A.T. Robertson Commentary John 11:55

"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." — John 11:55 (ASV)

Was near (ην εγγυς). See 2:13 for the same phrase. This last passover was the time of destiny for Jesus.

Before the passover to purify themselves (προ του πασχα ινα αγνισωσιν εαυτους). Purpose clause with ινα and the first aorist active subjunctive of αγνιζω, old verb from αγνος (pure), ceremonial purification here, of course. All this took time. These came "from the country" (εκ της χωρας), from all over Palestine, from all parts of the world, in fact. John shifts the scene to Jerusalem just before the passover with no record of the way that Jesus came to Jerusalem from Ephraim. The Synoptic Gospels tell this last journey up through Samaria into Galilee to join the great caravan that crossed over into Perea and came down on the eastern side of the Jordan opposite Jericho and then marched up the mountain road to Bethany and Bethphage just beside Jerusalem. This story is found in Lu 17:11-19:28; Mr 10:1-52; Matthew 19:1–20:34. John simply assumes the Synoptic narrative and gives the picture of things in and around Jerusalem just before the passover (11:56,57).