1 Johannes 5

1 Jeder, der da glaubt, daß Jesus der Christus ist, ist aus Gott geboren; und jeder, der den liebt, welcher geboren hat, liebt auch den, der aus ihm geboren ist.

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 Hieran wissen wir, daß wir die Kinder Gottes lieben, wenn wir Gott lieben und seine Gebote halten.

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 Denn dies ist die Liebe Gottes, daß wir seine Gebote halten, und seine Gebote sind nicht schwer.

[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 Denn alles, was aus Gott geboren ist, überwindet die Welt; und dies ist der Sieg, der die Welt überwunden hat: unser Glaube.

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 Wer ist es, der die Welt überwindet, wenn nicht der, welcher glaubt, daß Jesus der Sohn Gottes ist?

([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 Dieser ist es, der gekommen ist durch Wasser und Blut, Jesus, [der] Christus; nicht durch das Wasser allein, sondern durch das Wasser und das Blut. Und der Geist ist es, der da zeugt, weil der Geist die Wahrheit ist.

[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 Denn drei sind, die da zeugen:

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

8 der Geist und das Wasser und das Blut, und die drei sind einstimmig.

[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 Wenn wir das Zeugnis der Menschen annehmen, das Zeugnis Gottes ist größer; denn dies ist das Zeugnis Gottes, welches er gezeugt hat über seinen Sohn.

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 Wer an den Sohn Gottes glaubt, hat das Zeugnis in sich selbst; wer Gott nicht glaubt, hat ihn zum Lügner gemacht, weil er nicht an das Zeugnis geglaubt hat, welches Gott gezeugt hat über seinen Sohn.

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 Und dies ist das Zeugnis: daß Gott uns ewiges Leben gegeben hat, und dieses Leben ist in seinem Sohne. (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 Wer den Sohn hat, hat das Leben; wer den Sohn Gottes nicht hat, hat das Leben nicht.

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 Dies habe ich euch geschrieben, auf daß ihr wisset, daß ihr ewiges Leben habt, die ihr glaubet an den Namen des Sohnes Gottes. (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 Und dies ist die Zuversicht, die wir zu ihm haben, daß, wenn wir etwas nach seinem Willen bitten, er uns hört.

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 Und wenn wir wissen, daß er uns hört, um was irgend wir bitten, so wissen wir, daß wir die Bitten haben, die wir von ihm erbeten haben.

[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 Wenn jemand seinen Bruder sündigen sieht, eine Sünde nicht zum Tode, so wird er bitten, und er wird ihm das Leben geben, denen, die nicht zum Tode sündigen. Es gibt Sünde zum Tode; nicht für diese sage ich, daß er bitten solle.

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 Jede Ungerechtigkeit ist Sünde; und es gibt Sünde, die nicht zum Tode ist.

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 Wir wissen, daß jeder, der aus Gott geboren ist, nicht sündigt; sondern der aus Gott Geborene bewahrt sich, und der Böse tastet ihn nicht an.

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 Wir wissen, daß wir aus Gott sind, und die ganze Welt liegt in dem Bösen.

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

20 Wir wissen aber, daß der Sohn Gottes gekommen ist und uns ein Verständnis gegeben hat, auf daß wir den Wahrhaftigen kennen; und wir sind in dem Wahrhaftigen, in seinem Sohne Jesus Christus. Dieser ist der wahrhaftige Gott und [das] ewige Leben. (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 Kinder, hütet euch vor den Götzen!

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