AlmaChapter31

Now it came to pass that after the end of Korihor, Alma having received tidings that the Zoramites were perverting the ways of the Lord, and that Zoram, who was their leader, was leading the hearts of the people to bow down to dumb idols, his heart again began to sicken because of the iniquity of the people.

After the death of Korihor, word came to Alma that the Zoramites were perverting the ways of the Lord, and that Zoram, their leader, was leading the hearts of the people to bow down to mute idols; and his heart again began to sicken because of the people's wickedness.

For it was the cause of great sorrow to Alma to know of iniquity among his people; therefore his heart was exceedingly sorrowful because of the separation of the Zoramites from the Nephites.

It caused Alma great sorrow to know of wickedness among his people, and his heart was deeply grieved that the Zoramites had separated themselves from the Nephites.

Now the Zoramites had gathered themselves together in a land which they called Antionum, which was east of the land of Zarahemla, which lay nearly bordering upon the seashore, which was south of the land of Jershon, which also bordered upon the wilderness south, which wilderness was full of the Lamanites.

Now the Zoramites had gathered in a land they called Antionum, which lay east of the land of Zarahemla, near the seashore, south of the land of Jershon, and bordering on the wilderness to the south, a wilderness that was full of Lamanites.

Now the Nephites greatly feared that the Zoramites would enter into a correspondence with the Lamanites, and that it would be the means of great loss on the part of the Nephites.

The Nephites were greatly afraid that the Zoramites would enter into an alliance with the Lamanites, and that it would mean great losses for the Nephites.

And now, as the preaching of the word had a great tendency to lead the people to do that which was just—yea, it had had more powerful effect upon the minds of the people than the sword, or anything else, which had happened unto them—therefore Alma thought it was expedient that they should try the virtue of the word of God.

The preaching of the word had a great tendency to lead the people to do what was right; in fact, it had had a more powerful effect on the minds of the people than the sword or anything else that had happened to them. So Alma thought it best that they should try the power of the word of God.

Therefore he took Ammon, and Aaron, and Omner; and Himni he did leave in the church in Zarahemla; but the former three he took with him, and also Amulek and Zeezrom, who were at Melek; and he also took two of his sons.

So he took Ammon, Aaron, and Omner, and left Himni with the church in Zarahemla. The first three he took with him, and also Amulek and Zeezrom, who were at Melek; and he took two of his sons as well.

Now the eldest of his sons he took not with him, and his name was Helaman; but the names of those whom he took with him were Shiblon and Corianton; and these are the names of those who went with him among the Zoramites, to preach unto them the word.

He did not take Helaman, the eldest of his sons; the ones he took with him were Shiblon and Corianton. These are the names of those who went with him among the Zoramites to preach the word to them.

Now the Zoramites were dissenters from the Nephites; therefore they had had the word of God preached unto them.

Now the Zoramites were dissenters from the Nephites, so they had already had the word of God preached to them.

But they had fallen into great errors, for they would not observe to keep the commandments of God, and his statutes, according to the law of Moses.

But they had fallen into great errors, for they would not keep the commandments of God and his statutes according to the law of Moses.

Neither would they observe the performances of the church, to continue in prayer and supplication to God daily, that they might not enter into temptation.

Nor would they keep up the practices of the church, to continue in daily prayer and supplication to God, so that they would not enter into temptation.

Yea, in fine, they did pervert the ways of the Lord in very many instances; therefore, for this cause, Alma and his brethren went into the land to preach the word unto them.

In short, they perverted the ways of the Lord in a great many instances; and for this reason Alma and his brothers went into the land to preach the word to them.

Now, when they had come into the land, behold, to their astonishment they found that the Zoramites had built synagogues, and that they did gather themselves together on one day of the week, which day they did call the day of the Lord; and they did worship after a manner which Alma and his brethren had never beheld;

When they came into the land, to their astonishment they found that the Zoramites had built synagogues, and that they gathered together on one day of the week, a day they called the day of the Lord; and they worshiped in a way Alma and his brothers had never seen.

