The Last Supper and the Washing of Feet

The day having come for eating the lamb, Nicodemus sent the lamb secretly to the garden for Jesus and his disciples, announcing all that had been decreed by Herod with the governor and the high priest.

Whereupon Jesus rejoiced in spirit, saying: 'Blessed be thy holy name, O Lord, because thou hast not separated me from the number of thy servants that have been persecuted by the world and slain. I thank thee, my God, because I have fulfilled thy work.'

And turning to Judas, he said to him: 'Friend, wherefore tarriest thou? My time is nigh, wherefore go and do that which thou must do.'

The disciples thought that Jesus was sending Judas to buy something for the day of the Passover: but Jesus knew that Judas was betraying him, wherefore, desiring to depart from the world, he so spake.

Judas answered: 'Lord, suffer me to eat, and I will go.'

'Let us eat,' said Jesus, 'for I have greatly desired to eat this lamb before I am parted from you.'

And having arisen, he took a towel and girded his loins, and having put water in a basin, he set himself to wash his disciples' feet. Beginning from Judas, Jesus came to Peter.

Said Peter: 'Lord, wouldst thou wash my feet?'

Jesus answered: 'That which I do thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter.'

Peter answered: 'Thou shalt never wash my feet.'

Then Jesus rose up, and said: 'Neither shalt thou come in my company on the day of judgment.'

Peter answered: 'Wash not only my feet, Lord, but my hands and my head.'

When the disciples were washed and were seated at table to eat, Jesus said: 'I have washed you, yet are ye not all clean, forasmuch as all the water of the sea will not wash him that believeth me not.' This said Jesus, because he knew who was betraying him.

The disciples were sad at these words, when Jesus said again: 'Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me, insomuch that I shall be sold like a sheep; but woe unto him, for he shall fulfil all that our father David said of such an one, that "he shall fall into the pit which he had prepared for others."'

Whereupon the disciples looked one upon another, saying with sorrow: 'Who shall be the traitor?'

Judas then said: 'Shall it be I, O Master?'

Jesus answered: 'Thou hast told me who it shall be that shall betray me.' And the eleven apostles heard it not.

When the lamb was eaten, the devil came upon the back of Judas, and he went forth from the house, Jesus saying to him again: 'Do quickly that which thou must do.'