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.

Now the Jewish feast of Passover was near, so Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

(Now the Jewish feast of the Passover was near.)

Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom he had raised from the dead.

But it is your custom that I release one prisoner for you at the Passover. So do you want me to release for you the king of the Jews?”

(Now it was the day of preparation for the Passover, about noon.) Pilate said to the Jewish leaders, “Look, here is your king!”

Now while Jesus was in Jerusalem at the feast of the Passover, many people believed in his name because they saw the miraculous signs he was doing.

Then they brought Jesus from Caiaphas to the Roman governor’s residence. (Now it was very early morning.) They did not go into the governor’s residence so they would not be ceremonially defiled, but could eat the Passover meal.

Just before the Passover feast, Jesus knew that his time had come to depart from this world to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now loved them to the very end.