Jesus Washes His Disciples’ Feet

13 Now before the feast of Passover, Jesus, knowing that his hour had come that he would depart from this world to the Father, and[a] having loved his[b] own in the world, loved them to the end. And as[c] a dinner was taking place, when[d] the devil had already put into the heart of Judas son of Simon Iscariot that he should betray him, because he[e] knew that the Father had given him all things into his[f] hands, and that he had come forth from God and was going away to God, he got up from the dinner and took off his[g] outer clothing, and taking a towel, tied it[h] around himself. Then he poured water into the washbasin and began to wash the feet of the disciples, and to wipe them[i] dry with the towel which he had tied around himself.[j]

Then he came to Simon Peter. He said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus answered and said to him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will understand after these things.” Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet forever!”[k] Jesus replied to him, “Unless I wash you, you do not have a share with me.” Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only, but also my[l] hands and my[m] head!” 10 Jesus said to him, “The one who has bathed only needs[n] to wash his[o] feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not all of you.” 11 (For he knew the one who would betray him; because of this he said, “Not all of you are clean.”)

12 So when he had washed their feet and taken his outer clothing and reclined at table again, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done for you? 13 You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you speak correctly, for I am. 14 If then I—your[p] Lord and Teacher—wash your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that just as I have done for you, you also do. 16 Truly, truly I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you understand these things, you are blessed if you do them.

18 “I am not speaking about all of you. I know whom I have chosen, but in order that the scripture would be fulfilled, ‘The one who eats my bread has lifted up his heel against me.’[q] 19 From now on I am telling you before it happens, in order that when it happens you may believe that I am he.[r] 20 Truly, truly I say to you, the one who receives anyone I send receives me, and the one who receives me receives the one who sent me.”

Jesus Predicts Judas’ Betrayal

21 When he[s] had said these things, Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified and said, “Truly, truly I say to you that one of you will betray me.” 22 The disciples began looking[t] at one another, uncertain about whom he was speaking. 23 One of his disciples—the one whom Jesus loved—was reclining close beside[u] Jesus. 24 So Simon Peter gestured for this one to inquire who it was about whom he was speaking. 25 He leaned back[v] accordingly against Jesus’ chest and[w] said to him, “Lord, who is it?” 26 Jesus replied, “It is he to whom I dip the piece of bread and give it[x] to him.” Then after[y] dipping the piece of bread, he gave it[z][aa] to Judas son of Simon Iscariot. 27 And after the piece of bread, then Satan entered into him. Then Jesus said to him, “What you are doing, do quickly!” 28 (Now no one of those reclining at table knew for what reason he said this to him. 29 For some were thinking because Judas had the money box, Jesus was telling him, “Purchase what we need[ab] for the feast,” or that he should give something to the poor.) 30 So after he[ac] had taken the piece of bread, he went out immediately. And it was night.

Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial

31 Then, when he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in him. 32 If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and will glorify him immediately. 33 Children, yet a little time I am with you. You will seek me and just as I said to the Jews, “Where I am going you cannot come,” now I say also to you.

34 “A new commandment I give to you: that you love one another—just as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples—if you have love for one another.”

36 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus replied,[ad] “Where I am going you cannot follow me now, but you will follow later.” 37 Peter said to him, “Lord, why am I not able to follow you now? I will lay down my life for you!” 38 Jesus replied, “Will you lay down your life for me? Truly, truly I say to you, the rooster will not crow until you have denied me three times!

Footnotes

  1. John 13:1 Here “and” is supplied in keeping with English style
  2. John 13:1 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
  3. John 13:2 Here “as” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“was taking place”)
  4. John 13:2 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“put”)
  5. John 13:3 Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“knew”) which is understood as causal
  6. John 13:3 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
  7. John 13:4 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
  8. John 13:4 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  9. John 13:5 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  10. John 13:5 Literally “with which he was girded”
  11. John 13:8 Literally “for the age”
  12. John 13:9 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
  13. John 13:9 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
  14. John 13:10 Literally “does not have need except”
  15. John 13:10 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
  16. John 13:14 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
  17. John 13:18 A quotation from Ps 41:9
  18. John 13:19 *Here the predicate nominative (“he”) is understood, but must be supplied in the translation
  19. John 13:21 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“had said”) which is understood as temporal
  20. John 13:22 The imperfect tense has been translated as ingressive here (“began looking”)
  21. John 13:23 Literally “in the bosom of” (a position dictated by ancient banqueting practice)
  22. John 13:25 Some manuscripts have “Then he leaned back”
  23. John 13:25 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“leaned back”) has been translated as a finite verb
  24. John 13:26 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  25. John 13:26 Here “after” is supplied as a component of the participle (“dipping”) which is understood as temporal
  26. John 13:26 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  27. John 13:26 Some manuscripts have “after dipping the piece of bread, he took it and gave it
  28. John 13:29 Literally “of which we have need”
  29. John 13:30 Here “after” is supplied as a component of the participle (“had taken”) which is understood as temporal
  30. John 13:36 Some manuscripts have “replied to him”

Jesus Washes His Disciples’ Feet

13 It was just before the Passover Festival.(A) Jesus knew that the hour had come(B) for him to leave this world and go to the Father.(C) Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.

The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus.(D) Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power,(E) and that he had come from God(F) and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist.(G) After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet,(H) drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

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

Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”(I)

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

Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”

“Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”

10 Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean,(J) though not every one of you.”(K) 11 For he knew who was going to betray him,(L) and that was why he said not every one was clean.

12 When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. 13 “You call me ‘Teacher’(M) and ‘Lord,’(N) and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.(O) 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.(P) 16 Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master,(Q) nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.(R)

Jesus Predicts His Betrayal

18 “I am not referring to all of you;(S) I know those I have chosen.(T) But this is to fulfill this passage of Scripture:(U) ‘He who shared my bread(V) has turned[a](W) against me.’[b](X)

19 “I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe(Y) that I am who I am.(Z) 20 Very truly I tell you, whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me; and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me.”(AA)

21 After he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit(AB) and testified, “Very truly I tell you, one of you is going to betray me.”(AC)

22 His disciples stared at one another, at a loss to know which of them he meant. 23 One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved,(AD) was reclining next to him. 24 Simon Peter motioned to this disciple and said, “Ask him which one he means.”

25 Leaning back against Jesus, he asked him, “Lord, who is it?”(AE)

26 Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.” Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas,(AF) the son of Simon Iscariot. 27 As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him.(AG)

So Jesus told him, “What you are about to do, do quickly.” 28 But no one at the meal understood why Jesus said this to him. 29 Since Judas had charge of the money,(AH) some thought Jesus was telling him to buy what was needed for the festival,(AI) or to give something to the poor.(AJ) 30 As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out. And it was night.(AK)

Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial(AL)

31 When he was gone, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man(AM) is glorified(AN) and God is glorified in him.(AO) 32 If God is glorified in him,[c] God will glorify the Son in himself,(AP) and will glorify him at once.

33 “My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come.(AQ)

34 “A new command(AR) I give you: Love one another.(AS) As I have loved you, so you must love one another.(AT) 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”(AU)

36 Simon Peter asked him, “Lord, where are you going?”(AV)

Jesus replied, “Where I am going, you cannot follow now,(AW) but you will follow later.”(AX)

37 Peter asked, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.”

38 Then Jesus answered, “Will you really lay down your life for me? Very truly I tell you, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times!(AY)

Footnotes

  1. John 13:18 Greek has lifted up his heel
  2. John 13:18 Psalm 41:9
  3. John 13:32 Many early manuscripts do not have If God is glorified in him.