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

3Because Jesus knew that the Father had handed all things over to him, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, 4he got up from the meal, removed his outer clothes, took a towel and tied it around himself. He poured water into the washbasin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to dry them with the towel he had wrapped around himself. 6Then he came to Simon Peter. Peter said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” 7Jesus replied, “You do not understand what I am doing now, but you will understand after these things.”

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 pierced his side with a spear, and blood and water flowed out immediately.
• 2 Kings 3:11Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there no prophet of the Lord here that we might seek the Lord’s direction?” One of the servants of the king of Israel answered, “Elisha son of Shapat is here; he used to be Elijah’s servant.”
• Ezekiel 36:25I will sprinkle you with pure water and you will be clean from all your impurities. I will purify you from all your idols.
• Zechariah 13:1“In that day there will be a fountain opened up for the dynasty of David and the people of Jerusalem to cleanse them from sin and impurity.
• Ephesians 5:26to sanctify her by cleansing her with the washing of the water by the word,
• 1 John 5:6Jesus Christ is the one who came by water and blood – not by the water only, but by the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.
• John 13:8Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet!” Jesus replied, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.”
• Exodus 29:4“You are to present Aaron and his sons at the entrance of the tent of meeting. You are to wash them with water
• Leviticus 14:8“The one being cleansed must then wash his clothes, shave off all his hair, and bathe in water, and so be clean. Then afterward he may enter the camp, but he must live outside his tent seven days.
• 2 Kings 5:10Elisha sent out a messenger who told him, “Go and wash seven times in the Jordan; your skin will be restored and you will be healed.”
• Psalms 51:2Wash away my wrongdoing! Cleanse me of my sin!
• Isaiah 1:16Wash! Cleanse yourselves! Remove your sinful deeds from my sight. Stop sinning!
• Acts 22:16And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized, and have your sins washed away, calling on his name.’
• 1 Corinthians 6:11Some of you once lived this way. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
• Hebrews 10:22let us draw near with a sincere heart in the assurance that faith brings, because we have had our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water.
• 1 John 1:7But if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

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