| 14:1 And it came to pass after he had made an end of
speaking unto the people many of them did believe on his
words, and began to repent, and to search the scriptures.
|
|
| 14:2 But the more part of them were desirous that
they might destroy Alma and Amulek; for they were angry
with Alma, because of the plainness of his words unto
Zeezrom; and they also said that Amulek had lied unto
them, and had reviled against their law and also against
their lawyers and judges. |
|
| 14:3 And they were also angry with Alma and Amulek;
and because they had testified so plainly against their
wickedness, they sought to put them away privily. |
|
| 14:4 But it came to pass that they did not; but they
took them and bound them with strong cords, and took them
before the chief judge of the land. |
|
| 14:5 And the people went forth and witnessed against
them--testifying that they had reviled against the law,
and their lawyers and judges of the land, and also of all
the people that were in the land; and also testified that
there was but one God, and that he should send his Son
among the people, but he should not save them; and many
such things did the people testify against Alma and
Amulek. Now this was done before the chief judge of the
land. |
|
| 14:6 And it came to pass that Zeezrom was astonished
at the words which had been spoken; and he also knew
concerning the blindness of the minds, which he had
caused among the people by his lying words; and his soul
began to be harrowed up under a consciousness of his own
guilt; yea, he began to be encircled about by the pains
of hell. |
|
| 14:7 And it came to pass that he began to cry unto
the people, saying: Behold, I am guilty, and these men
are spotless before God. And he began to plead for them
from that time forth; but they reviled him, saying: Art
thou also possessed with the devil? And they spit upon him, and cast him out from
among them, and also all those who believed in the words
which had been spoken by Alma and Amulek; and they cast
them out, and sent men to cast stones at them. |
|
| 14:8 And they brought their wives and children
together, and whosoever believed or had been taught to
believe in the word of God they caused that they should
be cast into the fire; and they also brought forth their
records which contained the holy scriptures, and cast
them into the fire also, that they might be burned and
destroyed by fire. |
|
| 14:9 And it came to pass that they took Alma and
Amulek, and carried them forth to the place of martyrdom,
that they might witness the destruction of those who were
consumed by fire. |
|
| 14:10 And when Amulek saw the pains of the women and
children who were consuming in the fire, he also was
pained; and he said unto Alma: How can we witness this
awful scene? Therefore let us stretch forth our hands,
and exercise the power of God which is in us, and save
them from the flames. |
|
| 14:11 But Alma said unto him: The Spirit constraineth
me that I must not stretch forth mine hand; for behold
the Lord receiveth them up unto himself, in glory; and he
doth suffer that they may do this thing, or that the
people may do this thing unto them, according to the
hardness of their hearts, that the judgments which he
shall exercise upon them in his wrath may be just; and
the blood of the innocent shall stand as a witness
against them, yea, and cry mightily against them at the
last day. |
|
| 14:12 Now Amulek said unto Alma: Behold, perhaps they
will burn us also. |
|
| 14:13 And Alma said: Be it according to the will of
the Lord. But, behold, our work is not finished;
therefore they burn us not. |
|
| 14:14 Now it came to pass that when the bodies of
those who had been cast into the fire were consumed, and
also the records which were cast in with them, the chief
judge of the land came and stood before Alma and Amulek,
as they were bound; and he smote them with his hand upon
their cheeks, and said unto them: After what ye have
seen, will ye preach again unto this people, that they
shall be cast into a lake of fire and
brimstone? |
|
| 14:15 Behold, ye see that ye had not power to save
those who had been cast into the fire; neither has God
saved them because they were of thy faith. And the judge
smote them again upon their cheeks, and asked: What say
ye for yourselves? |
|
| 14:16 Now this judge was after the order and faith of
Nehor, who slew Gideon. |
|
| 14:17 And it came to pass that Alma and Amulek
answered him nothing; and he smote them again, and
delivered them to the officers to be cast into prison. |
|
| 14:18 And when they had been cast into prison three
days, there came many lawyers, and judges, and priests,
and teachers, who were of the profession of Nehor; and
they came in unto the prison to see them, and they
questioned them about many words; but they answered them
nothing. |
|
| 14:19 And it came to pass that the judge stood before
them, and said: Why do ye not answer the words of this
people? Know ye not that I have power to deliver you up
unto the flames? And he commanded them to speak; but they
answered nothing. |
|
| 14:20 And it came to pass that they departed and went
their ways, but came again on the morrow; and the judge
also smote them again on their cheeks. And many came
forth also, and smote them, saying: Will ye stand again
and judge this people, and condemn our law? If ye have
such great power why do ye not deliver yourselves? |
|
| 14:21 And many such things did they say unto them,
gnashing their teeth upon them, and spitting upon them,
and saying: How shall we look when we are damned? |
|
| 14:22 And many such things, yea, all manner of such
things did they say unto them; and thus they did mock
them for many days. And they did withhold food from them
that they might hunger, and water that they might thirst;
and they also did take from them their clothes that they
were naked; and thus they were bound with strong cords,
and confined in prison. |
|
| 14:23 And it came to pass after they had thus
suffered for many days, (and it was on the twelfth day,
in the tenth month, in the tenth year of the reign of the
judges over the people of Nephi) that the chief judge
over the land of Ammonihah and many of their teachers and
their lawyers went in unto the prison where Alma and
Amulek were bound with cords. |
|
| 14:24 And the chief judge stood before them, and
smote them again, and said unto them: If ye have the
power of God deliver yourselves from these bands, and
then we will believe that the Lord will destroy this
people according to your words. |
|
| 14:25 And it came to pass that they all went forth
and smote them, saying the same words, even until the
last; and when the last had spoken unto them the power of
God was upon Alma and Amulek, and they rose and stood
upon their feet. |
|
| 14:26 And Alma cried, saying: How long shall we
suffer these great afflictions, O Lord? O Lord, give us
strength according to our faith which is in Christ, even unto deliverance. And they broke the
cords with which they were bound; and when the people saw
this, they began to flee, for the fear of destruction had
come upon them. |
|
| 14:27 And it came to pass that so great was their
fear that they fell to the earth, and did not obtain the
outer door of the prison; and the earth shook mightily,
and the walls of the prison were 1rent in twain, so that they fell to the earth;
and the chief judge, and the lawyers, and priests, and
teachers, who smote upon Alma and Amulek, were slain by
the fall thereof. |
Alma and Amulek's miraculous
escape from prison
appears to have much in common with the story of Paul and
Silas' escape in Acts 16. [1] Matthew 27:51:
...the veil of the temple was rent in twain...
|
| 14:28 And Alma and Amulek came forth out of the
prison, and they were not hurt; for the Lord had granted
unto them power, according to their faith which was in Christ. And they straightway came forth out of the
prison; and they were loosed from their bands; and the
prison had fallen to the earth, and every soul within the
walls thereof, save it were Alma and Amulek, was slain;
and they straightway came forth into the city. |
|
| 14:29 Now the people having heard a great noise came
running together by multitudes to know the cause of it;
and when they saw Alma and Amulek coming forth out of the
prison, and the walls thereof had fallen to the earth,
they were struck with great fear, and fled from the
presence of Alma and Amulek even as a goat fleeth with
her young from two lions; and thus they did flee from the
presence of Alma and Amulek. |
|
