In this particular verse, we have two instances where Zeezrom refers to what Amulek just said (although Zeezrom misrepresents what Amulek actually said). In the original text, the presenttense “he saith” is used here twice. In his editing for the 1837 edition, Joseph Smith changed both of these to “he said” (each time he marked the change in 𝓟). This editing was probably the result of Joseph’s attempt in the larger passage to change instances of the historical present tense to the past tense, although these two instances here are technically not cases of the historical present. (For the original use of the historical present tense in Alma 11:21–39, see the following discussion under Alma 11:36.)
When verse 35 was set for the 1837 edition, the first of Joseph Smith’s changes was implemented, but the second was not. The 1837 edition (and all subsequent editions) have thus ended up with a mixed text, with one occurrence of “he said” and another of “he saith”. Several times in their confrontation, Zeezrom and Amulek cite each other. In these citations, the verbs say and speak can be in either the present or past tense:
Thus there is a mixture of the present and past tenses when Zeezrom and Amulek quote each other. The critical text will, in each case, follow the reading of the earliest textual sources.
Summary: Restore the consistent use of the present-tense “he saith” in Alma 11:35.