Alma 34:1 And now it came to pass that after Alma had spoken these words unto them, he sat down upon the ground. And Amulek arose and began to teach them, saying:
Alma 34:2 My brethren, I think that it is impossible that ye should be ignorant of the things which have been spoken concerning the coming of Christ, who is taught by us to be the Son of God. Yea, I know that these things were taught unto you bountifully before your dissension from among us.
Alma 34:3 And as ye have desired of my beloved brother that he should make known unto you what ye should do because of your afflictions—and he hath spoken somewhat unto you to prepare your minds, yea, and he hath exhorted you unto faith and to patience,
Alma 34:4 yea, even that ye would have so much faith as even to plant the word in your heart, that ye may try the experiment of its goodness.
Alma 34:5 And we have beheld that the great question which is in your minds is whether the word be in the Son of God or whether there shall be no Christ.
Alma 34:6 And ye also behold that my brother hath proven unto you in many instances that the word is in Christ unto salvation.
Alma 34:7 My brother hath called upon the words of Zenos, that redemption cometh through the Son of God, and also upon the words of Zenoch. And also he hath appealed unto Moses to prove that these things are true.
Alma 34:8 And now behold, I will testify unto you of myself that these things are true. Behold, I say unto you that I do know that Christ shall come among the children of men to take upon him the transgressions of his people and that he shall atone for the sins of the world, for the Lord God hath spoken it.
Alma 34:9 For it is expedient that an atonement should be made, for according to the great plans of the Eternal God there must be an atonement made or else all mankind must unavoidably perish. Yea, all are hardened; yea, all are fallen and are lost and must perish except it be through the atonement, which it is expedient should be made.
Alma 34:10 For it is expedient that there should be a great and last sacrifice—yea, not a sacrifice of man, neither of beasts, neither of any manner of fowl—for it shall not be a human sacrifice, but it must be an infinite and an eternal sacrifice.
Alma 34:11 Now there is not any man that can sacrifice his own blood which will atone for the sins of another. Now if a man murdereth, behold, will our law, which is just, take the life of his brother? I say unto you: Nay.
{% margin %}
…infinite atonement…
{% endmargin %}
Alma 34:12 But the law requireth the life of him who hath murdered. Therefore there can be nothing which is short of an infinite atonement which will suffice for the sins of the world.
{% margin %}
…one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
KJV Bible, 1769, Matthew 5:18
{% endmargin %}
Alma 34:13 Therefore it is expedient that there should be a great and last sacrifice. And then shall there be—or it is expedient there should be—a stop to the shedding of blood; then shall the law of Moses be fulfilled. Yea, it shall all be fulfilled, every jot and tittle, and none shall have passed away.
Alma 34:14 And behold, this is the whole meaning of the law, every whit a pointing to that great and last sacrifice; and that great and last sacrifice will be the Son of God, yea, infinite and eternal.
Alma 34:15 And thus he shall bring salvation to all those who shall believe on his name, this being the intent of this last sacrifice, to bring about the bowels of mercy, which overpowereth justice and bringeth about means unto men that they may have faith unto repentance.
{% margin %}
…satisfy the demands of justice…
{% endmargin %}
Alma 34:16 And thus mercy can satisfy the demands of justice and encircle them in the arms of safety, while he that exerciseth no faith unto repentance is exposed to the whole law of the demands of justice. Therefore only unto him that hath faith unto repentance is brought about the great and eternal plan of redemption.
Alma 34:17 Therefore may God grant unto you, my brethren, that ye might begin to exercise your faith unto repentance, that ye begin to call upon his holy name that he would have mercy upon you.
Alma 34:18 Yea, cry unto him for mercy, for he is mighty to save.
Alma 34:19 Yea, humble yourselves and continue in prayer unto him.
Alma 34:20 Cry unto him when ye are in your fields, yea, over all your flocks.
Alma 34:21 Cry unto him in your houses, yea, over all your household, both morning, midday, and evening.
Alma 34:22 Yea, cry unto him against the power of your enemies.
Alma 34:23 Yea, cry unto him against the devil, which is an enemy to all righteousness.
