Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

85 (For the one directing. Of the Bnei Korach. Mizmor.) Hashem, Thou hast been favorable unto Thy land; Thou hast brought back the captivity of Ya’akov.

^2 (3) Thou hast forgiven the avon (iniquity) of Amecha (Thy people); Thou hast covered all their chattat (sin). Selah.

^8 (9) I will hear what HaEl Hashem will say; for He will speak shalom unto His people, and to His Chasidim; but let them not turn again to folly.

^9 (10) Surely His salvation is karov (near) them that fear Him; that kavod may dwell in Artzeinu (our land).

^10 (11) Chesed and emes will meet together; tzedek and shalom will kiss each other.

^11 (12) Emes shall titzmach (sprout forth [T.N. Tzemach—Branch, Sprout—is the code name for Moshiach and the coming Tzemach’s Namesake in Zecharyah 6:11-12 is Yehoshua, Yeshua—see Ezra 3:8; Zech 3:8; 6:11-12. Go to Jer 23:5 and look at all the references. These are among the most important Scriptures in the Bible because it is here that the saving Name of Moshiach Tzidkeinu is prophetically communicated for salvation; the word Tzemach means “Moshiach” and it is the code word par excellence for Moshiach in the post-Exilic references in the minor prophets; this veiled reference to Moshiach was necessary in the situation of the Return under Persian rule when talk of a coming king was a delicate matter.]) out of ha’aretz; and tzedek shall look down from Shomayim.

^12 (13) Yes, Hashem shall give that which is tov; and Artzeinu (our land) shall yield her yevul (increase, produce).

^13 (14) Tzedek shall go before Him; and shall set us in the Derech of His steps.

²⁴ For I will take you from among the Goyim, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own adamah (land).

²⁵ Then will I sprinkle mayim tehorim upon you, and ye shall be tahor; from all your tum’a, and from all your gillulim (idols), will I make you tahor.

²⁶ A lev chadash also will I give you, and a ruach chadashah will I put within you; and I will take away the lev haeven (stony heart) out of your basar, and I will give you a lev basar.

²⁷ And I will put My Ruach [Hakodesh] within you, and cause you to walk in My chukkot, and ye shall be shomer over My mishpatim, and do them.

²⁸ And ye shall dwell in ha’aretz that I gave to avoteichem; and ye shall be My people, and I will be your Elohim.

²⁷ And again they come into Yerushalayim. And in the Beis Hamikdash, [when] Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach was walking about, the Rashei Hakohanim (the Chief Priests) and the Sofrim (Scribes) and the Zekenim come to him.

²⁸ And they were saying to him, By what kind of samchut do you do these things? Or who gave to you this samchut that you may do these things?

²⁹ But Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach said to them, I will ask you one dvar, and you answer me and I will tell you by what kind of samchut I do these things:

³⁰ The tevilah [of teshuva] of Yochanan—was it from Shomayim or from Bnei Adam? Answer me!

³¹ And they were discussing among themselves, saying, If we say, from Shomayim, he will say, Why then did you not believe him?

³² But [if] we say from Bnei Adam, they were afraid of the multitude, for everyone was considering Yochanan beemes (in truth) a navi.

³³ And in reply to Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, they say, We do not have daas. And Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach says to them, Neither will I tell you by what kind of samchut I do these things.