Classical Story Bible - English

BIBLE

He tends his flock like a shepherd: he gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.

ISAIAH 40:11 niv

The stories of the Bible are brought to life in this beautiful children’s Bible. The Classical Story Bible includes stories of the main events of the Christian faith, illustrated with 57 double spreads of dramatic, detailed and captivating art. The illustrations aim to provide a contextual reconstruction of the world of the Bible and assist children to better understand the message of the Bible.

The Classical Story Bible will be a family favourite for years to come.

ISBN: 978-1-928437-79-6

CLASSICAL STORY BIBLE

CLASSICAL STORY

CLASSICAL STORY

BIBLE

Presented to

On

By

CLASSICAL STORY

BIBLE

Old Testament The Beginning Adam and Eve leave the garden Noah and the flood Noah and the rainbow God calls Abram Abraham gets good news A Little boy is born Isaac and Rebekah A Pot of lentil stew Jacob and the stairway to heaven Joseph, the dreamer Joseph’s brothers try to kill him Joseph in the palace Joseph forgives his brothers God saves baby Moses Moses and the burning bush The Lord frees the Israelites Crossing the Red Sea The Ten Commandments Rahab helps the Israelites The Walls of Jericho Samuel listens to God Samuel anoints David David and the giant Solomon, the wise king In a blazing furnace Daniel in the lions’ den Esther risks her life for her people

7 11 14 18 22 26 30 34 38 42 46 50 54 59 62 67 71 74 78 82 86 90 94 98 102 107 111 115

New Testament Jesus is born in Bethlehem Wise men visit Jesus Jesus in his Father’s house Jesus is baptised Jesus chooses twelve disciples Jesus at the wedding Jesus calms the storm Jesus and his friends in Bethany The Good Samaritan Zacchaeus in the sycamore tree Jesus is the good shepherd The Son who came back Jesus helps people who need him Five loaves and two fish Jesus and the children A Woman anoints Jesus Jesus enters Jerusalem The Last supper Peter disowns Jesus Jesus is crucified Jesus rises from the grave Jesus ascends to heaven The Holy Spirit comes The Beginning of the church Peter and John heal a beggar Stephen dies because he believes in Jesus A Man from Ethiopia becomes a follower Saul becomes a follower of Jesus Paul travels to spread the good news

119 122 127 130 135 138 143 146 151 154 158 162 167 170 174 178 182 186 191 195 198 202 207 210 215 218 223 227 231

6

The Beginning

7

N

obody knows when the universe began, but we know it happened a long time ago.

Nobody knows how the universe began, but we know that God made everything.

God was always there. He doesn’t have a beginning.

Everything was dark and shapeless. And God decided to create a beautiful universe.

First God said, “Let there be light!”

He spoke and, in this way, he made everything. And so, there was light and darkness, day and night. He made the galaxies and stars and planets.

The sun shone during the day, and the moon and stars gave light at night.

God spoke and made clouds and oceans and rivers. The earth tilted a little, and so there was summer and winter, hot and cold. God saw that everything he made was good.

God spoke, and there were plants and trees on earth. He made fruit trees and plants with seeds.

8

Each plant had its own kind of seeds. God saw that everything he had made was good.

God made all the living creatures on earth. He made flying insects and crawling insects. He made every kind of wild animal. Some were tiny, and some were big. They lived in trees, in mountains, on plains, in the sky and in the sea. He made animals that could live with people. God saw that it was good.

God also made human beings. He made a man from the dust of the earth and breathed life into him. The man’s name was Adam. He lived in a beautiful garden God had made for him. He had to take care of the plants and the animals. But he was lonely. And so, God made a woman and took her to Adam. Adam was glad when he saw the woman. He called her Eve. God made people in his likeness. He made them to be like himself. God blessed Adam and Eve and told them to have children. He also told them to take care of the earth and everything on it. And to make sure that the earth would always be a good place to live.

God saw everything he had made. And it was very good.

Then God rested from his work.

Genesis 1 and 2

9

10

Adam and Eve leave the garden

11

A

dam and Eve lived in a beautiful garden.

God told Adam, “You can eat the fruit from any tree, except from the tree in the middle of the garden. That’s the tree of knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you will die.”

Adam and Eve took care of the garden. They also gave the animals their names. God visited Adam and Eve in the evenings when it was cool, and the work was done.

Then the serpent visited Eve. He said, “Did God really say you mustn’t eat the fruit on the trees?”

“No,” Eve said. “We can eat the fruit on the trees! God only said that we mustn’t eat from the tree in the middle of the garden. If we do that, we will die.”

“God lied to you,” the serpent answered.

“The fruit on that tree will make you wise. You will be like God. You will know the difference between good and evil.”

Eve looked at the fruit. It looked delicious! And she thought about being like God. Slowly Eve picked the fruit and ate it.

It tasted good! Then she picked more fruit and took them to Adam, and Adam also ate the fruit. Right away Adam and Eve knew they had disobeyed God, and they were afraid. They tried to hide from God.

12

That evening God came to the garden just as he always did. But Adam and Eve didn’t come out of their hiding place. God knows everything. He knew what Adam and Eve had done. So he called them.

Adam said, “We know we disobeyed you. But it’s Eve’s fault! She picked the fruit and gave it to me.”

Eve said, “It’s the serpent’s fault. He tricked me.”

God was sad when he heard their words. He told the serpent, “From now on you will crawl on your belly. People will try to kill you. And you will harm them with your venom.”

He told Adam and Eve, “You will have to leave the garden. Life will be hard for you.”

God gave them clothes made from animal skins. He said, “Now you know the difference between good and evil. It will be hard to choose to do good.”

Then God gave Adam and Eve a wonderful promise. One day he would send someone who would be stronger than all the evil in the world. He would help people to become friends with God again.

Genesis 2 and 3

13

Noah and the flood

14

15

T

he earth slowly filled with people.

And little by little, they stopped obeying God. They did mean and harmful things that made God very sad. He said, “I am going to start over. I am going to wipe out all the people except for Noah and his family.”

Noah was a godly man. He walked faithfully with God, and God was pleased with him. Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth.

God said to Noah, “I am going to put an end to everyone. But I will save your life and the lives of your wife, your sons and their wives. You must build an ark out of cypress wood. Make rooms in it. Cover it with tar on the inside and the outside. I will also save the animals and birds, so you have to take them into the ark with you.”

Noah began working on the ark. He did everything just as God had told him.

The ark was very big. It had three storeys. There was a roof and a door on one side of the ark. Noah stored food for his family and for all the animals in the ark.

When the ark was built, God said, “Go into the ark with your whole family.

Take seven pairs of every kind of clean animal with you into the ark.

Take one pair of every kind of unclean animal as well.

16

Also, take seven pairs of every kind of bird. After the flood, the animals and birds can spread out over the earth and fill the earth again.”

In those days, people were only allowed to offer certain animals to the Lord.

They were called ‘clean’ animals. All the other animals were called ‘unclean’.

Then God said, “Seven days from now I will send rain. It will rain for 40 days and 40 nights.”

Noah and his family went into the ark. Then the animals and birds came to the ark. All of them entered the ark. When everyone was inside, the Lord shut the door of the ark. Then it began to rain. It rained continuously for 40 days and 40 nights.

The rivers overflowed. There was so much water that the ark began to float.

The water rose even higher, and soon the houses and trees couldn’t be seen any more. The water rose until it covered everything, even the tops of the mountains. All the people and animals drowned.

But Noah, his family and the animals the Lord had sent him were safe. The Lord kept them safe in the ark.

Genesis 6 and 7

17

Noah and the rainbow

18

19

I

t rained until the whole earth was under water.

Then it stopped raining, and God sent a wind to dry everything out. The ark drifted gently on the water until it bumped against the mountain of Ararat.

And there it stopped, but there was still water everywhere.

Noah, his family and the animals had to wait inside the ark for the earth to dry out. At last, the tips of the mountains began to appear. The water was beginning to go down!

After some time, Noah opened a window and sent out a raven. He wanted to see how much water was left. The raven flew back and forth because it couldn’t find a dry place to sit. Then Noah sent out a dove. The dove couldn’t find any place to rest either, so it came back to the ark. Noah waited for seven days and then sent the dove out again.

The dove came back that evening, carrying an olive leaf in its beak.

Then Noah knew that plants had started to grow again. The soil was drying out.

After seven days, Noah sent the dove out again, and this time the dove didn’t come back. It had found a dry place to stay.

Then God told Noah, “You can all come out of the ark now. The earth is dry again.”

20

And so Noah, his family and all the animals and birds went out of the ark.

The first thing Noah did was build an altar to honour the Lord.

Then God blessed Noah and his family. He told them, “I have made the earth new. I know that people will forget about me and do evil things again. But I will never destroy the earth like this again. There will always be rainy seasons, but there will also be dry seasons. There will be summer and winter.

There will be a time to plant and a time to harvest your crops.”

God also said, “You can eat the plants that grow on earth and the animals that live there. But you must also take care of everything that lives on earth.

You are the caretakers of the earth.”

And he said, “You mustn’t kill other human beings. My Spirit lives in all of you. Respect one another.”

Then God put a rainbow in the sky. He said, “Whenever you see a rainbow you must remember my promise to you. I won’t destroy the earth with water again. When I see the rainbow, I will also remember my promise to you.”

Genesis 8 and 9

21

God calls Abram

22

23

A

bram lived with his family in Harran. One day the Lord spoke to Abram. He said, “I want you to leave your family and your people and go to another country. I will show you where to go.”

The Lord also gave a promise to Abram.

He said, “I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you. I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing to others. All the nations on earth will be blessed because of you.”

Abram decided to obey the Lord. He took his wife Sarai and his nephew Lot as well as his servants and possessions and left Harran. They travelled to the west until they arrived in the land of Canaan.

Then they continued through Canaan, looking for a place to stay. When they reached the large tree of Moreh at Shechem, they stopped to rest.

The Lord appeared to Abram at Shechem and told him, “I will give this land to your family who comes after you.”

Then Abram built an altar there to honour the Lord. After a while, they packed up and travelled some more.

Eventually Abram went to live near the large trees of Mamre at Hebron.

24

He pitched his tents and built an altar to honour the Lord.

Some time later, the Lord spoke to Abram again. He said, “Abram, don’t be afraid. I am like a shield to you. I will protect you and bless you.”

But Abram said, “Lord, how can this land belong to my family who comes after me? I don’t have children!”

The Lord told Abram, “You will have a son of your own. He will get everything you have.”

Then the Lord took Abram outside and said, “Look up at the sky.

Count the stars, if you can.”

As Abram was looking at the countless stars in the sky, the Lord said to him, “That’s how many children will be born into your family.”

The Lord also said, “I am the Lord. I brought you out of the land of Babylon. I will give you this land to have as your very own.”

Abram didn’t know how the Lord was going to do these things. But he remembered how the Lord had brought him safely from Harran to Hebron, and he believed the Lord.

The Lord was pleased with Abram because he believed. Abram’s faith made him right with the Lord.

Genesis 12 and 15

25

Abraham gets good news

26

27

W

hen Abram was 99 years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am the Mighty God. Walk faithfully with me. Live in a way that pleases me.”

He also said, “Remember my promise. You will be the father of a great nation, and your family after you will live in this land.”

Then the Lord changed Abram’s name to Abraham and Sarai’s name to Sarah.

Abraham and Sarah were very old, and they didn’t have children. Abraham trusted the Lord, but he didn’t know how the Lord was going to keep his promise.

On a very hot day, Abraham was resting under the large trees in front of his tent. Suddenly he saw three men coming towards him.

Abraham quickly got up and greeted the men. He invited them to rest in the shade of the trees. He fetched water so that they could wash their feet.

Then he went to his wife Sarah. “Bake bread for our guests,” he said. He told a servant to prepare meat for the guests. He also brought out butter and milk.

While the men were eating their meal, they asked Abraham, “Where is your wife?”

“In the tent,” Abraham said.

Then one of them said, “At this time next year, your wife Sarah will have a baby boy.”

28

Sarah could hear the men from the tent. She laughed softly. “I’m too old to have babies!” she thought.

Two of the men were angels, and one was the Lord.

The Lord knew what Sarah was thinking. He said, “Remember that the Lord is the Mighty God. He can do anything. You and your wife will definitely have a baby when I come back next year.”

Sarah was scared when she realised who their visitors were. She said, “I didn’t laugh!”

But the Lord said, “Yes, you laughed!”

Sarah didn’t know what to say. She really, really wanted a baby of her own. Could God’s promise be true?

Genesis 17 and 18

29

A Little boy is born

30

31

A

braham and Sarah were very old. They had always tried to obey the Lord.

Long ago the Lord told Abraham to go to a faraway country. He packed up his goods and animals and left his family and his people. After travelling a long distance, Abraham ended up living in Canaan. The Lord promised Abraham that the land would belong to his family who came after him.

Abraham became a rich man, but he and Sarah never had children. They often wondered how the Lord was going to keep his promise to them.

The Lord kept telling Abraham to trust him, and at last Sarah became pregnant. Then Abraham and Sarah remembered all the times the Lord had spoken to Abraham. They remembered his promise that he would have a son. They remembered the three men who had visited them and told them that Sarah would have a baby boy the following year.

