SCRIPTURE READING:
Luke 22; John 13
SCRIPTURE:
Luke 22
¹ Now the feast of unleavened bread drew nigh, which is called the Passover.
² And the chief priests and scribes sought how they might kill him; for they feared the people.
³ Then entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve.
⁴ And he went his way, and communed with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray him unto them.
⁵ And they were glad, and covenanted to give him money.
⁶ And he promised, and sought opportunity to betray him unto them in the absence of the multitude.
⁷ Then came the day of unleavened bread, when the passover must be killed.
⁸ And he sent Peter and John, saying, Go and prepare us the passover, that we may eat.
⁹ And they said unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare?
¹⁰ And he said unto them, Behold, when ye are entered into the city, there shall a man meet you, bearing a pitcher of water; follow him into the house where he entereth in.
¹¹ And ye shall say unto the goodman of the house, The Master saith unto thee, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples?
¹² And he shall shew you a large upper room furnished: there make ready.
¹³ And they went, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover.
¹⁴ And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him.
¹⁵ And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer:
¹⁶ For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God.
¹⁷ And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves:
¹⁸ For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come.
¹⁹ And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.
²⁰ Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.
²¹ But, behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table.
²² And truly the Son of man goeth, as it was determined: but woe unto that man by whom he is betrayed!
²³ And they began to enquire among themselves, which of them it was that should do this thing.
²⁴ And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest.
²⁵ And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors.
²⁶ But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.
²⁷ For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth.
²⁸ Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations.
²⁹ And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me;
³⁰ That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
³¹ And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:
³² But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.
³³ And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death.
³⁴ And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me.
³⁵ And he said unto them, When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye any thing? And they said, Nothing.
³⁶ Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one.
³⁷ For I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me, And he was reckoned among the transgressors: for the things concerning me have an end.
³⁸ And they said, Lord, behold, here are two swords. And he said unto them, It is enough.
³⁹ And he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the mount of Olives; and his disciples also followed him.
⁴⁰ And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation.
⁴¹ And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed,
⁴² Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.
⁴³ And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.
⁴⁴ And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.
⁴⁵ And when he rose up from prayer, and was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow,
⁴⁶ And said unto them, Why sleep ye? rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.
⁴⁷ And while he yet spake, behold a multitude, and he that was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them, and drew near unto Jesus to kiss him.
⁴⁸ But Jesus said unto him, Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?
⁴⁹ When they which were about him saw what would follow, they said unto him, Lord, shall we smite with the sword?
⁵⁰ And one of them smote the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear.
⁵¹ And Jesus answered and said, Suffer ye thus far. And he touched his ear, and healed him.
⁵² Then Jesus said unto the chief priests, and captains of the temple, and the elders, which were come to him, Be ye come out, as against a thief, with swords and staves?
⁵³ When I was daily with you in the temple, ye stretched forth no hands against me: but this is your hour, and the power of darkness.
⁵⁴ Then took they him, and led him, and brought him into the high priest's house. And Peter followed afar off.
⁵⁵ And when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the hall, and were set down together, Peter sat down among them.
⁵⁶ But a certain maid beheld him as he sat by the fire, and earnestly looked upon him, and said, This man was also with him.
⁵⁷ And he denied him, saying, Woman, I know him not.
⁵⁸ And after a little while another saw him, and said, Thou art also of them. And Peter said, Man, I am not.
⁵⁹ And about the space of one hour after another confidently affirmed, saying, Of a truth this fellow also was with him: for he is a Galilaean.
⁶⁰ And Peter said, Man, I know not what thou sayest. And immediately, while he yet spake, the cock crew.
⁶¹ And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.
⁶² And Peter went out, and wept bitterly.
⁶³ And the men that held Jesus mocked him, and smote him.
⁶⁴ And when they had blindfolded him, they struck him on the face, and asked him, saying, Prophesy, who is it that smote thee?
