The purpose of this study is to compare and to evaluate the terminology usedto denote the time of year when the event in Acts 12: 3, 4 took place. A negative ratinghere does not necessarily mean a negative rating in the comparison of other passages. Likewise,a positive rating here does not necessarily mean a positive rating elsewhere.

The two verses, as they are translated in theKing James Version, are quoted. The words in underlined, boldtype are compared here in other versions. The definite article in each case is omitted. Theversions which use the listed forms of translation are named. An evaluation is given for each.In the summary, the most accurate words are discussed in terms of the description in Leviticus23.

A. days of bread baked without yeast:
WET.
This is an incorrect translation. The proper concept is that the bread does not contain leaven.Yeast is only one leavening agent that can be used in making breads.

B. Days of Matzah:
CJB.
This version uses Hebrew terms throughout. Matzah is the name of the bread to be used.Unless the English-speaking reader knows the Hebrew word, this term can be confusing.

C. days of the Azymes:
DRB.
Technically, this is correct. However, anyone who does not recognize the Greek will notunderstand what it means. The word azyme means unleavened bread. It comes from the Greekword azymos, meaning unleavened. Since the feast is Jewish, not Greek, the use of theGreek word could create a misunderstanding of the Jewish traditions. The term is atransliteration from the Greek rather than a translation.

D. days of the unfermented cakes:
NWT.
This is an incorrect translation. The explanation in point A applieshere. Also, it is not cakes, but a form of bread that is used. Unfermented does notnecessarily mean unleavened.

E. days of the unleavened bread:
YLR.
This is a correct translation. In English, a noun that names a person, place or thing is calleda common noun, e.g., day. It is written in lower case letters. A noun which names aspecific person, place, or thing is a proper noun, e.g., Labor Day. It is written withthe initial letter of each word in upper case. Thus, in the case of a special day, moreimportance is placed upon it by writing it as a proper noun.

F. Days of Unleavened Bread:
NKJ.
See point E.

G. days of Unleavened Bread:
AB, GW, MSNT, NAS, NET, NJB, RSV.
See point E.

H. days of unleavened bread:
CLNT, CTNT, DHB, EBR, HBRV, IB, IV, KJV, LBP, MCT, MNT, MRB, PRS, SARV, SNB, SSBE, TDB, WAS.
See point E.

I. Feast of Thin Bread:
CEV.
This is an incorrect translation. Although matzah is a thin bread, any bread can be sliced tobe considered thin and still be leavened bread.

J. Feast of Unleavened Bread:
CNT, NBV, NCV, NIV.
This is a correct translation. A feast is involved. Although the word days is correct,the word feast is more specific.

K. feast of Unleavened Bread:
NAB, WNT.
See points E and J.

L. festival of the Unleavened Bread:
NNT.
This is a correct translation. The word festival can be applied to the feast, butfeast is more specific. See also point E.

M. Festival of Unleavened Bread:
NSNT, TEV.
See points E and L.

N. festival of Unleavened Bread:
NEB, NRS, REB, SGAT.
See points E and L.

O. Passover Celebration:
LB.
This is a correct translation. The Passover is the day prior to the actual beginning of theFeast of Unleavened Bread, which lasts for one week.

P. Passover days of bread without yeast:
AAT.
This is a partially correct translation. See points A andN.

Q. Passover Week:
TM.
This is a technically correct translation. See point O.

R. special religious gathering:
NLV.
This version has a limited vocabulary and is directed to people for which English is a secondlanguage. In accomplishing this purpose, the concept of the particular feast is lost throughgeneralization.

S. time of unfermented bread:
HBME.
This is an incorrect translation. Without leaven, not unfermented, is the correctconcept.

