Mosiah 26:11 11 And he said unto the king: Behold, here are many whom we have brought before thee, who are accused of their brethren; yea, and they have been taken in divers iniquities. And they do not repent of their iniquities; therefore we have brought them before thee, that thou mayest judge them according to their crimes.
Mosiah 26:12 12 But king Mosiah said unto Alma: Behold, I judge them not; therefore I deliver them into thy hands to be judged.
Mosiah 26:13 13 And now the spirit of Alma was again troubled; and he went and inquired of the Lord what he should do concerning this matter, for he feared that he should do wrong in the sight of G.o.d.
Mosiah 26:14 14 And it came to pa.s.s that after he had poured out his whole soul to G.o.d, the voice of the Lord came to him, saying:
Mosiah 26:15 15 Blessed art thou, Alma, and blessed are they who were baptized in the waters of Mormon. Thou art blessed because of thy exceeding faith in the words alone of my servant Abinadi.
Mosiah 26:16 16 And blessed are they because of their exceeding faith in the words alone which thou hast spoken unto them.
Mosiah 26:17 17 And blessed art thou because thou hast established a church among this people; and they shall be established, and they shall be my people.
Mosiah 26:18 18 Yea, blessed is this people who are willing to bear my name; for in my name shall they be called; and they are mine.
Mosiah 26:19 19 And because thou hast inquired of me concerning the transgressor, thou art blessed.
Mosiah 26:20 20 Thou art my servant; and I covenant with thee that thou shalt have eternal life; and thou shalt serve me and go forth in my name, and shalt gather together my sheep.
Mosiah 26:21 21 And he that will hear my voice shall be my sheep; and him shall ye receive into the church, and him will I also receive.
Mosiah 26:22 22 For behold, this is my church; whosoever is baptized shall be baptized unto repentance. And whomsoever ye receive shall believe in my name; and him will I freely forgive.
Mosiah 26:23 23 For it is I that taketh upon me the sins of the world; for it is I that hath created them; and it is I that granteth unto him that believeth unto the end a place at my right hand.
Mosiah 26:24 24 For behold, in my name are they called; and if they know me they shall come forth, and shall have a place eternally at my right hand.
Mosiah 26:25 25 And it shall come to pa.s.s that when the second trump shall sound then shall they that never knew me come forth and shall stand before me.
Mosiah 26:26 26 And then shall they know that I am the Lord their G.o.d, that I am their Redeemer; but they would not be redeemed.
Mosiah 26:27 27 And then I will confess unto them that I never knew them; and they shall depart into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
Mosiah 26:28 28 Therefore I say unto you, that he that will not hear my voice, the same shall ye not receive into my church, for him I will not receive at the last day.
Mosiah 26:29 29 Therefore I say unto you, Go; and whosoever transgresseth against me, him shall ye judge according to the sins which he has committed; and if he confess his sins before thee and me, and repenteth in the sincerity of his heart, him shall ye forgive, and I will forgive him also.
Mosiah 26:30 30 Yea, and as often as my people repent will I forgive them their trespa.s.ses against me.
Mosiah 26:31 31 And ye shall also forgive one another your trespa.s.ses; for verily I say unto you, he that forgiveth not his neighbor"s trespa.s.ses when he says that he repents, the same hath brought himself under condemnation.
Mosiah 26:32 32 Now I say unto you, Go; and whosoever will not repent of his sins the same shall not be numbered among my people; and this shall be observed from this time forward.
Mosiah 26:33 33 And it came to pa.s.s when Alma had heard these words he wrote them down that he might have them, and that he might judge the people of that church according to the commandments of G.o.d.
Mosiah 26:34 34 And it came to pa.s.s that Alma went and judged those that had been taken in iniquity, according to the word of the Lord.
Mosiah 26:35 35 And whosoever repented of their sins and did confess them, them he did number among the people of the church;
Mosiah 26:36 36 And those that would not confess their sins and repent of their iniquity, the same were not numbered among the people of the church, and their names were blotted out.
Mosiah 26:37 37 And it came to pa.s.s that Alma did regulate all the affairs of the church; and they began again to have peace and to prosper exceedingly in the affairs of the church, walking circ.u.mspectly before G.o.d, receiving many, and baptizing many.
Mosiah 26:38 38 And now all these things did Alma and his fellow laborers do who were over the church, walking in all diligence, teaching the word of G.o.d in all things, suffering all manner of afflictions, being persecuted by all those who did not belong to the church of G.o.d.
