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So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.
John 13:14 · Berean Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.
  • KJV If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet.
  • NKJV If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.
  • NASB So if I, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.
  • NLT And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet.

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

Since the Lord and Teacher washed their feet, the disciples ought to wash one another's feet. It applies Jesus' example as a call to humble, mutual service.

Overview

Jesus draws the practical lesson: if the greater serves the lesser, His followers must serve one another. Whether or not literal foot-washing is practiced, the abiding principle is humble, self-giving love within the community. The verse overturns worldly notions of status, making lowly service the mark of those who follow Christ.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 18

  • 1 Pet 5:5Young men, in the same way, submit yourselves to your elders. And all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
  • Acts 20:35In everything, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus Himself: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
  • Rom 12:16Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but enjoy the company of the lowly. Do not be conceited.
  • Gal 5:13For you, brothers, were called to freedom; but do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh. Rather, serve one another in love.
  • Luke 22:26–27But you shall not be like them. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who leads like the one who serves.
  • Mark 10:43–45But it shall not be this way among you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,
  • 1 Pet 4:1Therefore, since Christ suffered in His body, arm yourselves with the same resolve, because anyone who has suffered in his body is done with sin.
  • Heb 5:8–9Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from what He suffered.
  • Matt 20:26–28It shall not be this way among you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,
  • 1 Cor 8:13Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause him to stumble.
  • Phil 2:2–8then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being united in spirit and purpose.
  • 2 Cor 8:9For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.
  • Rom 15:1–3We who are strong ought to bear with the shortcomings of the weak and not to please ourselves.
  • Gal 6:1–2Brothers, if someone is caught in a trespass, you who are spiritual should restore him with a spirit of gentleness. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.
  • 2 Cor 10:1Now by the mildness and gentleness of Christ, I appeal to you—I, Paul, who am humble when face to face with you, but bold when away.
  • 1 Cor 9:19–22Though I am free of obligation to anyone, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.
  • Heb 12:2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
  • Rom 12:10Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Outdo yourselves in honoring one another.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (5)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — John videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on John 13:14YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on JohnMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    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 13:14 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.