Rhetoric: “What have ye to say against this?” alludes to Alma’s earlier question: “Can ye withstand these sayings?” (v. 53). Alma is preaching to those who need repentance. Apparently, he expects his sermon to create some dissension among the church members. This target audience, those who have adopted worldly ways, would surely find it spiritually painful and might argue against it. Alma dismisses their arguments beforehand. To those who might claim that Alma has misinterpreted something, he firmly declares, “If ye speak against it, it matters not, for the word of God must be fulfilled.”