THE BOOK OF MOSIAH

CHAPTER 1

King Benjamin teaches his sons the language and prophecies of their fathers—Their religion and civilization have been preserved because of the records kept on the various plates—Mosiah is chosen as king and is given custody of the records and other things. About 130–124 B.C.

1 There was no more fighting in all the land of Zarahemla under the rule of king Benjamin, so he had continual peace all the rest of his life.

2 He had three sons: Mosiah, Helorum, and Helaman. And he ensured that they were taught in the language of his fathers so they could become men of understanding, and so they could know about the prophecies spoken by their fathers, which God gave them.

3 He also taught them about the records engraved on the plates of brass, saying: My sons, I want you to remember that if not for these records and commandments, we would have suffered in ignorance, even now, not knowing the mysteries of God.

4 It was not possible that our father, Lehi, could have remembered all these things, or taught them to his children, except for the help of these plates He had been taught in the language of the Egyptians so he could read these engravings and teach them to his children, so they could teach them to their children and thereby fulfill the commandments of God down to this present time.

5 If it were not for these things kept by the power of God, so we could read and understand his mysteries and always have his commandments with us, our fathers would have weakened in unbelief, and we would have been like our brethren, the Lamanites, who know nothing about these things, and who don’t believe them when they are taught, because of the traditions of their fathers, which are not correct.

6 My sons, what I’m saying is true, and these records are true. And the plates of Nephi are true, which contain the records and sayings of our fathers from the time they left Jerusalem until now. And we can know they are true because we have them in front of our eyes.

7 Remember to study them diligently so you can benefit from them. Keep the commandments of God so you can prosper in the land according to the promises the Lord made to our fathers.

8 King Benjamin taught his sons many more things that are not written in this book.

9 After king Benjamin had finished teaching his sons, he grew old and realized he would die soon, so he decided it was necessary to give the kingdom to one of his sons.

10 He said to Mosiah, My son, I want you to make a proclamation throughout all the land, to gather the people because tomorrow I will proclaim that you are a king over this people, whom the Lord our God has given us.

11 I will give this people a name to distinguish them above all people the Lord God has brought out of Jerusalem, and I do this because they have been diligent in keeping the commandments of the Lord.

12 I will give them a name that will never be erased except through transgression.

13 If this highly favored people of the Lord fall into transgression and become a wicked and adulterous people, the Lord will let them become weak like their brethren, and he will not preserve them anymore by his matchless and marvelous power, as he has done for our fathers.

14 If he had not extended his arm to preserve our fathers, they would have fallen into the hands of the Lamanites and become victims of their hatred.

15 Then king Benjamin gave Mosiah authority over all the affairs of the kingdom.

16 And he gave him responsibility for the records engraved on the plates of brass, the plates of Nephi, the sword of Laban, and the ball or director that led our fathers through the wilderness, which was prepared by the Lord so they might be led, every one according to their diligence in paying attention to him.

17 When they were unfaithful they did not prosper or progress in their journey but were driven back and received the displeasure of God. They were punished with famine and sore afflictions to stir them up in remembrance of their duty.

18 Mosiah did what his father had commanded, and proclaimed to all the people in Zarahemla to gather at the temple to hear the words his father would speak to them.

CHAPTER 2

King Benjamin addresses his people—He recounts the equity, fairness, and spirituality of his reign—He counsels them to serve their Heavenly King—Those who rebel against God will suffer anguish like unquenchable fire. About 124 B.C.

1 From all the land the people gathered to the temple to hear the words of king Benjamin.

2 There were so many people that they did not number them, because they had multiplied exceedingly and grown great in the land.

3 They offered the firstlings of their flocks for sacrifice and burnt offerings according to the law of Moses;

4 And also to give thanks to the Lord their God, who had brought them out of Jerusalem, and delivered them from their enemies, and appointed righteous men to be their teachers, and also gave them a righteous man to be their king, who had established peace in the land and taught them to keep the commandments of God so they could rejoice and be filled with love toward God and all men.

5 When they came to the temple, they pitched their tents around it, every man with his family, consisting of his wife, sons and daughters, and their sons and daughters, from the oldest to the youngest, each family being separate from the other.

6 Every man pitched his tent with the door toward the temple, so they could remain in their tents and hear the words of king Benjamin.

7 There were so many people that king Benjamin could not teach them all within the walls of the temple, so he directed a tower to be built, so his people could hear the words he would speak.

8 He began to speak from the tower, but not all could hear him because of their great number, so he directed that his words be written and sent among those unable to hear, so they also could receive his words.

9 These are the words he spoke and directed to be written: My brethren, all you who are gathered to hear my words, I have not commanded you to come here so I would speak lightly, but so you would listen to me and open your ears and hearts to understand, and open your minds so the mysteries of God could be unraveled for you to see.

10 I have not commanded you to come here so you would fear me or think that I am more than a mortal man.

11 I am like you, affected by all kinds of weakness in body and mind, but I have been chosen by this people, ordained by my father, and allowed by the Lord to be a ruler and king over you. And I have been preserved by his matchless power to serve you with all the might, mind, and strength the Lord has given me.

12 During the days I have been allowed to spend in your service, I have not looked for gold or silver or any kind of riches from you.

13 Nor have I allowed you to be put in dungeons, nor that you could make slaves of each other, or murder, or plunder, or steal, or commit adultery. Nor have I allowed you to commit any manner of wickedness but have taught you to keep all the commandments of the Lord.

14 I have labored with my own hands to serve you, so you were not burdened with taxes or any other grievous things. And today you all testify of these things I have said.

15 But I have not done these things so I could boast, nor do I accuse you, but I tell you these things so you can know that I have a clear conscience before God this day.

16 I do not boast when I say that I have spent my days in your service, because I have only been in the service of God.

17 I tell you these things so you can learn wisdom, so you can learn that when you are in the service of your fellow men you are only in the service of your God.

18 You have called me your king, so if your king labors to serve you, then should you not labor to serve one another?

19 And if I, your king, deserve any thanks from you for serving you and God, O how you should thank your heavenly King!

20 God has created you, and kept and preserved you, and given you reason to rejoice, and allowed you to live in peace with each other, and is preserving you from day to day by lending you breath so you can live and move and do as you choose, and is supporting you from one moment to another.

21 I tell you, my brethren, if you gave all the thanks and praise of your soul to that God, and served him with all your souls, still you would be unprofitable servants.

22 And all he requires is that you keep his commandments, and he has promised that if you keep his commandments you will prosper in the land, and he never varies from what he has said, so if you keep his commandments he blesses and prospers you.

23 In the first place, he has created you and given you your lives, for which you are indebted to him.

24 Second, he requires you to do as he has commanded you, and if you do that, immediately he blesses you, so he has paid you. So you are still indebted to him, and you will be forever, so what do you have to boast of?

25 So I ask, can you boast about your worth? No, you can’t say that you are even as much as the dust of the earth. You were created from the dust of the earth, but even it belongs to him who created you.

26 Even I, whom you call your king, am no better than you, because I am also from the dust. And you see that I am old and about to give up this body to its mother earth.

27 I have served you, walking with a clear conscience before God, and I have directed you to gather so I can be found blameless, so your blood will not come upon me when I stand to be judged of God for the things he commanded me about you.

28 I have directed you to gather so I can rid my garments of your blood at this time when I am about to go down to my grave, so I can go in peace, and my immortal spirit can join the choirs above in singing the praises of a righteous God.

29 I have directed you to gather so I can declare that I can no longer be your teacher or king because my whole body trembles with weakness even now, while trying to speak to you. But the Lord God supports me and allows me to speak to you, and has commanded me to declare today that my son Mosiah is a king and ruler over you.

31 I want you to do as you have before. As you have kept my commandments, and the commandments of my father, and have prospered, and have been protected from your enemies, even so if you keep the commandments of my son, or the commandments of God that will be delivered to you by him, you will prosper in the land, and your enemies will have no power over you.

32 But beware that no contentions arise among you, and that you don’t obey the evil spirit, which my father Mosiah spoke of.

33 There is a curse pronounced upon him who obeys that spirit because if he remains and dies in his sins, he drinks damnation to his soul, receiving everlasting punishment for his wages, since he transgressed the law of God against his own knowledge.

34 Every one of you—except your little children—have been taught about these things, so you know that you are eternally indebted to your heavenly Father, to give him all that you have and are; and you know about the records that contain the prophecies spoken by the ancient holy prophets, even down to the time our father, Lehi, left Jerusalem;

35 And you know all that has been spoken by our fathers until now. They spoke what the Lord commanded, so they are good and true.

36 After you have known all these things, if you transgress and go against what has been spoken, withdrawing from the Spirit of the Lord so it can’t be in you and guide you in wisdom’s paths so you can be blessed, prospered, and preserved—

37 If you do that, you are openly rebelling against God, and you are obeying the evil spirit and become an enemy to all righteousness. So the Lord has no place in you, because he does not stay in unholy temples.

38 If you don’t repent, and you remain and die an enemy to God, the demands of divine justice awaken your immortal soul to a vigorous sense of your guilt, which makes you shrink from the presence of the Lord and fills your breast with guilt, pain, and anguish, which is like an unstoppable fire, whose flame ascends forever and ever.

39 Mercy has no claim on you, so your final doom is to continue in a never-ending torment.

40 All you old men, you young men, and you little children who can understand my words, I pray that you awake and remember the awful situation of those who have fallen into transgression, because I have spoken plainly to you so you can understand.

41 And I want you to think about the blessed and happy state of those who keep the commandments of God. They are blessed in all things, both physical and spiritual, and if they stay faithful to the end they are received into heaven, so they can live with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true, because the Lord God has spoken it.

CHAPTER 3

King Benjamin continues his address—The Lord will minister among men in the flesh—Blood will come from every pore as He atones for the sins of the world—His is the only name whereby salvation comes—Men can put off the natural man and become Saints through the Atonement—The torment of the wicked will be like a lake of fire and brimstone. About 124 B.C.

1 Now I have things to tell you about what is to come.

2 An angel of God told me these things, saying, Awake, and I awoke, and he stood in front of me.

3 He said, Awake, and hear the words I will tell you. I have come to declare glad news of great joy.

4 The Lord has heard your prayers and judged your righteousness, and has sent me to declare that you can rejoice, and you can declare to your people that they can be filled with joy also.

5 The time soon comes when the Lord Omnipotent who reigns, who was and is from all eternity to all eternity, will come down from heaven with power to be among men, and will live in a mortal body, and will go among men working mighty miracles, such as healing the sick, raising the dead, and causing the lame to walk, the blind to see, the deaf to hear, and curing all kinds of diseases.

6 He will cast out devils, or the evil spirits that live in the hearts of men.

7 He will suffer temptations, pain of body, hunger, thirst, and fatigue, even more than man can suffer without dying. His anguish for the wickedness and abominations of his people will be so great that blood will come from every pore.

8 He will be called Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Father of heaven and earth, the Creator of all things from the beginning, and his mother will be called Mary.

9 He comes to his own people so salvation can come to men through faith on his name, but even after all this they will consider him a man, say that he has a devil, whip him, and crucify him.

10 The third day he will rise from the dead, and he stands to judge the world, and all these things are done that a righteous judgment can come on men.

11 His blood atones for the sins of those who have fallen by the transgression of Adam, who have died without knowing the will of God for them, or who have ignorantly sinned.

12 But curses to him who knows that he rebels against God! Salvation comes to none like that except through repentance and faith on the Lord Jesus Christ.

13 The Lord God has sent his holy prophets among all the children of men to declare these things to every culture, nation, and tongue, so that whoever believes that Christ will come can receive remission of their sins and rejoice with exceedingly great joy, as though he had already come among them.

14 The Lord God saw that his people were stubbornly proud, so he gave them the law of Moses.

15 And he showed to them many signs, wonders, symbols, and representations of his coming, and holy prophets spoke to them about his coming, but they hardened their hearts and did not understand that the law of Moses has no benefit except through the atonement of his blood.

16 Even if little children could sin they could not be saved by the law of Moses, but I tell you that they are blessed, because even though they fall by Adam, or by nature, the blood of Christ atones for their sins.

17 Salvation can come to men only in and through the name of Christ, the Lord Omnipotent, not by any other name or way.

18 He judges, and his judgment is righteous; and the infant who dies does not perish. Men drink damnation to their souls except they humble themselves and become like little children, and believe that salvation was, and is, and is to come, in and through the atoning blood of Christ, the Lord Omnipotent.

19 The natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be forever, unless he surrenders to the persuasion of the Holy Spirit and puts away the natural man and becomes a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becomes like a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things the Lord sees fit to send on him, even like a child submits to his father.

20 The time comes when the knowledge of a Savior will spread throughout every nation, culture, tongue, and people.

21 When that time comes, no one will be found blameless before God except little children, unless through repentance and faith on the name of the Lord God Omnipotent.

22 When you have taught your people the things commanded by the Lord your God, they are not blameless anymore in the sight of God, except according to the words I have spoken.

23 Now I have spoken the words the Lord God commanded me.

24 The Lord says, They will stand as a bright testimony against this people at the judgment day, by which they will be judged, every man according to his works, whether they are good or evil.

25 If they are evil they are delivered to an awful view of their own guilt and abominations, which make them shrink from the presence of the Lord into a state of misery and endless torment, from which they cannot return; so they have drunk damnation to their own souls.

