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Washing the Disciples’ Feet

13 Now before the Passover Feast, Jesus knew that His hour had come to depart from this world to the Father. Having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.

Now supper being concluded, the devil had put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray Him. Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands and that He came from God and was going to God, rose from supper, laid aside His garments, and took a towel and wrapped Himself. After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel with which He was wrapped.

Then He came to Simon Peter, and Peter said to Him, “Lord, are You washing my feet?”

Jesus answered him, “You do not understand what I am doing now. But later you will understand.”

Peter said to Him, “You shall never wash my feet!”

Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.”

Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!”

10 Jesus said to him, “He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean. You are clean, but not all of you.” 11 For He knew who would betray Him. Therefore He said, “Not all of you are clean.”

12 So when He had washed their feet, and put on His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? 13 You call Me Teacher and Lord. You speak accurately, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. 16 Truly, truly I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.

18 “I do not speak concerning all of you. I know whom I have chosen, but that the Scripture may be fulfilled, ‘He who eats bread with Me has lifted up his heel against Me.’[a]

19 “Now I tell you before it happens, that when it does happen, you may believe that I am He. 20 Truly, truly I say to you, he who receives whomever I send receives Me. And he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.”

Jesus Foretells His Betrayal(A)

21 When Jesus had said this, He was troubled in spirit, and testified, “Truly, truly I say to you that one of you will betray Me.”

22 The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom He spoke. 23 Now there was leaning against Jesus’ bosom one of His disciples whom Jesus loved. 24 Therefore Simon Peter motioned to him to ask who it was of whom He spoke.

25 Leaning back against Jesus’ bosom, he said to Him, “Lord, who is it?”

26 Jesus answered, “It is he to whom I shall give a piece of bread when I have dipped it.” When He had dipped the bread, He gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. 27 After receiving the piece of bread, Satan entered him.

Then Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.” 28 But no one at the table knew why He said this to him. 29 Since Judas had the moneybox, some thought that Jesus said to him, “Buy what we need for the feast,” or that he should give something to the poor. 30 Having received the piece of bread, he then left immediately. And it was night.

The New Commandment

31 When he had gone out, Jesus then said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and in Him God is glorified. 32 If God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself and will immediately glorify Him.

33 “Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek Me. And as I said to the Jews, so now I tell you, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’

34 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Peter’s Denial Foretold(B)

36 Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, where are You going?”

Jesus answered him, “Where I am going, you cannot follow Me now. But you shall follow Me afterward.”

37 Peter said to Him, “Lord, why can I not follow You now? I will lay down my life for Your sake.”

38 Jesus answered Him, “Will you lay down your life for My sake? Truly, truly I say to you, the rooster shall not crow until you have denied Me three times.”

Footnotes

  1. John 13:18 Ps 41:9.

Jesus Washes His Disciples’ Feet

13 Before the Passover Festival, Jesus knew that His hour had come to depart from this world to the Father.(A) Having loved His own who were in the world,(B) He loved them to the end.[a]

Now by the time of supper, the Devil(C) had already put it into the heart of Judas,(D) Simon Iscariot’s son, to betray(E) Him. Jesus knew that the Father had given everything into His hands,(F) that He had come from God,(G) and that He was going back to God.(H) So He got up from supper, laid aside His robe,(I) took a towel, and tied it around Himself.(J) Next, He poured water into a basin and began to wash His disciples’ feet and to dry them with the towel tied around Him.

He came to Simon Peter,(K) who asked Him, “Lord, are You going to wash my feet?”

Jesus answered him, “What I’m doing you don’t understand now, but afterward you will know.”(L)

“You will never wash my feet—ever!” Peter said.

Jesus replied, “If I don’t wash you, you have no part with Me.”

Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, not only my feet, but also my hands and my head.”

10 “One who has bathed,” Jesus told him, “doesn’t need to wash anything except his feet, but he is completely clean. You are clean, but not all of you.” 11 For He knew who would betray Him. This is why He said, “You are not all clean.”

The Meaning of Footwashing

12 When Jesus had washed their feet and put on His robe, He reclined[b] again and said to them, “Do you know what I have done for you? 13 You call Me Teacher and Lord. This is well said, for I am. 14 So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.(M) 15 For I have given you an example(N) that you also should do just as I have done for you.

16 “I assure you: A slave is not greater than his master,[c](O) and a messenger is not greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.(P) 18 I’m not speaking about all of you; I know those I have chosen.(Q) But the Scripture(R) must be fulfilled:(S) The one who eats My bread[d] has raised his heel against Me.(T)[e]

19 “I am telling you now before it happens,(U) so that when it does happen you will believe(V) that I am He.(W) 20 I assure you: Whoever receives anyone I send receives Me, and the one who receives(X) Me receives Him who sent Me.”

Judas’s Betrayal Predicted

21 When(Y) Jesus had said this, He was troubled in His spirit(Z) and testified,(AA) “I assure you: One of you will betray Me!”

22 The disciples started looking at one another—uncertain which one He was speaking about. 23 One of His disciples, the one Jesus loved,(AB) was reclining close beside Jesus.[f] 24 Simon Peter motioned to him to find out who it was He was talking about. 25 So he leaned back against Jesus and asked Him, “Lord, who is it?”

