Abinadi has not yet delivered the part of his message that is so essential that he cannot be touched, but already the reaction of his listeners is so intense that he accurately describes them as cut “to your hearts because I tell you the truth.” The effect of hearing the truth on those who have justified their actions is to awaken the sharp pain of recognizing their sin. Anger at the messenger is a very typical reaction to such pain, an attempt to displace the pain and project it outward. However, to feel pain they had to be able to feel at least some of the Spirit; otherwise, Abinadi’s message would have been irrelevant, not a personal conflict. This pain of recognition is the first step in repentance, but certainly does not guarantee repentance. Of all of the priests pierced by this painful awakening, only Alma is known to have accepted it and moved on toward full repentance.