Then, leaning back on Jesus’ breast, he said to Him, “Lord, who is it?”
Parallel translations
- WEB He, leaning back, as he was, on Jesus’ breast, asked him, “Lord, who is it?”
- KJV He then lying on Jesus’ breast saith unto him, Lord, who is it?
- BSB Leaning back against Jesus, he asked, “Lord, who is it?”
- NASB He then simply leaned back on Jesus’ chest and *said to Him, “Lord, who is it?”
- NLT So that disciple leaned over to Jesus and asked, “Lord, who is it?”
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
Leaning back on Jesus, the disciple asks who the betrayer is. It conveys the quiet, intimate exchange at the table.
Overview
The beloved disciple, in his close position, puts the question directly to Jesus. The vivid detail again marks John's firsthand testimony. The verse builds anticipation as Jesus is about to identify the betrayer.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 3
- John 21:20Then Peter, turning around, saw a disciple following. This was the disciple whom Jesus loved, the one who had also leaned on Jesus’ breast at the supper and asked, “Lord, who is going to betray You?”
- Gen 44:4–12When they had gone out of the city, and were not yet far off, Joseph said to his steward, “Up, follow after the men. When you overtake them, ask them, ‘Why have you rewarded evil for good?
- Esth 7:5Then King Ahasuerus said to Esther the queen, “Who is he, and where is he who dared presume in his heart to do so?”
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 13:25 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.