John13
New International Version
1It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.
2The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus.
3Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God;
4so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist.
5After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
6He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”
7Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”
8“No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”
9“Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”
10Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.”
11For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.
12When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them.
13“You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am.
14Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.
15I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.
16Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.
17Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
18“I am not referring to all of you; I know those I have chosen. But this is to fulfill this passage of Scripture: ‘He who shared my bread has turned against me.’
19“I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I am who I am.
20Very truly I tell you, whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me; and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me.”
21After he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, “Very truly I tell you, one of you is going to betray me.”
22His disciples stared at one another, at a loss to know which of them he meant.
23One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him.
24Simon Peter motioned to this disciple and said, “Ask him which one he means.”
25Leaning back against Jesus, he asked him, “Lord, who is it?”
26Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.” Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot.
27As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him. So Jesus told him, “What you are about to do, do quickly.”
28But no one at the meal understood why Jesus said this to him.
29Since Judas had charge of the money, some thought Jesus was telling him to buy what was needed for the festival, or to give something to the poor.
30As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out. And it was night.
31When he was gone, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified and God is glorified in him.
32If God is glorified in him, God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once.
33“My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come.
34“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
35By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
36Simon Peter asked him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus replied, “Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later.”
37Peter asked, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.”
38Then Jesus answered, “Will you really lay down your life for me? Very truly I tell you, before the rooster crows, you will disown 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