John 13

₁It was near the time for the Passover. Jesus knew that it was almost time for Him to leave this world and go back to his Father in heaven. Jesus had always loved the people in the world who belonged to Him and He loved them to the end. He showed it when He died for them on the cross. ₂Jesus and his disciples were eating that evening but the devil had already given Judas the plan to betray Jesus. ₃Jesus knew that the Father had given Him the power over everything and everyone. He also knew that He had come from God and that He would go back to God the Father. ₄When they started to eat, Jesus got up from the table. He took off his cloak and He tied a towel around his body like the slaves always did when they served people. ₅Then Jesus poured water into a bowl and He started to wash the feet of his disciples. He also dried their feet with the towel around his hips. ₆Jesus also wanted to wash Peter's feet, but Peter was surprised and he asked Jesus: ‘Lord, do You want to wash my feet? No, that is not right.’

₇Jesus said to Peter: ‘You do not understand what I am doing now, but you will understand later.’ ₈Peter said to Jesus: ‘No, Lord, You will never wash my feet.’ Jesus said to him: ‘If I do not wash your feet, you can not be my disciple.’

₉Simon-Peter said to Jesus: ‘Lord, then You must wash my feet, my hands and my head.’

₁₀But Jesus said to him: ‘A person who has bathed is clean. His body is clean, and it is only his feet that need to be washed. You, who are here with Me, are clean, but not all of you.’

₁₁Jesus knew that Judas would betray Him. That is why He said: ‘Not all of you are clean.’

₁₂After Jesus had washed the feet of his disciples, He put his cloak on again. He went back to his place at the table and He asked his disciples: ‘Do you understand what it means that I have washed your feet? ₁₃You say I am your Teacher and your Lord. That is right. I am your Teacher and your Lord, ₁₄but if your Teacher and Lord washes your feet, then you must also wash each other's feet. ₁₅I have given you an example. You must do to other people what I have done to you. ₁₆I tell you this and it is sure: A slave is not more important than his master. A messenger is not more important than the man who has sent him. ₁₇Now you have heard what I say. If you do it, God will bless you.

₁₈I am not talking about all of you. I know the people that I have chosen, but it will happen as it is written in the Old_Testament:

₁₉I am telling you now before it happens, then later on when it happens, you will believe that I am God. ₂₀I tell you this and it is sure: When I send someone to bring a message and people listen to him, they listen to Me. And when people listen to Me, they listen to the Father who has sent Me.’

₂₁After Jesus had said this, He became very sad and upset and He said to his disciples: ‘I tell you this and it is sure: One of you will betray Me.’

₂₂The disciples looked at each other. They were very surprised because they did not know who Jesus was talking about. ₂₃The disciple that Jesus loved very much was sitting next to Jesus. ₂₄Peter talked with his hands to this disciple and told him to ask Jesus who it was who would betray Him. ₂₅The disciple who sat next to Jesus asked Jesus: ‘Lord, who is it that You are talking about? Who will betray You?’

₂₆Jesus said: ‘I will put this piece of bread into the sauce and I will give it to the one who will betray Me.’

Then Jesus put the bread into the sauce and He gave it to Judas, son of Simon Iscariot. ₂₇When Judas had taken the bread, Satan came into his heart and told Judas what to do. Then Jesus said to Judas: ‘You must hurry and do what you want to do.’

₂₈The other disciples did not understand why Jesus said to Judas that he must hurry. ₂₉Judas always had the money bag and some of the disciples thought that Jesus had told Judas to go and buy something for the feast or to give something to the poor people. ₃₀After Judas had taken the bread, he went out immediately. It was dark.

₃₁After Judas had gone out, Jesus said: ‘Now God will show that I, the Son of man, am also God. God has used Me to show that He is God. ₃₂Yes, God used Me to show that He is God and God will show that I am also God. He will not wait long. He will do it now.

₃₃My dear friends, I will be with you for only a short while. You will look for Me, but I tell you now what I have told the Jews: I am going to a place, but you can not come there. ₃₄I give you a new law now: You must love each other as I have loved you. ₃₅If you love each other, then everyone will know that you are my disciples.’

₃₆Simon-Peter said to Jesus: ‘Lord, where are You going?’

Jesus said to him: ‘You can not come with Me now. You will come later.’

₃₇Peter said to Him: ‘Lord, why can I not go with You now? I will die to protect You.’ ₃₈Jesus said to him: ‘No, Peter, you said you will die to protect Me, but I tell you this and it is sure: Before the cock_crows tomorrow morning, you will say 3 times that you do not know Me.’