14. As Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the desert, in the same way the Son of Man must be lifted up,
15. so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.
16. For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not die but have eternal life.
17. For God did not send his Son into the world to be its judge, but to be its saviour.
18. Those who believe in the Son are not judged; but those who do not believe have already been judged, because they have not believed in God's only Son.
19. This is how the judgement works: the light has come into the world, but people love the darkness rather than the light, because their deeds are evil.
20. All those who do evil things hate the light and will not come to the light, because they do not want their evil deeds to be shown up.
21. But those who do what is true come to the light in order that the light may show that what they did was in obedience to God.
22. After this, Jesus and his disciples went to the province of Judea, where he spent some time with them and baptized.
23. John also was baptizing in Aenon, not far from Salim, because there was plenty of water in that place. People were going to him, and he was baptizing them.
24. (This was before John had been put in prison.)
25. Some of John's disciples began arguing with a Jew about the matter of ritual washing.
26. So they went to John and said, “Teacher, you remember the man who was with you on the east side of the Jordan, the one you spoke about? Well, he is baptizing now, and everyone is going to him!”
27. John answered, “No one can have anything unless God gives it to him.
28. You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah, but I have been sent ahead of him.’
29. The bridegroom is the one to whom the bride belongs; but the bridegroom's friend, who stands by and listens, is glad when he hears the bridegroom's voice. This is how my own happiness is made complete.
30. He must become more important while I become less important.”