New International Reader s Version - NIrV - 1996
John 13
1
It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world. It was time for him to go to the Father. Jesus loved his disciples who were in the world. So he now showed them how much he really loved them.
Reference
Love
1 John 4:19
John 13:34
Revelation 1:5
Parallel theme
John 16:28
John 17:16
Hebrews 3:14
References Jesus
John 12:23
John 13:3
1 Corinthians 1:8
John 18:4
2
The evening meal was being served. The devil had already tempted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon. He had told Judas to hand Jesus over to his enemies.
Reference
Parallel theme
Acts 5:3
3
Jesus knew that the Father had put everything under his power. He also knew he had come from God and was returning to God.
Reference
Parallel theme
John 3:35
Matthew 11:27
Hebrews 1:2
John 17:2
1 Corinthians 15:27
References Jesus
Matthew 28:18
John 8:42
4
So he got up from the meal and took off his outer clothes. He wrapped a towel around his waist.
Reference
5
After that, he poured water into a large bowl. Then he began to wash his disciples' feet. He dried them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
Reference
6
He came to Simon Peter. "Lord," Peter said to him, "are you going to wash my feet?"
8
"No," said Peter. "You will never wash my feet." Jesus answered, "Unless I wash you, you can't share life with me."
Reference
Parallel theme
Hebrews 10:22
Acts 22:16
Titus 3:5
Ephesians 5:26
Ezekiel 36:25
Revelation 7:14
Isaiah 4:4
Colossians 2:23
References Jesus
1 Corinthians 6:11
Revelation 1:5
10
Jesus answered, "A person who has had a bath needs to wash only his feet. The rest of his body is clean. And you are clean. But not all of you are."
Reference
11
Jesus knew who was going to hand him over to his enemies. That was why he said not every one was clean.
Reference
12
When Jesus finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes. Then he returned to his place. "Do you understand what I have done for you?" he asked them.
Reference
13
"You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord.' You are right. That is what I am.
Reference
Parallel theme
John 11:28
References Lord
Luke 6:46
1 Corinthians 12:3
Philippians 2:11
1 Corinthians 8:6
Philippians 3:8
14
I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet. So you also should wash one another's feet.
Reference
Parallel theme
1 Peter 5:5
Galatians 5:13
Romans 12:16
1 Peter 4:1
1 Corinthians 8:13
Hebrews 12:2
2 Corinthians 10:1
References Lord
Acts 20:35
2 Corinthians 8:9
16
"What I'm about to tell you is true. A servant is not more important than his master. And a messenger is not more important than the one who sends him.
Reference
18
"I am not talking about all of you. I know those I have chosen. But this will happen so that Scripture will come true. It says, 'The one who shares my bread has deserted me.'--(Psalm 41:9)
Reference
19
"I am telling you now, before it happens. When it does happen, you will believe that I am he.
Reference
Faith
Isaiah 43:10
John 14:29
Parallel theme
John 16:4
Malachi 3:1
Isaiah 48:5
Matthew 11:3
Matthew 24:25
John 8:58
20
What I'm about to tell you is true. Anyone who accepts someone I send accepts me. And anyone who accepts me accepts the One who sent me."
Reference
21
After he had said this, Jesus' spirit was troubled. Here is the witness he gave. "What I'm about to tell you is true," he said. "One of you is going to hand me over to my enemies."
Reference
23
The disciple Jesus loved was next to him at the table.
Reference
Love
John 19:26
John 21:20
John 21:7
John 20:2
John 11:3
John 11:36
John 11:5
Parallel theme
2 Samuel 12:3
24
Simon Peter motioned to that disciple. He said, "Ask Jesus which one he means."
25
The disciple was leaning back against Jesus. He asked him, "Lord, who is it?"
Reference
References Jesus
John 21:20
26
Jesus answered, "It is the one I will give this piece of bread to. I will give it to him after I have dipped it in the dish." He dipped the piece of bread. Then he gave it to Judas Iscariot, son of Simon.
Reference
27
As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him. "Do quickly what you are going to do," Jesus told him.
Reference
28
But no one at the meal understood why Jesus said this to him.
29
Judas was in charge of the money. So some of the disciples thought Jesus was telling him to buy what was needed for the Feast. Others thought Jesus was talking about giving something to poor people.
30
As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out. And it was night.
Reference
Parallel theme
Isaiah 59:7
31
After Judas was gone, Jesus spoke. He said, "Now the Son of Man receives glory. And he brings glory to God.
Reference
Glory
John 14:13
1 Peter 4:11
John 7:39
Acts 3:13
John 11:4
John 12:23
1 Peter 1:21
Parallel theme
John 16:14
References God
Ephesians 3:10
References Jesus
Acts 2:36
32
If the Son brings glory to God, God himself will bring glory to the Son. God will do it at once.
Reference
33
"My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me. Just as I told the Jews, so I am telling you now. You can't come where I am going.
34
"I give you a new command. Love one another. You must love one another, just as I have loved you.
Reference
Love
Ephesians 5:2
Leviticus 19:18
John 15:17
1 Peter 1:22
1 John 3:23
James 2:8
1 Thessalonians 3:12
Romans 12:10
Parallel theme
Galatians 6:10
Word
Galatians 6:2
36
Simon Peter asked him, "Lord, where are you going?" Jesus replied, "Where I am going you can't follow now. But you will follow me later."
Reference
Summary of John 13
John 13 begins the final section of John's Gospel, as Jesus gathers with His disciples shortly before His crucifixion and prepares them for His departure through servant leadership, sacrificial love, and warnings about betrayal and denial.
The chapter opens during the period leading up to Passover, when Jesus knows that His hour has arrived and that He will soon leave the world and return to the Father.
