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Gospel Reading - The Last Supper

^1-3Jesus knew on the evening of Passover Day that it would be his last night on earth before returning to his Father. During supper the devil had already suggested to Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, that this was the night to carry out his plan to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had given him everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. And how he loved his disciples! ⁴So he got up from the supper table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his loins,^{a 5}poured water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel he had around him.

⁶When he came to Simon Peter, Peter said to him, “Master, you shouldn’t be washing our feet like this!”

⁷Jesus replied, “You don’t understand now why I am doing it; some day you will.”

⁸“No,” Peter protested, “you shall never wash my feet!”

“But if I don’t, you can’t be my partner,” Jesus replied.

⁹Simon Peter exclaimed, “Then wash my hands and head as well—not just my feet!”

¹⁰Jesus replied, “One who has bathed all over needs only to have his feet washed to be entirely clean. Now you are clean—but that isn’t true of everyone here.” ¹¹For Jesus knew who would betray him. That is what he meant when he said, “Not all of you are clean.”

¹²After washing their feet he put on his robe again and sat down and asked, “Do you understand what I was doing? ¹³You call me ‘Master’ and ‘Lord,’ and you do well to say it, for it is true. ¹⁴And since I, the Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. ¹⁵I have given you an example to follow: do as I have done to you. ¹⁶How true it is that a servant is not greater than his master. Nor is the messenger more important than the one who sends him. ¹⁷You know these things—now do them! That is the path of blessing.

¹⁸“I am not saying these things to all of you; I know so well each one of you I chose. The Scripture declares, ‘One who eats supper with me will betray me,’ and this will soon come true. ¹⁹I tell you this now so that when it happens, you will believe on me.

²⁰“Truly, anyone welcoming my messenger is welcoming me. And to welcome me is to welcome the Father who sent me.”

²¹Now Jesus was in great anguish of spirit and exclaimed, “Yes, it is true—one of you will betray me.” ²²The disciples looked at each other, wondering whom he could mean. ²³Since I^b was sitting next to Jesus* at the table, being his closest friend, ²⁴Simon Peter motioned to me to ask him who it was who would do this terrible deed.

²⁵So I turned and^c asked him, “Lord, who is it?”

²⁶He told me, “It is the one I honor by giving the bread dipped in the sauce.”^d

And when he had dipped it, he gave it to Judas, son of Simon Iscariot.

²⁷As soon as Judas had eaten it, Satan entered into him. Then Jesus told him, “Hurry — do it now.”

²⁸None of the others at the table knew what Jesus meant. ²⁹Some thought that since Judas was their treasurer, Jesus was telling him to go and pay for the food or to give some money to the poor. ³⁰Judas left at once, going out into the night.

³¹As soon as Judas left the room, Jesus said, “My time has come; the glory of God will soon surround me—and God shall receive great praise because of all that happens to me. ³²And God shall give me his own glory, and this so very soon. ³³Dear, dear children, how brief are these moments before I must go away and leave you! Then, though you search for me, you cannot come to me — just as I told the Jewish leaders.

³⁴“And so I am giving a new commandment to you now — love each other just as much as I love you. ³⁵Your strong love for each other will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”

1. As the lowliest slave would dress.
2. Literally, “There was one at the table.” All commentators believe him to be John, the writer of this book. was sitting next to Jesus, literally, “was reclining on Jesus’ bosom.” The custom of the period was to recline around the table, leaning on the left elbow. John, next to Jesus, was at his side.
3. Literally, “He, leaning back against Jesus’ chest,” to whisper his inquiry.
4. Literally, “dip the sop.” The honored guest was thus singled out in the custom of that time.