John 13 — Clausal Layout (English)

independentparticipialrelativepurposecausecomparativecontentconditionalphrase modifierdashed = verbless / suspended

Flush-left = a main (independent) clause. Each dependent line begins directly beneath the word it attaches to in the line above — the anchor word is dotted-underlined, and lights up when you hover its dependent clause; each tag also names the attachment. A dashed border marks verbless, elliptical, or suspended lines. Where a long sentence's staircase runs wider than the page, the diagram scrolls sideways. (In print, or without JavaScript, lines fall back to stepped indent columns.)

The great period — love to the uttermost, and the towel 13:1–5

vv. 1–4 — one suspended sentence: knowing, loving, the devil's groundwork — then Jesus rises

Now before the Feast of the Passover,phrase modifier — fronted temporal phrase — leans on ἠγάπησεν; the hinge out of the Book of Signs

Jesus, knowingparticipial — first participle of the cascade — perfect οἶδα, settled knowledge; leans on ἠγάπησεν

that his hour had comecontent — the ὥρα of the whole Gospel arrives (2:4; 7:30; 12:23)

to depart out of this world to the Father,purpose — epexegetic ἵνα — the hour defined as transit; μεταβαίνω, passage-language, not death-language

having loved his own who were in the world,participial — second forward participle — τοὺς ἰδίους echoes 1:11: his own, now received

loved them to the uttermost.independent — the crux: εἰς τέλος — 'to the uttermost' and/or 'to the end'; the aorist sweeps footwashing and cross into one act

And during supper —participial — genitive absolute — the meal already underway; the sentence stays suspended toward ἐγείρεται (v. 4)

the devil having already put it into the heartparticipial — second genitive absolute — intensive perfect βεβληκότος: the impulse already lodged

that Judas son of Simon Iscariot should betray him —content — epexegetic ἵνα — what was cast in; παραδίδωμι, the passion verb of all four Gospels

knowingparticipial — the εἰδώς of v. 1 repeated — the frame of sovereign knowledge closes round the towel; leans on ἐγείρεται

that the Father had given all things into his handscontent — total authority (3:35; 17:2) — the hands that hold everything take the towel

and that he had come from Godcontent — origin — the procession from the Father (8:42; 16:28)

and was going to God,content — destination, coordinate predicate of the same ὅτι — πρὸς τὸν θεόν echoes 1:1; he washes because he knows who he is

he rose from supperindependent — the main verb at last — historic present after three verses of suspension; ἐγείρω, also the resurrection verb

and laid aside his garments,independent — τίθησιν — the Good Shepherd's verb for laying down his life (10:11, 15, 17–18); the stripping encodes the cross

and taking a towel,participial — preposed aorist participle — leans on διέζωσεν; λέντιον, the slave's implement

he tied it around himself.independent — the girding for service — διαζώννυμι only here and v. 5 in the NT

v. 5 — the washing begins

Then he poured water into the basinindependent — historic present continues; νιπτήρ, a NT hapax

and began to wash the disciples' feetindependent — ingressive ἤρξατο — a slave's task, owed by no disciple even to his teacher

and to dry them with the towelcontent — second complementary infinitive — ἐκμάσσω, Mary's verb at the anointing (12:3)

that was tied around him.relative — periphrastic pluperfect — the girding of v. 4 persists through the washing

The exchange with Peter — wash, or no share 13:6–11

vv. 6–8 — protest, promise, and the absolute refusal answered

So he came to Simon Peter.independent — historic present — the round of washing reaches Peter

He said to him:independent — the subject switches unmarked to Peter — the shock speaks first

'Lord, are you washing my feet?'content — emphatic σύ jammed against μου — Lord and my feet in one breath: the scandal crystallized

Jesus answered and said to him:independent — the Semitic double formula for a weighty reply

'What I am doing you do not know now,content — ἐγώ set against σύ — the fronted relative carries the whole deed

but you will understand afterward.'content — μετὰ ταῦτα — the post-resurrection perspective (2:22; 12:16)

Peter said to him:independent — the refusal

'You shall never wash my feet — not ever.'content — οὐ μή + aorist subjunctive + εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα — the strongest refusal Greek can build

Jesus answered him:independent — the stakes raised from courtesy to salvation

'If I do not wash you,conditional — protasis leaning on the apodosis — note the shift from feet to the whole person: σε

you have no share with me.'content — μέρος — the covenant portion (Deut 12:12); the washing made soteriological

vv. 9–11 — overcorrection, the bathed and the washed, and the shadow at the table

