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 authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. 4So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him. 6When Jesus came to Simon Peter, Peter said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” 7Jesus replied, “You don’t understand now what I am doing, but someday you will.”

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 19:34One of the soldiers, however, pierced his side with a spear, and immediately blood and water flowed out.
• 2 Kings 3:11But King Jehoshaphat of Judah asked, “Is there no prophet of the Lord with us? If there is, we can ask the Lord what to do through him.” One of King Joram’s officers replied, “Elisha son of Shaphat is here. He used to be Elijah’s personal assistant.”
• Ezekiel 36:25“Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. Your filth will be washed away, and you will no longer worship idols.
• Zechariah 13:1“On that day a fountain will be opened for the dynasty of David and for the people of Jerusalem, a fountain to cleanse them from all their sins and impurity.
• Ephesians 5:26to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word.
• 1 John 5:6And Jesus Christ was revealed as God’s Son by his baptism in water and by shedding his blood on the cross—not by water only, but by water and blood. And the Spirit, who is truth, confirms it with his testimony.
• John 13:8“No,” Peter protested, “you will never ever wash my feet!” Jesus replied, “Unless I wash you, you won’t belong to me.”
• Exodus 29:4“Present Aaron and his sons at the entrance of the Tabernacle, and wash them with water.
• Leviticus 14:8“The persons being purified must then wash their clothes, shave off all their hair, and bathe themselves in water. Then they will be ceremonially clean and may return to the camp. However, they must remain outside their tents for seven days.
• 2 Kings 5:10But Elisha sent a messenger out to him with this message: “Go and wash yourself seven times in the Jordan River. Then your skin will be restored, and you will be healed of your leprosy.”
• Psalms 51:2Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin.
• Isaiah 1:16Wash yourselves and be clean! Get your sins out of my sight. Give up your evil ways.
• Acts 22:16What are you waiting for? Get up and be baptized. Have your sins washed away by calling on the name of the Lord.’
• 1 Corinthians 6:11Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
• Hebrews 10:22let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.
• 1 John 1:7But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, 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