Devine Scripture

John 13:4

What does John 13:4 mean?

A plain-English look at John 13:4 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What John 13:4 means

Jesus rises from supper, lays aside His outer garments, and ties a towel around Himself. Each movement is purposeful. He takes the posture of a household servant, signaling that His love expresses itself in humble action. Laying aside garments and girding Himself pictures a voluntary lowering—He chooses the role. This is not a performance; it is a lived parable of His mission among them. He does not merely teach about service; He embodies it. The disciples would have felt the discomfort of such reversal: their Lord assumes menial tasks. The preparations announce the lesson before the first drop of water falls.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

riseth from supper, and layeth aside his garments; and he took a towel, and girded himself.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself.

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

riseth from supper, and layeth aside his garments; and he took a towel, and girded himself.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

Got up from table, put off his robe and took a cloth and put it round him.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

doth rise from the supper, and doth lay down his garments, and having taken a towel, he girded himself;

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

He riseth from supper and layeth aside his garments and, having taken a towel, girded himself.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

rises from supper and lays aside his garments, and having taken a linen towel he girded himself:

Context

These actions set the stage for the washing in verse 5 and the conversation with Simon Peter that follows (verses 6–10). Coming right after John’s statement of Jesus’ divine authority (verse 3), they magnify the shock. The Master lays aside dignity to serve. The sequence matters: knowing His status, He stoops. Readers should watch for how Jesus later interprets these steps as an example (verses 12–17).

v.3Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he came forth from God, and goeth unto God,

v.4This passage

v.5Then he poureth water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Philippians 2:6

    who, existing in the form of God, counted not the being on an equality with God a thing to be grasped,

  • Luke 12:37

    Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them sit down to meat, and shall come and serve them.

  • Luke 22:27

    For which is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am in the midst of you as he that serveth.

  • Luke 17:7

    But who is there of you, having a servant plowing or keeping sheep, that will say unto him, when he is come in from the field, Come straightway and sit down to meat;

  • 2 Corinthians 8:9

    For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might become rich.

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