17 Behold, the scriptures are before you; If ye will wrest them, it shall be to your own destruction."
18 And now it came to pass that when Alma had said these words unto them, he stretched forth his hand unto them and cried with a mighty voice, saying: "Now is the time to repent! for the day of salvation draweth nigh.
19 "Yea, and the voice of the Lord, by the mouth of angels, doth declare it unto all nations, Yea, doth declare it, that they may have glad tidings of great joy.
20 "Yea, and He doth sound these glad tidings among all His people, yea, even to them that are scattered abroad upon the face of the earth; Wherefore, they have come unto us
21 and they are made known unto us in plain terms that we may understand, that we cannot err, And this because of our being wanderers in a strange land;
22 Therefore, we are thus highly favored, for we have these glad tidings declared unto us in all parts of our vineyard.
23 "For behold, angels are declaring it unto many at this time in our land, And this is for the purpose of preparing the hearts of the children of men for to receive His word at the time of His coming in His glory.
24 "And now we only wait to hear the joyful news - declared unto us by the mouth of angels of His coming, for the time cometh, we know not how soon;
25 Would to God that it might be in my day, but let it be sooner or later, in it I will rejoice.
26 "And it shall be made known unto just and holy men by the mouth of angels at the time of His coming, That the words of our fathers might be fulfilled according to that which they have spoken concerning Him, which was according to the spirit of prophecy which was in them.
27 "And now my brethren, I wish from the inmost part of my heart, yea, with great anxiety even unto pain, That ye would hearken unto my words and cast off your sins and not procrastinate the day of your repentance;