26 They have drunk from the cup of the anger of God, which justice could no more deny to them than it could deny that Adam would fall because of his partaking of the forbidden fruit; so mercy could have no claim on them again forever.

27 And their torment is like a lake of fire and brimstone, whose flames cannot be extinguished, whose smoke ascends up forever. Thus has the Lord commanded me.

CHAPTER 4

King Benjamin continues his address—Salvation comes because of the Atonement—Believe in God to be saved—Retain a remission of your sins through faithfulness—Give your wealth to the poor—Do all things in wisdom and order. About 124 B.C.

1 When king Benjamin had finished speaking the words delivered by the angel of the Lord, he looked around at the multitude, and they had fallen to the ground because the fear of the Lord had come upon them.

2 They had viewed themselves in their own natural state, even less than the dust of the earth. And they all cried aloud with one voice, saying, Have mercy and apply the atoning blood of Christ, so we can receive forgiveness of our sins, and our hearts can be purified, because we believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who created heaven and earth and all things, who will come down among men.

3 Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon them, and they were filled with joy, having received a remission of their sins, and having peace of conscience, because of the exceeding faith they had in Jesus Christ who would come, according to the words king Benjamin had spoken.

4 King Benjamin again began to speak to them, saying, My friends and brethren, my family and my people, I call for your attention, so you can hear and understand the remainder of my words.

5 If the knowledge of the goodness of God has now awakened you to a sense of your nothingness, and your worthless and fallen state—

6 If you come to a knowledge of the goodness of God, and his matchless power, and his wisdom, and his patience toward men, and if you have a knowledge of the atonement that has been prepared from the foundation of the world so salvation can come to those who put his trust in the Lord and would be diligent in keeping his commandments and continue in the faith even to the end of his mortal life—

7 This is the man who receives salvation, through the atonement that was prepared from the foundation of the world for all men who ever were since the fall of Adam, or who are, or whoever will be, to the end of the world.

8 This is how salvation comes. And there is no other salvation except this, nor are there any conditions whereby man can be saved except these I have told you.

9 Believe in God, believe that he is, and that he created all things in heaven and earth. Believe that he has all wisdom and power in heaven and earth. Believe that man does not understand all the things the Lord can understand.

10 Believe that you must repent of your sins and abandon them, and humble yourselves before God, and ask in sincerity of heart that he would forgive you. And if you believe all these things, make sure that you do them.

11 Because you have come to the knowledge of the glory of God, or known his goodness and tasted his love, and have received a remission of your sins, which causes such exceedingly great joy in your souls, I desire that you would always remember the greatness of God and your own nothingness, and remember his goodness and patience toward you, unworthy creatures, and humble yourselves deeply, calling on the name of the Lord daily, and standing firmly in the faith of that which is to come, as spoken by the angel.

12 If you do this you will always rejoice and be filled with the love of God, and will always keep a remission of your sins, and you will grow in the knowledge of the glory of him who created you, or in the knowledge of that which is good and true.

13 You will not have a desire to injure one another but to live peaceably and give to every man what is proper.

14 You will not allow your children to go hungry or naked, nor allow them to break the laws of God, and fight and quarrel with each other, and serve the devil, who is the master of sin, or the evil spirit taught by our fathers, he being an enemy to all righteousness.

15 You will teach them to walk in the ways of truth and calmness; you will teach them to love and serve one another.

16 You will support those in need of your help, you will give your goods to those in need, and you will not allow the beggar to make his request in vain and turn him out to perish.

17 Perhaps you will say, The man has brought his misery upon himself, so I will wait and not give him my food, nor give him the help to stop his suffering because his punishments are just.

18 But I say, whoever does this has great reason to repent, and unless he repents of this, he perishes forever and has no interest in the kingdom of God.

19 Are we not all beggars? Do we not all depend on the same Being, even God, for all the goods we have, for food, clothing, gold, silver, and all the riches we have of every kind?

20 Even now you have been calling on his name, and begging for a remission of your sins. And has he allowed you to beg in vain? No, he has poured out his Spirit on you, and has made you speechless by filling your hearts with exceedingly great joy.

21 God has created you, and you depend on him for your lives and all you have and are. If he gives you whatever you ask that is right, in faith, believing that you will receive, then how much you should give your goods to each other.

22 If you judge the man who begs you for help so he doesn’t perish, and you condemn him, how much more righteous God’s condemnation of you will be for withholding your goods, which don’t belong to you anyway but to God, to whom your life belongs. But still you do not beg or repent for the thing you have done.

23 Curses be to that man, because his goods will perish with him, and I say these things to those who are rich as far as the things of this world.

24 I say to the poor, you who don’t have some things but still have enough to continue from day to day. I mean all you who deny the beggar but only because you have not. I desire that you say in your hearts, I give not because I have not, but if I had I would give.

25 If you say this in your hearts you are guiltless; otherwise you are condemned, and your condemnation is righteous because you envy what you don’t have.

26 For the purpose of keeping a remission of your sins from day to day, so you can walk guiltless before God, I desire that you give your goods to the poor, every man according to what he has, such as feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and ministering to their relief, both spiritually and physically according to their wants.

27 Be sure that all these things are done in wisdom and order because it is not required that a man should run faster than he has strength. He should be diligent to win the prize, so all things must be done in order.

28 Whoever borrows from his neighbor should return what he borrows, according to his agreement, or you will commit sin, and perhaps you will cause your neighbor to commit sin also.

29 I cannot tell you all the ways you can sin, because there are various ways, so many that I cannot number them.

30 But if you do not watch yourselves, your thoughts, your words, and your deeds, and keep the commandments of God, and continue in the faith of what you have heard about the coming of our Lord to the end of your lives, you will perish. Now, O man, remember, and don’t perish.

CHAPTER 5

The Saints become sons and daughters of Christ through faith—They are then called by the name of Christ—King Benjamin exhorts them to be firm in good works. About 124 B.C.

1 After king Benjamin had spoken to his people, he inquired among them to know if they believed the words he had spoken.

2 They all cried with one voice, saying, Yes, we believe all the words you have spoken, and we know they are true because of the Spirit of the Lord Omnipotent, who has worked a mighty change in our hearts, so we have no more desire to do evil but only to do good continually.

3 We have great views of what is to come, and if it were needed, we could prophesy of all things through the infinite goodness of God and the works of his Spirit.

4 We have come to this great knowledge through the faith we have had in the things our king has spoken to us, and in this knowledge we have great joy.

5 We want to enter into a covenant with our God to do his will, and to be obedient to his commandments in all things all the remainder of our days, so we will not bring a never-ending torment on ourselves or drink from the cup of God’s anger, as spoken by the angel.

6 These are the words king Benjamin desired from them, so he said, You have spoken the words I desired, and the covenant you have made is righteous.

7 And because of the covenant you have made, you will be called the children of Christ, his sons and daughters, because this day he has spiritually fathered you. Because you say that your hearts are changed through faith on his name, you are born of him and have become his sons and daughters.

8 Under this head you are made free, and there is no other head whereby you can be made free. Salvation comes by no other name, so I desire that you would take upon you the name of Christ, all you who have entered into the covenant with God that you will be obedient to the end of your lives.

9 Whoever does this will be found at the right hand of God, because he will know the name by which he is called. He will be called by the name of Christ.

10 And whoever will not take the name of Christ upon him must be called by some other name, so he finds himself on the left hand of God.

11 Remember that this is the name I said I would give to you that would never be erased except through transgression. So watch that you don’t transgress, so the name is not erased from your hearts.

12 I desire that you would remember to keep the name written always in your hearts, so you are not found on the left hand of God, but instead you hear and know the voice by which you will be called, and the name by which he will call you.

13 Because how can a man know the master he has not served, who is a stranger to him and is far from the thoughts and intents of his heart?

14 Does a man take a donkey that belongs to his neighbor and keep him? No, he will not even allow the donkey to feed among his flocks, but will drive him away and cast him out. It will be like this for you if you don’t know the name by which you are called.

15 So I desire that you be firm and immovable, always abounding in good works, so that Christ, the Lord God Omnipotent, can seal you his, so you can be brought to heaven and have everlasting salvation and eternal life through the wisdom, power, justice, and mercy of him who created all things in heaven and in earth, who is God above all. Amen.

CHAPTER 6

King Benjamin records the names of the people and appoints priests to teach them—Mosiah reigns as a righteous king. About 124–121 B.C.

1 After he finished speaking, king Benjamin recorded the names of all those who had made a covenant with God to keep his commandments.

2 Every soul, except little children, had entered into the covenant and taken upon them the name of Christ.

3 Then king Benjamin ordained Mosiah to be a ruler and king over his people, having already given him all the commands about the kingdom, and had appointed priests to teach the people so they could know the commandments of God, and to stir them up to remember the oath they had made. He dismissed the multitude, and they returned to their houses.

4 At the age of thirty, Mosiah began to reign instead of his father, about four hundred and seventy-six years from the time that Lehi left Jerusalem.

5 King Benjamin lived three more years and died.

6 King Mosiah walked in the ways of the Lord and kept his commandments in all things.

7 King Mosiah directed his people to till the earth, and he too tilled the earth so he would not become a burden to his people, so he would do what his father had done in all things. There was no contention among all his people for three years.

CHAPTER 7

Ammon finds the land of Lehi-Nephi, where Limhi is king—Limhi’s people are in bondage to the Lamanites—Limhi recounts their history—A prophet (Abinadi) had testified that Christ is the God and Father of all things—Those who sow filthiness reap the whirlwind, and those who put their trust in the Lord will be delivered. About 121 B.C.

1 After three years of continual peace, king Mosiah wanted to know about the people who left to live in the land of Lehi-Nephi because his people had heard nothing from them since they left the land of Zarahemla, and they wearied him by teasing him to know.

2 King Mosiah allowed sixteen of their strong men to go to the land of Lehi-Nephi, to ask about their brethren.

3 The next day they began the journey, led by Ammon, a strong and mighty man, and a descendant of Zarahemla.

4 They did not know their way through the wilderness to the land of Lehi-Nephi, so they wandered for forty days.

5 When they came to a hill north of the land of Shilom, they pitched their tents.

6 Ammon took three of his brethren—Amaleki, Helem, and Hem—to the land of Nephi.

7 They met the king of the land of Nephi and the land of Shilom, and they were surrounded by the king’s guard, tied up, and put in prison.

8 After two days in prison, they were untied, brought before the king, and commanded to answer his questions.

9 He said, I am Limhi, the son of Noah, who was the son of Zeniff, who was made king by the voice of the people who journeyed out of Zarahemla to inherit this land, which was the land of their fathers.

10 I want to know why you were so bold as to come near the walls of the city when I was with my guards outside the gate?

11 I have allowed you to live so I could ask you this. Otherwise, I would have told my guards to kill you. You are permitted to speak.

12 Ammon bowed before the king, and when he arose he said, O king, today I am very thankful before God that I am still alive and permitted to speak, so I will try to speak boldly because I am assured that if you had known me, I would not have been tied up.

13 I am Ammon, a descendant of Zarahemla, and have come from the land of Zarahemla to ask about our brethren whom Zeniff brought from that land.

14 When Limhi had heard these words, he was very happy and said, Now I know for sure that my brethren who were in the land of Zarahemla are still alive. And now I will rejoice, and tomorrow I will help my people to rejoice also.

15 We are in bondage to the Lamanites and are burdened with a heavy tax. But now you our brethren will deliver us from bondage to the Lamanites, and we will be your slaves because it is better that we are slaves to the Nephites than pay the king of the Lamanites.

16 King Limhi commanded his guards to free Ammon and his brethren, and then directed them to go to the hill north of Shilom, and bring their brethren into the city so they could eat, drink, and rest from the labors of their journey because they had suffered many things, including hunger, thirst, and fatigue.

17 The next day king Limhi sent a proclamation among all his people, to gather to the temple to hear the words he would speak to them.

18 When the people had gathered, he said, My people, lift up your heads and be comforted because the time is near when we won’t be ruled by our enemies despite our many struggles, which have been in vain; but I trust that now our struggle will work.

19 So lift up your heads and rejoice, and put your trust in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the same God who brought the children of Israel out of Egypt and empowered them to walk through the Red Sea on dry ground, and fed them with manna so they would not perish in the wilderness; and many more things he did for them.

20 This is the same God who brought our fathers out of Jerusalem, and has preserved his people until now, and it is because of our iniquities that he has brought us into bondage.

21 You are all witnesses this day that Zeniff was made king over this people, and he was too eager to inherit the land of his fathers, so he was deceived by the cleverness of king Laman, who entered into a treaty with king Zeniff. Laman gave Zeniff part of the land, including the city of Lehi-Nephi, the city of Shilom, and the nearby land.

22 He did this for the sole purpose of bringing this people into bondage. So now we pay tax to the Lamanite king: half our corn, barley, and grain of every kind, and half the increase of our flocks and herds. He even takes half of all we have, or he will take our lives.

23 Is this not painful to bear? Is our affliction not great? We have great reason to mourn.

24 We also have great reasons to mourn because many of our brethren have been killed, and their blood has been spilled in vain, and all because of iniquity. 

25 If this people had not fallen into transgression, the Lord would not have allowed this great evil to come to them. But they would not listen to him, and great contentions arose among them, with much bloodshed.

26 And they killed a prophet of the Lord, a chosen man of God, who told them about their wickedness, and prophesied of many things which are to come, including the coming of Christ.

