Suffering and Service

²⁰ Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons approached him with her sons.^(A) She knelt down to ask him for something.^{(B) 21} “What do you want?” he asked her.

“Promise,”^[a] she said to him, “that these two sons of mine may sit, one on your right and the other on your left, in your kingdom.”^(C)

²² Jesus answered, “You don’t know what you’re asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?”^[b](D)

“We are able,” they said to him.

²³ He told them, “You will indeed drink my cup,^[c] but to sit at my right and left is not mine to give; instead, it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.”^(E)

²⁴ When the ten disciples heard this, they became indignant with the two brothers. ²⁵ Jesus called them over and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those in high positions act as tyrants over them. ²⁶ It must not be like that among you. On the contrary, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,^{(F) 27} and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave; ²⁸ just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve,^(G) and to give his life as a ransom for many.”^(H)

Jesus Washes His Disciples’ Feet

13 Before the Passover Festival, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world to the Father.^(A) Having loved his own who were in the world,^(B) he loved them to the end.

² Now when it was time for supper, the devil^(C) had already put it into the heart of Judas,^(D) Simon Iscariot’s son,^[a] to betray^(E) him. ³ Jesus knew that the Father had given everything into his hands,^(F) that he had come from God,^(G) and that he was going back to God.^{(H) 4} So he got up from supper, laid aside his outer clothing,^(I) took a towel, and tied it around himself.^{(J) 5} Next, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet and to dry them with the towel tied around him.

⁶ He came to Simon Peter,^(K) who asked him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”

⁷ Jesus answered him, “What I’m doing you don’t realize now, but afterward you will understand.”^(L)

⁸ “You will never wash my feet,” Peter said.

Jesus replied, “If I don’t wash you, you have no part with me.”

⁹ Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not only my feet, but also my hands and my head.”

¹⁰ “One who has bathed,” Jesus told him, “doesn’t need to wash anything except his feet, but he is completely clean. You are clean, but not all of you.” ¹¹ For he knew who would betray him. This is why he said, “Not all of you are clean.”

The Meaning of Foot Washing

¹² When Jesus had washed their feet and put on his outer clothing, he reclined again and said to them, “Do you know what I have done for you? ¹³ You call me Teacher and Lord—and you are speaking rightly, since that is what I am. ¹⁴ So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.^{(M) 15} For I have given you an example,^(N) that you also should do just as I have done for you.

¹⁶ “Truly I tell you, a servant is not greater than his master,^[b](O) and a messenger is not greater than the one who sent him. ¹⁷ If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.^(P)

¹⁸ “I’m not speaking about all of you; I know those I have chosen.^(Q) But the Scripture^(R) must be fulfilled: ^(S) The one who eats my bread^[c] has raised his heel against me.^{[d](T) 19} I am telling you now before it happens,^(U) so that when it does happen you will believe^(V) that I am he.^{(W) 20} Truly I tell you, whoever receives anyone I send receives me, and the one who receives^(X) me receives him who sent me.”

Christ’s Humility and Exaltation

⁵ Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus,

¹² For the word of God is living and effective^(A) and sharper than any double-edged sword,^(B) penetrating as far as the separation of soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.^{(C) 13} No creature is hidden from him, but all things are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom^(D) we must give an account.

Our Great High Priest

¹⁴ Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens—Jesus the Son of God—let us hold fast to our confession.^{(E) 15} For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way as we are,^(F) yet without sin.^{(G) 16} Therefore, let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need.

Christ, a High Priest

5 For every high priest taken from among men is appointed in matters pertaining to God for the people, to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins. ² He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he is also clothed with weakness.^{(H) 3} Because of this, he must make an offering for his own sins as well as for the people.^{(I) 4} No one takes this honor on himself; instead, a person is called by God, just as Aaron was.^{(J) 5} In the same way, Christ did not exalt himself to become a high priest, but God who said to him,

⁶ also says in another place,

⁷ During his earthly life,^[d] he offered prayers and appeals^(M) with loud cries and tears^(N) to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. ⁸ Although he was the Son, he learned obedience from what he suffered.^{(O) 9} After he was perfected, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him, ¹⁰ and he was declared by God a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.