The differences in the Book of Mormon and King James texts are insignificant. These four warnings seem self-explanatory, therefore we will give only a general statement about each. The first is alcoholism (vv. 11–17). The alcoholic is identified as one who begins drinking in the morning, and this drinking is usually associated with music that does not invite the Spirit of the Lord. It affects all walks of life.
The second warning represents gross dishonesty and a distorted value system, whose advocates justify their actions by questioning the validity of God’s commandments (vv. 18–19).
The third warning is against the so called “new morality” of our day where chastity and fidelity are labeled as outdated. It extends beyond the moral values of sex (v. 20).
The fourth warning is against pseudo-intellectualism, the reliance upon one’s own wisdom rather than the revelations of the Lord (v. 21).