CHAPTER 21
Ammon's brother Aaron journeys to a land the Lamanites call Jerusalem--In Jerusalem, Aaron preaches at
Amalekite synagogues--The Amalekites believe in the doctrine of Nehor (universal salvation)--The people of
Jesusalem refuse to listen to him, so he goes to Ani-Anti--They don't listen either, so he goes to
Middoni, where he and his companions are thrown in prison--Ammon and Lamoni rescue them from prison--Ammon
and Lamoni return to the the land of Ishmael, while Aaron and his companions preach and convert many
Lamanites--Ammon teaches the people of King Lamoni all things pertaining to righteousness. (90-77 BCE)
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Aaron preaches in Jerusalem, Ani-Anti, and Middoni
21:1-12
1 Now when Ammon and his brethren separated themselves in the borders of the land of the Lamanites,
behold Aaron took his journey towards the land which was called by the Lamanites,
Jerusalem, calling it after the land of their fathers' nativity; and it was away joining the borders of Mormon.
When Ammon and his brothers split up [1], Aaron went a great city near the border of the
Land of Mormon that the Lamanites called Jerusalem. [2]
2 Now the Lamanites and the Amalekites and the people of Amulon had built a great city, which was called
Jerusalem.
3 Now the Lamanites of themselves were sufficiently hardened, but the Amalekites and the Amulonites
were still harder; therefore they did cause the Lamanites that they should harden their hearts, that they should wax
strong in wickedness and their abominations.
The city was built by the Lamanites, Amalekites, and the Amulonites, who were wicked, hard-hearted, abominable people.
4 And it came to pass that Aaron came to the city of Jerusalem, and first began
to preach to the Amalekites. And he began to preach to them in their synagogues, for they had built synagogues after
the order of the Nehors; for many of the Amalekites and the Amulonites were after the order of the Nehors.
Aaron preached in the Jerusalem synagogues, where many believed in the teachings of Nehor. [3]
5 Therefore, as Aaron entered into one of their synagogues to preach unto the people, and as he was
speaking unto them, behold there arose an Amalekite and began to contend with him, saying: What is that thou hast
testified? Hast thou seen an angel? Why do not angels appear unto us? Behold are not this people as good as
thy people?
6 Thou also sayest, except we repent we shall perish. How knowest thou the thought
and intent of our
hearts? How knowest thou that we have cause to repent? How knowest thou that we are not a righteous people? Behold,
we have built sanctuaries, and we do assemble ourselves together to worship God.
We do believe that God will save all men.
As he was preaching, an Amalekite said,
Have you seen an angel?
Why don't angels appear to us?
Aren't we just as good as you?
You say we'll die if we don't repent.
But how do you know what's in our hearts?
We believe that God will save everyone.
7 Now Aaron said unto him: Believest thou that the Son of God shall come to redeem mankind from their
sins?
Aaron asked him,
Do you believe the Son of God will come to save people from their sins?
8 And the man said unto him: We do not believe that thou knowest any such thing. We do not believe in
these foolish traditions. We do not believe that thou knowest of things to come, neither do we believe that thy
fathers and also that our fathers did know concerning the things which they spake, of that which is to come.
The man replied,
No, and there's no way you could know that.
You don't know what will happen in the future.
9 Now Aaron began to open the scriptures unto them concerning the coming of Christ, and also concerning
the resurrection of the dead, and that there could be no redemption for mankind save it were through the death and
sufferings of Christ, and the atonement of his blood.
Aaron told him what the scriptures say about the coming of Christ, the resurrection of the dead,
and atonement by the Christ's blood.
10 And it came to pass as he began to expound these things unto them they were
angry with him, and began to mock him; and they would not hear the words which he spake.
As he said these things, the people began to mock him and refused to listen to what he was saying.
11 Therefore, when he saw that they would not hear his words, he departed out of their synagogue, and
came over to a village which was called Ani-Anti, and there he found Muloki preaching the word unto them; and also
Ammah and his brethren. And they contended with many about the word.
So Aaron left for the village of Ani-Anti. When he arrived he found Muloki and Ammah preaching to the people.
12 And it came to pass that they saw that the people would harden their hearts,
therefore they departed and came over into the land of Middoni. And they did preach the word unto many, and
few believed on the words which they taught.
But the people of Ani-Anti had hardened their hearts too, so Aaron went to the land of Middoni.
A prison break, more preaching, and religious freedom
21:13-23
13 Nevertheless, Aaron and a certain number of his brethren were taken and cast into prison, and
the remainder of them fled out of the land of Middoni unto the regions round about.
14 And those who were cast into prison suffered many things, and they were delivered by the hand of
Lamoni and Ammon, and they were fed and clothed.
15 And they went forth again to declare the word, and thus they were delivered for the first time out of
prison; and thus they had suffered.
Then Aaron and some of his associates were cast into prison, but Lamoni and Ammon somehow managed to get them released.
16 And they went forth whithersoever they were led by the Spirit of the Lord, preaching the word of
God in every synagogue of the Amalekites, or in every assembly of the Lamanites where they could be
admitted.
17 And it came to pass that the Lord began to bless them, insomuch that they
brought many to the knowledge of the truth; yea, they did convince many of their sins, and of the traditions of their
fathers, which were not correct.
They were led by the spirit to preach again in the synagogues of Amalekites and Lamanites, and they converted many of them.
18 And it came to pass that Ammon and Lamoni returned from the land of Middoni to
the land of Ishmael, which was the land of their inheritance.
19 And king Lamoni would not suffer that Ammon should serve him, or be his servant.
20 But he caused that there should be synagogues built in the land of Ishmael; and he caused that his
people, or the people who were under his reign, should assemble themselves together.''
Ammon and Lamoni returned to the land of Ishmael and built some synagogues.
21 And he did rejoice over them, and he did teach them many things. And he did also declare unto them
that they were a people who were under him, and that they were a free people, that they were free from the oppressions
of the king, his father; for that his father had granted unto him that he might reign over the people who were in the
land of Ishmael, and in all the land round about.
22 And he also declared unto them that they might have the liberty of worshiping the Lord their God
according to their desires, in whatsoever place they were in, if it were in the land which was under the reign of
king Lamoni.
23 And Ammon did preach unto the people of king Lamoni;
And it came to pass that
he did teach them all things concerning things pertaining to righteousness. And he did exhort them daily, with all
diligence; and they gave heed unto his word, and they were zealous for keeping the commandments of God.
King Lamoni declared that his people were free to worship God however they pleased.
And Ammon taught the people all things pertaining to righteousness.