John Chapter 13

Jesus Washes the Disciples’ Feet

            ¹ Before the Passover Festival, Jesus knew the time had come for him to go to the Father. He loved his own that were in the world and loved them to the end. ² During the supper, the devil had already prompted Judas, Simon Iscariot’s son, to betray him. ³ Jesus knew the Father had turned everything over to him. ⁴ He got^p up from supper, laid^p his outer clothes aside, and took a towel and hung it over his shoulder. ⁵ He put^p some water in a basin and started washing his disciples’ feet and drying them with the towel.

            ⁶ When he came^p to Simon Peter, Peter said^p, “Lord, you’re going to wash my feet?”

            ⁷ Jesus answered, “You don’t understand right now what I’m doing, but you will in a little bit.”

            ⁸ Peter said^p, “Don’t you ever wash my feet!”

            “If I don’t wash you, you don’t have anything to do with me.”

            ⁹ Simon Peter said^p, “Lord, don’t wash just my feet, but my hands and head too.”

¹⁰ Jesus said^p, “Someone that’s taken a bath doesn’t need to wash anything but his feet. He’s clean everywhere else. You’re^pl clean, but not all of you.” ¹¹ (He knew who would betray him; that’s why he said, “You^pl are not all clean.”)

Jn 13:1-11

¹² When he’d washed their feet and put his outer clothes back on, he sat down again,

“Do you understand what I’ve done? ¹³ You call me ‘Rabbi’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so. ¹⁴ If I—‘Lord’ and ‘Rabbi’—washed your feet, then you should wash each other’s feet. ¹⁵ I’ve given you an example to do like I’ve done to you. ¹⁶ A servant has it no better than his master; a messenger has it no better than the one that sent him. ¹⁷ If you understand that, you’re blessed if you act that way. ¹⁸ I’m not talking about all of you. I know who I’ve chosen, but like the scripture says:

‘The one that eats my food

has lifted up his heel against me’ [Ps 41:9].

¹⁹ From now on, I’ll tell you before things happen so when they do, you’ll believe who I am. ²⁰ Whoever receives somebody I send, receives me, and whoever receives me receives the One that sent me.”  

Jn 13:12-20

Judas Identified as Traitor

            ²¹ After he said that, he began to feel deeply distressed, “One of you is going to betray me.”

            ²² The disciples looked at one another at a loss who he meant. ²³ One disciple was reclining at table in front of Jesus—one that Jesus loved. ²⁴ Simon Peter motioned to him to find out who Jesus meant. ²⁵ So he leaned back on Jesus and said^p, “Lord, who is it?”

²⁶ Jesus answered^p, “The one I dip the piece of bread and give it to.” He dipped it and handed^p it to Judas. ²⁷ After the piece of bread, Satan entered Judas. Jesus said^p, “Do what you’re going^p to do.” ²⁸ Nobody at the table knew why he spoke to him. ²⁹ Since Judas had the money pouch, some supposed Jesus meant to go buy something we needed for the festival or to give something to the poor. ³⁰ He took the piece of bread and went out immediately. It was dark.                                                                                                            

Jn 13:21-30

The Disciples Warned

            ³¹ When Judas had gone out, Jesus said^p, “Now God will glorify the Son of Man, and the Son of Man will glorify him, ³² and God will glorify him soon. ³³ Little children, I’ll be with you a little while yet. You’ll look for me and, like I told the Jews, ‘You can’t go where I’m going’; now I’m telling you. ³⁴ I’m commanding you something new: love one another like I’ve loved you. ³⁵ If you love one another, people can tell you’re my disciples.”      

            ³⁶ Simon Peter said^p, “Where are you going, Lord?”

            “Where I’m going you^pl can’t go now; you’ll go later.”

            ³⁷ Peter said^p, “Why can’t I follow you now? I’ll lay down my life for you.”

³⁸ Jesus answered, “Will you? Truth is, before a rooster crows, you’re going to deny three times that you know me.”      

Jn 13:31-38