Mosiah 26:39 39 And they did admonish their brethren; and they were also admonished, every one by the word of G.o.d, according to his sins, or to the sins which he had committed, being commanded of G.o.d to pray without ceasing, and to give thanks in all things.
Mosiah 27 Chapter 27
Mosiah 27:1 1 And now it came to pa.s.s that the persecutions which were inflicted on the church by the unbelievers became so great that the church began to murmur, and complain to their leaders concerning the matter; and they did complain to Alma. And Alma laid the case before their king, Mosiah. And Mosiah consulted with his priests.
Mosiah 27:2 2 And it came to pa.s.s that king Mosiah sent a proclamation throughout the land round about that there should not any unbeliever persecute any of those who belonged to the church of G.o.d.
Mosiah 27:3 3 And there was a strict command throughout all the churches that there should be no persecutions among them, that there should be an equality among all men;
Mosiah 27:4 4 That they should let no pride nor haughtiness disturb their peace; that every man should esteem his neighbor as himself, laboring with their own hands for their support.
Mosiah 27:5 5 Yea, and all their priests and teachers should labor with their own hands for their support, in all cases save it were in sickness, or in much want; and doing these things, they did abound in the grace of G.o.d.
Mosiah 27:6 6 And there began to be much peace again in the land; and the people began to be very numerous, and began to scatter abroad upon the face of the earth, yea, on the north and on the south, on the east and on the west, building large cities and villages in all quarters of the land.
Mosiah 27:7 7 And the Lord did visit them and prosper them, and they became a large and wealthy people.
Mosiah 27:8 8 Now the sons of Mosiah were numbered among the unbelievers; and also one of the sons of Alma was numbered among them, he being called Alma, after his father; nevertheless, he became a very wicked and an idolatrous man. And he was a man of many words, and did speak much flattery to the people; therefore he led many of the people to do after the manner of his iniquities.
Mosiah 27:9 9 And he became a great hinderment to the prosperity of the church of G.o.d; stealing away the hearts of the people; causing much dissension among the people; giving a chance for the enemy of G.o.d to exercise his power over them.
Mosiah 27:10 10 And now it came to pa.s.s that while he was going about to destroy the church of G.o.d, for he did go about secretly with the sons of Mosiah seeking to destroy the church, and to lead astray the people of the Lord, contrary to the commandments of G.o.d, or even the king--
Mosiah 27:11 11 And as I said unto you, as they were going about rebelling against G.o.d, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto them; and he descended as it were in a cloud; and he spake as it were with a voice of thunder, which caused the earth to shake upon which they stood;
Mosiah 27:12 12 And so great was their astonishment, that they fell to the earth, and understood not the words which he spake unto them.
Mosiah 27:13 13 Nevertheless he cried again, saying: Alma, arise and stand forth, for why persecutest thou the church of G.o.d? For the Lord hath said: This is my church, and I will establish it; and nothing shall overthrow it, save it is the transgression of my people.
Mosiah 27:14 14 And again, the angel said: Behold, the Lord hath heard the prayers of his people, and also the prayers of his servant, Alma, who is thy father; for he has prayed with much faith concerning thee that thou mightest be brought to the knowledge of the truth; therefore, for this purpose have I come to convince thee of the power and authority of G.o.d, that the prayers of his servants might be answered according to their faith.
Mosiah 27:15 15 And now behold, can ye dispute the power of G.o.d? For behold, doth not my voice shake the earth? And can ye not also behold me before you? And I am sent from G.o.d.
Mosiah 27:16 16 Now I say unto thee: Go, and remember the captivity of thy fathers in the land of Helam, and in the land of Nephi; and remember how great things he has done for them; for they were in bondage, and he has delivered them. And now I say unto thee, Alma, go thy way, and seek to destroy the church no more, that their prayers may be answered, and this even if thou wilt of thyself be cast off.
Mosiah 27:17 17 And now it came to pa.s.s that these were the last words which the angel spake unto Alma, and he departed.
Mosiah 27:18 18 And now Alma and those that were with him fell again to the earth, for great was their astonishment; for with their own eyes they had beheld an angel of the Lord; and his voice was as thunder, which shook the earth; and they knew that there was nothing save the power of G.o.d that could shake the earth and cause it to tremble as though it would part asunder.
Mosiah 27:19 19 And now the astonishment of Alma was so great that he became dumb, that he could not open his mouth; yea, and he became weak, even that he could not move his hands; therefore he was taken by those that were with him, and carried helpless, even until he was laid before his father.
Mosiah 27:20 20 And they rehea.r.s.ed unto his father all that had happened unto them; and his father rejoiced, for he knew that it was the power of G.o.d.