Alma 14
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
12 Now Amulek said unto Alma: Behold, perhaps they will burn us also.
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.
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?
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.
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.
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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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,
and the 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.
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.
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.