John 3:22-30

Disciples’ Literal New Testament

Jesus Goes To Judea. John The Baptist Declares Himself The Friend of The Bridegroom

²² After these things Jesus and His disciples went into the Judean land, and there He was spending-time with them and baptizing. ²³ Now John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there were many waters^[a] there. And they were coming and being baptized. ²⁴ For John had not yet been thrown into prison. ²⁵ Then a debate^[b] arose from the disciples of John with a Jew about purification. ²⁶ And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, concerning Whom you have testified, look— this One is baptizing, and all are going to Him!” ²⁷ John responded and said “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it has been given to him from heaven. ²⁸ You yourselves are testifying concerning me that I said that ‘I am not the Christ’, but that ‘I am one having been sent-forth ahead of that One’. ²⁹ The one having the bride is the bridegroom. And the friend of the bridegroom, the one standing there and hearing him, rejoices with joy^[c] because of the voice of the bridegroom. So this^[d], my joy, has been made-full. ³⁰ It-is-necessary for that One to grow, and for me to diminish.