Simon Peter said to him:independent — the swing from absolute refusal to extravagant demand

'Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!'content — verbless overcorrection — feet, hands, head: the whole person offered for washing

Jesus said to him:independent — the distinction drawn

'The one who has bathed needs only to wash his feet,content — λούω (bathe wholly) vs νίπτω (wash a part); 'except for his feet' printed with P66 and B against the shorter ℵ reading

but is entirely clean.content — the bathed state — καθαρὸς ὅλος, often heard baptismally

And you are clean —content — the application widens to the plural ὑμεῖς

but not all of you.'content — the elliptical exception — the shadow falls across the table

For he knew the one who was betraying him;cause — the narrator's γάρ — pluperfect ᾔδει, knowledge in place before the supper; present participle, the betrayal already in motion

that was why he said:independent — the aside completes itself

'Not all of you are clean.'content — recitative ὅτι — v. 10b quoted back verbatim by the narrator

Do you know what I have done? — the pattern, the Scripture, the sending 13:12–20

vv. 12–15 — robes resumed, and the ὑπόδειγμα drawn out

When therefore he had washed their feet and taken his garments and reclined again,conditional — forward temporal ὅτε-clause — washing done, robes resumed, the teacher's posture restored; leans on εἶπεν

he said to them:independent — the one speech-frame that carries the whole discourse to v. 20

'Do you know what I have done to you?content — γινώσκετε — indicative question or imperative, deliberately ambiguous; perfect πεποίηκα, the act now stands as paradigm

You call me the Teacher and the Lord,content — the double title quoted with its articles — nominatives held up like placards

and you say rightly,content — the titles ratified, not deflected

for so I am.cause — the unqualified εἰμὶ γάρ — some hear the absolute ἐγώ εἰμι (8:58) behind it

'If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, have washed your feet,conditional — first-class protasis — the fact just enacted; v. 13's titles now carry the argument

you also ought to wash one another's feet.content — ὀφείλετε — a debt owed, not advice; the hierarchy becomes a circle (ἀλλήλων)

For I have given you a pattern,cause — ὑπόδειγμα fronted — an archetype to copy, and given as a gift

that just as I have done to you, you also should do.purpose — the ἵνα spells the pattern out, καθώς folded inside — the shape of love is Jesus himself

vv. 16–17 — the proverb of the sent, and the beatitude of the doing

'Truly, truly, I say to you:content — the double amen — John's solemn signature formula

a servant is not greater than his master,content — the proverb's first leg — slave and owner

nor one who is sent greater than the one who sent him.content — the second leg — ἀπόστολος, John's only use; the sending-chain requires humility all the way down

'If you know these things,conditional — first protasis (εἰ + indicative) — the knowing assumed real

blessed are youcontent — one of John's two beatitudes (with 20:29)

if you do them.'conditional — the trailing contingent protasis — knowing does not bless; doing does

vv. 18–20 — not all: the Scripture, the sign in advance, and the reception-chain

'I am not speaking about all of you;content — the beatitude restricted — the shadow of v. 10b returns

I know whom I have chosen.content — election stated — ἐξελεξάμην (6:70; 15:16); the betrayer is no surprise

But — that the Scripture might be fulfilled:purpose — elliptical ἵνα of divine necessity ('this is happening so that…') — the betrayal held inside the plan

'The one who eats my bread has lifted his heel against me.'content — Ps 41:9 — with the vivid τρώγων of the bread-of-life discourse (6:54–58); table-fellowship inverted into the kick of contempt

From now on I tell you before it happens,content — prediction before event — πρὸ τοῦ + infinitive

so that when it happens you may believepurpose — the betrayal, foretold, becomes evidence rather than scandal

that I am.content — the absolute ἐγώ εἰμι (8:24, 28, 58) — the divine name unpredicated

'Truly, truly, I say to you:content — the second double amen of the discourse

whoever receives anyone I send receives me,content — the shaliach principle — the agent is as the sender; ἐμέ supplied from the parallel

and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.'content — the chain reaches its origin — Father → Son → sent ones

