For Bethany, see the comments at 11.1.

Less than two miles (New English Bible “just under two miles”; Revised Standard Version, Jerusalem Bible “about two miles”) is literally “fifteen stadia.” A “stade” was a Roman measurement of a little more than six hundred feet, and so fifteen “stadia” is a little less than two miles or “about three kilometers.” It seems probable that the close distance between Bethany and Jerusalem is indicated to explain the large number of Jews in Bethany (see verse 19).

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on the Gospel of John. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1980. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .