John 3:28-30

3:28 You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ ¹  but rather, ‘I have been sent before him.’ 3:29 The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands by and listens for him, rejoices greatly ²  when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. This then is my joy, and it is complete. ³  3:30 He must become more important while I become less important.” ⁴ 

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¹ tn Or “the Messiah” (Both Greek “Christ” and Hebrew and Aramaic “Messiah” mean “one who has been anointed”).

sn See the note on Christ in 1:20.

² tn Grk “rejoices with joy” (an idiom).

³ tn Grk “Therefore this my joy is fulfilled.”

⁴ sn Some interpreters extend the quotation of John the Baptist’s words through v. 36.