alma 22:23

23 Now this was done in the presence of the queen and many of

the servants. And when they saw it they greatly marveled, and

began to fear. And the king stood forth, and began to minister

unto them. And he did minister unto them, insomuch that his

whole household were converted unto the Lord.

Alma 22:24

24 Now there was a multitude gathered together because of the

commandment of the queen, and there began to be great murmurings

among them because of Aaron and his brethren.

Alma 22:25

25 But the king stood forth among them and administered unto

them. And they were pacified towards Aaron and those who were

with him.

Alma 22:26

26 And it came to pass that when the king saw that the people

were pacified, he caused that Aaron and his brethren should stand

forth in the midst of the multitude, and that they should preach

the word unto them.

Alma 22:27

27 And it came to pass that the king sent a proclamation

throughout all the land, amongst all his people who were in all

his land, who were in all the regions round about, which was

bordering even to the sea, on the east and on the west, and which

was divided from the land of Zarahemla by a narrow strip of

wilderness, which ran from the sea east even to the sea west, and

round about on the borders of the seashore, and the borders of

the wilderness which was on the north by the land of Zarahemla,

through the borders of Manti, by the head of the river Sidon,

running from the east towards the west—and thus were the

Lamanites and the Nephites divided.

Alma 22:28

28 Now, the more idle part of the Lamanites lived in the

wilderness, and dwelt in tents; and they were spread through the

wilderness on the west, in the land of Nephi; yea, and also on

the west of the land of Zarahemla, in the borders by the

seashore, and on the west in the land of Nephi, in the place of

their fathers' first inheritance, and thus bordering along by the

seashore.

Alma 22:29

29 And also there were many Lamanites on the east by the

seashore, whither the Nephites had driven them. And thus the

Nephites were nearly surrounded by the Lamanites; nevertheless

the Nephites had taken possession of all the northern parts of

the land bordering on the wilderness, at the head of the river

Sidon, from the east to the west, round about on the wilderness

side; on the north, even until they came to the land which they

called Bountiful.

Alma 22:30

30 And it bordered upon the land which they called Desolation,

it being so far northward that it came into the land which had

been peopled and been destroyed, of whose bones we have spoken,

which was discovered by the people of Zarahemla, it being the

place of their first landing.

Alma 22:31

31 And they came from there up into the south wilderness. Thus

the land on the northward was called Desolation, and the land on

the southward was called Bountiful, it being the wilderness which

is filled with all manner of wild animals of every kind, a part

of which had come from the land northward for food.

Alma 22:32

32 And now, it was only the distance of a day and a half's

journey for a Nephite, on the line Bountiful and the land

Desolation, from the east to the west sea; and thus the land of

Nephi and the land of Zarahemla were nearly surrounded by water,

there being a small neck of land between the land northward and

the land southward.

Alma 22:33

33 And it came to pass that the Nephites had inhabited the land

Bountiful, even from the east unto the west sea, and thus the

Nephites in their wisdom, with their guards and their armies, had

hemmed in the Lamanites on the south, that thereby they should

have no more possession on the north, that they might not overrun

the land northward.

Alma 22:34

34 Therefore the Lamanites could have no more possessions only

in the land of Nephi, and the wilderness round about. Now this

was wisdom in the Nephites—as the Lamanites were an enemy to

them, they would not suffer their afflictions on every hand, and

also that they might have a country whither they might flee,

according to their desires.

Alma 22:35

35 And now I, after having said this, return again to the

account of Ammon and Aaron, Omner and Himni, and their brethren.

Alma 23 Chapter 23

Alma 23:1

1 Behold, now it came to pass that the king of the Lamanites

sent a proclamation among all his people, that they should not

lay their hands on Ammon, or Aaron, or Omner, or Himni, nor

either of their brethren who should go forth preaching the word

of God, in whatsoever place they should be, in any part of their

land.

Alma 23:2

2 Yea, he sent a decree among them, that they should not lay

their hands on them to bind them, or to cast them into prison;

neither should they spit upon them, nor smite them, nor cast them

out of their synagogues, nor scourge them; neither should they

cast stones at them, but that they should have free access to

their houses, and also their temples, and their sanctuaries.

Alma 23:3

3 And thus they might go forth and preach the word according to

their desires, for the king had been converted unto the Lord, and

all his household; therefore he sent his proclamation throughout

the land unto his people, that the word of God might have no

obstruction, but that it might go forth throughout all the land,

that his people might be convinced concerning the wicked

traditions of their fathers, and that they might be convinced

that they were all brethren, and that they ought not to murder,

nor to plunder, nor to steal, nor to commit adultery, nor to

commit any manner of wickedness.

Alma 23:4

4 And now it came to pass that when the king had sent forth this

proclamation, that Aaron and his brethren went forth from city to

city, and from one house of worship to another, establishing

churches, and consecrating priests and teachers throughout the

land among the Lamanites, to preach and to teach the word of God

among them; and thus they began to have great success.

Alma 23:5

5 And thousands were brought to the knowledge of the Lord, yea,

thousands were brought to believe in the traditions of the

Nephites; and they were taught the records and prophecies which

were handed down even to the present time.

Alma 23:6

6 And as sure as the Lord liveth, so sure as many as believed,

or as many as were brought to the knowledge of the truth, through

the preaching of Ammon and his brethren, according to the spirit

of revelation and of prophecy, and the power of God working

miracles in them—yea, I say unto you, as the Lord liveth, as

many of the Lamanites as believed in their preaching, and were

converted unto the Lord, never did fall away.

Alma 23:7

7 For they became a righteous people; they did lay down the

weapons of their rebellion, that they did not fight against God

any more, neither against any of their brethren.

Alma 23:8

8 Now, these are they who were converted unto the Lord:

Alma 23:9

9 The people of the Lamanites who were in the land of Ishmael;

Alma 23:10

10 And also of the people of the Lamanites who were in the land

of Middoni;

Alma 23:11

11 And also of the people of the Lamanites who were in the city

of Nephi;

Alma 23:12

12 And also of the people of the Lamanites who were in the land

of Shilom, and who were in the land of Shemlon, and in the city

of Lemuel, and in the city of Shimnilom.

Alma 23:13

13 And these are the names of the cities of the Lamanites which

were converted unto the Lord; and these are they that laid down

the weapons of their rebellion, yea, all their weapons of war;

and they were all Lamanites.

Alma 23:14

14 And the Amalekites were not converted, save only one; neither

were any of the Amulonites; but they did harden their hearts, and

also the hearts of the Lamanites in that part of the land

wheresoever they dwelt, yea, and all their villages and all their

cities.

Alma 23:15

15 Therefore, we have named all the cities of the Lamanites in

which they did repent and come to the knowledge of the truth, and

were converted.

Alma 23:16

16 And now it came to pass that the king and those who were

converted were desirous that they might have a name, that thereby

they might be distinguished from their brethren; therefore the

king consulted with Aaron and many of their priests, concerning

the name that they should take upon them, that they might be

distinguished.

Alma 23:17

17 And it came to pass that they called their names

Anti-Nephi-Lehies; and they were called by this name and were no

more called Lamanites.

Alma 23:18

18 And they began to be a very industrious people; yea, and they

were friendly with the Nephites; therefore, they did open a

correspondence with them, and the curse of God did no more follow

them.

Alma 24 Chapter 24

Alma 24:1

1 And it came to pass that the Amalekites and the Amulonites and

the Lamanites who were in the land of Amulon, and also in the

land of Helam, and who were in the land of Jerusalem, and in

fine, in all the land round about, who had not been converted and

had not taken upon them the name of Anti-Nephi-Lehi, were stirred

up by the Amalekites and by the Amulonites to anger against their

brethren.

Alma 24:2

2 And their hatred became exceedingly sore against them, even

insomuch that they began to rebel against their king, insomuch

that they would not that he should be their king; therefore, they

took up arms against the people of Anti-Nephi-Lehi.

Alma 24:3

3 Now the king conferred the kingdom upon his son, and he called

his name Anti-Nephi-Lehi.

Alma 24:4

4 And the king died in that selfsame year that the Lamanites

began to make preparations for war against the people of God.

Alma 24:5

5 Now when Ammon and his brethren and all those who had come up

with him saw the preparations of the Lamanites to destroy their

brethren, they came forth to the land of Midian, and there Ammon

met all his brethren; and from thence they came to the land of

Ishmael that they might hold a council with Lamoni and also with

his brother Anti-Nephi-Lehi, what they should do to defend

themselves against the Lamanites.

Alma 24:6

6 Now there was not one soul among all the people who had been

converted unto the Lord that would take up arms against their

brethren; nay, they would not even make any preparations for war;

yea, and also their king commanded them that they should not.

Alma 24:7

7 Now, these are the words which he said unto the people

concerning the matter: I thank my God, my beloved people, that

our great God has in goodness sent these our brethren, the

Nephites, unto us to preach unto us, and to convince us of the

traditions of our wicked fathers.

