Let thy words be few. Ecclesiastes 5:2
14 1 After Alma and Amulek had finished speaking, the response of the crowd was mixed. Some believed the speech and began to repent, but more of them were angry and wanted to kill them. 4 But they decided to tie them up and bring them before the chief judge. 5 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.
6 Then Zeezrom was encircled by the pains of hell. He said to the people, 7 “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.
8 Every man, woman and child who believed Alma and Amulek's words were rounded up and burned, along with their scripture-containing records. 9 Alma and Amulek were brought to the place of martyrdom to watch everyone burn to death.
10 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, “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 Amulek said, “They might burn us too, you know.”
13 “No, God won't let us burn,” Alma said. “We still have work to do for him.”
14 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 Neither you nor God could save them. What do you have to say for yourselves?”
17 Neither Alma nor Amulek said anything. Then they were cast into prison. 21 The judges came to the prison and smote them on their cheeks again and gnashed their teeth on them. 22 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.
23-24 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 everyone else came up and smote them, saying the exact same words.
26 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.
27-28 But they were too scared to run properly, and they fell to the ground. 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.
15 1 Alma and Amulek were commanded (by God?) to go to the city of Sidon. When they arrived, they found their followers who had left the land of Ammonihah. 2 They told them what happened to their wives and children (they’d been burned to death). They also told them about their miraculous escape from prison. 3 Zeezrom was in Sidon, too. He was sick with a fever that was caused by guilt. He thought that Alma and Amulek were dead, and he blamed himself for their death. 4 When he heard that they’d come into town, he sent a message calling for them to come see him. 5 When they arrived, he asked them to heal him.
6 Alma said to him, “Do you believe that Christ can save people?”
7 Zeezrom said, “I believe everything you say.”
10 So Alma healed him. 11 And Zeezrom leaped upon his feet and began to walk. 12 Alma baptized him, and he began to preach to the people.
13-14 Alma established a church in Sidon and baptized everyone there who wanted to be baptized. 15 But no one in Ammonihah wanted to be baptized, because they were all wicked followers of Nehor. 18 And Alma and Amulek left Sidon and returned to Zarahemla.
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