John 3:29

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 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.” When 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. 31The one who comes from above is greater than all things. A person who comes from the earth belongs to the earth. A person like that speaks only about things that belong to the earth. But the one who comes from heaven is greater than all things.

John 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

Words taken from the KJV.

• He that hathὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• He that hathἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
• the brideνύμφηnumphē · brideG3565
• isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• the bridegroomνυμφίοςnumphios · bridegroomG3566
• butδέde · thenG1161
• the friendφίλοςphilos · friendly/friendG5384
• which standethἵστημιhistēmi · to standG2476
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• hearethἀκούωakouō · to hearG191
• himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• rejoicethχαίρωchairō · to rejoiceG5463
• greatlyχαράchara · joyG5479
• becauseδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
• of theφωνήphōnē · voice/sound: voiceG5456
• voiceφωνήphōnē · voice/sound: voiceG5456
• thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• myἐμόςemos · mineG1699
• thereforeοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
• is fulfilledπληρόωplēroō · to fulfillG4137

Cross-references for John 3:29

• Psalms 45:9The daughters of kings are among your visitors. Your royal bride stands at your right hand. She is wearing gold from Ophir.
• Isaiah 54:5Now your Maker is your husband. His name is the Lord Almighty. Israel's Holy God is your Redeemer. He is called, ‘The God who rules the whole earth’.
• Isaiah 62:4They will no longer call you by the name ‘Alone’. They will not call your land ‘Empty place’. Instead, they will call you ‘The one that makes God happy’. The name of your land will be ‘Married’. Yes, the Lord will be very happy with you. Your land will be his bride.
• Jeremiah 2:2He said, ‘Go and tell this to the people in Jerusalem: “This is what the Lord says: I remember how you used to love me when you were young. You loved me as a young wife loves her husband. You followed me through the wilderness, where no crops were growing.
• Ezekiel 16:8Later, I saw you again as I went that way. I saw that you had become a woman who was old enough to marry. So I covered your bare body with my coat. I promised to marry you. I made a covenant with you so that you became my wife. That is what the Almighty Lord says.
• Hosea 2:19Israel, I will make you my wife for ever. I will promise to help you in a way that is right and fair. I will be kind to you with a faithful love.
• Matthew 22:2He said, ‘This is what the kingdom of heaven is like. A king prepared a special meal for his son's marriage.
• 2 Corinthians 11:2God wants to keep you for himself. And that is what I want too. I have brought you to Christ, like a pure bride who marries one husband. I want you to be pure and to belong only to him.
• Ephesians 5:25Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church. He even agreed to die on its behalf.
• Revelation 19:7We must shout with joy because we are so happy! We will say that God is great! The time has come for the Lamb's wedding party. His bride has prepared herself.
• Revelation 21:9Then one of the seven angels with the seven bowls that were full of the seven final troubles came to me. He said, ‘Come with me! I will show you the bride who will become the Lamb's wife.’
• Judges 14:10Then Samson's father went to Timnah for Samson's marriage. Samson prepared a party for the people there. All the young men did this when they married.
• Psalms 45:14Now they lead her to the king in her beautiful clothes. Her young friends follow after her to bring her to the king.
• Matthew 9:15Jesus answered them: ‘When a man marries, his friends cannot be sad. They cannot refuse to eat food while he is with them. But there will be a time when people will take the man away from his friends. At that time his friends will choose to fast.’
• Isaiah 66:11Jerusalem will take care of you like a mother. She will give you all that you need, like a mother that feeds her baby with milk. The great blessing that comes from her full breasts will make you very happy.
• Luke 2:10The angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. Listen! I bring you good news. This news will make everyone very happy.

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

• Humility
• John

In the dictionaries

• Born
• Bride
• Condemn
• Condemnation
• Darkness
• Decrease
• Faith
• Increase
• Love
• Solomon, Song of

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