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.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus doesn't just give an old commandment a new coat of paint; he elevates it entirely by grounding it in his own sacrificial love. The "newness" isn't in the idea of loving one another, but in the radical model and motive he provides: mirroring the depth of his own self-giving, which would soon include laying down his life. This transforms brotherly love from a moral obligation into a reflection of Christ's astonishing grace.
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.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus is speaking to his disciples just before his arrest and crucifixion, having just washed their feet as an example of humble service. He knows he will soon be leaving them, and he's preparing them for this imminent separation and the challenges they will face in a world that will hate them. This commandment to love one another, modeled after his own sacrificial love, will be the defining mark of their identity and a witness to the world.
Jesus calls this commandment 'new,' but love was already in the Old Testament law. What makes it so different, so groundbreaking?
Jesus’ commandment to love one another is ‘new’ not because the idea of love was absent before, but because its motivation and measure are radically transformed:
This profound, Christ-modeled love becomes the unique, distinguishing mark of His followers.
Jesus gives this commandment right before His departure. Why was this the crucial, defining instruction He left His followers?
Jesus declares, 'By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.' This wasn't just another rule; it was intended to be the of His community.
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Understand the original words
entolē · Greek Noun
A divine directive or mandate that carries the authority of God. In this context, it is 'new' because it is defined by the unique, sacrificial pattern of Christ’s love rather than the old standards of self-preservation.
agapaō · Greek Verb
A sacrificial, self-giving love (agape) that seeks the highest good of the other, patterned specifically after the way Christ loved the Church—sacrificially, unconditionally, and redemptively.
mathētēs · Greek Noun
A learner, apprentice, or follower. In the New Testament, it signifies one who has identified with Jesus Christ, committed to His teachings, and aims to imitate His life and character.
Jesus gives this commandment at the Last Supper, just hours before his crucifixion. The 'newness' of the command lies not in its content (love was commanded in the Old Testament), but in its motive and example: believers are to love one another *as Christ loved them*, even to the point of self-sacrifice, empowered by the Holy Spirit.
c. 30-33 AD— this verse
The Last Supper
Jesus institutes the Lord's Supper and washes his disciples' feet during his final Passover meal.
c. 30-33 AD
Jesus' Crucifixion and Resurrection
Jesus is crucified and then resurrected, fulfilling his mission and demonstrating ultimate love.
c. 33 AD
The Day of Pentecost
The Holy Spirit descends upon the apostles, empowering them to fulfill Jesus' commands and spread the Gospel.
c. 45-60 AD
Early Church Growth and Persecution
The early Christian communities spread but also faced significant opposition and persecution from both Jewish and Roman authorities.
c. 90-100 AD
The Writing of the Gospel of John
The Apostle John writes his Gospel, recording Jesus' teachings and the events of his life, including the commandment to love one another.
This passage directly builds on Jesus' command in John, stating that love originates from God and is the defining characteristic of His children.
Leviticus 19:18This Old Testament verse shows that the concept of loving one's neighbor was not entirely new, but Jesus elevates it with a new standard and motive.
Galatians 5:13This verse connects the command to love with the freedom found in Christ, emphasizing that love is not a burden but the way to serve one another within the Spirit.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7This passage provides a detailed, almost poetic description of what this kind of love looks like in action, painting a vivid picture of the 'as I have loved you' standard.
John 15:12This verse immediately follows the command, reinforcing that the love Jesus calls for is a direct outflow of His own love for them, making it the foundational element of their new life.
vincentJohn 13:34: "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another."
New (καινὴν)See on Matthew 26:29.Commandment (ἐντολὴν)The word for a single commandment or injunction, but used also for the whole body of the moral precepts of Christianity. See 1 Timothy 6:14; 2 Peter 2:21; 2 Peter 3:2. See also on James 2:8. This new commandment embodies the essential principle of the whole law. Compare also 1 John 3:23. Some interpreters instead…
calvinJohn 13:30-35: "He then having received the sop went immediately out: and it was night."
- When, therefore, he had received the sop, he went immediately out; and it was night. 31. When, therefore, he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him. 32. If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and will immediately glorify him. 33. Little children, but a little while am I yet with you. You shall seek me, and as I said to the Jews,…
Jesus doesn't just give an old commandment a new coat of paint; he elevates it entirely by grounding it in his own sacrificial love. The "newness" isn't in the idea of loving one another, but in the radical model and motive he provides: mirroring the depth of his own self-giving, which would soon include laying down his life. This transforms brotherly love from a moral obligation into a reflection of Christ's astonishing grace.
Jesus is speaking to his disciples just before his arrest and crucifixion, having just washed their feet as an example of humble service. He knows he will soon be leaving them, and he's preparing them for this imminent separation and the challenges they will face in a world that will hate them. This commandment to love one another, modeled after his own sacrificial love, will be the defining mark of their identity and a witness to the world.
Jesus is speaking to his disciples just before his arrest and crucifixion, having just washed their feet as an example of humble service. He knows he will soon be leaving them, and he's preparing them for this imminent separation and the challenges they will face in a world that will hate them. This commandment to love one another, modeled after his own sacrificial love, will be the defining mark of their identity and a witness to the world.
"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.”" — Jesus doesn't just give an old commandment a new coat of paint; he elevates it entirely by grounding it in his own sacrificial love. The "newness" isn't in the idea of loving one another, but in th…
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Last reviewed October 2026