32:1 And it came to pass that they did go forth, and
began to preach the word of God unto the people, entering
into their synagogues, and into their houses; yea, and
even they did preach the word in their streets. |
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32:2 And it came to pass that after much labor among
them, they began to have success among the poor class of
people; for behold, they were cast out of the synagogues
because of the coarseness of their apparel-- |
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32:3 Therefore they were not permitted to enter into
their synagogues to worship God, being esteemed as
filthiness; therefore they were poor; yea, they were
esteemed by their brethren as dross; therefore they were
poor as to things of the world; and also they were poor
in heart. |
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32:4 Now, as Alma was teaching and speaking unto the
people upon the hill Onidah, there came a great multitude
unto him, who were those of whom we have been speaking,
of whom were poor in heart, because of their poverty as
to the things of the world. |
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32:5 And they came unto Alma; and the one who was
the foremost among them said unto him: Behold, what shall
these my brethren do, for they are despised of all men
because of their poverty, yea, and more especially by our
priests; for they have cast us out of our synagogues
which we have labored abundantly to build with our own
hands; and they have cast us out because of our exceeding
poverty; and we have no place to worship our God; and
behold, what shall we do? |
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32:6 And now when Alma heard this, he turned him
about, his face immediately towards him, and he beheld
with great joy; for he beheld that their afflictions had
truly humbled them and that they were in a preparation to
hear the word. |
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32:7 Therefore he did say no more to the other
multitude; but he stretched forth his hand, and cried
unto those whom he beheld, who were truly penitent, and
said unto them: |
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32:8 I behold that ye are lowly in heart; and if so,
blessed are ye. |
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32:9 Behold thy brother hath said, What shall we do?
--for we are cast out of our synagogues, that we cannot
worship our God. |
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32:10 Behold I say unto you, do ye suppose that ye
cannot worship God save it be in your synagogues only? |
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32:11 And moreover, I would ask, do ye suppose that
ye must not worship God only once in a week? |
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32:12 I say unto you, it is well that ye are cast out
of your synagogues, that ye may be humble, and that ye
may learn wisdom; for it is necessary that ye should
learn wisdom; for it is because that ye are cast out,
that ye are despised of your brethren because of your
exceeding poverty, that ye are brought to a lowliness of
heart; for ye are necessarily brought to be humble. |
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32:13 And now, because ye are compelled to be humble
blessed are ye; for a man sometimes, if he is compelled
to be humble, seeketh repentance; and now surely,
whosoever repenteth shall find mercy; and he that findeth
mercy and 1endureth to the end the same shall be saved. |
[1] Matthew 24:13: But
he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be
saved. |
32:14 And now, as I said unto you, that because ye
were compelled to be humble ye were blessed, do ye not
suppose that they are more blessed who truly humble
themselves because of the word? |
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32:15 Yea, he that truly humbleth himself, and
repenteth of his sins, and 1endureth to the end, the same shall be
blessed--yea, much more blessed than they who are
compelled to be humble because of their exceeding
poverty. |
[1] Matthew 24:13: But
he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be
saved. |
32:16 Therefore, blessed are they who humble
themselves without being compelled to be humble; or
rather, in other words, blessed is he that believeth in
the word of God, and is baptized without
stubbornness of heart, yea, without being brought to know
the word, or even compelled to know, before they will
believe. |
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32:17 Yea, there are many who do say: If thou wilt
show unto us a sign from heaven, then we shall know of a
surety; then we shall believe. |
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32:18 Now I ask, is this faith? Behold, I say unto
you, Nay; for if a man knoweth a thing he hath no cause
to believe, for he knoweth it. |
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32:19 And now, how much more cursed is he that
knoweth the will of God and doeth it not, than he that
only believeth, or only hath cause to believe, and
falleth into transgression? |
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32:20 Now of this thing ye must judge. Behold, I say
unto you, that it is on the one hand even as it is on the
other; and it shall be unto every man according to his
work. |
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32:21 And now as I said concerning faith--faith is
not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if
ye have 1faith ye hope for things which are not seen,
which are true. |
[1] Hebrews 11:1: Now faith is the substance of
things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. |
32:22 And now, behold, I say unto you, and I would
that ye should remember, that God is merciful unto all
who believe on his name; therefore he desireth, in the
first place, that ye should believe, yea, even on his
word. |
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32:23 And now, he imparteth his word by angels unto
men, yea, not only men but women also. Now this is not
all; little children do have words given unto them many
times which confound the wise and the learned. |
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32:24 And now, my beloved brethren, as ye have
desired to know of me what ye shall do because ye are
afflicted and cast out--now I do not desire that ye
should suppose that I mean to judge you only according to
that which is true-- |
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32:25 For I do not mean that ye all of you have been
compelled to humble yourselves; for I verily believe that
there are some among you who would humble themselves, let
them be in whatsoever circumstances they might. |
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32:26 Now, as I said concerning faith--that it was
not a perfect knowledge--even so it is with my words. Ye
cannot know of their surety at first, unto perfection,
any more than faith is a perfect knowledge. |
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32:27 But behold, if ye will awake and arouse your
faculties, even to an experiment upon my words, and
exercise a particle of faith, yea, even if ye can no more
than desire to believe, let this desire work in you, even
until ye believe in a manner that ye can give place for a
portion of my words. |
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32:28 Now, we will 1compare the word unto a seed. Now, if ye give
place, that a seed may be planted in your heart, behold,
if it be a true seed, or a good seed, if ye do not cast
it out by your unbelief, that ye will resist the Spirit
of the Lord, behold, it will begin to swell within your
breasts; and when you feel these swelling motions, ye
will begin to say within yourselves--It must needs be
that this is a good seed, or that the word is good, for
it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to
enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be
delicious to me. |
Compare this
parable with the parable of the Sower in Luke 8:4-16 |
32:29 Now behold, would not this increase your faith?
