The Plain Truth: Jesus died and rose, but not Friday or Sunday

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Jesus died and rose from the grave. This you already know is one of the central themes of the New Testament.

And for hundreds of years, many have either assumed or been told that Jesus died on a Friday afternoon, was placed in a tomb Friday evening and then was resurrected sometime around sunrise a day and a half later on Sunday morning.

But you may be surprised about what the Bible actually says concerning the timetable of these important events.

"If people would just crack open their own Bibles, they'd realize that not only are the words Friday and Sunday absent, but the widely perceived time frame is not possible if you believe the actual words of Jesus Christ," says Joe Kovacs, author of the best-selling book "Shocked by the Bible: The Most Astonishing Facts You've Never Been Told."

In "Shocked," Kovacs, a staunch defender of the Holy Bible, probes the day Jesus really died and the day He actually rose from the grave, all based on what the Bible itself has to say, not what centuries of misinformation and man-made tradition have led millions to believe.

"In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus Himself said He would be in the grave for 'three days and three nights,'" Kovacs explains. "And in the Gospel of Mark, Jesus taught his disciples that He would rise from the grave 'after three days.' Even a child could tell you that between Friday evening and sunrise Sunday morning, you cannot count 'three days and three nights,' as well as 'after three days.'"

Many people also assume Jesus died on a Friday, because the Bible says the Savior died on a day before the Sabbath.

But what they don't often realize is that there are two different kinds of Sabbaths mentioned in the Bible. Not only is there is the weekly day of rest, but there are also annual days of rest, and those can fall on any day of the week, not just Saturday.

"The Bible actually tells you that the Sabbath day approaching as Jesus was dying was an annual Sabbath, not the regular weekly Sabbath," says Kovacs."And as far as Jesus rising at dawn on Sunday, the first day of the week, people often forget that Jesus' followers only found an empty tomb that morning. Jesus came back to life at some point before that and was already gone."

These are just the beginning of the clues to determine when Jesus actually died and when he rose from the grave, and are explained in deatil in "Shocked by the Bible."

Don't wait another second to find out God's truth without the spin. Get "Shocked by the Bible: The Most Astonishing Facts You've Never Been Told" personally autographed by the author. If you prefer ordering by phone, call WND's customer service line toll-free at 1-800-4WND-COM (1-800-496-3266) between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. Eastern, Monday through Friday.

In "Shocked by the Bible," Kovacs also explains that if people just read for themselves without any preconceived notions, they'd quickly discover:

"Three Wise Men" are never mentioned in the story of Jesus' birth, and no wise men at all are shown present at the manger scene the night Jesus was born. (They showed up later at a house when Jesus was a young child)

The Bible doesn't outright declare the day, month, year or even season Jesus was born

There's no mention of a Christmas tree or any tree in the gospels recording Jesus' birth. However, there is a custom mentioned in the Old Testament that shows people decorating trees with silver and gold. You might be astounded to find out what God says about such a practice

Jesus said no one has gone to heaven except Himself

Scripture does not say Noah's Ark rested on "Mount Ararat"

Noah brought a lot more than just two of certain animals aboard the Ark

The word "Easter" has vanished from modern Bible translations

God sought to kill Moses, shortly after telling him to lead the Israelites to freedom

Jesus did not come to make everyone understand His message, and personally said so

Jesus made personal appearances in the Old Testament

The worst case of hemorrhoids in history is recorded

And these are merely the beginning of hundreds of facts that will stun even those who thought they had a strong knowledge of the Bible.

"If you've never been into the Bible, or even if you have, there's no need to fear," says Kovacs. "I make it quick, easy and fun for you to find out the juiciest, most interesting stuff that never seems to get mentioned in church. And I'm not talking about trivial facts and difficult names no one can pronounce."

"Shocked by the Bible" has become an instant smash since its release, hitting No. 1 in three Bible-related categories several times on Amazon.com with readers giving it high praise, and the author being interviewed on dozens of radio shows.

"Shocked by the Bible" skyrocketed to the No.1 spot in three Amazon.com categories several times since its release

It reached the No. 1 spot on the WND Best-Seller list several times. International demand has even led to a deal to have "Shocked" translated into the Korean language.

"If you think you really know the Bible, better think again," warns Fox News' Bill O'Reilly. "Your parents never told you this stuff was in the Bible," adds radio talker and author Melanie Morgan. WND founder Joseph Farah simply says, "'Shocked by the Bible' is nothing short of genius."

Kovacs, the executive news editor of WND, has written countless reports in his 25-year news career. Many have focused on biblical issues such as chariot wheels said to be found in the Red Sea, searches for Noah's Ark and the Ark of the Covenant, and controversies over Christmas and Easter holidays as well as the Saturday-vs.-Sunday Sabbath.

He has received many awards for news excellence from the Associated Press and United Press International. He's run television, radio and print newsrooms in the U.S., as well as Budapest, Hungary. Kovacs is also regarded as one of the premier creative headline writers in the news business today.