John 13-15

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.

Jesus Comforts His Disciples

14 “Do not let your heart be troubled (afraid, cowardly). Believe [confidently] in God and trust in Him, [have faith, hold on to it, rely on it, keep going and] believe also in Me. ² In My Father’s house are many dwelling places. If it were not so, I would have told you, because I am going there to prepare a place for you. ³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and I will take you to Myself, so that where I am you may be also. ⁴ And [to the place] where I am going, you know the way.” ⁵ Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going; so how can we know the way?” ⁶ Jesus said to him, “^[g]I am the [only] Way [to God] and the [real] Truth and the [real] Life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.

Jesus’ Oneness with the Father

⁷ If you had [really] known Me, you would also have known My Father. From now on you know Him, and have seen Him.”

⁸ Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father and then we will be satisfied.” ⁹ Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you for so long a time, and you do not know Me yet, Philip, nor recognize clearly who I am? Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father?’ ¹⁰ Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words I say to you I do not say on My own initiative or authority, but the Father, abiding continually in Me, does His works [His attesting miracles and acts of power]. ¹¹ Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe [Me] because of the [very] works themselves [which you have witnessed]. ¹² I assure you and most solemnly say to you, anyone who believes in Me [as Savior] will also do the things that I do; and he will do even greater things than these [in extent and outreach], because I am going to the Father. ¹³ And I will do whatever you ask in My name [^[h]as My representative], this I will do, so that the Father may be glorified and celebrated in the Son.^{(D) 14} If you ask Me anything in My name [as My representative], I will do it.

¹⁵ “If you [really] love Me, you will keep and obey My commandments.

Role of the Spirit

¹⁶ And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another ^[i]Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby), to be with you forever— ¹⁷ the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive [and take to its heart] because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He (the Holy Spirit) remains with you continually and will be in you.

¹⁸ “I will not leave you as orphans [comfortless, bereaved, and helpless]; I will come [back] to you. ¹⁹ After a little while the world will no longer see Me, but you will see Me; because I live, you will live also. ²⁰ On that day [when that time comes] you will know for yourselves that I am in My Father, and you are in Me, and I am in you. ²¹ The person who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who [really] loves Me; and whoever [really] loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and reveal Myself to him [I will make Myself real to him].” ²² Judas (not Iscariot) asked Him, “Lord, what has happened that You are going to reveal Yourself to us and not to the world?” ²³ Jesus answered, “If anyone [really] loves Me, he will keep My word (teaching); and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our dwelling place with him. ²⁴ One who does not [really] love Me does not keep My words. And the word (teaching) which you hear is not Mine, but is the Father’s who sent Me.

²⁵ “I have told you these things while I am still with you. ²⁶ But the ^[j]Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will help you remember everything that I have told you.^{(E) 27} Peace I leave with you; My [perfect] peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be afraid. [Let My perfect peace calm you in every circumstance and give you courage and strength for every challenge.] ²⁸ You heard Me tell you, ‘I am going away, and I am coming back to you.’ If you [really] loved Me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going [back] to the Father, for ^[k]the Father is greater than I. ²⁹ I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does take place, you may believe and have faith [in Me]. ³⁰ I will not speak with you much longer, for the ruler of the world (Satan) is coming. And he has no claim on Me [no power over Me nor anything that he can use against Me]; ³¹ but so that the world may know [without any doubt] that I love the Father, I do exactly as the Father has commanded Me [and act in full agreement with Him]. Get up, let us go from here.

Jesus Is the Vine—Followers Are Branches

15 “^[l]I am the true Vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. ² Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that continues to bear fruit, He [repeatedly] prunes, so that it will bear more fruit [even richer and finer fruit]. ³ You are already clean because of the word which I have given you [the teachings which I have discussed with you]. ⁴ Remain in Me, and I [will remain] in you. Just as no branch can bear fruit by itself without remaining in the vine, neither can you [bear fruit, producing evidence of your faith] unless you remain in Me. ^5 [m]I am the Vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him bears much fruit, for [otherwise] apart from Me [that is, cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing. ⁶ If anyone does not remain in Me, he is thrown out like a [broken off] branch, and withers and dies; and they gather such branches and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. ⁷ If you remain in Me and My words remain in you [that is, if we are vitally united and My message lives in your heart], ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you. ⁸ My Father is glorified and honored by this, when you bear much fruit, and prove yourselves to be My [true] disciples. ⁹ I have loved you just as the Father has loved Me; remain in My love [and do not doubt My love for you]. ¹⁰ If you keep My commandments and obey My teaching, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love. ¹¹ I have told you these things so that My joy and delight may be in you, and that your joy may be made full and complete and overflowing.

Disciples’ Relation to Each Other

¹² “This is My commandment, that you ^[n]love and unselfishly seek the best for one another, just as I have loved you. ¹³ No one has greater love [nor stronger commitment] than to lay down his own life for his friends. ¹⁴ You are my friends if you keep on doing what I command you. ¹⁵ I do not call you servants any longer, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you [My] friends, because I have revealed to you everything that I have heard from My Father. ¹⁶ You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you and I have appointed and placed and purposefully planted you, so that you would go and bear fruit and keep on bearing, and that your fruit will remain and be lasting, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name [as My representative] He may give to you. ¹⁷ This [is what] I command you: that you love and unselfishly seek the best for one another.

Disciples’ Relation to the World

¹⁸ “If the world hates you [and it does], know that it has hated Me before it hated you. ¹⁹ If you belonged to the world, the world would love [you as] its own and would treat you with affection. But you are not of the world [you no longer belong to it], but I have chosen you out of the world. And because of this the world hates you. ²⁰ Remember [and continue to remember] that I told you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. ²¹ But they will do all these [hurtful] things to you for My name’s sake [because you bear My name and are identified with Me], for they do not know the One who sent Me. ²² If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have [the guilt of their] sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin. ²³ The one who hates Me also hates My Father. ²⁴ If I had not done among them the works (attesting miracles) which no one else [ever] did, they would not have [the guilt of their] sin; but now [the fact is that] they have both seen [these works] and have hated Me [and continue to hate Me] and My Father as well. ²⁵ But [this is so] that the word which has been written in their Law would be fulfilled, ‘They hated Me without a cause.’^(F)

²⁶ “But when the ^[o]Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby) comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of Truth who comes from the Father, He will testify and bear witness about Me. ²⁷ But you will testify also and be My witnesses, because you have been with Me from the beginning.