Alma 34:24 Cry unto him over the crops of your fields, that ye may prosper in them.
Alma 34:25 Cry over the flocks of your fields, that they may increase.
Alma 34:26 But this is not all. Ye must pour out your souls in your closets and your secret places and in your wilderness.
Alma 34:27 Yea, and when you do not cry unto the Lord, let your hearts be full, drawn out in prayer unto him continually for your welfare and also for the welfare of those which are around you.
Alma 34:28 And now behold, my brethren, I say unto you: Do not suppose that this is all. For after ye have done all these things, if ye turn away the needy and the naked and visit not the sick and afflicted and impart of your substance, if ye have, to those which stand in need—I say unto you, if ye do not any of these things, behold, your prayer is vain and availeth you nothing, and ye are as hypocrites which do deny the faith.
{% margin %}
…good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.
KJV Bible, 1769, Matthew 5:13
{% endmargin %}
Alma 34:29 Therefore if ye do not remember to be charitable, ye are as dross which the refiners do cast out—it being of no worth—and is trodden under foot of men.
Alma 34:30 And now my brethren, I would that after ye have received so many witnesses, seeing that the holy scriptures testifies of these things, come forth and bring fruit unto repentance.
Alma 34:31 Yea, I would that ye would come forth and harden not your hearts any longer. For behold, now is the time and the day of your salvation. And therefore, if ye will repent and harden not your hearts, immediately shall the great plan of redemption be brought about unto you.
Alma 34:32 For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God. Yea, behold, the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors.
Alma 34:33 And now as I said unto you before, as ye have had so many witnesses, therefore I beseech of you that ye do not procrastinate the day of your repentance until the end. For after this day of life which is given us to prepare for eternity, behold, if we do not improve our time while in this life, then cometh the night of darkness wherein there can be no labor performed.
Alma 34:34 Ye cannot say when ye are brought to that awful crisis that I will repent, that I will return to my God. Nay, ye cannot say this. For that same spirit which doth possess your bodies at the time that ye go out of this life, that same spirit will have power to possess your body in that eternal world.
Alma 34:35 For behold, if ye have procrastinated the day of your repentance even until death, behold, ye have become subjected to the spirit of the devil, and he doth seal you his. Therefore the Spirit of the Lord hath withdrawn from you and hath no place in you, and the devil hath all power over you. And this is the final state of the wicked.
{% margin %}
Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name: the upright shall dwell in thy presence.
KJV Bible, 1769, Psalms 140:13
Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
KJV Bible, 1769, 1 Corinthians 3:16
Note: This usage of the word "dwell" is cited by some as a Hebrew phrasing, which Joseph Smith could not have known how to use in this manner
…have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
KJV Bible, 1769, Revelation 7:14
{% endmargin %}
Alma 34:36 And this I know because the Lord hath said he dwelleth not in unholy temples, but in the hearts of the righteous doth he dwell. Yea, and he hath also said that the righteous should sit down in his kingdom to go no more out, but their garments should be made white through the blood of the Lamb.
Alma 34:37 And now my beloved brethren, I desire that ye should remember these things and that ye should work out your salvation with fear before God and that ye should no more deny the coming of Christ,
{% margin %}
…worship him in spirit and in truth.
KJV Bible, 1769, John 4:24
{% endmargin %}
Alma 34:38 that ye contend no more against the Holy Ghost, but that ye receive it and take upon you the name of Christ, that ye humble yourselves even to the dust and worship God in whatsoever place ye may be in, in spirit and in truth, and that ye live in thanksgiving daily for the many mercies and blessings which he doth bestow upon you.
Alma 34:39 Yea, and I also exhort you, my brethren, that ye be watchful unto prayer continually, that ye may not be led away by the temptations of the devil, that he may not overpower you, that ye may not become his subjects at the last day. For behold, he rewardeth you no good thing.
Alma 34:40 And now my beloved brethren, I would exhort you to have patience and that ye bear with all manner of afflictions, that ye do not revile against those who do cast you out because of your exceeding poverty, lest ye become sinners like unto them,
Alma 34:41 but that ye have patience and bear with those afflictions with a firm hope that ye shall one day rest from all your afflictions.