Johannes 3
1 Unter den Pharisäern war ein Mann mit Namen Nikodemus, ein Ratsherr bei den Juden.
There was a man named Nicodemus, who was a member of the Jewish religious council. He belonged to the Pharisee [religious sect].
2 Der kam eines Nachts zu ihm und sprach: "Wir wissen, Rabbi, daß du von Gott als Lehrer gekommen bist; denn niemand kann solche Zeichen tun, wie du sie wirkst, wenn Gott nicht mit ihm ist."
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.”
3 Und Jesus sprach zu ihm: "Wahrlich, wahrlich sage ich dir: Wenn jemand nicht von oben geboren ist, kann er das Reich Gottes nicht schauen."
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]!”
4 Da sagte Nikodemus zu ihm: "Wie kann ein Mensch geboren werden, der schon alt ist? Er kann doch nicht noch einmal in den Mutterschoß zurück und wiederum geboren werden?"
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]”
5 Und Jesus sprach: "Wahrlich, wahrlich sage ich dir: Wer nicht aus Wasser und Heiligem Geiste geboren ist, kann nicht in das Reich Gottes eingehen.
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].
6 Was aus dem Fleische geboren ist, ist Fleisch, was aber aus dem Geiste geboren ist, ist Geist.
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].
7 Wundere dich nicht, daß ich dir sagte: Ihr müßt von oben geboren werden.
Do not be surprised about my telling you that you must be born again [and have a new life from God].
8 Der Wind weht, wo er will; du hörst sein Brausen, weißt aber nicht, woher er kommt, noch wohin er geht. Geradeso verhält es sich mit dem, der aus dem Geiste geboren ist."
[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].”
9 Darauf fragte Nikodemus: "Wie ist das möglich?"
Nicodemus replied to him, “How can that happen?”
10 Und Jesus sprach zu ihm: "Du bist der Lehrer Israels und begreifst das nicht?
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]
11 Wahrlich, wahrlich sage ich dir: Wir reden, was wir wissen, und wir bezeugen, was wir gesehen haben; ihr aber nehmt unser Zeugnis nicht an.
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].
12 Wenn ich von irdischen Dingen zu euch rede und ihr nicht glaubt, wie werdet ihr dann glauben, wenn ich von himmlischen zu euch rede?
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]
13 Niemand ist zum Himmel aufgestiegen als der, der vom Himmel kam, der Menschensohn der im Himmel ist.
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].
14 Wie Moses in der Wüste die Schlange erhöht, hat, so muß auch der Menschensohn erhöht werden,
[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].
As a result, everyone who believes/trusts in me will have eternal life.” (aiōnios g166)
16 So sehr hat Gott die Welt geliebt, daß er seinen eingebornen Sohn hingab, damit, wer immer an ihn glaubt, nicht verlorengehe, vielmehr ewiges Leben habe. (aiōnios g166)
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)
17 Denn Gott hat seinen Sohn nicht dazu in die Welt gesandt, damit er die Welt richte, sondern damit die Welt durch ihn gerettet werde.
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].
18 Wer an ihn glaubt, wird nicht gerichtet werden, wer aber nicht glaubt, der ist schon gerichtet, weil er an den Namen des eingebornen Sohnes Gottes nicht geglaubt hat.
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].
19 Darin besteht ja das Gericht: Das Licht ist in die Welt gekommen, die Menschen aber wollten lieber die Finsternis als das Licht; denn ihre Werke waren böse.
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].
20 Denn jeder, der Böses tut, haßt das Licht und kommt nicht an das Licht, damit seine Werke nicht ans Licht kommen.
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].
21 Doch wer recht handelt, geht zum Lichte, damit so offenkundig werde, daß seine Werke mit Gott vollbracht sind."
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.
22 Hierauf kam Jesus mit den Jüngern in die Landschaft Judäa, blieb dort mit ihnen und taufte.
Some time later Jesus and we disciples went to Judea district. He stayed with us there and [directed us as we] baptized people.
23 Auch Johannes taufte noch zu Änon, nahe bei Salim; denn dort gab es reichlich Wasser. Die Leute kamen hin und ließen sich taufen.
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}.
24 Noch lag Johannes nicht im Gefängnis.
That happened before John was put {they put John} in prison.
25 Da entstand ein Streit über Reinigungen zwischen den Jüngern des Johannes und einem Judäer.
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].
26 Sie gingen zu Johannes und sagten ihm: "Rabbi! Jener Mann, der drüben überm Jordan bei dir war und für den du Zeugnis abgelegt hast, sieh, er tauft nun auch, und alles läuft ihm zu."
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]!”
27 Johannes sprach: "Ein Mensch kann sich nichts nehmen, was ihm nicht vom Himmel gegeben ist.
John replied, “A person can become [important] only if God [MTY] permits it. [So] we [should not be jealous about Jesus being popular]!
28 Ihr selbst müßt mir bezeugen, daß ich gesagt habe: 'Ich bin nicht der Christus, ich bin nur vor ihm hergesandt.'
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.
29 Wer die Braut hat, ist Bräutigam; der Freund des Bräutigams indes steht da und hört ihn und freut sich herzlich ob der Stimme des Bräutigams. Diese Freude ist mir in vollem Maße zuteil geworden.
[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].
30 Er muß wachsen und ich abnehmen.
It is necessary for Jesus to become more important [by making more disciples than I have], and for me to become less [important].”
31 Wer von oben kommt, steht über allen; wer von der Erde ist, ist irdisch und redet irdisch. Wer vom Himmel kommt, steht über allen.
[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.
32 Und er bezeugt, was er gesehen und gehört hat; jedoch sein Zeugnis nimmt ja niemand an.
He tells people what he has seen and what he heard [in heaven], but very few people [HYP] listen to what he says.
33 Wer aber sein Zeugnis annimmt, der bestätigt, daß Gott wahrhaftig ist.
Those who have accepted what he has said verify that what God has said is true.
34 Denn der von Gott Gesandte redet Gottes Worte; er spendet den Geist nicht kärglich.
[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].
35 Der Vater liebt den Sohn und hat alles in seine Hand gegeben.
God loves his Son, and has caused him to have control/power over everything.
36 Wer an den Sohn glaubt, hat ewiges Leben, wer aber auf den Sohn nicht hört, wird das Leben nicht schauen; es lastet vielmehr Gottes Zorn auf ihm." (aiōnios g166)
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)
