John 13 Bible in Basic English
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 Now before the feast of the Passover, it was clear to Jesus that the time had come for him to go away from this world to the Father. Having once had love for those in the world who were his, his love for them went on to the end.
1 Πρὸ δὲ τῆς ἑορτῆς τοῦ πάσχα εἰδὼς ὁ Ἰησοῦς ὅτι ἐλήλυθεν αὐτοῦ ἡ ὥρα ἵνα μεταβῇ ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου τούτου πρὸς τὸν πατέρα, ἀγαπήσας τοὺς ἰδίους τοὺς ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ, εἰς τέλος ἠγάπησεν αὐτούς.
2 So while a meal was going on, the Evil One having now put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to be false to him,
2 καὶ δείπνου γενομένου, τοῦ διαβόλου ἤδη βεβληκότος εἰς τὴν καρδίαν Ἰούδα Σίμωνος Ἰσκαριώτου ἵνα αὐτὸν παραδῷ,
3 Jesus, being conscious that the Father had put everything into his hands, and that he came from God and was going to God,
3 εἰδὼς ὁ Ἰησοῦς ὅτι πάντα δέδωκεν αὐτῷ ὁ πατὴρ εἰς τὰς χεῖρας, καὶ ὅτι ἀπὸ Θεοῦ ἐξῆλθε καὶ πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν ὑπάγει,
4 Got up from table, put off his robe and took a cloth and put it round him.
4 ἐγείρεται ἐκ τοῦ δείπνου καὶ τίθησι τὰ ἱμάτια, καὶ λαβὼν λέντιον διέζωσεν ἑαυτόν.
5 Then he put water into a basin and was washing the feet of the disciples and drying them with the cloth which was round him.
5 εἶτα βάλλει ὕδωρ εἰς τὸν νιπτῆρα, καὶ ἤρξατο νίπτειν τοὺς πόδας τῶν μαθητῶν καὶ ἐκμάσσειν τῷ λεντίῳ ᾧ ἦν διεζωσμένος.
6 So he came to Simon Peter. Peter said, Lord, are my feet to be washed by you?
6 ἔρχεται οὖν πρὸς Σίμωνα Πέτρον, καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ ἐκεῖνος· Κύριε, σύ μου νίπτεις τοὺς πόδας;
7 And Jesus, answering, said to him, What I do is not clear to you now, but it will be clear to you in time to come.
7 ἀπεκρίθη Ἰησοῦς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· ὃ ἐγὼ ποιῶ, σὺ οὐκ οἶδας ἄρτι, γνώσῃ δὲ μετὰ ταῦτα.
8 Peter said, I will never let my feet be washed by you, never. Jesus said in answer, If I do not make you clean you have no part with me.
8 λέγει αὐτῷ Πέτρος· οὐ μὴ νίψῃς τοὺς πόδας μου εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα. ἀπεκρίθη αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς· ἐὰν μὴ νίψω σε, οὐκ ἔχεις μέρος μετ᾽ ἐμοῦ.
9 Simon Peter said to him, Lord, not my feet only, but my hands and my head.
9 λέγει αὐτῷ Σίμων Πέτρος· Κύριε, μὴ τοὺς πόδας μου μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰς χεῖρας καὶ τὴν κεφαλήν.
10 Jesus said to him, He who is bathed has need only to have his feet washed and then he is clean all over: and you, my disciples, are clean, but not all of you.
10 λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς· ὁ λελουμένος οὐ χρείαν ἔχει ἢ τοὺς πόδας νίψασθαι, ἀλλ᾽ ἔστι καθαρὸς ὅλος· καὶ ὑμεῖς καθαροί ἐστε, ἀλλ᾽ οὐχὶ πάντες.
11 (He had knowledge who was false to him; that is why he said, You are not all clean.)
11 ᾔδει γὰρ τὸν παραδιδόντα αὐτόν· διὰ τοῦτο εἶπεν· οὐχὶ πάντες καθαροί ἐστε.
12 Then, after washing their feet and putting on his robe again, he took his seat and said to them, Do you see what I have done to you?
12 Ὅτε οὖν ἔνιψε τοὺς πόδας αὐτῶν καὶ ἔλαβε τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτοῦ, ἀναπεσὼν πάλιν εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· γινώσκετε τί πεποίηκα ὑμῖν;
13 You give me the name of Master and Lord: and you are right; that is what I am.
13 ὑμεῖς φωνεῖτέ με, ὁ Διδάσκαλος καὶ ὁ Κύριος, καὶ καλῶς λέγετε· εἰμὶ γάρ.