Exactly at the time the three men had promised, Sarah’s baby boy was born.

Sarah was very happy. She said, “The Lord has made me laugh again.

Everyone who hears about my baby will be happy with me.”

32

Abraham named their baby Isaac. It means ‘laughter’.

Isaac brought great happiness to his family. Abraham and Sarah played with little Isaac and watched him grow. Whenever they saw him, they remembered how the Lord had given them the baby he had promised.

Abraham remembered all of God’s promises. Although he only saw one of them come true, he knew he could trust God. He knew that God would give his descendants the land of Canaan. He knew that his family who came after him would be a great nation.

And God kept those promises.

Genesis 21

33

Isaac and Rebekah

34

35

O

ne day Abraham said to his servant, “I want you to go to my family and find a wife for my son Isaac among them. Do not worry about finding the right woman. The Lord will help you to find her.”

The servant took ten camels and loaded many gifts on them. He travelled for many days until he reached the town where Abraham’s brother Nahor lived.

He arrived in the early evening and stopped at the well outside the town. It was time for the women to fetch water.

The servant prayed, “Lord, help me to find the right woman. I am going to ask a young woman for a drink of water. I’ll know she is the right one if she gives me water and also gives the camels water. Please answer my prayer.”

Just then Rebekah arrived with a jar to fetch water. She was very beautiful.

When her jar was full of water, Abraham’s servant said, “Please give me a drink of water.”

“Certainly,” she said. She gave him water, and then she gave the camels water, too. The servant gave Rebekah a gold ring and two gold bracelets and asked her, “Whose daughter are you? Can we stay in your father’s house tonight?”

Rebekah said, “I am Bethuel’s daughter and Nahor’s granddaughter. And we have plenty of room for you and your camels.”

The servant whispered, “Thank you, Lord, for bringing me to the right family and the right young woman.”

And so the servant stayed with Rebekah and her family. They fed his camels and then gave him food.

36

He said, “Before I eat, I want to tell you why I am here. My master Abraham asked me to find a wife for his son Isaac among his family.”

Then he told them about Abraham and his life in Canaan. He also told them how the Lord had helped him to find Rebekah. He asked them to send Rebekah with him to be Isaac’s wife.

Rebekah’s father and brother knew that the Lord had chosen Rebekah, and they were happy for her to go with the servant. Rebekah was also happy to go with him.

And so the servant took Rebekah and her servants back to Abraham.

When they were near Abraham’s home, they saw a man walking in his fields. When the servant told Rebekah that it was Isaac, she covered her face with her veil. Then she got down from her camel and greeted Isaac.

Isaac and Rebekah got married. She became his wife and he loved her.

Isaac and Rebekah had two sons, Esau and Jacob. They were twins, and Esau was the oldest of the two.

Genesis 24

37

A Pot of lentil stew

38

39

J

acob and Esau were twins, but they were very different. Esau was a good hunter and he liked to be out in the open. Jacob liked to stay home. Isaac loved venison, and Esau was his favourite son. Jacob, the quiet one, was his mother’s favourite.

Because Esau was the older of the two, he was Isaac’s heir. He would become the leader of the family after Isaac, and he would inherit most of his father’s possessions. His father would also give him a special blessing. Jacob did not like this one bit. Esau was only a few minutes older than him. He was jealous of his brother.

One day Jacob was cooking some lentil stew. When Esau came back from his hunt, he was hungry. He told Jacob, “Give me some of your red lentil stew.

You have no idea how hungry I am!”

Jacob wanted to tease his brother. He also saw a chance to cheat him.

“I’ll give you stew,” he said, “but only if you give me all your rights as the oldest son!”

40

Esau did not even think about Jacob’s words. “Look, I don’t care!” he said.

“I’ll give you whatever you ask. I am dying of hunger!”

Jacob said, “You have to promise!”

And Esau said, “All right, I promise! Now give me food!”

Then Jacob gave his brother some bread and lentil stew. Esau ate the food and left his brother. He did not think about what he had done. He did not care that he had given Jacob all the rights that belonged to the oldest son.

But Jacob cared about those rights. Later he and his mother tricked his father into giving him the special blessing for the oldest son. Then Esau was very angry. He was so angry that he wanted to kill his brother and Jacob had to run away from his home.

Genesis 25

41

Jacob and the stairway to heaven

42

43

W

hen Isaac was very old, he knew that it was time to give his eldest son his special blessing. He asked Esau to go hunting and to cook some venison for him.

Rebekah heard them talking. She told Jacob, “Fetch two young goats. I’ll cook the meat so that you can take it to your father and pretend to be Esau.”

Jacob said, “My father will know that I am not Esau!”

Rebekah said, “Your father is old and blind. If you wear Esau’s clothes and cover your hands with animal skins, he won’t notice anything.”

Jacob wanted to be the leader of the family. He took the meat to his father.

Isaac was confused, but Jacob told him that he was Esau. He held out his hands for Isaac to feel. His clothes smelt like Esau’s. Then Isaac blessed his youngest son and promised that he would be the leader of the family.

When Esau found out what Jacob had done, he was angry and sad. Isaac and Rebekah realised that it would be better for Jacob to go away for a while. They sent him to Rebekah’s family who lived far away.

Jacob had to leave his home. On the first

44

day of his journey he walked until night fell. He had to sleep in the open and he used a stone as a pillow.

He was tired and soon fell asleep. Then he had a wonderful dream. He saw a stairway going right up to heaven. Angels were going up and down the stairs, and the Lord stood beside the stairway.

The Lord spoke to Jacob and said, “I am the Lord God. One day this land will belong to you and your children and their children. They will fill the earth.

And I shall bless the world because your family believes in me. I am with you. I will watch over you everywhere you go. And I will bring you back to this land.”

When Jacob woke up, he said, “The Lord is in this place, and I did not even know it.”

Then he poured olive oil on the stone on which he had placed his head. He called that place Bethel, which means “house of the Lord”.

Then Jacob prayed to the Lord, “Please watch over me wherever I go and bring me back to this place. Then I will always serve you. I will give one tenth of everything I own to you.”

Then Jacob went on his way. He lived with his mother’s family for many, many years. Later the brothers made peace with each other.

Genesis 25, 27 and 28

45

Joseph, the dreamer

46

47

J

acob settled in the land of Canaan. He had 12 sons and one daughter.

Their names were Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph and Benjamin. His daughter’s name was Dinah.

Jacob’s favourite child was Joseph. He had been born when Jacob was already an old man. This made Joseph’s brothers very angry.

Jacob openly showed that he loved Joseph more than his brothers.

One of the ways he did this was by making Joseph a beautiful robe. The robe had many different colours. It was nicer than anything that Joseph’s brothers owned.

When his brothers saw the beautiful robe, it made them very jealous. They hated Joseph even more.

Joseph made matters worse by telling tales about his brothers.

They began to hate him so much that they couldn’t speak a kind word to him.

When Joseph was about 17 years old, he had a strange dream. Joseph dreamt that he and his brothers were tying up bundles of grain in the field.

48

Suddenly, Joseph’s bundle of grain stood up straight.

Then, all his brothers’ bundles of grain bowed down to Joseph’s bundle of grain. Joseph told his brothers about his dream.

“Do you plan to be king over us? Do you plan to rule over us?” they asked. Joseph’s dream made them hate him even more.

Soon after that Joseph had another dream.

He dreamt that the sun, the moon and 11 stars bowed down to him.

He told his father and his brothers about the dream. This time his father was also angry because the dream seemed to say that Joseph’s father and mother would also bow down to him.

Joseph’s brothers had found another reason to hate him. But Jacob remembered these dreams, and he wondered what they meant.

Genesis 37:1–11

49

Joseph’s brothers try to kill him

50

51

J

oseph’s brothers took care of their father’s sheep. Sometimes they had to travel far away from where they lived to find good grazing for the sheep.

On this occasion, they had taken the sheep to graze near a place called Shechem. Jacob sent Joseph to them to find out how they were doing.

When Joseph arrived in Shechem, his brothers had already moved on to a place called Dothan. Joseph continued his journey to find his bothers.

The brothers saw Joseph coming when he was still far away. They weren’t happy to see Joseph. His brothers hated him so much that they made plans to kill him.

“Let’s kill the dreamer!” they said. “Then we’ll see if his dreams come true!”

They decided to kill him and throw him in an empty well.

But Reuben, Joseph’s oldest brother, didn’t want to kill Joseph. He tried to save his life. He said to his brothers, “Don’t kill him. Just throw him in the well.”

52

His plan was that he would come back later and save Joseph.

When Joseph reached his brothers, they took his beautiful robe and threw him into an empty well. Then they sat down to eat. While they were eating, they saw traders travelling to Egypt.

“Let’s sell Joseph to the traders!” Judah, one of Joseph’s brothers, said. So the brothers pulled Joseph out of the well and sold him to the traders. Then they killed a goat and dipped Joseph’s robe in the blood. They took the robe back to their father and told him they found it lying on the ground.

“That is Joseph’s robe!” Jacob said. “A wild animal must have killed him!”

Jacob was very sad. His other children tried to comfort him, but he remained sad. “I will miss Joseph until the day I die,” he said.

Genesis 37:12–36

53

54

Joseph in the palace

55

J

oseph went through many difficult and hard times during his years in Egypt.

He was put in prison for something he didn’t do. The pharaoh’s cup bearer was also in prison. He had a dream that Joseph interpreted for him with God’s help. The cup bearer promised to help him when he was released from prison.

But he forgot about Joseph. Through it all God was with Joseph. God watched over Joseph and he had a plan for him.

Then one day everything changed. The pharaoh was worried. He had dreamt strange dreams, and nobody could explain to him what they meant. He sent for his wise men and magicians, but they couldn’t help him.

Then the pharaoh’s cup bearer remembered his own dream and his promise to Joseph. He told the pharaoh how Joseph had explained his dream when he was in prison and how everything had happened exactly as Joseph had explained.

The pharaoh immediately sent for Joseph. Joseph was brought to the palace.

They gave him new clothes and shaved him. Then they sent him to the pharaoh.

“I hear you can explain dreams,” the pharaoh said.

“No,” Joseph said, “I can’t do it, but God can give you the answer.”

Then the pharaoh told Joseph about his dreams. In his first dream, he had seen seven cows coming out of the Nile River. They were fat and healthy. Then seven ugly, thin cows came out of the river and ate the fat cows.

But they stayed as thin as they had been in the beginning.

56

The pharaoh’s second dream was about heads of grain. First, he saw seven heads of grain on a single stem. The grains were full and good. Then seven other heads of grain appeared. They were weak and thin and dried up by the east wind. The thin heads of grain swallowed the good heads.

“The two dreams have the same meaning,” Joseph said. “God is showing you what he is going to do. There are going to be seven wonderful years with plenty of food for everyone. Then there will be seven years of terrible hunger.

Nobody will have food. Nothing will be left over from the seven good years.”

Then Joseph said, “My advice is that you find a wise man and put him in charge of the land of Egypt. He must have officials to help him, and they must collect a fifth of all the grain that’s grown in the good years. Then they must store it so that you can use it during the years of hunger to feed the people.”

The pharaoh thought that this was a very good plan, so he put Joseph in charge of the land of Egypt. Joseph became the next in command after the pharaoh. Joseph travelled all over Egypt. During the good years, he collected all the extra grain the people produced and stored it in the cities.

And when the bad years came, there was food in Egypt. The Lord was using Joseph to feed the people of Egypt.

Genesis 39 to 41

57

58

Joseph forgives his brothers

59

T

he drought in Egypt also spread to Canaan. The people in Canaan heard that there was grain in Egypt, so Jacob sent ten of his sons to Egypt to buy grain.

When the brothers appeared before Joseph in Egypt, they didn’t recognise him. Joseph pretended to think they were spies. They told him that they were all brothers and that their youngest brother was at home.

Joseph said, “Then you must fetch your brother. Meanwhile I’ll keep one of you here in prison.”

Joseph had Simeon put in prison. The other brothers said to each other, “God is punishing us for what we did to Joseph!”

On the way home, the brothers found the money they had paid for the grain in their grain sacks. It made them worried and afraid.

When Jacob heard their story, he said, “Joseph is gone. Simeon is gone.

Benjamin can’t go too.”

When the family had no more food left, Judah said to his father, “We must go back to Egypt, and we have to take Benjamin with us. I promise to keep Benjamin safe.”

Eventually, Jacob agreed to send Benjamin with them. He also sent gifts for Joseph. And they took double the amount of money with them.

When Joseph saw that his brothers had brought Benjamin, he told his manager to prepare a feast for them. The brothers were scared and worried, but Joseph treated them very well.

60

After their meal, Joseph ordered the manager to fill his brothers’ sacks with grain and to put their money back in the sacks. He also put his silver cup in Benjamin’s sack.

As soon as the brothers were on their way, Joseph sent the manager after his brothers. He ordered them to open their sacks. When he found the silver cup, he arrested Benjamin. Benjamin had to go with him. The others were free to go home. The brothers knew they couldn’t go home without Benjamin, so they all turned back to the city.

Judah spoke to Joseph. “I promised my father I would keep Benjamin safe.

