John’s Testimony about Jesus
Jesus and his disciples spend time in the Judean countryside and baptize, while John baptizes at Aenon because the water is plentiful and people keep coming.
A22fter this, Jesus and His disciples went into the Judean countryside, where He spent some time with them and baptized. 23Now John was also baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because the water was plentiful there, and people kept coming to be baptized. 24(For John had not yet been thrown into prison.)
A dispute over ceremonial washing reaches John’s disciples, who note that Jesus is drawing people to himself. John answers that each gift comes from heaven, recalls that he was sent ahead of the Christ, and says the bridegroom must increase while he decreases.
25Then a dispute arose between John’s disciples and a certain Jew over the issue of ceremonial washing. 26So John’s disciples came to him and said, “Look, Rabbi, the One who was with you beyond the Jordan, the One you testified about — He is baptizing, and everyone is going to Him.” 27John replied, “A man can receive only what is given him from heaven. 28You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but am sent ahead of Him.’ 29The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom stands and listens for him, and is overjoyed to hear the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. 30He must increase; I must decrease.
The one from above stands above all, speaks God’s words, and testifies from what he has seen and heard. The Father loves the Son, has placed all things in his hands, and life or wrath rests on whether a person believes or rejects him.
31The One who comes from above is above all. The one who is from the earth belongs to the earth and speaks as one from the earth. The One who comes from heaven is above all. 32He testifies to what He has seen and heard, yet no one accepts His testimony. 33Whoever accepts His testimony has certified that God is truthful. 34For the One whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit. 35The Father loves the Son and has placed all things in His hands. 36Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life. Whoever rejects the Son will not see life. Instead, the wrath of God remains on him.”