14 If then I, the Lord and the Master, have made your feet clean, it is right for you to make one another's feet clean.
14 εἰ οὖν ἐγὼ ἔνιψα ὑμῶν τοὺς πόδας, ὁ Κύριος καὶ ὁ Διδάσκαλος, καὶ ὑμεῖς ὀφείλετε ἀλλήλων νίπτειν τοὺς πόδας.
15 I have given you an example, so that you may do what I have done to you.
15 ὑπόδειγμα γὰρ δέδωκα ὑμῖν, ἵνα καθὼς ἐγὼ ἐποίησα ὑμῖν, καὶ ὑμεῖς ποιῆτε·
16 Truly I say to you, A servant is not greater than his lord; and he who is sent is not greater than the one who sent him.
16 ἀμὴν ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, οὐκ ἔστι δοῦλος μείζων τοῦ κυρίου αὐτοῦ, οὐδὲ ἀπόστολος μείζων τοῦ πέμψαντος αὐτόν.
17 If these things are clear to you, happy are you if you do them.
17 εἰ ταῦτα οἴδατε, μακάριοί ἐστε ἐὰν ποιῆτε αὐτά.
18 I am not talking of you all: I have knowledge of my true disciples, but things are as they are, so that the Writings may come true, The foot of him who takes bread with me is lifted up against me.
18 οὐ περὶ πάντων ὑμῶν λέγω· ἐγὼ οἶδα οὓς ἐξελεξάμην· ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα ἡ γραφὴ πληρωθῇ, ὁ τρώγων μετ᾽ ἐμοῦ τὸν ἄρτον ἐπῆρεν ἐπ᾽ ἐμὲ τὴν πτέρναν αὐτοῦ.
19 From this time forward, I give you knowledge of things before they come about, so that when they come about you may have belief that I am he.
19 ἀπ᾽ ἄρτι λέγω ὑμῖν πρὸ τοῦ γενέσθαι, ἵνα ὅταν γένηται πιστεύσητε ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι.
20 Truly I say to you, He who takes to his heart anyone whom I send, takes me to his heart; and he who so takes me, takes him who sent me.
20 ἀμὴν ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, ὁ λαμβάνων ἐάν τινα πέμψω, ἐμὲ λαμβάνει, ὁ δὲ ἐμὲ λαμβάνων λαμβάνει τὸν πέμψαντά με.
21 When Jesus had said this he was troubled in spirit, and gave witness, saying, Truly I say to you, that one of you will be false to me.
21 Ταῦτα εἰπὼν ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐταράχθη τῷ πνεύματι, καὶ ἐμαρτύρησε καὶ εἶπεν· ἀμὴν ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι εἷς ἐξ ὑμῶν παραδώσει με.
22 Then the eyes of the disciples were turned on one another, in doubt as to whom he had in mind.
22 ἔβλεπον οὖν εἰς ἀλλήλους οἱ μαθηταί, ἀπορούμενοι περὶ τίνος λέγει.
23 There was at table one of his disciples, the one dear to Jesus, resting his head on Jesus' breast.
23 ἦν δὲ ἀνακείμενος εἷς ἐκ τῶν μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ ἐν τῷ κόλπῳ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ, ὃν ἠγάπα ὁ Ἰησοῦς·
24 Making a sign to him, Simon Peter said, Who is it he is talking about?
24 νεύει οὖν τούτῳ Σίμων Πέτρος πυθέσθαι τίς ἂν εἴη περὶ οὗ λέγει.
25 He, then, resting his head on Jesus' breast, said to him, Lord, who is it?
25 ἐπιπεσὼν δὲ ἐκεῖνος ἐπὶ τὸ στῆθος τοῦ Ἰησοῦ λέγει αὐτῷ· Κύριε, τίς ἐστιν;
26 This was the answer Jesus gave: It is the one to whom I will give this bit of bread after I have put it in the vessel. Then he took the bit of bread, put it into the vessel, and gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot.
26 ἀποκρίνεται ὁ Ἰησοῦς· ἐκεῖνός ἐστιν ᾧ ἐγὼ βάψας τὸ ψωμίον ἐπιδώσω. καὶ ἐμβάψας τὸ ψωμίον δίδωσιν Ἰούδᾳ Σίμωνος Ἰσκαριώτῃ.
27 And when Judas took the bread Satan went into him. Then Jesus said to him, Do quickly what you have to do.
27 καὶ μετὰ τὸ ψωμίον τότε εἰσῆλθεν εἰς ἐκεῖνον ὁ σατανᾶς. λέγει οὖν αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς· ὃ ποιεῖς, ποίησον τάχιον.