Please let the boy go back to his father. I’ll be your slave in Benjamin’s place.”

Joseph saw that his brothers had changed. They wanted to save Benjamin’s life for their father’s sake. So he told them that he was their brother Joseph.

“God sent me to Egypt, so that I could save many lives,” he said.

“It was all part of his plan.”

Joseph hugged his brothers and they all cried together. Then they went back to Jacob with joyful hearts. They told Jacob that Joseph was alive. Jacob immediately made plans to travel to Egypt and he was reunited with Joseph. The Lord had changed their evil plans and turned them into very good plans.

Genesis 42 to 45

61

God saves baby Moses

62

63

T

he Israelites lived in Egypt. At first, the Egyptians treated them well, but then a new pharaoh began to rule Egypt. He didn’t like the Israelites.

He thought they might fight against the people of Egypt and take over the country. He made the Israelites work like slaves. He also ordered his people to kill all the Israelites’ baby boys.

One mother couldn’t bear to give her baby to the Egyptians, so she hid him in her house. As the baby grew, his cries became louder. After three months he was crying so loudly that people outside the house could hear him. So his mother had to make a new plan.

She made a little basket out of the stems of tall grass and coated it with tar.

Then she put her baby in the basket and placed the basket in the tall grass that grew along the banks of the Nile River.

She told the baby’s sister, Miriam, “Stay near the baby. See what happens to him.”

Miriam stayed near her brother. Soon she saw the pharaoh’s daughter coming down to the river to take a bath.

64

The princess saw the basket. What could be in it? She sent her slave to fetch the basket.

The slave girl brought the basket to the princess. She opened it carefully and saw the baby.

He was crying, and the princess felt sorry for the baby. Then Miriam said to the princess, “I can find a woman to breastfeed the baby for you!”

“Yes. Go,” the princess said. Miriam went to fetch her mother. The princess said to the baby’s mother, “Please take this baby and feed him. I’ll pay you.”

And so the baby’s mother was allowed to keep him. She looked after him until he didn’t need to drink her milk any more. Then she took him to the princess.

The princess brought up the baby as if he were her own son.

She called him Moses, because she had pulled him out of the water.

God wanted Moses to be a leader to his people. So he gave Moses’ mother and sister the courage to put him in the river.

God sent the princess to save his life and adopt him. He made sure that Moses would live so that he could lead his people to the promised land later.

Exodus 1 and 2

65

66

Moses and the burning bush

67

M

oses lived in the desert of Midian for many years. One day he took his father-in-law’s flock of sheep to Mount Horeb. People called it the mountain of God. There Moses saw a strange sight. A bush was on fire, but it didn’t burn up.

When Moses went nearer to find out what was going on, he heard a voice from inside the bush.

The voice said, “Don’t come closer. Take off your sandals. You are standing on holy ground.”

The Lord God spoke from the bush. He said, “I am the God of your father. I am the God of Abraham. I am the God of Isaac. And I am the God of Jacob.”

Moses was afraid when he heard God speaking to him.

The Lord said, “I have seen how my people are suffering in Egypt. I have heard their cries for help. I have seen how badly the Egyptians are treating them. So I have come down to save them from the Egyptians. I will bring them into a good land. It has a lot of room. It’s a land that has plenty of milk and honey. I want you to go to the pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt. They are my people.”

Moses was even more scared when he heard these words.

He said, “I can’t do this. I can’t go to the pharaoh. I can’t be the Israelites’ leader.”

68

But God said, “I will be with you. And I promise you that you will lead the Israelites out of Egypt, and all of you will worship me on this very mountain.”

Moses said, “But what must I tell the people about you? What is your name?”

The Lord gave Moses his name: I AM. God said, “Tell them I AM sent you. Say, ‘The Lord is the God of your fathers.

He has sent me to you. You must always call him the Lord.’”

Moses was still too scared to go. He said, “Israel’s leaders won’t listen to me.

They won’t believe you really sent me.”

The Lord promised that he would help Moses to do special signs.

Moses still didn’t want to go. “I’m not a good speaker,” he said.

The Lord promised to teach him what to say. But Moses said, “Please send someone else.”

The Lord became angry with Moses. He said, “Your brother Aaron can speak in your place. But you must tell him what to say. And you have to do the signs.”

Then Moses was willing to go to Egypt and lead his people to their own land.

Exodus 2 and 4

69

70

The Lord frees the Israelites

71

M

oses and his brother Aaron told the Israelites, “The Lord has seen your suffering. He will take you to the land that he promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.”

Moses and Aaron went to the pharaoh. They said, “The Lord God wants you to let his people go.”

The pharaoh said, “I don’t know this God! Why should I obey him? I won’t let the Israelites go.”

Aaron threw his walking stick on the floor, and it turned into a snake. The pharaoh’s magicians could also turn sticks into snakes, but Aaron’s walking stick swallowed their snakes. Still, the pharaoh thought Egypt’s gods were stronger than the Lord.

The Lord told Moses, “I will show the pharaoh that I am the Lord.” Then the Lord sent ten plagues to Egypt.

First, the water of the Nile River turned into blood. The fish in the river died.

The people couldn’t drink the water.

Then the Lord sent a plague of frogs to Egypt. The frogs were everywhere, even in people’s beds, ovens and bowls.

The Lord sent a plague of gnats and then a plague of flies. Then all the animals belonging to the Egyptians became sick and died.

72

Next, the Egyptians and their animals got painful sores on their bodies. The next plague was the worst hailstorm to ever fall on Egypt. The crops, trees and plants were destroyed. After that, locusts appeared and ate any plants that were left after the hail. The ninth plague was three days of darkness in Egypt. No one could see anything.

Every time God sent a plague, the pharaoh asked Moses to take it away. He promised to let the people go. Then, as soon as the plague was gone, the pharaoh changed his mind and refused to let them go.

Only the Egyptian people and their animals were affected by the plagues.

The Lord protected the Israelites and kept them and their animals safe.

Then it was time for the tenth plague, the worst of them all. The Lord gave the Israelites special instructions to keep them safe. They had to slaughter a lamb without any flaws and smear its blood on their door frames. Then they had to cook the lamb over a fire and eat it. When the Lord saw the blood on the door frames, the people in the house would be safe. That night, all the firstborn children and animals in Egypt died. Then the pharaoh told Moses, “Get out! Leave!”

The pharaoh admitted that the Lord was truly the all-powerful God. The Israelites were free to go.

Exodus 4 to 12

73

Crossing the Red Sea

74

75

T

he pharaoh allowed the Israelites to go to their own land. The Egyptians even gave them presents so that they would leave quickly. Everyone was joyful and excited. They were free! The Lord promised them, “I will bring you into a good land. It has a lot of room. It’s a land that has plenty of milk and honey.”

God led the people through the desert to the Red Sea. By day, the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud. At night, he led them with a pillar of fire.

It gave them light.

The pharaoh soon felt sorry that he had let the Israelites go. Now he didn’t have slaves to do the work for him! He gathered his army. They chased after the Israelites with horses and chariots.

The Israelites were camping on the shore of the Red Sea. They looked back and saw the Egyptians coming in their direction.

They were terrified. They said to Moses, “Did you bring us to the desert to die?

You should have left us alone in Egypt. At least we were safe there!”

Moses said, “Don’t be afraid. Stand firm. You will see how the Lord will save you today. The Lord will fight for you. Just be still.”

76

The pillar of cloud in front of the Israelites moved back so that it was between the Israelites and the Egyptians. The cloud brought darkness to the Egyptians, but light to the Israelites.

Then the Lord told Moses to hold his walking stick out over the Red Sea. All that night, the Lord pushed the water back with a strong east wind. He turned the sea into dry land. The people of Israel crossed the sea on dry ground. There was a wall of water on their right side and a wall of water on their left.

The Egyptians followed the Israelites through the Red Sea. Then the Lord threw them in a panic. The wheels of the chariots jammed and couldn’t go forward or backward. All the Israelites arrived safely on the other side. Then the Lord told Moses to reach out his hand over the sea. Moses did, and the water flowed back. It covered the pharaoh’s army. Not one of the Egyptians was left.

That day the Lord saved Israel from the Egyptians, and the Israelites saw the amazing power of the Lord. The Israelites were learning that they could trust the Lord to help them.

Exodus 14

77

The Ten Commandments T

he Lord led the Israelites from Egypt to their own land. He was always ready to help them when they needed him.

Once, they couldn’t find water in the desert, and they began to complain.

They asked Moses, “Why did you bring us to this place? You should have left us in Egypt!”

The Lord told Moses to hit a rock with his walking stick, and water came out of the rock. Then the people said, “The Lord is here with us.”

Then the Amalekites attacked the Israelites.

The Lord told Moses to stand on a hill while the Israelites were fighting.

78

79

A

s long as he held up his walking stick, the Israelites won. When he grew tired and lowered his hands, the Amalekites began to win. Then Aaron and Hur held up Moses’ hands, and the Israelites won the battle. After three months, the Israelites reached the Desert of Sinai.

They camped at the foot of Mount Sinai.

The Lord told Moses, “If the Israelites serve and obey me, they will be my special people.”

The people answered, “We want to serve and obey the Lord. We want to be his people.”

The Lord wanted to speak to the people of Israel. So Moses told the people to make special preparations. Then he led them to the foot of the mountain.

As they waited, a thick cloud covered the mountain.

There was thunder and lightning.

The Lord came down to the mountain in fire, and the mountain trembled and shook. There was the sound of a trumpet that grew louder and louder. Then the Lord gave the people ten commandments or laws.

80

This is what he said: “I am the Lord your God. I brought you out of Egypt.

You must love God more than anyone or anything else.

Do not make statues of other gods. Do not worship those statues.

Use God’s name with respect.

Do all your work in six days. The seventh day is a day to rest and to honour the Lord.

Respect your father and mother.

Do not hurt anyone.

Be faithful to your marriage partner.

Do not steal.

Do not lie.

Do not want the things that belong to other people.”

The people were afraid of the thunder and lightning, and the loud noises and fire.

They told Moses, “We are afraid. Don’t let God speak to us. You must tell us what God wants.”

Moses said, “Don’t be afraid, but always remember that God is all-powerful.

You must respect him and obey him.” Then they built an altar and worshipped the Lord.

Exodus 17, 19 and 20

81

Rahab helps the Israelites

82

83

T

he Israelites were in the land God had promised them, but now they faced many enemies.

The city of Jericho had high walls. Joshua sent two spies to the city. They had to find out if the city walls were as strong as they looked, and if the soldiers were preparing to fight against the Israelites.

The men went to Jericho. They stayed in the house of a woman called Rahab.

Then someone told the king about the spies in Rahab’s house. The king sent a message to Rahab: “Bring out the men who are staying in your house!”

Rahab hid the two men. She took them to the roof of her house and hid them under some flax she had piled up there. Then she told the king’s men, “The men were here, but I did not know they were spies. They left the city at sunset. If you go quickly, you might still catch them!”

The king’s men left to chase after the spies.

They took the road that went to the Jordan River and to the camp of the Israelites.

Rahab went up to the two spies. She told them, “I know that the Lord will give you this land. He is the Lord who rules in heaven and on earth. We have heard how he has helped you and we are afraid. Please promise me that you will help me as I have helped you. Please spare me and my family when the Israelites conquer Jericho.”

84

The two men promised that they would spare her life and also the lives of her family.

Rahab’s house was part of the city wall. She let the men down by a rope through her window. She said, “Go into the hills. The men who are chasing you are on the road to the Jordan River. Hide for three days before you go back to your camp.”

The men said, “Please listen carefully. When we come back for the battle, you must tie this red rope in the window. Make sure that your whole family is in the house. We promise to save all the people in the house.”

Then the two men left. They hid in the hills until the king’s men had gone back to Jericho. Then they went to their camp.

They told Joshua, “The Lord will give us this land. All the people are very frightened of us and of the Lord.”

Joshua 2

85

The Walls of Jericho

86

87

T

he Israelites approached Jericho. Joshua looked up and saw a man standing in front of him. The man told Joshua, “I have come as the commander of the Lord’s army.”

When Joshua heard this, he fell with his face to the ground. He asked the man, “What message does my Lord have for me?”

The commander of the Lord’s army told Joshua, “Take off your sandals. The place you are standing on is holy ground.”

Joshua obeyed and took off his sandals.

The gates of Jericho were tightly shut. The soldiers guarded the gates closely, and no one went in or came out.

When the Israelites were ready for battle, the Lord told Joshua what to do.

Joshua and his army marched to the city. In the middle of the fighting men were seven priests who blew on trumpets. There were other priests who carried the ark of the covenant. The fighting men didn’t make a sound as they all marched once around the city. Then they went back to their camp.

88

This went on for six days. Jericho’s fighting men watched from the walls.

What were the Israelites doing?

On the seventh day, the Israelites marched seven times around the city. The priests blew the trumpets. The soldiers were quiet. The seventh time around, the priests blew a long blast on the trumpets, and Joshua told his men, “Shout! The Lord has given you the city!”

The army gave a loud shout and suddenly Jericho’s walls tumbled down.

The Israelites charged into the city and began fighting. Because they were fighting for the Lord, they didn’t take anything for themselves.

