The Book of Mormon Part 66

Alma 20:18 18 And again, it is expedient that thou shouldst forbear; for if thou shouldst slay thy son, he being an innocent man, his blood would cry from the ground to the Lord his G.o.d, for vengeance to come upon thee; and perhaps thou wouldst lose thy soul.

Alma 20:19 19 Now when Ammon had said these words unto him, he answered him, saying: I know that if I should slay my son, that I should shed innocent blood; for it is thou that hast sought to destroy him.

Alma 20:20 20 And he stretched forth his hand to slay Ammon. But Ammon withstood his blows, and also smote his arm that he could not use it.

Alma 20:21 21 Now when the king saw that Ammon could slay him, he began to plead with Ammon that he would spare his life.

Alma 20:22 22 But Ammon raised his sword, and said unto him: Behold, I will smite thee except thou wilt grant unto me that my brethren may be cast out of prison.

Alma 20:23 23 Now the king, fearing he should lose his life, said: If thou wilt spare me I will grant unto thee whatsoever thou wilt ask, even to half of the kingdom.

Alma 20:24 24 Now when Ammon saw that he had wrought upon the old king according to his desire, he said unto him: If thou wilt grant that my brethren may be cast out of prison, and also that Lamoni may retain his kingdom, and that ye be not displeased with him, but grant that he may do according to his own desires in whatsoever thing he thinketh, then will I spare thee; otherwise I will smite thee to the earth.

Alma 20:25 25 Now when Ammon had said these words, the king began to rejoice because of his life.

Alma 20:26 26 And when he saw that Ammon had no desire to destroy him, and when he also saw the great love he had for his son Lamoni, he was astonished exceedingly, and said: Because this is all that thou hast desired, that I would release thy brethren, and suffer that my son Lamoni should retain his kingdom, behold, I will grant unto you that my son may retain his kingdom from this time and forever; and I will govern him no more--

Alma 20:27 27 And I will also grant unto thee that thy brethren may be cast out of prison, and thou and thy brethren may come unto me, in my kingdom; for I shall greatly desire to see thee. For the king was greatly astonished at the words which he had spoken, and also at the words which had been spoken by his son Lamoni, therefore he was desirous to learn them.

Alma 20:28 28 And it came to pa.s.s that Ammon and Lamoni proceeded on their journey towards the land of Middoni. And Lamoni found favor in the eyes of the king of the land; therefore the brethren of Ammon were brought forth out of prison.

Alma 20:29 29 And when Ammon did meet them he was exceedingly sorrowful, for behold they were naked, and their skins were worn exceedingly because of being bound with strong cords. And they also had suffered hunger, thirst, and all kinds of afflictions; nevertheless they were patient in all their sufferings.

Alma 20:30 30 And, as it happened, it was their lot to have fallen into the hands of a more hardened and a more stiffnecked people; therefore they would not hearken unto their words, and they had cast them out, and had smitten them, and had driven them from house to house, and from place to place, even until they had arrived in the land of Middoni; and there they were taken and cast into prison, and bound with strong cords, and kept in prison for many days, and were delivered by Lamoni and Ammon.

Alma 21 Chapter 21

Alma 21:1 1 Now when Ammon and his brethren separated themselves in the borders of the land of the Lamanites, behold Aaron took his journey towards the land which was called by the Lamanites, Jerusalem, calling it after the land of their fathers' nativity; and it was away joining the borders of Mormon.

Alma 21:2 2 Now the Lamanites and the Amalekites and the people of Amulon had built a great city, which was called Jerusalem.

Alma 21:3 3 Now the Lamanites of themselves were sufficiently hardened, but the Amalekites and the Amulonites were still harder; therefore they did cause the Lamanites that they should harden their hearts, that they should wax strong in wickedness and their abominations.

Alma 21:4 4 And it came to pa.s.s that Aaron came to the city of Jerusalem, and first began to preach to the Amalekites. And he began to preach to them in their synagogues, for they had built synagogues after the order of the Nehors; for many of the Amalekites and the Amulonites were after the order of the Nehors.

Alma 21:5 5 Therefore, as Aaron entered into one of their synagogues to preach unto the people, and as he was speaking unto them, behold there arose an Amalekite and began to contend with him, saying: What is that thou hast testified? Hast thou seen an angel? Why do not angels appear unto us? Behold are not this people as good as thy people?

Alma 21:6 6 Thou also sayest, except we repent we shall perish. How knowest thou the thought and intent of our hearts? How knowest thou that we have cause to repent? How knowest thou that we are not a righteous people? Behold, we have built sanctuaries, and we do a.s.semble ourselves together to wors.h.i.+p G.o.d. We do believe that G.o.d will save all men.

Alma 21:7 7 Now Aaron said unto him: Believest thou that the Son of G.o.d shall come to redeem mankind from their sins?

Alma 21:8 8 And the man said unto him: We do not believe that thou knowest any such thing. We do not believe in these foolish traditions.

We do not believe that thou knowest of things to come, neither do we believe that thy fathers and also that our fathers did know concerning the things which they spake, of that which is to come.