28 Now it was not clear to anyone at table why he said this to him.
28 τοῦτο δὲ οὐδεὶς ἔγνω τῶν ἀνακειμένων πρὸς τί εἶπεν αὐτῷ·
29 Some were of the opinion that because Judas kept the money-bag Jesus said to him, Get the things we have need of for the feast; or, that he was to give something to the poor.
29 τινὲς γὰρ ἐδόκουν, ἐπεὶ τὸ γλωσσόκομον εἶχεν ὁ Ἰούδας, ὅτι λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς, ἀγόρασον ὧν χρείαν ἔχομεν εἰς τὴν ἑορτήν, ἢ τοῖς πτωχοῖς ἵνα τι δῷ.
30 So Judas, having taken the bit of bread, straight away went out: and it was night.
30 λαβὼν οὖν τὸ ψωμίον ἐκεῖνος εὐθέως ἐξῆλθεν· ἦν δὲ νύξ.
31 Then when he had gone out, Jesus said, Now is glory given to the Son of man, and God is given glory in him.
31 Ὅτε [οὖν] ἐξῆλθε, λέγει ὁ Ἰησοῦς· νῦν ἐδοξάσθη ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου, καὶ ὁ Θεὸς ἐδοξάσθη ἐν αὐτῷ.
32 If God is given glory in him, God will give him glory in himself, and will give him glory even now.
32 εἰ ὁ Θεὸς ἐδοξάσθη ἐν αὐτῷ, καὶ ὁ Θεὸς δοξάσει αὐτὸν ἐν ἑαυτῷ, καὶ εὐθὺς δοξάσει αὐτόν.
33 My dear children, I am only to be with you a little longer. Then you will be looking for me: and as I said to the Jews, so now I say to you, Where I am going you may not come.
33 τεκνία, ἔτι μικρὸν μεθ᾽ ὑμῶν εἰμι. ζητήσετέ με, καὶ καθὼς εἶπον τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις ὅτι ὅπου ὑπάγω ἐγώ, ὑμεῖς οὐ δύνασθε ἐλθεῖν, καὶ ὑμῖν λέγω ἄρτι.
34 I give you a new law: Have love one for another; even as I have had love for you, so are you to have love one for another.
34 ἐντολὴν καινὴν δίδωμι ὑμῖν ἵνα ἀγαπᾶτε ἀλλήλους, καθὼς ἠγάπησα ὑμᾶς ἵνα καὶ ὑμεῖς ἀγαπᾶτε ἀλλήλους.
35 By this it will be clear to all men that you are my disciples, if you have love one for another.
35 ἐν τούτῳ γνώσονται πάντες ὅτι ἐμοὶ μαθηταί ἐστε, ἐὰν ἀγάπην ἔχητε ἐν ἀλλήλοις.
36 Simon Peter said to him, Lord, where are you going? Jesus said in answer, Where I am going you may not come with me now, but you will come later.
36 λέγει αὐτῷ Σίμων Πέτρος· Κύριε, ποῦ ὑπάγεις; ἀπεκρίθη αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς· ὅπου ἐγὼ ὑπάγω, οὐ δύνασαί μοι νῦν ἀκολουθῆσαι, ὕστερον δὲ ἀκολουθήσεις μοι.
37 Peter said to him, Why may I not come with you even now? I will give up my life for you.
37 λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ Πέτρος· Κύριε, διατί οὐ δύναμαί σοι ἀκολουθῆσαι ἄρτι; τὴν ψυχήν μου ὑπὲρ σοῦ θήσω.
38 Jesus said in answer, Will you give up your life for me? Truly I say to you, Before the cry of the cock you will have said three times that you are not my disciple.
38 ἀπεκρίθη αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς· τὴν ψυχήν σου ὑπὲρ ἐμοῦ θήσεις! ἀμὴν ἀμὴν λέγω σοι, οὐ μὴ ἀλέκτωρ φωνήσει ἕως οὗ ἀπαρνήσῃ με τρίς.
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Simon
Named in John 6:71, 13:2 and 13:26 as the father of Judas Iscariot.
