John 13:34 kjv
A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
John 13:34 nkjv
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
John 13:34 niv
"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
John 13:34 esv
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.
John 13:34 nlt
So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.
John 13 34 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| John 13:35 | "By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." | Love as a public sign of discipleship. |
| John 15:12 | "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you." | Repeats the same core command. |
| John 15:13 | "Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends." | Defines the extent of Jesus' love as a pattern. |
| John 15:17 | "These things I command you, so that you will love one another." | Reiteration of the command's purpose. |
| Lev 19:18 | "You shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD." | OT command of neighborly love (antecedent). |
| Matt 22:37-39 | "You shall love the Lord your God... You shall love your neighbor as yourself." | Jesus' summary of the Law; foundation for agape. |
| Rom 13:8 | "Owe no one anything, except to love one another, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law." | Love as the fulfillment of the law. |
| Rom 13:10 | "Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law." | Love embodies righteousness. |
| 1 Cor 13:4-7 | Description of agape love's characteristics (patient, kind, etc.). | Explains the quality of Christian love. |
| Gal 5:14 | "For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'" | Echoes love as law's fulfillment. |
| Eph 5:2 | "And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us..." | Emphasizes walking in Christ-like love. |
| Col 3:14 | "And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony." | Love as the supreme virtue unifying believers. |
| 1 Pet 4:8 | "Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins." | Exhortation to fervent mutual love. |
| 1 Jn 2:7-8 | "Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment but an old commandment that you have had... yet a new commandment..." | Love as both old (OT) and new (Christ's example). |
| 1 Jn 3:11 | "For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another." | Apostolic teaching consistently includes love. |
| 1 Jn 3:14 | "We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers." | Love as evidence of spiritual life. |
| 1 Jn 3:16 | "By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers." | Defines love by Christ's sacrifice. |
| 1 Jn 4:7-8 | "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God... God is love." | Source of agape love is God Himself. |
| 1 Jn 4:11 | "Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another." | God's love compels our love for others. |
| 1 Jn 4:12 | "No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us..." | Love makes God's presence visible. |
| Phil 2:5-8 | "Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who... emptied himself... even death on a cross." | Christ's humility and self-giving love. |
| Heb 10:24 | "And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works." | Practical application of mutual love. |
John 13 verses
John 13 34 Meaning
John 13:34 conveys Jesus' core instruction to His disciples following the Last Supper and the departure of Judas. He issues a "new command" not just in terms of chronology, but fundamentally new in its standard and quality. The essence of this command is mutual love among believers, patterned directly after Jesus' own sacrificial and selfless love for them. This love, described as agape, is presented as a distinctive mark of His followers.
John 13 34 Context
This verse is spoken by Jesus to His disciples during the Last Supper, immediately after Judas Iscariot has left the room to betray Him. The preceding event (John 13:1-11) is Jesus' profound act of humility in washing His disciples' feet, setting a direct example of humble service and love. The command in John 13:34 thus flows directly from this object lesson. The moment marks a shift in the discourse from general teaching to intimate, urgent instructions for the remaining eleven disciples, in light of Jesus' imminent departure and the establishment of the new covenant. It prepares them for the challenging future ahead and underscores the essential identity of the Christian community.
John 13 34 Word analysis
- A new command (Greek: Entolēn kainēn)
- command: (entolēn) refers to a divine instruction or precept, emphasizing its authoritative and binding nature.
- new: (kainēn) does not mean chronologically new (as in never before heard), but "new in quality," "fresh," or "unprecedented." While love for neighbor existed in the Old Testament (Lev 19:18), Jesus elevates and redefines it by setting Himself as the ultimate standard. Its "newness" also stems from its specific application within the community of Christ's followers, marking them out.
- I give you (Greek: Didōmi hymin)
- I give: (Didōmi) highlights Jesus' authority as the giver of this command. It's not a suggestion but a divine bestowal, signifying its foundational importance to His covenant with them.
- you: (hymin, plural) directly addresses the disciples and, by extension, all who would become His followers. It emphasizes the communal aspect of this love.
- that you love one another: (Greek: Hina agapāte allēlous)
- love: (agapāte from agapaō) denotes agape love. This is a deliberate, volitional, selfless, and unconditional love, characterized by sacrifice and goodwill, regardless of merit or emotional affinity. It stands distinct from phileō (affectionate love) or erōs (passionate desire). It is a quality of the will, not merely an emotion.
- one another: (allēlous) underscores the reciprocal and internal nature of this command for the Christian community. It's a love exercised amongst fellow believers.
- just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another: (Greek: Kathōs ēgapēsa hymas, hina kai hymeis agapāte allēlous)
- just as: (kathōs) establishes the standard or paradigm. Jesus is the model, the living definition of this agape love. This elevates the command beyond mere human capacity to divine possibility through His indwelling Spirit.
- I have loved: (ēgapēsa, aorist tense) refers to Jesus' demonstrated love for His disciples throughout His ministry, climaxing in the foot-washing, and prospectively pointing to His ultimate sacrifice on the cross. It signifies a completed action with continuing relevance, providing a concrete example to follow.
- you also are to love: (kai hymeis agapate) signifies the expectation that the disciples' love will emulate His own. It's a directive to imitate the divine. This isn't just moral instruction but a call to manifest Christ's very nature within the community.
John 13 34 Bonus section
The emphasis on agape love, rooted in the divine character (God is love, 1 Jn 4:8), distinguishes Christian love from mere philanthropy or social goodwill. It's a supernatural fruit of the Holy Spirit (Gal 5:22) enabling believers to love with God's kind of love. The new command implies a new dynamic in relationships: the indwelling Spirit of Christ empowers believers to actualize this costly love. It is not simply an outward act, but an inner transformation reflecting the very nature of the Triune God. This mutual love also serves as a critical test of authentic discipleship and demonstrates Christian unity to a fragmented world, echoing Jesus' prayer in John 17 for unity among His followers.
John 13 34 Commentary
John 13:34 introduces the defining characteristic of the new covenant community inaugurated by Christ. The "newness" of this command of love lies in its exemplary standard: Jesus' own self-sacrificial agape. Unlike the Old Testament's "love your neighbor as yourself," which required measuring love by human capacity, Jesus raises the bar by providing a divine standard ("as I have loved you"). This calls for a love that is unconditional, intentional, and costly, just as Christ's love led Him to lay down His life. This love is not optional; it is imperative and becomes the very hallmark of Christian discipleship, revealing their connection to Christ and His new way of living in the world (as articulated in John 13:35). It is the supreme expression of walking in the Spirit and a visible witness to a watching world of the transforming power of God's love. It establishes the internal ethos and external identity of Christ's Church.For practical usage, this means Christian communities should strive for active care, forgiveness, sacrifice, and humble service toward one another, mirroring Christ's example (e.g., sharing burdens, extending grace in conflict, prioritizing others' needs).