Alma
21 verses
Soon after Moroni sent his letter to the chief governor, he received a letter from Pahoran, the chief governor. These are the words he received:
Behold, now it came to pass that soon after Moroni had sent his epistle unto the chief governor, he received an epistle from Pahoran, the chief governor. And these are the words which he received:
I, Pahoran, the chief governor of this land, am sending these words to Moroni, the chief captain of the army. Moroni, I want you to know that I do not rejoice in your great afflictions; it deeply grieves my soul.
I, Pahoran, who am the chief governor of this land, do send these words unto Moroni, the chief captain over the army. Behold, I say unto you, Moroni, that I do not joy in your great afflictions, yea, it grieves my soul.
There are people who actually take pleasure in your suffering, so much so that they have rebelled against me, along with some of my people who are freemen, and those who have risen up are very numerous.
But behold, there are those who do joy in your afflictions, yea, insomuch that they have risen up in rebellion against me, and also those of my people who are freemen, yea, and those who have risen up are exceedingly numerous.
Those who have tried to take the judgment seat from me are the cause of this great wickedness. They have used flattery and led many people astray, which will bring serious trouble among us. They have withheld our supplies and discouraged our freemen so that they have not come to you.
And it is those who have sought to take away the judgment-seat from me that have been the cause of this great iniquity; for they have used great flattery, and they have led away the hearts of many people, which will be the cause of sore affliction among us; they have withheld our provisions, and have daunted our freemen that they have not come unto you.
They have driven me out before them, and I have fled to the land of Gideon with as many men as I could gather.
And behold, they have driven me out before them, and I have fled to the land of Gideon, with as many men as it were possible that I could get.
I have sent a proclamation throughout this part of the land, and people are coming to us every day, taking up arms to defend their country and their freedom, and to avenge our wrongs.
And behold, I have sent a proclamation throughout this part of the land; and behold, they are flocking to us daily, to their arms, in the defence of their country and their freedom, and to avenge our wrongs.
They have come to us, so that those who have rebelled against us are now defying us, and they are so afraid of us that they don’t dare come out to fight us in battle.
And they have come unto us, insomuch that those who have risen up in rebellion against us are set at defiance, yea, insomuch that they do fear us and durst not come out against us to battle.
They have taken control of the land, or the city, of Zarahemla. They have appointed a king over themselves, and he has written to the king of the Lamanites, making an alliance with him. In this alliance, he has agreed to maintain the city of Zarahemla, believing that by doing so, the Lamanites will be able to conquer the rest of the land, and he will be made king over the people when they are brought under Lamanite control.
They have got possession of the land, or the city, of Zarahemla; they have appointed a king over them, and he hath written unto the king of the Lamanites, in the which he hath joined an alliance with him; in the which alliance he hath agreed to maintain the city of Zarahemla, which maintenance he supposeth will enable the Lamanites to conquer the remainder of the land, and he shall be placed king over this people when they shall be conquered under the Lamanites.
In your letter you criticized me, but it doesn’t matter; I’m not angry, and I rejoice in the greatness of your heart. I, Pahoran, do not seek power, except to keep my position as chief judge so I can protect the rights and freedom of my people. My soul remains firm in the liberty that God has given us.
And now, in your epistle you have censured me, but it mattereth not; I am not angry, but do rejoice in the greatness of your heart. I, Pahoran, do not seek for power, save only to retain my judgment-seat that I may preserve the rights and the liberty of my people. My soul standeth fast in that liberty in the which God hath made us free.
We will stand against wickedness, even if it leads to bloodshed. We wouldn’t shed the blood of the Lamanites if they would remain in their own land.
And now, behold, we will resist wickedness even unto bloodshed. We would not shed the blood of the Lamanites if they would stay in their own land.
We would not kill our brothers if they did not rebel and take up arms against us.
We would not shed the blood of our brethren if they would not rise up in rebellion and take the sword against us.
We would submit ourselves to slavery if God's justice required it, or if he commanded us to do so.
We would subject ourselves to the yoke of bondage if it were requisite with the justice of God, or if he should command us so to do.
He does not command us to submit to our enemies, but wants us to put our trust in him, and he will deliver us.
But behold he doth not command us that we shall subject ourselves to our enemies, but that we should put our trust in him, and he will deliver us.
So, my beloved brother Moroni, let’s stand against evil, and whatever evil we can’t resist with our words—like rebellions and divisions—let’s resist with our swords, so we can keep our freedom and rejoice in the great privilege of our church and in the cause of our Redeemer and our God.
Therefore, my beloved brother, Moroni, let us resist evil, and whatsoever evil we cannot resist with our words, yea, such as rebellions and dissensions, let us resist them with our swords, that we may retain our freedom, that we may rejoice in the great privilege of our church, and in the cause of our Redeemer and our God.
So come to me quickly with a few of your men, and leave the rest under the command of Lehi and Teancum. Give them authority to lead the war in that part of the land, guided by the Spirit of God, which is also the Spirit of freedom within them.
Therefore, come unto me speedily with a few of your men, and leave the remainder in the charge of Lehi and Teancum; give unto them power to conduct the war in that part of the land, according to the Spirit of God, which is also the Spirit of freedom which is in them.
I have sent a few provisions to them so they won’t perish before you can come to me.
Behold I have sent a few provisions unto them, that they may not perish until ye can come unto me.
Gather whatever forces you can as you come here, and we will quickly go against those dissenters, relying on the strength of our God according to the faith we have.
Gather together whatsoever force ye can upon your march hither, and we will go speedily against those dissenters, in the strength of our God according to the faith which is in us.
We will take control of the city of Zarahemla so we can get more food to send to Lehi and Teancum. We will go against them with the Lord’s strength, and we will put an end to this great wickedness.
And we will take possession of the city of Zarahemla, that we may obtain more food to send forth unto Lehi and Teancum; yea, we will go forth against them in the strength of the Lord, and we will put an end to this great iniquity.
Moroni, I’m glad to have received your letter, because I was a bit worried about what we should do and whether it would be right for us to go against our own people.
And now, Moroni, I do joy in receiving your epistle, for I was somewhat worried concerning what we should do, whether it should be just in us to go against our brethren.
But you have said that unless they repent, the Lord has commanded you to go against them.
But ye have said, except they repent the Lord hath commanded you that ye should go against them.
Make sure you strengthen Lehi and Teancum in the Lord; tell them not to be afraid, because God will deliver them, and also everyone who remains firm in the freedom that God has given them. Now I close my letter to my beloved brother, Moroni.
See that ye strengthen Lehi and Teancum in the Lord; tell them to fear not, for God will deliver them, yea, and also all those who stand fast in that liberty wherewith God hath made them free. And now I close mine epistle to my beloved brother, Moroni.