«
»
Mosiah translates the Jaredite plates using seer stones (Mosiah 25-29)
2025

Episode 24: Mosiah translates the Jaredite plates using seer stones

Mosiah 25-29

King Mosiah reads the records of Zeniff and Alma to the people

25 1-6 King Mosiah gathered the people of Nephi and of Zarahemla (who were the descendants of Nephi and Mulek, respectively) and read to them the records of Zeniff and Alma, from the time they left the land of Zarahemla until the time they returned.

King Limhi and his people get baptized

14-15 When Mosiah finished reading to the people, Alma began to speak. 17 After Alma stopped speaking, King Limhi and his people wanted to get baptized. 18 So Alma baptized them, and they became members of the church of God.

20-21 There were now so many members of the church of God that they had to divide them into different bodies, which they called churches. 23 So there were now seven churches in the land of Zarahemla, and whoever wanted to belong to the church of Christ or of God joined the churches of God. 25 And they were called the people of God and the Lord poured his spirit on them.

What should we do with the unbelievers?

26 1 There were many in the new generation that didn’t believe the tradition of their fathers. 2 They didn’t believe in the resurrection of the dead, or in the coming of Christ. 3 They didn’t understand the word of God, and their hearts were hardened. 4 They refused to be baptized or join the church. They didn’t call upon the Lord and remained in a carnal and sinful state. 5 They were still a minority, but they were becoming more numerous all the time. 6 And they were deceiving many in the church.

7 The unbelievers were brought before the priests, and the priests brought them to Alma. 9 Alma didn’t know what to do with them, so he brought them to King Mosiah. 12 But the king didn’t know what to do with them either, so he sent them back to Alma. 13 Then Alma asked God what to do. 14-33 And the voice of the Lord came to him saying, “Throw the unbelievers out of the church. They will burn in the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.”

36 So Alma blotted out the names of the unbelievers. 37 After that there was peace and prosperity in the church.

A proclamation about unbelievers

27 1 The unbelievers persecuted the church, so the church members began to murmur and complain to Alma. Alma asked the King Mosiah what to do, and the king asked the priests.

2 King Mosiah sent out a proclamation saying that unbelievers were not to persecute church members. 3-5 A command also went out saying that everyone was equal, everyone should treat their neighbors as themselves, and priests should support themselves.

6 The Nephites became very numerous, spreading across the face of the earth. 7 And the Lord visited them, and they became a large and wealthy people.

The sons of Mosiah and one of the sons of Alma were unbelievers

8 The sons of Mosiah and one of the sons of Alma were unbelievers. The unbelieving son of Alma was named Alma after his father, and he was a wicked and idolatrous man. He was also a man of many words who led many people astray.

An angel appears and converts Alma Jr.

9-11 While Alma Jr. and the sons of Mosiah were trying to destroy the church, an angel of God appeared. He came down in a cloud and he made the earth shake when he talked with a voice of thunder.

13 The angel said, “Alma, why are you persecuting the church of God? 15 Didn’t my voice make the earth shake? 16 So don’t try to destroy the church anymore.” 19 After the angel left, Alma Jr. became weak and was unable to speak or move his hands.

20-21 When his father, Alma Sr., heard about it, he rejoiced, and gathered everyone to see what God did to his son.

23 After the people fasted and prayed for two days, Alma Jr. stood up and began to speak again, and said, 24 "I’ve repented, am redeemed by the Lord, and am born of the Spirit. 25 All nations, kindreds, tongues, and people must be born again. 28-29 If you’re not born again, you’ll be burned forever in eternal torment.”

32-34 After this, Alma Jr. and the four sons of Mosiah (Ammon, Aaron, Omner, and Himni) traveled throughout the land of Zarahemla preaching to the people.

Mosiah's sons go on a mission

28 1-3 Mosiah's sons asked King Mosiah to let them go to the land of Nephi to preach to the Lamanites, because they didn’t want anyone to suffer the endless torment of hell. 5-6 After his sons pleaded with him for many days, King Mosiah decided to ask God what to do. 7 God said, “Let them go.” 8 So Mosiah let his sons go on their mission to the Lamanites. 10 But now King Mosiah had no one to give his kingdom to since his sons were out on a mission.

Mosiah translates the Jaredite plates using seer stones

13 King Mosiah translated the Jaredite plates using two stones fastened to the rim of a bow. 16 Whoever has seer stones is a seer. 17 The plates recorded the history of people back to the time of the great tower when God confounded languages and scattered the people across the face of the earth. 18 The story on the plates made the people exceedingly sad, but also very happy. 20 Mosiah took the plates and gave them to Alma Jr. Alma Jr. is the first chief judge

29 1 Mosiah asked the people who should be king. 2 The people said, “We’d like Aaron to be king.” 3 But neither Aaron nor any of his brothers wanted to be king. 4 So Mosiah sent a letter to the people saying, 6 “Aaron doesn’t want to be king. 11 So while I’m alive, I’ll be your king. 25 After that, judges will be appointed according to the will of the people.”

33 Mosiah wrote many other things that aren't included here. 37 Everyone believed everything that he said.

The death of Alma Sr. and King Mosiah

42 So the people chose Alma Jr., who was already the high priest, as their first chief judge. 45 Then his father, Alma Sr. died. King Mosiah also died in 92 BCE.

No comments yet

Copyright © 1999-2025
The Skeptic's Annotated Bible

Send comments to Steve Wells
at swwells(at)gmail.com