John13
New American Standard
1Now before the Feast of the Passover, Jesus, knowing that His hour had come that He would depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.
2And during supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, to betray Him,
3Jesus, knowing that the Father had handed all things over to Him, and that He had come forth from God and was going back to God,
4got up from supper and laid His outer garments aside; and He took a towel and tied it around Himself.
5Then He poured water into the basin, and began washing the disciples’ feet and wiping them with the towel which He had tied around Himself.
6So He came to Simon Peter. He said to Him, “Lord, You are washing my feet?”
7Jesus answered and said to him, “What I am doing, you do not realize right now, but you will understand later.”
8Peter said to Him, “Never shall You wash my feet!” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no place with Me.”
9Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, then wash not only my feet, but also my hands and my head!”
10Jesus said to him, “He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet; otherwise he is completely clean. And you are clean—but not all of you.”
11For He knew the one who was betraying Him; it was for this reason that He said, “Not all of you are clean.”
12Then, when He had washed their feet, and taken His garments and reclined at the table again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done for you?
13You call Me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord’; and you are correct, for so I am.
14So if I, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.
15For I gave you an example, so that you also would do just as I did for you.
16Truly, truly I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him.
17If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.
18I am not speaking about all of you. I know the ones whom I have chosen; but this is happening so that the Scripture may be fulfilled, ‘He who eats My bread has lifted up his heel against Me.’
19From now on I am telling you before it happens, so that when it does happen, you may believe that I am He.
20Truly, truly I say to you, the one who receives anyone I send, receives Me; and the one who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.”
21When Jesus had said these things, He became troubled in spirit, and testified and said, “Truly, truly I say to you that one of you will betray Me.”
22The disciples began looking at one another, at a loss to know of which one He was speaking.
23Lying back on Jesus’ chest was one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved.
24So Simon Peter nodded to this disciple and said to him, “Tell us who it is of whom He is speaking.”
25He then simply leaned back on Jesus’ chest and said to Him, “Lord, who is it?”
26Jesus then answered, “That man is the one for whom I shall dip the piece of bread and give it to him.” So when He had dipped the piece of bread, He took and gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot.
27After this, Satan then entered him. Therefore Jesus said to him, “What you are doing, do it quickly.”
28Now none of those reclining at the table knew for what purpose He had said this to him.
29For some were assuming, since Judas kept the money box, that Jesus was saying to him, “Buy the things we need for the feast”; or else, that he was to give something to the poor.
30So after receiving the piece of bread, he left immediately; and it was night.
31Therefore when he had left, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in Him;
32if God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself, and will glorify Him immediately.
33Little children, I am still with you a little longer. You will look for Me; and just as I said to the Jews, now I also say to you: ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’
34I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
35By this all people will know that you are My disciples: if you have love for one another.”
36Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, where are You going?” Jesus answered, “Where I am going, you cannot follow Me now; but you will follow later.”
37Peter said to Him, “Lord, why can I not follow You right now? I will lay down my life for You.”
38Jesus replied, “Will you lay down your life for Me? Truly, truly I say to you, a rooster will not crow until you deny Me three times.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for John 13.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: Christ washes the disciples' feet. (1–17). The treachery of Judas foretold. (18–30). Christ commands the disciples to love one another. (31–38).
vv1-17
Our Lord Jesus has a people in the world that are his own; he has purchased them, and paid dear for them, and he has set them apart for himself; they devote themselves to him as a peculiar people. Those whom Christ loves, he loves to the end. Nothing can separate a true believer from the love of Christ. We know not when our hour will come, therefore what we have to do in constant preparation for it, ought never to be undone. What way of access the devil has to men's hearts we cannot tell. But some sins are so exceedingly sinful, and there is so little temptation to them from the world and the flesh, that it is plain they are directly from Satan. Jesus washed his disciples' feet, that he might teach us to think nothing below us, wherein we may promote God's glory, and the good of our brethren. We must address ourselves to duty, and must lay aside every thing that would hinder us in what we have to do. Christ washed his disciples' feet, that he might signify to them the value of spiritual washing, and the cleansing of the soul from the pollutions of sin. Our Lord Jesus does many things of which even his own disciples do not for the present know the meaning, but they shall know afterward. We see in the end what was the kindness from events which seemed most cross. And it is not humility, but unbelief, to put away the offers of the gospel, as if too rich to be made to us, or too good news to be true. All those, and those only, who are spiritually washed by Christ, have a part in Christ. All whom Christ owns and saves, he justifies and sanctifies. Peter more than submits; he begs to be washed by Christ. How earnest he is for the purifying grace of the Lord Jesus, and the full effect of it, even upon his hands and head! Those who truly desire to be sanctified, desire to be sanctified throughout, to have the whole man, with all its parts and powers, made pure. The true believer is thus washed when he receives Christ for his salvation. See then what ought to be the daily care of those who through grace are in a justified state, and that is, to wash their feet; to cleanse themselves from daily guilt, and to watch against everything defiling. This should make us the more cautious. From yesterday's pardon, we should be strengthened against this day's temptation. And when hypocrites are discovered, it should be no surprise or cause of stumbling to us. Observe the lesson Christ here taught. Duties are mutual; we must both accept help from our brethren, and afford help to our brethren. When we see our Master serving, we cannot but see how ill it becomes us to domineer. And the same love which led Christ to ransom and reconcile his disciples when enemies, still influences him.
