John 3:22-36

After this, Jesus and his disciples went to the Judean countryside, where he spent time with them and baptized. John  also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water there. People were coming and being baptized, since John had not yet been thrown into prison.  Then a dispute arose between John’s disciples  and a Jew  about purification.  So they came to John and told him, “Rabbi,  the one you testified about, and who was with you across the Jordan,  is baptizing #— #and everyone is going to him.”  John responded, “No one can receive anything unless it has been given to him from heaven. You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah,  but I’ve been sent ahead of him.’  He who has the bride  is the groom. But the groom’s friend, who stands by and listens for him, rejoices greatly  at the groom’s voice. So this joy  of mine is complete. He must increase, but I must decrease.” The one who comes from above  is above all. The one who is from the earth is earthly and speaks in earthly terms.  The one who comes from heaven is above all.  He testifies  to what he has seen and heard, and yet no one accepts his testimony. The one who has accepted his testimony has affirmed that God is true.  For the one whom God sent speaks God’s words, since he  gives the Spirit  without measure. The Father loves the Son  and has given all things into his hands.  The one who believes in the Son has eternal life, but the one who rejects the Son  will not see life; instead, the wrath of God remains on him.