27 He said that Christ was God, the Father of all things, and would take upon him the form of man, like the form of man created in the beginning—or in other words, he said that man was created after the image of God, and that God would come among men and take upon him flesh and blood, and go out in the world.

28 And because he said this, they killed him and did many more things that brought the anger of God on them. So who wonders that they are in bondage and sorely afflicted?

29 The Lord has said, I will not support my people in the day of their transgression, but I will block their ways so they can’t prosper, and their actions will be like a stumbling block in front of them.

30 He says, If my people sow filthiness they will reap the dust in the whirlwind, and the effect is poison. And if my people sow filthiness they will reap the east wind, which brings immediate destruction.

32 And now the promise of the Lord is fulfilled, and you are punished and afflicted.

33 But if you turn to the Lord with full purpose of heart, and put your trust in him, and serve him with all diligence, he will deliver you from bondage according to his own will and pleasure.

CHAPTER 8

Ammon teaches the people of Limhi—He learns of the twenty-four Jaredite plates—Ancient records can be translated by seers—No gift is greater than seership. About 121 B.C.

1 After king Limhi finished speaking to his people, he told them all about their brethren in the land of Zarahemla. He spoke many things, but I have written only a few in this book.

2 Ammon told the multitude everything that had happened to their brethren from the time Zeniff left until Ammon came to them.

3 He also told them the last words king Benjamin had taught, and he explained them to the people of king Limhi so they could understand all his words.

4 Then king Limhi dismissed the multitude and told them to return to their homes.

5 King Limhi brought out the plates that contained the record of his people from the time they left the land of Zarahemla, so Ammon could read them.

6 When Ammon had read the record, the king asked him if he could translate languages, and Ammon said he could not.

7 The king said, I was grieved for the afflictions of my people, so I sent forty-three of my people into the wilderness to find the land of Zarahemla, so we could appeal to our brethren to deliver us from bondage.

8 They were lost in the wilderness for many days, but they pressed on and traveled in a land among many waters, and discovered a land covered with bones of men and beasts, and also covered with ruins of buildings of every kind. They had discovered a land filled with people who were once as numerous as the hosts of Israel. Then they returned to this land.

9 To prove the truth of what they said they brought twenty-four plates of pure gold, filled with engravings.

10 They also brought pieces of perfectly whole body armor, which were large and made of brass and copper.

11 They brought swords, with rusted handles and blades, and there is no one in the land who is able to translate the language on the plates. That’s why I asked you, Can you translate?

12 I ask again, Do you know anyone who can translate? I want these records to be translated into our language because they might give us a knowledge of a remnant of the people who were destroyed, or perhaps they will give us a knowledge of this people and the cause of their destruction.

13 Ammon said, I can tell you assuredly, O king, of a man who can translate the records because he has a way to look and translate all records of ancient date; and it is a gift from God. The things are called interpreters, and no man can look in them unless he is commanded, for fear that he would look for what he shouldn’t and would perish. And whoever is commanded to look in them is called seer.

14 The man who is commanded to do these things, who has this high gift from God, is the king of the people in Zarahemla.

15 And the king said that a seer is greater than a prophet.

16 Ammon said that a seer is a revelator and a prophet also, and no man can have a greater gift unless he has the power of God himself, which no man can; but a man can have great power given to him from God.

17 A seer can know about things that are past and are to come, and by the seers all things will be revealed, and secret things will be shown, and hidden things will come to light, and things not known will be made known by them, and also things will be made known by them that would not be known otherwise.

18 Thus God has provided a way for man, through faith, to work mighty miracles, so he becomes a great benefit to his fellow man.

19 Then the king rejoiced and gave thanks to God, saying: No doubt a great mystery is contained in these plates, and these interpreters were doubtless prepared for the purpose of unraveling all such mysteries to men.

20 How marvelous are the works of the Lord, and how long he is patient with his people, and how blind and hard are the understandings of men, because they will not seek wisdom, neither do they desire that she would rule over them!

21 They are like a wild flock that runs from the shepherd, and scatters, and are driven, and are eaten by the beasts of the forest.

The Record of Zeniff—An account of his people, from the time they left the land of Zarahemla until the time that they were delivered out of the hands of the Lamanites.

Comprising chapters 9 through 22.

CHAPTER 9

Zeniff leads a group from Zarahemla to possess the land of Lehi-Nephi—The Lamanite king permits them to inherit the land—There is war between the Lamanites and Zeniff’s people. About 200–187 B.C.

1 I, Zeniff, was taught in the language of the Nephites, and I had a knowledge of the land of Nephi, the land of our fathers’ first inheritance. I was sent as a spy among the Lamanites so our army could come upon them and destroy them. But when I saw what was good among them I desired that they should not be destroyed.

2 I argued with my brethren in the wilderness, because I wanted our ruler to make a treaty with them, but he was a harsh and blood-thirsty man, so he commanded that I should be killed. I was rescued by much bloody fighting, with father against father, and brother against brother, until the majority of our army was destroyed in the wilderness. So we returned to the land of Zarahemla, to tell the tale to their wives and children.

3 But I was still over-eager to inherit the land of our fathers, so I collected those who wanted to go and take the land, and we journeyed again into the wilderness. But we were punished with famine and sore afflictions because we were slow to remember the Lord our God.

4 After many days’ wandering in the wilderness we pitched our tents in the place where our brethren were killed, which was near the land of our fathers.

5 With four of my men I went to the king in the city so I could learn the attitude of the king toward my people possessing the land in peace.

6 I went to the king, and he covenanted with me that I could possess the land of Lehi-Nephi and the land of Shilom.

7 The king commanded his people to leave the land, and I and my people went into the land to possess it.

8 We began to build buildings and to repair the walls of the cities of Lehi-Nephi and Shilom.

9 We began to till the ground with all kinds of seeds: corn, wheat, barley, neas, and sheum, and with seeds of all kinds of fruit, and we began to multiply and prosper in the land.

10 It was the clever plan of king Laman to give up the land so we could possess it, but then to bring my people into bondage.

11 After we had lived in the land for twelve years, king Laman began to be uneasy, fearing that my people might grow strong in the land so then his people could not overpower them and bring them into bondage.

12 They were a lazy and idolatrous people, so they wanted to bring us into bondage so they could fill themselves with our labors, so they could feast on the flocks of our fields.

13 King Laman began to stir up his people to fight with my people, so wars and contentions began in the land.

14 In the thirteenth year of my reign in the land of Nephi, when my people were watering and feeding their flocks and tilling their lands, a numerous army of Lamanites came and began to kill them, and steal their flocks and the corn of their fields.

15 My people who were not overtaken fled to the city of Nephi, where they called on me for protection.

16 I armed them with bows, arrows, swords, clubs, slings, and all the weapons we could invent, and I and my people went to battle against the Lamanites.

17 Because we cried mightily to the Lord to save us from our enemies, and because we remembered the deliverance of our fathers, we battled the Lamanites in the strength of the Lord.

18 God heard our cries and answered our prayers, and we went forth in his might against the Lamanites. In one day and night we killed three thousand and forty-three, until we had driven them out of our land.

19 With my own hands, I helped to bury their dead. To our great sorrow and grief, two hundred and seventy-nine of our brethren were also killed.

CHAPTER 10

King Laman dies—His people are wild and ferocious and believe in false traditions—Zeniff and his people prevail against them. About 187–160 B.C.

1 We began to establish the kingdom again in peace. I directed the making of weapons of every kind, so I could be ready for when the Lamanites would come again to war against my people.

2 I put guards around the land so the Lamanites could not surprise us again and destroy us. I guarded my people and my flocks, and kept them from our enemies.

3 We inherited the land of our fathers for twenty-two years.

4 I directed the men to till the ground and raise all kinds of grain and fruit.

5 I directed the women to spin and work all kinds of fine linen and other cloth for our clothing, and thus we prospered in the land and had continual peace for twenty-two years.

6 King Laman died, and his son reigned. He began to stir up his people to rebel against my people, so they prepared for war.

7 But I had sent my spies around the land of Shemlon to discover their preparations, so I could guard against them so they could not come against my people and destroy them.

8 The Lamanites came upon the land of Shilom with their great numbers, armed with bows, arrows, swords, stones, and slings. They had their heads shaved, and they wore a leather belt around their waists.

9 I directed the women and children of my people to hide in the wilderness, and my able old men and young men gathered to battle against the Lamanites; and I placed them in their ranks, every man according to his age.

10 We went to battle against the Lamanites, even I in my old age, and we went in the strength of the Lord.

11 The Lamanites knew nothing about the Lord or his strength, so they depended on their own strength, which was great as far as the strength of men.

12 They were a wild, ferocious, and blood-thirsty people, believing in the tradition of their fathers: that they were driven from Jerusalem because of the sins of their fathers, and they were wronged in the wilderness by their brethren, and they were wronged while crossing the sea;

13 And they were wronged in Jerusalem and after crossing the sea, because Nephi was more faithful in keeping the commandments of the Lord, so the Lord favored him and heard his prayers and answered them, and he became the leader of their journey in the wilderness.

14 And Nephi’s brothers were angry with him because they didn’t understand the dealings of the Lord, and they were angry with him on the sea and hardened their hearts against the Lord.

15 They were angry with him when they had arrived in the promised land because they said he had taken the leadership of the people from them, and they tried to kill him.

16 And they were angry with him because Nephi left them to go into the wilderness, as the Lord had commanded him, and took the records engraved on the plates of brass, so they said that he robbed them.

17 They have taught their children that they should hate the Nephites, and murder them, and rob and plunder them, and do all they could to destroy them, so they have an eternal hatred toward the Nephites.

18 For all these reasons king Laman deceived me, using his clever lies and promises, so I would bring my people into this land so they could destroy them. And we have suffered many years.

19 After telling my people all these things about the Lamanites, I, Zeniff, motivated them to battle with their might, putting their trust in the Lord, so we fought with them, face to face.

20 We drove them out of our land again, killing them with a great slaughter, so many that we did not number them.

21 We returned to our own land, where people again tended their flocks and tilled their ground.

22 Being old, I gave the kingdom to one of my sons. May the Lord bless my people. Amen.

CHAPTER 11

King Noah rules in wickedness—He parties with his wives and concubines—Abinadi prophesies that the people will be taken into bondage—His life is sought by King Noah. About 160–150 B.C.

1 The new king was Noah, who did not walk in the ways of his father.

2 He did not keep the commandments of God but walked after the desires of his own heart. He had many wives and concubines, and he led his people to commit sin, abominations, and all kinds of wickedness in the sight of the Lord.

3 He taxed them a fifth of all they possessed: their gold, silver, ziff, copper, brass, iron, their young livestock, and their grain.

4 He used this to support himself, his wives and concubines, his priests, and their wives and concubines, thus changing the affairs of the kingdom.

5 He released all the priests appointed by his father and appointed new ones, who were lifted up in the pride of their hearts.

6 They were supported in their laziness, idolatry, and whoredoms by the taxes king Noah had imposed, so the people worked hard to support iniquity.

7 They also became idol worshipers, because they were deceived by the vain and flattering words of the king and priests.

8 King Noah built many elegant and spacious buildings, and he ornamented them with fine work of wood and all manner of precious things, like gold, silver, iron, brass, ziff, and copper.

9 And he built himself a spacious palace with a throne in the middle, all of it made of fine wood and ornamented with gold, silver, and precious things.

10 He directed his workmen to make all kinds of fine work within the temple walls, using fine wood, copper, and brass.

11 Seats were set apart for the high priests, which were above all the other seats, and Noah ornamented them with pure gold. In front of them was a railing, where they could rest their bodies and arms while they spoke lying and vain words to his people.

12 Near the temple he built a very high tower so he could stand on top and overlook the land of Shilom, and also the land of Shemlon, which was possessed by the Lamanites.

13 He built many buildings in the land Shilom, including a great tower on the hill north of Shilom, which had been a place to rest for the Nephites when they fled out of the land. He did all this with the riches he got from taxing his people.

14 He placed his heart on his riches, and he spent his time in wild living with his wives and concubines, as did his priests with harlots.

15 He planted vineyards around the land, and built wine-presses, and made wine in abundance, and became a great wine drinker, as did his people.

16 The Lamanites began to attack and kill small numbers of his people in their fields, and while they were tending their flocks.

17 King Noah sent guards to keep them out, but he did not send enough, so the Lamanites came and killed them, and drove many of their flocks out of the land. The Lamanites began to destroy them and vent their hatred on them.

18 King Noah sent his armies against them, and they drove them back for a time, so the armies returned, rejoicing in their spoils.

19 Because of this great victory they were lifted up in pride. They boasted of their own strength, saying that fifty of them could stand against thousands of the Lamanites. Because of the wickedness of their king and priests, they delighted in blood and in shedding the blood of their brethren.

20 A man, Abinadi, went among them and prophesied, saying, The Lord has commanded me to tell you this: Curses be to this people because I have seen their abominations, wickedness, and whoredoms, and unless they repent I will visit them in my anger.

21 Unless they repent and turn to the Lord their God, I will deliver them into the hands of their enemies, and they will be put in bondage and afflicted by their enemies.

22 And they will know that I am the Lord their God, I am jealous, and I punish the sins of my people.

23 Unless this people repent and turn to the Lord their God, they will be taken into bondage, and no one will deliver them except the Lord the Almighty God.

