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The Gospels · New Testament

John 13

John 13: washing the disciples' feet and naming a betrayer

General context

Before the feast of the passover, knowing his hour is come, Jesus rises from supper, lays aside his garments, girds himself with a towel and washes the disciples' feet. Peter objects and is told he will understand later; when told that otherwise he has no part with him, Peter asks for his hands and head as well. Jesus answers that one who is washed needs only his feet, and adds that they are clean but not all, which the narrator explains by his knowledge of the betrayer. Dressed again, he asks whether they know what he has done, calls it an example, and says a servant is not greater than his lord. Troubled in spirit, he says one of them will betray him. The disciples look at one another, and at Peter's prompting the disciple leaning on his bosom asks who it is. Jesus gives a dipped sop to Judas Iscariot and tells him to do quickly what he does; Judas goes out, and the narrator says it was night. Jesus then gives a new commandment to love one another and tells Peter he will deny him three times.

Cited passages: John 13:1, John 13:4, John 13:5, John 13:6, John 13:7, John 13:8, John 13:9, John 13:10, John 13:11, John 13:12, John 13:15, John 13:16, John 13:21, John 13:22, John 13:24, John 13:26, John 13:27, John 13:30, John 13:34, John 13:38

John 13 (KJV)

1Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.

2And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him;

3Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God;

4He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself.

5After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.

6Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet?

7Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.

8Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.

9Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.

10Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.

11For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean.

12So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you?

13Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.

14If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet.

15For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.

16Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.

17If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.

18I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me.

19Now I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am he.

20Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.

21When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.

22Then the disciples looked one on another, doubting of whom he spake.

23Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved.

24Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, that he should ask who it should be of whom he spake.

25He then lying on Jesus’ breast saith unto him, Lord, who is it?

26Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon.

27And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly.

28Now no man at the table knew for what intent he spake this unto him.

29For some of them thought, because Judas had the bag, that Jesus had said unto him, Buy those things that we have need of against the feast; or, that he should give something to the poor.

30He then having received the sop went immediately out: and it was night.

31Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him.

32If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in himself, and shall straightway glorify him.

33Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you.

34A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

35By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

36Simon Peter said unto him, Lord, whither goest thou? Jesus answered him, Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now; but thou shalt follow me afterwards.

37Peter said unto him, Lord, why cannot I follow thee now? I will lay down my life for thy sake.

38Jesus answered him, Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice.

This page shows the King James Version. In the app, reading opens in the Berean Standard Bible unless you have chosen another translation. The reader includes five translations: the Berean Standard Bible (BSB), the King James Version (KJV), the World English Bible (WEB), the Bible in Basic English (BBE), and the American Standard Version (ASV). Search covers three of them: Berean Standard, King James, and World English. Basic English and American Standard readers search the King James words.

Historical context

The disciple who asks the question is described only as the one leaning on Jesus' bosom whom Jesus loved, and the text gives him no name. Judas is named twice with his father, Simon, and the narrator states both that the devil had already put the betrayal into his heart and that Satan entered him after the sop. No one at the table understands the instruction, and the narrator supplies the two explanations they offered themselves, about buying for the feast or giving to the poor. The chapter places the supper before the feast of the passover and does not describe a passover meal. Peter's claim that he will lay down his life is his own, and the reply is a question followed by the statement about the cock.

Cited passages: John 13:23, John 13:25, John 13:2, John 13:26, John 13:27, John 13:28, John 13:29, John 13:1, John 13:37, John 13:38

Literary context

The washing is told in slow physical detail, rising, laying aside, girding, pouring, washing, wiping, then taking the garments again, and the interpretation comes only after the action is finished. Peter's two replies overshoot in both directions, refusing entirely and then asking for more, and both are answered in the same measured terms. Knowing runs through the chapter: Jesus knows his hour, knows the betrayer, and tells Peter he will know later, while the table knows nothing of what has been arranged. The exit of Judas divides the chapter, and the narrator's closing note that it was night marks it. What follows is addressed to those who remain, and it ends by telling the one who promised most that he will deny three times.

Cited passages: John 13:4, John 13:12, John 13:8, John 13:9, John 13:1, John 13:11, John 13:7, John 13:28, John 13:30, John 13:31, John 13:35, John 13:38

Key moments

  1. Rising from supper (John 13:4). Jesus lays aside his garments and girds himself with a towel.
  2. Peter refuses (John 13:8). Peter says he will never have his feet washed, and is told he would have no part.
  3. An example given (John 13:15). Jesus says he has given them an example to do as he has done.
  4. One of you shall betray me (John 13:21). Troubled in spirit, he says one at the table will betray him.
  5. The sop given (John 13:26). He dips a sop and hands it to Judas Iscariot.
  6. It was night (John 13:30). Judas goes out immediately, and the narrator notes the hour.
  7. A denial foretold (John 13:38). Jesus tells Peter the cock will not crow before three denials.

For reflection

Jesus washes the feet of everyone at the table, including the one he already knows will betray him. What does the chapter place on that fact by telling it in this order?

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