Alma 21:9 9 Now Aaron began to open the scriptures unto them concerning the coming of Christ, and also concerning the resurrection of the dead, and that there could be no redemption for mankind save it were through the death and sufferings of Christ, and the atonement of his blood.

Alma 21:10 10 And it came to pa.s.s as he began to expound these things unto them they were angry with him, and began to mock him; and they would not hear the words which he spake.

Alma 21:11 11 Therefore, when he saw that they would not hear his words, he departed out of their synagogue, and came over to a village which was called Ani-Anti, and there he found Muloki preaching the word unto them; and also Ammah and his brethren. And they contended with many about the word.

Alma 21:12 12 And it came to pa.s.s that they saw that the people would harden their hearts, therefore they departed and came over into the land of Middoni. And they did preach the word unto many, and few believed on the words which they taught.

Alma 21:13 13 Nevertheless, Aaron and a certain number of his brethren were taken and cast into prison, and the remainder of them fled out of the land of Middoni unto the regions round about.

Alma 21:14 14 And those who were cast into prison suffered many things, and they were delivered by the hand of Lamoni and Ammon, and they were fed and clothed.

Alma 21:15 15 And they went forth again to declare the word, and thus they were delivered for the first time out of prison; and thus they had suffered.

Alma 21:16 16 And they went forth whithersoever they were led by the Spirit of the Lord, preaching the word of G.o.d in every synagogue of the Amalekites, or in every a.s.sembly of the Lamanites where they could be admitted.

Alma 21:17 17 And it came to pa.s.s that the Lord began to bless them, insomuch that they brought many to the knowledge of the truth; yea, they did convince many of their sins, and of the traditions of their fathers, which were not correct.

Alma 21:18 18 And it came to pa.s.s that Ammon and Lamoni returned from the land of Middoni to the land of Ishmael, which was the land of their inheritance.

Alma 21:19 19 And king Lamoni would not suffer that Ammon should serve him, or be his servant.

Alma 21:20 20 But he caused that there should be synagogues built in the land of Ishmael; and he caused that his people, or the people who were under his reign, should a.s.semble themselves together.

Alma 21:21 21 And he did rejoice over them, and he did teach them many things. And he did also declare unto them that they were a people who were under him, and that they were a free people, that they were free from the oppressions of the king, his father; for that his father had granted unto him that he might reign over the people who were in the land of Ishmael, and in all the land round about.

Alma 21:22 22 And he also declared unto them that they might have the liberty of wors.h.i.+ping the Lord their G.o.d according to their desires, in whatsoever place they were in, if it were in the land which was under the reign of king Lamoni.

Alma 21:23 23 And Ammon did preach unto the people of king Lamoni; and it came to pa.s.s that he did teach them all things concerning things pertaining to righteousness. And he did exhort them daily, with all diligence; and they gave heed unto his word, and they were zealous for keeping the commandments of G.o.d.

Alma 22 Chapter 22

Alma 22:1 1 Now, as Ammon was thus teaching the people of Lamoni continually, we will return to the account of Aaron and his brethren; for after he departed from the land of Middoni he was led by the Spirit to the land of Nephi, even to the house of the king which was over all the land save it were the land of Ishmael; and he was the father of Lamoni.

Alma 22:2 2 And it came to pa.s.s that he went in unto him into the king's palace, with his brethren, and bowed himself before the king, and said unto him: Behold, O king, we are the brethren of Ammon, whom thou hast delivered out of prison.

Alma 22:3 3 And now, O king, if thou wilt spare our lives, we will be thy servants. And the king said unto them: Arise, for I will grant unto you your lives, and I will not suffer that ye shall be my servants; but I will insist that ye shall administer unto me; for I have been somewhat troubled in mind because of the generosity and the greatness of the words of thy brother Ammon; and I desire to know the cause why he has not come up out of Middoni with thee.

Alma 22:4 4 And Aaron said unto the king: Behold, the Spirit of the Lord has called him another way; he has gone to the land of Ishmael, to teach the people of Lamoni.

Alma 22:5 5 Now the king said unto them: What is this that ye have said concerning the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, this is the thing which doth trouble me.

Alma 22:6 6 And also, what is this that Ammon said--If ye will repent ye shall be saved, and if ye will not repent, ye shall be cast off at the last day?

Alma 22:7 7 And Aaron answered him and said unto him: Believest thou that there is a G.o.d? And the king said: I know that the Amalekites say that there is a G.o.d, and I have granted unto them that they should build sanctuaries, that they may a.s.semble themselves together to wors.h.i.+p him. And if now thou sayest there is a G.o.d, behold I will believe.

Alma 22:8 8 And now when Aaron heard this, his heart began to rejoice, and he said: Behold, a.s.suredly as thou livest, O king, there is a G.o.d.

Alma 22:9 9 And the king said: Is G.o.d that Great Spirit that brought our fathers out of the land of Jerusalem?

Alma 22:10 10 And Aaron said unto him: Yea, he is that Great Spirit, and he created all things both in heaven and in earth. Believest thou this?

Alma 22:11 11 And he said: Yea, I believe that the Great Spirit created all things, and I desire that ye should tell me concerning all these things, and I will believe thy words.