John 3:22-30

New International Reader's Version

John the Baptist Is a Witness About Jesus

²² After this, Jesus and his disciples went out into the countryside of Judea. There he spent some time with them. And he baptized people there. ²³ John was also baptizing. He was at Aenon near Salim, where there was plenty of water. People were coming and being baptized. ²⁴ This was before John was put in prison. ²⁵ Some of John’s disciples and a certain Jew began to argue. They argued about special washings to make people “clean.” ²⁶ They came to John and here is what they said to him. “Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan River is baptizing people. He is the one you told us about. Everyone is going to him.”

²⁷ John replied, “A person can receive only what God gives them from heaven. ²⁸ You yourselves are witnesses that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah. I was sent ahead of him.’ ²⁹ The bride belongs to the groom. The friend who helps the groom waits and listens for him. He is full of joy when he hears the groom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. ³⁰ He must become more important. I must become less important.