Nephi had built a temple (v. 16). In it the Mosaic law was observed. Under that law, the priests were appointed to offer up sacrifices for the people as well as for themselves. (6) Under that law, priests were also the teachers of the people, as appears from the following:
"Do not drink wine or strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations: and that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between clean and unclean; and that ye may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the Lord hath spoken to them by the hand of Moses. (Lev. 10:9-11)