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?
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?
- BSB 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?
- 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?
- 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 answered him, “You don’t know what I am doing now, but you will understand later.”
- John 13:4arose from supper, and laid aside his outer garments. He took a towel, and wrapped a towel around his waist.
- Ezek 24:24Thus Ezekiel shall be a sign to you; according to all that he has done, you will do. When this comes, then you will know that I am the Lord Yahweh.
- Ezek 24:19The people said to me, Won’t you tell us what these things are to us, that you do so?
- Matt 13:51Jesus said to them, “Have you understood all these things?” They answered him, “Yes, Lord.”
- Mark 4:13He said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How will you understand all of the parables?
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
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.