24 When they cry to me I will be slow to hear their cries; I will allow them to be afflicted by their enemies.

25 Unless they repent in great humility and cry mightily to the Lord their God, I will not hear their prayers, nor will I deliver them from their afflictions. Thus the Lord said, and thus he commanded me.

26 When Abinadi had said these words, they were angry and tried to kill him, but the Lord delivered him out of their hands.

27 When king Noah had heard about the words Abinadi spoke to the people, he also was angry and said, Who is Abinadi, who would judge me and my people, and who is the Lord, who would bring such great affliction on my people?

28 I command you to bring Abinadi here so I can kill him because he has said these things to stir up my people to anger with each other, and to raise contentions among my people; so I will kill him.

29 The eyes of the people were blinded, so they hardened their hearts against the words of Abinadi and tried to take him from that time on. King Noah hardened his heart against the word of the Lord and did not repent of his evil doings.

CHAPTER 12

Abinadi is imprisoned for prophesying the destruction of the people and the death of King Noah—The false priests quote the scriptures and pretend to keep the law of Moses—Abinadi begins to teach them the Ten Commandments. About 148 B.C.

1 After two years Abinadi came among them in disguise and began to prophesy, saying, The Lord commanded me, saying, Abinadi, go and prophesy to my people, because they have hardened their hearts against my words. They have not repented of their evil doings, so in my anger I will correct their sins and abominations.

2 Curses be to this generation! And the Lord said, Stretch out your hand and prophesy, saying, Thus saith the Lord: because of their sins, this generation will be taken into bondage, and struck on the cheek, and driven by men, and killed; and the vultures of the air, and the dogs, and the wild beasts will eat their flesh.

3 The life of king Noah will be valued like clothing in a hot furnace, and he will know that I am the Lord.

4 I will punish my people with sore afflictions, with famine and disease, and I will make them howl all day long.

5 I will have burdens tied on their backs, and they will be driven like a dumb donkey.

6 I will send hail among them to punish them, and they will be punished with the east wind, and insects will afflict their land and eat their grain.

7 They will be punished with a great plague, and I do all this because of their sins.

8 Unless they repent I will utterly destroy them from the earth, but they will leave a record behind, and I will preserve the record for other nations that will possess the land, so I may reveal the sins of this people to those other nations. Abinadi prophesied many things against this people.

9 They were angry with him and carried him bound to the king, and said, We have brought you a man who has prophesied evil about your people and said that God will destroy them.

10 He also prophesied evil about your life and said that your life will be like clothing in a furnace of fire.

11 He said that you would be like a dry stalk in a field, which is trampled on by the beasts.

12 And he said that you will be like the blossoms of a weed, which the wind scatters over the land. He pretends the Lord has said it. And he said that all this will come upon you except you repent of your iniquities.

13 But O king, what great evil have you done, or what great sins have your people committed, that we should be condemned by God or judged by this man?

14 O king, we are guiltless, and you have not sinned, so this man has lied about you and prophesied in vain.

15 We are strong, so we will not be taken captive by our enemies, and you have prospered in the land and will continue to.

16 Here is the man, we deliver him to you so you can do what you wish.

17 King Noah cast Abinadi into prison, and he commanded the priests to gather so he could talk to them about what he should do with him.

18 They said to the king, Bring him here for questioning, and the king did.

19 They began to question him to get him to say something he could be accused of, but he answered them boldly, and stood against all their questions to their astonishment and confusion.

20 One of them said, What is the meaning of the written words taught by our fathers, saying:

21 How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who proclaims peace and salvation, who says to Zion: Your God reigns!

22 Your leaders and protectors will sing together, because they will be united when the Lord brings back Zion.

23 Be joyful and sing together, you lost and destroyed places of Jerusalem, because the Lord has comforted his people and redeemed Jerusalem.

24 The Lord has shown his holy power to all the world, and the ends of the earth will see the salvation of God.

25 Abinadi said to them, Are you really priests, who claim to teach this people and understand the spirit of prophesying, but you want me to explain what these things mean?

26 Curses be to you for perverting the ways of the Lord! If you understand these things, you have not taught them, so you have perverted the ways of the Lord.

27 You have not applied your hearts to understanding, so you have not been wise. So what do you teach this people?

28 They said, We teach the law of Moses.

29 He said, If you teach the law of Moses why do you not keep it? Why do you focus your hearts on riches? Why do you commit whoredoms and spend your strength with harlots, and lead this people to commit sin so the Lord has to send me to prophesy against this people and their great evil?

30 Do you not know that I speak the truth? Yes, you know that I speak the truth, and you ought to tremble before God.

31 You will be punished for your sins because you have said that you teach the law of Moses. But what do you know about the law of Moses? Does salvation come by the law of Moses?

32 They said that salvation did come by the law of Moses.

33 Abinadi said, Yes, you will be saved if you keep the commandments the Lord delivered to Moses in the mount of Sinai, saying:

34 I am the Lord thy God, who has brought you out of Egypt, out of the house of captivity.

35 You will have no other God before me.

36 You will not make carved idols for yourself, or any image of anything in heaven above or things which are in the earth beneath.

37 Abinadi said, Have you done all this? No, you have not. And have you taught this people to do all these things? No, you have not.

CHAPTER 13

Abinadi is protected by divine power—He teaches the Ten Commandments—Salvation does not come by the law of Moses alone—God Himself will make an atonement and redeem His people. About 148 B.C.

1 When the king heard these words, he said to his priests, Take away this fellow and kill him. This has nothing to do with us because he is insane.

2 They attempted to lay their hands on him, but he withstood them and said,

3 Don’t touch me, or God will strike you, because I have not delivered the message the Lord sent me to deliver, nor have I told you what you requested me to answer, so God will not allow me to be destroyed at this time.

4 I must fulfil the commandments God has given me, but because I have told you the truth you are angry with me. And because I have spoken the word of God you have judged me to be insane.

5 Then the people of king Noah dared not lay their hands on him, because the Spirit of the Lord was upon him, and his face shone with exceeding brightness, like Moses’ did while speaking with the Lord in the mount of Sinai.

6 He spoke with power and authority from God, and he continued his words, saying,

7 You see that you have no power to kill me, so I finish my message. And I perceive that it cuts you to your hearts that I tell you the truth about your sins.

8 And my words fill you with astonishment and amazement, and with anger.

9 But I finish my message; and then it doesn’t matter where I go if I am saved.

10 But I tell you, what you do with me will be like a symbol and foretelling of things to come.

11 Now I read to you the remainder of the commandments of God, because I perceive that they are not written in your hearts; I perceive that you have studied and taught iniquity most of your lives.

12 Remember that I said to you, You will not make yourself carved idols, or any image of things in heaven above or in the earth beneath or in the water under the ground.

13 And you will not bow down to them or serve them, because I am jealous and will put the sins of the fathers on the children, to the third and fourth generations of those who hate me, while showing mercy to thousands of them who love me and keep my commandments.

15 You will not use the name of the Lord thy God in vain, because the Lord will not account such a man guiltless.

16 Remember to keep the sabbath day holy.

17 Six days you will do all your work;

18 But the seventh day, the sabbath of the Lord thy God, you will not do any work, nor your son, daughter, man-servant, maid-servant, cattle, or guest in your house;

19 Because in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and the sea, and all that is in them, so the Lord blessed the sabbath day and made it holy.

20 Honor your father and mother so your days may be long in the land the Lord thy God gives you.

21 You will not kill.

22 You will not commit adultery. You will not steal.

23 You will not testify falsely against your neighbor.

24 You will not covet your neighbor’s house, or his wife, or his man-servant, or his maid-servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.

25 Then Abinadi said, Have you taught this people to keep these commandments?

26 No, because if you had, the Lord would not have commanded me to come and prophesy evil about this people.

27 You have said that salvation comes by the law of Moses. And so far it is necessary to keep the law of Moses, but the time will come when it will no longer be necessary.

28 Salvation does not come by the law of Moses alone. If it were not for the atonement, which God himself will make for the sins and iniquities of his people, they would unavoidably perish, despite the law of Moses.

29 It was necessary for a strict law to be given to the children of Israel because they were stubbornly proud, quick to sin, and slow to remember the Lord their God;

30 So a law of performances and of ordinances was given to them, a law they would keep strictly from day to day, to help them remember God and their duty toward him.

31 All these things were representations of things to come.

32 Did they understand the law of Moses? No, because of the hardness of their hearts they did not all understand that no man could be saved except through the redemption of God.

33 Did Moses prophesy to them about the coming of the Messiah, and that God would redeem his people? Yes, just like all the prophets since the world began, who have spoken more or less about these things.

34 Have they not said that God himself would come down among the children of men, and take upon him the form of man, and go out in mighty power on the earth?

35 Yes, and have they not said also that he would cause the resurrection of the dead, and that he would be oppressed and afflicted?

CHAPTER 14

Isaiah speaks messianically—The Messiah’s humiliation and sufferings are set forth—He makes His soul an offering for sin and makes intercession for transgressors—Compare Isaiah 53. About 148 B.C.

1 Does not Isaiah say, Who has believed our prophecies, and who sees the power of the Lord?

2 He will grow up before the Father like a tender plant and like a root out of dry ground. He has no outward appearance of glory so we would recognize him.

3 He is discarded and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, and we turned our faces from him. He was despised, and we did not value him.

4 Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows, but we thought him to be sick and punished for his sins.

5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our sins, his suffering gave us peace, and with his whipping we are healed.

6 Like sheep we have all gone astray; every one of us has turned in our own direction; and the Lord has laid on him all our sins.

7 He was oppressed and afflicted, but he did not object; he is brought like a lamb to the slaughter, and like a sheep before her shearers does not open his mouth.

8 He was taken by force and without justice, and who can declare his earthly descendants? He was cut off from all mortal support; he was afflicted for the transgressions of his people.

9 He made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, but he had done no evil, neither was any deceit in him.

10 But it was the Lord’s will to bruise him; he has put him to grief. When you make his soul an offering for sin he will see his seed, he will prolong his days, and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand.

11 He will see the child-bearing pain of his soul, and will be satisfied. By his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many because he will bear their sins.

12 I divide him a portion with the great, and he will divide the spoil with the strong because he has poured out his soul to death, and he was numbered with the transgressors, and he bore the sins of many and made intercession for the transgressors.

CHAPTER 15

How Christ is both the Father and the Son—He will make intercession and bear the transgressions of His people—They and all the holy prophets are His seed—He brings to pass the Resurrection—Little children have eternal life. About 148 B.C.

1 Abinadi said, Understand that God himself will come down among men and will redeem his people.

2 And because he lives in flesh he will be called the Son of God, having subjected the flesh to the will of the Father, being the Father and the Son.

3 He is the Father because he was conceived by the power of God, and the Son because of the flesh, thus becoming the Father and Son.

4 And they are one God, the Eternal Father of heaven and earth.

5 The flesh becomes subject to the Spirit, or Son to the Father, being one God, and suffers temptation and does not give in to the temptation, but allows himself to be mocked, whipped, cast out, and disowned by his people.

6 After all this, and after working many mighty miracles among men, he will be led before the shearer, as Isaiah said, like a sheep who does not open his mouth.

7 He will be led, crucified, and killed, the flesh becoming subject to death, the will of the Son being swallowed up in the will of the Father.

8 Thus God breaks the bands of death, gaining victory over death, giving the Son power to make intercession for the children of men.

9 He ascended into heaven, having the bowels of mercy, filled with compassion toward men, standing between them and justice, having broken the bands of death, having taken upon himself their sins and transgressions, having redeemed them, and satisfied the demands of justice.

10 Now I say, who will declare his earthly descendants? When his soul has been offered for sin, he will see his seed. And what do you say? Who will be his seed?

11 Whoever has heard the words of all the prophets who have prophesied about the coming of the Lord would know that his seed are all those who have listened to their words, and believed that the Lord would redeem his people, and have looked forward to that day for a remission of their sins. These are his seed, who are the heirs of the kingdom of God.

12 These are they whose sins he has borne. These are they for whom he has died, to redeem them from their transgressions. Now, are they not his seed?

13 And are not the prophets his seed, every one who has opened his mouth to prophesy, who has not fallen into transgression, meaning all the holy prophets ever since the world began? Yes, they are his seed.

14 These are they who have proclaimed peace, who have brought good news, who have proclaimed salvation and said to Zion: Your God reigns!

15 How beautiful on the mountains were their feet!

16 And how beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those still proclaiming peace!

17 And how beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who after this will proclaim peace, from this time and forever!

18 This is not all. How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who is the founder of peace: the Lord, who has redeemed his people and given them salvation;

19 Because if it were not for the redemption he has made for his people, which was prepared from the foundation of the world, all mankind would have perished.

20 But the bands of death will be broken, and the Son reigns and has power over the dead, so he causes the resurrection of the dead.

21 A resurrection comes, even a first resurrection, a resurrection of those who have been, and who are, and who will be, until the resurrection of Christ.

22 All the prophets, and all who have believed in their words, or all those who have kept the commandments of God, will rise in the first resurrection. So they are the first resurrection.

23 They are raised to live with God who has redeemed them; thus they have eternal life through Christ, who has broken the bands of death.

24 These are those who have part in the first resurrection; and these are they who have died before Christ came, in their ignorance, not having salvation declared to them. And thus the Lord brings about the restoration of these; and they have a part in the first resurrection, or have eternal life, being redeemed by the Lord.

