Pahoran responds graciously to Moroni’s urgent letter. He is not intentionally neglecting the army but is dealing with an insurrection. He asks Moroni to come quickly and help him remove the rebels and restore order. He says that he is not offended by Moroni’s letter: “I am not angry, but do rejoice in the greatness of your heart.”
Chapter Outline
- The insurrection: Pahoran has been driven out of the city (v. 1-8)
- “I am not angry” (v. 9-13)
- Come quickly, and we will end the insurrection (v. 14-18)
- Your epistle has given me courage (v. 19-21)
My Takeaways
- We must avoid the temptation to become defensive when we are under attack.
- When we act with courage, we can inspire the people around us to do the same.
Featured Blog Posts
❖ Pahoran is not offended – Alma 61:9-13
“You Have Censured Me, But It Mattereth Not.” – Alma 61:9
When Captain Moroni learned that reinforcements had not been sent to Helaman, he immediately wrote to Pahoran, the chief judge, requesting assistance. Shortly after, the city Nephihah fell to the enemy because reinforcements had not been sent there either. Moroni became gravely concerned about the state of the war and the lack of support from…
I Am Not Angry – Alma 61:9
9 And now, in your epistle you have censured me, but it mattereth not; I am not angry, but do rejoice in the greatness of your heart. I, Pahoran, do not seek for power, save only to retain my judgment-seat that I may preserve the rights and the liberty of my people. My soul standeth…
My Soul Standeth Fast in That Liberty – Alma 61:9
9 And now, in your epistle you have censured me, but it mattereth not; I am not angry, but do rejoice in the greatness of your heart. I, Pahoran, do not seek for power, save only to retain my judgment-seat that I may preserve the rights and the liberty of my people. My soul standeth…
❖ Moroni strengthens Pahoran’s courage – Alma 61:19-21
I Was Somewhat Worried Concerning What We Should Do – Alma 61:19-20
19 And now, Moroni, I do joy in receiving your epistle, for I was somewhat worried concerning what we should do, whether it should be just in us to go against our brethren. 20 But ye have said, except they repent the Lord hath commanded you that ye should go against them. (Alma 61:19-20) When…
Old Testament Foundations
Fear Not
Is fear a choice? God told Abraham, Hagar, Isaac, and Jacob not to be afraid. (See Genesis 51:1, 21:17, 26:24, 46:3.) An angel gave the same direction to Zacharias, Mary, Joseph, and a group of shepherds in Bethlehem. (See Luke 1:13, 30, Matthew 1:20, Luke 2:10.) And the prophet Isaiah several times gives us the…
King-men
Why would a person vote to eliminate their own freedom? I’ve been intrigued the past couple of weeks by the children of Israel, who insisted on having a king, even after the prophet Samuel warned them of the terrible consequences of this decision: Their children would suffer, they would lose control over their possessions, and…
Breaking a Yoke
A yoke is a wooden beam placed on the necks of two animals so that they can pull together. That’s the literal definition. Throughout the scriptures, the term is also used metaphorically to represent servitude or oppression. Perhaps that’s because the Hebrew word for yoke—ol (עֹל)—is related to the verb alal (עָלַל), which means to…
New Testament Parallels
What Does It Mean to “Stand Fast in the Liberty Wherewith God Hath Made Us Free?”
For a period of time, Alma taught the gospel in secret, in a place called the waters of Mormon. He challenged the people to be baptized there. He organized them into a church there. They began to meet weekly to teach one another and to worship God. The group steadily grew until the king became…
All Posts Referencing Alma 61
- A Proclamation (10/31/2025)
- Strengthen Them (3/12/2025)
- “Defend It” (8/22/2024)
- Fear Not (9/20/2022)
- King-men (6/25/2022)
- Breaking a Yoke (2/27/2022)
- King-Men and Freedom of Speech (1/14/2021)
- “You Have Censured Me, But It Mattereth Not.” – Alma 61:9 (8/12/2020)
- What Does It Mean to “Stand Fast in the Liberty Wherewith God Hath Made Us Free?” (7/5/2019)
- Was Captain Moroni Right to Chastise Pahoran so Harshly? (5/3/2019)
- What Does It Mean for Jesus to Be Our “Redeemer?” (3/10/2019)
- I Was Somewhat Worried Concerning What We Should Do – Alma 61:19-20 (4/19/2018)
- I Am Not Angry – Alma 61:9 (12/1/2017)
- My Soul Standeth Fast in That Liberty – Alma 61:9 (8/28/2015)