And I will, moreover, tell you concerning the temple, how these wretched men, being deceived, placed their hopes in the building as if it were the habitation of God, and not on the God who had made them.
For almost after the manner of the Gentiles did they consecrate him in the temple. But what saith the Lord, making it of none effect? Hearken ye: Who hath measured out the heaven with his palm, or the earth with the flat of his hand, is it not I? saith the Lord. Heaven is my throne, and earth the footstool of my feet. What house will ye build for me, or what shall be the place of my rest? Hence ye may that their hope is vain.
And, yet further, he saith again, Behold they that have destroyed this temple shall rebuild it.
And so doth it happen, for through their wars it was destroyed by the enemy, and now both they themselves and their enemies shall rebuild it.
And again it was made manifest how the temple and the people of Israel should be given up to their enemies. For the scripture saith, And it shall come to pass in the last days that the Lord shall deliver up the sheep of his pasture, and their fold and their tower shall he give up to destruction; and it happened according to that which the Lord had spoken.
Let us inquire, therefore, whether there be any temple of God. There is; even where he himself hath declared that he would make and perfect it. For it is written, And it shall be when the week is completed that the temple of the Lord shall be built gloriously in the name of the Lord.
I find, therefore, that there is a temple; how then shall it be built in the name of the Lord? Learn ye. Before that we believed in God the habitation of our heart was corrupt and feeble, as being of a truth a temple built by hands. For it was full of idolatry, and was a habitation of devils, because we did such things as were contrary to God;
but it shall be built in the name of the Lord. What mean these words? Attend ye: that the temple of the Lord may be built gloriously. But in what manner? Learn ye: having received the remission of our sins, and having hoped upon the name of the Lord, we have become new, having been again created entirely. Wherefore God of a truth dwelleth in us as in an habitation.
How? The word of his faith, the calling of his promise, the wisdom of his ordinances, the commandments of his doctrine, he himself prophesying in us, he himself dwelling in us. To us, who were enslaved by death, he openeth the gate of the temple, which is his mouth, and, giving us repentance, leadeth us into the temple incorruptible.
For he who desireth to be saved looketh not unto the man, but unto him that dwelleth and speaketh in man, wondering that he had never before heard him speaking such words out of his mouth, or even desired to hear. This is the spiritual temple built by the Lord.