Alma 24:8

8 And behold, I thank my great God that he has given us a

portion of his Spirit to soften our hearts, that we have opened a

correspondence with these brethren, the Nephites.

Alma 24:9

9 And behold, I also thank my God, that by opening this

correspondence we have been convinced of our sins, and of the

many murders which we have committed.

Alma 24:10

10 And I also thank my God, yea, my great God, that he hath

granted unto us that we might repent of these things, and also

that he hath forgiven us of those our many sins and murders which

we have committed, and taken away the guilt from our hearts,

through the merits of his Son.

Alma 24:11

11 And now behold, my brethren, since it has been all that we

could do, (as we were the most lost of all mankind) to repent of

all our sins and the many murders which we have committed, and to

get God to take them away from our hearts, for it was all we

could do to repent sufficiently before God that he would take

away our stain—

Alma 24:12

12 Now, my best beloved brethren, since God hath taken away our

stains, and our swords have become bright, then let us stain our

swords no more with the blood of our brethren.

Alma 24:13

13 Behold, I say unto you, Nay, let us retain our swords that

they be not stained with the blood of our brethren; for perhaps,

if we should stain our swords again they can no more be washed

bright through the blood of the Son of our great God, which shall

be shed for the atonement of our sins.

Alma 24:14

14 And the great God has had mercy on us, and made these things

known unto us that we might not perish; yea, and he has made

these things known unto us beforehand, because he loveth our

souls as well as he loveth our children; therefore, in his mercy

he doth visit us by his angels, that the plan of salvation might

be made known unto us as well as unto future generations.

Alma 24:15

15 Oh, how merciful is our God! And now behold, since it has

been as much as we could do to get our stains taken away from us,

and our swords are made bright, let us hide them away that they

may be kept bright, as a testimony to our God at the last day, or

at the day that we shall be brought to stand before him to be

judged, that we have not stained our swords in the blood of our

brethren since he imparted his word unto us and has made us clean

thereby.

Alma 24:16

16 And now, my brethren, if our brethren seek to destroy us,

behold, we will hide away our swords, yea, even we will bury them

deep in the earth, that they may be kept bright, as a testimony

that we have never used them, at the last day; and if our

brethren destroy us, behold, we shall go to our God and shall be

saved.

Alma 24:17

17 And now it came to pass that when the king had made an end of

these sayings, and all the people were assembled together, they

took their swords, and all the weapons which were used for the

shedding of man's blood, and they did bury them up deep in the

earth.

Alma 24:18

18 And this they did, it being in their view a testimony to God,

and also to men, that they never would use weapons again for the

shedding of man's blood; and this they did, vouching and

covenanting with God, that rather than shed the blood of their

brethren they would give up their own lives; and rather than take

away from a brother they would give unto him; and rather than

spend their days in idleness they would labor abundantly with

their hands.

Alma 24:19

19 And thus we see that, when these Lamanites were brought to

believe and to know the truth, they were firm, and would suffer

even unto death rather than commit sin; and thus we see that they

buried their weapons of peace, or they buried the weapons of war,

for peace.

Alma 24:20

20 And it came to pass that their brethren, the Lamanites, made

preparations for war, and came up to the land of Nephi for the

purpose of destroying the king, and to place another in his

stead, and also of destroying the people of Anti-Nephi-Lehi out

of the land.

Alma 24:21

21 Now when the people saw that they were coming against them

they went out to meet them, and prostrated themselves before them

to the earth, and began to call on the name of the Lord; and thus

they were in this attitude when the Lamanites began to fall upon

them, and began to slay them with the sword.

Alma 24:22

22 And thus without meeting any resistance, they did slay a

thousand and five of them; and we know that they are blessed, for

they have gone to dwell with their God.

Alma 24:23

23 Now when the Lamanites saw that their brethren would not flee

from the sword, neither would they turn aside to the right hand

or to the left, but that they would lie down and perish, and

praised God even in the very act of perishing under the sword—

Alma 24:24

24 Now when the Lamanites saw this they did forbear from slaying

them; and there were many whose hearts had swollen in them for

those of their brethren who had fallen under the sword, for they

repented of the things which they had done.

Alma 24:25

25 And it came to pass that they threw down their weapons of

war, and they would not take them again, for they were stung for

the murders which they had committed; and they came down even as

their brethren, relying upon the mercies of those whose arms were

lifted to slay them.

Alma 24:26

26 And it came to pass that the people of God were joined that

day by more than the number who had been slain; and those who had

been slain were righteous people, therefore we have no reason to

doubt but what they were saved.

Alma 24:27

27 And there was not a wicked man slain among them; but there

were more than a thousand brought to the knowledge of the truth;

thus we see that the Lord worketh in many ways to the salvation

of his people.

Alma 24:28

28 Now the greatest number of those of the Lamanites who slew so

many of their brethren were Amalekites and Amulonites, the

greatest number of whom were after the order of the Nehors.

Alma 24:29

29 Now, among those who joined the people of the Lord, there

were none who were Amalekites or Amulonites, or who were of the

order of Nehor, but they were actual descendants of Laman and

Lemuel.

Alma 24:30

30 And thus we can plainly discern, that after a people have

been once enlightened by the Spirit of God, and have had great

knowledge of things pertaining to righteousness, and then have

fallen away into sin and transgression, they become more

hardened, and thus their state becomes worse than though they had

never known these things.

Alma 25 Chapter 25

Alma 25:1

1 And behold, now it came to pass that those Lamanites were more

angry because they had slain their brethren; therefore they swore

vengeance upon the Nephites; and they did no more attempt to slay

the people of Anti-Nephi-Lehi at that time.

Alma 25:2

2 But they took their armies and went over into the borders of

the land of Zarahemla, and fell upon the people who were in the

land of Ammonihah, and destroyed them.

Alma 25:3

3 And after that, they had many battles with the Nephites, in

the which they were driven and slain.

Alma 25:4

4 And among the Lamanites who were slain were almost all the

seed of Amulon and his brethren, who were the priests of Noah,

and they were slain by the hands of the Nephites;

Alma 25:5

5 And the remainder, having fled into the east wilderness, and

having usurped the power and authority over the Lamanites, caused

that many of the Lamanites should perish by fire because of their

belief—

Alma 25:6

6 For many of them, after having suffered much loss and so many

afflictions, began to be stirred up in remembrance of the words

which Aaron and his brethren had preached to them in their land;

therefore they began to disbelieve the traditions of their

fathers, and to believe in the Lord, and that he gave great power

unto the Nephites; and thus there were many of them converted in

the wilderness.

Alma 25:7

7 And it came to pass that those rulers who were the remnant of

the children of Amulon caused that they should be put to death,

yea, all those that believed in these things.

Alma 25:8

8 Now this martyrdom caused that many of their brethren should

be stirred up to anger; and there began to be contention in the

wilderness; and the Lamanites began to hunt the seed of Amulon

and his brethren and began to slay them; and they fled into the

east wilderness.

Alma 25:9

9 And behold they are hunted at this day by the Lamanites. Thus

the words of Abinadi were brought to pass, which he said

concerning the seed of the priests who caused that he should

suffer death by fire.

Alma 25:10

10 For he said unto them: What ye shall do unto me shall be a

type of things to come.

Alma 25:11

11 And now Abinadi was the first that suffered death by fire

because of his belief in God; now this is what he meant, that

many should suffer death by fire, according as he had suffered.

Alma 25:12

12 And he said unto the priests of Noah that their seed should

cause many to be put to death, in the like manner as he was, and

that they should be scattered abroad and slain, even as a sheep

having no shepherd is driven and slain by wild beasts; and now

behold, these words were verified, for they were driven by the

Lamanites, and they were hunted, and they were smitten.

Alma 25:13

13 And it came to pass that when the Lamanites saw that they

could not overpower the Nephites they returned again to their own

land; and many of them came over to dwell in the land of Ishmael

and the land of Nephi, and did join themselves to the people of

God, who were the people of Anti-Nephi-Lehi.

Alma 25:14

14 And they did also bury their weapons of war, according as

their brethren had, and they began to be a righteous people; and

they did walk in the ways of the Lord, and did observe to keep

his commandments and his statutes.

Alma 25:15

15 Yea, and they did keep the law of Moses; for it was expedient

that they should keep the law of Moses as yet, for it was not all

fulfilled. But notwithstanding the law of Moses, they did look

forward to the coming of Christ, considering that the law of

Moses was a type of his coming, and believing that they must keep

those outward performances until the time that he should be

revealed unto them.

Alma 25:16

16 Now they did not suppose that salvation came by the law of

Moses; but the law of Moses did serve to strengthen their faith

in Christ; and thus they did retain a hope through faith, unto

eternal salvation, relying upon the spirit of prophecy, which

spake of those things to come.

