²⁸ You yourselves are my^[a] witnesses that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah,^[b] but I have been sent ahead of him.’ ²⁹ It is the bridegroom who gets the bride, yet the bridegroom’s friend, who merely^[c] stands by and listens for him, is overjoyed to hear the bridegroom’s voice. That’s why this joy of mine is now complete. ³⁰ He must become more important, but I must become less important.”