Johannes 1
1 Im Anfang war das Wort und das Wort war bei Gott. Und das Wort war Gott,
The one who expresses [MET] ([God’s character/what God is like]) has always existed (from the beginning [MTY] [of everything/before everything began]). He has always existed with God, and he has God’s nature.
2 solchergestalt war es im Anfang bei Gott.
He always existed with God [before] he began [MTY] [to create anything].
3 Alles ward durch dasselbe, und ohne dasselbe ward nichts, was geworden ist.
He is the one by whom [God] caused everything to exist. He is the one who created absolutely everything [LIT].
4 In ihm war Leben, und das Leben war das Licht der Menschen:
He is the one who [caused everything to] live. He, who caused us people to live, [revealed to us the truth about God as] a light [MET] [reveals what is in the darkness].
5 und das Licht scheint in der Finsternis, und die Finsternis hat es nicht ergriffen.
People do not want him to reveal [that what they do is evil] [MET], just [like] darkness [is evil]. But [just like] darkness cannot put out light [MET], [evil people have never prevented the one who was like a light from revealing God’s truth] (OR, [evil people have never] understood the [one who was like] a light.)
6 Es trat ein Mensch auf, abgesandt von Gott, Johannes hieß er,
A man whose name was John was sent by God {God sent a man whose name was John}.
7 dieser kam zum Zeugnis: um zu zeugen vom Licht, auf daß alle durch ihn glauben möchten.
He came to tell people [about the one who was like] [MET] a light. He came to show that everything that the [one who was like a light] [MET] said was true, in order that he could enable all people to believe [in the one who was like a light].
8 Nicht war er das Licht, sondern zeugen sollte er vom Licht.
John himself was not the [one who was like a] light [MET]. Instead, he came to tell others about that [one who was like a] light.
9 Das wahrhaftige Licht, welches jeden Menschen erleuchtet, war: der da kommen sollte in die Welt.
[While John was doing that], the one who was truly [like] a light was about to show himself to the world. He was the one who enables all people [to know about God, as] a light [MET] enables [people to know what is in the darkness].
10 Er war in der Welt, und die Welt ist durch ihn geworden, und die Welt hat ihn nicht erkannt.
Although the one [who was like a light] was [here] on the earth, and although he was the one whom [God] caused to create everything, [most] people [MTY, HYP] did not realize who he [was]. (OR, although he was the one whom [God] caused to create everything, [most] people did not accept him.)
11 In sein Eigentum kam er, und die Seinen nahmen ihn nicht auf.
Although he came to the land that belonged to him [because he created it, most of] his own people, [the Jews], rejected him (OR, did not accept him).
12 So viele ihn aber annahmen, ihnen hat er die Macht verliehen, Gottes Kinder zu werden - als die an seinen Namen glauben -
But those [of us who welcomed him, God] authorized [that we would have a relationship with] him [MET] [like] children [have a relationship with their father]. We were people who believed [that what he said] about himself [MTY] [was true].
13 die nicht aus Blut und nicht aus Fleisches-, nicht aus Manneswillen, sondern aus Gott gezeugt sind.
We became [like God’s children], not because our ancestors [belonged to God], or because of someone’s sexual desires, nor because some man desired to have children like himself. Instead, we were caused by God {God caused us} to become [like] his children.
14 Ja, das Wort ward Fleisch und schlug seine Hütte auf unter uns, und wir schauten seine Herrlichkeit, eine Herrlichkeit als des einzigen Sohnes vom Vater, voll Gnade und Wahrheit -
The one who expresses [MET] ([God’s character/what God is like]) became a human being, and he lived among us [for a while]. As a result, we saw how wonderful he is. He came from [God] his father, and there was no other person as wonderful as he. He was wonderful because he always acted (kindly toward us/in ways we did not deserve), and he always [spoke] truthfully to us [about God].
15 Johannes zeugt von ihm und ruft also: dieser war es, von dem ich sagte: der nach mir kommt, ist vor mir da: weil er eher war, als ich -
[One day] when John was telling people about him, [he saw Jesus]. Then he shouted to them, “I told you [previously] that someone will come later who is more important than I am, since he existed [long] before me. This [is the man I was talking about]!”
16 denn aus seiner Fülle haben wir alle empfangen, Gnade um Gnade;
We have all benefited very much from what he has done. Again and again, he has acted in kind way toward us in ways we did not deserve.
17 denn das Gesetz ward durch Moses gegeben, die Gnade und die Wahrheit ist durch Jesus Christus gekommen.
Moses proclaimed [God’s] laws [to our ancestors]. But what Jesus Christ did for us [was much better]. He acted in kindness toward us in ways we did not deserve and told us the truth [about God].
18 Gott hat keiner je gesehen, der einzige Sohn, der an des Vaters Busen war, der hat ihn beschrieben.
No one has ever seen God. But God’s only Son, [Jesus], who has always had a very close relationship with God, has told us about God.
