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.
14:2 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.
14:3 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.
14:4 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.
14:5 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.
14:6 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.
14:7 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.
14:8 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.
14:9 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.
14:10 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.
14:11 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.
14:12 Now Amulek said unto Alma: Behold, perhaps they will burn us
also.
14:13 And Alma said: Be it according to the will of the Lord. But,
behold, our work is not finished; therefore they burn us not.
14:14 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?
14:15 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?
14:16 Now this judge was after the order and faith of Nehor, who slew
Gideon.
14:17 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.
14:18 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.
14:19 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.
14:20 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?
14:21 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?
14:22 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.
14:23 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.
14:24 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.
14:25 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.
14:26 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.
14:27 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.
14:28 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.
14:29 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.