Paul and Alma

Paul and Alma/Alma the younger

In my last post I went through some of the similarities between the story of the martyr Stephen and the story of Abinani. This is a continuation of that post.

There are certain similarities to the stories of Paul and Alma (as well as Alma’s son Alma the Younger)

Pauls Story: Acts 9 Alma’s Story: Mosiah 17-18 Alma the Younger’s Story: Alma 36

Similarities (Paul to Alma)

  1. Both men are leaders in the apostatized religion.
  2. Both men participate in the judgement and persecution of those preaching the gospel of Christ.
  3. Both men realize the error of their ways and become leading authorities in the church of God.

Similarities (Paul to Alma the Younger)

  1. Both men go about persecuting the saints of God.
  2. Both men are visited by a heavenly messenger (in Paul’s case the lord himself)
  3. Both men suffer bodily ailments after their visitation (Paul is blind and Alma is paralyzed or put into some sort of coma)
  4. Both men repent and become great missionaries.
  5. Both men are cast into prison.
  6. Both men give multiple accounts of their conversion story with slight variations between accounts.

What do you think of these similarities? Do you know of any more? Are they intentional?