New Revised Standard NRS
The Message Bible MSG
1 Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.
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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.
2 The devil had already put it into the heart of Judas son of Simon Iscariot to betray him. And during supper
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It was suppertime. The Devil by now had Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot, firmly in his grip, all set for the betrayal.
3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God,
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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.
4 got up from the table, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself.
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So he got up from the supper table, set aside his robe, and put on an apron.
5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him.
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Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the feet of the disciples, drying them with his apron.
6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Lord, are you going to wash my feet?"
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When he got to Simon Peter, Peter said, "Master, you wash my feet?"
7 Jesus answered, "You do not know now what I am doing, but later you will understand."
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Jesus answered, "You don't understand now what I'm doing, but it will be clear enough to you later."
8 Peter said to him, "You will never wash my feet." Jesus answered, "Unless I wash you, you have no share with me."
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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."
9 Simon Peter said to him, "Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!"
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"Master!" said Peter. "Not only my feet, then. Wash my hands! Wash my head!"
10 Jesus said to him, "One who has bathed does not need to wash, except for the feet, but is entirely clean. And you are clean, though not all of you."
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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."
11 For he knew who was to betray him; for this reason he said, "Not all of you are clean."
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(He knew who was betraying him. That's why he said, "Not every one of you.")
12 After he had washed their feet, had put on his robe, and had returned to the table, he said to them, "Do you know what I have done to you?
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After he had finished washing their feet, he took his robe, put it back on, and went back to his place at the table.
13 You call me Teacher and Lord—and you are right, for that is what I am.
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You address me as 'Teacher' and 'Master,' and rightly so. That is what I am.
14 So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.
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So if I, the Master and Teacher, washed your feet, you must now wash each other's feet.
15 For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you.
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I've laid down a pattern for you. What I've done, you do.
16 Very truly, I tell you, servants are not greater than their master, nor are messengers greater than the one who sent them.
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I'm only pointing out the obvious. A servant is not ranked above his master; an employee doesn't give orders to the employer.
17 If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.
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If you understand what I'm telling you, act like it - and live a blessed life.
18 I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But it is to fulfill the scripture, "The one who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.'
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"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.
19 I tell you this now, before it occurs, so that when it does occur, you may believe that I am he.
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"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.
20 Very truly, I tell you, whoever receives one whom I send receives me; and whoever receives me receives him who sent me."
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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."
21 After saying this Jesus was troubled in spirit, and declared, "Very truly, I tell you, one of you will betray me."
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After he said these things, Jesus became visibly upset, and then he told them why. "One of you is going to betray me."
22 The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he was speaking.
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The disciples looked around at one another, wondering who on earth he was talking about.
23 One of his disciples—the one whom Jesus loved—was reclining next to him;
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One of the disciples, the one Jesus loved dearly, was reclining against him, his head on his shoulder.
24 Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking.
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Peter motioned to him to ask who Jesus might be talking about.
25 So while reclining next to Jesus, he asked him, "Lord, who is it?"
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So, being the closest, he said, "Master, who?"
26 Jesus answered, "It is the one to whom I give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish." So when he had dipped the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas son of Simon Iscariot.
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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.
27 After he received the piece of bread, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, "Do quickly what you are going to do."
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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."
28 Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him.
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No one around the supper table knew why he said this to him.
29 Some thought that, because Judas had the common purse, Jesus was telling him, "Buy what we need for the festival"; or, that he should give something to the poor.
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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.
30 So, after receiving the piece of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night.
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Judas, with the piece of bread, left. It was night.
31 When he had gone out, Jesus said, "Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him.
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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,
32 If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once.
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God's glory will be on display. In glorifying him, he himself is glorified - glory all around!
33 Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, "Where I am going, you cannot come.'
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"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.'
34 I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.
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"Let me give you a new command: Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another.
35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."
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This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples - when they see the love you have for each other."
36 Simon Peter said to him, "Lord, where are you going?" Jesus answered, "Where I am going, you cannot follow me now; but you will follow afterward."
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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."
37 Peter said to him, "Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you."
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"Master," said Peter, "why can't I follow now? I'll lay down my life for you!"
38 Jesus answered, "Will you lay down your life for me? Very truly, I tell you, before the cock crows, you will have denied me three times.
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"Really? You'll lay down your life for me? The truth is that before the rooster crows, you'll deny me three times."
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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.