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John 3:23-30
New American Standard Bible
John 3:23-30
New American Standard Bible
23 Now John also was baptizing in Aenon, near Salim, because there was an abundance of water there; and people were coming and being baptized— 24 for (A)John had not yet been thrown into prison.
25 Then a matter of dispute developed on the part of John’s disciples with a Jew about [a](B)purification. 26 And they came to John and said to him, “(C)Rabbi, He who was with you (D)beyond the Jordan, to whom you (E)have testified—behold, He is baptizing and all the people are coming to Him.” 27 John replied, “(F)A person can receive not even one thing unless it (G)has been given to him from heaven. 28 You yourselves [b]are my witnesses that I said, ‘(H)I am not the [c]Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent ahead of Him.’ 29 He who has the bride is (I)the groom; but the friend of the groom, who stands and listens to him, rejoices greatly because of the groom’s voice. So this (J)joy of mine has been made full. 30 He must [d]increase, but I must [e]decrease.
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John 3:23-30
New International Version
John 3:23-30
New International Version
23 Now John(A) also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water, and people were coming and being baptized. 24 (This was before John was put in prison.)(B) 25 An argument developed between some of John’s disciples and a certain Jew over the matter of ceremonial washing.(C) 26 They came to John and said to him, “Rabbi,(D) that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan—the one you testified(E) about—look, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him.”
27 To this John replied, “A person can receive only what is given them from heaven. 28 You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah but am sent ahead of him.’(F) 29 The bride belongs to the bridegroom.(G) The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete.(H) 30 He must become greater; I must become less.”[a]
Footnotes
- John 3:30 Some interpreters end the quotation with verse 36.
John 3:23-30
Contemporary English Version
John 3:23-30
Contemporary English Version
23-24 (A) John had not yet been put in jail. He was at Aenon near Salim, where there was a lot of water, and people were coming there for John to baptize them.
25 John's followers got into an argument with a Jewish man[a] about a ceremony of washing.[b] 26 They went to John and said, “Rabbi, you spoke about a man when you were with him east of the Jordan. He is now baptizing people, and everyone is going to him.”
27 John replied:
No one can do anything unless God in heaven allows it. 28 (B) You surely remember how I told you that I am not the Messiah. I am only the one sent ahead of him.
29 At a wedding the groom is the one who gets married. The best man is glad just to be there and to hear the groom's voice. That's why I am so glad. 30 Jesus must become more important, while I become less important.
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John 3:23-30
The Message
John 3:23-30
The Message
The Bridegroom’s Friend
22-26 After this conversation, Jesus went on with his disciples into the Judean countryside and relaxed with them there. He was also baptizing. At the same time, John was baptizing over at Aenon near Salim, where water was abundant. This was before John was thrown into jail. John’s disciples got into an argument with the establishment Jews over the nature of baptism. They came to John and said, “Rabbi, you know the one who was with you on the other side of the Jordan? The one you authorized with your witness? Well, he’s now competing with us. He’s baptizing, too, and everyone’s going to him instead of us.”
27-29 John answered, “It’s not possible for a person to succeed—I’m talking about eternal success—without heaven’s help. You yourselves were there when I made it public that I was not the Messiah but simply the one sent ahead of him to get things ready. The one who gets the bride is, by definition, the bridegroom. And the bridegroom’s friend, his ‘best man’—that’s me—in place at his side where he can hear every word, is genuinely happy. How could he be jealous when he knows that the wedding is finished and the marriage is off to a good start?
29-30 “That’s why my cup is running over. This is the assigned moment for him to move into the center, while I slip off to the sidelines.
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New American Standard Bible (NASB) 
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New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
Contemporary English Version (CEV) 
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The Message (MSG)
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson