John the Baptist Exalts Christ

²²After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he remained there with them and xwas baptizing. ²³John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because water was plentiful there, and people were coming and being baptized ²⁴(for yJohn had not yet been put in prison).

²⁵Now a discussion arose between some of John's disciples and a Jew over zpurification. ²⁶And they came to John and said to him, a“Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, bto whom you bore witness—look, he is baptizing, and call are going to him.” ²⁷John answered, d“A person cannot receive even one thing eunless it is given him ffrom heaven. ²⁸You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, g‘I am not the Christ, but hI have been sent before him.’ ²⁹iThe one who has the bride is the bridegroom. jThe friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, krejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. ³⁰lHe must increase, but I must decrease.”10

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