Tree of Life Version
John 3:29
29The one who has the bride is the bridegroom, but the best man rejoices when he stands and hears the bridegroom’s voice. So now my joy is 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 answered, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven. 28You yourselves testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah,’ but rather, ‘I am sent before Him.’ The one who has the bride is the bridegroom, but the best man rejoices when he stands and hears the bridegroom’s voice. So now my joy is complete! 30He must increase, while I must decrease.” 31The One who comes from above is above all. The one who is from the earth is of the earth, and of the earth he speaks. 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
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 45:9All your robes have myrrh, aloes, cassia. From ivory palaces, stringed instruments make you glad.
- Isaiah 54:5For your Maker is your husband —Adonai-Tzva’ot is His Name— the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer. He will be called God of all the earth.
- Isaiah 62:4No longer will you be termed “Forsaken”, no longer your land termed “Desolate”. Instead you will be called, “My Delight is in Her” and your land, “Married”. For Adonai delights in you, and your land will be married.
- Jeremiah 2:2“Go, and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, thus says Adonai: I remember the devotion of your youth, your love as a bride, and the way you followed Me in the wilderness, in a land not sown.
- Ezekiel 16:8“Again I passed by and saw you, and behold, you were truly at the time of love. I spread the corner of my garment over you and covered your nakedness. I swore to you and entered into a covenant with you,” says Adonai. “So you became Mine.
- Hosea 2:19Then I will remove the names of the Baalim out of her mouth, no longer to be mentioned by their name.
- Matthew 22:2“The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who made a wedding feast for his son.
- 2 Corinthians 11:2For I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy. For I betrothed you to one husband, to present you to Messiah as a pure virgin.
- Ephesians 5:25Husbands, love your wives just as Messiah also loved His community and gave Himself up for her
- Revelation 19:7Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and His bride has made herself ready,
- Revelation 21:9Then came one of the seven angels holding the seven bowls full of the seven final plagues, and he spoke with me, saying, “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.”
- Judges 14:10Then his father went down to the woman, and Samson made a banquet there, for so the young men used to do.
- Psalms 45:14All glorious is the king’s daughter within the palace— her gown is interwoven with gold.
- Matthew 9:15And Yeshua said to them, “The guests of the bridegroom cannot mourn while the bridegroom is with them, can they? But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.
- Isaiah 66:11For you will nurse and be satisfied from her comforting breast. You will drink deeply and delight from her glorious abundance.
- Luke 2:10But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid! For behold, I proclaim Good News to you, which will be great joy to 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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