Alma 25:17

17 And now behold, Ammon, and Aaron, and Omner, and Himni, and

their brethren did rejoice exceedingly, for the success which

they had had among the Lamanites, seeing that the Lord had

granted unto them according to their prayers, and that he had

also verified his word unto them in every particular.

Alma 26 Chapter 26

Alma 26:1

1 And now, these are the words of Ammon to his brethren, which

say thus: My brothers and my brethren, behold I say unto you, how

great reason have we to rejoice; for could we have supposed when

we started from the land of Zarahemla that God would have granted

unto us such great blessings?

Alma 26:2

2 And now, I ask, what great blessings has he bestowed upon us?

Can ye tell?

Alma 26:3

3 Behold, I answer for you; for our brethren, the Lamanites,

were in darkness, yea, even in the darkest abyss, but behold, how

many of them are brought to behold the marvelous light of God!

And this is the blessing which hath been bestowed upon us, that

we have been made instruments in the hands of God to bring about

this great work.

Alma 26:4

4 Behold, thousands of them do rejoice, and have been brought

into the fold of God.

Alma 26:5

5 Behold, the field was ripe, and blessed are ye, for ye did

thrust in the sickle, and did reap with your might, yea, all the

day long did ye labor; and behold the number of your sheaves!

And they shall be gathered into the garners, that they are not

wasted.

Alma 26:6

6 Yea, they shall not be beaten down by the storm at the last

day; yea, neither shall they be harrowed up by the whirlwinds;

but when the storm cometh they shall be gathered together in

their place, that the storm cannot penetrate to them; yea,

neither shall they be driven with fierce winds whithersoever the

enemy listeth to carry them.

Alma 26:7

7 But behold, they are in the hands of the Lord of the harvest,

and they are his; and he will raise them up at the last day.

Alma 26:8

8 Blessed be the name of our God; let us sing to his praise,

yea, let us give thanks to his holy name, for he doth work

righteousness forever.

Alma 26:9

9 For if we had not come up out of the land of Zarahemla, these

our dearly beloved brethren, who have so dearly beloved us, would

still have been racked with hatred against us, yea, and they

would also have been strangers to God.

Alma 26:10

10 And it came to pass that when Ammon had said these words, his

brother Aaron rebuked him, saying: Ammon, I fear that thy joy

doth carry thee away unto boasting.

Alma 26:11

11 But Ammon said unto him: I do not boast in my own strength,

nor in my own wisdom; but behold, my joy is full, yea, my heart

is brim with joy, and I will rejoice in my God.

Alma 26:12

12 Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak;

therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God,

for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty

miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise

his name forever.

Alma 26:13

13 Behold, how many thousands of our brethren has he loosed from

the pains of hell; and they are brought to sing redeeming love,

and this because of the power of his word which is in us,

therefore have we not great reason to rejoice?

Alma 26:14

14 Yea, we have reason to praise him forever, for he is the Most

High God, and has loosed our brethren from the chains of hell.

Alma 26:15

15 Yea, they were encircled about with everlasting darkness and

destruction; but behold, he has brought them into his everlasting

light, yea, into everlasting salvation; and they are encircled

about with the matchless bounty of his love; yea, and we have

been instruments in his hands of doing this great and marvelous

work.

Alma 26:16

16 Therefore, let us glory, yea, we will glory in the Lord; yea,

we will rejoice, for our joy is full; yea, we will praise our God

forever. Behold, who can glory too much in the Lord? Yea, who

can say too much of his great power, and of his mercy, and of his

long-suffering towards the children of men? Behold, I say unto

you, I cannot say the smallest part which I feel.

Alma 26:17

17 Who could have supposed that our God would have been so

merciful as to have snatched us from our awful, sinful, and

polluted state?

Alma 26:18

18 Behold, we went forth even in wrath, with mighty threatenings

to destroy his church.

Alma 26:19

19 Oh then, why did he not consign us to an awful destruction,

yea, why did he not let the sword of his justice fall upon us,

and doom us to eternal despair?

Alma 26:20

20 Oh, my soul, almost as it were, fleeth at the thought.

Behold, he did not exercise his justice upon us, but in his great

mercy hath brought us over that everlasting gulf of death and

misery, even to the salvation of our souls.

Alma 26:21

21 And now behold, my brethren, what natural man is there that

knoweth these things? I say unto you, there is none that knoweth

these things, save it be the penitent.

Alma 26:22

22 Yea, he that repenteth and exerciseth faith, and bringeth

forth good works, and prayeth continually without ceasing—unto

such it is given to know the mysteries of God; yea, unto such it

shall be given to reveal things which never have been revealed;

yea, and it shall be given unto such to bring thousands of souls

to repentance, even as it has been given unto us to bring these

our brethren to repentance.

Alma 26:23

23 Now do ye remember, my brethren, that we said unto our

brethren in the land of Zarahemla, we go up to the land of Nephi,

to preach unto our brethren, the Lamanites, and they laughed us

to scorn?

Alma 26:24

24 For they said unto us: Do ye suppose that ye can bring the

Lamanites to the knowledge of the truth? Do ye suppose that ye

can convince the Lamanites of the incorrectness of the traditions

of their fathers, as stiffnecked a people as they are; whose

hearts delight in the shedding of blood; whose days have been

spent in the grossest iniquity; whose ways have been the ways of

a transgressor from the beginning? Now my brethren, ye remember

that this was their language.

Alma 26:25

25 And moreover they did say: Let us take up arms against them,

that we destroy them and their iniquity out of the land, lest

they overrun us and destroy us.

Alma 26:26

26 But behold, my beloved brethren, we came into the wilderness

not with the intent to destroy our brethren, but with the intent

that perhaps we might save some few of their souls.

Alma 26:27

27 Now when our hearts were depressed, and we were about to turn

back, behold, the Lord comforted us, and said: Go amongst thy

brethren, the Lamanites, and bear with patience thine

afflictions, and I will give unto you success.

Alma 26:28

28 And now behold, we have come, and been forth amongst them;

and we have been patient in our sufferings, and we have suffered

every privation; yea, we have traveled from house to house,

relying upon the mercies of the world—not upon the mercies of

the world alone but upon the mercies of God.

Alma 26:29

29 And we have entered into their houses and taught them, and we

have taught them in their streets; yea, and we have taught them

upon their hills; and we have also entered into their temples and

their synagogues and taught them; and we have been cast out, and

mocked, and spit upon, and smote upon our cheeks; and we have

been stoned, and taken and bound with strong cords, and cast into

prison; and through the power and wisdom of God we have been

delivered again.

Alma 26:30

30 And we have suffered all manner of afflictions, and all this,

that perhaps we might be the means of saving some soul; and we

supposed that our joy would be full if perhaps we could be the

means of saving some.

Alma 26:31

31 Now behold, we can look forth and see the fruits of our

labors; and are they few? I say unto you, Nay, they are many;

yea, and we can witness of their sincerity, because of their love

towards their brethren and also towards us.

Alma 26:32

32 For behold, they had rather sacrifice their lives than even

to take the life of their enemy; and they have buried their

weapons of war deep in the earth, because of their love towards

their brethren.

Alma 26:33

33 And now behold I say unto you, has there been so great love

in all the land? Behold, I say unto you, Nay, there has not,

even among the Nephites.

Alma 26:34

34 For behold, they would take up arms against their brethren;

they would not suffer themselves to be slain. But behold how

many of these have laid down their lives; and we know that they

have gone to their God, because of their love and of their hatred

to sin.

Alma 26:35

35 Now have we not reason to rejoice? Yea, I say unto you,

there never were men that had so great reason to rejoice as we,

since the world began; yea, and my joy is carried away, even unto

boasting in my God; for he has all power, all wisdom, and all

understanding; he comprehendeth all things, and he is a merciful

Being, even unto salvation, to those who will repent and believe

on his name.

Alma 26:36

36 Now if this is boasting, even so will I boast; for this is my

life and my light, my joy and my salvation, and my redemption

from everlasting wo. Yea, blessed is the name of my God, who has

been mindful of this people, who are a branch of the tree of

Israel, and has been lost from its body in a strange land; yea, I

say, blessed be the name of my God, who has been mindful of us,

wanderers in a strange land.

Alma 26:37

37 Now my brethren, we see that God is mindful of every people,

whatsoever land they may be in; yea, he numbereth his people, and

his bowels of mercy are over all the earth. Now this is my joy,

and my great thanksgiving; yea, and I will give thanks unto my

God forever. Amen.

Alma 27 Chapter 27

Alma 27:1

1 Now it came to pass that when those Lamanites who had gone to

war against the Nephites had found, after their many struggles to

destroy them, that it was in vain to seek their destruction, they

returned again to the land of Nephi.

