22 · Jesus' Action

Jesus Washes Judas' Feet Too

John 13:1–30

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Jesus kneels and washes a disciple's feet during a meal while the other disciples sit around the table.

John does not directly say Jesus washed Judas' feet. Yet Judas leaves only later.

Did Jesus wash Judas' feet despite the betrayal?

Choose a perspective

There is no score – choose the perspective you find closest and discuss why.

Discuss: Can we love and serve without approving someone's actions?

After your discussion: compare with our assessment

Our assessment

A is the strongest conclusion from the chronology of the narrative. Judas is mentioned before the foot washing, remains part of the narrative as Jesus speaks about the betrayer, and explicitly leaves only later. It remains important to describe A as an inference from the story rather than a direct quotation. John never states in a separate sentence that Jesus washed Judas' feet specifically. C shows why the inference matters. Jesus already knows of the betrayal. If Judas is included in the foot washing, as the narrative strongly suggests, Jesus serves him while knowing of the coming betrayal.

22 · John 13:1–30

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Text & context

Full translation

1 Before the Passover festival, Jesus knew that his hour had come to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. 2 During the meal, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, to betray him, 3 and Jesus knew that the Father had given all things into his hands and that he had come from God and was going to God, 4 he got up from the meal, laid aside his outer garments, took a towel, and tied it around himself. 5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. 6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” 7 Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.” 8 Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no share with me.” 9 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!” 10 Jesus said to him, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash except the feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not all of you.” 11 For he knew who would betray him. This is why he said, “Not all of you are clean.” 12 When he had washed their feet, put on his outer garments, and reclined at the table again, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for that is what I am. 14 So if I, the Lord and the Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. 15 For I have given you an example, so that you also should do as I have done to you. 16 Truly, truly I tell you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them. 18 I am not speaking about all of you. I know whom I have chosen. But the Scripture must be fulfilled: ‘The one who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.’ 19 I am telling you now, before it happens, so that when it happens you may believe that I am. 20 Truly, truly I tell you, whoever receives anyone I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.” 21 After saying these things, Jesus was deeply troubled in spirit and testified, “Truly, truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.” 22 The disciples looked at one another, uncertain about whom he was speaking. 23 One of his disciples, the one Jesus loved, was reclining close to Jesus. 24 Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask whom Jesus meant. 25 Leaning back toward Jesus, he asked, “Lord, who is it?” 26 Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I give the piece of bread after I have dipped it.” Then he dipped the piece and gave it to Judas, son of Simon Iscariot. 27 After the piece of bread, Satan entered into him. Jesus then said to him, “What you are doing, do quickly.” 28 No one reclining at the table understood why he said this to him. 29 Since Judas kept the money box, some thought Jesus was telling him to buy what they needed for the festival or to give something to the poor. 30 After receiving the piece of bread, Judas immediately went out. And it was night.

Translated from the Greek text – SBLGNT

What is happening here?
This card zooms in on a detail within the same narrative as Card 39. John mentions Judas and the coming betrayal before the foot washing begins. Jesus then starts washing “the disciples' feet.” During his explanation afterward, Jesus says that the disciples are clean, “but not all,” and John explains that Jesus already knows who will betray him. Judas is then identified more clearly during the continuing meal and does not leave until after Jesus gives him the piece of bread. John never explicitly writes, “Jesus washed Judas' feet.” Yet the narrative sequence gives no indication that Judas left or was excluded before the foot washing. The conclusion that Judas was included among the disciples whose feet were washed is therefore very strong, while remaining a narrative inference.
Notice this

Follow the sequence of the story: 1. Judas and the betrayal are mentioned. 2. Jesus begins washing the disciples' feet. 3. Jesus says: “You are clean, but not all of you.” 4. John explains: Jesus knew who would betray him. 5. Judas is identified during the continuing meal. 6. Judas leaves only later. No verse literally says: “Jesus washed Judas' feet.” But the structure of the narrative makes this the natural and very strong conclusion. It also means something important: Jesus serving Judas does not mean Jesus approves of the betrayal. Jesus can show love and perform an act of service while fully knowing and later confronting what Judas is going to do. The card title “Jesus Washes Judas' Feet Too” expresses the strong narrative inference investigated by the card. The card text and deep dive, however, clearly distinguish this inference from what John explicitly states. This distinction is important to the project's method: an inference may be very well supported without being presented as though it were a direct statement in the source text. John 13:2 contains textual and syntactical questions concerning the wording about the devil, Judas, and the betrayal. For this card's central point, what matters is that the betrayal has already been introduced before the foot washing and that Jesus is later explicitly said to know who the betrayer is.

Language & translation

From the Greek

τοῦ διαβόλου ἤδη βεβληκότος ... ἵνα παραδοῖ αὐτόν – tou diabolou ēdē beblēkotos ... hina paradoi auton

the devil had already put ... to betray him Ēdē means “already.” The betrayal is therefore explicitly present in the narrative background before Jesus begins washing feet.

ἤρξατο νίπτειν τοὺς πόδας τῶν μαθητῶν – ērxato niptein tous podas tōn mathētōn

began to wash the disciples' feet John describes the group generally as “the disciples.” No disciple is explicitly excluded here.

οὐχὶ πάντες – ouchi pantes

not all Jesus marks an exception regarding cleanness, and John directly connects it with the betrayer.

ᾔδει γὰρ τὸν παραδιδόντα αὐτόν – ēdei gar ton paradidonta auton

for he knew who would betray him Jesus' knowledge is explicit. The action therefore does not occur in ignorance about Judas.

ἐγώ εἰμι βάψας τὸ ψωμίον δώσω αὐτῷ – egō eimi bapsas to psōmion dōsō autō

it is the one to whom I give the piece of bread after dipping it Jesus identifies the betrayer through a concrete action during the meal.

ἐξῆλθεν εὐθύς – exēlthen euthys

he immediately went out Judas' explicit departure is narrated only in verse 30.

Translation note

Independent English translation from the Greek text, using SBLGNT as the primary Greek edition.

Compare for yourself

Read all of John 13:1–30 continuously and mark every place Judas or the betrayal is mentioned. Pay particular attention to:

  • ēdē – “already”
  • “the disciples' feet”
  • “not all”
  • “he knew”
  • when Judas actually leaves
  • Jesus' action with the piece of bread

Also compare John 6:70–71, where Judas and his future betrayal are mentioned much earlier in the Gospel.

Continue the conversation

Discuss further
  1. How certain can we be about a conclusion that the text strongly implies but never states in one explicit sentence?
  2. How does the foot washing change if Judas is indeed among those Jesus serves?
  3. Can love for a person be distinguished from approval of that person's actions?
  4. What does Jesus' knowledge about Judas suggest about the kind of love embodied in the foot washing?
Parallel passages
  • John 6:70–71
  • John 13:1–17
  • John 13:21–30
  • John 18:1–5
Sources
  • The Greek New Testament: SBL Edition (SBLGNT), Michael W. Holmes, ed.
  • John 13:1–30
  • John 6:70–71
  • Standard Greek lexical resources for ēdē, niptō, mathētēs, paradidōmi, oida, and exerchomai