John 13:23

John 13:23 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved.
• New International Version (NIV)One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him.
• English Standard Version (ESV)One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was reclining at table at Jesus' side,
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved.

Context of John 13:23

21When he had said these things, Jesus was greatly distressed in spirit, and testified, “I tell you the solemn truth, one of you will betray me.” 22The disciples began to look at one another, worried and perplexed to know which of them he was talking about. One of his disciples, the one Jesus loved, was at the table to the right of Jesus in a place of honor. 24So Simon Peter gestured to this disciple to ask Jesus who it was he was referring to. 25Then the disciple whom Jesus loved leaned back against Jesus’ chest and asked him, “Lord, who is it?”

John 13:23 word by word

Ἦν ἀνακείμενος εἷς ἐκ τῶν μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ ἐν τῷ κόλπῳ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ ὃν ἠγάπα ὁ Ἰησοῦς·Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Nowδέde · thenG1161
• there wasεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• leaningἀνάκειμαιanakeimai · to reclineG345
• onἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• Jesus’ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Jesus’ἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
• bosomκόλποςkolpos · bosomG2859
• oneεἷςheis · oneG1520
• of hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• disciplesμαθητήςmathētēs · discipleG3101
• whomὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• lovedἀγαπάωagapaō · to loveG25

Cross-references for John 13:23

• John 13:25Then the disciple whom Jesus loved leaned back against Jesus’ chest and asked him, “Lord, who is it?”
• John 1:18No one has ever seen God. The only one, himself God, who is in closest fellowship with the Father, has made God known.
• John 21:20Peter turned around and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them. (This was the disciple who had leaned back against Jesus’ chest at the meal and asked, “Lord, who is the one who is going to betray you?”)
• 2 Samuel 12:3But the poor man had nothing except for a little lamb he had acquired. He raised it, and it grew up alongside him and his children. It used to eat his food, drink from his cup, and sleep in his arms. It was just like a daughter to him.
• John 11:3So the sisters sent a message to Jesus, “Lord, look, the one you love is sick.”
• John 19:26So when Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing there, he said to his mother, “Woman, look, here is your son!”
• John 20:2So she went running to Simon Peter and the other disciple whom Jesus loved and told them, “They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”
• John 21:7Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” So Simon Peter, when he heard that it was the Lord, tucked in his outer garment (for he had nothing on underneath it), and plunged into the sea.
• Revelation 1:16He held seven stars in his right hand, and a sharp double-edged sword extended out of his mouth. His face shone like the sun shining at full strength.

Commentaries on John 13:23

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 23Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom - The Jews of those days, at their suppers, reclined, supported by their left arm, on couches placed round the table, as the Greeks and Romans did. On each couch there were two or three persons; and the head of one of them came near to the bosom of him who reclined above him on the same couch. The person here mentioned was John, the writer of this history, who, being more tenderly loved by Christ than the rest, had…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 23Leaning on Jesus‘ bosom - This does not mean that he was at that time actually lying on his bosom, but that he occupied a situation next to him at the table, so that his head naturally fell back on his bosom when he spoke to him. See the notes at Matthew 23:6. Whom Jesus loved - This was doubtless John himself. The evangelists are not accustomed to mention their own names when any mark of favor or any good deed is recorded. They did not seek publicity or…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 18-30Verses 18-30 Our Lord had often spoken of his own sufferings and death, without such trouble of spirit as he now discovered when he spake of Judas. The sins of Christians are the grief of Christ. We are not to confine our attention to Judas. The prophecy of his treachery may apply to all who partake of God's mercies, and meet them with ingratitude. See the infidel, who only looks at the Scriptures with a desire to do away their authority and destroy their…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 23The disciple whom Jesus loved is appears: at the cross (19:26–27), at the tomb (20:2–9), and and at the resurrection (21:1, 20–23). He also wrote the Gospel of John (21:24–25). Some scholars believe that Lazarus was in fact the disciple whom Jesus loved (see 11:3, 5, 36). The person referred to here was among the 12 apostles, so most people identify the disciple whom Jesus loved as the apostle John. was reclining at His side: They were likely reclining at…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 23-2623-26. there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved--Thus modestly does our Evangelist denote himself, as reclining next to Jesus at the table. Peter ... beckoned to him to ask who it should be of whom he spake--reclining probably at the corresponding place on the other side of Jesus.Read the comment

Topics related to John 13:23

• Jesus Continued
• Jesus, the Christ
• John
• Judas (Jude)

In the dictionaries

• Jesus
• Jesus, Jesus Christ, Christ Jesus
• Aside
• Clean
• Commandment
• Example
• Bosom
• Jesus Christ
• John, Gospel of
• Love

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