25 Little children also have eternal life.

26 But look and fear and tremble before God, because you ought to tremble, because the Lord redeems none who rebel against him and die in their sins. Those who have no part in the first resurrection are all those who have perished in their sins since the world began, who have wilfully rebelled against God, who have known the commandments of God but would not keep them;.

27 So, should you not tremble? Because salvation comes to none like this, and the Lord has redeemed none like this, nor can he because he cannot deny himself. He cannot deny justice when it has its claim.

28 The time will come when the salvation of the Lord will be declared to every nation, culture, tongue, and people.

29 Your leaders and protectors will sing together, because they will be united when the Lord brings back Zion.

30 Be joyful and sing together, you lost and destroyed places of Jerusalem, because the Lord has comforted his people and redeemed Jerusalem.

31 The Lord has shown his holy power to all the world, and the ends of the earth will see the salvation of God.

CHAPTER 16

God redeems men from their lost and fallen state—Those who are carnal remain as though there were no redemption—Christ brings to pass a resurrection to endless life or to endless damnation. About 148 B.C.

1 After Abinadi had spoken these words he stretched out his hand and said, The time will come when all will see the salvation of the Lord, when every nation, culture, tongue, and people will be united and confess before God that his judgments are righteous.

2 Then the wicked will be cast out, and they will have reason to howl, weep, wail, and grind their teeth because they would not listen to the voice of the Lord, so he does not redeem them.

3 They become subjects of the devil, because they are worldly and devilish, and the devil has power over them, who is that old serpent who tricked our first parents, which was the cause of their fall, which was the cause of all mankind becoming worldly, sensual, devilish, and knowing evil from good.

4 Thus all mankind were lost, and they would have been lost endlessly if God had not redeemed his people from their lost and fallen state.

5 Remember that he who persists in his own natural state, and who goes on in the ways of sin and rebellion against God, remains in his fallen state, and the devil has all power over him. So he is as though no redemption was made, being an enemy to God, like the devil is an enemy to God.

6 Speaking of things to come as though they had already happened, if Christ had not come into the world, there could have been no redemption.

7 If Christ had not risen from the dead, or not broken the bands of death so the grave would have no victory and death would have no sting, there could have been no resurrection.

8 But there is a resurrection, so the grave has no victory, and the sting of death is swallowed up in Christ.

9 He is the light and life of the world, a light that is endless, that can never be darkened, and also a life that is endless, so there can be no more death.

10 This mortal will put on immortality, and this impurity will put on wholeness, and will be brought to stand before the bar of God, to be judged by him according to their works, whether they be good or evil.

11 If their works are good, they will be raised to the resurrection of endless life and happiness, and if they are evil, to the resurrection of endless damnation, being delivered up to the devil, who has subjected them, which is damnation.

12 These damned have done according to their own natural wills, having never called on the Lord while the arms of mercy were extended toward them. The arms of mercy were extended toward them, but they would not come. They were warned of their sins, but still they would not depart from them, and they were commanded to repent but would not.

13 Now should you not tremble and repent of your sins, and remember that only in and through Christ can you be saved?

14 So if you teach the law of Moses, also teach that it is a representation of those things which are to come.

15 Teach them that redemption comes through Christ the Lord, who is the very Eternal Father. Amen.

CHAPTER 17

Alma believes and writes the words of Abinadi—Abinadi suffers death by fire—He prophesies disease and death by fire upon his murderers. About 148 B.C.

1 When Abinadi had finished speaking, the king commanded the priests to execute him.

2 But a young man named Alma, a descendant of Nephi, was among the priests, and he believed the words Abinadi had spoken because he knew about the iniquity Abinadi had testified against them. So he began to plead with the king not to be angry with Abinadi but allow him to leave in peace.

3 But the king was more angry, and directed that Alma should be cast out, and sent his servants after him to kill him.

4 But Alma fled, hid for many days, and wrote all the words Abinadi had spoken.

5 The king had Abinadi tied up and put in prison.

6 After three days, having counseled with his priests, Noah brought Abinadi before him.

7 He said, Abinadi, you have been accused and found guilty, so you must die.

8 You have said that God himself would come down among men, so you will be put to death unless you recall all the evil words you have spoken about me and my people.

9 Abinadi said, I will not recall the words I have spoken about this people because they are true, and I have allowed myself to be taken by you so you can know them with certainty.

10 I will suffer even to death, but I will not recall my words, and they will stand as a testimony against you. And if you kill me you will shed innocent blood, and this will also stand as a testimony against you at the last day.

11 King Noah was about to release him, because he feared his words that the judgments of God would come upon him.

12 But the priests lifted up their voices against him and began to accuse him, saying, He has spoken evil of the king. So the king was stirred up in anger against him and delivered him to be killed.

13 They bound him and with burning sticks they whipped him and burned him to death.

14 When the flames began to scorch him, he cried out,

15 Just as you have done to me, so your seed will make many suffer the same pains as I, even the pains of death by fire, and they do this because they believe in the salvation of the Lord their God.

16 And you will be afflicted with all manner of diseases because of your sins.

17 You will be afflicted on every hand, and will be driven and scattered to and fro, even as a wild flock is driven by wild and ferocious beasts.

18 In that day you will be hunted and taken by your enemies, and then you will suffer the pains of death by fire, as I suffer.

19 Thus God executes vengeance upon those who destroy his people. O God, receive my soul.

20 When Abinadi had said these words, he fell dead by fire. He was executed because he would not deny the commandments of God, having sealed the truth of his words by his death.

CHAPTER 18

Alma preaches in private—He sets forth the covenant of baptism and baptizes at the waters of Mormon—He organizes the Church of Christ and ordains priests—They support themselves and teach the people—Alma and his people flee from King Noah into the wilderness. About 147–145 B.C.

1 Alma, who had fled from king Noah, repented of his sins and went around privately among the people, teaching the words of Abinadi.

2 He taught about what was to come, and about the resurrection of the dead, and about the redemption of the people, which was to happen through the power, sufferings, and death of Christ, and about his resurrection and ascension into heaven.

3 He taught whoever would hear his word. He taught them privately, so the king would not know, and many believed his words.

4 Whoever believed him went to a place called Mormon, where there was a grove of trees near a spring of pure water. Alma hid there in the daytime from the searches of the king. 

6 Whoever believed him went there to hear his words.

7 After many days all who believed in Alma’s word—a goodly number—gathered at the place of Mormon to hear him teach repentance, redemption, and faith on the Lord.

8 He said, Here are the waters of Mormon, so because you want to come into the fold of God and be called his people, and are willing to bear one another’s burdens so they can be light—

9 And because you are willing to mourn with those who mourn, and comfort those who need comfort, and stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things and in all places even until death so you can be redeemed of God and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that you can have eternal life—

10 I say that if this is the desire of your hearts, what do you have against being baptized in the name of the Lord as a witness before him that you have entered into a covenant with him that you will serve him and keep his commandments, so he can pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon you?

11 When the people had heard these words, they clapped their hands for joy, and exclaimed, This is the desire of our hearts.

12 Alma took Helam, one of the first believers, into the water, where he stood and cried, O Lord, pour out your Spirit on your servant, so he can do this work with holiness of heart.

13 Then the Spirit of the Lord was on him, and he said, Helam, I baptize you, having authority from the Almighty God, as a testimony that you have entered into a covenant to serve him until your mortal body is dead. And may the Spirit of the Lord be poured out upon you, and may he grant you eternal life through the redemption of Christ, whom he has prepared from the foundation of the world.

14 Then both Alma and Helam were buried in the water, and they came out of the water rejoicing, being filled with the Spirit.

15 Alma took another into the water and baptized him like the first, except he did not bury himself again in the water.

16 In this way he baptized everyone that went to the waters of Mormon, numbering about two hundred and four souls. And then they were filled with the grace of God.

17 From that time forward, they were called the church of God, or the church of Christ. And whoever was baptized by the power and authority of God was added to his church.

18 Having authority from God, Alma ordained priests, one priest to every fifty of their number, to teach them about the things of the kingdom of God.

19 He commanded them to teach nothing except the things taught by him and by the mouth of the holy prophets.

20 He commanded them to preach nothing except repentance and faith in the Lord, who had redeemed his people.

21 And he commanded them to have no contention with each other, but that they should look forward with one vision, having one faith and one baptism, with their hearts knit together in unity and in love for each other.

22 He commanded them to preach this way, and thus they became the children of God.

23 He commanded them to keep the sabbath day holy and every day to give thanks to the Lord their God.

24 He commanded the priests he had ordained to labor with their own hands for a living.

25 They set apart one day in every week to gather and teach the people, and to worship the Lord their God, and also to assemble themselves as often as they could.

26 The priests were not to depend on the people for their physical support, but for their spiritual labor they were to receive the grace of God, so they could grow strong in the Spirit, having the knowledge of God so they could teach with power and authority from God.

27 Alma commanded the people of the church to give their goods, every one according to what he had. If he had an abundance, he would give abundantly, and of him who had little, little would be required; and to him that had nothing it would be given.

28 So from their own free will and good desires toward God, they would give their wealth to those priests who stood in need and to every needy, naked soul.

29 He said this to them by command from God, and they walked correctly before God, giving to one another both physically and spiritually according to their needs and wants.

30 All this was done in Mormon, in the trees near the waters of Mormon, beautiful places to the eyes of those who came to the knowledge of their Redeemer there. And how blessed are they, who will sing his praises forever.

31 These things were done in the borders of the land, where they would not come to the knowledge of the king.

32 But the king discovered a movement among the people, so he sent his servants to watch them. One day when they were gathering to hear the word of the Lord, they were discovered by men who told the king.

33 The king said that Alma was stirring up the people to rebellion against him, so he sent his army to destroy them.

34 Alma and the people of the Lord were informed of the coming of the king’s army, so they departed into the wilderness with their tents and families.

35 They numbered about four hundred and fifty souls.

CHAPTER 19

Gideon seeks to slay King Noah—The Lamanites invade the land—King Noah suffers death by fire—Limhi rules as a tributary monarch. About 145–121 B.C.

1 The army of the king returned without finding the people of the Lord.

2 The forces of the king were small, having been reduced, and a division began among the remainder of the people.

3 The lesser part began to speak threatenings against the king, and a great contention began among them.

4 Gideon was a strong man and an enemy to the king. He drew his sword and swore in his anger that he would kill the king.

5 He fought with the king, and when the king saw that Gideon was about to overpower him, he ran to the tower near the temple.

6 As Gideon pursued him, the king looked around toward the land of Shemlon, and he saw that the army of the Lamanites was within the borders of the land.

7 The king cried out in the anguish of his soul, saying, Gideon, spare me, because the Lamanites are upon us, and if they destroy us, they will destroy my people.

8 The king was not so much concerned about his people as he was about his own life, but Gideon spared his life.

9 The king commanded the people to flee from the Lamanites, and he led them into the wilderness with their women and children.

10 The Lamanites pursued them, overtook them, and began to kill them.

11 The king commanded that all the men should leave their wives and children, and run from the Lamanites.

12 Many would not leave their families but chose to stay and die with them. The rest ran, leaving their wives and children.

13 Those who stayed with their wives and children told their beautiful daughters to go out and plead with the Lamanites not to kill them.

14 The Lamanites had compassion on them, because they were charmed with the beauty of their women.

15 So the Lamanites spared their lives, took them captive, carried them back to the land of Nephi, and gave them possession of the land under condition that they would deliver up king Noah to the Lamanites and deliver up one half of all they possessed: their gold, silver, and all their precious things. Thus they would pay tribute to the king of the Lamanites from year to year.

16 One of the sons of the king, whose name was Limhi, was among those taken captive.

17 Limhi wanted his father not to be destroyed, although he knew about the sins of his father, he being a righteous man himself.

18 Gideon secretly sent men into the wilderness to search for the king and those who had fled with him. And they met these people in the wilderness, all but the king and his priests.

19 These people had sworn in their hearts that they would return to the land of Nephi, and if their wives and children were killed, and also those who had stayed behind with their families, they would seek revenge and possibly perish with them.

20 But the king commanded them not to return, and they were angry with the king, and made him suffer, even executing him by fire.

21 They were about to kill the priests too, but they ran away.

22 They were about to return to the land of Nephi when they met the men of Gideon, who told them what had happened to their wives and children, and that the Lamanites had given their land back to them if they would pay a tribute to the Lamanites of one half of all they possessed.

23 The people told the men of Gideon that they had killed the king, and his priests had fled farther into the wilderness.

24 After a ceremony they returned to the land of Nephi, rejoicing that their wives and children were not killed; and they told Gideon what they had done to the king.

25 The Lamanite king made an oath to them that his people would not kill them.

26 The kingdom was given by the people to Limhi, being the son of the king, and he made an oath to the king of the Lamanites that his people would pay tribute to him of one half of all they owned.

27 Limhi began to establish the kingdom and peace among his people.

28 The Lamanite king put guards around the land so he could keep the people of Limhi from departing into the wilderness, and he supported his guards from the tribute he received from the Nephites.

29 King Limhi had continual peace in his kingdom for two years, where the Lamanites did not bother them or try to destroy them.

CHAPTER 20

Some Lamanite daughters are abducted by the priests of Noah—The Lamanites wage war upon Limhi and his people—The Lamanite hosts are repulsed and pacified. About 145–123 B.C.

