Does Passover Start On The 14th Or 15th Of Nisan? Discover The Biblical Truth About God's Appointed Time
Meta Description:
Uncover the truth about the timing of Passover. Does it begin on the 14th or 15th of Nisan? Explore powerful Torah and Gospel verses that reveal why the Passover lamb is meant to be eaten on the 14th day—not the 15th.
Introduction: A Question That Still Divides the Faithful
Every year, as the season of deliverance approaches, believers all over the world ask: When does Passover truly begin? Is it on the 14th of Nisan, as stated in the Torah? Or on the 15th of Nisan, as some traditions teach?
This is more than a debate over dates—it's a question of obedience, understanding, and walking in alignment with the appointed times of YHWH. Our only authority is the Word of God, not human tradition. So let’s go deep into Torah and the Gospels of Yeshua (Jesus) and let the Scriptures speak for themselves.
---
The Torah Is Clear: The Passover Lamb Is for the 14th Day
> "In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at evening is the LORD’s Passover."
— Leviticus 23:5
> "In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, you shall offer the Passover, a feast for the LORD, seven days shall unleavened bread be eaten."
— Numbers 28:16
> "And you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month, when the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill their lambs at twilight. They shall eat the flesh that night, roasted with fire; with unleavened bread and bitter herbs they shall eat it."
— Exodus 12:6–8
Here’s the key:
The 14th of Nisan begins at evening (sunset).
The lamb is killed at twilight—that is, between sunset and nightfall.
The lamb is then roasted and eaten that same night—still the 14th day, according to biblical reckoning.
This is not the 15th of Nisan. The Passover meal is specifically commanded for the 14th, not the 15th.
---
The 15th of Nisan: The Start of the Feast of Unleavened Bread
> "And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the Feast of Unleavened Bread to the LORD; for seven days you shall eat unleavened bread."
— Leviticus 23:6
> "They departed from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month. On the day after the Passover, the people of Israel went out triumphantly in the sight of all the Egyptians."
— Numbers 33:3
This is a critical distinction:
The Feast of Unleavened Bread begins after the Passover meal, on the 15th.
The Exodus itself—the actual going out—happened on the 15th.
But the Passover sacrifice and meal belong to the 14th.
---
The Gospels Confirm the 14th as the Day of the Passover Meal
> "Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, 'Where will you have us prepare for you to eat the Passover?'"
— Matthew 26:17
> "And He said, 'Go into the city to a certain man and say to him, The Teacher says, My time is at hand. I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.'"
— Matthew 26:18
> "And they went and found it just as He had told them, and they prepared the Passover. And when the hour came, He reclined at table, and the apostles with Him. And He said to them, 'I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.'"
— Luke 22:13–15
> "Then they led Jesus from the house of Caiaphas to the governor’s headquarters. It was early morning. They themselves did not enter the governor’s headquarters, so that they would not be defiled, but could eat the Passover."
— John 18:28
The Gospels show that:
Yeshua ate the Passover meal with His disciples before His crucifixion.
He was then crucified on the same 14th day, before the 15th began.
The religious leaders delayed their Passover meal until the 15th, but that was not what the Torah commanded.
Jesus kept Passover on the correct day— the 14th of Nisan, in line with the original command in Exodus 12.
---
Why This Misunderstanding Matters Today
Many have blurred the lines between Passover (14th) and the Feast of Unleavened Bread (15th–21st)—but the Bible does not.
This confusion may have grown from historical shifts during the Second Temple period or rabbinical tradition, but for believers who desire to obey God’s Word exactly as written, clarity is essential.
If we say the Passover meal is on the 15th, we contradict the Torah and the example of Yeshua Himself. We also miss the deep prophetic truth: the Lamb was slain on the 14th, and that night—still the 14th—His blood protected the Israelites from death.
---
The Truth in Summary:
14th of Nisan:
Begins at sunset.
The lamb is slain at twilight.
The lamb is eaten that same night—still the 14th.
This is the Passover.
15th of Nisan:
Begins at the next sunset.
Marks the start of the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
This is when Israel began their journey out of Egypt.
---
Call to Action: Return to the Word, Not Tradition
Beloved, the time to return to the pure Word of God is now. The true Passover meal is to be eaten on the 14th of Nisan, not the 15th. Yeshua obeyed this. Moses obeyed this. Will we?
> "These are the appointed feasts of the LORD, the holy convocations, which you shall proclaim at the time appointed for them."
— Leviticus 23:4
Let us honor His appointed times with accuracy, sincerity, and reverence.
---
Keywords:
Passover 14th or 15th Nisan, When is Passover in the Bible, Eat Passover on 14th, Torah Passover lamb, Passover feast date, Jesus and Passover, Gospel Passover meal, Passover vs Feast of Unleavened Bread, Biblical calendar Passover, Did Jesus eat Passover on 14th
