The Bible Study Podcast, episode 323. Today, the Bible Study podcast continues the study of the

Gospel of John with chapters 3 and 4.

Welcome to the Bible study podcast. I'm your host, Chris Christensen. We pick up our story here in

John chapter 3, verse 22. John testifies again about Jesus. After this, Jesus and his disciples

went out into the Judean countryside, where he spent some time with them and baptized.

Now, John was also baptizing at Anan near Salim because there was plenty of water,

and people were coming and being baptized. This was before John was put in prison. An argument

developed between some of John's disciples and a certain Jew over matters of ceremonial washing.

They came to John and said to him, Rabbi, that man who was with you on the

other side of the Jordan, the one you testified about, look, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him.

To this John replied, a person can receive only what is given them from heaven. You yourself can

testify that I said, I am not the Messiah, but I am sent ahead of him. 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 is now complete.

He must become greater, I must become less. The one who comes from above is above all.

The one who is from the earth belongs to the earth and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes

from heaven is above all. He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his

testimony. Whoever has accepted it has certified

that God is truthful. For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God for God, gives the

spirit without limit. The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands.

Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the

sun will not see life, for God's wrath remains on them. John's response here is a little long-winded,

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