⁶⁵ And many other things blasphemously spake they against him.
⁶⁶ And as soon as it was day, the elders of the people and the chief priests and the scribes came together, and led him into their council, saying,
⁶⁷ Art thou the Christ? tell us. And he said unto them, If I tell you, ye will not believe:
⁶⁸ And if I also ask you, ye will not answer me, nor let me go.
⁶⁹ Hereafter shall the Son of man sit on the right hand of the power of God.
⁷⁰ Then said they all, Art thou then the Son of God? And he said unto them, Ye say that I am.
⁷¹ And they said, What need we any further witness? for we ourselves have heard of his own mouth.
John 13
¹ Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.
² And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him;
³ Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God;
⁴ He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself.
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.
⁶ Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet?
⁷ Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.
⁸ Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.
⁹ Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.
¹⁰ Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.
¹¹ For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean.
¹² So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you?
¹³ Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.
¹⁴ If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet.
¹⁵ For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.
¹⁶ Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.
¹⁷ If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.
¹⁸ I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me.
¹⁹ Now I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am he.
²⁰ Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.
²¹ When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.
²² Then the disciples looked one on another, doubting of whom he spake.
²³ Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved.
²⁴ Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, that he should ask who it should be of whom he spake.
²⁵ He then lying on Jesus' breast saith unto him, Lord, who is it?
²⁶ Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon.
²⁷ And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly.
²⁸ Now no man at the table knew for what intent he spake this unto him.
²⁹ For some of them thought, because Judas had the bag, that Jesus had said unto him, Buy those things that we have need of against the feast; or, that he should give something to the poor.
³⁰ He then having received the sop went immediately out: and it was night.
³¹ Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him.
³² If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in himself, and shall straightway glorify him.
³³ Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you.
³⁴ A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
³⁵ By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
³⁶ Simon Peter said unto him, Lord, whither goest thou? Jesus answered him, Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now; but thou shalt follow me afterwards.
³⁷ Peter said unto him, Lord, why cannot I follow thee now? I will lay down my life for thy sake.
³⁸ Jesus answered him, Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice.
DEVOTIONAL:
John introduces the final supper by telling us that Jesus loves His own unto the end. He knows His hour has come, knows the Father has given all things into His hands, and then takes a towel. Authority and humble action are not competing identities in Him. The Lord does the work His disciples might have considered beneath them. Luke records that a dispute about greatness arises among them during the meal, making the contrast especially searching. Jesus' love is not a response to a room full of spiritually impressive people. It is the deliberate care of the faithful Savior for disciples who still misunderstand His way and will soon demonstrate their weakness (John 13:1-5; Luke 22:24-30).
Peter's refusal to be washed appears reverent, but Jesus exposes the problem beneath it. Unless Jesus washes him, Peter has no part with Him. Before discipleship is a willingness to serve, it is a willingness to receive what only the Savior can provide. Proud self-sufficiency can hide inside an unwillingness to be helped. The footwashing is both an enacted lesson in humble service and a conversation about the cleansing without which fellowship with Jesus is impossible. It must not be reduced to advice about being nicer. Our place with Christ depends upon His grace, received by faith; the service He commands is the response of people who have first been served by Him (John 13:6-17).
Luke places the bread and cup within the Passover and records the personal words given for you and shed for you. Israel's deliverance story supplies the setting in which the Messiah explains His approaching death and the new covenant. His disciples will remember Him not by celebrating their achievement but by receiving the signs of His self-giving. Betrayal is present at the same table, yet human treachery does not cancel the saving purpose of God or excuse the traitor's responsibility. Jesus also promises a place in His kingdom and speaks of the twelve tribes of Israel. The widening fellowship around the Messiah does not require us to erase Israel from the promises He names (Luke 22:14-30).
