Rhetorical: Alma's question; "what have ye to say against this?" is reminiscent of the question asked in verse 53; "can ye withstand these sayings…." Alma is pointing his sermon directly at those who are in need of repentance. It would appear that he is expecting that there might be some dissention among the church members. Those who are righteous will have no argument with his sermon, but those who have been following the world, those to whom he has specifically addressed this sermon, might surely find this sermon spiritually painful, and might argue against it. To those who might cause such contention, Alma dismisses their arguments beforehand. While they might argue that Alma has misinterpreted something, Alma firmly declares "if ye speak against it, it matters not, for the word of God must be fulfilled."