John 3:22–4:3
22 After these things Jesus and His adisciples came into the land of Judea, and there He was spending time with them and bbaptizing.
23 John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there; and people were coming and were being baptized—
24 for aJohn had not yet been thrown into prison.
25 Therefore there arose a discussion on the part of John’s disciples with a Jew about apurification.
26 And they came to John and said to him, “aRabbi, He who was with you bbeyond the Jordan, to whom you chave testified, behold, He is baptizing and all are coming to Him.”
27 John answered and said, “aA man can receive nothing unless it bhas been given him from heaven.
28 “You yourselves 1are my witnesses that I said, ‘aI am not the 2Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent ahead of Him.’
29 “He who has the bride is athe bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. So this bjoy of mine has been made full.
30 “He must increase, but I must decrease.
31 “aHe who comes from above is above all, bhe who is of the earth is from the earth and speaks of the earth. aHe who comes from heaven is above all.
32 “What He has seen and heard, of that He atestifies; and ano one receives His testimony.
33 “He who has received His testimony ahas set his seal to this, that God is true.
34 “For He whom God has asent speaks the words of God; 1bfor He gives the Spirit without measure.
35 “aThe Father loves the Son and bhas given all things into His hand.
36 “He who abelieves in the Son has eternal life; but he who bdoes not 1obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”
1 Therefore when athe Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and bbaptizing more disciples than John
2 (although aJesus Himself was not baptizing, but His bdisciples were),