^13:33Children, I am still with you for a little while. You will look for me,⁸² and just as I said to the Jewish religious leaders,⁸³ ‘Where I am going you cannot come,’⁸⁴ now I tell you the same.⁸⁵

^13:34“I give you a new commandment—to love⁸⁶ one another. Just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.⁸⁷^13:35Everyone⁸⁸ will know by this that you are my disciples—if you have love for one another.”

Read in Logos

John 13:34: A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.

Footnotes

82 Or “You will seek me.”
83 Grk “the Jews.” In NT usage the term Ἰουδαῖοι (Ioudaioi) may refer to the entire Jewish people, the residents of Jerusalem and surrounding territory, the authorities in Jerusalem, or merely those who were hostile to Jesus. (For further information see R. G. Bratcher, “ ‘The Jews’ in the Gospel of John,” 26 [1975]: 401–9.) Here the phrase refers to the residents of Jerusalem in general, or to the Jewish religious leaders in particular, who had sent servants to attempt to arrest Jesus on that occasion (John 7:33–35). The last option is the one adopted in the translation above.
85 The words “the same” are not in the Greek text but are implied. Direct objects in Greek were often omitted when clear from the context.
86 The ἵνα (hina) clause gives the content of the commandment. This is indicated by a dash in the translation.
87 The idea that love is a commandment is interesting. In the OT the ten commandments have a setting in the covenant between God and Israel at Sinai; they were the stipulations that Israel had to observe if the nation were to be God’s chosen people. In speaking of love as the new commandment for those whom Jesus had chosen as his own (John 13:1, 15:16) and as a mark by which they could be distinguished from others (13:35), John shows that he is thinking of this scene in covenant terminology. But note that the disciples are to love “Just as I have loved you” (13:34). The love Jesus has for his followers cannot be duplicated by them in one sense, because it effects their salvation, since he lays down his life for them: It is an act of love that gives life to people. But in another sense, they can follow his example (recall to the end, 13:1; also 1 John 3:16, 4:16 and the interpretation of Jesus’ washing of the disciples’ feet). In this way Jesus’ disciples are to love one another: They are to follow his example of sacrificial service to one another, to death if necessary.
88 Grk “All people,” although many modern translations have rendered πάντες (pantes) as “all men” (, , , ). While the gender of the pronoun is masculine, it is collective and includes people of both genders.

Cross references

84 See John 7:33–34.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going you cannot come.’ A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

NIVNew International Version (2011)

“My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come.

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

CSBChristian Standard Bible

Little children, I am with you a little while longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so now I tell you, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’

“I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

NLTNew Living Translation

Dear children, I will be with you only a little longer. And as I told the Jewish leaders, you will search for me, but you can’t come where I am going. So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

Children, yet a little time I am with you. You will seek me and just as I said to the Jews, ‘Where I am going you cannot come,’ now I say also to you.”

“A new commandment I give to you: that you love one another—just as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples—if you have love for one another.”

KJV 1900King James Version

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. A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

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