The Message Bible MSG
King James Version KJV
1 Just before the Passover Feast, Jesus knew that the time had come to leave this world to go to the Father. Having loved his dear companions, he continued to love them right to the end.
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Now 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.
2 It was suppertime. The Devil by now had Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot, firmly in his grip, all set for the betrayal.
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And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him;
3 Jesus knew that the Father had put him in complete charge of everything, that he came from God and was on his way back to God.
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Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God;
4 So he got up from the supper table, set aside his robe, and put on an apron.
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He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself.
5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the feet of the disciples, drying them with his apron.
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After 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.
6 When he got to Simon Peter, Peter said, "Master, you wash my feet?"
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Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet?
7 Jesus answered, "You don't understand now what I'm doing, but it will be clear enough to you later."
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Jesus answered and said unto him,What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.
8 Peter persisted, "You're not going to wash my feet - ever!" Jesus said, "If I don't wash you, you can't be part of what I'm doing."
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Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him,If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.
9 "Master!" said Peter. "Not only my feet, then. Wash my hands! Wash my head!"
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Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.
10 Jesus said, "If you've had a bath in the morning, you only need your feet washed now and you're clean from head to toe. My concern, you understand, is holiness, not hygiene. So now you're clean. But not every one of you."
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Jesus 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.
11 (He knew who was betraying him. That's why he said, "Not every one of you.")
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For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean.
12 After he had finished washing their feet, he took his robe, put it back on, and went back to his place at the table.
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So 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?
13 You address me as 'Teacher' and 'Master,' and rightly so. That is what I am.
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Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.
14 So if I, the Master and Teacher, washed your feet, you must now wash each other's feet.
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If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet.
15 I've laid down a pattern for you. What I've done, you do.
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For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.
16 I'm only pointing out the obvious. A servant is not ranked above his master; an employee doesn't give orders to the employer.
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Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.
17 If you understand what I'm telling you, act like it - and live a blessed life.
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If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.
18 "I'm not including all of you in this. I know precisely whom I've selected, so as not to interfere with the fulfillment of this Scripture: The one who ate bread at my table Turned on his heel against me.
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I 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.
19 "I'm telling you all this ahead of time so that when it happens you will believe that I am who I say I am.
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Now I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am he.
20 Make sure you get this right: Receiving someone I send is the same as receiving me, just as receiving me is the same as receiving the One who sent me."
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Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.
21 After he said these things, Jesus became visibly upset, and then he told them why. "One of you is going to betray me."
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When 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.
22 The disciples looked around at one another, wondering who on earth he was talking about.
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Then the disciples looked one on another, doubting of whom he spake.
23 One of the disciples, the one Jesus loved dearly, was reclining against him, his head on his shoulder.
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Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved.
24 Peter motioned to him to ask who Jesus might be talking about.
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Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, that he should ask who it should be of whom he spake.
25 So, being the closest, he said, "Master, who?"
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He then lying on Jesus' breast saith unto him, Lord, who is it?
26 Jesus said, "The one to whom I give this crust of bread after I've dipped it." Then he dipped the crust and gave it to Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot.
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Jesus 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.
27 As soon as the bread was in his hand, Satan entered him. "What you must do," said Jesus, "do. Do it and get it over with."
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And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him,That thou doest, do quickly.
28 No one around the supper table knew why he said this to him.
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Now no man at the table knew for what intent he spake this unto him.
29 Some thought that since Judas was their treasurer, Jesus was telling him to buy what they needed for the Feast, or that he should give something to the poor.
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For 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.
30 Judas, with the piece of bread, left. It was night.
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He then having received the sop went immediately out: and it was night.
31 When he had left, Jesus said, "Now the Son of Man is seen for who he is, and God seen for who he is in him. The moment God is seen in him,
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Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said,Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him.
32 God's glory will be on display. In glorifying him, he himself is glorified - glory all around!
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If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in himself, and shall straightway glorify him.
33 "Children, I am with you for only a short time longer. You are going to look high and low for me. But just as I told the Jews, I'm telling you: 'Where I go, you are not able to come.'
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Little 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.
34 "Let me give you a new command: Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another.
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A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
35 This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples - when they see the love you have for each other."
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By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
36 Simon Peter asked, "Master, just where are you going?" Jesus answered, "You can't now follow me where I'm going. You will follow later."
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Simon 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.
37 "Master," said Peter, "why can't I follow now? I'll lay down my life for you!"
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Peter said unto him, Lord, why cannot I follow thee now? I will lay down my life for thy sake.
38 "Really? You'll lay down your life for me? The truth is that before the rooster crows, you'll deny me three times."
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Jesus 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.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.
The King James Version is in the public domain.