ዮሐንስ 13

Jesus washes the disciples’ feet

¹It was just before the Passover festival. Jesus knew that his hour had come, the hour for him to pass from this world to the Father. He had loved his own who were in the world, and he loved them to the end.^{a 2}Supper was under way, and the devil had already put the thought of betraying Jesus into the heart of Judas, son of Simon Iscariot. ³Jesus knew that the Father had put everything into his hands. He knew too that he had come out from God and was on his way back to God. ⁴He got up from the meal, put aside his outer garments, took a towel and tied it around his waist.^{bc 5}Next he poured water into the basin and began washing the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had tied around himself. ⁶He came to Simon Peter. Peter said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” ⁷Jesus answered him, “You do not know yet what I am doing, but after this you will come to know it.” ⁸Peter said to him, “You are never going to wash my feet, not ever!” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you can have no share with me.” ⁹Simon Peter said to him, “Then, Lord, not just my feet! My hands and my head as well!” ¹⁰Jesus said to him, “Anyone who has bathed needs nothing more than to wash the feet, and is clean all over. And you are clean, yet not all of you.”^{de 11}For he knew who was going to betray him; this is the reason he said, “Not all of you are clean.”

An example to follow

¹²When Jesus had washed their feet, he put his outer clothes back on and took his place at the table. Then he spoke to them again: “Do you understand what I have done for you?^{fg 13}You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because that is what I am. ¹⁴So if I, the Lord and the Teacher, have washed your feet, then you too have a duty to wash each other’s feet.^{h 15}What I gave you was an example, so that you also would do as I have done for you. ¹⁶Truly, truly, I tell you, a servant is not greater than his master, and one who is sent is not greater than the one who sent him. ¹⁷Now you know these things; you are blessed if you act on them. ¹⁸I am not speaking of all of you. I know the ones I chose. But it is happening so that the Scripture may be fulfilled: ‘The one who eats my bread has raised his heel against me.’ ¹⁹From now on I am telling you before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I am.^{i 20}Truly, truly, I tell you, anyone who welcomes someone I send welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.”

One of you will betray me

²¹After saying this, Jesus was troubled in spirit, and he solemnly declared, “Truly, truly, I tell you, one of you is going to betray me.” ²²The disciples looked at one another, puzzled, unable to tell which of them he meant. ²³One of his disciples, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining close beside him. ²⁴So Simon Peter signaled to him to find out who it could be that he meant.^{j 25}Leaning back against Jesus’s chest as he lay, the disciple asked him, “Lord, who is it?” ²⁶Jesus answered, “I will dip this piece of bread and give it to someone; he is the one.” So he dipped the bread and gave it to Judas, son of Simon Iscariot.^{kl 27}Once Judas had received the bread, Satan entered into him. So Jesus told him, “Do quickly what you are doing.” ²⁸But none of those at the table understood what he meant by saying this to him. ²⁹Since Judas kept the money box, some thought Jesus was telling him, “Buy what we need for the festival,” or that he was to give something to the poor. ³⁰So once he had taken the piece of bread, Judas went straight out. And it was night.

A new commandment

³¹When Judas had gone out, Jesus said, “The Son of Man has now been glorified, and in him God has been glorified. ³²If God has been glorified in him, God will glorify him in himself as well, and he will do it without delay.^{mn 33}Little children, I am with you for only a short time more. You will search for me, and what I said to the Jews I now say to you as well: ‘You cannot come where I am going.’ ³⁴I am giving you a new commandment: love one another. In the same way that I have loved you, you too must love one another. ³⁵If you have love for one another, everyone will know by this that you are my disciples.”

Peter’s denial foretold

³⁶Simon Peter asked him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered, “You cannot follow me now to the place where I am going, but later you will follow.”^{o 37}Peter said to him, “Lord, why can I not follow you right now? I will lay down my life for you.” ³⁸Jesus answered, “Will you really lay down your life for me? Truly, truly, I tell you, no rooster will crow before you have denied me three times.”