The Book of Mormon

Mosiah 27:18

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~100 BC

1830 Edition

And now Alma, and those that were with him, fell again to the earth, for great was their astonishment: for with their own eyes they had beheld an angel of the Lord; and his voice was as thunder, which shook the earth; and they knew that there was nothing save the power of God, that could shake the earth and cause it to tremble, as though it would part asunder.

Influences

Hebrews 12:26 (KJV)
Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.

Changes

And now Alma, and those that were with him, fell again to the earth, for great was their astonishment:; for with their own eyes they had beheld an angel of the Lord; and his voice was as thunder, which shook the earth; and they knew that there was nothing save the power of God, that could shake the earth and cause it to tremble, as though it would part asunder.

Simple English

Alma and those with him fell to the earth again. They were very surprised. They had seen an angel of the Lord with their own eyes. His voice was like thunder that shook the earth. They knew only God’s power could shake the earth and make it tremble like it would split apart.

Paraphrase

Alma and the others with him collapsed to the ground again. They were overwhelmed. They had seen an angel of the Lord with their own eyes. His voice had been like thunder, shaking the earth. They knew nothing but God’s power could shake the earth like that, as if it might split apart.

Notes

27:8-32

In Joseph Smith's Plagiarism of the Bible in the Book of Mormon, Jerald and Sandra Tanner list at least 17 significant parallels between the Apostle Paul in the Bible and Alma in the Book of Mormon.

Both Alma and Paul were very wicked men before their conversation (Compare Mosiah 27:8 with 1 Timothy 1:12-13).

Both Alma and Paul were out on one of their missions of persecution on the day of their conversion (Compare Mosiah 27:10-11 with Acts 26:11-13).

In both cases of Alma and Paul's conversion, the people present fell to the earth. (Compare Mosiah 27:12 with Acts 26:14).

In the vision which followed, both Alma and Paul were asked why they fought against the work of the Lord (Compare Mosiah 27:13 with Acts 9:43).

Both Alma and Paul became helpless after the vision and had to be helped by their friends (Compare Mosiah 27:19 with Acts 9:8).

Both Alma and Paul went without food for a period of time (Compare Mosiah 27:23 with Acts 9:9).

Both Alma and Paul were converted to the Lord (Compare Mosiah 27:23-24 with Acts 9:18).

After their conversation, both Alma and Paul traveled about preaching the Word of God (Compare Mosiah 27:32 with Acts 9:20).

Other parallels between Paul and Alma can be found at: Alma 36:6, Alma 36:14, Alma 30:32, Alma 15:11, Alma 14:22, Alma 14:26, Alma 14:27, Alma 14:28