Alma 27:2

2 And it came to pass that the Amalekites, because of their

loss, were exceedingly angry. And when they saw that they could

not seek revenge from the Nephites, they began to stir up the

people in anger against their brethren, the people of

Anti-Nephi-Lehi; therefore they began again to destroy them.

Alma 27:3

3 Now this people again refused to take their arms, and they

suffered themselves to be slain according to the desires of their

enemies.

Alma 27:4

4 Now when Ammon and his brethren saw this work of destruction

among those whom they so dearly beloved, and among those who had

so dearly beloved them—for they were treated as though they were

angels sent from God to save them from everlasting

destruction—therefore, when Ammon and his brethren saw this

great work of destruction, they were moved with compassion, and

they said unto the king:

Alma 27:5

5 Let us gather together this people of the Lord, and let us go

down to the land of Zarahemla to our brethren the Nephites, and

flee out of the hands of our enemies, that we be not destroyed.

Alma 27:6

6 But the king said unto them: Behold, the Nephites will destroy

us, because of the many murders and sins we have committed

against them.

Alma 27:7

7 And Ammon said: I will go and inquire of the Lord, and if he

say unto us, go down unto our brethren, will ye go?

Alma 27:8

8 And the king said unto him: Yea, if the Lord saith unto us go,

we will go down unto our brethren, and we will be their slaves

until we repair unto them the many murders and sins which we have

committed against them.

Alma 27:9

9 But Ammon said unto him: It is against the law of our

brethren, which was established by my father, that there should

be any slaves among them; therefore let us go down and rely upon

the mercies of our brethren.

Alma 27:10

10 But the king said unto him: Inquire of the Lord, and if he

saith unto us go, we will go; otherwise we will perish in the

land.

Alma 27:11

11 And it came to pass that Ammon went and inquired of the Lord,

and the Lord said unto him:

Alma 27:12

12 Get this people out of this land, that they perish not; for

Satan has great hold on the hearts of the Amalekites, who do stir

up the Lamanites to anger against their brethren to slay them;

therefore get thee out of this land; and blessed are this people

in this generation, for I will preserve them.

Alma 27:13

13 And now it came to pass that Ammon went and told the king all

the words which the Lord had said unto him.

Alma 27:14

14 And they gathered together all their people, yea, all the

people of the Lord, and did gather together all their flocks and

herds, and departed out of the land, and came into the wilderness

which divided the land of Nephi from the land of Zarahemla, and

came over near the borders of the land.

Alma 27:15

15 And it came to pass that Ammon said unto them: Behold, I and

my brethren will go forth into the land of Zarahemla, and ye

shall remain here until we return; and we will try the hearts of

our brethren, whether they will that ye shall come into their

land.

Alma 27:16

16 And it came to pass that as Ammon was going forth into the

land, that he and his brethren met Alma, over in the place of

which has been spoken; and behold, this was a joyful meeting.

Alma 27:17

17 Now the joy of Ammon was so great even that he was full; yea,

he was swallowed up in the joy of his God, even to the exhausting

of his strength; and he fell again to the earth.

Alma 27:18

18 Now was not this exceeding joy? Behold, this is joy which

none receiveth save it be the truly penitent and humble seeker of

happiness.

Alma 27:19

19 Now the joy of Alma in meeting his brethren was truly great,

and also the joy of Aaron, of Omner, and Himni; but behold their

joy was not that to exceed their strength.

Alma 27:20

20 And now it came to pass that Alma conducted his brethren back

to the land of Zarahemla; even to his own house. And they went

and told the chief judge all the things that had happened unto

them in the land of Nephi, among their brethren, the Lamanites.

Alma 27:21

21 And it came to pass that the chief judge sent a proclamation

throughout all the land, desiring the voice of the people

concerning the admitting their brethren, who were the people of

Anti-Nephi-Lehi.

Alma 27:22

22 And it came to pass that the voice of the people came,

saying: Behold, we will give up the land of Jershon, which is on

the east by the sea, which joins the land Bountiful, which is on

the south of the land Bountiful; and this land Jershon is the

land which we will give unto our brethren for an inheritance.

Alma 27:23

23 And behold, we will set our armies between the land Jershon

and the land Nephi, that we may protect our brethren in the land

Jershon; and this we do for our brethren, on account of their

fear to take up arms against their brethren lest they should

commit sin; and this their great fear came because of their sore

repentance which they had, on account of their many murders and

their awful wickedness.

Alma 27:24

24 And now behold, this will we do unto our brethren, that they

may inherit the land Jershon; and we will guard them from their

enemies with our armies, on condition that they will give us a

portion of their substance to assist us that we may maintain our

armies.

Alma 27:25

25 Now, it came to pass that when Ammon had heard this, he

returned to the people of Anti-Nephi-Lehi, and also Alma with

him, into the wilderness, where they had pitched their tents, and

made known unto them all these things. And Alma also related

unto them his conversion, with Ammon and Aaron, and his brethren.

Alma 27:26

26 And it came to pass that it did cause great joy among them.

And they went down into the land of Jershon, and took possession

of the land of Jershon; and they were called by the Nephites the

people of Ammon; therefore they were distinguished by that name

ever after.

Alma 27:27

27 And they were among the people of Nephi, and also numbered

among the people who were of the church of God. And they were

also distinguished for their zeal towards God, and also towards

men; for they were perfectly honest and upright in all things;

and they were firm in the faith of Christ, even unto the end.

Alma 27:28

28 And they did look upon shedding the blood of their brethren

with the greatest abhorrence; and they never could be prevailed

upon to take up arms against their brethren; and they never did

look upon death with any degree of terror, for their hope and

views of Christ and the resurrection; therefore, death was

swallowed up to them by the victory of Christ over it.

Alma 27:29

29 Therefore, they would suffer death in the most aggravating

and distressing manner which could be inflicted by their

brethren, before they would take the sword or cimeter to smite

them.

Alma 27:30

30 And thus they were a zealous and beloved people, a highly

favored people of the Lord.

Alma 28 Chapter 28

Alma 28:1

1 And now it came to pass that after the people of Ammon were

established in the land of Jershon, and a church also established

in the land of Jershon, and the armies of the Nephites were set

round about the land of Jershon, yea, in all the borders round

about the land of Zarahemla; behold the armies of the Lamanites

had followed their brethren into the wilderness.

Alma 28:2

2 And thus there was a tremendous battle; yea, even such an one

as never had been known among all the people in the land from the

time Lehi left Jerusalem; yea, and tens of thousands of the

Lamanites were slain and scattered abroad.

Alma 28:3

3 Yea, and also there was a tremendous slaughter among the

people of Nephi; nevertheless, the Lamanites were driven and

scattered, and the people of Nephi returned again to their land.

Alma 28:4

4 And now this was a time that there was a great mourning and

lamentation heard throughout all the land, among all the people

of Nephi—

Alma 28:5

5 Yea, the cry of widows mourning for their husbands, and also

of fathers mourning for their sons, and the daughter for the

brother, yea, the brother for the father; and thus the cry of

mourning was heard among all of them, mourning for their kindred

who had been slain.

Alma 28:6

6 And now surely this was a sorrowful day; yea, a time of

solemnity, and a time of much fasting and prayer.

Alma 28:7

7 And thus endeth the fifteenth year of the reign of the judges

over the people of Nephi;

Alma 28:8

8 And this is the account of Ammon and his brethren, their

journeyings in the land of Nephi, their sufferings in the land,

their sorrows, and their afflictions, and their incomprehensible

joy, and the reception and safety of the brethren in the land of

Jershon. And now may the Lord, the Redeemer of all men, bless

their souls forever.

Alma 28:9

9 And this is the account of the wars and contentions among the

Nephites, and also the wars between the Nephites and the

Lamanites; and the fifteenth year of the reign of the judges is

ended.

Alma 28:10

10 And from the first year to the fifteenth has brought to pass

the destruction of many thousand lives; yea, it has brought to

pass an awful scene of bloodshed.

Alma 28:11

11 And the bodies of many thousands are laid low in the earth,

while the bodies of many thousands are moldering in heaps upon

the face of the earth; yea, and many thousands are mourning for

the loss of their kindred, because they have reason to fear,

according to the promises of the Lord, that they are consigned to

a state of endless wo.

Alma 28:12

12 While many thousands of others truly mourn for the loss of

their kindred, yet they rejoice and exult in the hope, and even

know, according to the promises of the Lord, that they are raised

to dwell at the right hand of God, in a state of never-ending

happiness.

Alma 28:13

13 And thus we see how great the inequality of man is because of

sin and transgression, and the power of the devil, which comes by

the cunning plans which he hath devised to ensnare the hearts of

men.

Alma 28:14

14 And thus we see the great call of diligence of men to labor

in the vineyards of the Lord; and thus we see the great reason of

sorrow, and also of rejoicing—sorrow because of death and

destruction among men, and joy because of the light of Christ

unto life.

