John 3:29

Let me illustrate [MET]: He is like a ◄ bridegroom/man who is being married►, and I am like his friend. The friend of the bridegroom stands there and waits for him to come. That friend is very happy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice when he arrives. Similarly, I am very happy about what you have told me.

Translation for Translators

In The King James Version

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.

In Context

28You yourselves can verify what I said. I told you that I am not ◄the Messiah/God’s promised king►. Instead, I told you that I was sent {that God sent me} to prepare the way for him.

30It is necessary for Jesus to become more important by making more disciples than I have, and for me to become less important.”

Read all of John 3

Cross References

Judges 14:10As his father was making the final arrangements for the marriage, Samson gave a party for the young men in that area. That was the custom for men to do when they were about to be married.

Song of Solomon 3:11You women of Jerusalem, come and look at King Solomon wearing the headdress that his mother put on his head on the day when he was married, the day when he [SYN] was very happy.

Song of Solomon 5:1My bride, you who are dearer to me than my sister, I have come to cuddle up to you [MET, EUP]; it will be as though I will be gathering myrrh with my other spices, and eating my honey and my honeycomb, and drinking my wine and my milk. You two who love each other, enjoy your lovemaking; enjoy all that you want to.

Isaiah 62:4Your city will never again be called “the deserted/abandoned city” and your country will never again be called “the desolate land”; it will be called “the land that Yahweh delights in”, and it will also be called “married to Yahweh”. It will be called that because Yahweh will be delighted with you, and it will be as though you are his bride [MET].

Jeremiah 2:2to proclaim to everyone in Jerusalem. He said that I should tell them this [MET]: “I, Yahweh, remember that you very much wanted to please me long ago. You tried to please me like a bride tries to please her husband; You loved me, and you followed me through the desert [DOU].

Hosea 2:19I will cause them to be as though they are [MET] my bride forever. I will be righteous and fair/just; I will faithfully love them and be kind to them.

Matthew Henry on John 3:23-36

John's Testimony to Christ. 22 After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judæa; and there he tarried with them, and baptized. 23 And John also was baptizing in Ænon near to Salim, because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized. 24 For John was not yet cast into prison. 25 Then there arose a question between some of John's disciples and the Jews about purifying. 26 And they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

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