John 3:22-30

22After this, Jesus and his disciples went to the country places in Judea. Jesus stayed there with his disciples for some time, and they baptized people there.

23John was also baptizing people. He was at a place called Aenon, near Salim, because there was a lot of water there. People were coming to him and John was baptizing them.

24(This happened before the rulers put John in prison.)

25John's disciples began to argue with a certain Jew about some Jewish rules. Those rules told people how they should wash properly.

26The disciples then came to John. They said to him, ‘Teacher, remember the man, Jesus, that you spoke to us about. He was with you on the other side of the Jordan River. Now he is baptizing people and everyone is going to him.’

27John replied, ‘A man can receive only what God gives to him, nothing else.

28You yourselves will remember that I said, “I am not the Messiah, but God sent me to prepare things for the Messiah.”

29When a man marries a wife, she belongs to him. The man's special friend listens carefully. He wants to know when the man will arrive. That friend is very happy when he hears the man's voice. I am like that friend, so I am completely happy now.

30Jesus must become greater, but I must become less important.