Paragraph 13:12–17

In this paragraph Jesus explained why he washed his disciples’ feet. Although he was their master, he served them. Now they should serve each other.

13:12a

The Greek text of this verse includes a word that indicates a return to the main story after the parenthetical information in 13:11. Most English translations, including Berean Standard Bible, do not translate that word. Some English translations close the parentheses at the end of verse 11. Indicate the return to the main story in a way that is natural in your language.

When Jesus had washed their feet and put on His outer garments, He reclined with them again: This expression continues the narrative by telling three things that Jesus did next. However, the emphasis is on what Jesus said after he did these three things. See the General Comment on 13:12a–b for suggestions on translating this as an independent sentence.

Jesus: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Jesus is literally “he,” as in the New Revised Standard Version. The Berean Standard Bible sometimes uses names instead of pronouns in order to clarify the person to whom the author is referring. Refer to Jesus in a way that is natural in your language.

their feet: It may also be natural to make it explicit that the pronoun their refers to the disciples. For example:

After Jesus washed the disciples’ feet

and put on His outer garments: Jesus put back on the outer garments (outer clothing) that he had taken off in order to wash his disciples’ feet. See 13:4b. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

put his outer clothing back on (NET Bible)
-or-
put on his clothes (New International Version)
-or-
put his outer garment back on (Good News Translation)

He reclined with them again: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates literally as reclined with them again indicates that Jesus returned to where he had been reclining (leaning) with the disciples around the food. See the note on “got up from the supper” at 13:4a. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

took his place at the table again (NET Bible)
-or-
returned to his place (New International Version)
-or-
sat down (New Living Translation (2004))

13:12b

and asked: This phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as asked is literally “said to them.” Since it introduces a rhetorical question, you might want to indicate that Jesus asked a question.

Do you know what I have done for you?: This is a rhetorical question. Jesus used it to introduce an explanation. Jesus would explain why he washed his disciples’ feet. There are at least three ways to translate this rhetorical question to introduce a topic.

• Use a rhetorical question like the Berean Standard Bible. For example:

Do you understand what I have just done for you? (New Century Version)

• Use a statement. For example:

Let me explain what I just did.

• Use a statement followed by a tag question. For example:

You (plur.) do not understand what I just did for you, do you?

Use whichever form is most natural in your language in this context.

know: The disciples knew what Jesus had done, but not what it meant or why he did it. Here is another way to translate this word:

understand (New International Version)

General Comment on 13:12a–b

The Berean Standard Bible has followed the Greek and translated 13:12a–b as one long sentence. In some languages it may be natural to use two or more sentences. For example:

When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. (New International Version)
-or-
When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments again, he went back to the table. ‘Do you understand’, he said, ‘what I have done to you?…’ (New Jerusalem Bible)

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