0 SABoM Alma 14

These dissenters ... became ... more wild, wicked and ferocious than the Lamanites. Alma 47:36 47:36

Trivia: How were the king-men who refused to fight for the cause of freedom punished by Maroni and Pahoran?

The Book of Alma

CHAPTER 14

CHAPTER 14 The people of Ammonihah decide to kill Alma and Amulek--Zeezrom gets sick and converts--The followers of Alma and Amulek (and their families) burn to death--God refuses to let Alma stop the burning--The Chief Judge smites Alma and Amulek on their cheeks--Alma breaks the cords that bind him--The walls of the prison fall down, crushing the priests and lawyers that smote Alma and Amulek. (82 BCE) Previous chapter | Next chapter

Alma and Amulek are taken to the chief judge
AbsurdityContradictions 14:1-5

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.

After Alma and Amulek had finished speaking, the response of the crowd was mixed.

Some believed the speech and began to repent,

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.

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.

but more of them were angry and wanted to kill them.

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.

They decided to tie them up and bring them before the chief judge.

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.

The people testified against Alma and Amulek, saying that they had made fun of their lawyers, judges, laws and of everyone who lived in their land.

They also said that Alma and Amulek had claimed that there was only one God, and God would send his son among the people, but that his son wouldn't save them. [1]

The conversion of Zeezrom
Absurdity 14:6-7

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.

Then Zeezrom began to be encircled by the pains of hell.

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.

He said to the people:

I'm guilty and these men are spotless before God.

But the people spit on Zeezrom and threw stones at the followers of Alma and Amulek.

The followers of Alma and Amulek are burned to death
CrueltyFamily ValuesInjusticeAbsurdity 14:8-16

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.

Every man, woman and child who believed Alma and Amulek's words were rounded up and burned, along with their scripture-containing records.

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.

Alma and Amulek were brought to the place of martyrdom to watch everyone burn to death.

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.

Amulek said to Alma,

How can we watch this?

Let's use the power of God to save them from the flames.

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.

But Alma said,

The Spirit won't let me do it.

God needs proof to punish these people, and if we stop it then they can't be punished properly.

It's a shame that all of these innocent people have to burn to death, but punishing evil people is more important to God than saving innocent ones.

12 Now Amulek said unto Alma: Behold, perhaps they will burn us also.

Amulek: They might burn us too, you know.

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.

Alma: No, God won't let us burn. We still have work to do for him.

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?

After the people burned to death, the chief judge smote Alma and Amulek on the cheeks and said to them,

Are you still going to keep preaching so that even more people can burn?

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?

16 Now this judge was after the order and faith of Nehor, who slew Gideon.

Neither you nor God could save them.

What do you have to say for yourselves?

Alma and Amulek are imprisoned
Absurdity 14:17-25

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.

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.

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.

Neither Alma nor Amulek said anything.

Then they were cast into prison.

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?

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?

The judges came to the prison and smote them on their cheeks again and gnashed their teeth on them.

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.

They mocked them and didn't give them any food or water for three days.

Then they were stripped naked and tied up with cords.

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.

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.

After many days, the chief judge said to them,

If you have the power of God, untie these cords and we'll believe that God will destroy us as you say he will.

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.

And everyone else came up and smote them, saying the exact same words.

The prison escape and falling walls
AbsurdityCrueltyInjustice 14:26-29

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.

Then Alma cried out, saying,

How long do I have to put up with this?

Help me, God, break these cords.

And immediately the cords broke and Alma and Amulek ran away.

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, andthe walls of the prison were rent 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.

But they were too scared to run properly, and they fell to the earth. [2]

Then the ground shook, and the prison was split it two, and everyone who smote Alma and Amulek (along with everyone else in the prison) were smashed by the falling walls.

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.

Amulek and Alma weren't hurt by any of this, because of their faith in Christ.

But everyone else in the prison was smashed by the falling walls.

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.

When the people saw Amulek and Alma leaving the prison, they were afraid, like a goat fleeing from two lions.

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