John 13:18

New Testament Gospel ASV (1901)

What does John 13:18 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled: He that eateth my bread lifted up his heel against me.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled: He that eateth my bread lifted up his heel against me.
John 13:18 — American Standard Version

Context — John 13

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
18I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled: He that eateth my bread lifted up his heel against me.

What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“I speak not of you all.] What he had before said on the one hand, “ye are not all clean”, (<431311>John 13:11), for one of them was not; and on the other hand, when he put an “if” upon, or seemed to doubt of their knowing and doing these things, (<431317>John 13:17); or what he was about to say concerning his being betrayed, this he did not speak of them all: I know whom I have chosen; not to apostleship, for they were all chosen to that, Judas as well as the rest, but to grace and glory, to everlasting salvation and happiness; of these he was well assured, that they were all clean, pure, and spotless, in the sight of God; were truly regenerated by the Spirit of God, and had an experimental…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“I speak not of you all--the "happy are ye," of Joh 13:17, being on no supposition applicable to Judas. I know whom I have chosen--in the higher sense. But that the scripture may be fulfilled--that is, one has been added to your number, by no accident or mistake, who is none of Mine, but just that he might fulfil his predicted destiny. He that eateth bread with me--"did eat of my bread" (Psa 41:9), as one of My family; admitted to the nearest familiarity of discipleship and of social life. hath lifted up his heel against me--turned upon Me, adding insult to injury. (Compare Heb 10:29). In the Psalm the immediate reference is to Ahithophel's treachery against David (2Sa. 17:1-23), one of those…”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“I speak not of you all - That is, in addressing you as clean, I do not mean to say that you all possess this character. I know whom I have chosen - He here means evidently to say that he had not chosen them all, implying that Judas had not been chosen. As, however, this word is applied to Judas in one place John 6:70, “Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?” it must have a different meaning here from that which it has there. There it evidently refers to the apostleship. Jesus had chosen him to be an apostle, and had treated him as such. Here it refers to purity of heart, and Jesus implies that, though Judas had been chosen to the office of apostleship, yet he had not been…”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“I speak not of you all - When I call you happy, I know one of you twelve whom I have chosen, will betray me; whereby that scripture will be fulfilled. Psa 41:9. John 13:20”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · Modern study notes
“13:18 I am not saying these things to all of you: The subject of Judas’s betrayal enters the story for the third time (13:2, 11). The matter weighed heavily on Jesus (13:21). • I know the ones I have chosen: The statement does not imply that Jesus chose only the eleven and that Judas was an outcast. Jesus chose Judas and gave him every opportunity to believe. He realized that Judas had embraced the darkness rather than the light (6:70). • The one who eats my food has turned against me (literally has lifted his heel against me): Eating together was a cultural symbol of personal intimacy, which made Judas’s betrayal all the more treacherous.”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“I know: Joh 13:11, Joh 17:12, Joh 21:17; Co2 4:5; Heb 4:13; Rev 2:23 but: Psa 41:9; Mat 10:36, Mat 26:23; Mar 14:20 John 13:19”
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Related study paths

Sources and verification