John 11:55
And the Jews’ passover was nigh at hand: and many went out of the country up to Jerusalem before the passover, to purify themselves.
John 11:55 in other translations
| BSB | Now the Jewish Passover was near, and many people went up from the country to Jerusalem to purify themselves before the Passover. |
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| WEB | Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand. Many went up from the country to Jerusalem before the Passover, to purify themselves. |
| ASV | 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. |
| YLT | 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; |
| DARBY | 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. |
| BBE | 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. |
| Webster | And the Jews' passover was nigh at hand: and many went out of the country to Jerusalem before the passover, to purify themselves. |
What does John 11:55 mean?
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on John 11:55-57
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain
Barnes' Notes
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, Lev 22:1-6. For want of this, great inconvenience was sometimes experienced. See 2Chr 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.
(q) "the Jews' Passover" Jn 2:13, 5:1, 6:4
Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain
Adam Clarke's Commentary
Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on John 11:54-57
Before our gospel passover we must renew our repentance. Thus by a voluntary purification, and by religious exercises, many, more devout than their neighbours, spent some time before the passover at Jerusalem. When we expect to meet God, we must solemnly prepare. No devices of man can alter the purposes of God: and while hypocrites amuse themselves with forms and disputes, and worldly men pursue their own plans…
John 11:55 in the original Greek
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Cross references for John 11:55
- 2 Chronicles 30:17-20
For there were many in the congregation that were not sanctified: therefore the Levites had the charge of the killing of the passovers for every one that was not clean, to sanctify them unto the Lord. For a multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim, and Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet did they eat the passover otherwise than it was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, The good Lord pardon every one That prepareth his heart to seek God, the Lord God of his fathers, though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary. And the Lord hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people.
- Hebrews 9:13-14
For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
- John 2:13
And the Jews’ passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem,
- Exodus 19:10
And the Lord said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and sanctify them to day and to morrow, and let them wash their clothes,
- John 6:4
And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh.
- John 12:1
Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead.
- Genesis 35:2
Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments:
- Mark 14:1
After two days was the feast of the passover, and of unleavened bread: and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take him by craft, and put him to death.
- John 7:8-10
Go ye up unto this feast: I go not up yet unto this feast; for my time is not yet full come. When he had said these words unto them, he abode still in Galilee. But when his brethren were gone up, then went he also up unto the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret.
- Nehemiah 8:1-12
And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that was before the water gate; and they spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded to Israel. And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month. And he read therein before the street that was before the water gate from the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law. And Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah, and Urijah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchiah, and Hashum, and Hashbadana, Zechariah, and Meshullam. …
- Exodus 19:14-15
And Moses went down from the mount unto the people, and sanctified the people; and they washed their clothes. And he said unto the people, Be ready against the third day: come not at your wives.
- John 5:1
After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
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Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Context
- John 11:54
Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews; but went thence unto a country near to the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim, and there continued with his disciples.
- John 11:55
And the Jews’ passover was nigh at hand: and many went out of the country up to Jerusalem before the passover, to purify themselves.
- John 11:56
Then sought they for Jesus, and spake among themselves, as they stood in the temple, What think ye, that he will not come to the feast?
John 11:55 in other languages
| Spanish Reina-Valera 1909 | Y la Pascua de los Judíos estaba cerca: y muchos subieron de aquella tierra á Jerusalem antes de la Pascua, para purificarse; |
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| French Bible J.N. Darby 1885 | Or la Pâque des Juifs était proche, et plusieurs montèrent de la campagne à Jérusalem, avant la Pâque, afin de se purifier. |
| German Elberfelder 1871 | Es war aber nahe das Passah der Juden, und viele gingen aus dem Lande hinauf nach Jerusalem vor dem Passah, auf daß sie sich reinigten. |
| Latin Clementine Vulgate | Proximum autem erat Pascha Judæorum, et ascenderunt multi Jerosolymam de regione ante Pascha, ut sanctificarent seipsos. |