Cited in the guide: John 6:71; John 13:2; John 13:26
Cross references (37)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 John 12:23; 1 John 4:19; John 13:34; John 13:3; John 16:28
- 2 James 1:13–17; Acts 5:3; John 6:70–71; John 13:26–27; Luke 22:31
- 3 John 3:35; Matthew 11:27; Hebrews 1:2; Matthew 28:18; John 17:2
- 4 2 Corinthians 8:9; Luke 22:27; Luke 12:37; Philippians 2:6–8; Luke 17:7
- 5 Luke 7:44; Psalm 51:2; 1 Timothy 5:10; Genesis 18:4; Genesis 19:2
- 6 John 1:27; Matthew 3:11–14; Luke 5:8
- 7 Daniel 12:8; John 12:16; John 14:26; James 5:7–11; John 13:10–12
- 8 Titus 3:5; Ezekiel 36:25; Acts 22:16; Ephesians 5:26; Hebrews 10:22
- 9 Psalm 51:2; Psalm 51:7; Psalm 26:6; 1 Peter 3:21; Hebrews 10:22
- 10 John 15:3; 2 Corinthians 7:1; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Numbers 19:19–21; Ephesians 5:26–27
- 11 John 13:26; John 13:18; John 13:21; John 13:2; John 2:25
- 12 John 13:7; John 13:4; Ezekiel 24:24; Ezekiel 24:19; Matthew 13:51
- 13 Luke 6:46; 1 Corinthians 12:3; Philippians 2:11; John 11:28; Romans 14:8–9
- 14 1 Peter 5:5; Acts 20:35; Romans 12:16; Galatians 5:13; Luke 22:26–27
- 15 1 John 2:6; Matthew 11:29; 1 Peter 2:21; 1 Peter 3:17–18; Ephesians 5:2
- 16 Luke 6:40; John 15:20; Matthew 10:24–25; John 3:5; John 3:3
- 17 Luke 11:28; James 4:17; James 1:25; Matthew 7:24–25; Ezekiel 36:27
- 18 Psalm 41:9; Matthew 26:23; John 17:12; Mark 14:20; John 13:26
- 19 Isaiah 43:10; John 14:29; Revelation 1:17–18; John 16:4; John 8:23–24
- 20 Luke 10:16; Luke 9:48; Mark 9:37; Matthew 25:40; Matthew 10:40–42
- 21 Matthew 26:21; John 13:18; Mark 14:18; John 12:27; Acts 1:16–17
- 22 Luke 22:23; Mark 14:19; Matthew 26:22; Genesis 42:1
- 23 John 19:26; John 20:2; John 21:20; John 21:7; Revelation 1:16–18
- 24 Acts 13:16; Acts 12:17; Luke 1:22; Luke 5:7; Acts 21:40
- 25 John 21:20; Genesis 44:4–12; Esther 7:5
- 26 Matthew 26:23; John 13:30; Luke 22:21; Mark 14:19–20; John 6:70–71
- 27 Luke 22:3; John 13:2; Acts 5:3; Matthew 12:45; Proverbs 1:16
- 29 Acts 20:34–35; John 12:5–6; Ephesians 4:28; John 13:1; Galatians 2:10
- 30 Isaiah 59:7; Proverbs 4:16; Romans 3:15; Luke 22:53; Job 24:13–15
- 31 1 Peter 4:11; John 14:13; John 7:39; 1 Peter 1:21; John 16:14
- 32 Revelation 22:3; Revelation 22:1; John 17:1; John 17:4–6; John 12:23
- 33 John 7:33–34; 1 John 2:1; John 16:16–22; John 8:21–24; John 12:35–36
- 34 Ephesians 5:2; Leviticus 19:18; John 15:17; 1 Peter 1:22; 1 John 3:23
- 35 1 John 4:20–21; 1 John 2:10; 1 John 3:10–14; John 17:21; 1 John 2:5
- 36 2 Peter 1:14; John 21:21–22; John 13:33; John 14:2; John 21:18–19
- 37 Acts 20:24; Acts 21:13; John 21:15; Mark 14:27–31; Matthew 26:31–35
- 38 Luke 22:34; Matthew 26:34; Mark 14:30; Proverbs 16:18; Matthew 26:69–75
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
The Lord's Supper, as set forth in John, must, with His assistance, be unfolded in a becoming number of Lectures, and explained with all the ability He is pleased to grant us.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 7 (1888)
"Be ye imitators of me," said Paul, "as I also am of Christ." ( 1 Cor. xi. 1.) For on this account He took also flesh of our substance, that by means of it He might teach us virtue.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 14 (1889)
Now in the last days, when the fulness of the time of liberty had arrived, the Word Himself did by Himself "wash away the filth of the daughters of Zion," when He washed the disciples' feet with His own hands. For this is the end of the human race inheriting God; that as in the beginning, by means of our …
"The devil," saith the Scripture, "entered into the heart of Judas, that he should betray the Lord." One may say then, what have I done?
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 6 (1888)
For so he too would have forbidden Him to wash his feet, but when he had heard, "What I do thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter," and "thou hast no part with me," he speedily withdrew from his determination, and went over to the contrary.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)