Gospel of John
John 13
Love One Another
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Before you Read
John 13 takes us into the final evening Jesus spends with His disciples before the cross. During the meal, He washes their feet, speaks of betrayal, and gives them a new command to love one another as He has loved them. As you read, notice how Jesus shows that true greatness is expressed through humble service and self-giving love, even as He prepares His disciples for what is about to happen.
Read John 13
Jesus Washes His Disciples’ Feet
1 It was now just before the Passover Feast, and Jesus knew that His hour had come to leave this world and return to the Father. Having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the very end.
2 The evening meal was underway, and the devil had already put into the heart of Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus.
3 Jesus knew that the Father had delivered all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was returning to God.
4 So He got up from the supper, laid aside His outer garments, and wrapped a towel around His waist.
5 After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and dry them with the towel that was around Him.
6 He came to Simon Peter, who asked 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.”
8 “Never shall You wash my feet!” Peter told Him. Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with Me.”
9 “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not only my feet, but my hands and my head as well!”
10 Jesus told him, “Whoever has already bathed needs only to wash his feet, and he will be completely clean. And you are clean, though not all of you.”
11 For He knew who would betray Him. That is why He said, “Not all of you are clean.”
12 When Jesus had washed their feet and put on His outer garments, He reclined with them again and asked, “Do you know what I have done for you?
13 You call Me Teacher and Lord, and rightly so, because I am.
14 So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.
15 I have set you an example so that you should do as I have done for you.
16 Truly, truly, I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.
17 If you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
Jesus Predicts His Betrayal
(Psalm 41:1–13)
18 I am not speaking about all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But this is to fulfill the Scripture: ‘The one who shares My bread has lifted up his heel against Me.’
19 I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it comes to pass, you will believe that I am He.
20 Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever receives the one I send receives Me, and whoever receives Me receives the One who sent Me.”
21 After Jesus had said this, He became troubled in spirit and testified, “Truly, truly, I tell you, one of you will betray Me.”
22 The disciples looked at one another, perplexed as to which of them He meant.
23 One of His disciples, the one whom Jesus loved, was reclining at His side.
24 So Simon Peter motioned to him to ask Jesus which one He was talking about.
25 Leaning back against Jesus, he asked, “Lord, who is it?”
26 Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I give this morsel after I have dipped it.” Then He dipped the morsel and gave it to Judas son of Simon Iscariot.
27 And when Judas had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Then Jesus said to Judas, “What you are about to do, do quickly.”
28 But no one at the table knew why Jesus had said this to him.
29 Since Judas kept the money bag, some thought that Jesus was telling him to buy what was needed for the feast, or to give something to the poor.
30 As soon as he had received the morsel, Judas went out into the night.
Love One Another
(Romans 12:9–13; 1 John 3:11–24)
31 When Judas had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in Him.
32 If God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify the Son in Himself — and will glorify Him at once.
33 Little children, I am with you only a little while longer. You will look for Me, and as I said to the Jews, so now I say to you: ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’
34 A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you also must love one another.
35 By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.”
Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial
(Matthew 26:31–35; Mark 14:27–31; Luke 22:31–38)
36 “Lord, where are You going?” Simon Peter asked. Jesus answered, “Where I am going, you cannot follow Me now, but you will follow later.”
37 “Lord,” said Peter, “why can’t I follow You now? I will lay down my life for You.”
38 “Will you lay down your life for Me?” Jesus replied. “Truly, truly, I tell you, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.
Footnotes:
13:1 Or He showed them the full extent of His love.
13:16 Cited in John 15:20
13:18 Psalm 41:9
13:23 Greek was reclining in the bosom of Jesus
13:32 WH does not include If God is glorified in Him.
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A Word Worth Knowing
Servant — δοῦλος (Doulos)
The Greek word doulos means “servant” or “slave.” In John 13, Jesus uses the language of service after washing His disciples’ feet, taking the role that would normally have belonged to someone of much lower status.
The disciples call Jesus Teacher and Lord, yet He kneels before them and performs an ordinary, humble task. Then He tells them that a servant is not greater than his master.
Throughout John 13, Jesus shows that greatness in His kingdom is not about status or recognition. It is expressed through humility, love, and a willingness to serve others.
So when Jesus speaks about being a servant, He is not lowering the importance of His followers. He is showing them what life shaped by His example is meant to look like.
Look for This as You Read
Jesus washing the disciples’ feet.
The example of humble service.
The betrayal Jesus knows is coming.
The command to love one another.
Peter’s confidence—and Jesus’ warning.
Take This With You
Reflection:
What does Jesus washing His disciples’ feet teach you about the kind of love and humility He calls His followers to show one another?
Step Into Their World
Washing feet was the work of a servant
Roads in Jesus’ world were dusty, and people usually traveled in sandals. When guests entered a home, providing water for their feet was an ordinary act of hospitality. In wealthier households, the actual washing could be performed by a servant.
That makes what happens in John 13 startling. During the meal, Jesus gets up, removes His outer garment, wraps a towel around Himself, pours water into a basin, and begins washing His disciples’ feet.
The Teacher and Lord takes the position of a servant.
Peter’s protest helps us hear how uncomfortable the reversal would have felt. This was not the role he expected Jesus to take. Yet Jesus deliberately performs the task and then tells His disciples to follow His example.
The timing makes the scene even more powerful. Jesus knows that betrayal, denial, and the cross are approaching—and He even washes the feet of Judas.
Against that background, Jesus’ command to “love one another” becomes much more than a warm sentiment. He has just shown them what His kind of love looks like: humble, practical, willing to serve, and given even when it costs something.
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