John 13:1-17

Jesus Washes the Disciples' Feet

1 Now ¹before ²the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that ³his hour had come ⁴to depart out of this world to the Father, ⁵having loved ⁶his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.

2 During supper, when ⁷the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him,

3 Jesus, knowing ⁸that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that ⁹he had come from God and ¹⁰was going back to God,

4 rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, ¹¹tied it around his waist.

5 Then he ¹²poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Lord, do you wash my feet?"

7 ¹³Jesus answered him, "What I am doing ¹⁴you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand."

8 ¹⁵Peter said to him, "You shall never wash my feet." Jesus answered him, ¹⁶"If I do not wash you, you have no share with me."

9 Simon Peter said to him, "Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!"

10 Jesus said to him, "The one who has bathed does not need to wash, ¹⁷except for his feet,^[a] but is completely clean. And ¹⁸you^[b] are clean, ¹⁹but not every one of you."

11 ²⁰For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, "Not all of you are clean."

12 When he had washed their feet and ²¹put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, ²²"Do you understand what I have done to you?

13 ²³You call me ²⁴Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am.

14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, ²⁵you also ought to wash one another's feet.

15 For I have given you an example, ²⁶that you also should do just as I have done to you.

16 Truly, truly, I say to you, ²⁷a servant^[c] is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.

17 If you know these things, ²⁸blessed are you if you do them.

John 13:1-17 In-Context

1 Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.

2 During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him,

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

4 rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist.

5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Lord, do you wash my feet?"

7 Jesus answered him, "What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand."

8 Peter said to him, "You shall never wash my feet." Jesus answered him, "If I do not wash you, you have no share with me."

9 Simon Peter said to him, "Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!"

10 Jesus said to him, "The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you."

11 For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, "Not all of you are clean."

12 When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, "Do you understand what I have done to you?

13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am.

14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.

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

16 Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.

17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.

18 I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But the Scripture will be fulfilled,'He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.'

19 I am telling you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am he.

20 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me."

21 After saying these things, Jesus was troubled in his spirit, and testified, "Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me."

Cross References

• 1. John 12:1
• 2. See John 6:4
• 3. See John 12:23
• 4. ver. 3; John 16:28
• 5. ver. 34
• 6. John 1:11; John 17:6, 9-11
• 7. ver. 11, 27; [Acts 5:3]; See John 6:70, 71
• 8. See John 17:2; Matthew 11:27; Revelation 2:27
• 9. John 8:42; John 16:28
• 10. See John 14:12
• 11. [John 21:7; Luke 22:27]
• 12. [2 Kings 3:11]
• 13. [ver. 36]
• 14. ver. 12; [John 12:16; John 15:15]
• 15. [Matthew 16:22]
• 16. [1 Corinthians 6:11; Ephesians 5:26; Titus 3:5; Hebrews 10:22]
• 17. See Genesis 18:4
• 18. John 15:3
• 19. ver. 18
• 20. ver. 2; John 6:64; See John 2:24, 25
• 21. ver. 4
• 22. ver. 7
• 23. Luke 6:46
• 24. Matthew 23:8, 10; 1 Corinthians 8:6; 1 Corinthians 12:3; Philippians 2:11
• 25. 1 Timothy 5:10; [1 Peter 5:5]
• 26. See Matthew 11:29
• 27. John 15:20; Matthew 10:24
• 28. See Luke 11:28; James 1:22

Footnotes

• [a]. Some manuscripts omit except for his feet
• [b]. The Greek words for you in this verse are plural
• [c]. Greek bondservant