⁴⁹ for I have not spoken on my own, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment about what to say and what to speak. ⁵⁰ And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I speak, therefore, I speak just as the Father has told me.”

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,^{(A) 4} got up from supper, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself.^{(B) 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.”^{(C) 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,^[a] but is entirely clean. And you^[b] 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.”^(D)

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.^{(E) 14} So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.^{(F) 15} For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you.^{(G) 16} Very truly, I tell you, slaves are not greater than their master, nor are messengers^[c] greater than the one who sent them.^{(H) 17} If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.