They took the gold, silver, bronze and iron they found in Jericho to the tabernacle, the Lord’s house. It belonged to the Lord. They burned the city. They killed all the animals and people, except for one family.

Rahab and her family were in her house. The house didn’t fall when the rest of the wall fell. The Israelites left them alone when they saw the red rope in the window.

After the fighting, the spies brought Rahab and her family to the Israelites’ camp.

From that day, they lived with the Israelites.

Joshua 5 and 6

89

Samuel listens to God

90

91

S

amuel lived in the Lord’s house with the priest Eli. Why didn’t Samuel live at home with his parents? Samuel’s mother, Hannah, couldn’t have children. This made her very sad. She prayed and asked the Lord to give her a baby boy. She promised that if he gave her a baby boy, she would give him back to the Lord.

The Lord answered her prayers, and Hannah had a baby boy. Then just as she promised, when he was old enough, she took him to God’s house. From that day on, Samuel lived in the temple with Eli. Samuel was happy to live in God’s house. His mother visited him every year, and she would make a little coat for him.

Eli was very old, and he couldn’t see very well. One night, when everyone was asleep, Samuel woke up. Someone was calling him. He thought Eli needed something, so he went to Eli. “Here I am,” he said. “What do you want me to do?”

Eli said, “I didn’t call you. Go back to bed, little Samuel.”

Samuel went back to bed and fell asleep. After a little while, he again heard someone calling. Samuel went back to Eli. He said, “I heard you calling. Here I am!”

Eli said, “I didn’t call you. Go back to bed, Samuel.”

Samuel didn’t know the Lord. He didn’t know it was the Lord who was calling him.

92

Samuel heard someone calling him a third time.

He went to Eli again. At last Eli realised what was happening. He told Samuel, “Go back to bed. The Lord is calling you. When you hear his voice, you must say, ‘Speak, Lord. I’m listening.’”

Samuel went back to bed, and the Lord called him once again. This time Samuel was ready. He said, “Speak, Lord. I’m listening.”

Then the Lord spoke to Samuel. He said, “I have sad news for you. Eli’s sons have sinned against me, and Eli didn’t stop them. So the whole family will pay for their sins.”

The next morning Samuel opened the doors of the Lord’s house, just as he did every morning. He didn’t want to tell Eli what the Lord had said, but Eli said, “Don’t keep quiet about the things the Lord told you. Tell me what he said.”

When Samuel told him, Eli said, “He is the Lord. He must do what he knows is best.”

Samuel loved the Lord. He served him faithfully, and the Lord spoke to him often. All the Israelites knew he was a prophet of the Lord.

He became the people’s leader or judge.

1 Samuel 1 to 3

93

Samuel anoints David

94

95

A

t first, the people of Israel were ruled by judges, but then they wanted a king to rule over them. They wanted to be like the other nations around them. So the Lord told Samuel to anoint Saul to be Israel’s first king.

King Saul listened to Samuel’s advice at first and obeyed the Lord. But then he began to follow his own path. By that time, Samuel was an old man, and Saul’s disobedience made him sad.

The Lord said to him, “Don’t be sad about Saul any longer. I have chosen a new king. Put olive oil in an animal horn and go to Bethlehem. That’s where Jesse lives. One of his sons will be Israel’s new king.”

Samuel took a young cow with him to Bethlehem. He told the leaders of the town that he wanted to offer a sacrifice to the Lord. He knew that the Lord was going to show him the young man he had to anoint.

When Jesse and his sons arrived for the sacrifice, Samuel saw Eliab, Jesse’s eldest son. He was a tall, handsome young man.

Samuel thought, “This has to be the one the Lord wants me to anoint.”

But the Lord said to Samuel, “I haven’t chosen him. I don’t look at the things people look at.

People look at the outside of a person. I look at what is in the heart.”

96

Jesse’s six other sons came to greet Samuel. But the Lord hadn’t chosen any of them.

Eventually Samuel asked Jesse, “Are these the only sons you have?”

“No,” Jesse answered, “I have another son. He is with the sheep.”

Samuel said, “Send for him. We won’t sit down to eat until he arrives.”

Jesse sent for his youngest son. David was handsome, fit and healthy. He was brave. He kept his father’s sheep safe from wild animals. David had already killed a lion and a bear. He also loved making music.

When David arrived the Lord told Samuel, “This is the one.”

Samuel took the horn filled with olive oil and poured the oil over David’s head. In this way he anointed him.

He showed everyone that God had chosen David to be the second king of Israel. David went quietly back to his job looking after his father’s sheep, but from that day the Spirit of the Lord worked powerfully in him.

1 Samuel 9, 10 and 16

97

David and the giant

98

99

T

he Philistines and the Israelites gathered their armies together for war.

The Philistine army was camped on one hill and Israel’s army on another.

The Valley of Elah was between them.

Goliath was a mighty Philistine hero. He was about three metres tall.

He wore a bronze helmet, heavy bronze armour and bronze leg guards.

He carried a bronze javelin and had a long spear.

Every morning and evening, Goliath shouted to the soldiers of Israel, “Choose a man to fight against me. If he kills me, we will be your slaves.

If I kill him, you will be our slaves.”

This went on for a long time. King Saul and the whole army of Israel were terrified. Nobody wanted to fight the giant.

One day, David visited his brothers who were in the Israelite army. David reached the camp just as Goliath stepped forward and dared the Israelites to fight him. David said, “How can this man speak like this to the armies of the living God? Who does he think he is?”

Then David said to King Saul, “I will fight Goliath.”

Saul said, “You are too young, David. You know nothing about fighting.”

David told Saul, “I take care of my father’s sheep. When a wild animal tries to carry off a sheep, I go after it. I have killed a lion and a bear. The Lord who saved me from those animals will save me from this Philistine.”

Then Saul put a coat of armour on David and gave him a helmet. David wasn’t used to wearing armour, and it was very heavy. So David took it off.

100

He went to the stream and chose five smooth stones. David put the stones in his shepherd’s bag. Then he took his wooden staff and his sling and walked out to Goliath.

Goliath saw that David was young and didn’t wear armour. He said, “Why do you fight with sticks? Do you think I’m a dog? Come on! I will feed your body to the birds and wild animals!”

David said to Goliath, “You fight against me with a sword, a spear and a javelin. But I fight against you in the name of the Lord. He will help me.

Then everyone will know that he is our God, and he has all the power.”

David ran to Goliath. He took a stone from his bag and put it in his sling.

He slung it at Goliath. The stone hit Goliath on the forehead, and the giant fell to the ground on his face.

David was only a young shepherd boy. But he trusted the Lord, and the Lord helped him to win the fight against the giant Goliath.

1 Samuel 17

101

Solomon, the wise king

102

103

D

avid’s son Solomon became Israel’s third king when he was still a young man. David’s advice to him was: “Be strong and brave. Obey the Lord in everything you do.”

Solomon followed his father’s advice. He went to Gibeon to offer sacrifices to the Lord. There the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream.

The Lord said, “Ask for anything you want me to give you.”

Solomon said, “Lord my God, I’m young. I don’t know how to be a king.

I don’t know how to rule your people. Please give me wisdom to do my job. Show me how to do what is right.”

The Lord was pleased with Solomon’s request. He said, “You didn’t ask for a long life or for wealth. You didn’t ask for your enemies to die.

Instead, you want to do what is right. You want to be a fair judge to the people. I will give you a wise and understanding heart. And I will also give you wealth. People will have a lot of respect for you. But remember to live the way I want you to. Always obey my laws.”

King Solomon became famous for his wisdom. He wrote many proverbs and songs. He knew all about plants, animals, birds, reptiles and fish.

The other kings all sent their people to listen to him.

104

Solomon also built the temple in Jerusalem. It was a splendid building with many gold ornaments. When the temple was complete, there was a large gathering of the people.

King Solomon prayed, “Lord, you are our God. We built this temple to be your home, even though we know that you don’t live in buildings. You are all-powerful. Even the sky is too small for you.

Please listen to the prayers we pray in this temple and forgive us our sins.

Show us how to obey you.”

The queen of Sheba heard that King Solomon was very wise and served the Lord. So she went to visit him. She brought many servants and many presents with her. She asked Solomon everything she wanted to know, and he answered all her questions. She saw the temple, and she saw Solomon’s palace and his possessions. She gave him gold, spices and jewels as presents.

She said, “We heard about you in my country. Now I see that you are even wiser and wealthier than people said. May the Lord your God be praised!”

She realised that Solomon’s wisdom and wealth were gifts from God. 1 Kings 2 to 4, 7, 8 and 10

105

106

In a blazing furnace

107

K

ing Nebuchadnezzar made a gold statue. He placed it on the plain near the city of Babylon. It was about 27 metres tall and three metres wide.

Then he sent for the royal rulers, the governors and all his officials. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were among them. They were Daniel’s friends, and they worshipped the Lord God. The king made everyone stand in front of the huge statue. Then the king’s messenger said, “Listen! When you hear music playing, you must lie on the ground and worship this gold statue. If you don’t, you will be thrown into a blazing furnace.”

The music began playing, and the people lay on the ground and worshipped the statue. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego remained standing.

Nebuchadnezzar was angry. He had the three men, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, brought to him. “I order you to worship my statue!” he said. “If you refuse, you will be thrown into the furnace. Your God won’t be able to save you then!”

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego said, “King Nebuchadnezzar, throw us into the blazing furnace.

108

The God we serve can bring us out of it alive. He can save us from your power. But even if he doesn’t save us, we won’t worship your statue.”

Then Nebuchadnezzar was very angry. He told his servants to make the furnace seven times hotter than usual. He ordered his strongest soldiers to tie up the men and throw them into the blazing fire. The furnace was so hot that its flames killed the soldiers.

King Nebuchadnezzar was watching the furnace from a safe distance.

Suddenly he jumped to his feet. He said, “Didn’t we throw three men into the fire? I see four men walking in the fire. They aren’t tied up.

And the fire isn’t burning them.”

The king shouted, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, come out!

Your God is the all-powerful God!” The men came out of the fire and everyone could see that the fire hadn’t harmed them. Not one hair on their heads was burned.

Their clothes weren’t burned. They didn’t even smell like smoke.

Nebuchadnezzar said, “May the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego be praised! He sent his angel and saved his servants. They would rather die than worship any god except their own God. No other god can save people in this way.

So, I order everyone to respect their God.” Daniel 3

109

110

Daniel in the lions’ den

111

D

arius, the king of Babylon, appointed 120 royal rulers over his kingdom.

He also appointed three leaders over them. One of these leaders was Daniel. Daniel did a better job than the others, and the king trusted him.

The other leaders and rulers hated Daniel. They tried to catch him doing something wrong, but they didn’t find anything. Daniel was a fair and trustworthy leader and always obeyed the law.

Eventually they said, “Daniel will obey his God rather than the king!

Let’s use that against him.”

The leaders and royal rulers went to the king and said, “Your Majesty, we would like you to make a new law. For the next 30 days, your people must worship you and only you. They mustn’t worship any other god. If they disobey the law, they must be thrown into the lions’ den.”

King Darius liked the idea of people worshipping him. So he wrote it into the law of the Medes and Persians. The laws that were written down like that couldn’t be changed.

Daniel prayed three times a day. He knew about the new law, but he didn’t let it stop him.

112

He went home, knelt in front of his open window and gave thanks to the Lord, just as he always did.

The other leaders were watching. As soon as they saw Daniel praying, they went to the king. They said, “Your Majesty, we have seen Daniel praying to his God. He doesn’t obey your new law!”

The king was upset when he realised the leaders had tricked him, but he couldn’t change the law. He had to order his men to throw Daniel into the lions’ den. He told Daniel, “May your God save you, Daniel!”

Then they put a stone over the opening of the den, and the king went back to his palace.

That night the king couldn’t eat or sleep. As soon as the sun began to rise, King Darius hurried to the lions’ den. He called out, “Daniel! You serve the living God. Did he save you from the lions?”

Daniel answered, “Your Majesty, my God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They didn’t hurt me.”

The king was very glad. His servants lifted Daniel out of the den. There was not a single scratch on him.

Then the king ordered Daniel’s enemies to be thrown into the lions’ den. And he wrote a letter to all the nations in his kingdom: “I order people in every part of my kingdom to respect and honour Daniel’s God. He is the living God. His rule will never end.”

Daniel 6

113

114

Esther risks her life for her people

115

K

ing Xerxes ruled over the Kingdom of Persia. Esther was his queen. Xerxes was a cruel king. If someone entered the king’s courtyard without being invited by the king, the person could be killed.

The king did not know that Esther was a Jewish woman. There were many Jews in Persia and they often worked for the king. Some people did not like the Jews. Haman was one of the king’s officials who hated them. So he told King Xerxes that the Jews did not obey his laws. He also said the Jews wanted to harm the king. The king believed him and gave him permission to punish the Jews.

Haman liked that! He sent letters to officials all over the kingdom. He wrote that the Jews had to be killed on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month.

People could then take all their possessions.

Queen Esther’s uncle Mordecai heard about these plans. He was upset and told Esther about the plans that Haman had made to kill the Jews. He asked Esther to help her people. She said, “You know I cannot go to the king unless he invites me. If I just appear in the courtyard, he can have me put to death.”