19 Und dies ist das Zeugnis des Johannes, als die Juden aus Jerusalem Priester und Leviten zu ihm absandten, ihn zu fragen: wer bist du? und er
The Jewish [leaders] [SYN] in Jerusalem [city] sent some [Jewish] priests and (Levites/men who worked in the temple) to where John was, to ask him some questions. They said to him, “What do you [claim about] yourself?”
20 bekannte und leugnete nicht und bekannte: ich bin nicht der Christus.
So John told them the truth, and he told them clearly [DOU]. He said, “[I] am not (the Messiah/God’s chosen king)!”
21 Und sie fragten ihn: was dann? bist du Elias? Und er sagt: ich bin es nicht. Bist du der Prophet? und er antwortete: nein.
Then they asked him, “Then what [do you say about yourself]? Are you [the prophet] Elijah [that was prophesied to return] {([someone/another prophet]) [prophesied would return]} [before the Messiah]?” He replied, “No, [I] am not.” Then they asked him, “Are you the prophet [like Moses that] ([we are waiting for/God promised to send])?” He replied, “No.”
22 Da sagten sie zu ihm: wer bist du? daß wir doch Antwort bringen denen, die uns geschickt haben. Was sagst du von dir?
So they asked him, “Then who do you [claim to be]? [Tell us] so that we can [go back and] report to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”
23 Sagte er: ich bin die Stimme dessen, der ruft in der Wüste: machet eben den Weg des Herrn, so wie der Prophet Jesaias gesagt hat.
John replied, “[I] am the one [the prophet Isaiah said] would proclaim [this new message] loudly [to the people who would pass by] in this desolate area: ‘Prepare [yourselves to receive] the Lord when he comes [MET], [just like people prepare] a road [for an important official].
24 Und sie waren abgesandt von den Pharisäern her,
Some of those people [who were questioning] John were ones who had been sent by the Pharisee [religious group] {whom the Pharisee [religious group] had sent}.
25 und fragten ihn und sagten zu ihm: was taufst du denn, wenn du nicht der Christus bist, und nicht Elias, und nicht der Prophet?
They asked John, “Since [you say] you are not the Messiah, nor [the prophet] Elijah, nor the prophet [like Moses], [what authority] do you have? [Furthermore], why are you baptizing [Jews, treating them as though they were non-Jews who wanted to become Jews]?”
26 Antwortete ihnen Johannes also: ich taufe mit Wasser; mitten unter euch steht er, den ihr nicht kennt,
John replied, “I am [just] baptizing people with water [to prepare them to welcome the Messiah]. But [right now] someone is among you whom you people do not know.
27 für den ich nicht wert bin ihm den Schuhriemen zu lösen.
He [will preach to you] after I [am gone]. [He is so important that] I am not worthy to [serve him as a slave] [MET] [by] untying his sandals.”
28 Dies geschah in Bethania jenseits des Jordan, wo Johannes war und taufte.
Those things happened at [a place called] Bethany, on the [east] side of the Jordan [River], where John was baptizing people.
29 Tags darauf sieht er Jesus gegen sich herkommen und spricht: siehe, das Lamm Gottes, das die Sünde der Welt wegnimmt.
The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him. He said to the people, “Look! Here is the [man whom] God [has appointed to be a sacrifice] [MET], [like] the lambs [that the people of Israel sacrificed! By sacrificing himself] he will [make it possible for everyone in] the world to be no longer [guilty for having] sinned.
30 Dieser ist es, von dem ich sagte: nach mir kommt ein Mann, der vor mir da ist, weil er eher war als ich.
He is the one about whom I said [before], ‘Someone will come later who is more important than I am, since he existed [long] before me.’
31 Und ich kannte ihn nicht; aber damit er für Israel geoffenbart werde, darum kam ich mit Wasser taufend.
I myself did not [previously] recognize that he [was the Messiah]. But [now I know who he is], and I have baptized people with water to enable [you people of] Israel to recognize who he is.”
32 Und Johannes zeugte also: ich habe den Geist geschaut herabfahrend wie eine Taube vom Himmel, und er ruhte auf ihm.
John spoke clearly [what God had shown him about Jesus]. He said, “I saw [God’s] Spirit as he was descending from heaven in the form of a dove. The Spirit remained on Jesus.
33 Und ich kannte ihn nicht; aber der mich gesandt hat zu taufen mit Wasser der sprach zu mir: auf welchen du siehst den Geist herabfahren und auf ihm ruhen, der ist es, der mit heiligem Geist tauft.
I myself did not know [previously] that he [was the Messiah]. However, [God] sent me to baptize people with water, [people who said they wanted to turn from their sinful ways. While I was doing that], God told me, ‘The man on whom you will see my Spirit descend and remain is the one who will put the Holy Spirit within you [(pl) to truly change your lives].’
34 Und ich habe es gesehen und bezeugt, daß dieser ist der Sohn Gottes.
I saw [the Spirit descend on him], and I tell you that he is (the Son of God/the person who is both God and man).”
35 Tags darauf stand Johannes wieder da mit zwei seiner Jünger, und da Jesus daherkam,
The next day John was at the same place again (with two of us/with two of his disciples).
36 blickte er auf ihn und sagt: siehe, das Lamm Gottes.
