When Jesus had washed their feet and put on His outer garments, He reclined with them again and asked, “Do you know what I have done for you?
Parallel translations
- WEB So when he had washed their feet, put his outer garment back on, and sat down again, he said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you?
- KJV So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you?
- NKJV So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you?
- NASB Then, when He had washed their feet, and taken His garments and reclined at the table again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done for you?
- NLT After washing their feet, he put on his robe again and sat down and asked, “Do you understand what I was doing?
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
After washing their feet and resuming His place, Jesus asks if they understand what He has done. It moves from the act to its lesson for the disciples.
Overview
Jesus resumes the posture of teacher to interpret His own action. The question invites the disciples to reflect on the meaning of His humble service. It transitions from the symbolic washing to the explicit call for them to imitate His example of lowly love.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 6
- John 13:7Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”
- John 13:4So He got up from the supper, laid aside His outer garments, and wrapped a towel around His waist.
- Ezek 24:24‘Thus Ezekiel will be a sign for you; you will do everything that he has done. When this happens, you will know that I am the Lord GOD.’
- Ezek 24:19Then the people asked me, “Won’t you tell us what these things you are doing mean to us?”
- Matt 13:51Have you understood all these things?” “Yes,” they answered.
- Mark 4:13Then Jesus said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? Then how will you understand any of the parables?
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
John declares him plainly: the eternal Word made flesh, the Lamb of God, the great 'I AM' — bread, light, door, shepherd, way, truth, life, resurrection — that you may believe and have life in his name.
How John 13:12 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.