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John 13:6-8

Then he came to Simon Peter. He said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?”

Jesus answered him, “You don’t know what I am doing now, but you will understand later.”

Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet!” Jesus answered him, “If I don’t wash you, you have no part with me.”

World English Bible · Public Domain
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John 13:6-8 sits inside this longer paragraph.

Now before the feast of the Passover, Jesus, knowing that his time had come that he would depart from this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. During supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he came from God, and was going to God, arose from supper, and laid aside his outer garments. He took a towel and wrapped a towel around his waist. Then he poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. Then he came to Simon Peter. He said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?”

Jesus answered him, “You don’t know what I am doing now, but you will understand later.”

Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet!” Jesus answered him, “If I don’t wash you, you have no part with me.”

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Parallel Translations

  • WEB World English Bible

    Then he came to Simon Peter. He said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?”

    Jesus answered him, “You don’t know what I am doing now, but you will understand later.”

    Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet!” Jesus answered him, “If I don’t wash you, you have no part with me.”

  • TYNDALE Tyndale New Testament (1534)

    Then came he to Simon Peter. And Peter sayde to him: Lorde shalt thou wesshe my fete?

    Iesus answered and sayde vnto him: what I do thou wotest not now but thou shalt knowe herafter.

    Peter sayd vnto him: thou shalt not wesshe my fete whill the worlde stondeth. Iesus answered him: yf I wasshe the not thou shalt have no part with me.

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  • GNV Geneva Bible (1599)

    Then came he to Simon Peter, who sayd to him, Lord, doest thou wash my feete?

    Iesus answered and sayd vnto him, What I doe, thou knowest not nowe: but thou shalt knowe it hereafter.

    Peter said vnto him, Thou shalt neuer wash my feete. Iesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou shalt haue no part with me.

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Cross-references (35)

  • Daniel 12:8 (v7) I heard, but I didn’t understand. Then I said, “My lord, what will be the outcome of these things?”
  • John 12:16 (v7) His disciples didn’t understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written…
  • John 14:26 (v7) But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things, and will remind you of all that I said…
  • James 5:7-11 (v7) Be patient therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. Behold, the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient…
  • Ezekiel 36:25 (v8) I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. I will cleanse you from all your filthiness, and from all your idols.
Show all 35 cross-references
  • Acts 22:16 (v8) Now why do you wait? Arise, be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.’
  • Titus 3:5 (v8) not by works of righteousness which we did ourselves, but according to his mercy, he saved us through the washing of regeneration and…
  • John 13:10-12 (v7) Jesus said to him, “Someone who has bathed only needs to have his feet washed, but is completely clean. You are clean, but not all of you.”…
  • Ephesians 5:26 (v8) that he might sanctify it, having cleansed it by the washing of water with the word,
  • Hebrews 10:22 (v8) let’s draw near with a true heart in fullness of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and having our body washed…
  • 1 Corinthians 6:11 (v8) Some of you were such, but you were washed. But you were sanctified. But you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and in the…
  • Daniel 12:12 (v7) Blessed is he who waits, and comes to the one thousand three hundred thirty-five days.
  • Habakkuk 2:1-3 (v7) I will stand at my watch, and set myself on the ramparts, and will look out to see what he will say to me, and what I will answer…
  • John 13:36 (v7) Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered, “Where I am going, you can’t follow now, but you will follow…
  • Revelation 7:14 (v8) I told him, “My lord, you know.” He said to me, “These are those who came out of the great suffering.They washed their robes, and made them…
  • Zechariah 13:1 (v8) “In that day there will be a spring opened to David’s house and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for uncleanness.
  • Matthew 21:29 (v8) He answered, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he changed his mind, and went.
  • Matthew 26:33 (v8) But Peter answered him, “Even if all will be made to stumble because of you, I will never be made to stumble.”
  • John 3:5 (v8) Jesus answered, “Most certainly I tell you, unless one is born of water and spirit, he can’t enter into God’s Kingdom.
  • Colossians 2:18 (v8) Let no one rob you of your prize by self-abasement and worshiping of the angels, dwelling in the things which he has not seen, vainly…
  • Colossians 2:23 (v8) These things indeed appear like wisdom in self-imposed worship, humility, and severity to the body; but aren’t of any value against the…
  • Hebrews 9:22-23 (v8) According to the law, nearly everything is cleansed with blood, and apart from shedding of blood there is no remission. It was necessary…
  • Revelation 1:5 (v8) and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us, and…
  • Isaiah 4:4 (v8) when the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from within it, by…
  • Jeremiah 32:24-25 (v7) “Behold, siege ramps have come to the city to take it. The city is given into the hand of the Chaldeans who fight against it, because of…
  • Ezekiel 16:4-9 (v8) As for your birth, in the day you were born your navel was not cut. You weren’t washed in water to cleanse you. You weren’t salted at all,…
  • Matthew 16:22 (v8) Peter took him aside, and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This will never be done to you.”
  • Matthew 26:35 (v8) Peter said to him, “Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you.” All of the disciples also said likewise.
  • Hebrews 10:4-10 (v8) For it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins. Therefore when he comes into the world, he says, “You didn’t…
  • Genesis 42:38 (v8) He said, “My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he only is left. If harm happens to him along the way in which…
  • Jeremiah 32:43 (v7) Fields will be bought in this land, about which you say, ‘It is desolate, without man or animal. It is given into the hand of the…
  • Matthew 3:11-14 (v6) I indeed baptize you in water for repentance, but he who comes after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will…
  • John 1:27 (v6) He is the one who comes after me, who is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I’m not worthy to loosen.”
  • John 13:6 (v8) Then he came to Simon Peter. He said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?”
  • Luke 5:8 (v6) But Simon Peter, when he saw it, fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, Lord.”

Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)

Explain this passage (20 sources)

Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.

John Calvin 1540 · Public Domain On vv6–8 6. Lord, dost thou wash my feet? This speech…

6. Lord, dost thou wash my feet? This speech expresses strong dislike of the action as foolish and unsuitable; for by asking what Christ is doing, he puts out his hand, as it were, to push him back. The modesty would be worthy of commendation, were it not that obedience is of greater value in the sight of God than any kind of honor or service, or rather, if this were not the true and only rule of humility, to yield ourselves in obedience to God, and to have all our senses regulated by his good pleasure, so that every thing which he declares to be agreeable to Him shall also be approved by us, without any scruple. We ought, therefore, above all, to observe this rule of serving God, that we shall be always ready to acquiesce, without delay, as soon as he issues any command.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On v8 Unless thou suffer me to wash thee, thou shalt…
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv6–8 6 Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter…
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv6–8 Christ in the performance of this ceremony cometh to…
William Burkitt 1703 · Public Domain On v6 Observe here, 1. How Simon Peter refuses to admit…
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv6–8 Then cometh he to Simon Peter,.... After having washed…
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On vv7–8 What I do thou knowest not now; but thou…
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv6–8 Verse 6. Lord, dost THOU wash MY feet?] Every…
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On v7 Joh 13:7-11. Jesus said, What I do thou knowest…
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain On vv6–8 Dost thou wash my feet? - Every word here…
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On vv6, 8 Lord, dost thou wash my feet? My master, my…
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On vv6–8 Peter saith . . . Lord, dost thou wash…
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv6–8 6. Cometh he to Simon Peter—The language implies that…
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv6–8 6. Then cometh he] Better, He cometh therefore, i.e.…
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv6–8 (6) Then cometh he to Simon Peter.—Men who have…
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv6–7 It cannot be determined with whom our Lord commenced…
B. W. Johnson 1891 · Public Domain On vv6, 8 6. Lord, dost thou wash my feet? The language…
Paul E. Kretzmann 1924 · Public Domain On v6 The objection of Peter:
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On v6 Lord, are you going to wash my feet?
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On v8 13:8 Based on the depth of his devotion to…
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