Gospel of John – Chapter 13
This is 13 of 21 chapters of the Gospel of John, told from the New Living Translation of the Bible
Chapter 13 – Jesus Washes His Disciples’ Feet
1Before the Passover celebration, Jesus knew that his hour had come to leave this world and return to his Father. He now showed the disciples the full extent of his love.* 2It was time for supper, and the Devil had already enticed Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, to carry out his plan to betray Jesus. 3Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. 4So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, 5and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel he had around him.
6When he came to Simon Peter, Peter said to him, “Lord, why are you going to wash my feet?”
7Jesus replied, “You don’t understand now why I am doing it; someday you will.”
8“No,” Peter protested, “you will never wash my feet!”
Jesus replied, “But if I don’t wash you, you won’t belong to me.”
9Simon Peter exclaimed, “Then wash my hands and head as well, Lord, not just my feet!”
10Jesus replied, “A person who has bathed all over does not need to wash, except for the feet,* to be entirely clean. And you are clean, but that isn’t true of everyone here.” 11For Jesus knew who would betray him. That is what he meant when he said, “Not all of you are clean.”
12After washing their feet, he put on his robe again and sat down and asked, “Do you understand what I was doing? 13You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because it is true. 14And since I, the Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. 15I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you. 16How true it is that a servant is not greater than the master. Nor are messengers more important than the one who sends them. 17You know these things?now do them! That is
the path of blessing.
Jesus Predicts His Betrayal
18“I am not saying these things to all of you; I know so well each one of you I chose. The Scriptures declare, ‘The one who shares my food has turned against me,’* and this will soon come true. 19I tell you this now, so that when it happens you will believe I am the Messiah. 20Truly, anyone who welcomes my messenger is welcoming me, and anyone who welcomes me is welcoming the Father who sent me.”
21Now Jesus was in great anguish of spirit, and he exclaimed, “The truth is, one of you will betray me!”
22The disciples looked at each other, wondering whom he could mean. 23One of Jesus’ disciples, the one Jesus loved, was sitting next to Jesus at the table.* 24Simon Peter motioned to him to ask who would do this terrible thing. 25Leaning toward Jesus, he asked, “Lord, who is it?”
26Jesus said, “It is the one to whom I give the bread dipped in the sauce.” And when he had dipped it, he gave it to Judas, son of Simon Iscariot. 27As soon as Judas had eaten the bread, Satan entered into him. Then Jesus told him, “Hurry. Do it now.” 28None of the others at the table knew what Jesus meant. 29Since Judas was their treasurer, some thought Jesus was telling him to go and pay for the food or to give some money to the poor. 30So Judas left at once, going out into the night.
Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial
31As soon as Judas left the room, Jesus said, “The time has come for me, the Son of Man, to enter into my glory, and God will receive glory because of all that happens to me. 32And God will bring* me into my glory very soon. 33Dear children, how brief are these moments before I must go away and leave you! Then, though you search for me, you cannot come to me?just as I told the Jewish leaders. 34So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. 35Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”
36Simon Peter said, “Lord, where are you going?”
And Jesus replied, “You can’t go with me now, but you will follow me later.”
37“But why can’t I come now, Lord?” he asked. “I am ready to die for you.”
38Jesus answered, “Die for me? No, before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me.