1 Johannes 5

1 Wie gelooft, dat Jesus de Christus is, hij is uit God geboren; en wie den Verwekker bemint, bemint ook hem, die door Hem is verwekt;

All those who believe that Jesus is the (Messiah/person God sent [to rescue us]) are ones who [have truly] become children of God. And everyone who loves [a man who is] someone’s father will [be expected to] love that man’s children as well. [Similarly, those who love God, who has caused them to become his children] [MET], [should love their fellow believers, whom God has also caused to become his children].

2 hieraan erkennen we, dat we de kinderen Gods beminnen. Wanneer we God liefhebben, dan onderhouden we ook zijn geboden;

The way we can be sure that we [truly] love God’s children is this: We are loving them when we love God and do what he commands [us to do].

3 want dit is juist liefde tot God, dat we zijn geboden onderhouden. En zijn geboden zijn niet zwaar;

[I say this] because our obeying what God commands [us to do] is [the same as] loving him. And it is not burdensome/difficult for [us to do] what God commands [us to do].

4 want wat uit God is geboren, overwint de wereld. En dit is de overwinning, die zegepraalt over de wereld: ons geloof!

All of us whom God has caused to become his children have been able to successfully resist (doing what/conducting our lives like) the people [MTY] [who] oppose God do. It is [only] by our trusting [in Christ] that we are able to (resist doing what/conducting our lives like) people in the world who are opposed to God [MTY] do.

5 Wie anders toch is overwinnaar der wereld, dan hij die gelooft, dat Jesus de Zoon is van God?

([I will tell you] who are the ones who are able to resist doing what the people who are opposed to God do./Do you know who are the ones who are able to resist conducting their lives like the people who are opposed to God [MTY] do? [RHQ]) It is those who believe that Jesus is (God’s Son/the man who is also God).

6 Hij is het, die gekomen is door Water en Bloed: Jesus Christus; niet door Water alleen, maar door Water en Bloed. Ook de Geest legt getuigenis af; want de Geest is waarheid.

[Think about] Jesus Christ. He is the one who came [to earth from God]. [God showed that he had truly sent Jesus when Jesus was baptized] in water [MTY] and [when Jesus’] blood [flowed from his body when he died]. [God showed this] not only [when Jesus was baptized] [MTY], but also when Jesus’ blood flowed [from his body when he died]. And [God’s] Spirit declares [truthfully that Jesus Christ came from God]. The Spirit always [speaks what] is true.

7 Zodat er drie zijn, die getuigenis afleggen (in de hemel: de Vader, het Woord en de heilige Geest; en deze drie zijn één. En drie zijn er, die getuigenis afleggen op de aarde):

There are three [ways] by which we know [that Christ came from God].

8 de Geest, het Water en het Bloed; en deze drie zijn eenstemmig.

[Those three ways are: What God’s] Spirit [tells us, what God said when Jesus was baptized] [MTY] [in/with] water, and [Jesus’] blood [that flowed from his body when he died on the cross]. These three things all tell us the same thing, [that Jesus came from God].

9 Wanneer we de getuigenis van mensen aanvaarden, de getuigenis van God heeft groter gezag; omdat het is een getuigenis van God, en omdat Hij getuigenis aflegt over zijn eigen Zoon.

We [usually] believe what [other] people say. But what God says is more [reliable/trustworthy than what people say]. So [we must believe] what God has said is true [about] (his Son/the one who is also God).

10 Wie in den Zoon van God gelooft, heeft de getuigenis Gods in zich. Wie God niet gelooft, maakt Hem tot een leugenaar; want dan gelooft hij niet in de getuigenis, die God heeft gegeven over zijn eigen Zoon.

Those who trust in the Son of God know within their (inner beings/hearts) that [what God] says [about his Son is true. But] those who refuse to believe that [what] God says is true are saying that God is a liar, because they refuse to believe what God has said about (his Son/the one who is also God).

11 En dit is de getuigenis: God heeft ons het eeuwig leven geschonken; en dat leven is in zijn Zoon. (aiōnios g166)

This is what [God] says [to us]: “I have given you eternal life!” We will live forever if we have a close relationship with his Son. (aiōnios g166)

12 Wie den Zoon heeft, heeft het leven; wie den Zoon van God niet heeft, heeft ook het leven niet.

Those who have [a close relationship with God’s] Son (OR, who have accepted what God’s Son [has done for them]) have [already] begun to live [forever]. [But] those who do not have a relationship with (God’s Son/the one who is also God) (OR, who have not accepted what God’s Son has done for them) have not begun [to] live [forever].

13 Dit alles heb ik u geschreven, opdat gij weten moogt, dat gij het eeuwig leven bezit, zo gij gelooft in de naam van den Zoon van God. (aiōnios g166)

I have written this [letter] to you who believe that Jesus is [MTY] (God’s Son/the one who is also God) in order that you may know that you have eternal life. (aiōnios g166)

14 En dit is het vertrouwen, dat wij op Hem stellen: Wanneer we iets vragen overeenkomstig zijn wil, dan luistert Hij naar ons.

Because we have a close relationship with him, we are very confident that he hears us when we ask him [to do anything] that is in accordance with (his will/what he desires).

15 En wanneer we weten, dat Hij naar ons luistert, wat we ook vragen, dan weten we ook, dat we verkrijgen, wat we Hem hebben gevraagd.

[And] since we know that he hears whenever we ask [him for something], we [also] know that [it is as though] he has [already] done what we requested him [to do].

16 Wanneer iemand zijn broeder een zonde ziet bedrijven, die niet ten dode is, dan moet hij bidden; en Hij zal het leven schenken aan hen, die niet ten dode hebben gezondigd. Er bestaat echter een zonde, die ten dode is; ik zeg niet, dat men voor die zonde moet bidden.

Those who see one of their fellow believers sinning in a way that does not result in being eternally separated from God should ask [God to help that fellow believer]; and [as a result God] will help that fellow believer and enable him or her to live [eternally. But some people] sin [in a manner that causes them] to be separated from God eternally. I am not saying that [you should] ask [God to help] people who sin like that.

17 Zeker, iedere ongerechtigheid is zonde; maar niet een zonde ten dode.

Everyone who does what is wrong is sinning, but there are some sins that do not cause a person to be separated from God.

18 We weten, dat wie uit God is geboren, niet zondigt; maar wie uit God is geboren, waakt over zichzelf, en de Boze heeft geen vat op hem.

We know that if a person has new life from God [MET], that person does not continue sinning. Instead, the (Son of/one who is also) God protects him so that [Satan], the evil one, does not harm him [spiritually].

19 We weten, dat we uit God zijn, maar dat de hele wereld in kwaad verkeert.

We know that we belong to God, and [we know] that the evil one controls all [the evil people in] [MTY] the world.

20 We weten ook, dat de Zoon van God is gekomen, en ons het inzicht heeft gegeven, om den Waarachtige te kennen. Wij zijn in den Waarachtige, en in zijn Zoon Jesus Christus. Deze is de waarachtige God en het eeuwige leven. (aiōnios g166)

We also know that (God’s Son/the one who is also God) has come [to us], and [we know] that he has enabled us to know God, the one who is really/truly God. So now we have a close relationship with [God because] we belong to Jesus Christ, the one who is the (Son of/man who is also) God. Jesus Christ is truly God, and [he is the one who enables us to have] eternal life. (aiōnios g166)

21 Kinderkens, wacht u voor de afgoden!

[I say to] you who are very dear to me, guard/keep yourselves from [worshipping] gods [that have no real power]!