T. [omitted]
ANT, WMF.
This is taking away from the Scriptures unless the passage were added in the first place.

A. Easter:
IV, KJV, TDB, WMF.
This is an incorrect translation. The day to be celebrated as Easter was set by churchofficials meeting at the Council of Nice in A.d. 325. It was considered a most unworthy thingthat the church should follow the custom of the Jews in the celebration of this most holysolemnity since the Jews had stained their hands with a nefarious crime [the death of Christ].The practice of the Jews [Passover] should be rejected and the rite of Easter should beperpetuated to all future ages. It was recommended that the church have nothing in common withthe Jews. Actually, the celebration, with its superficial Christian emphasis, has its origin inpaganism. Replacement theology is in evidence with the Easter celebration.
      This is the only reference toEaster in the KJV. Passover is mentioned four times in Matthew, five times in Mark, six timesin Luke, and ten times in John. A copyist may be at fault for Easter being used in Actsbecause it was not celebrated in the primitive church. There was a transitional period. However,pagan holidays did exist at the time.
      The TDB is an abbreviated form ofthe KJV. For some reason, the translators missed this inconsistency.
      The IV is an inspired correction ofthe KJV. In view of the claims for this version, there is no logical reason why this error wasnot corrected because the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread were commanded by God tobe kept.
      The WMF is actually an introductionto the Bible for people having no interest in the Bible. The translator seems to have been moreinterested in setting a time for people who are not informed than in giving a fact which theywould not understand.

B. feast:
CEV.
This is not specific enough to be correct. There are several feasts that are celebrated.

C. pasch:
DRB.
Technically, this is correct. It means the Feast of the Passover. It comes from the Hebrew wordPesakh, which is the Passover.

D. Passover:
AAT, AB, ANT, CLNT, CNT, CTNT, GW, HBME, HBRV, IB, LB, MCT, MRB, MSNT, NAB, NAS, NBV, NEB, NET,NIV, NJB, NKJ, NNT, NRS, NSNT, PRS, REB, RSV, SARV, SGAT, SNB, SSBE, TEV, TM, WNT.
This is the correct English word for Pesakh, the Hebrew word for Passover.

E. passover:
DHB, EBR, LBP, MNT, NWT, WAS, WET, YLR.
See point E in verse 3 and point D in verse 4.

F. Passover Feast:
NCV.
This is a correct translation.

G. Pesach:
CJB.
This is the correct Hebrew word. See point B in verse 3.

H. special religious gathering:
NLV.
See point R in verse 3.

The Authentic New Testament:
The festival of Unleavened Bread was then in progress.

New Century Version:
Feast: a special meal and celebration for a certain purpose.
Feast of Unleavened Bread, or"Passover:" reminded the Israelites how God brought them out of Egyptian slavery, Exodus12:1-30; Numbers 28:16-25; Deuteronomy 16:1-8.
Passover Feast: an important holy day forthe Jews in the spring of each year. They ate a special meal on this day to remind them thatGod had freed them from being slaves in Egypt.

Worrell New Testament:
Days of unleavened bread: during the feast of the passover (Exodus 12:12-17). All the fuss thathas been made about Easter has no scripture warrant.

While there may appear to be a criticism of the translation of some versions,it is recognized there are difficulties that the translators have faced and that they havetried to transfer the intended message of the original writers in a manner that can be easilyunderstood by the readers of today.

The proper terms are Unleavened Bread and Passover. Sometranslators, in an effort to use words that explain the term, have done so in a way that haschanged the meaning. Except for involving the word Easter in English or another language,there is not likely the intent of replacement theology. It is more likely a case of ignoranceof the Jewish laws.

Luke, a non-Jew, is accepted as the writer of The Acts. Thus, he would nothave understood as well as a Jew would have. However, in the gospel bearing his name, thiserror does not occur. The Revised Version and theStandard American Edition, revisions of theKing James Version, have corrected this error.

Passover is the day commemorating the passing over of the angel of death inEgypt. The Feast of Unleavened Bread makes up the next seven days. It commemorates the timethat the Israelites were commanded to eat unleavened bread as they prepared to leave Egypt.

The translators of the versions which are indicated as being incorrect appearto know something of the Jewish feasts, but lack an understanding of them. Using these versionsfor the passages lends the possibility of incorrect teaching or diminishing the true meaning.Such can lead to replacement theology. Readers need to refer back to the last four books of thePentateuch, especially Leviticus 23, to learn the origin and meaning of these terms.

There is a tendency on the part of Christians to devaluate the importance ofthe Old Testament. Yet, the New Testament is tied to it. This study indicates one instance inproving this point.