John 13:5

John 13:5 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.
• New International Version (NIV)After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
• New King James Version (NKJV)After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.

Context of John 13:5

3Jesus knew that the Father had given him power over everything. He knew that he had come from God. And he knew that he would soon return to God. 4So, during the meal, he stood up. He took off the coat that he wore over his other clothes. He tied a piece of cloth round himself. Then he poured water into a bowl and he began to wash the disciples' feet. Jesus made their feet dry with the cloth that was round him. 6Jesus came to Simon Peter. Peter asked him, ‘Lord, will you really wash my feet?’ 7Jesus answered him, ‘You do not understand now what I am doing. But you will understand in the future.’

John 13:5 word by word

εἶτα βάλλει ὕδωρ εἰς τὸν νιπτῆρα καὶ ἤρξατο νίπτειν τοὺς πόδας τῶν μαθητῶν καὶ ἐκμάσσειν τῷ λεντίῳ ᾧ ἦν διεζωσμένος.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• After thatεἶταeita · thenG1534
• he pourethβάλλωballō · to throw: pourG906
• waterὕδωρhudōr hudatos · waterG5204
• intoεἰςeis · towardG1519
• a basonὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• a basonνιπτήρniptēr · wash basinG3537
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• beganἄρχομαιarchomai · to rule/beginG756
• to washνίπτωniptō · to washG3538
• the disciples’μαθητήςmathētēs · discipleG3101
• feetπούςpous · footG4228
• to wipeἐκμάσσωekmassō · to wipe offG1591
• with the towelλέντιονlention · towelG3012
• wherewithὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• he wasεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• girdedδιαζώννυμιdiazōnnumi · to tie aroundG1241

Cross-references for John 13:5

• John 19:34But one of the soldiers put a spear into Jesus' side. Immediately, blood and water came out of his body.
• 2 Kings 3:11But King Jehoshaphat asked, ‘There must surely be a prophet of the Lord here somewhere. We could ask him what the Lord wants us to do.’ An officer of the king of Israel answered him, ‘Yes, Shaphat's son Elisha is here. He was Elijah's servant.’
• Ezekiel 36:25You will become pure, as if I splash you with clean water. I will remove all the things that make you unclean. I will take away the idols that you worship.
• Zechariah 13:1‘On that day, water will start to pour from a fountain for King David's descendants and Jerusalem's people. It will make them clean from their sins and the dirty things that they have done.’
• Ephesians 5:26He did that to make us completely clean, as the people of God. It was like he washed us with water, as he brought God's message to us.
• 1 John 5:6Jesus Christ is the man that God sent into the world. John baptized Jesus in water. When Jesus died, his blood poured out. God showed that Jesus is his Son with the water and with the blood. It was not only with the water of Jesus' baptism. It was also with the blood of his death. God's Holy Spirit also shows us that Jesus is God's Son. The Holy Spirit always says what is true.
• John 13:8Peter said, ‘No! You will never wash my feet!’ Jesus answered, ‘If I do not wash you, you do not belong with me.’
• Exodus 29:4Then bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting. Use water to wash them there and make them clean.
• Leviticus 14:8The person who had the disease must wash his clothes. He must wash his body with water and he must cut off all his hair. Then he will be clean. He can go into the camp. But he must stay outside the home that he has made from animal skins for seven days.
• 2 Kings 5:10Elisha sent his servant with a message to Naaman. He said, ‘Go to the Jordan River. Wash yourself seven times in the river. Then your skin will be clean again. You will not have the disease.’
• Psalms 51:2I have done bad things, so wash me to make me clean again.
• Isaiah 1:16Wash yourselves and make yourselves clean! Remove your sins, so that I no longer see them. Stop doing evil things!
• Acts 22:16So now you do not need to wait any longer. Stand up and I will baptize you. Believe in the Lord Jesus so that God will forgive you for your sins.”
• 1 Corinthians 6:11At one time, some of you were people like that. But God has now made you clean and pure, so that you belong to him. You have become right with God. Our God has done this with the power of his Spirit because you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.
• Hebrews 10:22So we should come near to God and we should not be afraid. But we must be honest and we must continue to trust him. He has made us clean from the dirt of our sins. Our thoughts no longer give us trouble about our sins. We have become clean. It is like he has washed our bodies with clean water.
• 1 John 1:7But when we live in a right way, it is like living in the light. God is always in the light. So, if we live in the light, we share together in the life which God gives. And when Jesus, the Son of God, died on the cross, he saved us from all our sins. The blood of his sacrifice makes us clean.

Commentaries on John 13:5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5Poureth water into a bason, etc. - This was the office of the meanest slaves. When David sent to Abigail, to inform her that he had chosen her for wife, she arose and said: Behold, let thy handmaid be a Servant, to Wash the Feet of the Servants of my lord, 1 Samuel 25:41. Some of the ancients have supposed that our Lord began with washing the feet of Judas, to inspire him with sentiments of compunction and remorse, to melt him down with kindness, and to…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5Began to wash … - It was uniformly the office of a servant to wash the feet of guests, 1 Samuel 25:41. It became a matter of necessity where they traveled without shoes, and where they reclined on couches at meals. It should be remembered here that the disciples were not sitting at the table, as we do, but were lying with their feet extended from the table, so that Jesus could easily have access to them. See the notes at Matthew 23:6.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4-5Foot washing was common in Greek and Jewish cultures as a daily routine. It was also a common gesture when hosting guests (see Luke 7:36–50). It was a humble task designated for servants. When Jesus began to wash the disciples’ feet, he assumed the role of a servant.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 4-54-5. He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments--outer garments which would have impeded the operation of washing. and took a towel and girded himself--assuming a servant's dress.Read the comment

Topics related to John 13:5

• Ablution
• Feet
• Foot
• Jesus, the Christ
• Towel

In the dictionaries

• Aside
• Basin
• Clean
• Commandment
• Example
• Basin; Bason
• Foot
• Humility
• Jesus Christ
• John, Gospel of

Commentaries on John 13

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings