John 13:8 kjv
Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.
John 13:8 nkjv
Peter said to Him, "You shall never wash my feet!" Jesus answered him, "If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me."
John 13:8 niv
"No," said Peter, "you shall never wash my feet." Jesus answered, "Unless I wash you, you have no part with me."
John 13:8 esv
Peter said to him, "You shall never wash my feet." Jesus answered him, "If I do not wash you, you have no share with me."
John 13:8 nlt
"No," Peter protested, "you will never ever wash my feet!" Jesus replied, "Unless I wash you, you won't belong to me."
John 13 8 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Matt 20:28 | just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many." | Jesus' servanthood and redemptive work. |
| Mk 10:45 | "For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." | Reiterates Jesus' purpose in serving and sacrificing. |
| Phil 2:7 | but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bondservant, and being born in the likeness of men. | Jesus' humility and self-emptying nature. |
| Is 53:5 | But He was pierced for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with His stripes we are healed. | Atonement, the source of spiritual healing and cleansing. |
| Eph 5:26 | that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, | Cleansing through Christ and His Word. |
| Tit 3:5 | He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to His own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, | Spiritual washing (regeneration) is God's work, not ours. |
| Heb 10:22 | let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. | Cleansing for access to God, through Christ's work. |
| Rev 1:5 | and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by His blood | Christ's blood as the ultimate means of cleansing. |
| 1 Jn 1:7 | But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. | Ongoing cleansing necessary for fellowship. |
| Acts 22:16 | And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on His name. | Symbolic washing associated with repentance and faith. |
| 1 Cor 6:11 | And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. | Believers have been washed, sanctified, justified. |
| Rom 6:4 | We were buried therefore with Him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. | Baptism symbolizing death to sin and new life in Christ. |
| Col 1:12 | giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. | "Part with Me" echoes the share in God's inheritance. |
| Acts 26:18 | to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’ | Receiving forgiveness and a spiritual share. |
| Eph 1:11 | In Him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, | The divine plan for believers to have an inheritance. |
| Rom 8:17 | and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him. | Believers are co-heirs with Christ. |
| 1 Pet 1:4 | to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, | Heavenly inheritance, secured through Christ. |
| Matt 16:22-23 | Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, "Far be it from You, Lord! This shall never happen to You." But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan!..." | Peter's characteristic human resistance to divine will. |
| John 21:15-19 | (Jesus restores Peter) "Feed My sheep." | Peter's future service is dependent on reconciliation and cleansing. |
| John 15:3 | "Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you." | The Word of God also brings cleansing. |
| Psa 51:7 | Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. | Plea for spiritual cleansing from sin. |
| Ezek 36:25-27 | I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. | God's promise to cleanse and transform His people. |
John 13 verses
John 13 8 Meaning
John 13:8 conveys a profound spiritual truth through Peter's interaction with Jesus during the foot-washing. When Peter vehemently refuses to allow Jesus to wash his feet, Jesus states unequivocally that if He does not wash Peter, Peter will have no part with Him. This implies that participating in Christ's indispensable cleansing work is an absolute prerequisite for spiritual fellowship, salvation, and a share in the eternal inheritance offered by Christ. Peter initially focuses on the perceived indignity of his Lord performing a servant's task, but Jesus elevates the act to a spiritual necessity beyond mere physical cleansing.
John 13 8 Context
John 13:8 occurs during the Last Supper, a pivotal moment in Jesus' ministry just before His crucifixion. The immediate context is Jesus washing the disciples' feet, an act of humble service that was shocking given Jesus' identity as Lord and Master. This action overturned societal norms, where only the lowest servant would perform such a task. Prior to verse 8, Jesus begins washing, and when He comes to Simon Peter, Peter protests vigorously, asking, "Lord, do You wash my feet?" The historical and cultural context underscores the immense humility displayed by Jesus and the disciples' astonishment, particularly Peter's, at this role reversal. This scene precedes the discourses about betrayal, Jesus' departure, and His new commandment, serving as an enacted parable for both humble service and, more profoundly, the necessity of Christ's cleansing work for salvation and spiritual union.
John 13 8 Word analysis
- Peter said to Him, 'You shall never wash my feet!':
- Peter (Πέτρος - Petros): Known for his impulsive and outspoken nature (e.g., Matt 16:22-23; Mk 8:32). His immediate rejection here is characteristic, born from a blend of respect for Jesus and a misunderstanding of Jesus' actions.
- said to Him: Highlights direct address and confrontation.
- 'You shall never (οὐ μὴ - ou mē, emphatic double negative) wash (νίψης - nipsēs, aorist subjunctive, meaning a single, completed action) my feet!': Peter's protest is absolute and vehement. The double negative in Greek (οὐ μὴ) strongly emphasizes "never," making his refusal categorical. He views the act as beneath Jesus and therefore an affront to Jesus' divine status, not realizing the deeper theological implication. The word "wash" (νίπτω - niptō) here specifically refers to washing parts of the body (e.g., hands, feet), distinct from λούω (louō) which means to bathe the whole body. This distinction becomes significant later in Peter's change of heart (John 13:9).
- Jesus answered him, 'If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.':
- Jesus answered him: Jesus confronts Peter's misunderstanding directly, pivoting from Peter's perspective of unworthiness to His own necessity.
- 'If I do not wash (νίψω - nipsō, aorist active subjunctive) you': Jesus affirms the necessity of this specific act of washing, underscoring its indispensable nature. The use of "I" is emphatic.
- 'you have no part (μέρος - meros, share, portion, inheritance) with Me.': This is the crux of the verse. "No part with Me" implies a severing of spiritual union, fellowship, and a share in Christ's salvific benefits, including the kingdom, eternal life, and all blessings that come through Him. It suggests that if one rejects Jesus' humble, atoning work—represented by this washing—they reject the only means by which one can truly be connected to Him. It moves beyond a mere physical cleansing to represent spiritual cleansing from sin, which is essential for reconciliation with God and eternal inheritance. This statement shocked Peter, prompting his quick change of mind (John 13:9).
John 13 8 Bonus section
The phrase "have no part with Me" echoes themes of spiritual exclusion or inclusion seen elsewhere in the Scriptures, such as inheriting the kingdom (e.g., Eph 5:5; Gal 5:21) or being disinherited due to unfaithfulness (e.g., Deut 29:18). Jesus' statement clarifies that true partnership or communion with Him is predicated upon His initiative of cleansing, not human efforts or protests. This divine act of humbling service, which culminates in His crucifixion, is the only way for humanity to overcome the barrier of sin and enter into genuine relationship with God. Peter's initial refusal highlights the human tendency to misunderstand divine condescension, especially when it involves humility and sacrificial love as the path to exaltation and eternal life.
John 13 8 Commentary
John 13:8 encapsulates a crucial theological truth concerning the nature of salvation and communion with Christ. Peter, in his misguided reverence, failed to grasp that Jesus' act of washing was not merely an object lesson in humility, but an acted parable signifying the deeper spiritual cleansing—His atoning work—that is absolutely necessary for anyone to have a saving relationship with Him. Without Christ's spiritual cleansing from sin, there can be no fellowship, no share in His life, His kingdom, or His inheritance. It underlines the exclusive and indispensable nature of Jesus' redemptive work; one cannot dictate the terms of salvation or relationship with God but must receive it on God's terms, through Christ. This applies not just to the initial act of being "washed clean" through regeneration and justification (the "whole bath" which the disciples already had, see John 15:3), but also to the ongoing need for "foot-washing"—daily cleansing from the defilements of living in a sinful world, which allows for continued communion with Christ.