John 13-15

New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

Jesus Washes the Disciples’ Feet

13 Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.^{(A) 2} The devil had already decided^[a] that Judas son of Simon Iscariot would betray Jesus. And during supper^{(B) 3} Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands and that he had come from God and was going to God,^{(C) 4} got up from supper, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself.^{(D) 5} Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him. ⁶ He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” ⁷ Jesus answered, “You do not know now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” ⁸ Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no share with me.”^{(E) 9} Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” ¹⁰ Jesus said to him, “One who has bathed does not need to wash, except for the feet,^[b] but is entirely clean. And you^[c] are clean, though not all of you.” ¹¹ For he knew who was to betray him; for this reason he said, “Not all of you are clean.”^(F)

¹² After he had washed their feet, had put on his robe, and had reclined again, he said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? ¹³ You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for that is what I am.^{(G) 14} So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.^{(H) 15} For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you.^{(I) 16} Very truly, I tell you, slaves are not greater than their master, nor are messengers^[d] greater than the one who sent them.^{(J) 17} If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them. ¹⁸ I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But it is to fulfill the scripture, ‘The one who ate my bread^[e] has lifted his heel against me.’^{(K) 19} I tell you this now, before it occurs, so that when it does occur you may believe that I am he.^{[f](L) 20} Very truly, I tell you, whoever receives one whom I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me.”^(M)

Jesus Foretells His Betrayal

²¹ After saying this Jesus was troubled in spirit and declared, “Very truly, I tell you, one of you will betray me.”^{(N) 22} The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he was speaking. ²³ One of his disciples—the one whom Jesus loved—was reclining close to his heart;^{[g](O) 24} Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking. ²⁵ So while reclining next to Jesus, he asked him, “Lord, who is it?”^{(P) 26} Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.”^[h] So when he had dipped the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas son of Simon Iscariot.^{[i](Q) 27} After he received the piece of bread, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “Do quickly what you are going to do.”^{(R) 28} Now no one knew why he said this to him. ²⁹ Some thought that, because Judas had the common purse, Jesus was telling him, “Buy what we need for the festival,” or that he should give something to the poor. ³⁰ So, after receiving the piece of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night.

The New Commandment

³¹ When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him.^{(S) 32} If God has been glorified in him,^[j] God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. ³³ Little children, I am with you only a little 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.’^{(T) 34} I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.^{(U) 35} By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”^(V)

Jesus Foretells Peter’s Denial

³⁶ Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered, “Where I am going, you cannot follow me now, but you will follow afterward.”^{(W) 37} Peter said to him, “Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.”^{(X) 38} Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? Very truly, I tell you, before the cock crows, you will have denied me three times.

Jesus the Way to the Father

14 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe^[k] in God; believe also in me.^{(Y) 2} In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?^{[l] 3} And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also.^{(Z) 4} And you know the way to the place where I am going.”^{[m] 5} Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” ⁶ Jesus said to him, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.^{(AA) 7} If you know me, you will know^[n] my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

⁸ Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.” ⁹ Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?^{(AB) 10} Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own, but the Father who dwells in me does his works.^{(AC) 11} Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, but if you do not, then believe^[o] because of the works themselves.^{(AD) 12} Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. ¹³ I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. ¹⁴ If in my name you ask me^[p] for anything, I will do it.

The Promise of the Holy Spirit

¹⁵ “If you love me, you will keep^[q] my commandments.^{(AE) 16} And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate,^[r] to be with you forever.^{(AF) 17} This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him because he abides with you, and he will be^[s] in^[t] you.^(AG)

¹⁸ “I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you. ¹⁹ In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me; because I live, you also will live. ²⁰ On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.^{(AH) 21} They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me, and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them.”^{(AI) 22} Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, “Lord, how is it that you will reveal yourself to us and not to the world?” ²³ Jesus answered him, “Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.^{(AJ) 24} Whoever does not love me does not keep my words, and the word that you hear is not mine but is from the Father who sent me.^(AK)

²⁵ “I have said these things to you while I am still with you. ²⁶ But the Advocate,^[u] the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of all that I have said to you.^{(AL) 27} Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.^{(AM) 28} You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I am coming to you.’ If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I.^{(AN) 29} And now I have told you this before it occurs, so that when it does occur you may believe. ³⁰ I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no power over me,^{(AO) 31} but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us be on our way.^(AP)

Jesus the True Vine

15 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. ² He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes^[v] to make it bear more fruit. ³ You have already been cleansed^[w] by the word that I have spoken to you.^{(AQ) 4} Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me.^{(AR) 5} I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. ⁶ Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. ⁷ If you abide in me and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.^{(AS) 8} My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become^[x] my disciples.^{(AT) 9} As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. ¹⁰ If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.^{(AU) 11} I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.^(AV)

¹² “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.^{(AW) 13} No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.^{(AX) 14} You are my friends if you do what I command you.^{(AY) 15} I do not call you servants^[y] any longer, because the servant^[z] does not know what the master is doing, but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father. ¹⁶ You did not choose me, but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name.^{(AZ) 17} I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.

The World’s Hatred

¹⁸ “If the world hates you, be aware that it hated me before it hated you.^{(BA) 19} If you belonged to the world, the world would love you as its own. Because you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. ²⁰ Remember the word that I said to you, ‘Slaves are not greater than their master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you; if they kept my word, they will keep yours also.^{(BB) 21} But they will do all these things to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me.^{(BC) 22} If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin.^{(BD) 23} Whoever hates me hates my Father also.^{(BE) 24} If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not have sin. But now they have seen and hated both me and my Father.^{(BF) 25} It was to fulfill the word that is written in their law, ‘They hated me without a cause.’^(BG)

²⁶ “When the Advocate^[aa] comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who comes from the Father, he will testify on my behalf.^{(BH) 27} You also are to testify, because you have been with me from the beginning.^(BI)