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Friday, October 25th, 2024
the Week of Proper 24 / Ordinary 29
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Contemporary English Version

John 11:55

It was almost time for Passover. Many of the Jewish people who lived out in the country had come to Jerusalem to get themselves ready for the festival.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Purification;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Feast of the Passover, the;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Bethany;   Lazarus;   Mary;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Jerusalem;   Jesus christ;   Passover;   Uncleanness;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Death of Christ;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Baptism;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Chronology of the Biblical Period;   Fulfill;   Hour;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Bethany;   Jesus Christ;   Martha;   Mary;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Dates (2);   Law (2);   Ministry;   Passover (I.);   Pilgrim (2);   Preparation ;   Purification (2);   Purity (2);   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Bethany;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Lazarus;   Passover;   Smith Bible Dictionary - John, Gospel of;   Purification,;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Chronology of the New Testament;   Jesus Christ (Part 1 of 2);   Passover;  

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
It was almost time for the Jewish Passover festival. Many people from the country went to Jerusalem before the Passover. They went to do the special things to make themselves pure for the festival.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
And the Iewes ester was nye at hand and many went out of the countre vp to Ierusalem before the ester to purify them selves.
Hebrew Names Version
Now the Pesach of the Yehudim was at hand. Many went up to Yerushalayim out of the country before the Pesach, to purify themselves.
International Standard Version
Now the Jewish Passover was approaching, and before the Passover many people from the countryside went up to Jerusalem to purify themselves.John 2:13; 5:1; 6:4;">[xr]
New American Standard Bible
Now the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went up to Jerusalem from the country prior to the Passover, in order to purify themselves.
New Century Version
It was almost time for the Passover Feast. Many from the country went up to Jerusalem before the Passover to do the special things to make themselves pure.
Update Bible Version
Now the passover of the Jews was at hand: and many went up to Jerusalem out of the country before the passover, to purify themselves.
Webster's Bible Translation
And the Jews' passover was nigh at hand: and many went out of the country to Jerusalem before the passover, to purify themselves.
English Standard Version
Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and many went up from the country to Jerusalem before the Passover to purify themselves.
World English Bible
Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand. Many went up to Jerusalem out of the country before the Passover, to purify themselves.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And the passover of the Jews was nigh; and many went up to Jerusalem, to purify themselves.
Weymouth's New Testament
The Jewish Passover was coming near, and many from that district went up to Jerusalem before the Passover, to purify themselves.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And the pask of the Jewis was niy, and many of the cuntrey wenten vp to Jerusalem bifor the pask, to halewe hem silf.
English Revised Version
Now the passover of the Jews was at hand: and many went up to Jerusalem out of the country before the passover, to purify themselves.
Berean Standard Bible
Now the Jewish Passover was near, and many people went up from the country to Jerusalem to purify themselves before the Passover.
Amplified Bible
Now the Passover of the Jews was approaching, and many from the country went up to Jerusalem before Passover to purify themselves [ceremonially, so that they would be able to participate in the feast].
American Standard Version
Now the passover of the Jews was at hand: and many went up to Jerusalem out of the country before the passover, to purify themselves.
Bible in Basic English
Now the Passover of the Jews was near, and numbers of people went up from the country to Jerusalem to make themselves clean before the Passover.
Complete Jewish Bible
The Judean festival of Pesach was near, and many people went up from the country to Yerushalayim to perform the purification ceremony prior to Pesach.
Darby Translation
But the passover of the Jews was near, and many went up to Jerusalem out of the country before the passover, that they might purify themselves.
Etheridge Translation
NOW the petscha of the Jihudoyee drew nigh; and many went up from the country places to Urishlem before the festival, to purify themselves.
Murdock Translation
And the passover of the Jews drew near: and many went up from the villages to Jerusalem, before the feast, that they might purify themselves.
King James Version (1611)
And the Iewes Passeouer was nigh at hand, and many went out of the countrey vp to Hierusalem before the Passeouer to purifie themselues.
New Living Translation
It was now almost time for the Jewish Passover celebration, and many people from all over the country arrived in Jerusalem several days early so they could go through the purification ceremony before Passover began.
New Life Bible
The special religious gathering to remember how the Jews left Egypt was soon. Many people from around the country came up to Jerusalem to go through the religious washing before the special supper.
New Revised Standard
Now the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went up from the country to Jerusalem before the Passover to purify themselves.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And the Iewes Passeouer was at hande, and many went out of the countrey vp to Hierusalem before the Passeouer, to purifie themselues.
George Lamsa Translation
Now the Jewish passover was at hand; and many went up from the towns to Jerusalem, before the feast, to purify themselves.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Now the passover of the Jews was at hand, and many went up unto Jerusalem, out of the country, before the passover, that they might purify themselves.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the pasch of the Jews was at hand: and many from the country went up to Jerusalem, before the pasch, to purify themselves.
Revised Standard Version
Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and many went up from the country to Jerusalem before the Passover, to purify themselves.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And the Iewes Easter was nye at hande, and many went out of the countrey vp to Hierusale before the Easter, to purifie them selues.
Good News Translation
The time for the Passover Festival was near, and many people went up from the country to Jerusalem to perform the ritual of purification before the festival.
Christian Standard Bible®
Now the Jewish Passover was near, and many went up to Jerusalem from the country to purify themselves before the Passover.
King James Version
And the Jews' passover was nigh at hand: and many went out of the country up to Jerusalem before the passover, to purify themselves.
Lexham English Bible
Now the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went up to Jerusalem from the surrounding country before the Passover, so that they could purify themselves.
Literal Translation
And the Passover of the Jews was near. And many went up to Jerusalem out of the country before the Passover, that they might purify themselves.
Young's Literal Translation
And the passover of the Jews was nigh, and many went up to Jerusalem out of the country before the passover, that they might purify themselves;
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
The Iewes Easter was nye at hande. And there wente vp many to Ierusale out of that countre before ye Easter, to purifye them selues.
Mace New Testament (1729)
now the passover of the Jews being nigh: the people of that country went in great numbers to Jerusalem before the passover, in order to purify themselves.
THE MESSAGE
The Jewish Passover was coming up. Crowds of people were making their way from the country up to Jerusalem to get themselves ready for the Feast. They were curious about Jesus. There was a lot of talk of him among those standing around in the Temple: "What do you think? Do you think he'll show up at the Feast or not?"
New English Translation
Now the Jewish feast of Passover was near, and many people went up to Jerusalem from the rural areas before the Passover to cleanse themselves ritually.
New King James Version
And the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went from the country up to Jerusalem before the Passover, to purify themselves.
Simplified Cowboy Version
When it was nearly time for Passover, people from all over the country went to Jerusalem to be ceremonially washed.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Now the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went up to Jerusalem out of the country before the Passover to purify themselves.
Legacy Standard Bible
Now the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went up to Jerusalem from the region before the Passover to purify themselves.