1 There was a place in Shemlon where the daughters of the Lamanites gathered to sing, dance, and have fun.

2 One day a small number of them gathered to sing and dance.

3 The priests of king Noah were ashamed to return to the city of Nephi and afraid that the people would kill them for running away, so they dared not return to their wives and children.

4 The priests were living in the wilderness, and when they discovered the daughters of the Lamanites, they lay and watched them.

5 When only a few of them were gathered to dance, the priests came out of their hiding places and carried twenty-four of the girls into the wilderness.

6 When the Lamanites discovered that their daughters were missing, they were angry with the people of Limhi, who they thought had taken the girls.

7 So the king led their armies to the land of Nephi to destroy the people of Limhi.

8 From the tower Limhi had seen their preparations for war, so he gathered his people and waited for them, hiding in the fields and forests.

9 When the Lamanites came, the people of Limhi began to attack and kill them.

10 The battle became exceedingly severe because they fought like lions for their prey.

11 The people of Limhi began to drive the Lamanites out, even though they were not half as numerous as the Lamanites. But they fought for their lives, their wives, and their children, so they exerted themselves and fought like dragons.

12 Among the dead they found the king of the Lamanites, although he was not dead, just wounded and left on the ground because of the speedy flight of his people.

13 They bandaged his wounds and took him to the city, saying to Limhi, We have brought the king of the Lamanites. He fell among their dead with a wound, and they left him. We want to kill him.

14 But Limhi said, You will not kill him, but bring him here so I can see him. They brought him, and Limhi said to him, Why did you make war against my people? They have not broken the oath I made to you, so why would you break the oath you made to my people?

15 The king said, I have broken the oath because your people kidnapped the daughters of my people, so in my anger I brought my people to war against yours.

16 Limhi had heard nothing about all this, so he said, I will search among my people, and whoever has done this thing will die. And he made a search among his people.

17 Gideon was Limhi’s captain, and when he had heard these things, he said to the king, I beg you to wait, and don’t search this people, and don’t accuse them of this thing.

18 Remember the priests of your father, whom we tried to destroy? Are they not in the wilderness? Are they not the ones who have stolen the daughters of the Lamanites?

19 Tell this to the Lamanite king, so he can tell his people and calm them toward us, because they are already preparing to come against us, and there are only a few of us.

20 They’re coming in great numbers, and unless their king calms them we will die.

21 Does this not fulfill the prophecy of Abinadi that this would happen if we didn’t listen to the words of the Lord and turn from our sins?

22 Let’s calm the king and fulfil the oath we made to him because it is better that we are in bondage than to be dead. So let’s put a stop to the shedding of so much blood.

23 Limhi told the king all about his father and the priests who had fled into the wilderness, and he blamed them for carrying away their daughters.

24 The king was calmed and said, Let us go without weapons to meet my people, and I swear to you with an oath that my people will not kill you.

25 They followed the king and went without weapons to meet the Lamanites. When they met them, the king of the Lamanites bowed himself down and pled on behalf of the people of Limhi.

26 When the Lamanites saw that the people of Limhi were unarmed, they had compassion on them and were calmed toward them, and returned with their king in peace to their own land.

CHAPTER 21

Limhi’s people are smitten and defeated by the Lamanites—Limhi’s people meet Ammon and are converted—They tell Ammon of the twenty-four Jaredite plates. About 122–121 B.C.

1 Limhi and his people returned to the city of Nephi and lived again in peace.

2 After many days the Lamanites began again to be stirred up in anger against the Nephites, and they came into the borders of the land.

3 They didn’t dare kill anyone because of the oath their king had made to Limhi, but they would hit them in the face and force them to do things, like putting heavy burdens on their backs and driving them like dumb donkeys.

4 All this was done so the word of the Lord might be fulfilled.

5 The afflictions of the Nephites were great, and there was no way they could deliver themselves because the Lamanites had surrounded them on every side.

6 The people began to complain to the king because of their afflictions, and they wanted to go against them in battle. They really bothered the king with their complaints, so he allowed them to do as they wanted.

7 They gathered themselves, put on their armor, and went out against the Lamanites to drive them out of their land.

8 But the Lamanites beat them, drove them back, and killed many of them.

9 There was a great mourning and howling among the people of Limhi, the widow mourning for her husband, the son and daughter for their father, and the brothers for their brothers.

10 There were a great many widows in the land, and they cried mightily from day to day because a great fear of the Lamanites had come upon them.

11 Their continual cries stirred up the remainder of the people of Limhi to anger against the Lamanites, so they went to battle again, but they were driven back again, suffering much loss.

12 They went a third time and suffered like before, and those who were not killed returned to the city of Nephi.

13 They humbled themselves to the dust, subjecting themselves to the harness of bondage, allowing themselves to be beaten and driven here and there, burdened according to the desires of their enemies.

14 They humbled themselves in the depths of humility and cried mightily to God. All the day long they cried to their God that he would deliver them from their afflictions.

15 The Lord was slow to hear their cry because of their sins, but he did hear and began to soften the hearts of the Lamanites so they began to ease their burdens. But the Lord did not choose to deliver them from bondage.

16 They began to prosper gradually in the land, raising grain more abundantly, and flocks and herds, so they did not suffer with hunger.

17 The number of women was much greater than men, so king Limhi commanded every man to help support the widows and their children so they would not die from hunger; and they did this because of the great numbers who had been killed.

18 As much as possible the people of Limhi kept together in one group, and kept their grain and flocks safe.

19 The king did not trust his safety outside the walls of the city without guards, fearing that he would be taken by the Lamanites.

20 He directed his people to watch around the land so perhaps they could capture those priests who fled into the wilderness, who had stolen the daughters of the Lamanites, and who had caused such a great destruction to come upon them.

21 They wanted to punish them, because they had come into the land of Nephi by night and carried off their grain and many of their precious things. So they hid and waited for them.

22 There was no more disturbance between the Lamanites and the people of Limhi until the time that Ammon and his brethren came into the land.

23 Limhi was outside the city with his guards when they saw Ammon and his brethren, and they thought they were the priests of Noah, so they tied them up and put them in prison. If they had been the priests of Noah, Limhi would have had them executed.

24 But when he found that they were not the priests, but were his brethren who had come from Zarahemla, he was filled with exceedingly great joy.

25 Before Ammon came, king Limhi had sent a small number of men to search for the land of Zarahemla, but they could not find it and were lost in the wilderness.

26 But they did find a land where people had lived and been destroyed, a land covered with dry bones. They thought it was the land of Zarahemla and returned to the land of Nephi, arriving not many days before the coming of Ammon.

27 The men Limhi sent out brought with them a record of the people whose bones they had found, and it was engraved on metal plates.

28 Limhi was filled with joy to learn from Ammon that king Mosiah had a gift from God whereby he could translate such engravings, and Ammon rejoiced also.

29 But Ammon and his brethren were filled with sorrow because so many of their brethren had been killed;

30 And also that king Noah and his priests had caused the people to commit so many sins against God. They mourned for the death of Abinadi and for the departure of Alma and the people who went with him, who had formed a church of God through the strength and power of God, and through faith on the words spoken by Abinadi.

31 They mourned for their departure, because they didn’t know where they had fled. They would gladly have joined with them, because they too had entered into a covenant with God to serve him and keep his commandments.

32 And since the coming of Ammon, king Limhi and many of his people had also entered into a covenant with God to serve him and keep his commandments.

33 King Limhi and many of his people wanted to be baptized, but there was no one in the land who had authority from God. Ammon declined to do it, considering himself an unworthy servant.

34 So they waited on the Spirit of the Lord and did not form themselves into a church at that time. They wanted to become like Alma and his brethren, who had fled into the wilderness.

35 They wanted to be baptized as a testimony that they were willing to serve God with all their hearts, but they waited, and an account of their baptism will be given hereafter.

36 All the planning of Ammon and his people, and king Limhi and his people, was to deliver themselves from bondage to the Lamanites.

CHAPTER 22

Plans are made for the people to escape from Lamanite bondage—The Lamanites are made drunk—The people escape, return to Zarahemla, and become subject to King Mosiah. About 121–120 B.C.

1 Ammon and king Limhi gathered all the people together and consulted with them about how they could deliver themselves from bondage, so they could have the voice of the people about it.

2 They could not find a way to deliver themselves except to take their women and children, and their flocks, herds, and tents, and depart into the wilderness because it was unthinkable to fight with the Lamanites, who were so numerous.

3 Gideon stood before the king and said, You have listened to my advice many times before about fighting with our brethren, the Lamanites.

4 Now O king, if you have found my words and service helpful before, I ask you to listen to my words now, and I will be your servant and deliver this people out of bondage.

5 The king allowed him to speak, and Gideon said, Consider the pass through the rear wall of the city. By night the Lamanite guards are drunk, so let us proclaim among all our people that they gather their flocks and herds so we can drive them into the wilderness by night.

7 With your command I will go and pay the last tribute of wine to the Lamanites, and they will get drunk, and we will go through the secret pass on the left of their camp when they are drunk and asleep.

8 Thus we will depart with our women and children and our flocks and herds into the wilderness, and we will travel around the land of Shilom.

9 Limhi listened to the words of Gideon and directed his people to gather their flocks together, and he sent the tribute of wine to the Lamanites and sent them more wine as a present. They drank the wine freely.

11 The people of king Limhi departed by night into the wilderness with their flocks and herds, went around the land of Shilom in the wilderness, and bent their course toward the land of Zarahemla, led by Ammon and his brethren.

12 They had taken all the gold, silver, precious things, and supplies they could carry into the wilderness, where they pursued their journey.

13 After many days in the wilderness they arrived in the land of Zarahemla and joined Mosiah’s people as his subjects.

14 Mosiah received them with joy, and received their records, and the records that had been found by the people of Limhi.

15 When the Lamanites found that the people of Limhi had departed by night, they sent an army into the wilderness to pursue them.

16 After they had pursued them two days, they could no longer follow their tracks, so they were lost in the wilderness.

An account of Alma and the people of the Lord, who were driven into the wilderness by the people of King Noah.

Comprising chapters 23 and 24.

CHAPTER 23

Alma refuses to be king—He serves as high priest—The Lord chastens His people, and the Lamanites conquer the land of Helam—Amulon, leader of King Noah’s wicked priests, rules subject to the Lamanite monarch. About 145–121 B.C.

1 Alma had been warned by the Lord that the armies of king Noah would attack them, so he told his people to gather their flocks and grain, and to depart into the wilderness away from the armies of king Noah.

2 The Lord strengthened them so the people of king Noah could not overtake and destroy them.

3 They fled for eight days into the wilderness and came to a very beautiful and pleasant land of pure water.

5 They pitched their tents and began to till the ground and build buildings. They were industrious.

6 The people wanted Alma to be their king because he was beloved by his people.

7 But he said, It is not wise that we have a king because the Lord says, You will not value one flesh above another, or one man will not think himself above another, so I say it is not wise that you have a king.

8 If you could always have righteous men to be your kings it would be good to have a king.

9 But remember the sins of king Noah and his priests, and I myself was caught in that snare and did many things abominable in the sight of the Lord, which required painful repentance;

10 But after much tribulation, the Lord heard my cries and answered my prayers, and has made me an instrument in his hands to bring so many of you to a knowledge of his truth.

11 But I do not glory in this, because by myself I am unworthy to glory.

12 You have been oppressed by king Noah and have been in bondage to him and his priests. You were led into the bonds of iniquity by them.

13 By the power of God you have been delivered from these bonds of iniquity and from the hands of king Noah and his people, so I want you to stand firmly in this liberty and trust no man to be a king over you.

14 Also trust no one to be your teacher or minister except he be a man of God, walking in his ways and keeping his commandments.

15 Thus Alma taught his people, that every man should love his neighbor as himself, and that there should be no contention among them.

16 Alma was their high priest, the founder of their church.

17 No one received authority to teach except by him from God. So he ordained all their priests and teachers, and none were ordained unless they were righteous men.

18 So they watched over their people and nourished them with righteous things.

19 They began to multiply and prosper exceedingly in the land, which was called Helam.

20 They built a city, which they called the city of Helam.

21 But the Lord chooses to chasten his people; he tries their patience and faith.

22 But whoever puts his trust in him the same will be lifted up at the last day. And so it was with this people.

23 They were brought into bondage, and none could deliver them but the Lord their God, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

24 He delivered them and showed his mighty power to them, and their rejoicings were great.

25 While they were in the land of Helam, in the city of Helam, an army of the Lamanites came into the borders of the land while they were tilling the land.

26 The brethren of Alma fled from their fields and gathered in the city of Helam; and they were very afraid because of the appearance of the Lamanites.

27 But Alma stood among them and encouraged them not to be frightened but to remember the Lord their God, and he would deliver them.

28 So they hushed their fears and began to cry to the Lord that he would soften the hearts of the Lamanites, that they would spare them and their wives and children.

29 The Lord softened the hearts of the Lamanites, and Alma and his brethren delivered themselves into their hands, and the Lamanites took possession of the land of Helam.

30 The armies of the Lamanites had been lost in the wilderness for many days while following the people of king Limhi.

31 While they were lost, they had found those priests of king Noah in a place called Amulon, where the priests had begun to possess the land and till the ground.