When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look! There is the man God [has appointed to be a sacrifice, like] the lambs [MET] [the people of Israel have sacrificed!]”
37 Und die zwei Jünger hörten auf seine Rede und folgten Jesus.
(When we/those two disciples) heard John say this, we/they went with Jesus.
38 Jesus aber wandte sich um, und da er schaute wie sie nachfolgten, sagt er zu ihnen: was suchet ihr? Sie aber sagten zu ihm: Rabbi (das heißt übersetzt Lehrer), wo wohnst du? Sagt er zu ihnen: kommt, so werdet ihr es sehen.
Jesus turned around and saw us/them coming behind him. So he asked us/them, “What do you want?” We/They replied, “Teacher, [tell us] where you are staying, [because we want to talk with you].”
39 Da giengen sie, und sahen wo er wohnte, und weilten jenen Tag bei ihm; es war um die zehnte Stunde.
He replied, “Come [with me], and you will see [where I am staying]!” So we/they went with him and saw where he was staying. We/They stayed with him until about 4 o’clock (OR, from about 4 PM until the next day).
40 Andreas, der Bruder des Simon Petrus, war einer von den Zwei, die es von Johannes gehört hatten und ihm gefolgt waren.
(One of us/One of the two men) who heard what John had said and who went with Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter’s [younger] brother.
41 Dieser trifft zuerst seinen Bruder Simon und sagt zu ihm: wir haben den Messias gefunden (das heißt übersetzt Christus).
[After Andrew left Jesus], the first thing he did was to find his own [older] brother Simon and say to him, “We have found the Messiah!”
42 Er führte ihn zu Jesus. Jesus blickte ihn an und sprach: du bist Simon, der Sohn Johannes', du wirst Kephas genannt werden (das wird übersetzt Petrus).
Then he took Simon to Jesus. Jesus looked intently at him, and then said, “You are Simon. Your father’s name is John. You will be given {[I] will give you} the name Cephas.” [Cephas is an Aramaic name that means ‘solid rock’. It] means [the same in Greek as the name] Peter.
43 Tags darauf wollte er abreisen nach Galiläa, da trifft er Philippus. Und Jesus sagt zu ihm: folge mir.
The next day [Jesus] decided to leave [the Jordan River valley]. He went to Galilee [district] and (OR, on the way there he) found a man named Philip. Jesus said to him, “Come with me!”
44 Philippus aber war von Bethsaida, aus der Stadt des Andreas und Petrus.
Philip and Andrew and Peter were all from Bethsaida [town].
45 Philippus trifft den Nathanael und sagt zu ihm: wir haben den gefunden, von welchem Moses im Gesetze geschrieben hat und die Propheten: Jesus, Josephs Sohn, den von Nazaret.
Then Philip [searched for] Nathaniel and found him, and said to him, “We have met [the Messiah], the one Moses [wrote about]! The prophets also [prophesied that he would come]. He is Jesus, from Nazareth [town]. His father’s name is Joseph.”
46 Und Nathanael sagte zu ihm: aus Nazaret, kann da etwas Gutes her sein? Sagt Philippus zu ihm: komm und siehe.
Nathaniel replied, “Nazareth? (Nothing good can come from [such an unimportant place]!/Can anything good come from [such an unimportant place]?) [RHQ]” Philip replied, “Come and see!”
47 Jesus sah den Nathanael zu sich kommen, und sagt über ihn: siehe wahrhaft ein Israelite, in dem ist kein Falsch.
When Jesus saw Nathaniel approaching, he said about Nathaniel, “Here is an example of a good Israelite! He never deceives anyone!”
48 Sagt Nathanael zu ihm: woher kennst du mich? Antwortete Jesus und sagte zu ihm: ehe dich Philippus rief, als du unter dem Feigenbaum warst, sah ich dich.
Nathaniel asked him, “How do you know what I [am like]?” Jesus replied, “I saw you before Philip called you, when you were [by yourself] under the fig tree.”
49 Antwortete ihm Nathanael: Rabbi, du bist der Sohn Gottes, du bist König von Israel.
Then Nathaniel declared, “Teacher, you [must be] (the Son of God/the person who is both God and man)! You are the King of Israel [we have been waiting for]!”
50 Antwortete Jesus und sagte zu ihm: weil ich dir sagte, daß ich dich unter dem Feigenbaum sah, glaubst du? du wirst Größeres als dies sehen.
Jesus replied to him, “You [RHQ] believe [those things about me] because I told you I saw you when you were under the fig tree. [I was able to see you supernaturally even though I was far away from you]. But you will see [me do] things that are more surprising than that!”
51 Und er sagt zu ihm: wahrlich, wahrlich, ich sage euch, ihr werdet den Himmel offen sehen, und die Engel Gottes hinaufsteigen und herabsteigen auf den Sohn des Menschen.
Then Jesus said to him, “This is the absolute truth: [Just like what your ancestor Jacob saw long ago in a vision], some day you [(pl)] will see heaven opened up, and you will see God’s angels ascending from me and descending on me, the one who came from heaven.”
