AlmaChapter4

Now it came to pass in the sixth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi, there were no contentions nor wars in the land of Zarahemla;

In the sixth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi, there were no conflicts or wars in the land of Zarahemla.

But the people were afflicted, yea, greatly afflicted for the loss of their brethren, and also for the loss of their flocks and herds, and also for the loss of their fields of grain, which were trodden under foot and destroyed by the Lamanites.

But the people were suffering, suffering greatly, over the loss of their brothers, the loss of their flocks and herds, and the loss of their fields of grain, which had been trampled and destroyed by the Lamanites.

And so great were their afflictions that every soul had cause to mourn; and they believed that it was the judgments of God sent upon them because of their wickedness and their abominations; therefore they were awakened to a remembrance of their duty.

Their suffering was so great that every soul had reason to mourn, and they believed it was the judgments of God sent on them because of their wickedness and their abominations. So they were awakened to remember their duty.

And they began to establish the church more fully; yea, and many were baptized in the waters of Sidon and were joined to the church of God; yea, they were baptized by the hand of Alma, who had been consecrated the high priest over the people of the church, by the hand of his father Alma.

They began to establish the church more fully. Many were baptized in the waters of Sidon and joined the church of God. They were baptized by Alma, who had been consecrated by his father Alma as the high priest over the people of the church.

And it came to pass in the seventh year of the reign of the judges there were about three thousand five hundred souls that united themselves to the church of God and were baptized. And thus endeth the seventh year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi; and there was continual peace in all that time.

In the seventh year of the reign of the judges, about three thousand five hundred people united themselves with the church of God and were baptized. And so ended the seventh year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi, and there was continual peace in all that time.

And it came to pass in the eighth year of the reign of the judges, that the people of the church began to wax proud, because of their exceeding riches, and their fine silks, and their fine-twined linen, and because of their many flocks and herds, and their gold and their silver, and all manner of precious things, which they had obtained by their industry; and in all these things were they lifted up in the pride of their eyes, for they began to wear very costly apparel.

In the eighth year of the reign of the judges, the people of the church began to grow proud because of their vast riches and their fine silks and their expensive fabrics, and because of their many flocks and herds and their gold and their silver and all kinds of valuables, which they had gained by their own hard work. All these things filled them with pride, and they began to wear very expensive clothes.

Now this was the cause of much affliction to Alma, yea, and to many of the people whom Alma had consecrated to be teachers, and priests, and elders over the church; yea, many of them were sorely grieved for the wickedness which they saw had begun to be among their people.

Now this caused much sorrow for Alma, and for many of the people Alma had consecrated to be teachers and priests and elders over the church. Many of them were deeply grieved by the wickedness they saw beginning among their people.

For they saw and beheld with great sorrow that the people of the church began to be lifted up in the pride of their eyes, and to set their hearts upon riches and upon the vain things of the world, that they began to be scornful, one towards another, and they began to persecute those that did not believe according to their own will and pleasure.

With great sorrow they saw that the people of the church were becoming proud, setting their hearts on riches and on the empty things of the world, growing scornful of one another, and beginning to persecute those who did not believe the way they wanted them to believe.

And thus, in this eighth year of the reign of the judges, there began to be great contentions among the people of the church; yea, there were envyings, and strife, and malice, and persecutions, and pride, even to exceed the pride of those who did not belong to the church of God.

And so, in this eighth year of the reign of the judges, serious conflicts began among the people of the church. There was envy, strife, malice, and persecution, and pride that even exceeded the pride of those who did not belong to the church of God.

And thus ended the eighth year of the reign of the judges; and the wickedness of the church was a great stumbling-block to those who did not belong to the church; and thus the church began to fail in its progress.

And so ended the eighth year of the reign of the judges. The wickedness of the church was a great stumbling block to those who did not belong to it, and the church began to fail in its progress.

And it came to pass in the commencement of the ninth year, Alma saw the wickedness of the church, and he saw also that the example of the church began to lead those who were unbelievers on from one piece of iniquity to another, thus bringing on the destruction of the people.

At the beginning of the ninth year, Alma saw the wickedness of the church, and he saw that the church's example was leading the unbelievers on from one sin to another, bringing on the destruction of the people.

Yea, he saw great inequality among the people, some lifting themselves up with their pride, despising others, turning their backs upon the needy and the naked and those who were hungry, and those who were athirst, and those who were sick and afflicted.

He saw great inequality among the people. Some were lifted up in their pride, despising others, turning their backs on the needy and the naked and those who were hungry, those who were thirsty, and those who were sick and suffering.

Now this was a great cause for lamentations among the people, while others were abasing themselves, succoring those who stood in need of their succor, such as imparting their substance to the poor and the needy, feeding the hungry, and suffering all manner of afflictions, for Christ’s sake, who should come according to the spirit of prophecy;

This was a great cause of mourning among the people. Yet others humbled themselves, helping those who stood in need of their help, sharing what they had with the poor and the needy, feeding the hungry, and enduring all kinds of suffering for the sake of Christ, who would come according to the spirit of prophecy,

Looking forward to that day, thus retaining a remission of their sins; being filled with great joy because of the resurrection of the dead, according to the will and power and deliverance of Jesus Christ from the bands of death.

looking forward to that day, and so retaining forgiveness of their sins. They were filled with great joy because of the resurrection of the dead, according to the will and power and deliverance of Jesus Christ from the bands of death.

And now it came to pass that Alma, having seen the afflictions of the humble followers of God, and the persecutions which were heaped upon them by the remainder of his people, and seeing all their inequality, began to be very sorrowful; nevertheless the Spirit of the Lord did not fail him.

When Alma saw the suffering of the humble followers of God, and the persecution the rest of his people heaped on them, and when he saw all their inequality, he grew very sorrowful. But the Spirit of the Lord did not fail him.

And he selected a wise man who was among the elders of the church, and gave him power according to the voice of the people, that he might have power to enact laws according to the laws which had been given, and to put them in force according to the wickedness and the crimes of the people.

He selected a wise man from among the elders of the church and gave him power, according to the voice of the people, to enact laws in keeping with the laws that had already been given, and to enforce them according to the wickedness and the crimes of the people.

Now this man’s name was Nephihah, and he was appointed chief judge; and he sat in the judgment-seat to judge and to govern the people.

This man's name was Nephihah, and he was appointed chief judge. He sat in the judgment seat to judge and to govern the people.

Now Alma did not grant unto him the office of being high priest over the church, but he retained the office of high priest unto himself; but he delivered the judgment-seat unto Nephihah.

Now Alma did not grant him the office of high priest over the church. He kept the office of high priest for himself, but he handed the judgment seat over to Nephihah.

And this he did that he himself might go forth among his people, or among the people of Nephi, that he might preach the word of God unto them, to stir them up in remembrance of their duty, and that he might pull down, by the word of God, all the pride and craftiness and all the contentions which were among his people, seeing no way that he might reclaim them save it were in bearing down in pure testimony against them.

He did this so that he himself could go out among his people, the people of Nephi, and preach the word of God to them, stirring them up to remember their duty, and pulling down by the word of God all the pride and craftiness and all the conflicts among his people. He saw no way to reclaim them except by bearing down in pure testimony against them.

And thus in the commencement of the ninth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi, Alma delivered up the judgment-seat to Nephihah, and confined himself wholly to the high priesthood of the holy order of God, to the testimony of the word, according to the spirit of revelation and prophecy.

And so, at the beginning of the ninth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi, Alma gave up the judgment seat to Nephihah and devoted himself entirely to the high priesthood of the holy order of God, and to the testimony of the word, according to the spirit of revelation and prophecy.