John 13
GOD’S WORD Translation
Jesus Washes the Disciples’ Feet
13 Before the Passover festival, Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go back to the Father. Jesus loved his own who were in the world, and he loved them to the end.
2 While supper was taking place, the devil had already put the idea of betraying Jesus into the mind of Judas, son of Simon Iscariot.
3 The Father had put everything in Jesus’ control. Jesus knew that. He also knew that he had come from God and was going back to God. 4 So he got up from the table, removed his outer clothes, took a towel, and tied it around his waist. 5 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.
6 When Jesus came to Simon Peter, Peter asked him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”
7 Jesus answered Peter, “You don’t know now what I’m doing. You will understand later.”
8 Peter told Jesus, “You will never wash my feet.”
Jesus replied to Peter, “If I don’t wash you, you don’t belong to me.”
9 Simon Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, don’t wash only my feet. Wash my hands and my head too!”
10 Jesus 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 (Jesus knew who was going to betray him. That’s why he said, “All of you, except for one, are clean.”)
12 After Jesus 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, Jesus 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 Jesus meant.
23 One disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, was near him at the table. 24 Simon Peter motioned to that disciple and said, “Ask Jesus whom he’s talking about!”
25 Leaning close to Jesus, that disciple asked, “Lord, who is it?”
26 Jesus answered, “He’s the one to whom I will give this piece of bread after I’ve dipped it in the sauce.” So Jesus 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 Jesus told him, “Hurry! Do what you have to do.” 28 No one at the table knew why Jesus said this to him. 29 Judas had the moneybag. So some thought that Jesus 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, Jesus 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 Jesus 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?”
Jesus 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 Jesus, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I’ll give my life for you.”
38 Jesus 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.
John 13
Amplified Bible
The Lord’s Supper
13 Now before the Passover Feast, Jesus knew that His hour had come [and it was time] for Him to leave this world and return to the Father. Having [greatly] loved His own who were in the world, He loved them [and continuously loves them with His perfect love] to the end (eternally). 2 It was during supper, when the devil had already put [the thought of] betraying Jesus into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, 3 that Jesus, knowing that the Father had put everything into His hands, and that He had come from God and was [now] returning to God, 4 got up from supper, took off His [outer] robe, and taking a [servant’s] towel, He tied it around His waist.
Jesus Washes the Disciples’ Feet
5 Then He poured water into the basin and began washing the disciples’ feet and wiping them with the towel which was tied around His waist. 6 When He came to Simon Peter, he said to Him, “Lord, are You going to wash my feet?” 7 Jesus replied to him, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but you will [fully] understand it later.” 8 Peter said to Him, “You will never wash my feet!” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with Me [we can have nothing to do with each other].” 9 Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, [in that case, wash] not only my feet, but also my hands and my head!” 10 Jesus said to him, “Anyone who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, and is completely clean. And you [My disciples] are clean, but not all of you.” 11 For He knew who was going to betray Him; for that reason He said, “Not all of you are clean.”
12 So when He had washed their feet and put on His [outer] robe and reclined at the table again, He said to them, “Do you understand what I have done for you? 13 You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you are right in doing so, for that is who I am. 14 So if I, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you ought to wash one another’s feet as well. 15 For I gave you [this as] an example, so that you should do [in turn] as I did to you. 16 I assure you and most solemnly say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you know these things, you are blessed [happy and favored by God] if you put them into practice [and faithfully do them]. 18 I am not speaking of all of you. I know whom I have chosen; but [this has happened] in order that the Scripture may be fulfilled: ‘He who eats My bread has raised up his heel against Me [as My enemy].’(A) 19 From now on I am telling you [what will happen] before it occurs, so that when it does take place you may believe that I am He [who I say I am—the Christ, the Anointed, the Messiah]. 20 I assure you and most solemnly say to you, the one who receives and welcomes whomever I send receives Me; and the one who receives Me receives Him who sent Me [in that same way].”
Jesus Predicts His Betrayal
21 After Jesus had said these things, He was [a]troubled in spirit, and testified and said, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, one of you will betray Me and hand Me over.” 22 The disciples began looking at one another, puzzled and disturbed as to whom He could mean. 23 [b]One of His disciples, whom Jesus loved (esteemed), was [c]leaning against Jesus’ chest. 24 So Simon Peter motioned to him (John) and [quietly] asked [him to ask Jesus] of whom He was speaking. 25 Then leaning back against Jesus’ chest, he (John) asked Him [privately], “Lord, who is it?” 26 Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I am going to give this piece [of bread] after I have dipped it.” So when He had dipped the piece of bread [into the dish], He gave it to Judas, son of Simon Iscariot. 27 After [Judas had taken] the piece of bread, Satan entered him. Then Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly [without delay].” 28 But no one reclining at the table knew why He said this to him. 29 Some thought that, since Judas [as the treasurer of the group] had the money box, Jesus was telling him, “Buy what we need for the feast,” or that he was to [d]give something to the poor. 30 After taking the piece of bread, he went out immediately; and it was night.
31 So when Judas had left, Jesus said, “Now is [the time for] the Son of Man [to be] glorified, and God is glorified in Him; 32 [e][if God is glorified in Him,] God will also glorify Him (the Son) in Himself, and will glorify Him at once. 33 Little children, I am with you [only] a little longer. You will look for Me and, as I told the Jews, so I tell you now, ‘Where I am going, you are not able to come.’(B) 34 I am giving you a new commandment, that you [f]love one another. Just as I have loved you, so you too are to love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you have love and unselfish concern for one another.”
36 Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, where are You going?” Jesus answered, “Where I am going, you cannot follow Me now; but you will be able to follow later.” 37 Peter said to Him, “Lord, why cannot I follow You now? I will lay down my life for You!”(C) 38 Jesus answered, “Will you [really] lay down your life for Me? I assure you and most solemnly say to you, before a rooster crows you will deny and completely disown Me three times.
Footnotes
- John 13:21 See note 11:33.
- John 13:23 Probably John the Apostle, author of this Gospel and brother of James the Apostle. The mother of John and James was Salome, who is believed to be the sister of Mary, the mother of Jesus. If so, Jesus and the brothers were related as cousins.
- John 13:23 As was customary in ancient times, everyone at the meal was reclining on his side on a long dining couch or bench. When there was a pause during the meal for discussion, it was common among close friends for one to lean back on the chest or shoulder of the other.
- John 13:29 Passover was considered a special time for charitable gifts to the poor.
- John 13:32 Most early mss do not contain this phrase.
- John 13:34 The key to understanding this and other statements about love is to know that this love (the Greek word agape) is not so much a matter of emotion as it is of doing things for the benefit of another person, that is, having an unselfish concern for another and a willingness to seek the best for another.
John 13
Easy-to-Read Version
Jesus Washes His Followers’ Feet
13 It was almost time for the Jewish Passover festival. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go back to the Father. Jesus had always loved the people in the world who were his. Now was the time he showed them his love the most.
2 Jesus and his followers were at the evening meal. The devil had already persuaded Judas Iscariot to hand Jesus over to his enemies. (Judas was the son of Simon.) 3 The Father had given Jesus power over everything. Jesus knew this. He also knew that he had come from God. And he knew that he was going back to God. 4 So while they were eating, Jesus stood up and took off his robe. He got a towel and wrapped it around his waist. 5 Then he poured water into a bowl and began to wash the followers’ feet.[a] He dried their feet with the towel that was wrapped around his waist.
6 He came to Simon Peter. But Peter said to him, “Lord, you should not wash my feet.”
7 Jesus answered, “You don’t know what I am doing now. But later you will understand.”
8 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.”
9 Simon Peter said, “Lord, after you wash my feet, wash my hands and my head too!”
10 Jesus said, “After a person has a bath, his whole body is clean. He needs only to wash his feet. And you are clean, but not all of you.” 11 Jesus knew who would hand him over to his enemies. That is why he said, “Not all of you are clean.”
12 When Jesus finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and went back to the table. He asked, “Do you understand what I did for you? 13 You call me ‘Teacher.’ And you call me ‘Lord.’ And this is right, because that is what I am. 14 I am your Lord and Teacher. But I washed your feet. So you also should wash each other’s feet. 15 I did this as an example for you. So you should serve each other just as I served you. 16 Believe me, servants are not greater than their master. Those who are sent to do something are not greater than the one who sent them. 17 If you know these things, great blessings will be yours if you do them.
18 “I am not talking about all of you. I know the people I have chosen. But what the Scriptures say must happen: ‘The man who shared my food has turned against me.’[b] 19 I am telling you this now before it happens. Then when it happens, you will believe that I Am.[c] 20 I assure you, whoever accepts the person I send also accepts me. And whoever accepts me also accepts the one who sent me.”
Jesus Tells Who Will Turn Against Him(A)
21 After Jesus said these things, he felt very troubled. He said openly, “Believe me when I say that one of you will hand me over to my enemies.”
22 His followers all looked at each other. They did not understand who Jesus was talking about. 23 One of the followers was next to Jesus and was leaning close to him. This was the one Jesus loved very much. 24 Simon Peter made signs to this follower to ask Jesus who he was talking about.
25 That follower leaned closer to Jesus and asked, “Lord, who is it?”
26 Jesus answered him, “I will dip this bread into the dish. The man I give it to is the one.” So Jesus took a piece of bread, dipped it, and gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. 27 When Judas took the bread, Satan entered him. Jesus said to Judas, “What you will do—do it quickly!” 28 No one at the table understood why Jesus said this to Judas. 29 Since Judas was the one in charge of the money, some of them thought that Jesus meant for him to go and buy some things they needed for the feast. Or they thought that Jesus wanted him to go give something to the poor.
30 Judas ate the bread Jesus gave him. Then he immediately went out. It was night.
Jesus Talks About His Death
31 When Judas was gone, Jesus said, “Now is the time for the Son of Man to receive his glory. And God will receive glory through him. 32 If God receives glory through him, he will give glory to the Son through himself. And that will happen very soon.”
33 Jesus said, “My children, I will be with you only a short time more. You will look for me, but I tell you now what I told the Jewish leaders: Where I am going you cannot come.
34 “I give you a new command: Love each other. You must love each other just as I loved you. 35 All people will know that you are my followers if you love each other.”
Jesus Says Peter Will Deny Him(B)
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, “Will you really give your life for me? The truth is, before the rooster crows, you will say three times that you don’t know me.”
Footnotes
- John 13:5 wash … feet A social custom of the first century, because people wore open sandals on very dusty roads. It was a humble duty, usually done by a servant. Also in verses 6-14.
- John 13:18 has turned against me Literally, “has lifted up his heel against me.” Quote from Ps. 41:9.
- John 13:19 I Am This is like the name of God used in the Old Testament. See Isa. 41:4; 43:10; Ex. 3:14. However, it can also mean “I am he,” meaning “I am the Messiah.”
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