1 John 2
1 You who are very dear to me, I am writing this to you [to say], “Do not sin!” But if any of you [believers] sins, [God can forgive you because] we have Jesus Christ, who is the righteous one, who speaks to the Father on our behalf [and asks him to forgive us].
Meine Kindlein, solches schreibe ich euch, auf daß ihr nicht sündiget. Und ob jemand sündiget, so haben wir einen Fürsprecher bei dem Vater, Jesum Christum, der gerecht ist.
2 [Remember that Jesus Christ] voluntarily sacrificed [his own life for us, so that as a result God forgives] our sins. [Yes, God is able to forgive] our sins, but not only ours! [He is] also [able to forgive] the sins of people everywhere!
Und derselbige ist die Versöhnung für unsere Sünde, nicht allein aber für die unsere, sondern auch für die der ganzen Welt.
3 [I will tell you] how we can be sure that we (know/have a close relationship with) [God]. [If we] obey what he commands [us to do, that shows us that we have a close relationship with him. So we must always obey what he commands us to do].
Und an dem merken wir, daß wir ihn kennen, so wir seine Gebote halten.
4 Those who say, “We (know/have a close relationship with) God,” and do not obey what [God] commands [us to do], are liars. They are not conducting their lives according to [God’s] true message.
Wer da sagt: Ich kenne ihn, und hält seine Gebote nicht, der ist ein Lügner, und in solchem ist keine Wahrheit.
5 But those who obey what [God] commands them to do are the people who love God in the manner in which he wants us to. [I will tell you] how we can be sure that we have a close relationship with God:
Wer aber sein Wort hält, in solchem ist wahrlich die Liebe Gottes vollkommen. Daran erkennen wir, daß wir in ihm sind.
6 If we say that we are living as God wants us to, we should [conduct our lives] as Christ [did].
Wer da sagt, daß er in ihm bleibet, der soll auch wandeln, gleichwie er gewandelt hat.
7 Dear friends, I am not writing a new [additional] command to you. Instead, I am writing to you a command which was given to you when you first [MTY] [believed in Christ]. That command is [part of] the message that you have [always] heard.
Brüder, ich schreibe euch nicht ein neu Gebot, sondern das alte Gebot, das ihr habt von Anfang gehabt. Das alte Gebot ist das Wort, das ihr von Anfang gehöret habt.
8 Nevertheless, [I can say that] the command I am writing to you is a new command. [It is new because] what Christ [did] was new, and what you [are doing] is new, because [you have been ceasing to conduct your lives in a morally impure manner] and [are now truly conducting your lives in a pure manner. That is like] [MET] no longer [living in] darkness. Instead, [it is like] living where a brilliant light is already shining.
Wiederum ein neu Gebot schreibe ich euch, das da wahrhaftig ist bei ihm und bei euch; denn die Finstemis ist vergangen, und das wahre Licht scheinet jetzt.
9 Those who claim that they are [pure in every way, like people] [MET] living in the light, but hate any of their fellow believers, are still [behaving in an impure manner, like] [MET] [people who are continually living] in darkness.
Wer da sagt, er sei im Licht, und hasset seinen Bruder, der ist noch in Finsternis.
10 But those who love their fellow believers [are continuing to conduct their lives like people] who are living in the light. They are people who please [God] [LIT]. [So you should love your fellow believers].
Wer seinen Bruder liebet, der bleibet Licht, und ist kein Ärgernis bei ihm.
11 But those who hate any of their fellow believers are still [conducting their lives in an impure way, like] [MET] [people who are living] in darkness. They do not know that they will eventually destroy themselves [eternally]. They have become [spiritually] blind [PRS, MET], [unaware of spiritual truth].
Wer aber seinen Bruder hasset, der ist in Finsternis und wandelt in Finsternis und weiß nicht, wo er hingehet; denn die Finsternis hat seine Augen verblendet.
12 I am writing [this] to you [whom I love as though] [MET] [you were my] little children, to you who are [spiritually mature people who are like] [MET] fathers, and to you [spiritually vigorous/strong people who are like] [MET] young men. Remember that your sins have been forgiven {[God] has forgiven your sins} on account of what Christ [MTY] [has done]. You now know [Christ, the one] who always existed. You have defeated the evil one, [Satan].
Liebe Kindlein, ich schreibe euch, daß euch die Sünden vergeben werden durch seinen Namen.
Ich schreibe euch Vätern; denn ihr kennet den, der von Anfang ist. Ich schreibe euch Jünglingen; denn ihr habt den Bösewicht überwunden. Ich schreibe euch Kindern; denn ihr kennet den Vater.
14 [I will say it again]: I have written [this] to you because you have come to know the Father, because you now know [Christ, the one] who always existed, because you are [spiritually] strong, because you continue to [obey] God’s word, and because you have defeated the evil one, [Satan].
Ich habe euch Vätern geschrieben, daß ihr den kennet, der von Anfang ist. Ich habe euch Jünglingen geschrieben, daß ihr stark seid, und das Wort Gottes bei euch bleibet, und den Bösewicht überwunden habt.
15 Do not desire [to conduct you lives in the evil manner in which] godless [people in] the world [MTY] conduct their [lives], and do not love anything that [the evil people] in the world [MTY] [consider to be good]. Those who desire [to conduct their lives in the evil manner in which other people of] the world [MTY] conduct their [lives] do not [really] love [God], their Father, [at all].
Habt nicht lieb die Welt, noch was in der Welt ist. So jemand die Welt liebhat, in dem ist nicht die Liebe des Vaters.
