²⁸ You yourselves heard me say, ‘I am not the Messiah. I am only the one God sent to prepare the way for him.’ ²⁹ The bride always belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who helps the bridegroom just waits and listens. He is happy just to hear the bridegroom talk. That’s how I feel now. I am so happy that he is here. ³⁰ He must become more and more important, and I must become less important.