33:1 Now after Alma had spoken these words, they
sent forth unto him desiring to know whether they should
believe in one God, that they might obtain this fruit of
which he had spoken, or how they should plant the seed,
or the word of which he had spoken, which he said must be
planted in their hearts; or in what manner they should
begin to exercise their faith. |
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33:2 And Alma said unto them: Behold, ye have said
that ye could not worship your God because ye are cast
out of your synagogues. But behold, I say unto you, if ye
suppose that ye cannot worship God, ye do greatly err,
and ye ought to search the scriptures; if ye suppose that
they have taught you this, ye do not understand them. |
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33:3 Do ye remember to have read what Zenos, the
prophet of old, has said concerning prayer or worship? |
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33:4 For he said: Thou art merciful, O God, for thou
hast heard my prayer, even when I was in the wilderness;
yea, thou wast merciful when I prayed concerning those
who were mine enemies, and thou didst turn them to me. |
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33:5 Yea, O God, and thou wast merciful unto me when
I did cry unto thee in my field; when I did cry unto thee
in my prayer, and thou didst hear me. |
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33:6 And again, O God, when I did turn to my house
thou didst hear me in my prayer. |
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33:7 And when I did turn unto my closet, O Lord, and
prayed unto thee, thou didst hear me. |
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33:8 Yea, thou art merciful unto thy children when
they cry unto thee, to be heard of thee and not of men,
and thou wilt hear them. |
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33:9 Yea, O God, thou hast been merciful unto me,
and heard my cries in the midst of thy congregations. |
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33:10 Yea, and thou hast also heard me when I have
been cast out and have been despised by mine enemies;
yea, thou didst hear my cries, and wast angry with mine
enemies, and thou didst visit them in thine anger with
speedy destruction. |
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33:11 And thou didst hear me because of mine
afflictions and my sincerity; and it is because of thy
Son that thou hast been thus merciful unto me, therefore
I will cry unto thee in all mine afflictions, for in thee
is my joy; for thou hast turned thy judgments away from
me, because of thy Son. |
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33:12 And now Alma said unto them: Do ye believe
those scriptures which have been written by them of old? |
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33:13 Behold, if ye do, ye must believe what Zenos
said; for, behold he said: Thou hast turned away thy
judgments because of thy Son. |
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33:14 Now behold, my brethren, I would ask if ye have
read the scriptures? If ye have, how can ye disbelieve on
the Son of God? |
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33:15 For it is not written that Zenos alone spake of
these things, but Zenock also spake of these things-- |
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33:16 For behold, he said: Thou art angry, O Lord,
with this people, because they will not understand thy
mercies which thou hast bestowed upon them because of thy
Son. |
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33:17 And now, my brethren, ye see that a second
prophet of old has testified of the Son of God, and
because the people would not understand his words they
stoned him to death. |
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33:18 But behold, this is not all; these are not the
only ones who have spoken concerning the Son of God. |
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33:19 Behold, he was spoken of by Moses; yea, and
behold a type was raised up in the wilderness, that
whosoever would look upon it might live. And many did
look and live. |
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33:20 But few understood the meaning of those things,
and this because of the hardness of their hearts. But
there were many who were so hardened that they would not
look, therefore they perished. Now the reason they would
not look is because they did not believe that it would
heal them. |
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33:21 O my brethren, if ye could be healed by merely
casting about your eyes that ye might be healed, would ye
not behold quickly, or would ye rather harden your hearts
in unbelief, and be slothful, that ye would not cast
about your eyes, that ye might perish? |
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33:22 If so, wo shall come upon you; but if not so,
then cast about your eyes and begin to believe in the Son
of God, that he will come to redeem his people, and that
he shall suffer and die to atone for their sins; and that
he shall rise again from the dead, which shall bring to
pass the resurrection, that all men shall stand before
him, to be judged at the last and judgment day, according
to their works. |
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33:23 And now, my brethren, I desire that ye shall
plant this word in your hearts, and as it beginneth to
swell even so nourish it by your faith. And behold, it
will become a tree, 1springing up in you unto everlasting life. And
then may God grant unto you that your burdens may be
light, through the joy of his Son. And even all this can
ye do if ye will. Amen. |
[1] John 4:14: ...but
the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of
water springing up into everlasting life. |