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πάσχα

páscha

G3957 noun

SILEX Entry

Root πασχ- to pass over, to spare, festival of passing over

Definition

Principal meaning: the Passover; the festival commemorating the Israelite exodus from Egypt, especially the sacrificial meal associated with it. In broader usage, it can refer to the Passover lamb, the day of the festival, or the period of the Passover observance. In contexts influenced by early Christian usage, it can refer to the commemoration or celebration of the Passover in new ritual forms.

Semantic Range

the Passover festival, the Passover meal, the lamb sacrificed at Passover, the period of Passover observance, (in later Christian usage) the commemoration of Passover associated with Jesus’ death and resurrection

Root / Etymology

Borrowed from Aramaic פַּסְחָא and ultimately from Hebrew פֶּסַח (pesach), denoting the Passover festival, its sacrificial lamb, or the ritual meal. The Greek term is a direct transliteration rather than a native formation.

Historical & Contextual Notes

πάσχα is a loanword from Semitic languages, first attested as the Hebrew פֶּסַח (pesach) in the Hebrew Bible, denoting the spring festival commemorating the Israelite escape from Egypt, especially focusing on the ritual of the slaughtered lamb and the associated meal. The term was adopted into Greek to refer specifically to this Judean festival. In the Septuagint, πάσχα is used to translate פֶּסַח in references to both the festival and the lamb. In Hellenistic and Roman-era Judean contexts, πάσχα often referred primarily to the main festival day and its central sacrificial elements, but could also encompass the entire week of celebrations. In the New Testament, πάσχα occurs frequently in reference to the annual observance at Jerusalem, the Passover meal, and, in Christian contexts, comes to acquire additional connotations related to the commemoration of Jesus' death and resurrection (thus emerging as 'Easter' in later Christian usage and translation tradition). English translations sometimes render the term as 'Easter' in Christian contexts, although historically the Greek term consistently carries the older meaning of Passover. Importantly, πάσχα in ancient sources does not refer to a distinctively Christian festival; later conflation emerged as Christian liturgy developed. Distinct from other Greek words for festivals (ἑορτή), πάσχα is always a specific term relating to this particular commemoration drawn from Israelite/Judean tradition.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

of Chaldee origin (compare פֶּסַח); the Passover (the meal, the day, the festival or the special sacrifices connected with it):--Easter, Passover.

Root Family

πάσχα (pascha) — to pass over, to spare, festival of passing over

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
G3957-01 Πάσχα pascha N NOM N SG Passover the Passover 29

Occurrences in Scripture

29 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
G3957-01 Matthew 26:2 Πάσχα pascha N NOM N SG the Passover
G3957-01 Matthew 26:17 Πάσχα pascha N ACC N SG the Passover
G3957-01 Matthew 26:18 Πάσχα pascha N ACC N SG the Passover
G3957-01 Matthew 26:19 Πάσχα pascha N ACC N SG the Passover
G3957-01 Mark 14:1 Πάσχα pascha N NOM N SG Passover the Passover
G3957-01 Mark 14:12 Πάσχα pascha N ACC N SG Passover the Passover
G3957-01 Mark 14:12 Πάσχα pascha-2 N ACC N SG Passover the Passover
G3957-01 Mark 14:14 Πάσχα pascha N ACC N SG Passover the Passover
G3957-01 Mark 14:16 Πάσχα pascha N ACC N SG Passover the Passover
G3957-01 Luke 2:41 Πάσχα pascha N GEN N SG Passover the Passover
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