Alma 14:14-29

14 Now it came to pass that when the bodies of those who had been cast into the fire were consumed, and also the records which were cast in with them, the chief judge of the land came and stood before Alma and Amulek, as they were bound; and he smote them with his hand upon their cheeks, and said unto them: After what ye have seen, will ye preach again unto this people, that they shall be cast into a lake of fire and brimstone?

15 Behold, ye see that ye had not power to save those who had been cast into the fire; neither has God saved them because they were of thy faith. And the judge smote them again upon their cheeks, and asked: What say ye for yourselves?

16 Now this judge was after the order and faith of Nehor, who slew Gideon.

17 And it came to pass that Alma and Amulek answered him nothing; and he smote them again, and delivered them to the officers to be cast into prison.

18 And when they had been cast into prison three days, there came many lawyers, and judges, and priests, and teachers, who were of the profession of Nehor; and they came in unto the prison to see them, and they questioned them about many words; but they answered them nothing.

19 And it came to pass that the judge stood before them, and said: Why do ye not answer the words of this people? Know ye not that I have power to deliver you up unto the flames? And he commanded them to speak; but they answered nothing.

20 And it came to pass that they departed and went their ways, but came again on the morrow; and the judge also smote them again on their cheeks. And many came forth also, and smote them, saying: Will ye stand again and judge this people, and condemn our law? If ye have such great power why do ye not deliver yourselves?

21 And many such things did they say unto them, gnashing their teeth upon them, and spitting upon them, and saying: How shall we look when we are damned?

22 And many such things, yea, all manner of such things did they say unto them; and thus they did mock them for many days. And they did withhold food from them that they might hunger, and water that they might thirst; and they also did take from them their clothes that they were naked; and thus they were bound with strong cords, and confined in prison.

23 And it came to pass after they had thus suffered for many days, (and it was on the twelfth day, in the tenth month, in the tenth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi) that the chief judge over the land of Ammonihah and many of their teachers and their lawyers went in unto the prison where Alma and Amulek were bound with cords.

24 And the chief judge stood before them, and smote them again, and said unto them: If ye have the power of God deliver yourselves from these bands, and then we will believe that the Lord will destroy this people according to your words.

25 And it came to pass that they all went forth and smote them, saying the same words, even until the last; and when the last had spoken unto them the power of God was upon Alma and Amulek, and they rose and stood upon their feet.

26 And Alma cried, saying: How long shall we suffer these great afflictions, O Lord? O Lord, give us strength according to our faith which is in Christ, even unto deliverance. And they broke the cords with which they were bound; and when the people saw this, they began to flee, for the fear of destruction had come upon them.

27 And it came to pass that so great was their fear that they fell to the earth, and did not obtain the outer door of the prison; and the earth shook mightily, and the walls of the prison were rent in twain, so that they fell to the earth; and the chief judge, and the lawyers, and priests, and teachers, who smote upon Alma and Amulek, were slain by the fall thereof.

28 And Alma and Amulek came forth out of the prison, and they were not hurt; for the Lord had granted unto them power, according to their faith which was in Christ. And they straightway came forth out of the prison; and they were loosed from their bands; and the prison had fallen to the earth, and every soul within the walls thereof, save it were Alma and Amulek, was slain; and they straightway came forth into the city.

29 Now the people having heard a great noise came running together by multitudes to know the cause of it; and when they saw Alma and Amulek coming forth out of the prison, and the walls thereof had fallen to the earth, they were struck with great fear, and fled from the presence of Alma and Amulek even as a goat fleeth with her young from two lions; and thus they did flee from the presence of Alma and Amulek. (Alma 14:14-29)

The fire had finally burned out. Alma and Amulek were bound and the chief judge came and struck them. He asked them, having seen what happened to those who believed, would they continue their preaching to the people. If they did, their converts would also be burned.

He pointed out they could not stop them from casting believers into the fire. God didn’t save them. He continued beat them, asking them what they had to say.

Mormon mentions the chief judge was a follower of Nehor.

Alma and Amulek said nothing to the chief judge. He hit them again and had them thrown into prison.