Alma 29 Chapter 29

Alma 29:1

1 O that I were an angel, and could have the wish of mine heart,

that I might go forth and speak with the trump of God, with a

voice to shake the earth, and cry repentance unto every people!

Alma 29:2

2 Yea, I would declare unto every soul, as with the voice of

thunder, repentance and the plan of redemption, that they should

repent and come unto our God, that there might not be more sorrow

upon all the face of the earth.

Alma 29:3

3 But behold, I am a man, and do sin in my wish; for I ought to

be content with the things which the Lord hath allotted unto me.

Alma 29:4

4 I ought not to harrow up in my desires, the firm decree of a

just God, for I know that he granteth unto men according to their

desire, whether it be unto death or unto life; yea, I know that

he allotteth unto men, yea, decreeth unto them decrees which are

unalterable, according to their wills, whether they be unto

salvation or unto destruction.

Alma 29:5

5 Yea, and I know that good and evil have come before all men;

he that knoweth not good from evil is blameless; but he that

knoweth good and evil, to him it is given according to his

desires, whether he desireth good or evil, life or death, joy or

remorse of conscience.

Alma 29:6

6 Now, seeing that I know these things, why should I desire more

than to perform the work to which I have been called?

Alma 29:7

7 Why should I desire that I were an angel, that I could speak

unto all the ends of the earth?

Alma 29:8

8 For behold, the Lord doth grant unto all nations, of their own

nation and tongue, to teach his word, yea, in wisdom, all that he

seeth fit that they should have; therefore we see that the Lord

doth counsel in wisdom, according to that which is just and true.

Alma 29:9

9 I know that which the Lord hath commanded me, and I glory in

it. I do not glory of myself, but I glory in that which the Lord

hath commanded me; yea, and this is my glory, that perhaps I may

be an instrument in the hands of God to bring some soul to

repentance; and this is my joy.

Alma 29:10

10 And behold, when I see many of my brethren truly penitent,

and coming to the Lord their God, then is my soul filled with

joy; then do I remember what the Lord has done for me, yea, even

that he hath heard my prayer; yea, then do I remember his

merciful arm which he extended towards me.

Alma 29:11

11 Yea, and I also remember the captivity of my fathers; for I

surely do know that the Lord did deliver them out of bondage, and

by this did establish his church; yea, the Lord God, the God of

Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, did deliver them

out of bondage.

Alma 29:12

12 Yea, I have always remembered the captivity of my fathers;

and that same God who delivered them out of the hands of the

Egyptians did deliver them out of bondage.

Alma 29:13

13 Yea, and that same God did establish his church among them;

yea, and that same God hath called me by a holy calling, to

preach the word unto this people, and hath given me much success,

in the which my joy is full.

Alma 29:14

14 But I do not joy in my own success alone, but my joy is more

full because of the success of my brethren, who have been up to

the land of Nephi.

Alma 29:15

15 Behold, they have labored exceedingly, and have brought forth

much fruit; and how great shall be their reward!

Alma 29:16

16 Now, when I think of the success of these my brethren my soul

is carried away, even to the separation of it from the body, as

it were, so great is my joy.

Alma 29:17

17 And now may God grant unto these, my brethren, that they may

sit down in the kingdom of God; yea, and also all those who are

the fruit of their labors that they may go no more out, but that

they may praise him forever. And may God grant that it may be

done according to my words, even as I have spoken. Amen.

Alma 30 Chapter 30

Alma 30:1

1 Behold, now it came to pass that after the people of Ammon

were established in the land of Jershon, yea, and also after the

Lamanites were driven out of the land, and their dead were buried

by the people of the land—

Alma 30:2

2 Now their dead were not numbered because of the greatness of

their numbers; neither were the dead of the Nephites

numbered—but it came to pass after they had buried their dead,

and also after the days of fasting, and mourning, and prayer,

(and it was in the sixteenth year of the reign of the judges over

the people of Nephi) there began to be continual peace throughout

all the land.

Alma 30:3

3 Yea, and the people did observe to keep the commandments of

the Lord; and they were strict in observing the ordinances of

God, according to the law of Moses; for they were taught to keep

the law of Moses until it should be fulfilled.

Alma 30:4

4 And thus the people did have no disturbance in all the

sixteenth year of the reign of the judges over the people of

Nephi.

Alma 30:5

5 And it came to pass that in the commencement of the

seventeenth year of the reign of the judges, there was continual

peace.

Alma 30:6

6 But it came to pass in the latter end of the seventeenth year,

there came a man into the land of Zarahemla, and he was

Anti-Christ, for he began to preach unto the people against the

prophecies which had been spoken by the prophets, concerning the

coming of Christ.

Alma 30:7

7 Now there was no law against a man's belief; for it was

strictly contrary to the commands of God that there should be a

law which should bring men on to unequal grounds.

Alma 30:8

8 For thus saith the scripture: Choose ye this day, whom ye will

serve.

Alma 30:9

9 Now if a man desired to serve God, it was his privilege; or

rather, if he believed in God it was his privilege to serve him;

but if he did not believe in him there was no law to punish him.

Alma 30:10

10 But if he murdered he was punished unto death; and if he

robbed he was also punished; and if he stole he was also

punished; and if he committed adultery he was also punished; yea,

for all this wickedness they were punished.

Alma 30:11

11 For there was a law that men should be judged according to

their crimes. Nevertheless, there was no law against a man's

belief; therefore, a man was punished only for the crimes which

he had done; therefore all men were on equal grounds.

Alma 30:12

12 And this Anti-Christ, whose name was Korihor, (and the law

could have no hold upon him) began to preach unto the people that

there should be no Christ. And after this manner did he preach,

saying:

Alma 30:13

13 O ye that are bound down under a foolish and a vain hope, why

do ye yoke yourselves with such foolish things? Why do ye look

for a Christ? For no man can know of anything which is to come.

Alma 30:14

14 Behold, these things which ye call prophecies, which ye say

are handed down by holy prophets, behold, they are foolish

traditions of your fathers.

Alma 30:15

15 How do ye know of their surety? Behold, ye cannot know of

things which ye do not see; therefore ye cannot know that there

shall be a Christ.

Alma 30:16

16 Ye look forward and say that ye see a remission of your sins.

But behold, it is the effect of a frenzied mind; and this

derangement of your minds comes because of the traditions of your

fathers, which lead you away into a belief of things which are

not so.

Alma 30:17

17 And many more such things did he say unto them, telling them

that there could be no atonement made for the sins of men, but

every man fared in this life according to the management of the

creature; therefore every man prospered according to his genius,

and that every man conquered according to his strength; and

whatsoever a man did was no crime.

Alma 30:18

18 And thus he did preach unto them, leading away the hearts of

many, causing them to lift up their heads in their wickedness,

yea, leading away many women, and also men, to commit

whoredoms—telling them that when a man was dead, that was the

end thereof.

Alma 30:19

19 Now this man went over to the land of Jershon also, to preach

these things among the people of Ammon, who were once the people

of the Lamanites.

Alma 30:20

20 But behold they were more wise than many of the Nephites; for

they took him, and bound him, and carried him before Ammon, who

was a high priest over that people.

Alma 30:21

21 And it came to pass that he caused that he should be carried

out of the land. And he came over into the land of Gideon, and

began to preach unto them also; and here he did not have much

success, for he was taken and bound and carried before the high

priest, and also the chief judge over the land.

Alma 30:22

22 And it came to pass that the high priest said unto him: Why

do ye go about perverting the ways of the Lord? Why do ye teach

this people that there shall be no Christ, to interrupt their

rejoicings? Why do ye speak against all the prophecies of the

holy prophets?

Alma 30:23

23 Now the high priest's name was Giddonah. And Korihor said

unto him: Because I do not teach the foolish traditions of your

fathers, and because I do not teach this people to bind

themselves down under the foolish ordinances and performances

which are laid down by ancient priests, to usurp power and

authority over them, to keep them in ignorance, that they may not

lift up their heads, but be brought down according to thy words.

Alma 30:24

24 Ye say that this people is a free people. Behold, I say they

are in bondage. Ye say that those ancient prophecies are true.

Behold, I say that ye do not know that they are true.

Alma 30:25

25 Ye say that this people is a guilty and a fallen people,

because of the transgression of a parent. Behold, I say that a

child is not guilty because of its parents.

Alma 30:26

26 And ye also say that Christ shall come. But behold, I say

that ye do not know that there shall be a Christ. And ye say

also that he shall be slain for the sins of the world—

Alma 30:27

27 And thus ye lead away this people after the foolish

traditions of your fathers, and according to your own desires;

and ye keep them down, even as it were in bondage, that ye may

glut yourselves with the labors of their hands, that they durst

not look up with boldness, and that they durst not enjoy their

rights and privileges.

