John 3
1 There was a man named Nicodemus, who was a member of the Jewish religious council. He belonged to the Pharisee [religious sect].
Es war aber ein Mensch aus den Pharisäern, mit Namen Nikodemus, ein Oberster der Juden.
2 He went to see Jesus at night, [to talk to him about God’s kingdom]. He said to Jesus, “Teacher, [we believe that] you are a teacher who has come from God. [We believe this because] we know that someone could perform the miracles you are doing only if God were helping him.”
Dieser kam zu Ihm bei Nacht und sprach zu Ihm: Rabbi, wir wissen, daß Du ein Lehrer bist, von Gott gekommen; denn niemand kann solche Zeichen tun, die Du tust, es sei denn Gott mit ihm.
3 Jesus replied to him, “Listen to this carefully: Unless people are born again and [have a new life from God], they cannot even see the place where God rules [MET]!”
Jesus antwortete und sprach zu ihm: Wahrlich, wahrlich, Ich sage dir: Es sei denn, daß jemand von neuem geboren werde, so kann er das Reich Gottes nicht sehen.
4 Then Nicodemus said to him, “(No one can be born when he is old!/How can anyone be born when he is old?) [RHQ] (There is no way he can enter his mother’s womb and be born a second time!/How can he enter his mother’s womb and be born a second time?) [RHQ]”
Nikodemus spricht zu Ihm: Wie kann ein Mensch geboren werden, wenn er ein Greis ist? Kann er zum zweiten Mal in seiner Mutter Leib eingehen und geboren werden?
5 Jesus answered, “Note this: Being born naturally is not [enough]; people need to also be born [spiritually] by God’s Spirit. If that does not happen, they cannot experience God ruling [MET] [their lives].
Jesus antwortete: Wahrlich, wahrlich, Ich sage dir: Es sei denn, daß jemand aus Wasser und Geist geboren werde, so kann er nicht in das Reich Gottes eingehen.
6 Humans give birth to humans. But those who are born [again] as a result of what [God’s] Spirit [does receive a new] spiritual [nature from God].
Was aus dem Fleisch geboren ist, ist Fleisch; und was aus dem Geist geboren ist, ist Geist.
7 Do not be surprised about my telling you that you must be born again [and have a new life from God].
Verwundere dich nicht, daß Ich zur dir gesagt habe: Ihr müsset von neuem geboren werden.
8 [Let me illustrate]: The wind blows wherever it wants to blow. You hear its sound, but you do not know where the wind comes from or where it is going. Similarly, those [who do not know God cannot understand/control/predict] how people are born again as a result of what God’s spirit [does].”
Der Wind weht, wo er will, und du hörst seine Stimme, weißt aber nicht, von wannen er kommt, und wohin er geht. Also ist ein jeglicher, der aus dem Geist geboren ist.
9 Nicodemus replied to him, “How can that happen?”
Nikodemus antwortete und sprach zu Ihm: Wie kann solches geschehen?
10 Jesus replied to him, “You [(sg)] are a [well-known] teacher among [us] Israelite people, so (I am surprised that you do not understand these things!/how is it that you do not understand these things?) [RHQ]
Jesus antwortete und sprach zu ihm: Bist du ein Lehrer Israels, und erkennst das nicht?
11 Listen to this carefully: (My disciples and I/I) tell you [(pl)] about the things that my disciples and I have seen and know [are true], but you [(pl)] do not admit that what my disciples and I are saying [is true].
Wahrlich, wahrlich, Ich sage dir: Wir reden, was wir wissen, und zeugen, das wir gesehen haben, und ihr nehmt unser Zeugnis nicht an.
12 I have told you about the things [that happen here] on earth that are true, but you [(pl)] do not believe me. So if I tell you [(sg)] about things [that happen] in heaven, (you certainly will not believe me!/how will you believe me?) [RHQ]
Wenn Ich vom Irdischen zu euch sprach, und ihr glaubt nicht, wie werdet ihr glauben, wenn Ich euch von Himmlischem sagen würde.
13 I am the only one who has gone up to heaven; no one else has gone up there. I am also the one who came down from heaven. [So I know what happens there].
Und niemand ist in den Himmel aufgestiegen, außer Der, so aus dem Himmel herabgestiegen ist, des Menschen Sohn, Der in dem Himmel ist.
14 [Long ago when the Israelite people rebelled against God] in the desolate area, [God sent poisonous snakes to bite them]. But when Moses lifted up [on a pole] the [model of a] poisonous snake, [everyone who looked at that model was healed from their snake bites]. Similarly, [even though I] am the one who came from heaven, [some day people] will lift me up [on a cross to kill me].
Und wie Moses in der Wüste die Schlange erhöhte, also muß des Menschen Sohn erhöht werden,
Auf daß jeder, der an Ihn glaubt, nicht verloren werde, sondern das ewige Leben habe. (aiōnios g166)
16 God loved us people [MTY] in the world so much that he gave his only Son [as a sacrifice for us], in order that everyone who believes in him would not be separated from God forever. Instead, they would have eternal life. (aiōnios g166)
Denn also hat Gott die Welt geliebt, daß Er Seinen eingeborenen Sohn gab, auf daß jeder, der an Ihn glaubt, nicht verloren werde, sondern das ewige Leben habe. (aiōnios g166)
17 When God sent his Son into the world, his purpose was not to punish the [people in] [MTY] the world for their sins. Instead, he sent him in order that they might be saved by him {he might save them} [from being] ([guilty/punished]) [for their sins].
Denn Gott hat Seinen Sohn nicht in die Welt gesandt, daß Er die Welt richte, sondern daß die Welt durch Ihn gerettet werde.