16 Keep in mind that all [the evil human desires] in the world [are actions/things such as these]: [People] desire to do [what] their self-directed nature [strongly desires]. [People] desire [to possess] whatever (appeals to their senses/they see or hear about). [People] boast about the material things that they possess. [Such evil ways of living] do not originate/come from the Father! Instead they originate/come from [the (godless people in] the world/people in the world who conduct their lives in a manner that displeases God) [MTY]!
Denn alles, was in der Welt ist (nämlich des Fleisches Lust und der Augen Lust und hoffärtiges Leben), ist nicht vom Vater, sondern von der Welt.
17 The [godless people in] the world [MTY], along with what they desire, will disappear, but those who do what God wants [them to do] will live forever! You know that it is now the final period of this age when there are liars who deny that Jesus is God’s Chosen One. But you have the power of God’s Spirit and you know what is true and what is false. So continue to live according to the true message that you heard when you began to believe in Christ, in order that you may continue to live united both to God’s Son and to the Father. (aiōn g165)
Und die Welt vergehet mit ihrer Lust; wer aber den Willen Gottes tut, der bleibet in Ewigkeit. (aiōn g165)
18 [You who are very dear to me], it is [now] (the final part [MTY] [of this age/] final [period of time before Jesus returns]). Just like you heard [from us apostles] that a person who opposes Christ will come/appear, even now there are many people who oppose Christ. That is why we know that it is the final part [of this age] (OR, [before Jesus returns]) [MTY].
Kinder, es ist die letzte Stunde; und wie ihr gehöret habt, daß der Widerchrist kommt, und nun sind viel Widerchristen worden; daher erkennen wir, daß die letzte Stunde ist.
19 The [people who oppose Christ] refused to remain in our congregations, but they never [really] (belonged with us/were fellow believers). If they had (belonged with us/been fellow believers), they would have remained with us. But because [they left, everyone] can clearly know that none of them (belongs with us/is a fellow believer).
Sie sind von uns ausgegangen, aber sie waren nicht von uns. Denn wo sie von uns gewesen wären, so wären sie ja bei uns geblieben; aber auf daß sie offenbar würden, daß sie nicht alle von uns sind.
20 But as for you, you have been given the power of [God’s Spirit, which comes from Christ] (OR, [God]), the Holy One. [As a result], you all know [how to] ([distinguish false teaching from/recognize what is false teaching and what is]) [the true message].
Und ihr habt die Salbung von dem, der heilig ist; und wisset alles.
21 I am writing [this letter] to you, not because you do not know [what is God’s] true message, but because you do know [what it is]. You also know that no false message originates/comes from [God, who is the source of all] truth.
Ich habe euch nicht geschrieben, als wüßtet ihr die Wahrheit nicht, sondern ihr wisset sie und wisset, daß keine Lüge aus der Wahrheit kommt.
22 The [worst] liars are the ones who deny that Jesus is (the Messiah/the one whom God chose to rescue us). They are [the ones that we told you about], the ones who oppose Christ. They refuse to acknowledge/admit that [God is] the Father and that [Jesus is his] Son (OR, the one who is also God).
Wer ist ein Lügner, ohne der da leugnet, daß Jesus der Christus sei? Das ist der Widerchrist, der den Vater und den Sohn leugnet.
23 Those who refuse to acknowledge/admit that [Jesus is God’s] Son do not have a relationship with the Father. But those who acknowledge/admit that [Jesus is God’s] Son [not only have a relationship with God’s Son, but they] have a relationship with the Father also.
Wer den Sohn leugnet, der hat auch den Vater nicht.
24 [So], as for you, you must continue to conduct your lives according to [the true message] that you heard when you began [MTY] [to believe in Christ]. If you continue to [do that], you will continue to have a close relationship with both [God’s] Son and the Father.
Was ihr nun gehöret habt von Anfang, das bleibe bei euch. So bei euch bleibet, was ihr von Anfang gehöret habt, so werdet ihr auch bei dem Sohn und Vater bleiben.
Und das ist die Verheißung, die er uns verheißen hat: das ewige Leben. (aiōnios g166)
26 I have written this to you [to] ([warn you] about/tell you to beware of) those [who want to] deceive you [concerning the truth about Christ].
Solches habe ich euch geschrieben von denen, die euch verführen.
27 As for you, God’s Spirit, whom you received from Christ, remains in you. So you do not need anyone to teach you [anything else that they claim/say is the truth]. God’s Spirit is teaching you all [of God’s truth that you need to know]. God’s Spirit is truthful and never says anything that is false. So continue to conduct your lives in the way that [he has] taught you.
Und die Salbung, die ihr von ihm empfangen habt, bleibet bei euch, und dürfet nicht, daß euch jemand lehre, sondern wie euch die Salbung allerlei lehret, so ist's wahr, und ist keine Lüge; und wie sie euch gelehret hat, so bleibet bei demselbigen.
28 Now, [while some people are trying to persuade you to accept their false teaching, I urge] you, who are all very dear to me, to continue to [have a close relationship with] Christ. [We need to do that] in order that we may be confident [that he will accept us] when he comes back again. If we do that, we will not be ashamed [when we stand] before [him] when he comes.
Und nun, Kindlein, bleibet bei ihm, auf daß, wenn er offenbaret wird, daß wir Freudigkeit haben und nicht zuschanden werden vor ihm in seiner Zukunft.
29 Since you know that [Christ] always does what is right, you know that all those who continue doing what is right are the ones who have become children of God.
So ihr wisset, daß er gerecht ist, so erkennet auch, daß, wer recht tut, der ist von ihm geboren.