Alma 30:28

28 Yea, they durst not make use of that which is their own lest

they should offend their priests, who do yoke them according to

their desires, and have brought them to believe, by their

traditions and their dreams and their whims and their visions and

their pretended mysteries, that they should, if they did not do

according to their words, offend some unknown being, who they say

is God—a being who never has been seen or known, who never was

nor ever will be.

Alma 30:29

29 Now when the high priest and the chief judge saw the hardness

of his heart, yea, when they saw that he would revile even

against God, they would not make any reply to his words; but they

caused that he should be bound; and they delivered him up into

the hands of the officers, and sent him to the land of Zarahemla,

that he might be brought before Alma, and the chief judge who was

governor over all the land.

Alma 30:30

30 And it came to pass that when he was brought before Alma and

the chief judge, he did go on in the same manner as he did in the

land of Gideon; yea, he went on to blaspheme.

Alma 30:31

31 And he did rise up in great swelling words before Alma, and

did revile against the priests and teachers, accusing them of

leading away the people after the silly traditions of their

fathers, for the sake of glutting on the labors of the people.

Alma 30:32

32 Now Alma said unto him: Thou knowest that we do not glut

ourselves upon the labors of this people; for behold I have

labored even from the commencement of the reign of the judges

until now, with mine own hands for my support, notwithstanding my

many travels round about the land to declare the word of God unto

my people.

Alma 30:33

33 And notwithstanding the many labors which I have performed in

the church, I have never received so much as even one senine for

my labor; neither has any of my brethren, save it were in the

judgment-seat; and then we have received only according to law

for our time.

Alma 30:34

34 And now, if we do not receive anything for our labors in the

church, what doth it profit us to labor in the church save it

were to declare the truth, that we may have rejoicings in the joy

of our brethren?

Alma 30:35

35 Then why sayest thou that we preach unto this people to get

gain, when thou, of thyself, knowest that we receive no gain?

And now, believest thou that we deceive this people, that causes

such joy in their hearts?

Alma 30:36

36 And Korihor answered him, Yea.

Alma 30:37

37 And then Alma said unto him: Believest thou that there is a

God?

Alma 30:38

38 And he answered, Nay.

Alma 30:39

39 Now Alma said unto him: Will ye deny again that there is a

God, and also deny the Christ? For behold, I say unto you, I

know there is a God, and also that Christ shall come.

Alma 30:40

40 And now what evidence have ye that there is no God, or that

Christ cometh not? I say unto you that ye have none, save it be

your word only.

Alma 30:41

41 But, behold, I have all things as a testimony that these

things are true; and ye also have all things as a testimony unto

you that they are true; and will ye deny them? Believest thou

that these things are true?

Alma 30:42

42 Behold, I know that thou believest, but thou art possessed

with a lying spirit, and ye have put off the Spirit of God that

it may have no place in you; but the devil has power over you,

and he doth carry you about, working devices that he may destroy

the children of God.

Alma 30:43

43 And now Korihor said unto Alma: If thou wilt show me a sign,

that I may be convinced that there is a God, yea, show unto me

that he hath power, and then will I be convinced of the truth of

thy words.

Alma 30:44

44 But Alma said unto him: Thou hast had signs enough; will ye

tempt your God? Will ye say, Show unto me a sign, when ye have

the testimony of all these thy brethren, and also all the holy

prophets? The scriptures are laid before thee, yea, and all

things denote there is a God; yea, even the earth, and all things

that are upon the face of it, yea, and its motion, yea, and also

all the planets which move in their regular form do witness that

there is a Supreme Creator.

Alma 30:45

45 And yet do ye go about, leading away the hearts of this

people, testifying unto them there is no God? And yet will ye

deny against all these witnesses? And he said: Yea, I will deny,

except ye shall show me a sign.

Alma 30:46

46 And now it came to pass that Alma said unto him: Behold, I am

grieved because of the hardness of your heart, yea, that ye will

still resist the spirit of the truth, that thy soul may be

destroyed.

Alma 30:47

47 But behold, it is better that thy soul should be lost than

that thou shouldst be the means of bringing many souls down to

destruction, by thy lying and by thy flattering words; therefore

if thou shalt deny again, behold God shall smite thee, that thou

shalt become dumb, that thou shalt never open thy mouth any more,

that thou shalt not deceive this people any more.

Alma 30:48

48 Now Korihor said unto him: I do not deny the existence of a

God, but I do not believe that there is a God; and I say also,

that ye do not know that there is a God; and except ye show me a

sign, I will not believe.

Alma 30:49

49 Now Alma said unto him: This will I give unto thee for a

sign, that thou shalt be struck dumb, according to my words; and

I say, that in the name of God, ye shall be struck dumb, that ye

shall no more have utterance.

Alma 30:50

50 Now when Alma had said these words, Korihor was struck dumb,

that he could not have utterance, according to the words of Alma.

Alma 30:51

51 And now when the chief judge saw this, he put forth his hand

and wrote unto Korihor, saying: Art thou convinced of the power

of God? In whom did ye desire that Alma should show forth his

sign? Would ye that he should afflict others, to show unto thee

a sign? Behold, he has showed unto you a sign; and now will ye

dispute more?

Alma 30:52

52 And Korihor put forth his hand and wrote, saying: I know that

I am dumb, for I cannot speak; and I know that nothing save it

were the power of God could bring this upon me; yea, and I always

knew that there was a God.

Alma 30:53

53 But behold, the devil hath deceived me; for he appeared unto

me in the form of an angel, and said unto me: Go and reclaim this

people, for they have all gone astray after an unknown God. And

he said unto me: There is no God; yea, and he taught me that

which I should say. And I have taught his words; and I taught

them because they were pleasing unto the carnal mind; and I

taught them, even until I had much success, insomuch that I

verily believed that they were true; and for this cause I

withstood the truth, even until I have brought this great curse

upon me.

Alma 30:54

54 Now when he had said this, he besought that Alma should pray

unto God, that the curse might be taken from him.

Alma 30:55

55 But Alma said unto him: If this curse should be taken from

thee thou wouldst again lead away the hearts of this people;

therefore, it shall be unto thee even as the Lord will.

Alma 30:56

56 And it came to pass that the curse was not taken off of

Korihor; but he was cast out, and went about from house to house

begging for his food.

Alma 30:57

57 Now the knowledge of what had happened unto Korihor was

immediately published throughout all the land; yea, the

proclamation was sent forth by the chief judge to all the people

in the land, declaring unto those who had believed in the words

of Korihor that they must speedily repent, lest the same

judgments would come unto them.

Alma 30:58

58 And it came to pass that they were all convinced of the

wickedness of Korihor; therefore they were all converted again

unto the Lord; and this put an end to the iniquity after the

manner of Korihor. And Korihor did go about from house to house,

begging food for his support.

Alma 30:59

59 And it came to pass that as he went forth among the people,

yea, among a people who had separated themselves from the

Nephites and called themselves Zoramites, being led by a man

whose name was Zoram—and as he went forth amongst them, behold,

he was run upon and trodden down, even until he was dead.

Alma 30:60

60 And thus we see the end of him who perverteth the ways of the

Lord; and thus we see that the devil will not support his

children at the last day, but doth speedily drag them down to

hell.

Alma 31 Chapter 31

Alma 31:1

1 Now it came to pass that after the end of Korihor, Alma having

received tidings that the Zoramites were perverting the ways of

the Lord, and that Zoram, who was their leader, was leading the

hearts of the people to bow down to dumb idols, his heart again

began to sicken because of the iniquity of the people.

Alma 31:2

2 For it was the cause of great sorrow to Alma to know of

iniquity among his people; therefore his heart was exceedingly

sorrowful because of the separation of the Zoramites from the

Nephites.

Alma 31:3

3 Now the Zoramites had gathered themselves together in a land

which they called Antionum, which was east of the land of

Zarahemla, which lay nearly bordering upon the seashore, which

was south of the land of Jershon, which also bordered upon the

wilderness south, which wilderness was full of the Lamanites.

Alma 31:4

4 Now the Nephites greatly feared that the Zoramites would enter

into a correspondence with the Lamanites, and that it would be

the means of great loss on the part of the Nephites.

Alma 31:5

5 And now, as the preaching of the word had a great tendency to

lead the people to do that which was just—yea, it had had more

powerful effect upon the minds of the people than the sword, or

anything else, which had happened unto them—therefore Alma

thought it was expedient that they should try the virtue of the

word of God.

Alma 31:6

6 Therefore he took Ammon, and Aaron, and Omner; and Himni he

did leave in the church in Zarahemla; but the former three he

took with him, and also Amulek and Zeezrom, who were at Melek;

and he also took two of his sons.

Alma 31:7

7 Now the eldest of his sons he took not with him, and his name

was Helaman; but the names of those whom he took with him were

Shiblon and Corianton; and these are the names of those who went

with him among the Zoramites, to preach unto them the word.

