Scribe 2 of 𝓟 obviously had some difficulty with works and words in Alma 12:14. He first wrote works at the beginning of the verse (“for our works will condemn us”); then he erased the k and overwrote the ks with ds (which implies that 𝓞 here read words). Scribe 2 also wrote the singular work in the next clause (“yea all our work will condemn us”), but this singular form seems quite out of place. We expect the plural works, which shows up in the 1837 edition. There is clear evidence that the Book of Mormon scribes frequently wrote works as work (for a list of examples, see under 2 Nephi 30:17). Moreover, the original text prefers the plural works when referring to people being judged (see the discussion under 1 Nephi 15:33). More than likely, the original text here in Alma 12:14 read “yea all our works will condemn us”.
The real question in Alma 12:14 centers around whether the first clause of that verse originally read works (the initial reading in 𝓟) or words (the immediately corrected reading in 𝓟). As noted above, the original manuscript (no longer extant here) probably read words; even so, that could have been an error for works. Numerous examples show that the scribes, both scribe 2 of 𝓟 and Oliver Cowdery, mixed up word(s) and work(s) in the manuscripts (I include here the case in Alma 12:14):
In five out of six cases, scribe 2 of 𝓟 initially wrote work(s) in place of word(s). Oliver Cowdery, on the other hand, twice wrote words in place of works. Thus here in Alma 12:14, Oliver might have mistakenly written words in 𝓞; but if so, he did not catch his error. Then scribe 2 initially miswrote words as works (which was actually correct, I would propose), but then he immediately corrected it to the reading in 𝓞. Oliver’s possible error in 𝓞 could be the result of the use of word in the immediately preceding verse (Alma 12:13: “yea if we have hardened our hearts against the word”), despite the earlier statement in verse 12 that we will “be judged according to our works”.
There are also places where the editions have mixed up word(s) and work(s), but none of these mix-ups have ever been transmitted into subsequent editions:
There are also semantic problems with the current text in Alma 12:14. First of all, verse 12 refers to us being “judged according to our works”. Then at the transition from verse 13 to verse 14, the text explains (I would propose) that if we have rejected the word so that it is not found in us, then “we shall be condemned—for our works will condemn us”. In other words, the text is repeating the fact that judgment will be based on our works—and here, the text specifically refers to those who have rejected the word of God.
The use of yea in the text means that the yea-clause should be an amplification or explanation of the preceding clause. In the current text, there are 27 other occurrences of yea all, and all of them either repeat (perhaps in part) the phraseology of the preceding clause or they summarize or expand upon preceding information, as in these examples:
There are also examples of “yea … all” with intervening words, such as even, as well as examples where the all occurs in a prepositional phrase; yet in every case, the same general class of items is referred to in the yea-clause, as in the following examples:
In the current text for Alma 12:14, the use of yea all implies that words belong to the larger class of works. Our words are, of course, a part of all our works, but words are never referred to as works elsewhere in the Book of Mormon. One would think that if words were correct in this first clause of verse 14, then we should expect a different kind of transition than for. We might also expect the word also. In other words, something like “and our words will also condemn us”, as later on in the verse when the text reads “and our thoughts will also condemn us”. The transitional for at the beginning of verse 14 clearly suggests that no new class of criteria is being introduced.
If the correct reading for Alma 12:14 has works in both clauses, then the yea-clause is placing emphasis on the all—that is, we will be judged by all our works, not just part of them. We won’t be able to select which works we will be judged on. Here are some other examples of yea all where the emphasis is clearly on the all:
There is one biblical passage that explicitly states we will be judged by our words, yet even here there is no specific reference to works:
Except for the current text in Alma 12:14, the Book of Mormon has only examples stating that the word(s) of the Lord will judge or condemn us, not that our own words will:
Thus there is no internal textual support for the current reading in Alma 12:14, “for our words will condemn us”. The use of words creates several problematic aspects to the reading, while works presents no difficulties at all. In addition, scribal errors provide strong support for the possibility that works was accidentally replaced by words in Alma 12:14.
Summary: Emend Alma 12:14 to read “for our works will condemn us / yea all our works will condemn us”; in other words, accept scribe 2’s initial works in 𝓟 (rather than his corrected words) as well as the 1837 emendation that produced the plural works in the following yea-clause (instead of the singular work); the original manuscript apparently read words in Alma 12:14, but this reading was probably an error due to the preceding “yea if we have hardened our hearts against the word” (in verse 13).