In Alma 10:5, Amulek says:
Nevertheless, after all this, I never have known much of the ways of the Lord, and his mysteries and marvelous power. I said I never had known much of these things; but behold, I mistake, for I have seen much of his mysteries and his marvelous power; yea, even in the preservation of the lives of this people.
According to Brant Gardner, this verse is a challenge to understand. Amulek makes a statement, then directly contradicts it, noting "I mistake." What is going on? There are two possible explanations:
(1) The first is that he made a slip of the tongue. While this is possible, it is not likely because this is a recorded discourse. Such a slip would not have been worth recording in the first place, let alone on metal plates.
(2) The second explanation is that Amulek intended to make this contrast. Amulek is speaking before a group of people who know him, a fact he is counting on and which led to the particular introduction he used with them. He also explained to them in the next verse that he was not a particularly faithful follower of the Nephite religion. So what he is doing here is setting up a contrast that will catch the attention of the crowd. His first statements are ones that they expect from their knowledge of him, that is, that he "never [has] known much of the ways of the Lord." When he immediately halts this message with "I mistake," the audience is caught unexpectedly. Once he has their attention, he now declares that even though he denied what he saw, the evidence for the ways of the Lord were all around him in the preservation of his people.
This reference to seeing the ways of the Lord around him sets up a very important basis for his discourse. He will tell his audience that just as he could have seen all of the evidence around him, but had not, so too they will be able to see when they repent and then their eyes will be opened to the ways of the Lord. [Brant Gardner, "Book of Mormon Commentary," [http://www.highfiber.com/~nahualli/LDStopics/] Alma/Alma10.htm, pp. 2-3]