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12 If a man carries meat that is holy [because it has been offered in sacrifice to God] in the fold of his garment, and he touches bread, or cooked food, or wine, or oil, or any [kind of] food with this fold, does what he touches become holy [dedicated exclusively to God’s service]?’” And the priests answered, “No!” [[a]Holiness is not transferrable.] 13 Then Haggai said, “If one who is [ceremonially] unclean because of [contact with] a corpse touches any of these [articles of food], will it be unclean?” And the priests answered, “It will be unclean.” [Ceremonial uncleanness, like sin, is infectious.] 14 Then Haggai answered, “‘So is this people. And so is this nation before Me,’ declares the Lord, ‘and so is every work of their hands; and what they offer there [on the altar] is unclean [because they who offer it are unclean].

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Footnotes

  1. Haggai 2:12 The meat is holy of itself and renders the fold of the garment holy by contact, but the garment cannot transfer holiness. The same is not true of a person who has contracted defilement by contact (v 13), so it is easier to be defiled than to be holy.

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