Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

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.

Jesus Has Come From Heaven With The Words of God. He Is Above All

³¹ “The^[e] One coming from-above is above^[f] all. The one being from the earth is from the earth and is speaking from the earth. The One coming from heaven is above all. ³² What He has seen and did hear— this He is testifying. And no one is receiving His testimony. ³³ The one having received His testimony certified^[g] that God is truthful, ³⁴ for He Whom God sent forth is speaking the words of God. For He does not give Him the Spirit from a measure^[h]. ³⁵ The Father loves the Son, and has given all things in His hand. ³⁶ The one believing in the Son has eternal life. But the one disobeying^[i] the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him”.