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 unter den Pharisäern mit Namen Nikodemus, ein Oberster unter den 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.”
Der kam zu Jesu bei der Nacht und sprach zu ihm: Meister, wir wissen, daß du bist ein Lehrer, von Gott kommen; denn niemand kann die 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, 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 alt ist? Kann er auch wiederum in seiner Mutter Leib gehen 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 geboren werde aus dem Wasser und Geist, so kann er nicht in das Reich Gottes kommen.
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 vom Fleisch geboren wird, das ist Fleisch, und was vom Geist geboren wird, das ist Geist.
7 Do not be surprised about my telling you that you must be born again [and have a new life from God].
Laß dich's nicht wundern, daß ich 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 bläset, wo er will, und du hörest sein Sausen wohl; aber du weißt nicht, von wannen er kommt und wohin er fähret. 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 mag solches zugehen?
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 Meister in Israel und weißt 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, was wir gesehen haben, und ihr nehmet 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]
Glaubt ihr nicht, wenn ich euch von irdischen Dingen sage, wie würdet ihr glauben, wenn ich euch von himmlischen Dingen 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 fähret gen Himmel, denn der vom Himmel herniederkommen ist, nämlich des Menschen Sohn, der im 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 Mose in der Wüste eine Schlange erhöhet hat, also muß des Menschen Sohn erhöhet werden,
auf daß alle, die an ihn glauben, nicht verloren werden, sondern das ewige Leben haben. (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)
Also hat Gott die Welt geliebet, daß er seinen eingeborenen Sohn gab, auf daß alle, die an ihn glauben, nicht verloren werden, sondern das ewige Leben haben. (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 gesandt in die Welt, daß er die Welt richte, sondern daß die Welt durch ihn selig 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 glaubet, der wird nicht gerichtet; wer aber nicht glaubet, der ist schon gerichtet; denn er glaubet nicht an den Namen des eingebornen 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 kommen ist, und die Menschen liebeten die Finsternis mehr denn das Licht; denn ihre Werke waren böse.
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].
Wer Arges tut, der hasset das Licht und kommt nicht an das Licht, auf daß seine Werke nicht gestraft 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 an das Licht, daß seine Werke offenbar werden; denn sie sind in Gott getan.
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 hatte daselbst sein Wesen mit ihnen und taufete.
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 taufete auch noch zu Enon, nahe bei Salim; denn es war viel Wassers daselbst. Und sie kamen dahin und ließen sich taufen.
24 That happened before John was put {they put John} in prison.
Denn Johannes war noch nicht ins Gefängnis gelegt.
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].
Da erhub sich eine Frage unter den Jüngern des Johannes samt den Juden über die 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 kamen zu Johannes und sprachen zu ihm: Meister, der bei dir war jenseit des Jordans, von dem du zeugtest, siehe, der taufet, und jedermann kommt 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: Ein Mensch kann nichts nehmen, es werde ihm denn gegeben vom Himmel.
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 meine Zeugen, daß ich gesagt habe, ich sei nicht Christus, sondern vor ihm her gesandt.
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, der ist der Bräutigam; der Freund aber des Bräutigams stehet und höret ihm zu und freuet sich hoch über des Bräutigams Stimme. Dieselbige meine Freude ist nun erfüllet.
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 her kommt, ist über alle. Wer von der Erde ist, der ist von der Erde und redet von der Erde; der vom Himmel kommt, der 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 zeuget, was er gesehen und gehöret hat; und sein Zeugnis nimmt niemand an.
33 Those who have accepted what he has said verify that what God has said is true.
Wer es aber annimmt, der versiegelt es, daß Gott wahrhaftig sei.
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 welchen Gott gesandt hat, der redet Gottes Wort; denn Gott gibt den Geist nicht nach dem Maß.
35 God loves his Son, and has caused him to have control/power over everything.
Der Vater hat den Sohn lieb und hat ihm 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 glaubet, der hat das ewige Leben; wer dem Sohn nicht glaubet, der wird das Leben nicht sehen, sondern der Zorn Gottes bleibt über ihm. (aiōnios g166)
