Mosiah
The Book of Mosiah
Kings, prophets, and deliverance
Chapters
- 1King Benjamin teaches his sons why the brass plates matter, hands the kingdom to Mosiah, and calls the people to gather at the temple.
- 2Benjamin speaks from a tower to people camped in tents, doors facing the temple: he has served them himself, and service to others is service to God.
- 3Benjamin repeats what an angel told him — the Lord will be called Jesus Christ, will suffer more than a person can bear, and will rise the third day.
- 4The crowd falls to the ground, and Benjamin answers: are we not all beggars? Care for the poor, and do not withhold from a man because of his misery.
- 5The people covenant with one voice, and Benjamin gives them the name of Christ — a name they must keep written in their hearts to know their master.
- 6Benjamin writes down the names of everyone who entered the covenant, consecrates Mosiah king, and dies three years later.
- 7Ammon leads sixteen men to find the lost colony, is thrown in prison, and meets King Limhi — whose people are paying tribute to the Lamanites.
- 8Limhi tells of forty-three men lost in the wilderness who came back with twenty-four gold plates. Ammon explains what a seer is, and can do.
- 9Zeniff's own record begins: too eager for the land of his fathers, he takes a colony back to Lehi-Nephi and finds King Laman's offer was a trap.
- 10Zeniff arms his people and goes to war himself, old as he is. He explains the grievance the Lamanites have taught their children for generations.
- 11Zeniff's son Noah taxes a fifth of everything, replaces the priests, and builds a palace and a tower — and then Abinadi comes with a warning.
- 12Abinadi returns in disguise two years later, is bound and questioned, and turns the priests' own Isaiah quotation back on them: why don't you keep it?
- 13The priests try to seize Abinadi, but his face shines and they cannot touch him. He reads them the Ten Commandments and asks whether they teach them.
- 14Isaiah 53 in modern English, quoted by Abinadi: the man of sorrows, despised and rejected, wounded for our transgressions and silent before his accusers.
- 15Abinadi on how Christ is both Father and Son, and on whose feet are beautiful on the mountains — the prophets, and everyone who publishes peace.
- 16Abinadi's close: the resurrection swallows up the sting of death, and the law of Moses is a shadow of the things still to come.
- 17A young priest named Alma believes Abinadi and is driven out. Abinadi refuses to take back his words and is put to death by fire.
- 18Alma hides by the waters of Mormon and baptizes about two hundred and four, who covenant to mourn with those that mourn and bear each other's burdens.
- 19Gideon corners King Noah on his own tower. Noah orders the men to abandon their families, and is burned to death by the very people who followed him.
- 20Noah's priests kidnap the daughters of the Lamanites, and Limhi's people are blamed. Gideon works out the truth in time to stop a war.
- 21Limhi's people fail three times to break out, then humble themselves under the yoke — until Ammon arrives and a record of dry bones comes to light.
- 22Gideon's escape plan: send the Lamanite guards one last tribute of wine. Limhi's people slip out the back pass by night and reach Zarahemla.
- 23Alma's people build the city of Helam and refuse to have a king. Then a lost Lamanite army finds them, and Amulon is set up as their ruler.
- 24Amulon forbids Alma's people to pray, so they pray in their hearts — and the Lord makes their burdens light before he opens their escape.
- 25Mosiah reads both records aloud to a stunned Zarahemla. Alma baptizes Limhi's people and organizes seven churches across the land.
- 26A rising generation will not believe, and members fall away. Alma asks the Lord what to do with them, and is answered about forgiveness.
- 27Alma the Younger and the sons of Mosiah are stopped by an angel. Alma falls mute for two days, then rises saying he is born of the Spirit.
- 28The sons of Mosiah beg to preach to the Lamanites. Mosiah translates the twenty-four plates with two stones set in a bow, and mourns what he reads.
- 29With no heir willing to reign, Mosiah writes to his people arguing for judges chosen by the voice of the people. Alma becomes the first chief judge.