John the Baptist Exalts Christ
22 After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he remained there with them and was hbaptizing. 23 John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because water was plentiful there, and people were coming and being baptized 24 (for iJohn had not yet been put in prison).
25 Now a discussion arose between some of John’s disciples and a Jew over purification. 26 And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you jbore witness—look, he is baptizing, and kall are going to him.” 27 John answered, l“A person cannot receive even one thing munless it is given him from heaven. 28 You yourselves bear me witness, nthat I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been osent before him.’ 29 The one who has the bride is the pbridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore qthis joy of mine is now complete. 30 rHe must increase, but I must decrease.”1
31 He who comes sfrom above is tabove all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and uspeaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above all. 32 He bears witness to what he has seen and heard, yet no one receives his testimony. 33 Whoever receives his testimony sets his vseal to this, that God is wtrue. 34 For he whom God has sent xutters the words of God, for yhe gives the Spirit without measure. 35 The Father zloves the Son and has given aall things into his hand. 36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.
17 For it was Herod who had sent and seized John and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, because he had married her. 18 For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not clawful for you to have your brother’s wife.”
19 aBut Herod the tetrarch, who had been reproved by him for Herodias, bhis brother’s wife, and for all the evil things that Herod had done, 20 added this to them all, that che locked up John in prison.
5 And though he wanted to put him to death, he feared the people, because they held him to be a xprophet.
19 And Herodias had a grudge against him and wanted to put him to death. But she could not, 20 for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he kept him safe. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed, and yet he heard him gladly.
