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Final Witness of the Baptist. 22 [a]After this, Jesus and his disciples went into the region of Judea, where he spent some time with them baptizing.(A) 23 John was also baptizing in Aenon near Salim,[b] because there was an abundance of water there, and people came to be baptized, 24 [c](B)for John had not yet been imprisoned. 25 Now a dispute arose between the disciples of John and a Jew[d] about ceremonial washings. 26 So they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, the one who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you testified, here he is baptizing and everyone is coming to him.”(C) 27 John answered and said, “No one can receive anything except what has been given him from heaven.(D) 28 You yourselves can testify that I said [that] I am not the Messiah, but that I was sent before him.(E) 29 The one who has the bride is the bridegroom; the best man,[e] who stands and listens to him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. So this joy of mine has been made complete.(F) 30 He must increase; I must decrease.”(G)

The One from Heaven.[f]

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Footnotes

  1. 3:22–26 Jesus’ ministry in Judea is only loosely connected with Jn 2:13–3:21; cf. Jn 1:19–36. Perhaps John the Baptist’s further testimony was transposed here to give meaning to “water” in Jn 3:5. Jesus is depicted as baptizing (Jn 3:22); contrast Jn 4:2.
  2. 3:23 Aenon near Salim: site uncertain, either in the upper Jordan valley or in Samaria.
  3. 3:24 A remark probably intended to avoid objections based on a chronology like that of the synoptics (Mt 4:12; Mk 1:14).
  4. 3:25 A Jew: some think Jesus is meant. Many manuscripts read “Jews.”
  5. 3:29 The best man: literally, “the friend of the groom,” the shoshben of Jewish tradition, who arranged the wedding. Competition between him and the groom would be unthinkable.
  6. 3:31–36 It is uncertain whether these are words by the Baptist, Jesus, or the evangelist. They are reflections on the two preceding scenes.