Font Size
John 13
Contemporary English Version
John 13
Contemporary English Version
Jesus Washes the Feet of His Disciples
13 It was before Passover, and Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and to return to the Father. He had always loved his followers in this world, and he loved them to the very end.
2 Even before the evening meal started, the devil had made Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot,[a] decide to betray Jesus.
3 Jesus knew he had come from God and would go back to God. He also knew that the Father had given him complete power. 4 So during the meal Jesus got up, removed his outer garment, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 He put some water into a large bowl. Then he began washing his disciples' feet and drying them with the towel he was wearing.
6 But when he came to Simon Peter, this disciple asked, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”
7 Jesus answered, “You don't really know what I am doing, but later you will understand.”
8 “You will never wash my feet!” Peter replied.
“If I don't wash you,” Jesus told him, “you don't really belong to me.”
9 Peter said, “Lord, don't wash just my feet. Wash my hands and my head.”
10 Jesus answered, “People who have bathed and are clean all over need to wash just their feet. And you, my disciples, are clean, except for one of you.” 11 Jesus knew who would betray him. That is why he said, “except for one of you.”
12 (A) After Jesus had washed his disciples' feet and had put his outer garment back on, he sat down again.[b] Then he said:
Do you understand what I have done? 13 You call me your teacher and Lord, and you should, because that is who I am. 14 And if your Lord and teacher has washed your feet, you should do the same for each other. 15 I have set the example, and you should do for each other exactly what I have done for you. 16 (B) I tell you for certain that servants are not greater than their master, and messengers are not greater than the one who sent them. 17 You know these things, and God will bless you, if you do them.
18 (C) I am not talking about all of you. I know the ones I have chosen. But what the Scriptures say must come true. And they say, “The man who ate with me has turned against me!” 19 I am telling you this before it all happens. Then when it does happen, you will believe who I am.[c] 20 (D) I tell you for certain that anyone who welcomes my messengers also welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.
Jesus Tells What Will Happen to Him
(Matthew 26.20-25; Mark 14.17-21; Luke 22.21-23)
21 After Jesus had said these things, he was deeply troubled and told his disciples, “I tell you for certain that one of you will betray me.” 22 They were confused about what he meant. And they just stared at each other.
23 Jesus' favorite disciple was sitting next to him at the meal, 24 and Simon motioned for this disciple to find out which one Jesus meant. 25 So the disciple leaned toward Jesus and asked, “Lord, which one of us are you talking about?”
26 Jesus answered, “I will dip this piece of bread in the sauce and give it to the one I was talking about.”
Then Jesus dipped the bread and gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot.[d] 27 Right then Satan took control of Judas.
Jesus said, “Judas, go quickly and do what you have to do.” 28 No one at the meal understood what Jesus meant. 29 But because Judas was in charge of the money, some of them thought that Jesus had told him to buy something they needed for the festival. Others thought that Jesus had told him to give some money to the poor. 30 Judas took the piece of bread and went out.
It was already night.
The New Command
31 After Judas had gone, Jesus said:
Now the Son of Man will be given glory, and he will bring glory to God. 32 Then, after God is given glory because of him, God will bring glory to him, and God will do it very soon.
33 (E) My children, I will be with you for only a little while longer. Then you will look for me, but you won't find me. I tell you just as I told the people, “You cannot go where I am going.” 34 (F) But I am giving you a new command. You must love each other, just as I have loved you. 35 If you love each other, everyone will know that you are my disciples.
Peter's Promise
(Matthew 26.31-35; Mark 14.27-31; Luke 22.31-34)
36 Simon Peter asked, “Lord, where are you going?”
Jesus answered, “You can't go with me now, but later on you will.”
37 Peter asked, “Lord, why can't I go with you now? I would die for you!”
38 “Would you really die for me?” Jesus asked. “I tell you for certain before a rooster crows, you will say three times that you don't even know me.”
Footnotes
- 13.2 Iscariot: See the note at 6.71.
- 13.12 sat down again: On special occasions the Jewish people followed the Greek and Roman custom of lying down on their left side and leaning on their left elbow, while eating with their right hand.
- 13.19 I am: See the note at 8.24.
- 13.26 Iscariot: See the note at 6.71.
John 13
New International Version
John 13
New International Version
Jesus Washes His Disciples’ Feet
13 It was just before the Passover Festival.(A) Jesus knew that the hour had come(B) for him to leave this world and go to the Father.(C) Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.
2 The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus.(D) 3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power,(E) and that he had come from God(F) and was returning to God; 4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist.(G) 5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet,(H) drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”
7 Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”(I)
8 “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”
Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”
9 “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”
10 Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean,(J) though not every one of you.”(K) 11 For he knew who was going to betray him,(L) and that was why he said not every one was clean.
12 When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. 13 “You call me ‘Teacher’(M) and ‘Lord,’(N) and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.(O) 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.(P) 16 Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master,(Q) nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.(R)
Jesus Predicts His Betrayal
18 “I am not referring to all of you;(S) I know those I have chosen.(T) But this is to fulfill this passage of Scripture:(U) ‘He who shared my bread(V) has turned[a](W) against me.’[b](X)
19 “I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe(Y) that I am who I am.(Z) 20 Very truly I tell you, whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me; and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me.”(AA)
21 After he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit(AB) and testified, “Very truly I tell you, one of you is going to betray me.”(AC)
22 His disciples stared at one another, at a loss to know which of them he meant. 23 One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved,(AD) was reclining next to him. 24 Simon Peter motioned to this disciple and said, “Ask him which one he means.”
25 Leaning back against Jesus, he asked him, “Lord, who is it?”(AE)
26 Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.” Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas,(AF) the son of Simon Iscariot. 27 As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him.(AG)
So Jesus told him, “What you are about to do, do quickly.” 28 But no one at the meal understood why Jesus said this to him. 29 Since Judas had charge of the money,(AH) some thought Jesus was telling him to buy what was needed for the festival,(AI) or to give something to the poor.(AJ) 30 As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out. And it was night.(AK)
Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial(AL)
31 When he was gone, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man(AM) is glorified(AN) and God is glorified in him.(AO) 32 If God is glorified in him,[c] God will glorify the Son in himself,(AP) and will glorify him at once.
33 “My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come.(AQ)
34 “A new command(AR) I give you: Love one another.(AS) As I have loved you, so you must love one another.(AT) 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”(AU)
36 Simon Peter asked him, “Lord, where are you going?”(AV)
Jesus replied, “Where I am going, you cannot follow now,(AW) but you will follow later.”(AX)
37 Peter asked, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.”
38 Then Jesus answered, “Will you really lay down your life for me? Very truly I tell you, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times!(AY)
Footnotes
- John 13:18 Greek has lifted up his heel
- John 13:18 Psalm 41:9
- John 13:32 Many early manuscripts do not have If God is glorified in him.
Contemporary English Version (CEV) 
Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society For more information about CEV, visit www.bibles.com and www.cev.bible.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.