Alma
34 verses
Overview
Alma warns the people of Ammonihah to repent or face destruction, reminding them of God’s past blessings and judgments, and testifies of Christ’s coming; the people react with anger.
I, Alma, was commanded by God to take Amulek and go preach again to the people in the city of Ammonihah. As I began to preach to them, they started to argue with me, saying:
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:
Who are you? Do you really think we'll believe the testimony of just one man, even if he tells us that the earth will pass away?
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?
They didn't understand the words they spoke, because they didn't know that the earth would pass away.
Now they understood not the words which they spake; for they knew not that the earth should pass away.
They also said, "We will not believe your words if you prophesy that this great city will be destroyed in one day."
And they said also: We will not believe thy words if thou shouldst prophesy that this great city should be destroyed in one day.
They didn't know that God could do such amazing things, because they were hard-hearted and stubborn people.
Now they knew not that God could do such marvelous works, for they were a hard-hearted and a stiffnecked people.
They said, "Who is God, that He would send only one man among this people to tell them the truth about such great and marvelous things?"
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?
They stepped forward to lay their hands on me, but they didn't. I stood with courage to speak to them, and I boldly testified to them, saying:
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:
You wicked and perverse generation, how have you forgotten the tradition of your fathers? How quickly you have forgotten the commandments of God.
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.
Don't you remember that our father Lehi was brought out of Jerusalem by God? Don't you remember that He led them all through the wilderness?
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?
Have you forgotten so quickly how many times he delivered our fathers from their enemies and kept them from being destroyed, even by their own brothers?
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?
And if it had not been for his matchless power, his mercy, and his patience with us, we would have been completely destroyed from the face of the earth long before now, and perhaps been sent to a state of endless misery and sorrow.
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.
Now I tell you that he commands you to repent; and unless you repent, you cannot inherit the kingdom of God. But this isn't all—he has commanded you to repent, or he will completely destroy you from off the face of the earth; he will visit you in his anger, and in his fierce anger he will not turn away.
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.
Don't you remember the words he spoke to Lehi, saying that as long as you keep my commandments, you will prosper in the land? And again, it is said that if you do not keep my commandments, you will be cut off from the presence of the Lord.
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.
I want you to remember that because the Lamanites have not kept the commandments of God, they have been cut off from the presence of the Lord. We can see that the word of the Lord has been fulfilled in this, and the Lamanites have been separated from his presence since they first began to disobey in the land.
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.
But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for them on the day of judgment than for you if you remain in your sins, and even more tolerable for them in this life than for you unless you repent.
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.
There are many promises given to the Lamanites, and because the traditions of their fathers caused them to stay in ignorance, the Lord will be merciful to them and allow them to remain in the land longer.
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.
At some point, they will come to believe in his word and recognize the errors in their fathers' traditions. Many of them will be saved, because the Lord is merciful to all who call on his name.
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.
But I tell you, if you continue in your wickedness, your days will not be extended in this land, because the Lamanites will be sent against you. If you do not repent, they will come when you do not expect it, and you will be completely destroyed, according to the fierce anger of the Lord.
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.
He will not allow you to live in your sins and destroy his people. I tell you, no; he would rather allow the Lamanites to destroy all his people who are called the people of Nephi, if it were possible for them to fall into sin and transgression after having received so much light and knowledge from the Lord their God.
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;
After being such a highly favored people of the Lord, after being favored above every other nation, kindred, language, or people, after having had all things made known to them according to their desires, faith, and prayers—things that have been, that are, and that are to come;
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;
They have been visited by the Spirit of God, have talked with angels, have heard the voice of the Lord, and have received the spirit of prophecy and revelation, along with many gifts—the gift of speaking in tongues, the gift of preaching, the gift of the Holy Ghost, and the gift of translation.
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;
After being delivered by God from the land of Jerusalem through the Lord's power, and being saved from famine, sickness, and all kinds of diseases; after becoming strong in battle so they wouldn't be destroyed; after being brought out of bondage time after time, and being protected and preserved until now; they have been blessed and have become rich in all kinds of things—
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—
Now I tell you, if these people, who have received so many blessings from the Lord, choose to sin against the light and knowledge they have, if they fall into transgression, it will be far more tolerable for the Lamanites than for them.
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.
The promises of the Lord are given to the Lamanites, but they do not apply to you if you break His commandments. Hasn't the Lord clearly promised and firmly decreed that if you rebel against Him, you will be completely destroyed from the face of the earth?
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?
For this reason, so you won't be destroyed, the Lord has sent his angel to visit many of his people, telling them they must go out and urgently call to this people, saying: Repent, because the kingdom of heaven is near.
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;
In a few days, the Son of God will come in his glory; and his glory will be the glory of the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace, fairness, and truth, full of patience, mercy, and long-suffering, quick to hear the cries of his people and to answer their prayers.
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.
He comes to redeem those who will be baptized in repentance through faith in his name.
And behold, he cometh to redeem those who will be baptized unto repentance, through faith on his name.
So, prepare the way of the Lord, because the time is near when everyone will receive a reward for their actions, according to what they have been—if they have been righteous, they will receive the salvation of their souls through the power and deliverance of Jesus Christ; and if they have been evil, they will receive the damnation of their souls through the power and captivity of the devil.
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.
This is the voice of the angel, calling out to the people.
Now behold, this is the voice of the angel, crying unto the people.
Now, my beloved brothers, because you are my brothers and you should be loved, you should do works that are appropriate for repentance, since your hearts have been deeply hardened against the word of God, and since you are a lost and fallen people.
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.
After I, Alma, had spoken these words, the people were angry with me because I told them they were hard-hearted and stubborn.
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.
Also, because I told them they were a lost and fallen people, they became angry with me and tried to seize me so they could throw me into prison.
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.
But the Lord did not allow them to take me and throw me into prison at that time.
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.
Amulek went and stood up, and began to preach to them as well. Not all of Amulek's words are written, but part of what he said is included in this book.
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.