Alma 55:19 Textual Variants

Here Oliver Cowdery accidentally omitted the subordinate conjunction that when he copied the text from 𝓞 into 𝓟. The that is found at the end of the line in 𝓞, which probably explains why it was lost during the copying process. See under Alma 11:21 for a list of cases where Oliver sometimes made copying errors at the end of a line in 𝓞, when his eye would move too quickly to the beginning of the next line and he would omit or misread the line-final word in 𝓞.

Elsewhere in the text, whenever we have “for this cause” followed by a sentence acting as an appositive for the noun cause, we always get the conjunction that at the head of the sentence:

• 1 Nephi 4:17
  • and again I knew that the Lord had delivered Laban into my hands for this cause that I might obtain the records according to his commandments
• 1 Nephi 4:36
  • now we were desirous that he should tarry with us for this cause that the Jews might not know concerning our flight into the wilderness
• 2 Nephi 10:15
  • wherefore for this cause that my covenants may be fulfilled which I have made  unto the children of men that I will do unto them while they are in the flesh I must needs destroy the secret works of darkness and of murders and of abominations
• Alma 9:25
  • and now for this cause that ye may not be destroyed the Lord hath sent his angel to visit many of his people
• Helaman 12:22
  • therefore for this cause that men might be saved hath repentance been declared
• 3 Nephi 21:6
  • for thus it behooveth the Father that it should come forth from the Gentiles that he may shew forth his power unto the Gentiles for this cause that the Gentiles if they will not harden their hearts that they may repent and come unto me and be baptized in my name …

Thus the subordinate conjunction that should definitely be restored in Alma 55:19.