This verse extends the individual apostasy in verse 11 to collective “churches,” also corrupt. As noted earlier, “church” should be seen in the context of Nephi’s understanding of the great and abominable church—a collective term for those who fight against the truth. (See commentary accompanying 1 Nephi 13:5–6.) These churches are not the “great and abominable” church, but rather those that have fallen from the true way—both Christian and Jewish congregations who are not following the strict gospel path.
The modern connotations of “corrupt” suggest deliberate wrongdoing, the compromise of a moral principle. However, Nephi’s term here does not have that connotation of purposeful evil. Even those churches with the best of intentions and the highest moral principles would be “corrupt” because they would no longer be the pure gospel of Christ. Corruption in this sense means the opposite of purity. It does not suggest dishonesty or wrongdoing. However, some of the practices of those churches will contradict Nephi’s understanding of how the church of God should treat its people. (See next verse.)