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 person can receive not even one thing unless it has been given to him from heaven. 28You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent ahead of Him.’ He who has the bride is the groom; but the friend of the groom, who stands and listens to him, rejoices greatly because of the groom’s voice. So this joy of mine has been made full. 30He must increase, but I must decrease. 31“He who comes from above is above all; the one who is only from the earth is of the earth and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all.

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

• He who hasἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
• the brideνύμφηnumphē · brideG3565
• the groomνυμφίοςnumphios · bridegroomG3566
• but the friendφίλοςphilos · friendly/friendG5384
• who standsἵστημιhistēmi · to standG2476
• and listensἀκούωakouō · to hearG191
• to him, rejoicesχαίρωchairō · to rejoiceG5463
• greatlyχαράchara · joyG5479
• becauseδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
• voiceφωνήphōnē · voice/sound: voiceG5456
• Soοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
• thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• of mineἐμόςemos · mineG1699
• has been madeπληρόωplēroō · to fulfillG4137

Cross-references for John 3:29

• Psalms 45:9Kings’ daughters are among Your noble women; At Your right hand stands the queen in gold from Ophir.
• Isaiah 54:5For your husband is your Maker, Whose name is the Lord of armies; And your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel, Who is called the God of all the earth.
• Isaiah 62:4It will no longer be said to you, “Forsaken,” Nor to your land will it any longer be said, “Desolate”; But you will be called, “My delight is in her,” And your land, “Married”; For the Lord delights in you, And to Him your land will be married.
• Jeremiah 2:2“Go and proclaim in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, ‘This is what the Lord says: “I remember regarding you the devotion of your youth, Your love when you were a bride, Your following after Me in the wilderness, Through a land not sown.
• Ezekiel 16:8“Then I passed by you and saw you, and behold, you were at the time for love; so I spread My garment over you and covered your nakedness. I also swore an oath to you and entered into a covenant with you so that you became Mine,” declares the Lord God.
• Hosea 2:19I will betroth you to Me forever; Yes, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and in justice, In favor and in compassion,
• Matthew 22:2“The kingdom of heaven is like a king who held a wedding feast for his son.
• 2 Corinthians 11:2For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ.
• Ephesians 5:25Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her,
• Revelation 19:7Let’s rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, because the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His bride has prepared herself.”
• Revelation 21:9Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls, full of the seven last plagues, came and spoke with me, saying, “Come here, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.”
• Judges 14:10Then his father went down to the woman; and Samson held a feast there, for the young men customarily did this.
• Psalms 45:14She will be brought to the King in colorful garments; The virgins, her companions who follow her, Will be brought to You.
• Matthew 9:15And Jesus said to them, “The attendants of the groom cannot mourn as long as the groom is with them, can they? But the days will come when the groom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.
• Isaiah 66:11So that you may nurse and be satisfied with her comforting breasts, So that you may drink fully and be delighted with her bountiful breasts.”
• Luke 2:10And so the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which 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

• 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