For they had a place built up in the center of their synagogue, a place for standing, which was high above the head, and the top thereof would only admit one person.

For in the center of their synagogue they had built a place for standing, high above the head, with a top that could only hold one person.

Therefore, whosoever desired to worship must go forth and stand upon the top thereof, and stretch forth his hands towards heaven, and cry with a loud voice, saying:

Whoever wanted to worship had to go up and stand on top of it, stretch out his hands toward heaven, and cry with a loud voice:

Holy, holy God; we believe that thou art God, and we believe that thou art holy, and that thou wast a spirit, and that thou art a spirit, and that thou wilt be a spirit forever.

"Holy, holy God. We believe that you are God, and we believe that you are holy, and that you were a spirit, and that you are a spirit, and that you will be a spirit forever.

Holy God, we believe that thou hast separated us from our brethren; and we do not believe in the tradition of our brethren, which was handed down to them by the childishness of their fathers; but we believe that thou hast elected us to be thy holy children; and also thou hast made it known unto us that there shall be no Christ.

Holy God, we believe that you have separated us from our brothers; and we do not believe in the tradition of our brothers, which was handed down to them by the childishness of their fathers; but we believe that you have elected us to be your holy children, and also that you have made known to us that there will be no Christ.

But thou art the same yesterday, today, and forever; and thou hast elected us that we shall be saved, whilst all around us are elected to be cast by thy wrath down to hell; for the which holiness, O God, we thank thee; and we also thank thee that thou hast elected us, that we may not be led away after the foolish traditions of our brethren, which doth bind them down to a belief of Christ, which doth lead their hearts to wander far from thee, our God.

But you are the same yesterday, today, and forever; and you have elected us to be saved, while all around us are elected to be cast down to hell by your wrath. And for this holiness, O God, we thank you; and we also thank you that you have elected us, so that we will not be led away after the foolish traditions of our brothers, which bind them down to a belief in Christ, which leads their hearts to wander far from you, our God.

And again we thank thee, O God, that we are a chosen and a holy people. Amen.

And again we thank you, O God, that we are a chosen and a holy people. Amen."

Now it came to pass that after Alma and his brethren and his sons had heard these prayers, they were astonished beyond all measure.

When Alma and his brothers and his sons had heard these prayers, they were astonished beyond all measure.

For behold, every man did go forth and offer up these same prayers.

For every man went up and offered up these same prayers.

Now the place was called by them Rameumptom, which, being interpreted, is the holy stand.

Now they called the place Rameumptom, which means "the holy stand."

Now, from this stand they did offer up, every man, the selfsame prayer unto God, thanking their God that they were chosen of him, and that he did not lead them away after the tradition of their brethren, and that their hearts were not stolen away to believe in things to come, which they knew nothing about.

From this stand, every man offered up the very same prayer to God, thanking their God that they had been chosen by him, and that he did not lead them away after the tradition of their brothers, and that their hearts were not stolen away to believe in things to come, which they knew nothing about.

Now, after the people had all offered up thanks after this manner, they returned to their homes, never speaking of their God again until they had assembled themselves together again to the holy stand, to offer up thanks after their manner.

After the people had all offered thanks in this way, they returned to their homes, never speaking of their God again until they gathered again at the holy stand to offer thanks in their own way.

Now when Alma saw this his heart was grieved; for he saw that they were a wicked and a perverse people; yea, he saw that their hearts were set upon gold, and upon silver, and upon all manner of fine goods.

When Alma saw this, his heart was grieved, for he saw that they were a wicked and perverse people; he saw that their hearts were set on gold, and on silver, and on all kinds of fine goods.

Yea, and he also saw that their hearts were lifted up unto great boasting, in their pride.

And he also saw that in their pride, their hearts were full of great boasting.

And he lifted up his voice to heaven, and cried, saying: O, how long, O Lord, wilt thou suffer that thy servants shall dwell here below in the flesh, to behold such gross wickedness among the children of men?

And he lifted up his voice to heaven and cried: "O how long, O Lord, will you allow your servants to live here below in the flesh, and see such gross wickedness among the people?

