Hours of the day in the New Testament

 

The hours in the scripture are now usually reckoned from 6 o’clock A.M. to 6 o’clock P.M.,

which would make the third hour our 9 o’clock; the sixth hour our 12 o’clock; the ninth hour our 3 o’clock P.M.

 

This would be applicable to all the definite hours mentioned in the N.T. except in the Gospel by John.

This evangelist followed the plan of reckoning from midnight to midnight.

This explains the difficulty found in John 19:14, which represents the trial proceeding at the sixth hour,

whereas Mark 15:25 says, “It was the third hour and they crucified him.”[1]

 

 

In John’s Gospel

Hour           Time

First            1AM

Second      2AM

Third           3AM

Fourth        4AM

Fifth            5AM

Sixth           6AM

Seventh     7AM

Eighth         8AM

Ninth           9AM

Tenth          10AM

Eleventh     11AM

Twelfth       12AM

Then repeat for PM

 

 

In Other Gospels

Hour           Time

First            7AM

Second      8AM

Third           9AM

Fourth        10AM

Fifth            11AM

Sixth           12AM

Seventh     1PM

Eighth         2PM

Ninth           3PM

Tenth          4PM

Eleventh     5PM

Twelfth       6PM          


 

                                                         


[1] New and Concise Bible Dictionary p374