vv18-30
Our Lord had often spoken of his own sufferings and death, without such trouble of spirit as he now discovered when he spake of Judas. The sins of Christians are the grief of Christ. We are not to confine our attention to Judas. The prophecy of his treachery may apply to all who partake of God's mercies, and meet them with ingratitude. See the infidel, who only looks at the Scriptures with a desire to do away their authority and destroy their influence; the hypocrite, who professes to believe the Scriptures, but will not govern himself by them; and the apostate, who turns aside from Christ for a thing of naught. Thus mankind, supported by God's providence, after eating bread with Him, lift up the heel against Him! Judas went out as one weary of Jesus and his apostles. Those whose deeds are evil, love darkness rather than light.
vv31-35
Christ had been glorified in many miracles he wrought, yet he speaks of his being glorified now in his sufferings, as if that were more than all his other glories in his humbled state. Satisfaction was thereby made for the wrong done to God by the sin of man. We cannot now follow our Lord to his heavenly happiness, but if we truly believe in him, we shall follow him hereafter; meanwhile we must wait his time, and do his work. Before Christ left the disciples, he would give them a new commandment. They were to love each other for Christ's sake, and according to his example, seeking what might benefit others, and promoting the cause of the gospel, as one body, animated by one soul. But this commandment still appears new to many professors. Men in general notice any of Christ's words rather than these. By this it appears, that if the followers of Christ do not show love one to another, they give cause to suspect their sincerity.
Key Words
δέ (dé): but, and, etc.
πρό (pró): "fore", i.e. in front of, prior (figuratively, superior) to
ἑορτή (heortḗ): a festival
πάσχα (páscha): the Passover (the meal, the day, the festival or the special sacrifices connected with it)
Ἰησοῦς (Iēsoûs): Jesus (i.e. Jehoshua), the name of our Lord and two (three) other Israelites
εἴδω (eídō): used only in certain past tenses, the others being borrowed from the equivalent G3700 (ὀπτάνομαι) and G3708 (ὁράω); properly, to see (literally or figuratively); by implication, (in the perfect tense only) to know
ὅτι (hóti): demonstrative, that (sometimes redundant); causative, because
αὐτός (autós): the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative G1438 (ἑαυτοῦ)) of the third person , and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons
ὥρα (hṓra): an "hour" (literally or figuratively)
ἔρχομαι (érchomai): to come or go (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively)
Cross References
John 13Directly quoted as the prophetic fulfillment of Judas's intimate betrayal ('eateth bread with me... lifted up his heel').
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Parallel where Jesus highlights serving others, contrasting worldly status with His action as 'one that serveth.'
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Parallel account of Peter's boast of devotion and the warning of his impending three-fold denial.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Apostolic confirmation that Scripture had to be fulfilled concerning Judas, who served as guide to Jesus' captors.
Supported by Matthew Henry, John Calvin
Jesus speaks of keeping His disciples, except the 'son of perdition,' that Scripture might be fulfilled.
Supported by JFB
Verbatim parallel teaching on representation: receiving the sent messenger is equivalent to receiving Christ Himself.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Theological parallel connecting physical washing with spiritual regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Spirit.
Supported by JFB
Highlights the absolute necessity of being born of water and Spirit to enter God's kingdom.
Supported by JFB
Christ's invitation to learn from His gentle and lowly heart, serving as our ultimate moral example.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Peter's realization that Christ left an example for us to follow in His exact steps.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Repeats the maxim that a servant is not greater than his master, warning of future persecution.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Matches the declaration that the hour has come for the Son of man to be glorified through suffering.
Supported by JFB
Parallel stating Satan entered Judas, motivating his conspiracy with the chief priests to betray Jesus.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB