John 3:29-31

New English Translation

Footnotes

1. John 3:29 tn Grk “rejoices with joy” (an idiom).
2. John 3:29 tn Grk “Therefore this my joy is fulfilled.”
3. John 3:30 sn Some interpreters extend the quotation of John the Baptist’s words through v. 36.
4. John 3:31 tn Or “is above all.”
5. John 3:31 tn Grk “speaks from the earth.”
6. John 3:31 sn The one who comes from heaven refers to Christ. As in John 1:1, the Word’s preexistence is indicated here.
7. John 3:31 tc P⁷⁵ א* D ƒ¹ 565 as well as several versions and fathers lack the phrase “is superior to all” (ἐπάνω πάντων ἐστίν, epanō pantōn estin). This effectively joins the last sentence of v. 31 with v. 32: “The one who comes from heaven testifies about what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony.” On the other side, the phrase may have been deleted because of perceived redundancy, since it duplicates what is said earlier in the verse. The witnesses that include ἐπάνω πάντων ἐστίν in both places are weighty and widespread (P^36vid,66 א² A B L W^s Θ Ψ 083 086 ƒ¹³ 33 M lat sy^s,p,h bo). On balance, the longer reading should probably be considered authentic.tn Or “is above all.”