One of you will betray me — the morsel, and the night 13:21–30

vv. 21–22 — the announcement, and the baffled looks

Having said these things, Jesusparticipial — preposed aorist participle — the discourse closed; leans on ἐταράχθη

was troubled in spirit,independent — the verb of 11:33 and 12:27 — the Johannine Jesus' deepest agitation; τῷ πνεύματι, the inward sphere

and testified,independent — μαρτυρέω — even the naming of betrayal is solemn witness

and said:independent — the triple verb builds to the word

'Truly, truly, I say to you: one of you will betray me.'content — the third double amen — εἷς ἐξ ὑμῶν: one, and unnamed

The disciples kept looking at one another,independent — progressive imperfect — the glances circling the table

at a loss as to whom he was speaking of.participial — ἀπορέω — no way through; the indirect question kept in the vivid present

vv. 23–26 — the disciple at the breast, the whispered question, the dipped morsel

One of his disciples was reclining at Jesus' breast —independent — the Beloved Disciple's first appearance — ἐν τῷ κόλπῳ echoes 1:18: as the Son to the Father, so this disciple to Jesus

the one whom Jesus loved.relative — the defining relative — imperfect ἠγάπα; the phrase recurs at 19:26; 20:2; 21:7, 20

So Simon Peter nodded to himindependent — historic present νεύει — the wordless signal across the couches

to ask who it might be of whom he was speaking.purpose — purpose infinitive; the optative εἴη with ἄν — a rare classical politeness in Koine

Leaning back thus against Jesus' chest,participial — preposed participle — leans on λέγει; ἐκεῖνος, the narrator's quasi-name for the Beloved Disciple

he said to him:independent — historic present

'Lord, who is it?'content — the question at the breast — direct, urgent, private

Jesus answered:independent — historic present

'It is that onecontent — the identification given — privately, to one hearer only (cf. v. 28)

for whom I will dip the morsel and give it to him.'relative — the host's honor-gesture chosen as the sign — favor and betrayal in one ψωμίον

So, having dipped the morsel,participial — preposed aorist participle — leans on λαμβάνει; the word becomes deed at once

he took it and gave it to Judas, son of Simon Iscariot.independent — historic presents — and the name at last spoken in narration

vv. 27–30 — Satan enters; the command; the exit into the dark

And after the morsel, then Satan entered into him.independent — the hospitality-gift becomes the door — v. 2's implanted purpose is now possession (cf. Luke 22:3)

So Jesus said to him:independent — the sovereign word over the betrayal

'What you are doing, do quickly.'content — not permission but command — the hour's timetable stays in Jesus' hands

Now no one of those reclining knewindependent — the narrator's aside — the exchange opaque at the table

why he said this to him;content — indirect question — πρὸς τί, to what end

for some supposed —cause — the γάρ-aside — δοκέω, John's verb for mistaken belief

since Judas kept the money box —cause — ἐπεί-clause — the treasurership (12:6) screens the real transaction

that Jesus was telling him:content — the imagined speech inside their supposing

'Buy what we need for the feast,'content — the first guess — a purchase for Passover

or that he should give something to the poor.content — the second guess — Passover alms; τοῖς πτωχοῖς fronted before its own ἵνα

So, having taken the morsel,participial — preposed participle — leans on ἐξῆλθεν

he went out at once.independent — ἐκεῖνος isolates him; εὐθύς, rare in John, lands hard

And it was night.independent — the theological full stop — literal evening, and the darkness of 1:5; 3:19; 9:4

Now is the Son of Man glorified — the new commandment 13:31–35

vv. 31–32 — Judas's exit trips the glorification chain

When therefore he had gone out,conditional — forward temporal ὅτε-clause — the exit is the trigger; leans on λέγει

Jesus said:independent — historic present — the frame for vv. 31–35

'Now the Son of Man is glorified,content — the eschatological νῦν; proleptic aorist — the cross already counted as glory

and God is glorified in him.content — the mutual glorification begins its chain

'If God has been glorified in him,conditional — first-class protasis — v. 31b taken as fact and made a premise

God will also glorify him in himself,content — the reflexive αὑτῷ — glory restored within the divine life itself (17:5)

and he will glorify him at once.content — εὐθύς again (after v. 30) — the exaltation is imminent

vv. 33–35 — little children: the departure, the commandment, the mark

'Little children, yet a little while I am with you.content — τεκνία — the Gospel's one diminutive of tenderness (common in 1 John); μικρόν, the farewell word (14:19; 16:16)

You will seek me,content — the seeking of 7:34 and 8:21 — but for these seekers it ends differently

and just as I said to the Judeans —comparative — forward καθώς — leans on the resumptive 'so now I say to you' below