32 The name of the leader of those priests was Amulon.

33 And Amulon pled with the Lamanites, and sent out their wives, who were the daughters of the Lamanites, to plead with their brethren not to destroy their husbands.

34 The Lamanites had compassion on Amulon and his brethren and did not destroy them because of their wives.

35 Amulon and his brethren joined the Lamanites, and they were all traveling in the wilderness in search of the land of Nephi when they discovered the land of Helam, which was possessed by Alma and his brethren.

36 The Lamanites promised Alma and his brethren that if they would show them the way to the land of Nephi, they would give them their lives and their freedom.

37 But after Alma had shown them the way to the land of Nephi, the Lamanites did not keep their promise but set guards around the land of Helam, over Alma and his brethren.

38 The rest of the Lamanites went to the land of Nephi, while part of them returned to the land of Helam, bringing with them the wives and the children of the guards who had been left in Helam.

39 The king of the Lamanites made Amulon a king and ruler over his people who were in the land of Helam, but he had no authority to do anything against the will of the Lamanite king.

CHAPTER 24

Amulon persecutes Alma and his people—They are to be put to death if they pray—The Lord makes their burdens seem light—He delivers them from bondage, and they return to Zarahemla. About 145–120 B.C.

1 Amulon gained approval in the eyes of the Lamanite king, so the king gave him and his brethren power to appoint teachers over his people in the land of Shemlon, and the land of Shilom, and the land of Amulon.

2 The Lamanites had taken all these lands, so the king appointed kings over each one.

3 The name of the king of all the Lamanites was Laman, named after his father, and he ruled over a numerous people.

4 He appointed brethren of Amulon to be teachers in every land possessed by his people, so the language of Nephi began to be taught among all the Lamanites.

5 The Lamanites were friendly with each other, but they did not know God, nor did the brethren of Amulon teach them anything about the Lord their God, nor the law of Moses; nor did they teach them the words of Abinadi.

6 But they taught them to keep their record and how to write to each other.

7 Thus the Lamanites began to trade one with another, to increase in riches, to become great, and to be clever and wise in the ways of the world. And they delighted in all kinds of wickedness and plunder, except among themselves.

8 Amulon began to use authority over Alma and his brethren, and persecute him, and made his children persecute their children.

9 Amulon knew Alma, that he had been one of king Noah’s priests, and that he had believed the words of Abinadi and was driven out by the king, so he was angry with him. Amulon was subject to king Laman, but he used authority over Alma’s people, and gave them tasks, and put task-masters over them.

10 Their afflictions were so great that they began to cry mightily to God.

11 Amulon commanded them to stop their cries, putting guards over them to watch them, so whoever was found calling on God would be put to death.

12 Alma and his people stopped raising their voices to the Lord, but they did pour out their hearts to him, and he knew the thoughts of their hearts.

13 The voice of the Lord came to them in their afflictions, saying, Lift up your heads and be comforted because I know the covenant you have made with me, and I will covenant with my people and deliver them from bondage.

14 I will also ease the burdens put on your shoulders so you can’t feel them on your backs while you are in bondage. I will do this so you can stand as witnesses for me after this, and so you can know with certainty that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions.

15 The burdens laid on Alma and his brethren were made light. The Lord strengthened them so they could bear their burdens with ease, and they submitted cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord.

16 So great was their faith and patience that the voice of the Lord came to them again, saying, Be comforted because tomorrow I will deliver you from bondage.

17 He said to Alma, You will lead this people, and I will go with you and deliver them.

18 All during the night Alma and his people gathered their flocks and grain.

19 In the morning the Lord made a deep sleep come on the Lamanites and the taskmasters.

20 Alma and his people departed into the wilderness, and when they had traveled all day they pitched their tents in a valley they called Alma, because he led their way in the wilderness.

21 In the valley of Alma they poured out their thanks to God because he had been merciful to them, and eased their burdens, and delivered them from bondage, because none could deliver them from bondage except the Lord their God.

22 All their men and women and children who could speak gave thanks to God. They lifted their voices in praises of their God.

23 The Lord said to Alma, Hurry and take this people out of this land because the Lamanites have awakened and are pursuing you. So get out of this land, and I will stop the Lamanites in this valley so they come no further in pursuit of this people.

24 They departed the valley and journeyed into the wilderness.

25 After they had been in the wilderness twelve days they arrived in the land of Zarahemla, and king Mosiah received them with joy.

CHAPTER 25

The descendants of Mulek at Zarahemla become Nephites—They learn of the people of Alma and of Zeniff—Alma baptizes Limhi and all his people—Mosiah authorizes Alma to organize the Church of God. About 120 B.C.

1 King Mosiah directed all the people to gathered together.

2 The descendants of Nephi were fewer than the people of Zarahemla, who was a descendant of Mulek and those who came with him into the wilderness.

3 And the combined people of Nephi and Zarahemla were not half as numerous as the Lamanites.

4 The people of Nephi and Zarahemla were gathered together in two groups.

5 Mosiah read, and others read, the records of Zeniff to his people and the records of Zeniff’s people, from the time they left Zarahemla until they returned again.

6 He also read the account of Alma and his brethren, and all their afflictions, from the time they left Zarahemla until the time they returned again.

7 When Mosiah had finished reading, his people were struck with wonder and amazement.

8 They didn’t know what to think. When they saw those who had been delivered from bondage they were filled with exceedingly great joy.

9 When they thought of their brethren who had been killed by the Lamanites, they were filled with sorrow and shed many tears of sorrow.

10 When they thought of the immediate goodness of God, and his power in delivering Alma and his brethren out of bondage to the Lamanites, they raised their voices and gave thanks to God.

11 When they thought of the Lamanites, their brethren, and of their sinful and polluted state, they were filled with pain and anguish for the welfare of their souls.

12 Those who were the children of Amulon and his brethren, who had married the daughters of the Lamanites, were displeased with the conduct of their fathers, and they would no longer be called by the names of their fathers, so they took upon themselves the name of Nephi so they might be called the children of Nephi and be numbered among those called Nephites.

13 All the people of Zarahemla were numbered with the Nephites because the reign of the kingdom had been placed on none but those who were descendants of Nephi.

14 When Mosiah had made an end of speaking and reading to the people, he wanted Alma to also speak to the people.

15 They were assembled in large groups, and Alma went from one group to the next, preaching repentance and faith in the Lord.

16 With energy he invited the people of Limhi and his brethren to remember that it was the Lord who delivered them.

17 After Alma had finished teaching the people many things, king Limhi wanted to be baptized, and all his people wanted to be baptized also.

18 Alma went into the water and baptized them in the same way he did his brethren in the waters of Mormon, and whoever he baptized belonged to the church of God because of their belief in the words of Alma.

19 King Mosiah gave Alma authority to establish churches throughout the land of Zarahemla, and power to ordain priests and teachers over every church.

20 Mosiah did this because there were so many people that they could not all be governed by one teacher, nor could they all hear the word of God in one assembly.

21 So they assembled in different groups called churches, every church having their priests and teachers, and every priest teaching the word like it was delivered to him by Alma.

22 Despite there being many churches they were all one church, the church of God, because there was nothing preached in all the churches except repentance and faith in God.

23 There were seven churches in the land of Zarahemla, and whoever wanted to take upon them the name of Christ, or of God, joined the churches of God.

24 They were called the people of God. The Lord poured out his Spirit on them, and they were blessed and prospered in the land.

CHAPTER 26

Many members of the Church are led into sin by unbelievers—Alma is promised eternal life—Those who repent and are baptized gain forgiveness—Church members in sin who repent and confess to Alma and to the Lord will be forgiven; otherwise, they will not be numbered among the people of the Church. About 120–100 B.C.

1 There were many of the rising generation who could not understand the words of king Benjamin, being little children at the time he spoke to his people, and they did not believe the tradition of their fathers.

2 They did not believe what had been said about the resurrection of the dead, nor did they believe in the coming of Christ.

3 Their hearts were hardened, and because of their unbelief they could not understand the word of God.

4 They would not be baptized, nor would they join the church. They were a separate people in their faith and remained so all their lives, in their natural and sinful state because they would not call on the Lord their God.

5 In the reign of Mosiah these faithless ones were not half as numerous as the people of God, but because of the angry disagreements among the brethren, they became more numerous.

6 They deceived many in the church with their flattering words, and led them to commit many sins, so it became necessary that those in the church who committed sin should be corrected by the church.

7 They were delivered by the teachers to the priests, who brought them to Alma, the high priest, who had been given authority over the church by King Mosiah..

9 Alma did not know about them, but there were many witnesses against them who testified of their sins in abundance.

10 Nothing like this had happened before in the church, so Alma was troubled in his spirit, and he brought them to the king.

11 He said to the king, Look, here are many we have brought to you who are accused by their brethren of various sins. And they do not repent of their sins, so we have brought them to you so you can judge them according to their crimes.

12 But king Mosiah said to Alma, I do not judge them. I give them to you to be judged.

13 The spirit of Alma was troubled again, so he asked God what he should do concerning this matter because he feared that he would do wrong in the sight of God.

14 After he had poured out his whole soul to God, the voice of the Lord came to him, saying, Alma, you are blessed, and blessed are those who were baptized in the waters of Mormon. You are blessed because of your exceeding faith in the words alone of my servant Abinadi.

16 And blessed are those who have had exceeding faith in the words alone that you have spoken to them.

17 And you are blessed because you have established a church among this people, and they will be established, and they will be my people.

18 Blessed is this people who are willing to bear my name, and they will be called in my name, and they are mine.

19 You are blessed because you have inquired about the transgressors.

20 You are my servant, and I covenant with you that you will have eternal life, and you will serve me and go out in my name to gather my sheep.

21 He who will hear my voice will be my sheep, and you will receive him in the church, and I will receive him.

22 This is my church, and whoever is baptized will be baptized to repentance. And you will receive whoever believes in my name, and I will freely forgive him.

23 It is I who takes upon me the sins of the world, because I have created them, and it is I who gives a place at my right hand to him who believes to the end.

24 They are called in my name, and if they know me they will come and have a place eternally at my right hand.

25 When the second trump sounds, those who never knew me will stand before me.

26 Then they will know that I am the Lord their God, that I am their Redeemer, but they would not be redeemed.

27 Then I will say to them that I never knew them, and they will depart into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

28 He who will not hear my voice you will not receive into my church, because I will not receive him at the last day.

29 Go, and you will judge whoever transgresses against me according to the sins he has committed; and if he confesses his sins before you and me, and repents in the sincerity of his heart, you will forgive him, and I will forgive him also.

30 As often as my people repent I will forgive them their trespasses against me.

31 You will also forgive each other your trespasses, because he who does not forgive his neighbor’s trespasses when the neighbor says he repents, he will be condemned.

32 Go, and whoever will not repent of his sins will not be numbered among my people, from this time forward.

33 When Alma had heard these words, he wrote them down so he would have them, and so he could judge the people of the church according to the commandments of God.

34 Then Alma judged those found in iniquity according to the word of the Lord.

35 Whoever repented of their sins and confessed them, Alma numbered them among the people of the church,

36 And those who would not confess their sins and repent of their iniquity, those were not numbered among the people of the church, and their names were erased.

37 Alma ordered all the affairs of the church, and they began again to have peace and to prosper exceedingly in the affairs of the church, walking carefully before God, receiving many and baptizing many.

38 Alma and his fellow laborers did all these things, walking in all diligence, teaching the word of God in all things, suffering all manner of afflictions, being persecuted by all those who did not belong to the church of God.

39 They corrected their brethren, and they were also corrected, every one by the word of God according to his sins, being commanded of God to pray without ceasing and to give thanks in all things.

CHAPTER 27

Mosiah forbids persecution and commands equality—Alma the younger and the four sons of Mosiah seek to destroy the Church—An angel appears and commands them to cease their evil course—Alma is struck dumb—All mankind must be born again to gain salvation—Alma and the sons of Mosiah declare glad tidings. About 100–92 B.C.

1 The persecutions inflicted on the church by the unbelievers became so great that the church began to complain about it to their leaders, including Alma, who put the case before king Mosiah, who consulted with his priests.

2 King Mosiah sent a proclamation throughout the land that no unbeliever should persecute anyone who belonged to the church of God.

3 There was a strict command throughout all the churches that there should be no persecutions among them, that there should be an equality among all men;

4 That they should let no pride disturb their peace; that every man should value his neighbor as himself, laboring with their own hands for their support.

5 All their priests and teachers should labor with their own hands for their support, except for sickness or great poverty. And when they did these things, they abounded in the grace of God.

6 There began to be much peace again in the land, and the people began to be very numerous, and began to scatter over the land in all directions, building large cities and villages.

7 The Lord visited them and prospered them, and they became a large and wealthy people.

8 The sons of Mosiah were numbered among the unbelievers, along with one of the sons of Alma, also called Alma after his father. But he became a very wicked and idolatrous man. He was a man of many words and spoke much flattery to the people, so he led many people to follow his sins.

9 He became a great obstacle to the prosperity of the church of God, stealing away the hearts of the people, causing much angry disagreement among the people, and giving opportunity for the enemy of God to use his power over them.

10 He was going around secretly with the sons of Mosiah to destroy the church of God, and to lead astray the people of the Lord, contrary to the commandments of God and the king.

11 While they were rebelling against God, the angel of the Lord appeared, descending like a cloud, and he spoke like the voice of thunder, which made the earth shake.

