Bible Strands
John 13:11
For He knew who would betray Him. That is why He said, “Not all of you are clean.”
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Jesus addresses His disciples during the final meal, immediately after washing their feet and declaring that they are clean though not all are. This occurs at the transition between the foot-washing act and His subsequent teaching.
The words — The Greek ᾔδει (ēdei) means "He knew," and παραδιδόντα (paradidonta) means "betraying." Jesus uses these terms to state directly that He possessed precise foreknowledge of Judas Iscariot’s impending action.
The thread — This declaration of knowing the betrayer connects to John 13:2, where the devil places the idea in Judas’s heart, and John 13:18, where Jesus cites Scripture to confirm He knows whom He chose. The specific identification is later fulfilled in John 13:26 when Jesus gives the dipped morsel to Judas.
Why it lands — The text requires readers to acknowledge that Jesus’ authority and knowledge encompass both the faithful and the treacherous within His immediate circle. It demands sober recognition that outward proximity to Christ does not guarantee spiritual cleanliness.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean.
Cross-references
- John 13:18 I am not speaking about all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But this is to fulfill the Scripture: ‘The one who shares My bread has lifted up his heel against Me.’
- John 13:26 Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I give this morsel after I have dipped it.” Then He dipped the morsel and gave it to Judas son of Simon Iscariot.
- John 13:2 The evening meal was underway, and the devil had already put into the heart of Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus.
- John 13:21 After Jesus had said this, He became troubled in spirit and testified, “Truly, truly, I tell you, one of you will betray Me.”
- Matthew 26:24 The Son of Man will go just as it is written about Him, but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed. It would be better for him if he had not been born.”
- John 2:25 He did not need any testimony about man, for He knew what was in a man.
- John 6:64 However, there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray Him.)
- John 17:12 While I was with them, I protected and preserved them by Your name, the name You gave Me. Not one of them has been lost, except the son of destruction, so that the Scripture would be fulfilled.