- 10This is what Amulek preached to the people in Ammonihah: 2I’m Amulek, the son of Gidanah, the son of Ishmael, a descendant of Aminadi — the same Aminadi who interpreted the writing on the temple wall, written by God’s finger. 3And Aminadi was a descendant of Nephi, the son of Lehi, who came from the land of Jerusalem and was a descendant of Manasseh, the son of Joseph, who was sold into Egypt by his brothers. 4I’m also influential with those who know me. I have many relatives and friends. I’ve become wealthy through hard work. 5Despite all this, I’ve never known much about the Lord’s ways, mysteries, and awe-inspiring power. I said I didn’t know much about these things, but that isn’t completely accurate. I’ve watched His mysterious, miraculous power protecting the lives of this people. 6But I hardened my heart. I had many opportunities to hear Him but refused to listen. Therefore, although I knew God did these things, I refused to acknowledge it. I kept rebelling against God in the wickedness of my heart, up until the fourth day of this seventh month, in the 10th year of the judges’ rule.
- 7As I went to see a close relative, an angel of the Lord appeared and said: Amulek, return to your own house. There you will feed a prophet of the Lord, a holy man who’s a chosen man of God. He’s fasted many days because of the sins of this people, and he’s weakened by hunger. You’re to welcome him into your house and feed him. He’ll bless you and your family, and the Lord’s blessing will then be on you and your family.
- 8So I obeyed the angel’s voice and returned to my house. I was on my way and met the man the angel told me to welcome to my house. He is this same man who’s been telling you about the things of God. 9The angel told me: He is a holy man. I know he’s a holy man because God’s angel said it. 10I also know the things he’s testified about are true. I tell you as the Lord lives, He absolutely sent His angel to reveal this to me, and He’s blessed my house while this man named Alma has been there. 11Indeed, God has blessed my household: me, the women of my family, my children, my father, and my relatives. God has even blessed all my relatives because we believed what Alma has taught us.
- 12Now when Amulek said this, the people were shocked, because there was now more than one witness who condemned them, confirming what was going to happen, based upon the spirit of prophecy in them. 13Nevertheless, some of them were determined to challenge them, trying to trap them in a contradiction. They asked trick questions to find evidence against them. They hoped to hand them over to the judges, intending for them to be judged under the law and be executed or imprisoned for any crime they could accuse them of committing. Or for any crime they could make it appear they had committed.
- 14Now their accusers trying to destroy them were lawyers who were hired or appointed to serve the law during their trials — civil and criminal — held before their judges. 15These lawyers would argue artfully and debate deceptively, proving their proficiency in their profession. 16So they began to question Amulek to get him confused, hoping to hear a contradiction. 17Now they didn’t realize Amulek anticipated their evil plans. But when they began to question him, he understood their thoughts and told them: You wicked and corrupt generation, you lawyers and hypocrites! You’re laying the accuser’s foundations by planning traps and snares to entrap God’s holy ones. 18You’re planning to corruptly misrepresent a righteous man. That will provoke God’s wrath upon you, resulting in this people’s complete destruction. 19Mosiah, who was our last king, when he was about to give up the kingdom, had no one to confer it on. That resulted in this people being governed by our own choices. He was right when he said if the time comes when the people choose iniquity, or the people choose transgression, then they would be overdue for destruction. 20I’m telling you the Lord is right to condemn you for your iniquities; He should warn the people with the message from His angels: Repent! Repent, because the kingdom of heaven approaches. 21Indeed, He should warn you by the message of His angels: I’m coming to be with My people to implement fairness and justice. 22I tell you if it weren’t for the prayers of the righteous among you, you would be punished right now with complete destruction. It wouldn’t come by a flood, as the people in Noah’s time were killed, but it would be by famine, calamity, disease, and the sword. 23You’re only spared because of the prayers of the righteous. Therefore if you drive out the righteous from your community, the Lord won’t hold back His hand, and He’ll confront you in His fierce anger; and you’ll be afflicted with famine, calamity, disease, and the sword. That is coming soon unless you repent.
- 24Then the people were even angrier with Amulek, shouting: This man is mocking our laws, that are fair; and our wise lawyers we’ve chosen! 25But Amulek stretched out his hand and thundered back at them, saying: You wicked and corrupt generation, why has Satan got such firm control on your hearts? Why do you choose to submit to him? By trusting him, he is able to rule you, to blind your eyes, so you don’t understand the truth when it’s told to you. 26I ask: Have I testified against your law? You’re confused. You say I have spoken against your law, but I haven’t; I’ve defended it, to your condemnation. 27Now I tell you the reason this people will be destroyed is because of the unrighteous leadership of your lawyers and judges.
- 28When Amulek said this, the people condemned him: Now we know this man is a child of the accuser, because he’s lied to us and broken our law. But he says he hasn’t broken it. 29He’s denounced our lawyers and judges and others. 30Now it was the lawyers who urged everyone to remember these accusations against him. 31One of them, named Zeezrom, was the most eager one accusing Amulek and Alma. He was one of their best lawyers, in high demand in the community. 32Now the aim of these lawyers was to make money, and they made money by staying busy.
- 11Mosiah’s law paid appointed judges of the law based on the time required of them to decide a matter.