Jesus' words to Simon reveal a mercy more durable than Simon's confidence. Satan desires to sift the disciples, but Jesus has prayed for Peter, and He commands the restored disciple to strengthen his brothers. Peter then insists that he is ready for prison and death. His failure will be serious, not imaginary, yet it will not be the final definition of his calling. The passage does not make spiritual failure harmless or promise that every consequence disappears. It teaches that the Savior's intercession is deeper than our self-knowledge. When Jesus later turns and looks at Peter, the disciple remembers His word and weeps. Grace tells the truth about sin and opens the way beyond defensive denial (Luke 22:31-34, 54-62).
John's new commandment brings that grace into the relationships among the disciples. They are to love one another as Jesus has loved them, and that love will identify them before the world. The command is not new because Israel's Scriptures had never required love. Its defining pattern is now the love of the Messiah made visible in His self-giving. Luke likewise shows Jesus healing the wounded servant when His followers respond to arrest with a sword. His kingdom will not be secured by their anxious attempt to control events. Christian love therefore cannot mean defending our group at any moral cost. It must take its shape from the Lord who cleanses, tells the truth, serves, and restrains the harm done in His name (John 13:31-38; Luke 22:47-53).
In daily life, allow yourself to receive appropriate help before making service a way to avoid your own need. Tell a trusted believer where you are struggling, and listen without turning every concern into a defense of your competence. At home, practice the humble work of asking forgiveness without demanding immediate reassurance. At work, mentor a less experienced person patiently rather than using knowledge to secure superiority. In church, distinguish restoration to fellowship from an automatic return to every former responsibility; love can welcome repentance while preserving safeguards and rebuilding trust over time. Peter is told to strengthen others, not to resume boasting. When you care for someone who has stumbled, speak clearly about the wrong but do not make humiliation the goal. The gospel makes room for truthful confession because the Savior's love precedes our proof of usefulness. Ask Him to make your household and congregation places where sin is confronted and repentant people are helped toward durable obedience.
In U.S. civic life, restorative responsibility grows from Jesus' intention that a chastened Peter strengthen others. Pray for mentors, community support workers, and neighbors rebuilding a trustworthy life after serious failure. Ask for wise accountability that protects those harmed while making genuine change possible, without confusing a public apology with completed repair. Christians should participate as people who uphold consequences fairly, refuse needless humiliation, and support credible steps toward restored responsibility rather than treating a person's worst action as the only thing that can ever be said about them.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
Why must Peter receive Jesus' cleansing before he can meaningfully imitate Jesus' service, and where are you resisting the humility of receiving help?
What difference does the phrase for you make when you consider the bread, the cup, and the saving purpose of the Messiah's death?
How could Peter's command to strengthen his brothers guide a congregation caring for someone whose failure has been real and damaging?
What would distinguish responsible restoration from either permanent humiliation or a premature removal of safeguards in a family, workplace, or community?
PRAYER:
ADORATION:
Lord and Master, all things are in Your hands, yet those hands take the towel and touch the wounded. Your majesty does not make You distant from human need. We praise the love that remains faithful when Your disciples are confused and weak.
CONFESSION:
Forgive our refusal to receive cleansing and correction. We have confused self-sufficiency with maturity, competed for recognition, and defended our group in ways that have injured others. Let Your searching look bring remembrance, sorrow, and a changed direction.
THANKSGIVING:
Thank You for giving Yourself for us before we could offer evidence of strength. Your intercession is wiser than our self-assurance, and Your covenant mercy creates a future that our failures cannot manufacture for themselves.
SUPPLICATION – GENERAL:
Teach us to strengthen rather than dominate one another. Give wisdom to churches pursuing restoration, patience to families rebuilding trust, and humility to workers who lead or mentor. Let safeguards and compassion serve together under Your truthful love.
SUPPLICATION – U.S. / CIVIC:
Help communities practice restorative responsibility. Guide mentors and support workers caring for people seeking a different course. Protect those who have been harmed, establish credible accountability, and keep Christians from making humiliation an end in itself when genuine repentance and repair are possible.
SCRIPTURE:
³⁵ By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.