Holy Week Timeline (Passion Week): Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday

Below is a complete timeline of the Holy Week of Easter, often referred to as the Passion Week of Jesus Christ that spans from Palm Sunday to Resurrection Sunday.

¹ This column represents standard First Century Jewish day/night cycles—sundown to sundown. Notice that the slaying of the lambs "between the evenings" on Nisan 14 would in this case happen on Friday afternoon (which is when, according to John 18:28, the Jewish authorities intended to keep the feast).

² This column represents the day/night cycles very possibly in popular usage among the Galilean Jews—sunup to sunup. Notice that the slaying of the lambs "between the evenings" on Nisan 14 would, in this case, happen on Thursday afternoon (which is when Jesus and His disciples kept the feast).

³ This column represents modern-day/night cycles—midnight to midnight.

Use our 8-Day Prayer and Scripture Guide - Praying Through the Holy Week. Print your own copy for a beautiful daily devotional leading up to Easter.

Holy Week Timeline 2023

Nisan 1 ¹	Nisan 1 ²	Sunday ³ April 2	Palm Sunday: The Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem Jesus' triumphant entrance into Jerusalem Spends the night in Bethany	Matthew 21:1 Mark 11:1 Luke 19:29 John 12:12
	Nisan 2
Nisan 2
		Monday April 3	Holy Monday Leaves Bethany Curses the fig tree on the way into the city Weeps over Jerusalem Cleanses the temple for the second time in His ministry Late in day, looks into the Temple, then leaves the city Spends the night in Bethany	Matthew 21:12 Mark 11:22 Luke 19:45
	Nisan 3
Nisan 3
		Tuesday April 4	Holy Tuesday Leaves Bethany Finds the fig tree withered; teaches on faith Possesses the temple and its precincts; confounds and pronounces woes upon His enemies Leaves city; Olivet Discourse on way back to Bethany Judas bargains with Sanhedrin to betray Jesus Spends the night in Bethany	Matthew 21:20 Mark 11:20 Luke 20:36 John 12:20
	Nisan 4
Nisan 4
		Wednesday April 5	Holy Wednesday Silent Day No record in the Gospels, but much activity as Jesus prepares for Last Supper and as Judas and Sanhedrin prepare for Jesus' arrest Remains in Bethany throughout the day, stays night there
	Nisan 5
Nisan 5
		Thursday April 6	Maundy Thursday Peter and John were sent to prepare Passover meal After sunset, eats meal with the twelve; washes disciples; Judas departs Lord's Supper instituted To Garden of Gethsemane; Jesus' agony Betrayal by Judas; arrest by Sanhedrin To house of High Priest as Sanhedrin is convened; Peter betrays Jesus	Matthew 26:1 Mark 14:1 Luke 22:1
	Nisan 6
Nisan 6
		Friday April 7	Good Friday: The Trials of Jesus Christ First trial, before Annas [nightime hours]; Annas is looking for an accusation, biding time till Sanhedrin is gathered at High Priestly villa Second [and primary] trial before Sanhedrin, Jesus is condemned, misused Third trial, immediately at dawn [meanwhile, Peter denies Jesus a third time; Jesus looks upon him]; the condemnation repeated, then Jesus taken to Romans Fourth trial before Pilate [till "beginning at Galilee"] Fifth trial before Herod [looks for miracle] 6th trial before Pilate Jesus is scourged; the city cries, "Crucify Him or we will tell Rome!" Jesus is finally turned over to be crucified Jesus mocked (Roman soldiers); crown of thorns Judas hangs himself Jesus bears His cross to the gate north of the city and is crucified around 9 am Jesus' Seven Sayings from the Cross "Father, forgive them..." "Today...with me in paradise" "Woman, behold thy son..." [darkness: noon – 3 pm] "My God, My God..." "I thirst" "It is finished" "Into Thy hands..." The Death of the God-Man About 3 pm, veil torn, rocks rent; some graves opened, and people rise [to mortality] and go into the city Jesus' side pierced Passover lambs were slain in the temple Jesus buried by sundown	Matthew 26:1 Mark 14:53 Luke 22:54 John 18:13
	Nisan 7
Nisan 7
		Saturday April 8	Holy Saturday At the request of the Jewish leadership, Pilate grants a guard and sets a seal on the tomb of Jesus	Matthew 27:66
	Nisan 8
Nisan 8
		Sunday April 9	Easter Sunday: Resurrection Day Jesus Christ rises from the dead (before dawn) and makes five appearances on the day of His rising: To Mary Magdalene [given a message to the disciples] To the other women who come to the tomb [intending to complete the burial preparation of His body] To two disciples on the Road to Emmaus To Simon Peter [nowhere recorded, but alluded to in Luke 24:33 and 1 Corinthians 1:5] To the astonished disciples [Thomas is absent]	Matthew 28:1 Mark 16:1 Luke 24:1 John 20:1
	Nisan 9
Nisan 9

¹ This column represents standard First Century Jewish day/night cycles—sundown to sundown. Notice that slaying of the lambs "between the evenings" on Nisan 14 would in this case happen on Friday afternoon (which is when, according to John 18:28, the Jewish authorities intended to keep the feast).

² This column represents the day/night cycles very possibly in popular usage among the Galilean Jews—sunup to sunup. Notice that slaying of the lambs "between the evenings" on Nisan 14 would in this case happen on Thursday afternoon (which is when Jesus and His disciples kept the feast).

³ This column represents modern-day/night cycles—midnight to midnight.

Information courtesy of Dr. Doug Bookman of Bookman Ministries

This article is part of our larger Holy Week and Easter resource library centered around the events leading up to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We hope these articles help you understand the meaning and story behind important Christian holidays and dates and encourage you as you take time to reflect on all that God has done for us through his son Jesus Christ!
What is Palm Sunday?
What is Ash Wednesday?
What is Maundy Thursday?
What is Good Friday?
What is Holy Saturday?
The Meaning of Easter

Photo Credit: Thinkstock/Azerberber

Holy Week Timeline (Passion Week): Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday

Holy Week Timeline 2023

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