Easter in the KJV Acts 12:4 CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO
One of the supposed “errors” in the King James Bible is the word “Easter” in Acts 12:4. The problem stems from the translation of a Greek word. The word in Greek is “pascha.” This word is translated every time as “Passover” except in this one location. So, the critics of the KJV say that translating “pascha” as Easter is a translation error.
The truth of the matter is that the critics are wrong and the King James Bible is right. And you don’t even have to know Greek to see this. If you will check your concordance, you will find that the word “Passover” in the New Testament is always a reference to the night of the 14th day of the first month of the Jewish calendar (Ex. 12:1-8). The seven-day feast that began with the Passover is called “the feast of unleavened bread.”
You will find this first day (Passover) referred to a variety of ways:
- the first day of the feast of unleavened bread, (Mat 26:17)
- the feast of the passover, (Mark 14:1)
- the first day of unleavened bread, when they killed the passover, (Mark 14:12)
- the feast of unleavened bread drew nigh, … the Passover. (Luke 22:1)
- the day of unleavened bread, when the passover must be killed. (Luke 22:7)
However, when you find a reference to “the DAYS of unleavened bread,” you are clearly reading about the seven-day feast that followed the Passover (Ex. 12:15-16).
Now, look at the context of Acts 12:4 and what do you see? In Acts 12:3, you find a reference to “the DAYS of unleavened bread.” So, you know what that means. The Passover has already been observed and now they are in the middle of the seven-day feast. If “pascha” is translated “Passover” in Acts 12:4, the verse would read, “… intending after Passover to bring him forth to the people.” That wouldn’t make sense!! It’s already after Passover. And he’s obviously not planning on waiting until next year.
If you will check the calendar, Easter almost always falls after Passover and within the days of unleavened bread. Look at the calendar for 2015. Passover began on April 3rd. Easter fell on April 5th, within the “days of unleavened bread.” 2016 is a very unusual and rare year with Easter nearly a month before Passover. In 2017, Passover is April 10th and Easter is April 16th, within the “days of unleavened bread.”
So, Herod, the pagan king, locked up Peter during the days of unleavened bread waiting for his own pagan holiday, Easter, to pass before killing Peter. Do you really think that this Roman king was the least bit concerned about killing Peter on the Passover? The Romans weren’t concerned about killing his Savior on the Passover, so why would they worry about killing him on that day? They wouldn’t.
Therefore, “Easter” is the only correct translation for the word “pascha” in this verse. To translate the word “Passover” would be incorrect!!
But, there’s another reason “Easter” is the only correct translation. Herod came out of Edom where the feast to “Ishtar” (pronounced “Easter”) had been celebrated for centuries. You find the origin of this pagan worship in the Bible when you locate the other name for the pagan goddess “Ishtar.” Her other name is Ashteroth (also, Ashtaroth). You will find a place named for her in the area that became Edom (Gen. 14:5). And you will find her being worshipped in conjunction with Baal in Judges 2:13.
Herod was respecting his pagan holiday, “Easter,” and not the Jewish feast day, “Passover.” God the Holy Spirit knows that, you know that, yet the only ones who seem to be in the dark about that are the modern Bible translators. They are not to be believed or followed. They are in error!!