John 13 · Verse 6

John 13:6

Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet?
John 13:6, King James Version

John 13:6 in other translations

BSBHe came to Simon Peter, who asked Him, “Lord, are You going to wash my feet?”
WEBThen he came to Simon Peter. He said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?”
ASVSo he cometh to Simon Peter. He saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet?
YLTHe cometh, therefore, unto Simon Peter, and that one saith to him, ‘Sir, thou--dost thou wash my feet?'
DARBYHe comes therefore to Simon Peter; and he says to him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet?
BBESo he came to Simon Peter. Peter said, Lord, are my feet to be washed by you?
WebsterThen he cometh to Simon Peter: and Peter saith to him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet?

What does John 13:6 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on John 13:6-11
6-11. Peter saith ... Lord, dost thou wash my feet?--Our language cannot bring out the intensely vivid contrast between the "Thou" and the "my," which, by bringing them together, the original expresses, for it is not good English to say, "Lord, Thou my feet dost wash?" But every word of this question is emphatic. Thus far, and in the question itself, there was nothing but the most profound and beautiful astonishment at a condescension to him quite incomprehensible. Accordingly, though there can be no doubt that already Peter's heart rebelled against it as a thing not to be tolerated, Jesus ministers no rebuke as yet, but only bids him wait a little, and he should understand it all.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 6. Dost thou wash my feet? Every word here is emphatic. Dost thou-- the Son of God, the Messiah--perform the humble office of a servant--toward me, a sinner? This was an expression of Peter's humility, of his reverence for Jesus, and also a refusal to allow him to do it. It is possible, though not certain from the text, that he came to Simon Peter first.

(1) "Peter", or "he" (g) "dost thou wash my feet" Mt 3:14

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 6 Lord, dost Thou wash My feet? - Every word here is exceedingly emphatic. Peter had often seen the great humility of his Lord, but never saw his condescension so particularly marked as in this instance.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on John 13:1-17

Our Lord Jesus has a people in the world that are his own; he has purchased them, and paid dear for them, and he has set them apart for himself; they devote themselves to him as a peculiar people. Those whom Christ loves, he loves to the end. Nothing can separate a true believer from the love of Christ. We know not when our hour will come, therefore what we have to do in constant preparation for it, ought never to…

Read the full comment on John 13:1-17 →

John 13:6 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ἜρχεταιErchetaiHe comesG2064
οὖνounthenG3767
πρὸςprostoG4314
ΣίμωναSimōnaSimonG4613
Πέτρον·PetronPeter;G4074
λέγειlegeiwho saysG3004
αὐτῷautōto HimG846
κύριε,kurieLord,G2962
σύsuYou yourselfG4771
μουmoumyG3165
νίπτειςnipteisdo washG3538
τοὺςtous<the>G3588
πόδας;podasfeet?G4228

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for John 13:6

  • John 1:27

    He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to unloose.

  • Matthew 3:11-14

    I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?

  • Luke 5:8

    When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Peter. Gr. he. Lord.
1:27; Mt 3:11-14; Lu 5:8

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • John 13:5

    After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.

  • John 13:6

    Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet?

  • John 13:7

    Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.

Read all of John 13

John 13:6 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Entonces vino á Simón Pedro; y Pedro le dice: ¿Señor, tú me lavas los pies?
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Il vient donc à Simon Pierre; et celui-ci lui dit: Seigneur, me laves-tu, toi, les pieds?
German
Elberfelder 1871		Er kommt nun zu Simon Petrus, und der spricht zu ihm: Herr, du wäschest meine Füße?
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Venit ergo ad Simonem Petrum. Et dicit ei Petrus: Domine, tu mihi lavas pedes?