22
Then the Chag (Festival) of Channukah took place in Yerushalayim. It was winter.
23
And Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach was walking around in the Beis Hamikdash in the area called Ulam Shlomo (Solomon’s Colonnade).
24
Then those of Yehudah encircled Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach and were saying to him, How much longer are you going to hold our neshamot in suspense? If you are the Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, tell us openly.
25
In reply, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach said, I did tell you and you do not have emunah. The pe’ulot which I do b’Shem Avi, these pe’ulot give solemn edut (testimony, see Yn 8:18) about me.
26
But you do not have emunah (faith), because you do not belong to my Tzon.
27
My Tzon hear my voice, and I have da’as of them, and they follow me.
28
And I give to them Chayyei Olam, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. [YESHAYAH 66:22]
29
That which HaAv of me has given me is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch out of the hand of HaAv.
30
I and HaAv are echad. [DEVARIM 6:4; TEHILLIM 33:6; BERESHIS 2:24]
31
Again those of Yehudah took up stones that they might stone him.
32
In reply, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach said to them, Many ma’asim tovim I showed you from HaAv. Because of which ma’aseh do you stone me?
33
In reply, those of Yehudah said to him, For a ma’aseh tov we do not stone you, but for Chillul Hashem and because you, being a man, make yourself G-d. [VAYIKRA 24:16]
34
In reply, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach answered them, Has it not been written in your Torah, ANI AMARTI ELOHIM ATEM (I said you are g-ds.) [TEHILLIM 82:6] [SHEMOT 7:1; 22:27 TARGUM HASHIVIM]
35
If those ones he called g-ds, to whom the Dvar Hashem came and lo tufar Kitvei Hakodesh (and the Kitvei Hakodesh cannot be broken, TEHILLIM 119:89,142)
36
Can you say of the One whom HaAv set apart as HaKadosh and sent into the Olam Hazeh that he commits Chillul Hashem because I said, Ben HaElohim Ani Hu? [YIRMEYAH 1:5]
37
If I do not accomplish the pe’ulot of Avi, do not regard me with bitachon.
38
But if I do, even if you do not have emunah in me, chotsh have emunah in the pe’ulot, so that you may continue to have da’as and binah that HaAv is in me and I am in HaAv.
39
They were seeking, therefore, again to seize him, and he eluded their hand.
40
And he went away again beyond the Yarden to the place where Yochanan was in the beginning giving the mikveh mayim’s tevilah of teshuvah, and he remained there.
41
And many came to him and were saying, Yochanan indeed did no ot (miraculous sign), but everything Yochanan said about this man was HaEmes.
42
And many put their emunah (faith) in him [as Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach] there.