King James Bible
"And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh."
John identifies the specific Jewish festival approaching, which commemorated Israel's exodus from Egypt through the sacrifice of a lamb and eating unleavened bread. This timing detail connects Jesus' upcoming miracle of feeding the 5,000 with themes of divine provision and deliverance. The phrase clarifies for John's primarily Gentile audience what Passover is—a distinctly Jewish religious observance. This explanatory note reflects the Gospel's broader purpose of making Jesus' Jewish context accessible to non-Jewish readers. The nearness of Passover creates narrative urgency and explains why large crowds were traveling (many pilgrims journeyed to Jerusalem for the feast). This temporal marker also foreshadows how Jesus will soon present himself as the true Passover lamb through his teaching about being the bread of life.