Mordecai said, “Maybe this is the reason God made you the queen of Persia and put you in the palace of Xerxes. Surely he wants you to save your people!”

Could that be true? Esther did not know what to do. Should she try to help?

Should she keep quiet? Then she said, “If I go to the king’s courtyard without being invited and the king points his golden sceptre at me, it means I will live. Maybe he will do that if he sees me. That is something I can try.”

116

Then Esther asked her uncle to gather all the Jews in the city together to fast and to pray for her. She was also going to pray, and she would not eat or drink for three days and three nights.

After three days Esther went to the king. She looked at him across the courtyard. What would he do? Then the king lifted his sceptre and pointed it at her. He wanted to talk to her! Esther invited the king and Haman to a meal.

At the meal she told him about Haman’s plan to kill all the Jews. The king was very angry. Haman was put to death. The king appointed Mordecai in Haman’s place as a trusted leader. And the king allowed the Jews to fight back and defend themselves.

Because of Esther’s courage and faith, the Jews in the Kingdom of Persia were saved.

Esther 3 to 9

117

118

Jesus is born in Bethlehem

119

M

ary lived in Nazareth with her parents. She was engaged to a man named Joseph.

One day God sent the angel Gabriel to Mary. The angel told Mary, “The Lord has blessed you in a special way. He is with you.”

Mary didn’t understand the angel’s words, but the angel said, “Don’t be scared! God is pleased with you. You are going to have a baby boy, and you must call him Jesus. He is the Son of God, and he will rule forever.”

Mary still didn’t understand, but she said, “I serve the Lord. I’m happy to do whatever he wants.”

The angel also told Joseph about the baby in a dream. He said the Holy Spirit had sent the baby, and that he would save his people from their sins. Joseph promised to look after Mary and the baby.

The emperor wanted to make a list of all the people in his empire.

So everyone had to go to the town where their families had always lived. Joseph and Mary went from Nazareth to Bethlehem, because they belonged to the family of David.

Bethlehem was full of people who had come to put their names on the emperor’s list.

Joseph and Mary couldn’t find a place to stay, but in the end, someone said they could stay in their stable.

120

And then the baby was born right there in the stable. Mary wrapped her little son in large strips of cloth and put him in a manger.

At the same time, there were shepherds looking after their sheep in the fields near the town. Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared.

The shepherds were terrified, but the angel said, “Don’t be afraid.

I have good news; news that will bring great joy for all the people.

If you go to Bethlehem, you will find a baby in a manger. He is your Saviour. He is the Lord.” Then a large group of angels appeared.

They praised God and said, “Glory to God in the highest heaven!

And peace to those he is pleased with on earth!”

When the angels left, the shepherds quickly went to Bethlehem.

They wanted to see the baby in the manger. They found Mary, Joseph and the baby, just as the angel had said. They began to praise God because they were excited about everything that had happened. They also told everyone about the angels and the baby who was their Saviour.

Mary quietly listened to everyone. She remembered everything that had happened on that wonderful day.

Matthew 1:18–25 Luke 2:1–21

121

Wise men visit Jesus

122

123

S

ome time after Jesus was born, three men arrived in Jerusalem. They began to ask questions. “We are wise men from the east,” they said.

“At home we saw the star of your new king in the sky. Where is he? We want to worship him.”

King Herod heard about these men. He was upset. He was the king! Why were they talking about a new king?

King Herod sent for the chief priests and teachers of the law.

“What is this I hear about a new king?” he asked. “Is he the Messiah?

The one who is going to free the Jewish people?”

The chief priests and teachers told him that Micah, a Jewish prophet from long ago, had written about a new king. He was going to be the Messiah, the one chosen by God. He was going to be born in Bethlehem.

King Herod told the wise men, “Go to Bethlehem. The new king is there.

Go find him, and then come back and tell me all about him.”

And so the wise men left Jerusalem. The star went ahead of them and stopped over the place where Jesus and his parents were. Their hearts were glad when they saw the star.

They had found Jesus and his parents. The wise men bowed down and worshipped Jesus. Then they gave him the treasures they had brought.

124

They gave him gold, frankincense and myrrh; special gifts that were only given to kings.

Frankincense was a rare, sweet-smelling perfume and myrrh was anointing oil.

The wise men knew that Jesus was a special baby. They knew that God himself had sent this baby to be born in Bethlehem.

He had chosen him to become his people’s Lord and King.

That night God spoke to the wise men in a dream. He told them not to go back to Herod, because Herod wanted to harm Jesus. So they returned to their own country a different way.

Then the angel of the Lord spoke to Joseph in a dream. He told Joseph to take Mary and Jesus to Egypt because King Herod wanted to kill Jesus. Joseph and his family left the next day. They lived in Egypt until King Herod died.

Then the angel of the Lord spoke to Joseph again. He told him he could go back to the land of Israel.

Joseph and his family didn’t go back to Bethlehem. They lived in Nazareth, a small village in Galilee far away from Jerusalem.

In this way, God kept Jesus and his family safe from harm.

Matthew 2

125

126

Jesus in his Father’s house

127

E

very year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Passover feast.

Many Jews tried to go to a feast in Jerusalem at least once a year.

Children went with their parents, and everyone travelled in groups.

When Jesus was 12 years old, the family went to Jerusalem for the Passover feast as usual. After the feast was over, everyone left the city to go back home.

There were many people in the city, and the group in which they travelled was large. Jesus’ parents did not see him, but they thought he was somewhere in the group with his friends.

At the end of the day Jesus’ parents began to look for him. They looked among their relatives and friends, but Jesus was nowhere.

At last they realised he must have stayed behind and they went back to Jerusalem to look for their son.

Jesus was not at the place where they had stayed. His parents could not find him anywhere. Then, after three days, they went to the temple, and there they found Jesus in the courtyard.

He was with the teachers. He was listening to them and asking them questions. The teachers also asked him some questions and were amazed at his answers. This boy understood the scriptures very well indeed! They were all enjoying the conversation very much.

128

When Mary saw her son sitting there so happily, she was upset. She said, “Son, why did you do this to us? We were so worried about you! We looked everywhere for you and we could not find you!”

Jesus said, “You know how much I love my heavenly Father. You should have known I would be here in his house!”

His parents did not understand his answer. But Jesus immediately got up and went with his parents. They all went back to their home in Nazareth.

Jesus obeyed his parents. As he grew older, he became wiser and stronger.

Everyone liked him, and God was pleased with him.

Jesus’ mother was still thinking about everything that happened to Jesus.

She kept it like a secret treasure in her heart.

Luke 2:41–52

129

Jesus is baptised

130

131

J

esus and his cousin John were the same age. As an adult, John lived in the desert because he wanted to hear God’s voice. Then he began telling people what God told him. Many people came to hear him talk, even the teachers of the law and the leaders from Jerusalem.

John told the people to turn away from their sins. When people asked John how they should live, he told them to do what was right. He baptised everyone who felt bad about their sinful lives. The people began calling him John the Baptist.

People began to wonder if he was the Messiah, the ruler specially chosen by God. John told them, “I’m only here to tell you about someone who will come after me. God himself will send him. God is going to give him a lot of power, much more than he gave me. He is so far above me that I’m not good enough to untie his sandals. He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit. He will know who truly obeys God and who only pretends to obey him.”

132

One day, Jesus travelled from his home in Galilee to see his cousin John. John was at the Jordan River baptising people.

Jesus asked John to baptise him. But John didn’t want to do it. He knew that Jesus was the one God had sent. He said, “I need to be baptised by you. So why do you come to me?”

Jesus replied, “Please baptise me. It’s the right thing to do, because it’s part of God’s plan for both of us.”

Jesus went into the water, and John baptised him. When Jesus came out of the water, heaven opened. They saw the Spirit of God coming down on Jesus.

The Spirit was like a dove flying down. Then Jesus heard God speaking to him from heaven. God said, “You are my Son, and I love you. I am very pleased with you.”

After he was baptised, Jesus went into the desert. He wanted to be alone to talk to God, and prepare himself for what God wanted him to do next.

Matthew 3:13–17 Mark 1:9–13 Luke 3:21–22 John 1:31–34

133

134

Jesus chooses twelve disciples

135

P

eople loved listening to Jesus.

Andrew was a fisherman from Galilee. One day he went to listen to John the Baptist. John was preaching and baptising people. Then he saw Jesus going by and he said, “Jesus is the Lamb of God. He will take away the sin of the world.”

Andrew decided to find out more. He followed Jesus and spent the afternoon with him. Then he told his brother Simon Peter, “I have found the Messiah, God’s chosen one.” He took him to Jesus.

Philip was a friend of Andrew and Simon Peter. After he had met Jesus, Philip went to his friend Nathanael and told him about Jesus. He took Nathanael to meet Jesus. And in this way more and more people began to hear about Jesus.

Some time later Jesus was standing by the Sea of Galilee. The people crowded around him. Everyone wanted to hear his words. Jesus saw two boats at the edge of the water. He knew that they belonged to Simon Peter, and he got into the boat and asked him to go out a little way from the shore. Now everyone could see and hear Jesus.

When he had finished speaking, Jesus told Simon Peter, “Go out into deep water. Let down the nets so you can catch some fish.”

He answered, “Master, we worked all night and did not catch anything. But I will do what you ask.”

136

Simon Peter did not think they would catch anything, but when he let down the nets, the nets quickly filled with fish. There were so many that their nets began to break. So Simon Peter called his friends and they came to help. They hauled the fish from the nets into the boats, and the boats were so full that they nearly sank.

Simon Peter was afraid when he saw what Jesus could do, but Jesus said, “Don’t be afraid. From now on you will be fishers of people.”

Then Simon Peter and Andrew left their boats to follow Jesus.

Just then Simon Peter’s friends James and John were getting their nets ready to go fishing. Jesus called them, and they left their boat with their father Zebedee and followed Jesus.

Soon after this Jesus went to the mountain to pray. When he came back, he chose twelve men to be his special friends. He called these men his disciples.

They were always with him and he told them all about God’s kingdom. They saw his miracles. They saw him helping people and healing them. They were with him to the end of his life.

The twelve men were Simon Peter and his brother Andrew, James and his brother John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot.

Matthew 4:18–22 Mark1:14–20; 3:13–19 Luke 5:1–11, 27–28; 6:12–16

137

Jesus at the wedding

138

139

J

esus did his first miracle at a wedding in a village called Cana in Galilee.

Jesus’ disciples went to the wedding with him. His mother, Mary, was also at the wedding. All the people in the village attended the wedding.

It went on for several days.

The wedding guests were happy. They all enjoyed the celebrations.

Everyone joined in the singing and dancing. The children were also an important part of the festivities. There was a lot of food, enough to feed everyone, but after a while the wine ran out.

Jesus’ mother found out about it. She went to tell Jesus about the wine.

She knew he could help.

Jesus said, “Dear Mother, don’t worry about a thing. Everyone will soon see God’s power working through me.”

Jesus’ mother told the servants, “Do what Jesus tells you.”

140

There were six huge stone water jars in the house. The people used water from that kind of jar for special washings. They did that to make themselves pure and clean before they went to the synagogue to praise God. Jesus told the servants to fill the jars with water. They didn’t understand, but they did what they were told. Then Jesus told them, “Now take some to the master of ceremonies, the bridegroom’s friend.”

When the master of ceremonies tasted the water, he was amazed. He was drinking some very good wine!

He went to the groom and said, “Everyone brings out the best wine first. They bring out the cheap wine at the very end once the good wine is gone. But you have saved the best wine until the end.”

This was Jesus’ first miracle. It showed that he was all-powerful, and that God was with him. When his disciples saw what he had done, they believed in him.

John 2:1–11

141

142

Jesus calms the storm

143

T

here were always large crowds around Jesus. They followed him everywhere. They wanted to listen to him teach. They also brought sick people to him, so that he could heal them. Jesus usually spent the whole day telling them stories about God’s kingdom and healing those who were sick.

This often made him very tired.

Once, when Jesus was tired, he said to his disciples, “Let’s go over to the other side of the lake.”

They got into a boat and left. Some of the disciples were fishermen. They often went out on the lake in their boats, and they knew the lake very well.

Jesus soon fell asleep.

Then a bad storm broke. The disciples had been on the lake during storms before. They knew how to keep the boat safe. But this storm was very bad.

Waves crashed over the boat, and it quickly filled with water.

The boat was going to sink! The disciples were very scared. They thought they were going to die. So they did the only thing they could. They went to Jesus and woke him. “Lord! Save us! We’re going to drown!” they cried.

Jesus immediately got up. He looked at the storm. Then he spoke to it. He said, “Quiet! Be still!”

The wind died down.

The waves became calm.

Everything was quiet.

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Don’t you have any faith yet?”

144

The disciples looked at the calm water of the lake. They listened to the quietness.

They knew Jesus was a man just like them. He got tired after a long day’s work and needed to rest.

But he was also all-powerful.

When he spoke to the wind and the waves, they obeyed him.

They knew he wasn’t an ordinary person like them. The disciples were amazed and frightened. They didn’t understand that he was the Son of God. But they did know that he was with them when they were afraid, and that he could help them when they were in danger.

