²⁸ You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’^[a] but rather, ‘I have been sent before him.’ ²⁹ The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands by and listens for him, rejoices greatly^[b] when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. This then is my joy, and it is complete.^{[c] 30} He must become more important while I become less important.”^[d]