John 2:13

John 2:13, in plain English

When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover celebration, Jesus traveled up to Jerusalem.

Why it's here

Passover was the most important Jewish holiday — remembering God's deliverance from Egypt. Jesus went to Jerusalem for this sacred occasion, but He had more than remembrance in mind.

Who's speaking

John marks the occasion: Passover is coming, and Jesus heads to Jerusalem.

Where it sits in the story

The whole nation was heading to Jerusalem to remember how God set them free. Jesus went too — but He was about to shake things up in a way no one expected.

The scholarly reading

With the Jewish Passover approaching, Jesus goes up to Jerusalem.

Language and setting

John's Gospel mentions three Passovers (2:13, 6:4, 11:55), providing the framework for a ministry lasting approximately three years. 'Going up' to Jerusalem reflects the city's elevated geography and theological status.

Voice

The narrator notes the approach of Passover and Jesus' journey to Jerusalem.

Significance

The first Passover in John's Gospel brings Jesus to Jerusalem, where He will confront the religious establishment. The Passover setting connects Jesus' actions to Israel's foundational story of liberation.

11Jesus performed this, the first of His signs, at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed His glory, and His disciples believed in Him.

12After this, He went down to Capernaum with His mother and brothers and His disciples, and they stayed there a few days.

13When the Jewish Passover was near, Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

14In the temple courts He found men selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and money changers seated at their tables.

15So He made a whip out of cords and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle. He poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables.

Read all of John 2 — At a wedding in Cana, Jesus performs his first sign — turning water into wine. It's a quiet miracle that reveals his glory to only a few.