ἦν δὲ ἑαυτούς. “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.” Cf. John 18:28; Numbers 9:10; 2 Chronicles 30:17. Some purifications required a week, others consisted only of shaving the head and washing the clothes. See Lightfoot in loc.

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Old Testament