John 13
New King James Version
Jesus Washes the Disciples’ Feet
13 Now (A)before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that (B)His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He (C)loved them to the end.
2 And [a]supper being ended, (D)the devil having already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray Him, 3 Jesus, knowing (E)that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He (F)had come from God and (G)was going to God, 4 (H)rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. 5 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 girded. 6 Then He came to Simon Peter. And Peter said to Him, (I)“Lord, are You washing my feet?”
7 Jesus answered and said to him, “What I am doing you (J)do not understand now, (K)but you will know after this.”
8 Peter said to Him, “You shall never wash my feet!”
Jesus answered him, (L)“If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.”
9 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; and (M)you are clean, but not all of you.” 11 For (N)He knew who would betray Him; therefore He said, “You are not all clean.”
12 So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, “Do you [b]know what I have done to you? 13 (O)You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. 14 (P)If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, (Q)you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For (R)I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. 16 (S)Most assuredly, 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 (T)If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.
Jesus Identifies His Betrayer(U)
18 “I do not speak concerning all of you. I know whom I have chosen; but that the (V)Scripture may be fulfilled, (W)‘He who eats [c]bread with Me has lifted up his heel against Me.’ 19 (X)Now I tell you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe that I am He. 20 (Y)Most assuredly, I say to you, he who receives whomever I send receives Me; and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.”
21 (Z)When Jesus had said these things, (AA)He was troubled in spirit, and testified and said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, (AB)one of you will betray Me.” 22 Then the disciples looked at one another, perplexed about whom He spoke.
23 Now (AC)there was [d]leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved. 24 Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask who it was of whom He spoke.
25 Then, leaning [e]back on Jesus’ breast, 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.” And having dipped the bread, He gave it to (AD)Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. 27 (AE)Now after the piece of bread, Satan entered him. Then Jesus said to him, “What you do, do quickly.” 28 But no one at the table knew for what reason He said this to him. 29 For some thought, because (AF)Judas had the money box, that Jesus had said to him, “Buy those things we need for the feast,” or that he should give something to the poor.
30 Having received the piece of bread, he then went out immediately. And it was night.
The New Commandment
31 So, when he had gone out, Jesus said, (AG)“Now the Son of Man is glorified, and (AH)God is glorified in Him. 32 If God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself, and (AI)glorify Him immediately. 33 Little children, I shall be with you a (AJ)little while longer. You will seek Me; (AK)and as I said to the Jews, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come,’ so now I say to you. 34 (AL)A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 (AM)By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial
36 Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, where are You going?”
Jesus answered him, “Where I (AN)am going you cannot follow Me now, but (AO)you shall follow Me afterward.”
37 Peter said to Him, “Lord, why can I not follow You now? I will (AP)lay down my life for Your sake.”
38 Jesus answered him, “Will you lay down your life for My sake? Most assuredly, I say to you, the rooster shall not (AQ)crow till you have denied Me three times.
Footnotes
- John 13:2 NU during supper
- John 13:12 understand
- John 13:18 NU My bread has
- John 13:23 reclining
- John 13:25 NU, M add thus
John 13
The Message
Washing His Disciples’ Feet
13 1-2 Just before the Passover Feast, Jesus knew that the time had come to leave this world to go to the Father. Having loved his dear companions, he continued to love them right to the end. It was suppertime. The Devil by now had Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot, firmly in his grip, all set for the betrayal.
3-6 Jesus knew that the Father had put him in complete charge of everything, that he came from God and was on his way back to God. So he got up from the supper table, set aside his robe, and put on an apron. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the feet of the disciples, drying them with his apron. When he got to Simon Peter, Peter said, “Master, you wash my feet?”
7 Jesus answered, “You don’t understand now what I’m doing, but it will be clear enough to you later.”
8 Peter persisted, “You’re not going to wash my feet—ever!”
Jesus said, “If I don’t wash you, you can’t be part of what I’m doing.”
9 “Master!” said Peter. “Not only my feet, then. Wash my hands! Wash my head!”
10-12 Jesus said, “If you’ve had a bath in the morning, you only need your feet washed now and you’re clean from head to toe. My concern, you understand, is holiness, not hygiene. So now you’re clean. But not every one of you.” (He knew who was betraying him. That’s why he said, “Not every one of you.”) After he had finished washing their feet, he took his robe, put it back on, and went back to his place at the table.
12-17 Then he said, “Do you understand what I have done to you? You address me as ‘Teacher’ and ‘Master,’ and rightly so. That is what I am. So if I, the Master and Teacher, washed your feet, you must now wash each other’s feet. I’ve laid down a pattern for you. What I’ve done, you do. I’m only pointing out the obvious. A servant is not ranked above his master; an employee doesn’t give orders to the employer. If you understand what I’m telling you, act like it—and live a blessed life.
The One Who Ate Bread at My Table
18-20 “I’m not including all of you in this. I know precisely whom I’ve selected, so as not to interfere with the fulfillment of this Scripture:
The one who ate bread at my table
Will stab me in the back.
“I’m telling you all this ahead of time so that when it happens you will believe that I am who I say I am. Make sure you get this right: Receiving someone I send is the same as receiving me, just as receiving me is the same as receiving the One who sent me.”
21 After he said these things, Jesus became visibly upset, and then he told them why. “One of you is going to betray me.”
22-25 The disciples looked around at one another, wondering who on earth he was talking about. One of the disciples, the one Jesus loved dearly, was reclining against him, his head on his shoulder. Peter motioned to him to ask who Jesus might be talking about. So, being the closest, he said, “Master, who?”
26-27 Jesus said, “The one to whom I give this crust of bread after I’ve dipped it.” Then he dipped the crust and gave it to Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot. As soon as the bread was in his hand, Satan entered him.
“What you must do,” said Jesus, “do. Do it and get it over with.”
28-29 No one around the supper table knew why he said this to him. Some thought that since Judas was their treasurer, Jesus was telling him to buy what they needed for the Feast, or that he should give something to the poor.
30 Judas, with the piece of bread, left. It was night.
A New Command
31-32 When he had left, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is seen for who he is, and God seen for who he is in him. The moment God is seen in him, God’s glory will be on display. In glorifying him, he himself is glorified—glory all around!
33 “Children, I am with you for only a short time longer. You are going to look high and low for me. But just as I told the Jews, I’m telling you: ‘Where I go, you are not able to come.’
34-35 “Let me give you a new command: Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another. This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples—when they see the love you have for each other.”
36 Simon Peter asked, “Master, just where are you going?”
Jesus answered, “You can’t now follow me where I’m going. You will follow later.”
37 “Master,” said Peter, “why can’t I follow now? I’ll lay down my life for you!”
38 “Really? You’ll lay down your life for me? The truth is that before the rooster crows, you’ll deny me three times.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson