John 3:22-24

Further Testimony About Jesus by John the Baptist

3:22 After this, ¹  Jesus and his disciples came into Judean territory, and there he spent time with them and was baptizing. 3:23 John ²  was also baptizing at Aenon near Salim, ³  because water was plentiful there, and people were coming ⁴  to him ⁵  and being baptized. 3:24 (For John had not yet been thrown into prison.) ⁶ 

[3:22]  ¹ tn This section is related loosely to the preceding by μετὰ ταῦτα (meta tauta). This constitutes an indefinite temporal reference; the intervening time is not specified.

[3:23]  ² sn John refers to John the Baptist.

[3:23]  ³ tn The precise locations of Αἰνών (Ainwn) and Σαλείμ (Saleim) are unknown. Three possibilities are suggested: (1) In Perea, which is in Transjordan (cf. 1:28). Perea is just across the river from Judea. (2) In the northern Jordan Valley, on the west bank some 8 miles [13 km] south of Scythopolis. But with the Jordan River so close, the reference to abundant water (3:23) seems superfluous. (3) Thus Samaria has been suggested. 4 miles (6.6 km) east of Shechem is a town called Salim, and 8 miles (13 km) northeast of Salim lies modern Ainun. In the general vicinity are many springs. Because of the meanings of the names (Αἰνών = “springs” in Aramaic and Σαλείμ = Salem, “peace”) some have attempted to allegorize here that John the Baptist is near salvation. Obviously there is no need for this. It is far more probable that the author has in mind real places, even if their locations cannot be determined with certainty.

[3:23]  ⁴ tn Or “people were continually coming.”

[3:23]  ⁵ tn The words “to him” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.

[3:24]  ⁶ sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.