Matthew 8:23–27 Mark 4:35–41 Luke 8:22–25

145

Jesus and his friends in Bethany

146

147

L

azarus and his two sisters, Martha and Mary, lived in a small village called Bethany.

They were Jesus’ friends and when Lazarus was ill, they immediately sent a message to Jesus. Jesus said, “Lazarus’ illness will glorify God!” At first Jesus did nothing, but two days later Jesus told his disciples he wanted to go to Lazarus. The disciples said, “Is that a good thing? Bethany is near Jerusalem, where you have many enemies!”

Jesus said, “Lazarus is dead. We have to go to them.”

The disciples went with Jesus, even though they thought Jesus would be captured and they would all die.

When they arrived in Bethany, Lazarus had been dead for four days.

His sisters had already wrapped his body in linen cloths and buried him.

There were many people who had come to comfort the two sisters.

Martha went out to greet Jesus. “Lord,” she said, “if you could have been here earlier, Lazarus would not have died! But even so, I know that God will give you whatever you ask!”

Jesus said, “Lazarus will rise again.”

Martha thought he was talking about the day of judgement, but Jesus said, “Anyone who believes in me will live even though they die. They will have everlasting life. Do you believe this?”

Martha said, “Yes, Lord. I believe that you are the Son of God.”

148

Then Martha fetched her sister. Mary went to Jesus, who was still outside the village. Mary fell at his feet and said, “I wish you had been here!

Then Lazarus would not have died.”

She cried, and her friends were also crying. Jesus also became very sad.

He wept, and the people thought it was because he loved Lazarus.

“Where is Lazarus buried?” he asked.

The people took him to the tomb. He asked them to take away the stone in front of the entrance.

They did as he asked, and then Jesus prayed. He said, “Father, thank you for always hearing me when I speak to you.”

Jesus stood in front of the tomb and said loudly, “Lazarus, come out!”

Lazarus came out, still wrapped in linen cloths. He was alive and well.

Some of the people who had seen the miracle immediately went to Jerusalem.

There they told the priests what had happened. These men hated Jesus and were also afraid that everyone would soon be following Jesus. They began to make plans to kill Jesus. But many people who were in Bethany when Jesus raised Lazarus believed that Jesus was the Son of God. John 11:1–44

149

150

The Good Samaritan

151

O

ne day, a person who thought he knew the Jewish laws very well wanted to test Jesus. He wanted to see how well Jesus knew the laws.

He asked Jesus, “What must I do to receive eternal life?”

Jesus answered with a question, “What does the law say?”

The man knew the answer. He said, “You must love the Lord your God, and you must love your neighbour as much as you love yourself.”

Jesus answered, “You are right! Now go and do it! Then you will receive eternal life.”

The man had one more question. He wanted to know who his neighbour was. Who must he love? His family? All the people in his village?

Maybe everyone who was a Jew? He was sure he wasn’t supposed to love people who weren’t Jews.

Jesus answered his question by telling him a story.

A man was travelling from Jerusalem to Jericho. It was a lonely road that went through the mountains. Robbers attacked the man, took his clothes and beat him. Then they ran away.

For a while the man lay there. He thought he was going to die.

Then a priest walked past. He was an important man. He pretended not to see the wounded man and crossed to the other side of the road.

Everything was quiet again. The man continued laying there, hoping for someone to help him. Then a Levite came past. He was also an important man. He also chose to pass the man without looking at him.

152

And then a Samaritan came down the road. Jews and Samaritans didn’t like one another. They didn’t even speak to one another. But this Samaritan felt sorry for the wounded man.

He went to him, washed his wounds with wine and put olive oil on them to soothe the pain. He bandaged the man’s wounds. Then he put him on his donkey and took him to an inn. He took care of him for the rest of the day.

The next day the Samaritan had to leave. He gave the innkeeper extra money and said, “Please take care of this man until he is well. If you need more money, I’ll pay you when I come this way again.”

After Jesus had told the story, he asked the man who knew the law, “Which of the three men loved his neighbour?”

The man said, “The man who felt sorry for the wounded man and helped him.”

Jesus told him, “That’s what you must do when you see people who need help. Everyone who needs help is your neighbour.”

Luke 10:25–37

153

Zacchaeus in the sycamore tree

154

155

Z

acchaeus was a tax collector for the Romans and he was very rich. The Jews hated the tax collectors because they worked for the enemy, the Romans. Everyone also knew that the tax collectors cheated the people when they collected tax.

Zacchaeus lived in Jericho, a city near Jerusalem. One day Zacchaeus noticed that a large crowd was passing through the city, and he heard that the crowd was there because of Jesus.

He wanted to see this man Jesus that everyone was talking about. But he was a very short man. He could not see over the people’s heads. And he also could not get near Jesus, because everybody else was trying to get as near to him as possible. Then Zacchaeus made a clever plan. He ran ahead of the crowd to a large sycamore fig tree with large spreading branches. The tree was right next to the road. Zacchaeus quickly climbed into the tree. Now he could see everything!

The crowd was getting nearer and nearer. At last Jesus was right under Zacchaeus on his tree branch. And then Jesus stopped!

Jesus looked up and said, “Zacchaeus, please come down at once. I must stay at your house today.”

Now everyone knew that the rich tax collector was sitting in the sycamore tree. But Zacchaeus did not care. He was just glad that Jesus had noticed him. He came down at once and welcomed Jesus into his house. He was very happy because he had a chance to get to know Jesus.

The people who knew who Zacchaeus was and saw Jesus going with him to his house began to grumble among themselves.

“How can Jesus do that?” they said. “Doesn’t he know Zacchaeus is a cheat and a sinner who works for the enemy? Jesus should not do that!”

156

Zacchaeus knew what they were saying. He also knew that his life would never be the same again. He had met Jesus and he was going to follow him from that day on. So Zacchaeus stood up and said, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of what I own to those who are poor. And if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay it back. I will pay back four times the amount I took.”

Jesus was also happy. He said to Zacchaeus, “Today I have come to the right house. It is my job to look for everyone who is lost, and to save them. Today I found you and saved you. From now on you are a child of God.” Luke 19:1–10

157

Jesus is the good shepherd

158

159

J

esus liked to tell stories.

One day he told a story about a sheep that got lost.

Jesus said, “Shepherds have to take good care of their sheep. What happens when a shepherd has 100 sheep and finds out that one of them isn’t with the others? The shepherd leaves the 99 sheep in a safe place and goes to look for his lost sheep. He doesn’t stop looking until he finds the sheep. It doesn’t matter how far the shepherd must go. He will continue to search for his sheep even after the sun goes down and it becomes dark.

When the shepherd finds his sheep, he is very happy! He lifts the sheep up and carries it home on his shoulders.

Then he goes to all his friends and neighbours and tells them, ‘Let’s all be glad! My sheep was lost, but I found it and brought it home!’”

On another occasion, Jesus talked about shepherds who didn’t care about their sheep. When a wild animal attacks the sheep, these bad shepherds run away. They leave the sheep to look after themselves.

160

“I am not like that,” Jesus said. “I am like a good shepherd. A good shepherd knows his sheep’s names.

When he calls their names, they follow him. They know that he will take them to good grazing and water. The sheep know he will protect them against thieves and wild animals. A good shepherd gives his sheep a very good life.

A good shepherd will never leave his sheep. He will die for his sheep. This is what I will do. I am the good shepherd, and I have sheep all over the world.

They all listen to my voice. I love them all. And I will die for them all.”

Some of the people didn’t understand what Jesus was saying. They didn’t realise he was telling them that he was the Saviour, and that he was going to die on the cross.

He would do this so that his followers could become friends with God again and be with him forever.

Luke 15:1–7 John 10:11–18

161

The Son who came back

162

163

J

esus liked to tell stories to explain how much God loves us.

One story was about a man and his two sons.

The elder son was happy to stay at home, but the younger son wanted to see the world. He said to his father, “Give me my share of my inheritance.”

So the father divided his property between his two sons.

Not long after that, the younger son took his inheritance and went to a country far away. He spent his money on wild living until he had nothing left.

At that time there was a food shortage in that country. Because the son had no more money, he had to find work. He worked for a man who sent him to feed his pigs.

He was so hungry that he wished he could eat the pigs’ food. But no one gave him food. Then he began to think about his life and about his father and his home. He thought, “I’m dying of hunger while my father’s servants have more than enough food. I will go back to my father. I will ask him to forgive me. And I will ask him to make me one of his servants, because I know that I don’t deserve to be his son.”

164

So he got up and went back to his father. The father missed his younger son very much.

Every day he looked out towards the road, hoping to see his son coming back.

One day he saw his son in the distance. The father ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

The son said, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I don’t deserve to be called your son.”

But the father said, “You are my son. We must celebrate that you have come home.”

The father gave his son his best robe, new sandals for his feet and a ring for his finger. The servants prepared food. And everyone began to celebrate.

The father said, “My son was dead and now he is alive again. He was lost and now he is found.”

When the elder son saw the celebration, he got angry. He had worked faithfully for his father while his brother wasted his money. Now his brother was welcomed back with open arms!

He told his father, “Why did you never give me a party? It isn’t fair!”

The father said, “I would have given you whatever you wanted.

You only had to ask. Be glad that your brother has come back.”

Luke 15:11–32

165

166

Jesus helps people who need him

167

J

esus always felt sorry for people who were forced to leave their communities because they were sick or disabled.

Sometimes these people were forced to become beggars. Jesus often helped them.

Once, Jesus went to Jerusalem for the Feast of Unleavened Bread. He and his disciples walked all the way from Galilee. On the way, they passed a small village where they saw ten men coming towards them.

The men had a skin disease. In those days, people with this disease had to live apart from other people. They also had to warn people when they were near.

Everyone stayed far away from them.

The men came up to Jesus, and he didn’t walk away. They pleaded with him, “Jesus! Master! Please help us!”

Jesus said, “Go to the priests. They will see that you are healed and allow you to go home.”

When people were healed from a skin disease, they had to go to the priests.

The priests looked at their skin to see if they were really healed.

When the men turned away, they still had the disease. But they decided to go to the priests.

On the way, a wonderful thing happened.

They saw that they were healed. They were very excited. They immediately ran to the priest.

They couldn’t wait to go home.

One of the men was a Samaritan. When he saw that he was healed, he didn’t go with the others. He had something important to do first. He turned back to Jesus.

168

He praised God. Then he threw himself down at Jesus’ feet and thanked him.

“Ten men were healed,” Jesus said, “but only one came back to thank me and praise God. And this man isn’t even a Jew. He is an outsider.”

Jesus looked around and asked, “Didn’t I heal ten men? Why has only one returned to give praise to God?” Jesus was glad to see this man. He told him, “Go home now. Your faith has healed you.”

Then Jesus and his disciples continued their journey to Jerusalem.

On their way, they went through the city of Jericho. When they arrived, a big crowd gathered around Jesus. They wanted to see his miracles.

A blind beggar was sitting by the side of the road. He heard the crowd going by. The people told him that Jesus was in the crowd. The blind man began to shout, “Jesus! Help me!”

Jesus stopped and ordered the people to bring the man to him. Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?”

“Lord, I want to see,” the man said.

Jesus healed his blindness immediately. Then the man followed Jesus, praising God all the way. When the other people saw the man and heard his words, they also praised God. Luke 17:11–19, 18:35–43

169

Five loaves and two fish

170

171

T

he crowds continued to follow Jesus wherever he went. Sometimes Jesus and the disciples didn’t even get a chance to eat.

One day Jesus told the disciples, “Let’s go to a quiet place. You need to get some rest.”

So they got into a boat to go to a place that was peaceful and quiet. But many people saw them leaving and ran along the shore in the direction they were going. When Jesus and his disciples came ashore, a large crowd was waiting for them.

Jesus felt sorry for the people. They were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them. He also healed the sick people they brought to him.

Later in the day the disciples said, “It’s getting late, and we are far from the town. It’s time to send the people away so that they can buy food in the villages and farms nearby.”

But Jesus answered, “You give them something to eat.”

Philip said, “There are thousands of people here! We will need more than half a year’s pay if we buy food for them! Is this what you want us to do?”

Jesus said, “Let’s find out what we have. Go and see what you can find.”

172

Andrew, Peter’s brother, brought a little boy to Jesus. He said, “Here is a boy with five small loaves of barley bread. He also has two small fish. That’s nothing for all the people who need food.”

But Jesus wasn’t worried.

He told the disciples to get the people to sit down on the green grass. They sat in groups of 50s and 100s. There were 5 000 men in the crowd and also many women and children.

Then Jesus took the five loaves and the two fish. He looked up to heaven and gave thanks. He broke the loaves into pieces. Then he gave them to his disciples to pass around to the people. He also divided the two fish among them all.

The people ate until they were satisfied. Jesus told the disciples, “Gather the leftover pieces. Don’t waste anything.”

So they gathered the food the people hadn’t eaten. They filled twelve baskets with leftovers!

The people began to say that Jesus was a great prophet. Jesus knew they wanted to make him their king, so he left quietly.

Matthew 14:13–21 Mark 6:30–44 John 6:1–14

173

Jesus and the children

174

175

J

esus loved people. He was sad when he saw that they were unhappy. He loved joining in their celebrations. He was always helping people and healing those that were ill. And Jesus loved children.

