Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

The bridegroom and his friend

²² After this, Jesus and his disciples went into the countryside of Judaea, and he stayed there with them and baptized. ²³ John, too, was baptizing at Aenon, close to Salim. There was plenty of water there, and people came to him and were baptized. ²⁴ This, of course, was before John had been put into prison.

²⁵ There was, perhaps inevitably, a dispute between the disciples of John and a Judaean, on the subject of purification. ²⁶ They came to John.

“Rabbi,” they said. “Remember the man who was with you beyond the Jordan, the one you gave evidence about? Well, look! He’s baptizing, and everyone’s going to him!”

²⁷ “Nobody can receive anything unless heaven first gives it,” replied John. ²⁸ “You yourselves can bear me out that I said I wasn’t the Messiah, but that I was sent ahead of him. ²⁹ It’s the bridegroom who gets the bride. The bridegroom’s friend, who stands nearby and hears him, is very happy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. So, you see, my joy is now complete. ³⁰ He must increase, but I must decrease.”

³¹ The one who comes from above is over everything. The one who is from the earth has an earthly character, and what he says has “earth” written all over it. The one who comes from heaven is above all. ³² He gives evidence about what he has heard and seen, and nobody accepts his evidence. ³³ The one who does accept his evidence has put his signature to the fact that God is true. ³⁴ The one God sent, you see, speaks God’s words, because he gives the spirit lavishly. ³⁵ The father loves the son and has given everything into his hand. ³⁶ Anyone who believes in the son shares in the life of God’s new age. Anyone who doesn’t believe in the son won’t see life, but God’s wrath rests on him.