The Book of Mormon

Alma 11:35

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~82 BC

1830 Edition

Now Zeezrom saith unto the people, See that ye remember these things; for he saith there is but one God; yet he saith that the Son of God shall come, but he shall not save his people, as though he had authority to command God.

Influences

1 Corinthians 8:6 (KJV)
But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.

Changes

Now Zeezrom saithd unto the people,: See that ye remember these things; for he saithd there is but one God; yet he saith that the Son of God shall come, but he shall not save his people, —as though he had authority to command God.

Simple English

Zeezrom said to the people: 'Remember what he is saying. He says there is only one God. But he says the Son of God will come. But he will not save his people. He talks like he can tell God what to do.'

Paraphrase

Then Zeezrom turned to the crowd: 'Remember what he’s saying! He says there’s only one God, but then he says the Son of God is coming—yet he won’t save his people. Sounds like he thinks he can boss God around.'

Notes

11:27-39

The Book of Mormon declares that there is only one Eternal God (see also 2 Nephi 31:21), yet the Doctrine and Covenants teaches there are many gods (D&C 121:32; 132:18-20,37). As does Abraham 4:1 in the Pearl of Great Price.

In June 16, 1844, Joseph Smith gave a public doctrinal address, usually labeled the "Sermon in the Grove." He is recorded as saying, "I will preach on the plurality of Gods. I have selected this text for that express purpose. I wish to declare I have always, and in all congregations, when I have preached on the subject of the Deity, it has been the plurality of Gods. It has been preached by the Elders for fifteen years.

The sermon survives through the notes of four contemporaneous recorders: Thomas Bullock, William McIntire, George Laub, and Alexander Neibaur.

It was later printed in History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, vol. 6, pp. 473–479, and in The Words of Joseph Smith, ed. Andrew F. Ehat and Lyndon W. Cook.