The Book Of Mosiah (Chap. 27)

Mosiah 27:1
And now it came to pass 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
And it came to pass 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
God.

Mosiah 27:3
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
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
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 God.

Mosiah 27:6
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
And the Lord did visit them and prosper them, and they became
a large and wealthy people.

Mosiah 27:8
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
And he became a great hinderment to the prosperity of the
church of God; stealing away the hearts of the people; causing
much dissension among the people; giving a chance for the enemy
of God to exercise his power over them.

Mosiah 27:10
And now it came to pass that while he was going about to
destroy the church of God, 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 God, or
even the king—

Mosiah 27:11
And as I said unto you, as they were going about rebelling
against God, 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
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
Nevertheless he cried again, saying: Alma, arise and stand
forth, for why persecutest thou the church of God? 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
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 God, that the prayers of his servants
might be answered according to their faith.

Mosiah 27:15
And now behold, can ye dispute the power of God? For behold,
doth not my voice shake the earth? And can ye not also behold me
before you? And I am sent from God.

Mosiah 27:16
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
And now it came to pass that these were the last words which
the angel spake unto Alma, and he departed.

Mosiah 27:18
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 God that could shake the earth and
cause it to tremble as though it would part asunder.

Mosiah 27:19
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
And they rehearsed unto his father all that had happened unto
them; and his father rejoiced, for he knew that it was the power
of God.

Mosiah 27:21
And he caused that a multitude should be gathered together
that they might witness what the Lord had done for his son, and
also for those that were with him.

Mosiah 27:22
And he caused that the priests should assemble themselves
together; and they began to fast, and to pray to the Lord their
God that he would open the mouth of Alma, that he might speak,
and also that his limbs might receive their strength—that the
eyes of the people might be opened to see and know of the
goodness and glory of God.

Mosiah 27:23
And it came to pass after they had fasted and prayed for the
space of two days and two nights, the limbs of Alma received
their strength, and he stood up and began to speak unto them,
bidding them to be of good comfort:

Mosiah 27:24
For, said he, I have repented of my sins, and have been
redeemed of the Lord; behold I am born of the Spirit.

Mosiah 27:25
And the Lord said unto me: Marvel not that all mankind, yea,
men and women, all nations, kindreds, tongues and people, must be
born again; yea, born of God, changed from their carnal and
fallen state, to a state of righteousness, being redeemed of God,
becoming his sons and daughters;

Mosiah 27:26
And thus they become new creatures; and unless they do this,
they can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God.

Mosiah 27:27
I say unto you, unless this be the case, they must be cast
off; and this I know, because I was like to be cast off.

Mosiah 27:28
Nevertheless, after wading through much tribulations,
repenting nigh unto death, the Lord in mercy hath seen fit to
snatch me out of an everlasting burning, and I am born of God.

Mosiah 27:29
My soul hath been redeemed from the gall of bitterness and
bonds of iniquity. I was in the darkest abyss; but now I behold
the marvelous light of God. My soul was racked with eternal
torment; but I am snatched, and my soul is pained no more.

Mosiah 27:30
I rejected my Redeemer, and denied that which had been spoken
of by our fathers; but now that they may foresee that he will
come, and that he remembereth every creature of his creating, he
will make himself manifest unto all.

Mosiah 27:31
Yea, every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess before
him. Yea, even at the last day, when all men shall stand to be
judged of him, then shall they confess that he is God; then shall
they confess, who live without God in the world, that the
judgment of an everlasting punishment is just upon them; and they
shall quake, and tremble, and shrink beneath the glance of his
all-searching eye.

Mosiah 27:32
And now it came to pass that Alma began from this time
forward to teach the people, and those who were with Alma at the
time the angel appeared unto them, traveling round about through
all the land, publishing to all the people the things which they
had heard and seen, and preaching the word of God in much
tribulation, being greatly persecuted by those who were
unbelievers, being smitten by many of them.

Mosiah 27:33
But notwithstanding all this, they did impart much
consolation to the church, confirming their faith, and exhorting
them with long-suffering and much travail to keep the
commandments of God.

Mosiah 27:34
And four of them were the sons of Mosiah; and their names
were Ammon, and Aaron, and Omner, and Himni; these were the names
of the sons of Mosiah.

Mosiah 27:35
And they traveled throughout all the lands of Zarahemla, and
among all the people who were under the reign of king Mosiah,
zealously striving to repair all the injuries which they had done
to the church, confessing all their sins, and publishing all the
things which they had seen, and explaining the prophecies and the
scriptures to all who desired to hear them.

Mosiah 27:36
And thus they were instruments in the hands of God in
bringing many to the knowledge of the truth, yea, to the
knowledge of their Redeemer.

Mosiah 27:37
And how blessed are they! For they did publish peace; they
did publish good tidings of good; and they did declare unto the
people that the Lord reigneth.