3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power,z and that he had come from Goda and was returning to God; 4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist.b 5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet,c drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”

7 Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”d

8 “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”

Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”

9 “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”

10 Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean,e though not every one of you.”f 11 For he knew who was going to betray him,g and that was why he said not every one was clean.

12 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. 13 “You call me ‘Teacher’h and ‘Lord,’i and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.j 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.k 16 Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master,l nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.m

The Church and Its Leaders

3 Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirito but as people who are still worldlyp—mere infantsq in Christ. 2 I gave you milk, not solid food,r for you were not yet ready for it.s Indeed, you are still not ready. 3 You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarrelingt among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans? 4 For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,”u are you not mere human beings?

5 What, after all, is Apollos?v And what is Paul? Only servants,w through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. 6 I planted the seed,x Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. 7 So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 8 The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor.y 9 For we are co-workers in God’s service;z you are God’s field,a God’s building.b

10 By the grace God has given me,c I laid a foundationd as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.e 12 If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 their work will be shown for what it is,f because the Dayg will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work.h 14 If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward.i 15 If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.j