- 2If a man owed someone money, but refused to pay his debt, a complaint would be made to the judge. Then the judge would order him to be brought before him, and would send out officers to enforce the order. Then he would judge the man based on the law and evidence against him. So the debtor would be compelled to pay or be whipped, or even expelled from the community as a thief and robber. 3The judge would be paid for the time he worked: being paid a senine of gold for a day, or a senum of silver, which was equal to a senine of gold. This was established by the law.
- 4Now these were the names used by the Nephites for the different pieces of their gold and silver, and their values. They didn’t use the same values as the Jews who lived at Jerusalem, nor the same measurements as the Jews either. Instead, they used changing calculations and measurements as people’s choices and circumstances changed every generation till the rule of judges. Then king Mosiah standardized the system of calculations and measurements.
- 5Now the calculation was this: a senine, a seon, a shum, and a limnah of gold; 6a senum, an amnor, an ezrum, and an onti of silver. 7A senum of silver was equal to a senine of gold, and each was equal to a measure of barley or any kind of grain. 8Now a seon of gold was twice the value of a senine. 9A shum of gold was twice the value of a seon. 10And a limnah of gold was worth all of them combined. 11An amnor of silver was as valuable as two senums. 12An ezrum of silver was the same value as four senums. 13And an onti was worth all of them combined. 14Now these are the lesser values in their calculation: 15A shiblon was half a senum; so a shiblon equaled half a measure of barley. 16A shilum was half a shiblon. 17And a leah was half a shilum. 19Now an antion of gold was equal to three shiblons. 18These were the quantities used in their calculations.
- 20Now the lawyers’ sole objective was to make money, because they received payment according to how much time they spent. They incited people to fight with one another, encouraging disturbances, with resulting wickedness, all so they could have more work, and make money from the resulting lawsuits. This was why they incited people to be angry with Alma and Amulek. 21So Zeezrom started questioning Amulek: If I ask you a few questions, will you answer them for me? Now Zeezrom was a skilled accuser, serving Satan and opposing righteousness. That was why he asked Amulek: Will you answer the questions I ask you? 22Amulek replied: Yes, I’ll answer as the Spirit of the Lord inspires me to answer, because I’ll say nothing opposing the Spirit of the Lord. Zeezrom offered to him: Here are six onties of silver; I’ll give all these to you if you deny a Supreme Being exists.
- 23Amulek responded: You child of hell, why are you trying to trick me? Don’t you understand the righteous aren’t tempted by bribes? 24Do you really believe there’s no God? I say: No, you know there’s a God; but you corruptly love money more than Him. 25You’ve lied before God. You made me the offer: I’ll give you these six onties — which are very valuable — when you actually intended to keep them. You just wanted me to deny the true and living God, so you could have a reason to execute me. Now because of your great evil, you’ll have your reward.
- 26Then Zeezrom asked him: So you say there’s a true and living God? 27Amulek replied: Yes, there’s a true and living God. 28Next Zeezrom asked: Is there more than one God? 29He answered: No. 30Zeezrom asked him: How do you know these things? 31He said: An angel has revealed them to me. 32Zeezrom then asked: Who’s the one who is to come? Is it the Son of God? 33He answered: Yes. 34And Zeezrom asked again: Will He save His people in their sins? And Amulek answered: I tell you that He will not, because it’s impossible for Him to deny His word.
- 35Then Zeezrom told the people: See that you remember these things, because he says on the one hand there’s only one God, but he says on the other hand the Son of God will come but He won’t save His people, as if he had authority to command God. 36Then Amulek rebuked him: You have lied! You say I speak as if I had authority to command God, because I said He won’t save His people in their sins. 37I repeat that He can’t save them in their sins, because I can’t deny His word. He has said no unclean thing can inherit the kingdom of heaven. So, how can you be saved unless you inherit the kingdom of heaven? Therefore you can’t be saved in your sins. 38Then Zeezrom asked him: Is the Son of God the very Eternal Father? 39Amulek said to him: Yes, He’s called the very Eternal Father of heaven, earth, and everything that’s in them. He’s the beginning and the end, the first and the last. 40He’ll come into the world to redeem His people. He’ll take upon Himself the transgressions of those who believe in His name; these are the ones who will have eternal life, and salvation isn’t available to anyone else. 41So the wicked remain as if no redemption had been made, except for the chains of death being removed. Indeed, the day will come when all will rise from the dead and stand before God and be judged according to their works.
- 42Now there is a mortal death, and Christ’s death will release the chains of this mortal death, so everyone will be raised from this temporal death. 43The spirit and body will be completely restored. Both limb and joint will be restored to their proper form, just like we are now formed; and we’ll be brought to stand before God. We’ll clearly understand right from wrong and truth from error, like we can now. We’ll clearly remember all our guilt. 44Now this restoration will come to all: old and young, enslaved and free, male and female, wicked and righteous. And not so much as a hair of their heads will be missing; but all things will be restored to their perfect form, the same as now, or in the restored body. Then everyone will stand before the judgment seat of Christ the Son, and God the Father, and the Holy Spirit, which collectively are one Eternal God. Then to be judged based on their works, whether they’re good or whether they’re evil.
- 45Now I’ve told you about mortal death and the resurrection of the mortal body. This mortal body will be raised as an immortal body, from that first death back to life. Following that we’ll no longer die, our spirits will unite with our bodies and not be separated again. Through this process, the restoration is spiritual and immortal, and we won’t decay or die again.
- 46When Amulek finished saying this, the people were again surprised. Zeezrom began to tremble. That concludes everything I write from Amulek’s talk.
Chapter 8