After this, Jesus and His disciples went to Judea where they began to baptize. John also continued to baptize in Aenon near Salem because there was a lot of water in that area.
Questions began to arise among John’s disciples regarding purification.
They came to John and said,
“The man (referring to Jesus) you testified about is also baptizing and everyone is going to him to be baptized.”
Jesus’ disciples were the ones doing the baptizing; Jesus did not baptize anyone.
John told his disciples,
“A man cannot receive anything unless it is given to him from heaven. You heard what I testified, I am not the Christ, but the one sent ahead of him. The man who has the bride is the bridegroom.
The friend of the bridegroom, who stands by and hears him, is very glad to hear the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore, my joy is made full. He must increase, but I must decrease.
He who comes from above is above all, he who is on the earth is from the earth and can only speak as a person on earth; he who comes from heaven is above all. What the man from heaven has seen and heard, he testifies about, and no one receives his testimony.
The ones who receive his testimony are putting trust in God and expressing that God is true.
The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand. He who believes in the Son has eternal life. But those who do not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God.”
