John 13:7
“Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
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At the Last Supper, Jesus rises to wash His disciples' feet. When Peter objects to his Master taking a servant's role, Jesus responds that the full meaning of the act will be understood only later.
What Does John 13:7 Mean?
Jesus is gently telling Peter that the meaning of what He is doing -- washing the disciples' feet -- cannot be grasped in the moment, but will become clear in time. Peter, startled to see his Master kneeling before him with a towel, has just protested. To him it seemed backward and even improper for the Lord to perform a servant's lowly task. Jesus does not scold him. Instead He offers a patient promise: understanding is coming, just not yet.
The words "thou shalt know hereafter" point beyond the immediate act to the larger story Peter could not yet see. Only after the cross, the resurrection, and the gift of the Spirit would the disciples truly grasp what this humble washing signified -- both the cleansing Jesus would accomplish and the pattern of self-giving service He was establishing. This verse speaks to every believer who faces circumstances that make no sense in the present. There are seasons when God's purposes remain hidden and His ways seem strange or even contrary to what we expect. Faith does not demand immediate explanation; it trusts the character of the One acting. The Lord who knows the whole story invites us to wait, to trust, and to let understanding come in His time rather than ours.
In the Original Language
The Greek contrasts "arti" (ἄρτι), meaning now or at this moment, with "meta tauta" (μετὰ ταῦτα), meaning after these things or hereafter -- highlighting a delay between the act and its understanding.
Cross References
“So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you?”
- John 13:12
“For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.”
- 1 Corinthians 13:12
“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.”
- Proverbs 3:5
Application
When God's dealings with you make no sense in the moment, hold steady in trust, believing that the One who sees the whole will make His purpose clear in His time.