Although Jesus fully understands the suffering, betrayal, and death ahead of Him, John emphasizes that He continues to love His disciples to the end.
During the evening meal, Jesus unexpectedly gets up, removes His outer clothing, wraps a towel around Himself, pours water into a basin, and begins washing the disciples' feet.
This is a remarkable act of humility because foot washing was normally associated with servants, yet Jesus is their Lord and Teacher.
Peter is uncomfortable with Jesus taking such a low position and initially refuses to let Him wash his feet.
Jesus explains that Peter does not yet understand what He is doing but will understand later, showing that the physical act represents something deeper about receiving Jesus' cleansing and sharing in His life.
After washing their feet, Jesus explains that if their Lord and Teacher has served them in this way, they should also serve one another.
He gives them His own behavior as an example and teaches that true greatness in His kingdom is demonstrated through humble service rather than status or authority.
Jesus then makes clear that He knows one of the disciples will betray Him.
Although He knows Judas' intentions, Jesus continues to act with deliberate love and gives the disciples an opportunity to understand what is happening.
Eventually Jesus identifies Judas by giving him a piece of bread.
After Judas receives it, Satan enters into him, and Judas leaves to carry out the betrayal.
John deliberately ends this section with the statement that it was night, creating a symbolic contrast between the darkness outside and the light that Jesus represents.
Once Judas leaves, Jesus speaks about His glorification and the Father's glorification through Him.
The betrayal, arrest, crucifixion, and resurrection that are about to happen will not ultimately represent defeat but will become the path through which Jesus' mission reaches its climax.
Jesus then tells the disciples that He will be with them only a little longer and gives them a central commandment: they must love one another as He has loved them.
This command is more than a general instruction to be kind because Jesus makes His own sacrificial love the standard for how His followers should treat one another.
He explains that this love will become a visible sign by which people recognize His disciples.
The chapter then turns toward Peter's coming denial.
Peter asks where Jesus is going and confidently declares that he is willing to lay down his life for Him.
Jesus knows Peter's sincerity but also knows Peter's weakness, and He tells him that before the rooster crows, Peter will deny Him three times.
John 13 therefore presents a powerful contrast between Jesus' perfect faithfulness and human weakness.
Jesus knows that Judas will betray Him, yet He continues to serve.
Jesus knows that Peter will deny Him, yet He continues to prepare Peter for future discipleship.
Jesus knows that His own death is approaching, yet He responds not with fear or selfishness but with humility, service, love, and obedience to the Father.
The chapter's central message is that Jesus' followers are called to imitate His servant-hearted love, placing others above themselves and demonstrating their relationship with Him through practical, sacrificial love.
At the same time, the chapter reminds us that discipleship does not depend on human confidence alone, because even sincere followers can fail; what ultimately distinguishes Jesus is that He remains faithful even when those closest to Him betray, abandon, or deny Him.
The chapter opens during the period leading up to Passover, when Jesus knows that His hour has arrived and that He will soon leave the world and return to the Father.
Although Jesus fully understands the suffering, betrayal, and death ahead of Him, John emphasizes that He continues to love His disciples to the end.
During the evening meal, Jesus unexpectedly gets up, removes His outer clothing, wraps a towel around Himself, pours water into a basin, and begins washing the disciples' feet.
This is a remarkable act of humility because foot washing was normally associated with servants, yet Jesus is their Lord and Teacher.
Peter is uncomfortable with Jesus taking such a low position and initially refuses to let Him wash his feet.
Jesus explains that Peter does not yet understand what He is doing but will understand later, showing that the physical act represents something deeper about receiving Jesus' cleansing and sharing in His life.
After washing their feet, Jesus explains that if their Lord and Teacher has served them in this way, they should also serve one another.
He gives them His own behavior as an example and teaches that true greatness in His kingdom is demonstrated through humble service rather than status or authority.
Jesus then makes clear that He knows one of the disciples will betray Him.
Although He knows Judas' intentions, Jesus continues to act with deliberate love and gives the disciples an opportunity to understand what is happening.
Eventually Jesus identifies Judas by giving him a piece of bread.
After Judas receives it, Satan enters into him, and Judas leaves to carry out the betrayal.
John deliberately ends this section with the statement that it was night, creating a symbolic contrast between the darkness outside and the light that Jesus represents.
Once Judas leaves, Jesus speaks about His glorification and the Father's glorification through Him.
The betrayal, arrest, crucifixion, and resurrection that are about to happen will not ultimately represent defeat but will become the path through which Jesus' mission reaches its climax.
Jesus then tells the disciples that He will be with them only a little longer and gives them a central commandment: they must love one another as He has loved them.
This command is more than a general instruction to be kind because Jesus makes His own sacrificial love the standard for how His followers should treat one another.
He explains that this love will become a visible sign by which people recognize His disciples.
The chapter then turns toward Peter's coming denial.
Peter asks where Jesus is going and confidently declares that he is willing to lay down his life for Him.
Jesus knows Peter's sincerity but also knows Peter's weakness, and He tells him that before the rooster crows, Peter will deny Him three times.
John 13 therefore presents a powerful contrast between Jesus' perfect faithfulness and human weakness.
Jesus knows that Judas will betray Him, yet He continues to serve.
Jesus knows that Peter will deny Him, yet He continues to prepare Peter for future discipleship.
Jesus knows that His own death is approaching, yet He responds not with fear or selfishness but with humility, service, love, and obedience to the Father.
The chapter's central message is that Jesus' followers are called to imitate His servant-hearted love, placing others above themselves and demonstrating their relationship with Him through practical, sacrificial love.
At the same time, the chapter reminds us that discipleship does not depend on human confidence alone, because even sincere followers can fail; what ultimately distinguishes Jesus is that He remains faithful even when those closest to Him betray, abandon, or deny Him.