18 Everyone who trusts in his Son, [God says that they] will not be punished {that he will not punish them}. But God has already [said that] everyone who does not trust in his Son will be punished {that he will punish everyone who does not trust in his Son}, because they have not trusted in what his only Son [has done for them].
Wer an Ihn glaubt, wird nicht gerichtet; wer aber nicht glaubt, ist schon gerichtet, weil er nicht geglaubt hat an den Namen des eingeborenen Sohnes Gottes.
19 The [one who was like a] light [MET] [to reveal God’s truth to us] came into the world. But people loved doing what was [evil, like] darkness [MET] [is evil], instead of loving the [one who was like a] light. That is the reason [God will] judge people [and condemn them].
Das ist aber das Gericht, daß das Licht in die Welt gekommen ist und die Menschen die Finsternis mehr liebten, denn das Licht; denn ihre Werke waren schlecht.
20 Everyone who does what is evil hates the [one who is like a] light, and they will not come to the [one who is like a] light, because it would be shown {[the one who is like a light] would show} that their deeds [are evil, and he would rebuke them].
Denn jeder, der Arges tut, haßt das Licht und kommt nicht zum Licht, auf daß seine Werke nicht gerügt werden.
21 But those who live according to [God’s] truth come to the [one who is like a] light, in order that it may be seen clearly {that people may see clearly} that the things they have done, they did them because [they have depended] on God.
Wer aber die Wahrheit tut, der kommt zum Licht, damit seine Werke offenbar werden, weil sie in Gott gewirkt sind.
22 Some time later Jesus and we disciples went to Judea district. He stayed with us there and [directed us as we] baptized people.
Danach kam Jesus und Seine Jünger in das jüdische Land und verweilte daselbst mit ihnen und taufte.
23 John [the Baptizer] was also baptizing people. He was doing that at Aenon [village] near Salim [town in Samaria district], because there were many springs in that area. [Many] people kept coming [to John] and were being baptized {he was baptizing them}.
Johannes aber taufte auch zu Enon, nahe bei Salim, weil viel Wasser daselbst war; und sie traten herzu und ließen sich taufen.
24 That happened before John was put {they put John} in prison.
Denn Johannes war noch nicht ins Gefängnis geworfen.
25 Then some of John’s disciples and a certain Jew started arguing about the Jewish rituals of washing things [to make them acceptable to God].
Es ward nun eine Streitfrage von den Jüngern des Johannes mit den Juden über Reinigung;
26 Then those disciples went to John and said to him, “Teacher, [do you remember] the man who was with you when you were baptizing people on the other side of the Jordan River? He is the one you were telling us about. Well, now he is baptizing people, and many people are going to him [instead of coming to us]!”
Und sie kamen zu Johannes und sagten zu ihm: Rabbi, Der mit dir jenseits des Jordan war, für Den du zeugtest, siehe, Der tauft und alle kommen zu Ihm.
27 John replied, “A person can become [important] only if God [MTY] permits it. [So] we [should not be jealous about Jesus being popular]!
Johannes antwortete und sprach: Der Mensch kann nichts nehmen, es werde ihm denn aus dem Himmel gegeben.
28 You yourselves can verify what I said. I told you that I am not (the Messiah/God’s promised king). Instead, I [told you that] I was sent {that [God] sent me} to prepare the way for him.
Ihr selbst seid mir Zeugen, daß ich gesagt habe: Ich bin nicht Christus, sondern vor Ihm hergesandt.
29 [Let me illustrate] [MET]: [He is like a] ([bridegroom/man who is being married]), [and I am like his friend]. The friend of the bridegroom stands there and waits [for him to come]. That friend is very happy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice [when he arrives]. Similarly, I am very happy [about what you have told me].
Wer die Braut hat, ist Bräutigam; der Freund des Bräutigams aber, der dasteht und ihn hört, freut sich mit Freude ob der Stimme des Bräutigams. Diese meine Freude ist nun erfüllt.
30 It is necessary for Jesus to become more important [by making more disciples than I have], and for me to become less [important].”
Er muß wachsen, ich aber muß abnehmen.
31 [Jesus] came from heaven. He is more important than anyone else. Those who are born from [parents here] on earth [MTY] are just humans, and they speak about things [that happen here] on the earth. But since Jesus came from heaven, his [words are] more important than anyone else’s.
Der von oben kommt, ist über alle. Wer von der Erde ist, der ist aus der Erde und redet aus der Erde. Der aus dem Himmel kommt, ist über alle.
32 He tells people what he has seen and what he heard [in heaven], but very few people [HYP] listen to what he says.
Und was Er gesehen und gehört hat, davon zeugt Er; und Sein Zeugnis nimmt niemand an.
33 Those who have accepted what he has said verify that what God has said is true.
Wer Sein Zeugnis annimmt, der hat besiegelt, daß Gott wahrhaftig ist.
34 [We know it is true] because [Jesus], the one God sent, speaks the message of God. [That is also true] because God causes his Spirit to live [in Jesus] to completely [direct everything he says and does].
Denn Der, Den Gott gesandt hat, redet die Reden Gottes; denn Gott gibt Ihm den Geist nicht nach Maß.
35 God loves his Son, and has caused him to have control/power over everything.
Der Vater liebt den Sohn und hat alles in Seine Hand gegeben.
36 Those who trust in [God’s] Son have eternal life. But those who reject God’s Son will never have [eternal] life. Instead, God is angry with them [and he will surely punish them]. (aiōnios g166)
Wer an den Sohn glaubt, hat ewiges Leben; wer aber nicht an den Sohn glaubt, der wird das Leben nicht sehen; sondern der Zorn Gottes bleibt auf ihm. (aiōnios g166)
