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Wait, Easter is in the Bible?

The calendar reads “Easter Sunday.” Thus, a few cultural mainstays appear in the religious world. People will attend “the church of their choice” for special “sunrise services.” There will be skits, plays, and dramas to be played out. Throughout the week, it will be common for many to perform a cross-carrying in the community to reenact moments leading up to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Many people with sincere hearts believe they are commemorating the resurrection of Christ and celebrating a “holy day.” Is this true? In the pages of the New Testament, you will never see the words “Easter Sunday,” nor will you find first-century Christians celebrating or emphasizing any Sunday above the rest. One might say, “But, preacher, isn’t the word Easter in the Bible?” It is true that the word “Easter” is found in Acts 12:4, only in the King James Version of the New Testament. In the text under consideration, James’s death and Peter’s imprisonment at Herod’s hand are discussed. The text reads that, after Peter had been imprisoned, they intended to bring him before the people after “Easter.” In this text, the Greek word pascha is translated by the word “Easter.” This is a mistranslation. The same word is properly translated into other passages of the Bible as Passover. Though mistranslated, many have taken the appearance of this one word and created a popular religious holiday. The word Easter might be in the Bible, but the absence of the holiday is deafening in the scriptures. …