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Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God;
John 13:3 · King James Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he came from God, and was going to God,
  • BSB Jesus knew that the Father had delivered all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was returning to God.
  • NKJV Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God,
  • NASB Jesus, knowing that the Father had handed all things over to Him, and that He had come forth from God and was going back to God,
  • NLT Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God.

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

Jesus acted in full awareness that the Father had given all things into His hands and that He had come from and was returning to God. It shows that His humble service flowed from, not despite, His supreme authority.

Overview

John stresses Jesus' complete consciousness of His divine origin, destiny, and authority just before He stoops to wash feet. Far from diminishing Him, this knowledge frees Him to serve. The verse reveals the heart of Christ's lordship: true greatness expresses itself in humble, loving service.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 21

  • John 3:35The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.
  • Matt 11:27All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.
  • Heb 1:2Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
  • Matt 28:18And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
  • John 8:42Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.
  • John 17:2As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.
  • Eph 1:21–22Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:
  • John 16:27–28For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.
  • Phil 2:9–11Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
  • 1 Cor 15:27For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him.
  • Heb 2:8–9Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him.
  • John 7:33Then said Jesus unto them, Yet a little while am I with you, and then I go unto him that sent me.
  • John 13:1Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.
  • John 17:5–8And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.
  • John 5:22–27For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:
  • John 3:13And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.
  • Luke 10:22All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him.
  • Acts 2:36Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
  • John 7:29But I know him: for I am from him, and he hath sent me.
  • John 17:11–13And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.
  • John 1:18No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (1)

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 13:3YouTube · 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 13:3 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.