I say unto you, Yea; nevertheless it hath not grown up to
a perfect knowledge. |
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32:30 But behold, as the seed swelleth, and
sprouteth, and beginneth to grow, then you must needs say
that the seed is good; for behold it swelleth, and
sprouteth, and beginneth to grow. And now, behold, will
not this strengthen your faith? Yea, it will strengthen
your faith: for ye will say I know that this is a good
seed; for behold it sprouteth and beginneth to grow. |
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32:31 And now, behold, are ye sure that this is a
good seed? I say unto you, Yea; for every seed bringeth
forth unto its own likeness. |
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32:32 Therefore, if a seed groweth it is good, but if
it groweth not, behold it is not good, therefore it is
cast away. |
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32:33 And now, behold, because ye have tried the
experiment, and planted the seed, and it swelleth and
sprouteth, and beginneth to grow, ye must needs know that
the seed is good. |
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32:34 And now, behold, is your knowledge perfect?
Yea, your knowledge is perfect in that thing, and your
faith is dormant; and this because you know, for ye know
that the word hath swelled your souls, and ye also know
that it hath sprouted up, that your understanding doth
begin to be enlightened, and your mind doth begin to
expand. |
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32:35 O then, is not this real? I say unto you, Yea,
because it is light; and whatsoever is light, is good,
because it is discernible, therefore ye must know that it
is good; and now behold, after ye have tasted this light
is your knowledge perfect? |
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32:36 Behold I say unto you, Nay; neither must ye lay
aside your faith, for ye have only exercised your faith
to plant the seed that ye might try the experiment to
know if the seed was good. |
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32:37 And behold, as the tree beginneth to grow, ye
will say: Let us nourish it with great care, that it may
get root, that it may grow up, and bring forth fruit unto
us. And now behold, if ye nourish it with much care it
will get root, and grow up, and bring forth fruit. |
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32:38 But if ye neglect the tree, and take no thought
for its nourishment, behold it will not get any root; and
1when the heat of the sun cometh and scorcheth
it, because it hath no root it withers away, and ye pluck
it up and cast it out. |
[1] Matthew 13:6: And when the sun was up,
they were scorched; and because they had no root, they
withered away. |
32:39 Now, this is not because the seed was not good,
neither is it because the fruit thereof would not be
desirable; but it is because your ground is barren, and
ye will not nourish the tree, therefore ye cannot have
the fruit thereof. |
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32:40 And thus, if ye will not nourish the word,
looking forward with an eye of faith to the fruit
thereof, ye can never pluck of the fruit of the tree of
life. |
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32:41 But if ye will nourish the word, yea, nourish
the tree as it beginneth to grow, by your faith with
great diligence, and with patience, looking forward to
the fruit thereof, it shall take root; and behold it
shall be a tree 1springing up unto everlasting life. |
[1] John 4:14: ...a well of water springing up
into everlasting life. |
32:42 And because of your diligence and your faith
and your patience with the word in nourishing it, that it
may take root in you, behold, by and by ye shall pluck
the fruit thereof, which is most precious, which is sweet
above all that is sweet, and which is white above all
that is white, yea, and pure above all that is pure; and
ye shall feast upon this fruit even until ye are filled,
that ye hunger not, neither shall ye thirst. |
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32:43 Then, my brethren, ye shall reap the rewards of
your faith, and your diligence, and patience, and
long-suffering, waiting for the tree to bring forth fruit
unto you. |
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