John
Chapter 3: 22-36
John the Baptist's Testimony About Jesus
22After
this, Jesus and his disciples went out into the Judean countryside, where he spent some
time with them, and baptized. 23Now John also
was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water, and people were
constantly coming to be baptized. 24(This was
before John was put in prison.) 25An argument
developed between some of John's disciples and a certain Jew over the matter of ceremonial
washing. 26They came to John and said to him,
"Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan—the one you
testified about—well, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him."
27To this
John 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 who attends the bridegroom waits and listens
for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom's voice. That joy is mine, and it
is now complete. 30He must become greater; I
must become less.
31"The
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, but no
one accepts his testimony. 33The man who has
accepted it 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
everything in his hands. 36Whoever believes in
the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath
remains on him."