Contextual Overview

45 Many of the people who had come to visit Mary saw the things that Jesus did, and they put their faith in him. 46 Others went to the Pharisees and told what Jesus had done. 47 Then the chief priests and the Pharisees called the council together and said, "What should we do? This man is working a lot of miracles. 48 If we don't stop him now, everyone will put their faith in him. Then the Romans will come and destroy our temple and our nation." 49 One of the council members was Caiaphas, who was also high priest that year. He spoke up and said, "You people don't have any sense at all! 50 Don't you know it is better for one person to die for the people than for the whole nation to be destroyed?" 51 Caiaphas did not say this on his own. As high priest that year, he was prophesying that Jesus would die for the nation. 52 Yet Jesus would not die just for the Jewish nation. He would die to bring together all of God's scattered people. 53 From that day on, the council started making plans to put Jesus to death. 54 Because of this plot against him, Jesus stopped going around in public. He went to the town of Ephraim, which was near the desert, and he stayed there with his disciples.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

passover: John 2:13, John 5:1, John 6:4, Exodus 12:11-14

before: John 7:8-10, John 12:1, Ezra 3:1-6, Nehemiah 8:1-12

to purify: John 2:6, Genesis 35:2, Exodus 19:10, Exodus 19:14, Exodus 19:15, Numbers 9:6, 1 Samuel 16:5, 2 Chronicles 30:17-20, Job 1:5, Psalms 26:6, Acts 24:18, 1 Corinthians 11:28, Hebrews 9:13, Hebrews 9:14, James 4:8

Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 16:7 - in the place Matthew 26:2 - the feast Luke 2:41 - the Luke 22:1 - General John 12:12 - come

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And the Jews' passover was nigh at hand,.... Which was the fourth passover from Christ's entrance on his public ministry, and the last he ate with his disciples; when he, by being sacrificed for his people, put an end to that, and all other ceremonial observances:

and many went out of the country up to Jerusalem, before the passover: not only from the country where Ephraim was, but from all other countries in Judea and Galilee: all the males were obliged to go up to Jerusalem, at the time of the passover, where it was only kept; but many went before that time, for the reason following:

to purify themselves; we read in 2 Chronicles 30:18 of many that had not cleansed themselves, and yet ate the passover; for whom Hezekiah prayed, that they might be pardoned, which shows that they had done amiss: upon which place, Jarchi has this observation; that

"Judah (the men of Judah) were all clean, because they were near to Jerusalem, and could purify and sanctify themselves, and return to Jerusalem; but many of Ephraim, and Manasseh, and Issachar, and Zabulon, could not do so.''

