John 13:31-38 — The New Commandment

31Οτε ουν εξηλθεν, λεγει Ιησους Νυν εδοξασθη ο Υιος του ανθρωπου, και ο Θεος εδοξασθη εν αυτω· (Ote oyn exēlthen, legei Iēsoys Nyn edoxasthē o Yios toy anthrōpoy, kai o Theos edoxasthē en aytō·)32ει ο Θεος εδοξασθη εν αυτω, και ο Θεος δοξασει αυτον εν αυτω, και ευθυς δοξασει αυτον. (ei o Theos edoxasthē en aytō, kai o Theos doxasei ayton en aytō, kai eythys doxasei ayton.)33τεκνια, ετι μικρον μεθ υμων ειμι· ζητησετε με, και καθως ειπον τοις Ιουδαιοις οτι Οπου εγω υπαγω υμεις ου δυνασθε ελθειν, και υμιν λεγω αρτι. (teknia, eti mikron meth ymōn eimi· zētēsete me, kai kathōs eipon tois Ioydaiois oti Opoy egō ypagō ymeis oy dynasthe elthein, kai ymin legō arti.)34εντολην καινην διδωμι υμιν, ινα αγαπατε αλληλους, καθως ηγαπησα υμας ινα και υμεις αγαπατε αλληλους. (entolēn kainēn didōmi ymin, ina agapate allēloys, kathōs ēgapēsa ymas ina kai ymeis agapate allēloys.)35εν τουτω γνωσονται παντες οτι εμοι μαθηται εστε, εαν αγαπην εχητε εν αλληλοις. (en toytō gnōsontai pantes oti emoi mathētai este, ean agapēn echēte en allēlois.)36Λεγει αυτω Σιμων Πετρος Κυριε, που υπαγεις; απεκριθη Ιησους Οπου υπαγω ου δυνασαι μοι νυν ακολουθησαι, ακολουθησεις δε υστερον. (Legei aytō Simōn Petros Kyrie, poy ypageis; apekrithē Iēsoys Opoy ypagō oy dynasai moi nyn akoloythēsai, akoloythēseis de ysteron.)37λεγει αυτω Πετρος Κυριε, δια τι ου δυναμαι σοι ακολουθησαι αρτι; την ψυχην μου υπερ σου θησω. (legei aytō Petros Kyrie, dia ti oy dynamai soi akoloythēsai arti; tēn psychēn moy yper soy thēsō.)38αποκρινεται Ιησους Την ψυχην σου υπερ εμου θησεις; αμην αμην λεγω σοι, ου μη αλεκτωρ φωνηση εως ου αρνηση με τρις. (apokrinetai Iēsoys Tēn psychēn soy yper emoy thēseis; amēn amēn legō soi, oy mē alektōr phōnēsē eōs oy arnēsē me tris.)

31When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him.32If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and he will glorify him immediately.33Little children, I will be with you a little while longer. You will seek me, and as I said to the Jews, ‘Where I am going, you can’t come,’ so now I tell you.34A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also love one another.35By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”36Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered, “Where I am going, you can’t follow now, but you will follow afterwards.”37Peter said to him, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.”38Jesus answered him, “Will you lay down your life for me? Most certainly I tell you, the rooster won’t crow until you have denied me three times.

The new commandment (v. 34). Not new in content — Leviticus already said love your neighbor. New in measure: ‘as I have loved you.’ The old law measured by the self; the new measures by Christ.

Greek: Nestle 1904 · English: World English Bible (Public Domain)

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you.”

WHEN Judas had gone out, Jesus spoke. There is a palpable shift in the room. The betrayer has left, the air is cleaner, and now Jesus can speak freely to those who remain. “Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in him.” The glory he speaks of is not the glory of a throne or an army or a triumphant procession. It is the glory of the cross, which is the glory of love poured out to the very end.

“A new commandment I give to you: love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also must love one another.” The commandment is not new in its content — Leviticus 19:18 already said to love your neighbor as yourself. What is new is the measure. The old commandment measured love by the self: love your neighbor as yourself. The new commandment measures love by Christ: love one another as I have loved you. This is an infinitely higher standard.

And how has he loved them? He has washed their feet. He is about to die for them. He does not love them because they are lovable — one of them will deny him before morning, and all of them will flee. He loves them with the love that creates what it loves, that calls into being what is not yet there. He sees Peter the denier and loves him toward Peter the apostle. He sees them all as they will be, not as they are.

Peter, predictably, misses the point entirely. “Lord, I will lay down my life for you.” He means it. He is completely sincere. And Jesus tells him the truth: “The rooster will not crow until you have denied me three times.” Peter’s self-confidence is touching and tragic. He believes he is capable of faithfulness in his own strength. He is about to learn otherwise. But Jesus does not dismiss him or replace him. He tells him what is coming, and then he keeps him. The one who will deny him will also be the one he restores on the beach by the Sea of Tiberias. That is the kind of love the new commandment is talking about.

Primary Sources

Augustine, Tractate 65: “A new commandment he gave us, that we love one another as he has loved us.”

Calvin, on John 13:38: “Christ did not choose to debate with Peter, but wished that he should grow wise by his own experience, like fools, who never grow wise till they have received a stroke... his confidence is full of rashness, for he does not consider what strength has been given to him.”

Written for the Grace Memorial devotional series · July 2026

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