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This booklet was written as a guide for those who desire to observe the New Covenant Passover—the Christian Passover. It provides basic instructions for conducting the Passover ceremony, as well as appropriate Scriptures to read for the service. The arrangement of the Scriptures conforms to the sequence of events at Jesus' last Passover, when He instituted the New Covenant Passover on the night before His crucifixion and death. The author has translated these Scriptures in a manner that is easy to read yet accurately conveys the literal meaning of the New Testament Greek text.
The author's translation of these Scriptures for the Christian Passover ceremony is based on the Greek text of Stephens of 1550. This was the Greek text used by the translators of the King James Version. The author has chosen an exacting and literal translation of the Greek text that is designed to express the power and love of our Savior Jesus Christ.
In this translation, the true Scriptural understanding of the Holy Spirit is presented. The true New Testament teaching, as preserved in the Greek text, is that the Holy Spirit is not a person. Rather, it is the power of God which He puts within human beings to accomplish spiritual works. Luke clearly describes this function: “And the angel answered and said to her, ‘The Holy Spirit shall come upon you, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow you’ ” (Luke 1:35). Just before He ascended into heaven, Jesus told the apostles “ ‘to await the promise of the Father, which,’He said, ‘you have heard of Me. Now then, John, on the one hand, baptized with water; on the other hand, you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit after not many days....But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you...’ ” (Acts 1:4-8).
Here is the author's explanation of his translation of those passages in John 14, 15 and 16 which concern "the Spirit of the Truth" and "the Comforter":
“The Spirit of the Truth,” in John 14:17 comes from the Greek to pneuma tees aleetheias, and is another designation for “the Holy Spirit.” In the New Testament Greek, “the Holy Spirit” is always a neuter noun, which truly reflects the Scriptural teaching that the Holy Spirit is the power of God and not a person. The Greek nouns for “Spirit,” “the Spirit,” “Holy Spirit” and “The Holy Spirit” (KJV “Holy Ghost”) are as follows: pneuma, to pneuma, pneuma hagion, to hagion pneuma, to pneuma to hagion, and the above referenced to pneuma tees aleetheias. These nouns, in their various forms, are always and only neuter in gender. Likewise, the pronouns for to pneuma to hagion are always and only neuter in gender. Therefore, it is absolutely incorrect to translate “the Spirit,” “the Holy Spirit,” or “the Spirit of the Truth” and its pronouns in the masculine gender. Since the Greek text reveals that “the Spirit of the Truth” is in the neuter gender, the author has correctly translated its pronouns as “it,” “which” and “that one,” as a neuter entity should properly be translated. To translate these neuter nouns and their pronouns in the masculine gender clearly violates the basic rules of translation. Pneuma and its various derivations are nowhere revealed in Scripture as masculine gendered nouns!
However, in John 14:16, 26, and John 15:26, we do find a masculine gendered noun used in reference to the Holy Spirit, as a descriptive noun, ho parakleetos, which is translated in the KJV as “the Comforter.” Ho parakleetos defines a function of “the Holy Spirit,” or “the Spirit of the Truth,” as “a helper,” and “the helper,” or as “a comforter” and “the comforter.” While this masculine gendered descriptive noun is used to describe a vital function of the Holy Spirit, it does not designate “the Holy Spirit,” or “the Spirit of the Truth,” as a person. In I John 2:1 the masculine descriptive noun Parakleetos is used to describe a function of Jesus Christ as “an Advocate” for Christians.
The demonstrative pronoun of ho parakleetos is ekeinos, which means “that” or “that one.” The author has accordingly translated ekeinos in reference to ho parakleetos as “that one,” whereas most translations incorrectly translate ekeinos as “He.” The use of a descriptive masculine gendered noun and its pronouns does not make the Holy Spirit a “third co-equal member of a triune godhead,” a “divine being” equal with the Father and the Son. For those who know the New Testament Greek, it is evident that the theology of men, which is contrary to the inspired Greek text, has been inserted into the English translations in an attempt to give Scriptural support to the false doctrine of the Trinity.
It is the author’s hope that the correct translation of the New Testament Greek text, as presented in this booklet, may give the reader a true understanding of those Scriptures which concern the Holy Spirit. These Scriptures contain the true teachings of Jesus Christ, given to His disciples when He instituted the New Covenant Passover. It is vital for every Christian to understand these verses as they are read during the Christian Passover ceremony, for these words of Jesus are the basis and foundation of the New Covenant.
May the love, grace and mercy of God the Father be with all those who observe the New Covenant Passover through Jesus Christ Our Lord and Savior—Our “Passover Lamb—the Lamb of God, Who takes away thesinof the world.”
With love in Jesus' name,
Fred R. Coulter