And this seems to be the case of these people, they were country people, that lived at a distance, and not having purified themselves from several uncleannesses, came up before the time, that they might cleanse themselves, and be ready at the time: in several cases purification was required; as with new mothers, menstruous and profluvious persons, and such that had touched a dead body, or any creeping thing, and in other cases; and which by reason of distance, might be neglected; wherefore it was necessary they should come up before the time of the passover, to fit themselves for it: the rule about defiled persons eating the passover, is this b;

"if the congregation is polluted, or the greatest part of it, or the priests are unclean, and the congregation pure, it is kept in uncleanness; but if the lesser part of the congregation is defiled, the pure keep the first passover, and the unclean the second.''

This, their commentators say c, is to be understood of uncleanness, by touching the dead, which required seven days of purification; and it is very probable that this was the case of these persons, since it was about so many days before the passover, that they came up; see John 12:1. The account Maimonides d gives of this matter is this;

"who is a defiled person, that is put off to the second passover? everyone who cannot eat the passover, on the night of the fifteenth of Nisan, because of his uncleanness; as profluvious men and women, menstruous and new mothers, and the husbands of menstruous women; but he that toucheth the dead carcass of a beast, or a creeping thing, and the like, on the fourteenth, lo, he dips, and they slay for him (the passover) after he has dipped; and in the evening, when his sun is set, he eats the passover; he that is defiled by touching the dead, whose seventh day happens to be on the fourteenth, though he dips and is sprinkled on, and lo, he is fit to eat the holy things at evening, yet they do not kill for him, but he is put off to the second passover; as it is said, Numbers 9:6. "And there were certain men who were defiled by the dead body of a man, that they could not keep the passover on that day"; by tradition it is learned, that it was their seventh day, and therefore they asked if it should be killed for them, and they should eat at evening? and it was declared to them, that they should not kill for them: of what is this to be understood? when he is polluted with a defilement by the dead, which Nazarites shave for; but if he is polluted with other defilements by the dead, which the Nazarites do not shave for, they kill for him on his seventh day, after he has dipped, and is sprinkled upon; and when his sun is set, he eats his passover; a profluvious person, who sees two appearances, and reckons seven days, and dips on the seventh, they kill for him, and he eats at evening.--They do not kill for a menstruous woman on her seventh day, for lo, she does not dip till the eighth night, and she is not fit to eat holy things until the ninth night.''

These, with many other cases there instanced, may serve to illustrate this passage.

b Misn. Pesachim, c. 7. sect. 6. Vid. Maimon. Korban Pesach. c. 7. sect. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. & Biah Hamikdash, c. 4. sect. 10-18. c Maimon. & Bartenora in Misn. ib. d Hilchot Korban Pesach. c. 6. sect. 1, 2, 3.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Jews’ passover - See the notes at Matthew 26:2-17. Its being called the Jews’ Passover shows that John wrote this gospel among people who were not Jews, and to whom it was necessary, therefore, to explain their customs.

To purify themselves - This purifying consisted in preparing themselves for the proper observation of the Passover, according to the commands of the law. If any were defiled in any manner by contact with the dead or by any other ceremonial uncleanness, they were required to take the prescribed measures for purification, Leviticus 22:1-6. For want of this, great inconvenience was sometimes experienced. See 2 Chronicles 30:17-18. Different periods were necessary in order to be cleansed from ceremonial pollution. For example, one who had been polluted by the touch of a dead body, of a sepulchre, or by the bones of the dead, was sprinkled on the third and seventh days, by a clean person, with hyssop dipped in water mixed in the ashes of the red heifer. After washing his body and clothes he was then clean. These persons who went up before the Passover were doubtless those who had in some manner been ceremonially polluted.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse John 11:55. The Jews' passover was nigh at hand — It is not necessary to suppose that this verse has any particular connection with the preceding. Most chronologists agree that our Lord spent at least two months in Ephraim. This was the last passover which our Lord attended; and it was at this one that he suffered death for the salvation of a lost world. As the passover was nigh, many of the inhabitants of Ephraim and its neighbourhood went up to Jerusalem, some time (perhaps seven or eight days, for so much time was required to purify those who had touched the dead) before the feast, that they might purify themselves, and not eat the passover otherwise than prescribed in the law. Many of the country people, in the time of Hezekiah, committed a trespass by not attending to this: see 2 Chronicles 30:18-19. Those mentioned in the text wished to avoid this inconvenience.


 
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