The Passover, as observed in the New Testament, holds a significant place in God's plan of salvation for mankind, symbolizing the initial steps toward communion with Him and His Son, Jesus Christ. New Testament Christians are commanded to keep the Passover as a memorial of the death of Christ, our Passover, who gave His life to become the peace offering. Jesus Himself observed the Passover during His life on earth, setting a perfect example for us to follow. During the Passover meal with His disciples, Jesus introduced new elements to the observance. He washed His disciples' feet, demonstrating humility and service, and commanded Christians to follow this example. Additionally, He instructed His disciples to partake of unleavened bread and wine, representing His body and blood, as a memorial of His death for all time. Since Christ's death fulfilled the Old Testament symbolism, it is no longer necessary to slaughter a lamb to keep Passover. Jesus emphasized the vital importance of observing the Passover yearly, stating that unless we eat His flesh, represented by the unleavened bread, and drink His blood, represented by the wine, we have no life in us and will not inherit eternal life. The New Testament church of God continued to keep the Passover yearly, and the apostle Paul taught Gentile Corinthians to observe it using the symbols Jesus instituted, instructing them to keep the Passover until He comes. Those who have accepted His redemption eagerly anticipate His return to share the eternal life He makes possible.

In the New Testament the inspired writers clarify a distinction between the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread because a name change had combined the two observances under the single title Passover. Mark 14:1 states that the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread were two different feasts. Luke 2:41 refers to the Feast of Passover while verse 43 states that the days plural were completed, indicating that Jesus kept the Days of Unleavened Bread in Jerusalem. Jesus would not have kept any tradition of men such as a 15th Passover because keeping the traditions of men transgresses the commandments of God. John 13:1 places the last Passover that Jesus kept on the 14th of Abib in the evening after the Passover lamb had been slain, in agreement with the instructions of Exodus 12, Leviticus 23, and Numbers 9. The chronology shows that the lambs were slain immediately following ba erev the going down of the sun during the period known as ben ha arbayim at the beginning of the 14th. Matthew 26:17 contains italicized words inserted by translators that create an apparent contradiction with the Old Testament timing. When the Greek toon azumoon is rendered literally as the first of the unleavens the verse refers to the 13th day when preparations to remove leaven began. Mark 14:12 uses the Greek ethuon to indicate that the disciples were in the process of killing the Passover at the commanded time. Two distinct Passovers were observed that year, one by the religious leadership and the other by Jesus and the common people. Jesus kept only the Passover day that God commanded in Exodus 12.