The Book of Mormon

Mosiah 27:29

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~100 BC

1830 Edition

my soul hath been redeemed from the gall of bitterness and bonds of iniquity. I was in the darkest abyss; but now I behold the marvellous light of God. My soul was wrecked with eternal torment; but I am snatched, and my soul is pained no more.

Influences

Acts 8:23 (KJV)
For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.
1 Peter 2:9 (KJV)
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;

Changes

mMy soul hath been redeemed from the gall of bitterness and bonds of iniquity. I was in the darkest abyss; but now I behold the marvellous light of God. My soul was wreacked with eternal torment; but I am snatched, and my soul is pained no more.

Simple English

'My soul has been saved from bitter hate and the chains of sin. I was in the darkest hole. But now I see God’s wonderful light. My soul was hurt with pain that never ends. But I was pulled out. My soul doesn’t hurt anymore.'

Paraphrase

'My soul has been freed from the bitterness and chains of sin. I was in the deepest darkness, but now I see the glorious light of God. My soul was wrecked with endless torment, but I’ve been rescued. My soul is at peace.'

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

27:29

"Curiously, of the five times the words 'gall of bitterness' are used in the Book of Mormon, four of them include the words 'bonds of iniquity.' It should be noted that all of these quotes are set in the same context as the quote from Acts 8:23." -Jerald and Sandra Tanner, Joseph Smith's Plagiarism of the Bible in the Book of Mormon, p. 23.

See also: Alma 36:18, Alma 41:11, Mormon 8:31, Moroni 8:14.