Parents brought their children to Jesus when they were ill, and Jesus healed them. He healed an official’s son in Cana without even seeing the boy, who lay sick in the town of Capernaum. When a Greek woman begged Jesus to heal her little girl, Jesus promised that she would be well when she reached her home. And that is what happened. Jesus raised Jairus’ daughter from the dead. He healed a boy who had seizures and hurt himself because he did not know what he was doing.

One day the disciples were walking along the road. They began to quarrel among themselves. Each one wanted to be the most important disciple. Then Jesus asked a little child to come to him. When the child was standing among all the disciples, Jesus said, “You must not try to be important. You must be like children if you want to be part of God’s kingdom. If you are willing to be like a child, you will be important in God’s kingdom. Children know that their parents love them and will give them what they need. That is how you must believe in God and trust him.”

On another day parents brought their children to Jesus. They wanted him to put his hands on their heads to bless them.

The disciples did not want the children to bother Jesus. They thought he had more important things to do. They thought he had to talk to the important people, such as the religious leaders. Children were not important! So the disciples told the parents to take away their children.

176

Jesus saw what they were doing, and he was angry. His disciples had forgotten that he always had time for people who were not important. Jesus said to his disciples, “Don’t do that! Don’t keep children away from me!

Always let them come to me. God’s kingdom belongs to people like them.

It belongs to people who are not important in the eyes of other people. It belongs to people who believe in me without demanding proof that I am the Son of God. It belongs to people who are humble and love my Father in heaven.”

Then Jesus hugged the children. He put his hands on their heads and blessed them.

Mark 10:13–16 Mark 7:24–30 Mark 9:14–27 Luke 8:40–56 Matthew 18:2–4

177

A Woman anoints Jesus

178

179

J

esus often visited his friends in Bethany. They all loved Jesus very much.

A short while after Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead, Jesus visited Bethany again. He was on his way to Jerusalem for the Passover feast. Simon, a man who had a skin disease, gave a special meal for Jesus. A follower of Jesus wanted to honour him. She took a jar of very expensive perfume and poured it on Jesus’ head. The house was filled with the sweet smell of the perfume.

Some of the people there were upset. They felt that the woman had wasted money by pouring the perfume over Jesus’ head. They said, “Why wasn’t this perfume sold? Why wasn’t the money given to poor people? It was worth a year’s pay.”

One of the twelve disciples, Judas Iscariot, was especially angry. But he didn’t really care about the poor. He was a thief. He wanted the money for himself.

“Leave her alone,” Jesus replied.

180

“She did it because she loves me. She also knows that I won’t always be here.

The perfume is meant for the day when I am buried. That day is coming soon. And in the future, when my followers tell other people about me, they will also tell them how this follower of mine poured perfume on my head.

People will always remember her beautiful gift to me.”

Then, Judas Iscariot went to the chief priests. He was willing to tell them where Jesus was so that they could arrest him. They were pleased and promised to pay him well if he betrayed Jesus.

Many people believed that Jesus was the Messiah, the one chosen by God to be their king. They also thought that he would make the Jews a free and independent nation again. These people were excited because they thought it would happen during the Passover feast.

Matthew 26:6–13 Mark 14:3–9

181

Jesus enters Jerusalem

182

183

T

he day after the dinner in Bethany, Jesus and his disciples walked to Jerusalem. He sent two disciples to a village nearby.

“You will find a donkey there,” he said. “Bring it back to me. If someone asks about it, tell them the Lord needs the donkey.”

The disciples found the donkey and took it to Jesus. They put their coats on the donkey’s back, and Jesus rode into the city on the donkey’s back.

A large crowd that had come to Jerusalem for the Feast of Unleavened Bread heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. The people were excited because they thought he was going to free them from the Romans.

They took the branches of palm trees and went out to meet him. They laid the branches on the road and praised God. The crowd shouted, “Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the king of Israel!”

184

Jesus was sad when he saw the people. He knew that soon there would be times of great trouble for the Jews. They believed that Jesus was a great prophet, sent by God to help them against their enemies. The Pharisees and chief priests didn’t like to see the people honouring Jesus. It made them hate him even more.

And Jesus’ disciples didn’t understand what was happening. Later, they realised that Jesus was their King, and that the prophets from the past had written about how Jesus would enter the city.

Jesus went to the temple. The people weren’t worshipping God. They were selling animals for sacrifices. People from other countries were also exchanging foreign money for Jewish money. Jesus turned over the tables of the people who were exchanging money. He turned over the benches of those who were selling doves. He forced these people to leave.

He said, “The temple is the house of God. It’s supposed to be a peaceful place where people come to pray. Instead you have made it a den of robbers!”

Jesus healed the sick people who came to him at the temple. He taught the people, and they were amazed when they heard his words. That made the chief priests and the teachers of the law even more determined to kill Jesus. That evening, Jesus and his disciples left Jerusalem and went back to Bethany.

Matthew 21:1–17 Mark 11:1–11 Luke 19:28–46 John 12:12–18

185

The Last supper

186

187

I

t was the day before the Feast of Unleavened Bread and time for the Passover meal.

The disciples asked Jesus, “Where do you want us to eat the Passover meal?”

Jesus said, “Go to the city. You will see a man carrying a jar of water. Follow him to his house. The owner of that house has prepared a large room upstairs for the meal.”

The disciples went to the city and found the house just as Jesus had said.

There they prepared the Passover meal.

Jesus knew that he was going back to his heavenly Father soon. This was going to be his last meal with his disciples. He had some important things to tell them.

Before they began the meal, Jesus stood up. He took a bowl of water and began to wash his disciples’ feet. He told them, “You must follow my example. I am your leader, but I just did the job of a slave and washed your feet. In my kingdom, the leaders are the people who serve others.”

Jesus also said, “I am going away, but I will send the Holy Spirit to you. He will help you and teach you how to follow me. Always remember to love one another. You show your love by helping and serving one another.”

188

A little later, while they were eating the meal, Jesus told them, “One of you is going to betray me to my enemies.”

The disciples were sad and upset. Who would do such a thing?

Jesus knew it was Judas. He told him, “Go and do what you must do.” Then Judas left the room. He went out alone.

Jesus took the bread. He thanked God for it and then broke it into smaller pieces. He gave each of his disciples a piece of bread and said, “Eat the bread.

Every time you eat bread together, you must remember that I gave my life for you.”

Then he took a cup of wine. Again, he thanked God for it and handed it to them. All of them drank from it. Jesus said, “Every time you drink wine together, you must remember that I gave my blood so that your sins can be forgiven.”

Jesus was telling them why he was going to die.

Today, his followers all over the world still eat bread and drink wine together to remember that Jesus gave his life so that their sins would be forgiven.

After the meal, Jesus and the disciples sang songs of praise. Then they went to the Garden of Gethsemane at the foot of the Mount of Olives outside Jerusalem.

Matthew 26:17–30 Mark 14:12–26 Luke 22:7–39 John 13:1–17

189

190

Peter disowns Jesus

191

A

fter Jesus was arrested, John and Peter followed the crowd from a distance. They went to the house of the high priest. John knew someone in the house and he helped Peter to get into the courtyard. They wanted to see what was happening.

It was cold and everyone was standing around a fire. Peter hoped nobody would notice him, but one of the servant girls said, “I know you! You were with Jesus!”

Everyone was looking at Peter. And then he said, “You are wrong! I don’t know Jesus!”

Peter went out to the gate. He was trying to leave, but another servant saw him and said, “You are one of Jesus’ followers!”

Peter said, “I tell you, I don’t know him!”

A little while later some of the people in the courtyard said, “You know, you talk just like the people from Galilee. You must be one of them!”

192

Peter said for the third time, “I do not know Jesus!”

And then he heard a rooster crowing, and he realised what he had done.

He remembered Jesus’ words: “Before the rooster crows, you will say three times that you do not know me.”

Peter knew that he was not as brave as he had thought. He felt terrible.

Although he loved the Lord Jesus very much, he had disowned him.

He went outside and he began to cry.

Matthew 26:31–35, 69-75 Luke 22, John 13:31–38, John 18:15–27

193

194

Jesus is crucified

195

A

fter they had arrested him, the men took Jesus to the high priest’s house.

His disciples were scared, so they all ran away.

At dawn the next day, the chief priests and teachers of the law got together.

“Are you the Son of God?” they asked Jesus.

“Yes,” Jesus said.

The people were horrified, because they thought he was telling them he was like God. They wanted to have Jesus killed, so they took him to the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate. He was the only one who could give a death sentence.

They told Pilate that Jesus was turning the people against him, although it wasn’t true. Pontius Pilate questioned Jesus and found that Jesus had done nothing wrong.

But the chief priests and the teachers told the crowds in the streets that Jesus should be killed. They began to shout, “Crucify him!”

During the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Roman governor always freed a prisoner. So Pilate asked the crowd, “Whom shall I free? Jesus or Barabbas?”

Barabbas was a murderer and a rebel.

The people shouted, “Let Barabbas go!”

Pilate didn’t want to have Jesus killed. He didn’t want to sentence an innocent man to death. So Pilate said he was going to have Jesus whipped.

But the crowd kept on shouting, “Crucify him!”

196

Eventually, Pilate gave in to the crowd.

The soldiers gave Jesus a red robe and put a crown of thorns on his head.

They made fun of him. Then they took the robe off him and whipped him.

After that, they gave Jesus one of the heavy beams of his cross to carry, and they took him to a place called Golgotha.

There they nailed him to a cross with two criminals. This was the way the Romans executed people who had committed the worst crimes.

Jesus prayed for his enemies, “Father, forgive them. They don’t know what they are doing.”

Jesus’ mother stood near his cross with her friends. When Jesus saw her, he spoke to his disciple John. John was also among the group of friends. Jesus said to his mother, “Dear Mother, John will look after you like a son.”

He said to John, “Please look after my mother.”

And from that day, Mary lived in John’s house.

Jesus hung on the cross for many hours. At noon, the sky turned dark. It stayed dark for three hours.

Then Jesus cried out, “Father, I give my life to you.”

And then he died.

Some of Jesus’ friends were watching from a distance.

They were very sad.

Matthew 26–27 Mark 14–15 Luke 22–23 John 18–19

197

Jesus rises from the grave

198

199

O

ne of Jesus’ followers was a rich man called Joseph of Arimathea.

Pilate gave him Jesus’ body.

Joseph and his friend Nicodemus took Jesus’ body to a garden near Golgotha.

They wrapped his body in clean linen cloths.

Then they put him in a tomb that belonged to Joseph. The tomb had never been used before. It was cut out of the rock, like a cave. Joseph rolled a big stone in front of the entrance of the tomb.

The day after Jesus died was the Sabbath day, so everyone stayed home.

Early the next morning, Mary Magdalene and some of the other women went to the tomb. It was still dark, but Mary could see that the stone wasn’t in front of the entrance. Someone had moved the stone! Mary was frightened and ran back to the city.

She said to Peter and John, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb!

We don’t know where they have put him!”

Peter and John ran to the tomb. John reached the tomb first but didn’t enter.

When Peter arrived, they both went in and saw that Jesus wasn’t there.

They only saw strips of linen, and the burial cloth that had been around Jesus’ head lay carefully folded, separate from the linen. They were sad because they didn’t understand that Jesus had risen from the dead.

Peter and John went home again, but Mary stayed near the tomb. She was so sad that she began to cry.

Then she looked into the tomb again and saw two angels sitting on the bench where Jesus’ body had been.

They asked her, “Why are you crying?”

200

“I don’t know where to find Jesus,” Mary answered.

Then she turned around and saw a man standing there. She thought he was the gardener. The man asked her, “Why are you crying? Who are you looking for?”

“Sir, did you carry him away?” she asked. “Tell me where you put him.

Then I will go and get him.”

Then the man said her name, and she recognised him. It was Jesus!

Jesus told her, “Go to the disciples. Tell them that I have risen from the dead, and that I am going to ascend to my Father in heaven.”

Mary was very happy. She had seen Jesus. He was alive!

She went back to the disciples and told them, “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them what Jesus had said.

That same evening the disciples were all together.

They had locked the doors because they were afraid. Suddenly Jesus stood there with them.

“May peace be with you!” he said.

Then he showed them his hands and his side.

It was really Jesus. And he was alive!

John 20

201

Jesus ascends to heaven

202

203

J

esus died on the cross, but on the third day he rose from the dead.

The disciples saw him often, and he showed them that he really was alive.

He spoke to them about God’s kingdom, and he also explained to them that he was going to leave them again.

One day they were eating together when Jesus said, “Do not leave Jerusalem to go back to your homes in Galilee. Stay here. Do you remember that I told you that I was going to send the Holy Spirit to you? Wait here because he is going to come to you. He will help you to follow me, and he will also teach you everything you need to know.”

The disciples gathered around Jesus and asked, “Lord, are you going to be Israel’s king now?”

Jesus said, “You must understand that God’s kingdom is not like a kingdom in this world. His kingdom is wherever he rules in people’s hearts. You are going to be part of his kingdom. That is why you have to wait here. You will need the Holy Spirit to help you. When he comes, you will not be afraid anymore. You will tell people about me, first of all here in Jerusalem, and then further away in Judea and Samaria. Later you will travel to faraway places to tell people about me. At last, after many, many years, everybody on Earth will know about me.”

