Berean Standard Bible
John 3:29
29The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom stands and listens for him, and is overjoyed to hear the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete.
John 3:29 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.
- New International Version (NIV)The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete.
- English Standard Version (ESV)The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete.
- New King James Version (NKJV)He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled.
Context of John 3:29
27John replied, “A man can receive only what is given him from heaven. 28You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but am sent ahead of Him.’ The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom stands and listens for him, and is overjoyed to hear the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. 30He must increase; I must decrease. 31The One who comes from above is above all. The one who is from the earth belongs to the earth and speaks as one from the earth. The One who comes from heaven is above all.
Read all of John 3John 3:29 word by word
Ὁ ἔχων τὴν νύμφην νυμφίος ἐστίν. ὁ δὲ φίλος τοῦ νυμφίου, ὁ ἑστηκὼς καὶ ἀκούων αὐτοῦ, χαρᾷ χαίρει διὰ τὴν φωνὴν τοῦ νυμφίου. αὕτη οὖν ἡ χαρὰ ἡ ἐμὴ πεπλήρωται.Read the interlinear
- Theὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- brideνύμφηnumphē · brideG3565
- belongs toἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
- belongs toεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- bridegroomνυμφίοςnumphios · bridegroomG3566
- ·δέde · thenG1161
- friendφίλοςphilos · friendly/friendG5384
- standsἵστημιhistēmi · to standG2476
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- listens forἀκούωakouō · to hearG191
- himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- is overjoyedχαίρωchairō · to rejoiceG5463
- is overjoyedχαράchara · joyG5479
- ·διάdia · through/because ofG1223
- voiceφωνήphōnē · voice/sound: voiceG5456
- Thatοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
- Thatοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
- mineἐμόςemos · mineG1699
- it is now completeπληρόωplēroō · to fulfillG4137
Cross-references for John 3:29
- Psalms 45:9The daughters of kings are among your honored women; the queen stands at your right hand, adorned with the gold of Ophir.
- Isaiah 54:5For your husband is your Maker— the LORD of Hosts is His name— the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; He is called the God of all the earth.
- Isaiah 62:4No longer will you be called Forsaken, nor your land named Desolate; but you will be called Hephzibah, and your land Beulah; for the LORD will take delight in you, and your land will be His bride.
- Jeremiah 2:2“Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem that this is what the LORD says: ‘I remember the devotion of your youth, your love as a bride, how you followed Me in the wilderness, in a land not sown.
- Ezekiel 16:8Then I passed by and saw you, and you were indeed old enough for love. So I spread My cloak over you and covered your nakedness. I pledged Myself to you, entered into a covenant with you, and you became Mine, declares the Lord GOD.
- Hosea 2:19So I will betroth you to Me forever; I will betroth you in righteousness and justice, in loving devotion and compassion.
- Matthew 22:2“The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son.
- 2 Corinthians 11:2I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. For I promised you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ.
- Ephesians 5:25Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her
- Revelation 19:7Let us rejoice and be glad and give Him the glory. For the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His bride has made herself ready.
- Revelation 21:9Then one of the seven angels with the seven bowls full of the seven final plagues came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.”
- Judges 14:10Then his father went to visit the woman, and Samson prepared a feast there, as was customary for the bridegroom.
- Psalms 45:14In colorful garments she is led to the king; her virgin companions are brought before you.
- Matthew 9:15Jesus replied, “How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while He is with them? But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast.
- Isaiah 66:11so that you may nurse and be satisfied at her comforting breasts; you may drink deeply and delight yourselves in her glorious abundance.
- Luke 2:10But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid! For behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people:
Commentaries on John 3:29
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 29He that hath the bride - The congregation of believers. Is the bridegroom - The Lord Jesus - the Head of the Church. See Matthew 22:2, etc., where the parable of the marriage feast is explained. The friend of the bridegroom - The person whom the Greeks called the paranymph - there were two at each wedding: one waited on the bride, the other on the bridegroom: their business was to serve them, to inspect the concerns of the bridechamber, and afterwards to…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 29He that hath the bride - This is an illustration drawn from marriage. The bride belongs to her husband. So the church, the bride of the Messiah, belongs to him. It is to be expected, therefore, and desireD, that the people should flock to him. But the friend of the bridegroom - He whose office it is to attend him on the marriage occasion. This was commonly the nearest friend, and was a high honor. Rejoiceth greatly - Esteems himself highly honored by…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 22-36Verses 22-36 John was fully satisfied with the place and work assigned him; but Jesus came on a more important work. He also knew that Jesus would increase in honour and influence, for of his government and peace there would be no end, while he himself would be less followed. John knew that Jesus came from heaven as the Son of God, while he was a sinful, mortal man, who could only speak about the more plain subjects of religion. The words of Jesus were…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 29John the Baptist described Jesus as the bridegroom. He described himself as the bridegroom’s friend. John did not try to bring honor to himself. Instead, he gave honor to Jesus and showed that Jesus is greater than he is.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 27-3027-30. A man, &c.--"I do my heaven-prescribed work, and that is enough for me. Would you have me mount into my Master's place? Said I not unto you, I am not the Christ? The Bride is not mine, why should the people stay with me?? Mine it is to point the burdened to the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world, to tell them there is Balm in Gilead, and a Physician there. And shall I grudge to see them, in obedience to the call, flying as a cloud…Read the comment
Topics related to John 3:29
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on John 3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Catena Aurea
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- John Lightfoot Commentary
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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