57 And thus seeing that their laws had become corrupted, and that they had become a wicked people, insomuch that they were wicked even like unto the Lamanites.
58 And because of their iniquity, the church had begun to dwindle; and they began to disbelieve in the spirit of prophecy, and in the spirit of revelation; and the judgments of God did stare them in the face.
59 And they saw that they had become weak, like unto their brethren, the Lamanites, and that the Spirit of the Lord did no more preserve them; yea, it had withdrawn from them, because the Spirit of the Lord doth not dwell in unholy temples;
60 Therefore the Lord did cease to preserve them by his miraculous and matchless power, for they had fallen into a state of unbelief and awful wickedness; and they saw that the Lamanites were more exceeding numerous than they, and except they should cleave unto the Lord their God, they must unavoidably perish.
61 For behold, they saw that the strength of the Lamanites was as great as their strength, even man for man.
62 And thus had they fallen into this great transgression; yea, thus had they become weak, because of their transgression, in the space of not many years.
63 And it came to pass that in this same year, behold, Nephi delivered up the judgment seat, to a man whose name was Cezoram.
64 For as their laws and their governments were established by the voice of the people, and they who chose evil were more numerous than they who chose good, therefore they were ripening for destruction, for the laws had become corrupted.
65 Yea, and this was not all; they were a stiff-necked people, insomuch that they could not be governed by the law nor justice, save it were to their destruction.
66 And it came to pass that Nephi had become weary, because of their iniquity; and he yielded up the judgment seat, and took it upon him to preach the word of God all the remainder of his days, and his brother Lehi also, all the remainder of his days; for they remembered the words which their father Helaman spake unto them.
67 And these are the words which he spake: Behold, my sons, I desire that ye should remember to keep the commandments of God; and I would that ye should declare unto the people these words;