After spending three days in prison, lawyers, judges, priests, and teachers, all disciples of Nehor, came to the prison and continued to question them. Through all this, Alma and Amulek refused to say anything. Their refusal to speak angered those questioning them.

The chief judge reminded them he could had the authority to have them executed by fire. He demanded they answer his question, but they still refused to speak to him.

There was another leader who reminded his prisoner he had the power to execute Him if He refused to answer his questions.

“And went again into the judgment hall, and saith unto Jesus, Whence art thou? But Jesus gave him no answer.

“Then saith Pilate unto him, Speakest thou not unto me? knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee” (John 19:9-10).

The chief judge finally left, but he returned the next day. He, along with others, continued to strike them. They mocked them, asking them, “If ye have such great power why do ye not deliver yourselves” (Alma 14:20).

They continued to question them, spitting on them. They asked, “How shall we look when we are damned” (Alma 14:21).

They were mocked for many days. Mocking is often used by the wicked to attack the righteous. Solomon warned, “Fools make a mock at sin: but among the righteous there is favour” (Proverbs 14:9).

The Jews mocked Lehi as he called on them to repent. “And it came to pass that the Jews did mock him because of the things which he testified of them; for he truly testified of their wickedness and their abominations; and he testified that the things which he saw and heard, and also the things which he read in the book, manifested plainly of the coming of a Messiah, and also the redemption of the world” (1 Nephi 1:19).0

In the agony of the cross, Christ was mocked.

“And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar [GR sour wine],

“And saying, If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself” (Luke 23:36-37).

The wicked mock the righteous in the tree of life vision.

“And I also cast my eyes round about, and beheld, on the other side of the river of water, a great and spacious building; and it stood as it were in the air, high above the earth.

“And it was filled with people, both old and young, both male and female; and their manner of dress was exceedingly fine; and they were in the attitude of mocking and pointing their fingers towards those who had come at and were partaking of the fruit” (1 Nephi 8:26-27).

Alma and Amulek received no food. They were stripped of their clothing and were left bound and naked in their cell.

They spent many days in the jail. Eventually, the chief judge, the teachers, and the lawyers returned to the prison to once again confront Alma and Amulek.

After they were once again beaten, the chief judge told them if they had the power of God, they would show him a sign. Christ’s words described the leaders persecuting Alma and Amulek. “An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign” (Matthew 12:39).

Sherem rejected Jacob’s words and power. He, too, demanded a sign. “And it came to pass that he said unto me: Show me a sign by this power of the Holy Ghost, in the which ye know so much” (Jacob 7:13).

The beatings and abuse continued until the power of God fell upon Alma and Amulek. They were about to receive their sign.

The time had come. Their captors were about the receive their sign. Alma cried out to the Lord asking how long they must suffer their afflictions. James could have been writing about Alma and Amulek.

“Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.

“Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy” (James 5:10-11).

He asked the give them the power, through their faith in Christ, to be delivered.

“Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul.

“I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing: I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me…”

“Deliver me out of the mire, and let me not sink: let me be delivered from them that hate me, and out of the deep waters” (Psalm 69:1-2, 14).

Their wish was granted by the Lord. Suddenly, their captors realized they were about to receive their sign. Alma and Amulek were given the strength to break their cords. Seeing this, their captors began to flee, realizing they were facing their destruction.

And it came to pass that so great was their fear that they fell to the earth, and did not obtain the outer door of the prison; and the earth shook mightily, and the walls of the prison were rent in twain, so that they fell to the earth; and the chief judge, and the lawyers, and priests, and teachers, who smote upon Alma and Amulek, were slain by the fall thereof.

They were so panicked, they fell to the ground as they earth shook. The wall of the prison collapsed on the persecutors, and, receiving their sign, the died when the prison collapsed.

Alma and Amulek walked out of the ruins of the prison unharmed. The Lord granted them the power they requested through their faith in Christ. They were the only survivors.

They returned to the city.

Hearing the noise of the collapse of the prison, people came running to see what happened. What they saw was only Alma and Amulek walking out of the prison.

They were afraid and they fled from Alma and Amulek “even as a goat fleeth with her young from two lions” (Alma 14:29).