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Jesus Washes His Disciples’ Feet

¹ Before the Passover Festival, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world to the Father.^(C1) Having loved his own who were in the world,^(C2) he loved them to the end.

² Now when it was time for supper, the devil^(C1) had already put it into the heart of Judas,^(C2) Simon Iscariot’s son,^(F1) to betray^(C3) him. ³ Jesus knew that the Father had given everything into his hands,^(C1) that he had come from God,^(C2) and that he was going back to God.^{(C3) 4} So he got up from supper, laid aside his outer clothing,^(C1) took a towel, and tied it around himself.^{(C2) 5} Next, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet and to dry them with the towel tied around him.

⁶ He came to Simon Peter,^(C1) who asked him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”

⁷ Jesus answered him, “What I’m doing you don’t realize now, but afterward you will understand.”

⁸ “You will never wash my feet,” Peter said.

Jesus replied, “If I don’t wash you, you have no part with me.”

⁹ Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not only my feet, but also my hands and my head.”

¹⁰ “One who has bathed,”¹¹ For he knew who would betray him. This is why he said, “Not all of you are clean.”

The Meaning of Foot Washing

¹² When Jesus had washed their feet and put on his outer clothing, he reclined again and said to them, “Do you know what I have done for you?¹³ You call me Teacher and Lord—and you are speaking rightly, since 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.¹⁵ For I have given you an example,

¹⁶ “Truly I tell you, a servant is not greater than his master,¹⁷ If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.

¹⁸ “I’m not speaking about all of you; I know those I have chosen.¹⁹ I am telling you now before it happens,²⁰ Truly I tell you, whoever receives anyone I send receives me, and the one who receives

Judas’s Betrayal Predicted

²¹ When^(C1) Jesus had said this, he was troubled in his spirit^(C2) and testified,^(C3) “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.”

²² The disciples started looking at one another—uncertain which one he was speaking about. ²³ One of his disciples, the one Jesus loved,^(C1) was reclining close beside Jesus.^{(F1) 24} Simon Peter motioned to him to find out who it was he was talking about. ²⁵ So he leaned back against Jesus and asked him, “Lord, who is it?”

²⁶ Jesus replied, “He’s the one I give the piece of bread to after I have dipped it.”²⁷ After Judas ate the piece of bread, Satan^(C1) entered him. So Jesus told him, “What you’re doing, do quickly.”

²⁸ None of those reclining at the table knew why he said this to him. ²⁹ Since Judas^(C1) kept the money-bag, some thought that Jesus was telling him, “Buy what we need for the festival,”^(C2) or that he should give something to the poor. ³⁰ After receiving the piece of bread, he immediately left. And it was night.^(C1)

The New Command

³¹ When^(C1) he had left, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man³² If God is glorified in him,³³ Children, I am with you a little while longer.

³⁴ “I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another.³⁵ By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love

Peter’s Denials Predicted

³⁶ “Lord,” Simon Peter said to him, “where are you going?”

Jesus answered, “Where I am going^(C1) you cannot follow me now, but you will follow later.”

³⁷ “Lord,” Peter asked, “why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life^(C1) for you.”^(C2)

³⁸ Jesus replied, “Will you lay down your life for me? Truly I tell you, a rooster will not crow until you have denied me three times.