26 Jesus replied, “He’s the one I give the piece of bread to after I have dipped it.”(AC) When He had dipped the bread,(AD) He gave it to Judas, Simon Iscariot’s son.[g] 27 After Judas ate the piece of bread, Satan(AE) entered him. Therefore Jesus told him, “What you’re doing, do quickly.”

28 None of those reclining at the table knew why He told him this. 29 Since Judas(AF) kept the money-bag, some thought that Jesus was telling him, “Buy what we need for the festival,”(AG) or that he should give something to the poor. 30 After receiving the piece of bread, he went out immediately. And it was night.(AH)

The New Command

31 When(AI) he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man(AJ) is glorified, and God is glorified(AK) in Him.(AL) 32 If God is glorified in Him,[h] God will also glorify Him in Himself and will glorify Him at once.

33 “Children, I am with you a little while longer.(AM) You will look for Me, and just as I told the Jews, ‘Where I am going you cannot come,’(AN) so now I tell you.

34 “I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you must also love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love(AO) for one another.”

Peter’s Denials Predicted

36 “Lord,” Simon Peter said to Him, “where are You going?”

Jesus answered, “Where I am going(AP) you cannot follow Me now, but you will follow later.”

37 “Lord,” Peter asked, “why can’t I follow You now? I will lay down my life(AQ) for You!”(AR)

38 Jesus replied, “Will you lay down your life for Me? I assure you: A rooster will not crow until you have denied Me three times.

Footnotes

  1. John 13:1 = completely or always
  2. John 13:12 At important meals the custom was to recline on a mat at a low table and lean on the left elbow.
  3. John 13:16 Or lord
  4. John 13:18 Other mss read eats bread with Me
  5. John 13:18 Ps 41:9
  6. John 13:23 Lit reclining at Jesus’ breast; that is, on His right; Jn 1:18
  7. John 13:26 Other mss read Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son
  8. John 13:32 Other mss omit If God is glorified in Him

Jesus Washes His Followers’ Feet

13 It was almost time for the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that it was time for him to leave this world and go back to the Father. He had always loved those who were his own in the world, and he loved them all the way to the end.

Jesus and his followers were at the evening meal. The devil had already persuaded Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, to turn against Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had given him power over everything and that he had come from God and was going back to God. So during the meal Jesus stood up and took off his outer clothing. Taking a towel, he wrapped it around his waist. Then he poured water into a bowl and began to wash the followers’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

Jesus came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”

Jesus answered, “You don’t understand now what I am doing, but you will understand later.”

Peter said, “No, you will never wash my feet.”

Jesus answered, “If I don’t wash your feet, you are not one of my people.”

Simon Peter answered, “Lord, then wash not only my feet, but wash my hands and my head, too!”

10 Jesus said, “After a person has had a bath, his whole body is clean. He needs only to wash his feet. And you men are clean, but not all of you.” 11 Jesus knew who would turn against him, and that is why he said, “Not all of you are clean.”

12 When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and sat down again. He asked, “Do you understand what I have just done for you? 13 You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because that is what I am. 14 If I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash each other’s feet. 15 I did this as an example so that you should do as I have done for you. 16 I tell you the truth, a servant is not greater than his master. A messenger is not greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

18 “I am not talking about all of you. I know those I have chosen. But this is to bring about what the Scripture said: ‘The man who ate at my table has turned against me.’[a] 19 I am telling you this now before it happens so that when it happens, you will believe that I am he. 20 I tell you the truth, whoever accepts anyone I send also accepts me. And whoever accepts me also accepts the One who sent me.”

Jesus Talks About His Death

21 After Jesus said this, he was very troubled. He said openly, “I tell you the truth, one of you will turn against me.”

22 The followers all looked at each other, because they did not know whom Jesus was talking about. 23 One of the followers sitting[b] next to Jesus was the follower Jesus loved. 24 Simon Peter motioned to him to ask Jesus whom he was talking about.

25 That follower leaned closer to Jesus and asked, “Lord, who is it?”

26 Jesus answered, “I will dip this bread into the dish. The man I give it to is the man who will turn against me.” So Jesus took a piece of bread, dipped it, and gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. 27 As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered him. Jesus said to him, “The thing that you will do—do it quickly.” 28 No one at the table understood why Jesus said this to Judas. 29 Since he was the one who kept the money box, some of the followers thought Jesus was telling him to buy what was needed for the feast or to give something to the poor.

30 Judas took the bread Jesus gave him and immediately went out. It was night.

31 When Judas was gone, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man receives his glory, and God receives glory through him. 32 If God receives glory through him,[c] then God will give glory to the Son through himself. And God will give him glory quickly.”

33 Jesus said, “My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and what I told the Jews, I tell you now: Where I am going you cannot come.

34 “I give you a new command: Love each other. You must love each other as I have loved you. 35 All people will know that you are my followers if you love each other.”

Peter Will Say He Doesn’t Know Jesus

36 Simon Peter asked Jesus, “Lord, where are you going?”

Jesus answered, “Where I am going you cannot follow now, but you will follow later.”

37 Peter asked, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I am ready to die for you!”

38 Jesus answered, “Are you ready to die for me? I tell you the truth, before the rooster crows, you will say three times that you don’t know me.”

Footnotes

  1. 13:18 ‘The man . . . me.’ Quotation from Psalm 41:9.
  2. 13:23 sitting Literally, “lying.” The people of that time ate lying down and leaning on one arm.
  3. 13:32 If . . . him Some Greek copies do not have this phrase.