²⁸ This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan,^(A) where John was baptizing.

⁴⁰ Then Jesus went back across the Jordan^(A) to the place where John had been baptizing in the early days. There he stayed,

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 Gideon sent messengers throughout the hill country of Ephraim, saying, “Come down against the Midianites and seize the waters of the Jordan^(A) ahead of them as far as Beth Barah.”

So all the men of Ephraim were called out and they seized the waters of the Jordan as far as Beth Barah.

²⁶ They came to John and said to him, “Rabbi,^(A) that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan—the one you testified^(B) about—look, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him.”

⁵ “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.^[a]”