- 7My dear people, since I’ve been permitted to come to see you, I’ll attempt to teach in my own words, from my own mouth. This is the first time I’ve spoken to you in person, since I’ve been completely tied up handling the judgment seat solving many disputes, and therefore was unable to visit you. 2I couldn’t come now if the judgment seat wasn’t handed over to my replacement. But the Lord in His mercy has allowed me to come see you. 3I’ve come hoping and praying I would find that you had humbled yourselves before God and remained prayerful for His grace. I’ve prayed you were innocent before Him and weren’t in the same awful predicament as our people at Zarahemla. 4But may God’s name be blessed, because He revealed the joyful news to me that they’ve returned to His righteous ways. 5The Spirit of God lets me trust that you will also bring me joyful news.
- I hope it won’t require as much pain and sorrow here as did our brothers and sisters at Zarahemla. Indeed, my joy for them came after a lot of pain and sorrow. 6But I trust you’re not in the same state of unbelief as your brothers and sisters were. I trust you aren’t prideful, and haven’t set your hearts on wealth and worthless, worldly things. Further, I trust you don’t worship idols, but you worship the true and living God, who is to come, looking forward to the remission of your sins with everlasting faith.
- 7There are many things prophesied to happen. One of them is more important than all the others. For soon the Redeemer will come and live among His people. 8I’m not saying He’ll live with us while He’s mortal, as the Spirit hasn’t told me this will be the case. So I don’t know about that. But I do know this much: that the Lord God has power to do all things according to His word, 9and the Spirit has instructed me: Cry out to this people, saying: Repent! Repent, and prepare the way for the Lord and walk in His straight paths; because the kingdom of heaven is near, and the Son of God will soon come to earth. 10He’ll be born at Jerusalem, our ancestors’ land, to Mary, a virgin, the exclusive, elect woman. She’ll be overshadowed and conceive by the power of the Holy Ghost and will give birth to a Son — indeed, the Son of God. 11He’ll live among mankind, suffering pains, afflictions, and temptations of every kind. That fulfills the prophecy: He will take upon Himself His people’s pains and sicknesses. 12He will take death upon Himself, so He can break the chains of death that keep His people bound. He will take on their infirmities, so He can be compassionate to them by understanding the flesh, and know from experience in the flesh how to assist His people to accept and overcome their infirmities. 13Now the Spirit knows everything. In any event, the Son of God will endure physical agony, so He can take upon Himself His people’s sins and remove their transgressions through the power of His redemption. This is my testimony.
- 14I warn you to repent and be born again, because the Spirit says: If you aren’t born again, you can’t inherit the kingdom of heaven. So come and be baptized as a sign of repentance, to be cleansed of your sins, to show your faith in the Lamb of God, who will take away the world’s sins, who is powerful to save and cleanse from all unrighteousness. 15Indeed, I say to you: Come and don’t be afraid, and put away every sin that so easily entangles you, that ties you down to destruction. Come and take action and show God you’re willing to repent of your sins and enter into a covenant with Him to keep His commandments, and show Him this today by entering the waters of baptism. 16Whoever does this and keeps God’s commandments from then on, should remember I assure them they will have eternal life. The Holy Spirit testifies this to you through me.
- 17Now, my dear people, do you believe this? I say: Yes, I know you believe this. The way I know you believe is because the Spirit reveals it to me. Now I’m full of joy because your faith is strong in what I’ve spoken. 18As I said to you when I began, I hoped you weren’t doubtful like your brothers and sisters. Thankfully I’ve found my hopes have been met. 19I see you’re on the path of righteousness. I see you’re on the path leading to God’s kingdom. I see you’re on His straight path. 20I can sense your confidence in the revealed testimony of His word that He can’t lead into crooked paths. Nor does He deviate from what He’s said, that He doesn’t turn by so much as a shadow from the right to the left, or from what’s right to what’s wrong. His path is therefore one eternal round. 21He doesn’t dwell in unholy temples, and nothing filthy or even unclean can enter God’s kingdom. Therefore I tell you: The time will come at that last day, when a person who’s filthy will remain in their filth.
- 22Now, my dear people, I’ve taught you this to help you understand your duty to God, to help you be blameless before Him, so you will let the Holy Order of God lead you, which is why God received you. 23Now I want you to be humble, submissive, gentle, easy to persuade, full of patience and long-suffering, being self-controlled in all things, faithfully keeping God’s commandments, asking for whatever you might need, both spiritual and temporal, always giving thanks to God for whatever you receive. 24Make sure you have faith, hope, and charity, and then you will always be eager to do many good works. 25May the Lord bless you and keep your clothes spotless, so you can, in the end, arrive with spotless clothes in the kingdom of heaven with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the holy prophets who have ever lived since the world began, to never leave.
- 26Now, dear people, I’ve taught you what the Spirit has led me to testify. My soul is overjoyed because of the great diligence and attention you’ve given to my teaching. 27May God’s peace rest upon you and your houses, farms, flocks and herds, and all you own, and on your women and children, according to your faith and good works, from now and forever. That is my message. Amen.
Chapter 5
Alma’s teaching, which he delivered to the people in Gideon, according to his own record.