Abinadi Fearlessly Preaches to King Noah and His People, Boldly Denouncing Their Immoralities and Calling Them to Repentance
Mosiah 11:20–25
20 And it came to pass that there was a man among them whose name was Abinadi; and he went forth among them, and began to prophesy, saying: Behold, thus saith the Lord, and thus hath he commanded me, saying, Go forth, and say unto this people, thus saith the Lord—Wo be unto this people, for I have seen their abominations, and their wickedness, and their whoredoms; and except they repent I will visit them in mine anger.
21 And except they repent and turn to the Lord their God, behold, I will deliver them into the hands of their enemies; yea, and they shall be brought into bondage; and they shall be afflicted by the hand of their enemies.
22 And it shall come to pass that they shall know that I am the Lord their God, and am a jealous God, visiting the iniquities of my people.
23 And it shall come to pass that except this people repent and turn unto the Lord their God, they shall be brought into bondage; and none shall deliver them, except it be the Lord the Almighty God.
24 Yea, and it shall come to pass that when they shall cry unto me I will be slow to hear their cries; yea, and I will suffer them that they be smitten by their enemies.
25 And except they repent in sackcloth and ashes, and cry mightily to the Lord their God, I will not hear their prayers, neither will I deliver them out of their afflictions; and thus saith the Lord, and thus hath he commanded me.
President Spencer W. Kimball said:
“About one hundred fifty years before the birth of Christ, there came among the descendants of Lehi, a prophet named Abinadi (Mosiah 11:20–25). Fearlessly he preached repentance to King Noah and his faithless people who were guilty of all the crimes known to men. He boldly denounced their immoralities, and called them to repentance. ‘. . . Away with this fellow,’ the king had commanded, ‘and slay him; for what have we to do with him, for he is mad’ (Mosiah 13:1). They attempted to lay hands on him, but he warned that God would not let them harm him until his message was delivered (Mosiah 13:4–5).
“‘And he spake with power and authority from God’ (Mosiah 13:6).
“Then Abinadi prophesied the coming of the Messiah, his life, ministry, and death. The king commanded that he be bound, cast into prison, and threatened:
“‘. . . thou shalt be put to death unless thou wilt recall all the words which thou hast spoken evil concerning me and my people’ (Mosiah 17:8).
“Abinadi answered that he would recall nothing and, having been sent of God to deliver a message, he would continue until his mission was finished. When his testimony had been fully borne, they beat him and burned him at the stake, a martyr for a great cause.”
(In Conference Report, Apr. 1946, 43–44.)
