They went up before the passover, to be purified. For whoever had sinned willingly or unwillingly could not keep the passover, unless they were first purified by washings, fastings, and shaving of the head, and also offering certain stated oblations. While engaged in these purifications, they were plotting our Lord’s death: 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?
Reproduced in full. Translation: Oxford 1841 (Newman), public domain (Public domain).