He Must Increase

The words

1. Aenon

   John’s Gospel locates the Baptist at Aenon near Salim, where people come to be baptized; the account notes that he has not yet been imprisoned.

   John 3:23–24 (opens a new tab)

2. Beyond Jordan

   In John’s Gospel, the Baptist’s disciples recall Jesus being with him beyond Jordan and his witness about Jesus, as they report people coming to Jesus.

   Did you know?

   John 10 returns to the region beyond Jordan: Jesus goes to the place where John first baptized, and people there recall John’s words about him.

   John 3:26 (opens a new tab) · John 10:40–41 (opens a new tab)

3. Bridegroom

   In John’s Gospel, the Baptist distinguishes the bridegroom from the friend who hears his voice and rejoices, then says that his own joy is fulfilled.

   Did you know?

   Earlier in John’s Gospel, the wedding at Cana includes a bridegroom whom the feast’s governor calls after tasting the water made wine; here the wedding language becomes an image.

   John 3:29 (opens a new tab) · John 2:1–2; John 2:9–10 (opens a new tab)

4. Decrease

   In John’s Gospel, the Baptist places his own decrease beside Jesus’s increase, after saying that he was sent before the Christ and that his joy is fulfilled.

   John 3:28–30 (opens a new tab)

5. Earthly

   The closing passage of John 3 contrasts “he that is of the earth” and earthly speech with the one who comes from heaven, described as “above all.”

   Did you know?

   Earlier in the chapter, Jesus contrasts “earthly things” and “heavenly things” while replying to Nicodemus; the later passage also contrasts earth and heaven.

   John 3:31 (opens a new tab) · John 3:9–12 (opens a new tab)

6. Increase

   In John’s Gospel, the Baptist answers the report about Jesus’s following with a wedding image, then says, “He must increase, but I must decrease.”

   John 3:26–30 (opens a new tab)

7. Loveth

   The older form of “loves.”

   John 3:35 says that the Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand, followed by the passage’s statement about belief and life.

   John 3:35–36 (opens a new tab) · NET Bible: John 3:31-36 (opens a new tab)

8. Much Water

   John’s Gospel gives “much water” as the reason for the Baptist’s activity at Aenon; it says people came and were baptized there.

   Did you know?

   John 4:2 later clarifies that Jesus’s disciples did the baptizing rather than Jesus himself, distinguishing the report about people coming to him from who performed the baptisms.

   John 3:23 (opens a new tab) · John 4:1–2 (opens a new tab)

9. Purifying

   Ceremonial washing or cleansing.

   In John 3:25, the KJV describes a question between some of John’s disciples and “the Jews” about purifying; the NET reads “a certain Jew.”

   John 3:25 (opens a new tab) · NET Bible: John 3:22-30 (opens a new tab)

10. Rejoiceth

    Rejoices; feels great joy.

    In John’s Gospel, the Baptist pictures the bridegroom’s friend rejoicing at the bridegroom’s voice, then describes his own joy as fulfilled before speaking of increase and decrease.

    John 3:29–30 (opens a new tab) · NET Bible: John 3:22-30 (opens a new tab)

11. Salim

    John’s Gospel names Salim as the place near Aenon; the same passage describes Jesus and his disciples in Judaea and people coming to John for baptism.

    John 3:22–23 (opens a new tab)

12. Seal

    John 3:33 describes receiving the testimony as setting one’s seal that God is true; the next verse links the one sent by God with God’s words.

    John 3:33–34 (opens a new tab)

13. Testimony

    In John 3:31–33, the one from heaven testifies to what he has seen and heard; the passage then describes someone receiving that testimony.

    John 3:31–33 (opens a new tab)

14. Witness

    In John’s Gospel, the disciples recall the Baptist’s witness about Jesus; he replies that they themselves can witness to his saying he is not the Christ.

    John 3:26–28 (opens a new tab)

15. Wrath of God

    John 3:36 contrasts everlasting life for belief in the Son with not seeing life and God’s wrath remaining on the one who does not believe.

    John 3:36 (opens a new tab)