John 11:55-57

11:55 Now the Jewish feast of Passover ¹  was near, and many people went up to Jerusalem ²  from the rural areas before the Passover to cleanse themselves ritually. ³  11:56 Thus they were looking for Jesus, ⁴  and saying to one another as they stood in the temple courts, ⁵  “What do you think? That he won’t come to the feast?” 11:57 (Now the chief priests and the Pharisees ⁶  had given orders that anyone who knew where Jesus ⁷  was should report it, so that they could arrest ⁸  him.) ⁹ 

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¹ tn Grk “the Passover of the Jews.” This is the final Passover of Jesus’ ministry. The author is now on the eve of the week of the Passion. Some time prior to the feast itself, Jerusalem would be crowded with pilgrims from the surrounding districts (ἐκ τῆς χώρας, ek th" cwra") who had come to purify themselves ceremonially before the feast.

² map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.

³ tn Or “to purify themselves” (to undergo or carry out ceremonial cleansing before participating in the Passover celebration).

⁴ tn Grk “they were seeking Jesus.”

⁵ tn Grk “in the temple.”

⁶ tn The phrase “chief priests and Pharisees” is a comprehensive name for the groups represented in the ruling council (the Sanhedrin) as in John 7:45; 18:3; Acts 5:22, 26.

⁷ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

⁸ tn Or “could seize.”

⁹ sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.