12 Their astonishment was so great that they fell to the ground and did not understand the words he spoke to them.

13 But the angel cried again, saying, Alma, get up and stand. Why do you persecute the church of God? The Lord has said, This is my church, and I will establish it, and nothing will overthrow it except the transgression of my people.

14 The Lord has heard the prayers of his people, and also the prayers of his servant, Alma, who is your father. He has prayed with much faith about you, that you would be brought to the knowledge of the truth. For this reason I have come to convince you of the power and authority of God, so the prayers of his servants might be answered according to their faith.

15 Can you dispute the power of God? Does my voice not shake the earth? And can you not see me before you? And I am sent from God.

16 Remember the captivity of your fathers in the land of Helam and in the land of Nephi, and remember how great things he has done for them, because they were in bondage, and he has delivered them. Now I say to you, Alma, go your way, and don’t try anymore to destroy the church, and I say this so the prayers of your father and others can be answered, even if you choose to be cast out of the presence of God.

17 These were the last words the angel spoke to Alma, and he departed.

18 Alma and those with him fell again to the earth because of their great astonishment that with their own eyes they had seen an angel of the Lord, and his voice was like thunder, which shook the earth. And they knew that there was nothing except the power of God that could shake the earth and make it tremble like it would tear apart.

19 The astonishment of Alma was so great that he could not open his mouth. He became weak and could not move his hands, so he was carried helpless by those who were with him until he was laid before his father.

20 They told his father all that had happened to them, and his father rejoiced because he knew it was the power of God.

21 He called a multitude to be gathered so they could see what the Lord had done for his son and for those who were with him.

22 He directed the priests to assemble, and they began to fast and pray to the Lord their God that he would open the mouth of Alma to speak, and that his limbs would receive their strength, so the eyes of the people could be opened to see and know the goodness and glory of God.

23 After they had fasted and prayed for two days and two nights, the limbs of Alma received their strength, and he stood up and began to speak to them, inviting them to be comforted.

24 He said, I have repented of my sins and have been redeemed of the Lord. I am born of the Spirit.

25 The Lord said to me, Don’t wonder that all mankind must be born again: all men, women, nations, cultures, tongues, and people. They must be born of God, changed from their earthly and fallen state to a state of righteousness, being redeemed of God and becoming his sons and daughters.

26 And thus they become new creatures, and unless they do this, they cannot inherit the kingdom of God.

27 If they are not born again, they must be cast off, and I know this because I was close to being cast off.

28 But after wading through much difficulty, repenting close to death, the Lord in his mercy snatched me out of an everlasting burning, and I am born of God.

29 My soul has been redeemed from the worst of bitterness and chains of sin. I was in the darkest abyss, but now I see the marvelous light of God. My soul was tortured with eternal pain, but I am rescued, and my soul is pained no more.

30 I rejected my Redeemer and denied what was spoken by our fathers, but now I see that they prophesied his coming and that he remembers all his creations and will show himself to all.

31 Every knee will bow and every tongue confess before him. At the last day, when all men will stand to be judged of him, then they will acknowledge that he is God. Then those who live without God in the world will admit that the judgment of an everlasting punishment is righteous upon them; and they will quake, and tremble, and shrink under the glance of his all-knowing eye.

32 From this time forward Alma began to teach the people, accompanied by those who were with him when the angel appeared, traveling all around the land, declaring to all the people the things they had heard and seen, and preaching the word of God in much difficulty, being greatly persecuted by the unbelievers, being hit by many of them.

33 But despite all this, they gave much consolation to the church, confirming their faith and encouraging them with patience and much pain to keep the commandments of God.

34 Four of them were the sons of Mosiah: Ammon,  Aaron, Omner, and Himni.

35 They traveled throughout the land of Zarahemla, among all the people who were under the reign of king Mosiah, zealously working to repair all the injuries they had done to the church, confessing all their sins, declaring all the things they had seen, and explaining the prophecies and scriptures to all who wanted to hear them.

36 Thus they were instruments in the hands of God in bringing many to the knowledge of the truth, to the knowledge of their Redeemer.

37 How blessed are they! They proclaimed peace and good news, and they declared to the people that the Lord reigns.

CHAPTER 28

The sons of Mosiah go to preach to the Lamanites—Using the two seer stones, Mosiah translates the Jaredite plates. About 92 B.C.

1 After the sons of Mosiah had done all these things, they took a small number with them and returned to their father, the king, and asked for permission to go to the land of Nephi to preach the things they had heard, to give the word of God to their brethren, the Lamanites.

2 They hoped they could bring the Lamanites to the knowledge of the Lord their God, and convince them of the iniquity of their fathers, and cure them of their hatred toward the Nephites, so they might also rejoice in the Lord their God, so they might become friendly to one another, so there would be no more contentions in all the land the Lord their God had given them.

3 They wanted salvation to be declared to every creature because they could not bear that any human soul would perish. They quaked and trembled at even the thought that any soul would endure endless torment.

4 Thus the Spirit of the Lord worked on them, because once they were the most disgusting of sinners. But the Lord thought it right in his infinite mercy to spare them, although they suffered much anguish of soul because of their iniquities, suffering much and fearing that they would be cast off forever.

5 For many days they pled with their father, so King Mosiah asked the Lord if he should let his sons go among the Lamanites to preach the word.

7 And the Lord said to Mosiah, Let them go, because many will believe in their words, and they will have eternal life; and I will deliver your sons from the hands of the Lamanites.

8 So Mosiah granted that they could go and do as they requested.

9 They journeyed into the wilderness to preach the word among the Lamanites, and later I will give an account of their proceedings.

10 King Mosiah now had no one to give the kingdom to, because none of his sons would accept the kingdom.

11 So he took the records engraved on the plates of brass, the plates of Nephi, and all the things he had kept according to the commandments of God, after translating the records on the plates of gold that had been found by the people of Limhi.

12 He translated them because of the great concern of his people to know about those people who had been destroyed.

13 He translated them by using those two stones that were fastened into the two rims of a bow.

14 These things were prepared from the beginning, and were handed down from generation to generation for the purpose of translating languages.

15 They have been kept and preserved by the hand of the Lord so he could show the iniquities and abominations of his people to everyone who would possess the land.

16 Whoever has these things is called seer, after the manner of old times.

17 After Mosiah had finished translating these records, he learned that they gave an account of those people who were destroyed, from the time of their destruction back to the building of the great tower when the Lord confused the language of the people and they were scattered over the earth, and even from that time back to the creation of Adam.

18 This account made the people of Mosiah mourn exceedingly, but it also gave them much knowledge, for which they rejoiced.

19 This translated account will be written later, because it is necessary that all people should know the things written in this account.

20 After king Mosiah had done these things, he took the plates of brass and all the things he had kept, and placed them in Alma’s care, who was the son of Alma. He gave Alma all the records and the interpreters, and commanded him to keep and preserve them, and also to keep a record of the people, handing them down from one generation to another, even as they had been handed down to Alma from the time that Lehi left Jerusalem.

CHAPTER 29

Mosiah proposes that judges be chosen in place of a king—Unrighteous kings lead their people into sin—Alma the younger is chosen chief judge by the voice of the people—He is also the high priest over the Church—Alma the elder and Mosiah die. About 92–91 B.C.

1 Mosiah sent inquiries throughout all the land, to know the will of the people about who should be their king.

2 The voice of the people returned, saying, We want Aaron your son to be our king and ruler.

3 But Aaron had gone to the land of Nephi, so the king could not give him the kingdom, nor would Aaron take the kingdom, neither were any of the sons of Mosiah willing.

4 So Mosiah sent a written word among the people, saying:

5 O my people, or my brethren—because that is how I value you—I desire that you would reconsider this matter of wanting a king.

6 He who you want to be king has declined and will not take the kingdom.

7 If another would be appointed now, I fear that contentions would arise among you. And what if my son, whom you have chosen, would become angry and draw away part of this people after him, which would cause wars and contentions among you, which would cause the shedding of much blood and pervert the way of the Lord and destroy the souls of many people?

8 Let us be wise and consider these things, because we have no right to destroy my son, neither should we have any right to destroy another if he should be appointed instead.

9 If my son turned again to his pride and vain things, he would take back his refusal of the kingdom, which would cause him and this people to commit much sin.

10 So let us be wise and think ahead and do what will make peace for this people.

11 I will be your king the remainder of my life, but let us appoint judges to judge this people according to our law, and we will newly arrange the affairs of this people because we will appoint wise men to be judges, who will judge this people according to the commandments of God.

12 It is better that a man be judged by God than by man, because the judgments of God are always righteous, while the judgments of man are not always righteous.

13 If you could always have righteous men to be your kings, who would establish the laws of God and judge this people according to his commandments, if you could have men for your kings who would do as my father Benjamin did for this people—I say that if this could always be the case, then it would be wise that you should always have kings to rule over you.

14 As king, I have worked with my strength to teach you the commandments of God and to establish peace throughout the land so there would be no wars, contentions, stealing, plundering, murdering, or any manner of iniquity.

15 And whoever has committed sin I have punished according to his crime, according to the law given to us by our fathers.

16 But because not all men are righteous, it is not wise to have a king rule over you.

17 Look at how much iniquity one wicked king causes, with such great destruction!

18 Remember king Noah, his wickedness and abominations, and also the wickedness and abominations of his people. Look at what great destruction came upon them, and they were brought into bondage because of their sins.

19 If it were not for the help of their all-wise Creator, and this because of their sincere repentance, they must unavoidably have remained in bondage until now.

20 But he delivered them because they humbled themselves before him, and because they cried mightily to him he delivered them out of bondage. This is how the Lord works with his power in all cases among men, extending the arm of mercy toward those who put their trust in him.

21 You cannot dethrone a sinful king except through much contention and bloodshed because he has his friends in iniquity, and he keeps his guards around him, and he tears up the laws of those who have reigned in righteousness before him, and he tramples the commandments of God under his feet;

23 And he makes laws and sends them among his people, laws after the ways of his own wickedness; and whoever does not obey his laws he destroys; and he will send his armies to war against whoever rebels against him, and he will destroy them if he can; and thus an unrighteous king perverts the ways of all righteousness.

24 It is not wise that such abominations would come upon you.

25 So choose judges by the vote of this people so you can be judged according to the laws given you by our fathers, which are correct, which were given them by the hand of the Lord.

26 It is not common that the majority of the people desire anything contrary to what is right, but it is common for the minority of the people to desire what is not right, so you will pay attention and  make it your law that you do your business by the vote of the people.

27 If the time comes that the vote of the people chooses iniquity, that is the time that the judgments of God will come upon you. That is the time he will visit you with great destruction, just like he has done before in this land.

28 If you have judges who don’t judge you according to the law, you can require that they are judged by a higher judge.

29 If your higher judges do not judge righteously, you will gather a small number of your lower judges to judge your higher judges, according to the vote of the people.

30 I command you to do these things in the fear of the Lord; and I command you not to have a king; and if these people commit sins and iniquities they will be answered on their own heads.

31 The sins of many people have been caused by the iniquities of their kings, so their sins are answered on the heads of their kings.

32 I desire that no more inequality should exist in this land, especially among my people. Instead I desire that this be a land of liberty, so every man can enjoy his rights and privileges alike, as long as the Lord chooses that we may live in the land, as long as any of our posterity remains upon the land.

33 Mosiah wrote many more things to them, unfolding to them all the trials and troubles of a righteous king, and all the pains of soul for their people, and also all the murmurings of the people to their king. He explained it all to them.

34 He told them that these things should not be, but that the burden should be shared by all the people, so every man can bear his part.

35 He also unfolded to them all the disadvantages they labored under by having an unrighteous king rule over them, including all his iniquities, abominations, wars, contentions, bloodshed, stealing, plundering, whoredoms, and all manner of iniquities that cannot be listed.

36 He told them that these things should not be, that they were specifically contrary to the commandments of God.

37 After king Mosiah had sent these things among the people, they were convinced of the truth of his words.

38 So they let go of their desires for a king and became exceedingly eager that every man should have an equal chance throughout all the land; and every man expressed a willingness to answer for his own sins.

39 They assembled in groups throughout the land, to cast their vote about who would be their judges, to judge them according to the law that had been given them; and they were exceedingly joyful because of the liberty that had been given to them.

40 They grew strong in love toward Mosiah, esteeming him more than any other man, because he had not been a tyrant, requiring from them those riches that corrupt the soul, nor had he delighted in the shedding of blood. Instead he had established peace in the land and delivered his people from all manner of bondage. So they valued him exceedingly, beyond measure.

41 They appointed judges to rule over them, or to judge them according to the law, and they did this throughout the land.

42 Alma was appointed to be the first chief judge, already the high priest because his father had placed the office upon him and given him responsibility for all the affairs of the church.

43 Alma walked in the ways of the Lord, keeping his commandments.. He judged righteously, and there was continual peace throughout the land.

44 Thus began the reign of the judges throughout all the land of Zarahemla, among all the people called Nephites, and Alma was the first and chief judge.

45 Alma’s father died at age eighty-two, having lived to fulfil the commandments of God.

46 Mosiah also died, at age sixty-three, in the thirty-third year of his reign; making it five hundred and nine years from the time Lehi left Jerusalem.

47 Thus ended the reign of the kings over the people of Nephi, and thus ended the days of Alma, who was the founder of their church.