Old/New Testament
Washing the disciples’ feet
13 It was before the festival of Passover. Jesus knew that his time had come, the time for him to leave this world and go to the father. He had always loved his own people in the world; now he loved them right through to the end.
2 It was suppertime. The devil had already put the idea of betraying him into the heart of Judas, son of Simon Iscariot. 3 Jesus knew that the father had given everything into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God. 4 So he got up from the supper-table, took off his clothes, and wrapped himself in a towel. 5 Then he poured water into a bowl, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel he was wrapped in.
6 He came to Simon Peter.
“Master,” said Peter, “what’s this? You, washing my feet?”
7 “You don’t understand yet what I’m doing,” replied Jesus, “but you’ll know afterwards.”
8 “I’m not going to have you washing my feet!” said Peter. “Never!”
“If I don’t wash you,” replied Jesus, “you don’t belong to me.”
9 “All right then, Master,” said Simon Peter, “but not only my feet—wash my hands and my head as well!”
10 “Someone who has washed,” said Jesus to him, “doesn’t need to wash again, except for their feet. They are clean all over. And you are clean—but not all of you.”
11 Jesus knew, you see, who was going to betray him. That’s why he said, “You are not all clean.”
Like master, like servant
12 So when he had washed their feet, he put on his clothes and sat down again.
“Do you know what I’ve done to you?” he asked. 13 “You call me ‘Teacher,’ and ‘Master,’ and you’re right. That’s what I am. 14 Well, then: if I, as your master and teacher, washed your feet just now, you should wash one another’s feet. 15 I’ve given you a pattern, so that you can do things in the same way that I did to you.
16 “I’m telling you the solemn truth,” he continued. “The slave isn’t greater than the master. People who are sent are not greater than the person who sends them. 17 If you know these things, God’s blessing on you if you do them.
18 “I’m not talking about all of you,” he went on. “I know the ones I have chosen. What the Bible says has to come true: ‘The person who ate my bread lifted up his heel against me.’ 19 I’m telling you this now, before it happens, so that when it does happen you may believe that I am who I am. 20 I’m telling you the solemn truth: anyone who welcomes someone I send, welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me, welcomes the one who sent me.”
Scripture quotations from The New Testament for Everyone are copyright © Nicholas Thomas Wright 2011, 2018, 2019.