Alma Defends Abinadi

When Abinadi had finished speaking, the king commanded the priests to take him away and kill him. But one of Noah’s young priests, Alma, a descendant of Nephi, believed Abinadi’s testimony of their sinfulness. Alma pled with King Noah not to be angry with Abinadi, but to let him go in peace. This just made Noah more furious. He had Alma thrown out and sent his servants after him to kill him, but Alma escaped and hid.

During the next several days while in hiding, Alma wrote down everything Abinadi had said. After throwing out Alma, King Noah told his guards to surround Abinadi, tie him, and throw him into prison.

After three days, and after counseling with his priests, King Noah called for Abinadi and said to him, “We have found you guilty of a crime punishable by death, for you have said that God Himself will come down among the people. If you do not recall all your evil words about me and my people, then you will be put to death!”

Abinadi responded to the king, “I will not recall my words, for they are true. I have allowed you to capture me so that you will know for sure that my words are true. If necessary, I will die, but regardless of what happens to me, my words will stand as a testimony against you. And if you do kill me, you will shed innocent blood, and this will also stand as a testimony against you at the last day.”

These words were so powerful to King Noah that he became afraid of God’s judgments and was about to let Abinadi go. But the priests objected, accusing Abinadi by exclaiming, “He has reviled the king!” Then Noah became angry again and delivered Abinadi to the priests. The priests took Abinadi, tied him, and burned him with dried wood.

When the flames began to scorch him, Abinadi cried out, “Your children will burn others who believe in the salvation of the Lord their God. And you will be afflicted with all types of diseases because of your sinfulness. You will be killed and scattered like a wild flock driven by wolves. Your children will be hunted and captured by your enemies, and finally suffer, as I do, the pains of death by fire. God will execute vengeance upon those who destroy His people. Oh God, receive my soul.”

After saying this, Abinadi fell, having suffered death by fire. He was murdered because he would not deny God’s commandments, and he sealed the truth of his words by his death.