Behold, O God, they cry unto thee, and yet their hearts are swallowed up in their pride. Behold, O God, they cry unto thee with their mouths, while they are puffed up, even to greatness, with the vain things of the world.

O God, they cry to you, and yet their hearts are swallowed up in their pride. O God, they cry to you with their mouths, while they are puffed up, even to greatness, with the empty things of the world.

Behold, O my God, their costly apparel, and their ringlets, and their bracelets, and their ornaments of gold, and all their precious things which they are ornamented with; and behold, their hearts are set upon them, and yet they cry unto thee and say—We thank thee, O God, for we are a chosen people unto thee, while others shall perish.

"O my God, look at their costly clothing, and their ringlets, and their bracelets, and their gold ornaments, and all the precious things they adorn themselves with; their hearts are set on these things, and yet they cry to you and say, 'We thank you, O God, for we are a chosen people to you, while others will be destroyed.'

Yea, and they say that thou hast made it known unto them that there shall be no Christ.

Yes, and they say that you have made known to them that there will be no Christ.

O Lord God, how long wilt thou suffer that such wickedness and infidelity shall be among this people? O Lord, wilt thou give me strength, that I may bear with mine infirmities. For I am infirm, and such wickedness among this people doth pain my soul.

"O Lord God, how long will you allow such wickedness and unbelief to remain among this people? O Lord, will you give me strength to bear my weaknesses? For I am weak, and such wickedness among this people pains my soul.

O Lord, my heart is exceedingly sorrowful; wilt thou comfort my soul in Christ. O Lord, wilt thou grant unto me that I may have strength, that I may suffer with patience these afflictions which shall come upon me, because of the iniquity of this people.

O Lord, my heart is deeply grieved; will you comfort my soul in Christ? O Lord, will you grant me the strength to bear with patience the afflictions that will come upon me because of the wickedness of this people?

O Lord, wilt thou comfort my soul, and give unto me success, and also my fellow laborers who are with me—yea, Ammon, and Aaron, and Omner, and also Amulek and Zeezrom and also my two sons—yea, even all these wilt thou comfort, O Lord. Yea, wilt thou comfort their souls in Christ.

"O Lord, will you comfort my soul and give success to me and to my fellow laborers who are with me — Ammon, and Aaron, and Omner, and also Amulek and Zeezrom, and my two sons — yes, will you comfort all of these, O Lord? Yes, will you comfort their souls in Christ?

Wilt thou grant unto them that they may have strength, that they may bear their afflictions which shall come upon them because of the iniquities of this people.

Will you grant them strength, so that they may bear the afflictions that will come upon them because of the wickedness of this people?

O Lord, wilt thou grant unto us that we may have success in bringing them again unto thee in Christ.

"O Lord, will you grant us success in bringing them back to you in Christ?

Behold, O Lord, their souls are precious, and many of them are our brethren; therefore, give unto us, O Lord, power and wisdom that we may bring these, our brethren, again unto thee.

O Lord, their souls are precious, and many of them are our brothers; therefore give us power and wisdom, O Lord, so that we may bring these, our brothers, back to you."

Now it came to pass that when Alma had said these words, that he clapped his hands upon all them who were with him. And behold, as he clapped his hands upon them, they were filled with the Holy Spirit.

When Alma had said these words, he clapped his hands upon all those who were with him. And as he clapped his hands upon them, they were filled with the Holy Spirit.

And after that they did separate themselves one from another, taking no thought for themselves what they should eat, or what they should drink, or what they should put on.

After that they separated from one another, giving no thought to what they would eat, or what they would drink, or what they would wear.

And the Lord provided for them that they should hunger not, neither should they thirst; yea, and he also gave them strength, that they should suffer no manner of afflictions, save it were swallowed up in the joy of Christ. Now this was according to the prayer of Alma; and this because he prayed in faith.

And the Lord provided for them, so that they did not hunger or thirst; and he also gave them strength, so that they suffered no afflictions of any kind that were not swallowed up in the joy of Christ. Now this was according to Alma's prayer, and this was because he prayed in faith.