9 "The new temple will be more beautiful than the first one was," says the Lord. "And in this place I will give peace to my people," announces the Lord who rules over all.
10 A third message came to me from the Lord. It came on the 24th day of the ninth month of the second year that Darius was king.
11 The Lord who rules over all speaks. He says, "Ask the priests what the law says.
12 Suppose someone carries holy meat in the clothes he is wearing. And the clothes touch some bread or stew. Or they touch some wine, olive oil or other food. Then do those things also become holy?" The priests answered, "No."
13 So I said, "Suppose someone is made 'unclean' by touching a dead body. And then he touches one of those things. Does it become 'unclean' too?" "Yes," the priests replied. "It does."
14 Then I said, "The Lord announces, 'That is how I look at these people and this nation. Anything they do and anything they sacrifice on the altar is "unclean."
15 " 'Now think carefully about the time before one stone was laid on top of another in my temple.