John13
New Living Translation
1Before the Passover celebration, Jesus knew that his hour had come to leave this world and return to his Father. He had loved his disciples during his ministry on earth, and now he loved them to the very end.
2It was time for supper, and the devil had already prompted Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus.
3Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God.
4So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist,
5and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him.
6When Jesus came to Simon Peter, Peter said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”
7Jesus replied, “You don’t understand now what I am doing, but someday you will.”
8“No,” Peter protested, “you will never ever wash my feet!” Jesus replied, “Unless I wash you, you won’t belong to me.”
9Simon Peter exclaimed, “Then wash my hands and head as well, Lord, not just my feet!”
10Jesus replied, “A person who has bathed all over does not need to wash, except for the feet, to be entirely clean. And you disciples are clean, but not all of you.”
11For Jesus knew who would betray him. That is what he meant when he said, “Not all of you are clean.”
12After washing their feet, he put on his robe again and sat down and asked, “Do you understand what I was doing?
13You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because that’s what I am.
14And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet.
15I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you.
16I tell you the truth, slaves are not greater than their master. Nor is the messenger more important than the one who sends the message.
17Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them.
18“I am not saying these things to all of you; I know the ones I have chosen. But this fulfills the Scripture that says, ‘The one who eats my food has turned against me.’
19I tell you this beforehand, so that when it happens you will believe that I am the Messiah.
20I tell you the truth, anyone who welcomes my messenger is welcoming me, and anyone who welcomes me is welcoming the Father who sent me.”
21Now Jesus was deeply troubled, and he exclaimed, “I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me!”
22The disciples looked at each other, wondering whom he could mean.
23The disciple Jesus loved was sitting next to Jesus at the table.
24Simon Peter motioned to him to ask, “Who’s he talking about?”
25So that disciple leaned over to Jesus and asked, “Lord, who is it?”
26Jesus responded, “It is the one to whom I give the bread I dip in the bowl.” And when he had dipped it, he gave it to Judas, son of Simon Iscariot.
27When Judas had eaten the bread, Satan entered into him. Then Jesus told him, “Hurry and do what you’re going to do.”
28None of the others at the table knew what Jesus meant.
29Since Judas was their treasurer, some thought Jesus was telling him to go and pay for the food or to give some money to the poor.
30So Judas left at once, going out into the night.
31As soon as Judas left the room, Jesus said, “The time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory, and God will be glorified because of him.
32And since God receives glory because of the Son, he will give his own glory to the Son, and he will do so at once.
33Dear children, I will be with you only a little longer. And as I told the Jewish leaders, you will search for me, but you can’t come where I am going.
34So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.
35Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”
36Simon Peter asked, “Lord, where are you going?” And Jesus replied, “You can’t go with me now, but you will follow me later.”
37“But why can’t I come now, Lord?” he asked. “I’m ready to die for you.”
38Jesus answered, “Die for me? I tell you the truth, Peter—before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me.
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