The Sermon on the Mount

5 When he saw the crowds, he went up on the mountain,^(A) and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. ² Then^[a] he began to teach them, saying:^(B)

The Beatitudes

¹¹ “You are blessed when they insult you and persecute you and falsely say every kind of evil against you because of me. ¹² Be glad and rejoice, because your reward is great in heaven. For that is how they persecuted^(L) the prophets who were before you.^(M)

Love Your Enemies

⁴³ “You have heard that it was said, Love your neighbor^[a](A) and hate your enemy. ⁴⁴ But I tell you, love your enemies^[b] and pray for those who^[c] persecute you,^{(B) 45} so that you may be^[d] children of your Father in heaven. For he causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.^{(C) 46} For if you love those who love you, what reward will you have? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same? ⁴⁷ And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what are you doing out of the ordinary?^[e](D) Don’t even the Gentiles^[f] do the same? ⁴⁸ Be perfect,^(E) therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

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.

² 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. ³ 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) 4} So he got up from supper, laid aside his outer clothing,^(I) took a towel, and tied it around himself.^{(J) 5} Next, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet and to dry them with the towel tied around him.

⁶ He came to Simon Peter,^(K) who asked him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”

⁷ Jesus answered him, “What I’m doing you don’t realize now, but afterward you will understand.”^(L)

⁸ “You will never wash my feet,” Peter said.

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

⁹ 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)

²¹ For you were called to this, because Christ also suffered^(A) for you, leaving you an example,^(B) that you should follow^(C) in his steps. ²² He did not commit sin,^(D) and no deceit^(E) was found in his mouth;^{[a](F) 23} when he was insulted, he did not insult in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten but entrusted himself to the one who judges^(G) justly. ²⁴ He himself bore our sins^(H) in his body^(I) on the tree;^(J) so that, having died to sins,^(K) we might live for righteousness.^(L) By his wounds^[b](M) you have been healed. ²⁵ For you were like sheep going astray,^[c](N) but you have now returned to the Shepherd^(O) and Overseer^[d] of your souls.