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.

Now when it was time for supper, the devil(C) had already put it into the heart of Judas,(D) Simon Iscariot’s son,[a] 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 outer clothing,(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 realize now, but afterward you will understand.”(L)

“You will never wash my feet,” 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, “Not all of you are clean.”

The Meaning of Foot Washing

12 When Jesus had washed their feet and put on his outer clothing, he reclined again and said to them, “Do you know what I have done for you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord—and you are speaking rightly, since that is what 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 “Truly I tell you, a servant is not greater than his master,[b](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[c] has raised his heel against me.[d](T) 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 Truly I tell 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) “Truly I tell 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.[e] 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.[f] 27 After Judas ate the piece of bread, Satan(AE) entered him. So Jesus told him, “What you’re doing, do quickly.”

28 None of those reclining at the table knew why he said this to him. 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 immediately left. And it was night.(AH)

The New Command

31 When(AI) he had left, 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,[g] God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. 33 Little children, I am with you a little while longer.(AM) You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so now I tell you, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’(AN)

34 “I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love(AO) 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? Truly I tell you, a rooster will not crow until you have denied me three times.

Footnotes

  1. 13:2 Or Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son
  2. 13:16 Or lord
  3. 13:18 Other mss read eats bread with me
  4. 13:18 Ps 41:9
  5. 13:23 Lit reclining at Jesus’s breast; that is, on his right; Jn 1:18
  6. 13:26 Or Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son
  7. 13:32 Other mss omit If God is glorified in him

Jesus Washes the Disciples’ Feet

13 Before the Passover festival, Yeshua knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go back to the Father. Yeshua loved his own who were in the world, and he loved them to the end.

While supper was taking place, the devil had already put the idea of betraying Yeshua into the mind of Judas, son of Simon Iscariot.

The Father had put everything in Yeshua’s control. Yeshua knew that. He also knew that he had come from God and was going back to God. So he got up from the table, removed his outer clothes, took a towel, and tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and dry them with the towel that he had tied around his waist.

When Yeshua came to Simon Peter, Peter asked him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”

Yeshua answered Peter, “You don’t know now what I’m doing. You will understand later.”

Peter told Yeshua, “You will never wash my feet.”

Yeshua replied to Peter, “If I don’t wash you, you don’t belong to me.”

Simon Peter said to Yeshua, “Lord, don’t wash only my feet. Wash my hands and my head too!”

10 Yeshua told Peter, “People who have washed are completely clean. They need to have only their feet washed. All of you, except for one, are clean.” 11 (Yeshua knew who was going to betray him. That’s why he said, “All of you, except for one, are clean.”)

12 After Yeshua had washed their feet and put on his outer clothes, he took his place at the table again. Then he asked his disciples, “Do you understand what I’ve done for you? 13 You call me teacher and Lord, and you’re right because that’s what I am. 14 So if I, your Lord and teacher, have washed your feet, you must wash each other’s feet. 15 I’ve given you an example that you should follow. 16 I can guarantee this truth: Slaves are not superior to their owners, and messengers are not superior to the people who send them. 17 If you understand all of this, you are blessed whenever you follow my example.

18 “I’m not talking about all of you. I know the people I’ve chosen to be apostles. However, I’ve made my choice so that Scripture will come true. It says, ‘The one who eats my bread has turned against me.’ 19 I’m telling you now before it happens. Then, when it happens, you will believe that I am the one.

20 “I can guarantee this truth: Whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me.”

Jesus Knows Who Will Betray Him(A)

21 After saying this, Yeshua was deeply troubled. He declared, “I can guarantee this truth: One of you is going to betray me!”

22 The disciples began looking at each other and wondering which one of them Yeshua meant.

23 One disciple, the one whom Yeshua loved, was near him at the table. 24 Simon Peter motioned to that disciple and said, “Ask Yeshua whom he’s talking about!”

25 Leaning close to Yeshua, that disciple asked, “Lord, who is it?”

26 Yeshua answered, “He’s the one to whom I will give this piece of bread after I’ve dipped it in the sauce.” So Yeshua dipped the bread and gave it to Judas, son of Simon Iscariot.

27 Then, after Judas took the piece of bread, Satan entered him. So Yeshua told him, “Hurry! Do what you have to do.” 28 No one at the table knew why Yeshua said this to him. 29 Judas had the moneybag. So some thought that Yeshua was telling him to buy what they needed for the festival or to give something to the poor.

30 Judas took the piece of bread and immediately went outside. It was night.

31 When Judas was gone, Yeshua said, “The Son of Man is now glorified, and because of him God is glorified. 32 If God is glorified because of the Son of Man, God will glorify the Son of Man because of himself, and he will glorify the Son of Man at once.”

Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial(B)

33 Yeshua said, “Dear children, I will still be with you for a little while. I’m telling you what I told the Jews. You will look for me, but you can’t go where I’m going.

34 “I’m giving you a new commandment: Love each other in the same way that I have loved you. 35 Everyone will know that you are my disciples because of your love for each other.”

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

Yeshua answered him, “You can’t follow me now to the place where I’m going. However, you will follow me later.”

37 Peter said to Yeshua, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I’ll give my life for you.”

38 Yeshua replied, “Will you give your life for me? I can guarantee this truth: No rooster will crow until you say three times that you don’t know me.