Alma 31:8

8 Now the Zoramites were dissenters from the Nephites; therefore

they had had the word of God preached unto them.

Alma 31:9

9 But they had fallen into great errors, for they would not

observe to keep the commandments of God, and his statutes,

according to the law of Moses.

Alma 31:10

10 Neither would they observe the performances of the church, to

continue in prayer and supplication to God daily, that they might

not enter into temptation.

Alma 31:11

11 Yea, in fine, they did pervert the ways of the Lord in very

many instances; therefore, for this cause, Alma and his brethren

went into the land to preach the word unto them.

Alma 31:12

12 Now, when they had come into the land, behold, to their

astonishment they found that the Zoramites had built synagogues,

and that they did gather themselves together on one day of the

week, which day they did call the day of the Lord; and they did

worship after a manner which Alma and his brethren had never

beheld;

Alma 31:13

13 For they had a place built up in the center of their

synagogue, a place for standing, which was high above the head,

and the top thereof would only admit one person.

Alma 31:14

14 Therefore, whosoever desired to worship must go forth and

stand upon the top thereof, and stretch forth his hands towards

heaven, and cry with a loud voice, saying:

Alma 31:15

15 Holy, holy God; we believe that thou art God, and we believe

that thou art holy, and that thou wast a spirit, and that thou

art a spirit, and that thou wilt be a spirit forever.

Alma 31:16

16 Holy God, we believe that thou hast separated us from our

brethren; and we do not believe in the tradition of our brethren,

which was handed down to them by the childishness of their

fathers; but we believe that thou hast elected us to be thy holy

children; and also thou hast made it known unto us that there

shall be no Christ.

Alma 31:17

17 But thou art the same yesterday, today, and forever; and thou

hast elected us that we shall be saved, whilst all around us are

elected to be cast by thy wrath down to hell; for the which

holiness, O God, we thank thee; and we also thank thee that thou

hast elected us, that we may not be led away after the foolish

traditions of our brethren, which doth bind them down to a belief

of Christ, which doth lead their hearts to wander far from thee,

our God.

Alma 31:18

18 And again we thank thee, O God, that we are a chosen and a

holy people. Amen.

Alma 31:19

19 Now it came to pass that after Alma and his brethren and his

sons had heard these prayers, they were astonished beyond all

measure.

Alma 31:20

20 For behold, every man did go forth and offer up these same

prayers.

Alma 31:21

21 Now the place was called by them Rameumptom, which, being

interpreted, is the holy stand.

Alma 31:22

22 Now, from this stand they did offer up, every man, the

selfsame prayer unto God, thanking their God that they were

chosen of him, and that he did not lead them away after the

tradition of their brethren, and that their hearts were not

stolen away to believe in things to come, which they knew nothing

about.

Alma 31:23

23 Now, after the people had all offered up thanks after this

manner, they returned to their homes, never speaking of their God

again until they had assembled themselves together again to the

holy stand, to offer up thanks after their manner.

Alma 31:24

24 Now when Alma saw this his heart was grieved; for he saw that

they were a wicked and a perverse people; yea, he saw that their

hearts were set upon gold, and upon silver, and upon all manner

of fine goods.

Alma 31:25

25 Yea, and he also saw that their hearts were lifted up unto

great boasting, in their pride.

Alma 31:26

26 And he lifted up his voice to heaven, and cried, saying: O,

how long, O Lord, wilt thou suffer that thy servants shall dwell

here below in the flesh, to behold such gross wickedness among

the children of men?

Alma 31:27

27 Behold, O God, they cry unto thee, and yet their hearts are

swallowed up in their pride. Behold, O God, they cry unto thee

with their mouths, while they are puffed up, even to greatness,

with the vain things of the world.

Alma 31:28

28 Behold, O my God, their costly apparel, and their ringlets,

and their bracelets, and their ornaments of gold, and all their

precious things which they are ornamented with; and behold, their

hearts are set upon them, and yet they cry unto thee and say—We

thank thee, O God, for we are a chosen people unto thee, while

others shall perish.

Alma 31:29

29 Yea, and they say that thou hast made it known unto them that

there shall be no Christ.

Alma 31:30

30 O Lord God, how long wilt thou suffer that such wickedness

and infidelity shall be among this people? O Lord, wilt thou

give me strength, that I may bear with mine infirmities. For I

am infirm, and such wickedness among this people doth pain my

soul.

Alma 31:31

31 O Lord, my heart is exceedingly sorrowful; wilt thou comfort

my soul in Christ. O Lord, wilt thou grant unto me that I may

have strength, that I may suffer with patience these afflictions

which shall come upon me, because of the iniquity of this people.

Alma 31:32

32 O Lord, wilt thou comfort my soul, and give unto me success,

and also my fellow laborers who are with me—yea, Ammon, and

Aaron, and Omner, and also Amulek and Zeezrom and also my two

sons—yea, even all these wilt thou comfort, O Lord. Yea, wilt

thou comfort their souls in Christ.

Alma 31:33

33 Wilt thou grant unto them that they may have strength, that

they may bear their afflictions which shall come upon them

because of the iniquities of this people.

Alma 31:34

34 O Lord, wilt thou grant unto us that we may have success in

bringing them again unto thee in Christ.

Alma 31:35

35 Behold, O Lord, their souls are precious, and many of them

are our brethren; therefore, give unto us, O Lord, power and

wisdom that we may bring these, our brethren, again unto thee.

Alma 31:36

36 Now it came to pass that when Alma had said these words, that

he clapped his hands upon all them who were with him. And

behold, as he clapped his hands upon them, they were filled with

the Holy Spirit.

Alma 31:37

37 And after that they did separate themselves one from another,

taking no thought for themselves what they should eat, or what

they should drink, or what they should put on.

Alma 31:38

38 And the Lord provided for them that they should hunger not,

neither should they thirst; yea, and he also gave them strength,

that they should suffer no manner of afflictions, save it were

swallowed up in the joy of Christ. Now this was according to the

prayer of Alma; and this because he prayed in faith.

Alma 32 Chapter 32

Alma 32:1

1 And it came to pass that they did go forth, and began to

preach the word of God unto the people, entering into their

synagogues, and into their houses; yea, and even they did preach

the word in their streets.

Alma 32:2

2 And it came to pass that after much labor among them, they

began to have success among the poor class of people; for behold,

they were cast out of the synagogues because of the coarseness of

their apparel—

Alma 32:3

3 Therefore they were not permitted to enter into their

synagogues to worship God, being esteemed as filthiness;

therefore they were poor; yea, they were esteemed by their

brethren as dross; therefore they were poor as to things of the

world; and also they were poor in heart.

Alma 32:4

4 Now, as Alma was teaching and speaking unto the people upon

the hill Onidah, there came a great multitude unto him, who were

those of whom we have been speaking, of whom were poor in heart,

because of their poverty as to the things of the world.

Alma 32:5

5 And they came unto Alma; and the one who was the foremost

among them said unto him: Behold, what shall these my brethren

do, for they are despised of all men because of their poverty,

yea, and more especially by our priests; for they have cast us

out of our synagogues which we have labored abundantly to build

with our own hands; and they have cast us out because of our

exceeding poverty; and we have no place to worship our God; and

behold, what shall we do?

Alma 32:6

6 And now when Alma heard this, he turned him about, his face

immediately towards him, and he beheld with great joy; for he

beheld that their afflictions had truly humbled them and that

they were in a preparation to hear the word.

Alma 32:7

7 Therefore he did say no more to the other multitude; but he

stretched forth his hand, and cried unto those whom he beheld,

who were truly penitent, and said unto them:

Alma 32:8

8 I behold that ye are lowly in heart; and if so, blessed are

ye.

Alma 32:9

9 Behold thy brother hath said, What shall we do?—for we are

cast out of our synagogues, that we cannot worship our God.

Alma 32:10

10 Behold I say unto you, do ye suppose that ye cannot worship

God save it be in your synagogues only?

Alma 32:11

11 Moreover, I would ask, do ye suppose that ye must not worship

God only once in a week?

Alma 32:12

12 I say unto you, it is well that ye are cast out of your

synagogues, that ye may be humble, and that ye may learn wisdom;

for it is necessary that ye should learn wisdom; for it is

because that ye are cast out, that ye are despised of your

brethren because of your exceeding poverty, that ye are brought

to a lowliness of heart; for ye are necessarily brought to be

humble.

Alma 32:13

13 And now, because ye are compelled to be humble blessed are

ye; for a man sometimes, if he is compelled to be humble, seeketh

repentance; and now surely, whosoever repenteth shall find mercy;

and he that findeth mercy and endureth to the end the same shall

be saved.

Alma 32:14

14 And now, as I said unto you, that because ye were compelled

to be humble ye were blessed, do ye not suppose that they are

more blessed who truly humble themselves because of the word?

Alma 32:15

15 Yea, he that truly humbleth himself, and repenteth of his

sins, and endureth to the end, the same shall be blessed—yea,

much more blessed than they who are compelled to be humble

because of their exceeding poverty.

Alma 32:16

16 Therefore, blessed are they who humble themselves without

being compelled to be humble; or rather, in other words, blessed

is he that believeth in the word of God, and is baptized without

stubbornness of heart, yea, without being brought to know the

word, or even compelled to know, before they will believe.

Alma 32:17

17 Yea, there are many who do say: If thou wilt show unto us a

sign from heaven, then we shall know of a surety; then we shall

believe.

Alma 32:18

18 Now I ask, is this faith? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for

if a man knoweth a thing he hath no cause to believe, for he

knoweth it.

Alma 32:19

19 And now, how much more cursed is he that knoweth the will of

God and doeth it not, than he that only believeth, or only hath

cause to believe, and falleth into transgression?

Alma 32:20

20 Now of this thing ye must judge. Behold, I say unto you,

that it is on the one hand even as it is on the other; and it

shall be unto every man according to his work.

Alma 32:21

21 And now as I said concerning faith—faith is not to have a

perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope

for things which are not seen, which are true.

Alma 32:22

22 And now, behold, I say unto you, and I would that ye should

remember, that God is merciful unto all who believe on his name;

therefore he desireth, in the first place, that ye should

believe, yea, even on his word.

Alma 32:23

23 And now, he imparteth his word by angels unto men, yea, not

only men but women also. Now this is not all; little children do

have words given unto them many times which confound the wise and

the learned.

Alma 32:24

24 And now, my beloved brethren, as ye have desired to know of

me what ye shall do because ye are afflicted and cast out—now I

do not desire that ye should suppose that I mean to judge you

only according to that which is true—

Alma 32:25

25 For I do not mean that ye all of you have been compelled to

humble yourselves; for I verily believe that there are some among

you who would humble themselves, let them be in whatsoever

circumstances they might.

Alma 32:26

26 Now, as I said concerning faith—that it was not a perfect

knowledge—even so it is with my words. Ye cannot know of their

surety at first, unto perfection, any more than faith is a

perfect knowledge.

Alma 32:27

27 But behold, if ye will awake and arouse your faculties, even

to an experiment upon my words, and exercise a particle of faith,

yea, even if ye can no more than desire to believe, let this

desire work in you, even until ye believe in a manner that ye can

give place for a portion of my words.

Alma 32:28

28 Now, we will compare the word unto a seed. Now, if ye give

place, that a seed may be planted in your heart, behold, if it be

a true seed, or a good seed, if ye do not cast it out by your

unbelief, that ye will resist the Spirit of the Lord, behold, it

will begin to swell within your breasts; and when you feel these

swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves—It must

needs be that this is a good seed, or that the word is good, for

it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten

my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me.

Alma 32:29

29 Now behold, would not this increase your faith? I say unto

you, Yea; nevertheless it hath not grown up to a perfect

knowledge.

Alma 32:30

30 But behold, as the seed swelleth, and sprouteth, and

beginneth to grow, then you must needs say that the seed is good;

for behold it swelleth, and sprouteth, and beginneth to grow.

And now behold, will not this strengthen your faith? Yea, it

will strengthen your faith: for ye will say I know that this is a

good seed; for behold it sprouteth and beginneth to grow.

Alma 32:31

31 And now, behold, are ye sure that this is a good seed? I say

unto you, Yea; for every seed bringeth forth unto its own

likeness.

Alma 32:32

32 Therefore, if a seed groweth it is good, but if it groweth

not, behold it is not good, therefore it is cast away.

Alma 32:33

33 And now, behold, because ye have tried the experiment, and

planted the seed, and it swelleth and sprouteth, and beginneth to

grow, ye must needs know that the seed is good.

Alma 32:34

34 And now, behold, is your knowledge perfect? Yea, your

knowledge is perfect in that thing, and your faith is dormant;

and this because ye know, for ye know that the word hath swelled

your souls, and ye also know that it hath sprouted up, that your

understanding doth begin to be enlightened, and your mind doth

begin to expand.

Alma 32:35

35 O then, is not this real? I say unto you, Yea, because it is

light; and whatsoever is light, is good, because it is

discernible, therefore ye must know that it is good; and now

behold, after ye have tasted this light is your knowledge

perfect?

Alma 32:36

36 Behold I say unto you, Nay; neither must ye lay aside your

faith, for ye have only exercised your faith to plant the seed

that ye might try the experiment to know if the seed was good.

Alma 32:37

37 And behold, as the tree beginneth to grow, ye will say: Let

us nourish it with great care, that it may get root, that it may

grow up, and bring forth fruit unto us. And now behold, if ye

nourish it with much care it will get root, and grow up, and

bring forth fruit.

Alma 32:38

38 But if ye neglect the tree, and take no thought for its

nourishment, behold it will not get any root; and when the heat

of the sun cometh and scorcheth it, because it hath no root it

withers away, and ye pluck it up and cast it out.

Alma 32:39

39 Now, this is not because the seed was not good, neither is it

because the fruit thereof would not be desirable; but it is

because your ground is barren, and ye will not nourish the tree,

therefore ye cannot have the fruit thereof.

Alma 32:40

40 And thus, if ye will not nourish the word, looking forward

with an eye of faith to the fruit thereof, ye can never pluck of

the fruit of the tree of life.

Alma 32:41

41 But if ye will nourish the word, yea, nourish the tree as it

beginneth to grow, by your faith with great diligence, and with

patience, looking forward to the fruit thereof, it shall take

root; and behold it shall be a tree springing up unto everlasting

life.

Alma 32:42

42 And because of your diligence and your faith and your

patience with the word in nourishing it, that it may take root in

you, behold, by and by ye shall pluck the fruit thereof, which is

most precious, which is sweet above all that is sweet, and which

is white above all that is white, yea, and pure above all that is

pure; and ye shall feast upon this fruit even until ye are

filled, that ye hunger not, neither shall ye thirst.

Alma 32:43

43 Then, my brethren, ye shall reap the rewards of your faith,

and your diligence, and patience, and long-suffering, waiting for

the tree to bring forth fruit unto you.

Alma 33 Chapter 33

Alma 33:1

1 Now after Alma had spoken these words, they sent forth unto

him desiring to know whether they should believe in one God, that

they might obtain this fruit of which he had spoken, or how they

should plant the seed, or the word of which he had spoken, which

he said must be planted in their hearts; or in what manner they

should begin to exercise their faith.

Alma 33:2

2 And Alma said unto them: Behold, ye have said that ye could

not worship your God because ye are cast out of your synagogues.

But behold, I say unto you, if ye suppose that ye cannot worship

God, ye do greatly err, and ye ought to search the scriptures; if

ye suppose that they have taught you this, ye do not understand

them.

Alma 33:3

3 Do ye remember to have read what Zenos, the prophet of old,

has said concerning prayer or worship?

Alma 33:4

4 For he said: Thou art merciful, O God, for thou hast heard my

prayer, even when I was in the wilderness; yea, thou wast

merciful when I prayed concerning those who were mine enemies,

and thou didst turn them to me.

Alma 33:5

5 Yea, O God, and thou wast merciful unto me when I did cry unto

thee in my field; when I did cry unto thee in my prayer, and thou

didst hear me.

Alma 33:6

6 And again, O God, when I did turn to my house thou didst hear

me in my prayer.

Alma 33:7

7 And when I did turn unto my closet, O Lord, and prayed unto

thee, thou didst hear me.

Alma 33:8

8 Yea, thou art merciful unto thy children when they cry unto

thee, to be heard of thee and not of men, and thou wilt hear

them.

Alma 33:9

9 Yea, O God, thou hast been merciful unto me, and heard my

cries in the midst of thy congregations.

Alma 33:10

10 Yea, and thou hast also heard me when I have been cast out

and have been despised by mine enemies; yea, thou didst hear my

cries, and wast angry with mine enemies, and thou didst visit

them in thine anger with speedy destruction.

Alma 33:11

11 And thou didst hear me because of mine afflictions and my

sincerity; and it is because of thy Son that thou hast been thus

merciful unto me, therefore I will cry unto thee in all mine

afflictions, for in thee is my joy; for thou hast turned thy

judgments away from me, because of thy Son.

Alma 33:12

12 And now Alma said unto them: Do ye believe those scriptures

which have been written by them of old?

Alma 33:13

13 Behold, if ye do, ye must believe what Zenos said; for,

behold he said: Thou hast turned away thy judgments because of

thy Son.

Alma 33:14

14 Now behold, my brethren, I would ask if ye have read the

scriptures? If ye have, how can ye disbelieve on the Son of God?

Alma 33:15

15 For it is not written that Zenos alone spake of these things,

but Zenock also spake of these things—