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KING JAMES BIBLE · PCE

John 3:28–30

TEXT EDITION
Pure Cambridge Edition selected
Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him.
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.
He must increase, but I must decrease.
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PASSAGE SELECTION

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3 selected · 7 available

Choose up to 10 verses in this chapter. The study tools update with the selected passage.

SCRIPTURE WITH SCRIPTURE

Cross References

15 Essential passages are open for comparison.

Reference depth

From verse 28

  1. John 1:20Rank 1 from verse 28
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    20And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ.

  2. John 1:23Rank 2 from verse 28
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    23He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.

  3. Luke 1:16–17Rank 3 from verse 28
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    16And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.

    17And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

  4. Matthew 3:11–12Rank 4 from verse 28
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    11I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:

    12Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

  5. John 1:25Rank 5 from verse 28
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    25And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet?

From verse 29

  1. Ephesians 5:25–27Rank 1 from verse 29
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    25Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

    26That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

    27That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

  2. Hosea 2:19Rank 2 from verse 29
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    19And I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness, and in mercies.

  3. Isaiah 54:5Rank 3 from verse 29
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    5For thy Maker is thine husband; the Lord of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called.

  4. Matthew 9:15Rank 4 from verse 29
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    15And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast.

  5. Ezekiel 16:8Rank 5 from verse 29
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    8Now when I passed by thee, and looked upon thee, behold, thy time was the time of love; and I spread my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedness: yea, I sware unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee, saith the Lord God, and thou becamest mine.

From verse 30

  1. Colossians 1:18Rank 1 from verse 30
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    18And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

  2. Psalms 72:17–19Rank 2 from verse 30
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    17His name shall endure for ever: his name shall be continued as long as the sun: and men shall be blessed in him: all nations shall call him blessed.

    18Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things.

    19And blessed be his glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen.

  3. Hebrews 3:2–6Rank 3 from verse 30
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    2Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house.

    3For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house.

    4For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God.

    5And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after;

    6But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.

  4. Isaiah 9:7Rank 4 from verse 30
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    7Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

  5. 1 Corinthians 3:5Rank 5 from verse 30
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    5Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?

WORDS IN THIS PASSAGE

Definitions

Open a word for its full definition and concordance.

DEFINED WORDS

John 3:28

COMBINED MEANING

ye

↗

The second-person plural subject pronoun, referring to the persons being addressed as those who are, do, or receive the stated predicate.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

bear

↗

Sense 1: To carry, support, convey, endure, sustain, or be answerable for. Sense 2: To produce or bring forth offspring, fruit, or another result. Sense 3: In ‘bear witness’ or ‘bear record,’ to testify or give witness. Sense 4: A large wild animal.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

witness

↗

Sense 1: A person or thing that attests, testifies, records, or supplies evidence; also testimony, record, or the act of bearing testimony. Sense 2: To see in person, testify, attest, or give evidence.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

Christ

↗

The Anointed One; the same title as Messias.

Meaning drawn from: Direct Scripture definition · KJV context and cross-references · Cawdrey 1604 · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

but

↗

Sense 1: However; marking contrast or qualification. Sense 2: Except or unless; excluding all others or alternatives. Sense 3: Only; no more than what follows.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Skeat 1893 · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

before

↗

Earlier than in time; in front of; in the presence of; or prior in order or rank.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

DEFINED WORDS

John 3:29

COMBINED MEANING

bride

↗

Sense 1: A woman newly married or espoused. Sense 2: Figuratively, one presented as a bride or wife.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

but

↗

Sense 1: However; marking contrast or qualification. Sense 2: Except or unless; excluding all others or alternatives. Sense 3: Only; no more than what follows.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Skeat 1893 · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

friend

↗

One joined to another by affection, goodwill, or alliance; to support or befriend.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

which

↗

1. An interrogative or relative pronoun identifying one or more persons or things from a stated or implied set. 2. That which; what.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

standeth

↗

Third-person singular present form of stand, meaning to be upright, rise, stop, remain, endure, take or keep a position, be established, withstand, or present oneself before another.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

joy

↗

Sense 1: Gladness, delight, or rejoicing. Sense 2: To rejoice, delight, or be glad.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

fulfilled

↗

Filled up, completed, accomplished, performed, satisfied, expired, or brought fully to the appointed result, measure, time, or realization.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

DEFINED WORDS

John 3:30

COMBINED MEANING

increase

↗

Sense 1: Growth, produce, yield, offspring, gain, or enlargement. Sense 2: To grow, multiply, add to, enlarge, or intensify.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

but

↗

Sense 1: However; marking contrast or qualification. Sense 2: Except or unless; excluding all others or alternatives. Sense 3: Only; no more than what follows.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Skeat 1893 · Webster 1828

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Surrounding Verses

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27John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.

28Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him.

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29He 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.

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30He must increase, but I must decrease.

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31He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all.

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