'Where I am going you cannot come' —content — the departure-word (7:34; 8:21), now spoken in love, not judgment; the inability temporal, not final (v. 36)

so now I say also to you.content — the resumption the καθώς leans on — ὑμῖν emphatic, ἄρτι immediate

'A new commandment I give to you:content — the object fronted like a headline; performative present δίδωμι — the giving happens in the saying

that you love one another —purpose — epexegetic ἵνα — the content of the command

just as I have loved you,comparative — the standard and the ground — leans on the restated ἵνα; the newness (καινήν, not νέαν) is this καθώς, not the content (Lev 19:18)

that you also love one another.purpose — the command restated with its measure attached

By this all will knowcontent — the mark before the world — ἐν τούτῳ points ahead to the ἐάν

that you are my disciples:content — ἐμοί fronted — dative of possession: mine

if you have love among one another.'conditional — trailing protasis specifying ἐν τούτῳ — mutual love as the world's evidence

Where are you going? — the rooster word 13:36–38

v. 36 — the question that drives the farewell dialogues

Simon Peter said to him:independent — Peter seizes on the departure-word

'Lord, where are you going?'content — quo vadis — the question the discourse keeps circling (14:5; 16:5)

Jesus answered:independent — the answer gives a when, not a where

'Where I am going you cannot follow me now,content — the fronted ὅπου-clause kept in line — νῦν is the operative word

but you will follow afterward.'content — the promise beneath the refusal — fulfilled in 21:18–19, the martyr's following

vv. 37–38 — the pledge in the Shepherd's idiom, and the prediction

Peter said to him:independent — ardor refusing delay

'Lord, why can I not follow you now?content — the pressed 'why' — ἄρτι against Jesus' ὕστερον

I will lay down my life for you.'content — Peter borrows the Good Shepherd's own idiom (10:11, 15) — a claim only the Shepherd can make good; sincere, and premature

Jesus answered:independent — historic present — the chapter's last word follows

'Will you lay down your life for me?content — Peter's pledge handed back as a question — word for word, the pronouns reversed

Truly, truly, I say to you:content — the chapter's fourth double amen — now to Peter alone (σοι, singular)

the rooster will certainly not crowcontent — οὐ μή + subjunctive — the same emphatic negation Peter used in v. 8, now turned on him

before you have denied me three times.'conditional — temporal ἕως οὗ + subjunctive sets the deadline — dawn; fulfilled in 18:17, 25–27, resolved only in ch. 21

Analysis. John 13 opens the Book of Glory, and the layout opens with the chapter's grammatical signature: vv. 1–4 laid as one great suspended period. The fronted temporal phrase and the participle cascade — εἰδώς with its ὅτι of the arrived hour, ἀγαπήσας over the ἠγάπησεν it grounds, then the two genitive absolutes of v. 2 (supper underway, the devil's purpose already lodged) and the resumed εἰδώς of v. 3 with its threefold knowledge — all lean forward, indented and anchor-less, until the main verbs finally strike flush-left in v. 4: ἐγείρεται, τίθησιν (the Good Shepherd's laying-down verb, 10:11), διέζωσεν. After that the page alternates narrative parataxis in historic presents with speech hanging blue beneath its verbs of saying: the Peter exchange with its double negation (οὐ μὴ νίψῃς … εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα) answered by the ἐὰν μὴ νίψω protasis leaning on 'no share with me'; the not-all-clean aside the narrator glosses with γάρ; the interpretation-discourse of vv. 12–20 all suspended under the one εἶπεν αὐτοῖς of v. 12, with the Ps 41:9 citation (τρώγων — the bread-of-life verb of 6:54–58) hung under πληρωθῇ; the betrayal scene whose lines shorten to the chapter's darkest full stop, ἦν δὲ νύξ; the νῦν ἐδοξάσθη chain and the new commandment with its forward-leaning καθὼς ἠγάπησα ὑμᾶς set between the two ἵνα lines; and Peter's pledge in the Shepherd's own idiom handed back as a question before the rooster word. Cruxes the layout names rather than hides: εἰς τέλος read as both 'to the uttermost' and 'to the end'; v. 10's longer reading εἰ μὴ τοὺς πόδας printed with P66 and Vaticanus against the shorter Sinaiticus text; γινώσκετε in v. 12 ambiguous between question and command; the absolute ἐγώ εἰμι of v. 19; and the ἐντολὴ καινή whose newness is not the content (Lev 19:18) but the καθώς — the measure of Jesus' own completed love.