After these things
Jesus and his disciples went
into the Judean countryside
and he stayed there
with them
and was baptizing
And John also was baptizing
in Aenon, near Salim,
because there was plenty of water there,
and (people) came and were being baptized
f or John was not yet thrown into prison.

Then an argument arose
from between disciples of John
and a Judean
about washing.
And they came to John
and said to him:
‘Rabbi,
the one who was with you
beyond the Jordan
to whom you bore witness,
Look! He is baptizing and
they all are going to him.’
John replied:
‘No one can receive anything
unless it has been given to him
from heaven.
You yourselves bear witness about me
that I said:
‘I am not the Christ,
but
‘ I have been sent before him’
The one who has the bride
is the bridegroom.
But the friend of the bridegroom,
he is the one who stands and
listens
with great joy
because of the the voice of the bridegroom.
so this joy of mine is complete.
He must increase
and I decrease.’

O Lord Jesus Christ,
stay beside me to defend me,
within me to guide me,
before me to lead me,
and above me to bless me,
that with you and in you,
I may live, and move and have my being,
for ever and ever.
Amen.

(unknown)