¹⁰ “Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘If any one of you or of your generations becomes unclean because of a dead ^[a]person, or is on a distant journey, he may, however, celebrate the Passover to Yahweh.

¹⁷ For there were many in the assembly who had not set themselves apart as holy; therefore, ^(A)the Levites were over the slaughter of the Passover lambs for everyone who was unclean, in order to set them apart as holy to Yahweh. ¹⁸ For a multitude of the people, ^(B)even many from Ephraim and Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, ^(C)yet they ate the Passover ^(D)otherwise than what was written. For Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, “May Yahweh, who is good, atone ^19 (E)for everyone who prepares his heart to seek God, Yahweh, the God of his fathers, though not according to the rules of cleansing of the sanctuary.” ²⁰ So Yahweh heard Hezekiah and ^(F)healed the people. ²¹ And the sons of Israel present in Jerusalem ^(G)celebrated the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days with great gladness, and the Levites and the priests praised Yahweh day after day with loud instruments to Yahweh. ²² Then Hezekiah ^(H)spoke to the hearts of all the Levites who showed good insight in the things of Yahweh. So they ate for the appointed seven days, sacrificing peace offerings and ^(I)giving thanks to Yahweh, the God of their fathers.

²³ Then the whole assembly ^(J)took counsel to determine to celebrate the feast another seven days, so they celebrated the seven days with gladness. ²⁴ For ^(K)Hezekiah king of Judah had contributed to the assembly 1,000 bulls and 7,000 sheep, and the princes had contributed to the assembly 1,000 bulls and 10,000 sheep; and ^(L)a large number of priests set themselves apart as holy. ²⁵ And all the assembly of Judah were glad, with the priests and the Levites and ^(M)all the assembly that came from Israel, both the sojourners who came from the land of Israel and those living in Judah. ²⁶ So there was great gladness in Jerusalem, because there was nothing like this in Jerusalem ^(N)since the days of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel. ²⁷ Then ^(O)the Levitical priests arose and ^(P)blessed the people; and their voice was heard and their prayer came to ^(Q)His holy habitation, to heaven.

Jesus Before Pilate

^28 (A)Then they *led Jesus from ^(B)Caiaphas into ^(C)the ^[a]Praetorium, and it was early; and they themselves did not enter into ^(D)the ^[b]Praetorium so that ^(E)they would not be defiled, but might eat the Passover.