Jesus led his disciples to the Mount of Olives outside Jerusalem. Then he lifted up his hands and blessed them. While he was blessing them, he left them.

He was taken up into heaven. The apostles watched until a cloud hid him from their sight.

As they were looking at the sky, two men dressed in white clothing suddenly stood beside them.

204

“Why do you stand here looking at the sky?” they said. “Jesus has been taken away from you into heaven. But he will come back in the same way you saw him go.”

The disciples were full of joy. Jesus had gone to heaven, but he was going to send the Holy Spirit to them. The Holy Spirit was always going to be with them, wherever they were. The disciples worshipped Jesus and then went back to Jerusalem. They knew something very good was going to happen.

Luke 24:50–53 Acts 1:1–11

205

206

The Holy Spirit comes

207

A

fter Jesus had gone up to heaven, his followers went back to Jerusalem.

Then they went upstairs to the room where they were staying.

The disciples came together regularly to pray. The women joined them, as well as Jesus’ mother Mary and his brothers. After a while there were about 120 people who regularly came to the room to pray.

Peter said, “Let us choose a disciple to take the place of Judas, who betrayed Jesus.”

They asked God to show them how to choose, and then they chose a man called Matthias to be the new twelfth disciple. He had followed Jesus right from the beginning and had always been with them.

Jesus had been crucified on the first day of the feast of Passover. Fifty days later was the feast of Pentecost. On that day the Jews offered the first grain of the new season to the Lord. Jews from every country came to the feast, and there were many people in Jerusalem.

On the day of the feast of Pentecost Jesus’ followers were in the room where they usually met, praying together and waiting for the Holy Spirit.

Suddenly they heard a sound like a strong wind blowing. It filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw something that looked like fire in the shape of tongues. The flames separated and came to rest on each of them.

All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit. They began to speak in languages they had not known before. The Spirit gave them the ability to do this.

208

A crowd soon gathered outside the house where the believers were. They wondered what was happening there.

Suddenly they heard the men who were gathered in the house speaking to them in their own languages. They were amazed. They asked, “Aren’t all these people from Galilee? And yet we understand every word they say. How can they speak in our languages? What is going on?”

But some of the people in the crowd started laughing.

“They drank too much wine!” they said.

Then Peter stood up and spoke to the crowd. He explained that God had sent his Spirit to them. That was why they were not afraid anymore. They knew that the Holy Spirit was with them, helping them and showing them what to do and what to say. It was a wonderful day!

Acts 2

209

The Beginning of the church

210

211

O

n the day of the feast of Pentecost, the streets were packed with people from all over the world. Jesus’ followers were together in a house, praying and praising God. Suddenly the people outside heard a sound like a strong wind inside the house. It was the Holy Spirit coming to Jesus’ followers. A crowd gathered outside the house. Soon they heard the disciples speaking about the wonders of God in many languages.

Then Peter began to speak to the crowd.

He said, “What is happening here is not something new. The prophets of Israel spoke about it long ago. The prophet Joel said that God was going to pour his Spirit on everyone who believed in Jesus. And everyone who believed in Jesus, would be saved.”

Then Peter told them about Jesus. God had sent Jesus to live among his people and he had done many miracles through Jesus. Jesus helped many people. Then he was betrayed and the Roman governor ordered him to be crucified. Jesus died on the cross.

However, that was not the end. God raised him from the dead. He appeared to the disciples and to many other people before he went to heaven to be with God. Then God had sent his Holy Spirit to the believers.

That was why the disciples were not afraid anymore. The Holy Spirit was in them.

212

Many people were convinced that Peter was speaking the truth. They asked, “What should we do?”

Peter replied, “Turn away from your sins and believe in Jesus. Be baptised in the name of Jesus.

Then your sins will be forgiven. You will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

About 3 000 people accepted Peter’s words and they were baptised that very day. They were the very first church.

Every day the believers met together in the temple courtyard. They praised God for his goodness. Their hearts were full of joy and they listened to everything the apostles taught. They often gathered together, and they ate and prayed together. They shared everything they had. They sold property and other things they owned and gave the money to the disciples to give to those in need.

Everyone was amazed at what God was doing. They saw how the disciples healed people, just as Jesus had done. Everyone respected the believers. And every day the Lord added new members to their group.

And that was how the church began.

Acts 2

213

214

Peter and John heal a beggar

215

T

he new church was growing. More and more people began to believe that Jesus had risen from the dead. Their hearts were joyful and they loved meeting together. They often went to the temple to praise God. One afternoon Peter and John decided to go to the temple for the time of prayer. On their way they passed a beggar.

This beggar could not walk. He had been like this from the day he was born.

His friends used to carry him to one of the temple’s gates, the Beautiful Gate.

There he sat and begged from the people who went to the temple. In the evenings his friends fetched him and took him home.

The man saw Peter and John passing him to go to the temple. He called them and asked for money. Instead of throwing him a coin and going away as quickly as possible, Peter and John stopped and looked at the man.

Peter said, “Look at us!”

The man looked up at them, hoping that they would give him something.

Peter said, “I don’t have any silver or gold. But I’ll give you what I do have.

In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk.”

216

Then Peter took him by the right hand and slowly helped him up. Suddenly the man’s feet and ankles felt strong. He could stand! First the beggar stood up straight and tall for the first time in his life, and then he began to walk.

He walked all on his own into the temple courtyard. Then he got so excited that he soon began jumping up and down and praising God. Everyone saw that the happy man was the beggar who used to sit at the gate, the one who could not walk. They were amazed at what had happened to him. What a wonderful thing God had done through his followers Peter and John!

Everyone came running over to see this miracle, but Peter said, “You should not be surprised. God did this. He raised his Son Jesus from the dead. He can heal a beggar, too.”

Acts 3

217

Stephen dies because he believes in Jesus

218

219

S

oon there were so many believers that the apostles could not take care of all of them. Some people did not get their share of food every day.

The apostles gathered all the believers together and asked them to choose seven men to serve as deacons.

They said, “These seven men must be wise and full of the Holy Spirit.

They will then make sure that everyone gets their share of the food. And we will have time to pray and teach about God to the believers.”

The people chose seven men and the apostles prayed for them and put their hands on them. One of the seven men was called Stephen.

Stephen was full of the Holy Spirit. He did many miracles among the people.

Many people praised God for Stephen, but others were jealous. They hated him and began to spread lies. They said, “Stephen speaks evil things against Moses and against God.” The teachers of the law arrested Stephen and found witnesses who were willing to tell lies about Stephen. They said, “This man speaks against the temple and against the law.”

The teachers of the law looked at Stephen while the witnesses were speaking. They saw that his face was shining like an angel’s face.

The high priest asked him, “Are these people telling the truth?”

220

Stephen stood up and began to speak to the people. He told them the story of the Israelites. He told how God had led the Israelites from Egypt to the promised land. He also reminded them how they had often disobeyed God. This made the priests and teachers of the law very angry. They ground their teeth. Stephen did not even look at them. He looked up to heaven and said, “Look! I see heaven. I see Jesus standing at God’s right hand. He is God’s Son.” When the Sanhedrin heard this, they began to yell at the top of their voices.

They all rushed at Stephen and dragged him out of the city. They began to throw stones at him to kill him.

When the people began to take off their coats, they put them at the feet of a young man named Saul. He was a very clever young Pharisee and he hated the followers of Jesus.

Stephen began to pray. He said, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he fell on his knees.

He cried out, “Lord! Please forgive them their sins.” And then he died.

He was the first one of Jesus’ followers who died because he believed in Jesus.

Acts 7:54–60

221

222

A Man from Ethiopia becomes a follower

223

A

fter Stephen was killed, the other believers were also attacked and treated badly. One of the worst attackers was Saul. He went from house to house to find the believers and arrest them. Many of the believers left Jerusalem and went to other towns. Now they could tell even more people about Jesus.

The apostle Philip went to a city in the area of Samaria. Many people listened to him and saw the miracles he did. Philip healed many people, and people began to believe in Jesus. The city was full of joy.

Then an angel told Philip to go south and to walk on the road through the desert between Jerusalem and Gaza. Philip obeyed the angel. On the way he met a man travelling in a chariot. He was an important man from Ethiopia.

He worked for the queen of that country, and he had gone to Jerusalem to worship in the temple. He was now on his way back to Ethiopia.

Philip saw that the man was reading. Then he heard the Holy Spirit speaking to him. “Go to that chariot. Stay near it,” he heard.

Philip ran to the chariot. He heard the man reading aloud from the prophet Isaiah. “Do you understand what you’re reading?” Philip asked.

“No!” the man said. “I wish someone could explain it to me.” He asked Philip to sit with him in the chariot.

The man was reading about a man who was treated badly and then killed.

He did not know that he was reading about Jesus.

The important man asked Philip, “Who is the prophet talking about?”

224

Philip explained that part of scripture to him and told him that it was about Jesus. Then he told him that Jesus had died on the cross and that his heavenly Father had raised him from the dead.

As Philip spoke and the man listened, he became very happy. He wanted to become a follower of Jesus. Then they came to some water and the man said, “Look! Here is water! Why don’t you baptise me right here?”

They stopped, and Philip and the official went down into the water.

Philip baptised him.

When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away. The official did not see him again. But he went on his way full of joy. He had become a follower of Jesus.

And Philip? He was seen next at a place called Azotus. From there he travelled all around the area, telling people about Jesus. More and more people were hearing the good news and becoming believers.

Acts 8:26–40

225

226

Saul becomes a follower of Jesus

227

I

n Jerusalem Saul wanted to arrest the Lord Jesus’ followers.

He thought they did not worship God in the right way. He went to the high priest and asked permission to arrest the Lord’s followers who had gone to Damascus. He wanted to get rid of all these people!

On his way to Damascus something happened that changed Saul’s life.

Suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground.

Then he heard a voice that said, “Saul! Why are you against me?”

“Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.

“I am Jesus,” he heard. “I am the one you are opposing. Now get up and go into the city. There, someone will tell you what to do.”

The men who were travelling with Saul just stood there. They could not say a word. They had seen the light and heard the sound, but they did not know what was happening. At last Saul got up from the ground. He opened his eyes, but he could not see. The others had to take his hand and lead him to Damascus.

228

Saul was blind. He stayed in his room for three days. He did not eat or drink anything.

One of the believers in Damascus was called Ananias. The Lord spoke to him in a vision.

“Ananias!” he said.

“Yes, Lord,” Ananias answered.

The Lord said, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street. Ask for a man called Saul. He is praying. You must put your hands on him so that he can see again.”

Ananias was afraid. He said, “Lord, I know about this man. He is your enemy. They say he wants to arrest everyone who believes in you.”

But the Lord said to Ananias, “Don’t be afraid! I have chosen this man to work for me. He will tell people in Israel and in faraway places about me.”

Then Ananias went to the house and put his hands on Saul. “Brother Saul,” he said, “you saw the Lord Jesus on the road. He has sent me so that you will be able to see again. You will be filled with the Holy Spirit.”

Right away Saul could see again. He also believed in Jesus and he was baptised.

When Saul got his strength back, he spent the days with the believers in Damascus. Soon he began to preach in the synagogues. He said that Jesus was the Son of God. Everyone was amazed to hear that Jesus’ great enemy was now his follower.

Acts 9

229

230

Paul travels to spread the good news

231

S

aul was also known as Paul, and is called Paul in the Bible. Paul travelled to many cities and countries to spread the good news that Jesus was the Saviour. A group of friends usually travelled with him. They had many adventures. Sometimes they were treated well, and at other times they were attacked or imprisoned. Sometimes they had to flee in the middle of the night. But always the Lord was with Paul and his friends. He kept them safe.

When Paul was travelling through Greece on his second journey, he visited Athens with his friends Silas and Timothy. He was upset to see how many statues of gods there were in the city.

Paul went to the synagogue first to talk to the Jews and all the other people there about Jesus. He told them that Jesus was the Saviour and urged them to believe in Jesus.

Paul also visited the marketplace, where there were crowds of people. He spoke to everyone he met there.

The Greeks loved to argue, and they had different groups who used to debate various topics. They became interested in Paul’s words, and took him to the Areopagus, a hill where they used to meet to discuss and talk about things.

They said, “Please explain the strange things that you are talking about. We have never heard anything like this before!”

232

Paul began by telling them about the Lord God who made the world and everything in it. He gives life to everything on Earth and he does not live in temples. He is not a statue. He is almighty and all-powerful, but he loves people and wants them to believe in him. God also raised his Son, Jesus, from the dead.

Some of the people listening to Paul believed his words and became followers of Jesus. Others did not believe at all. They laughed at Paul.

Those who believed became followers of Jesus and started a church.

Paul taught them about Jesus and how to follow him. Then he left and went to Corinth, another important city in Greece.

This was Paul’s life, travelling from one place to the next. In every city he also worked so that he could earn enough money to keep on travelling.

He was a tentmaker, and wherever he came he repaired people’s tents.

He got to know many people in this way.

Paul also wrote many letters to the new believers he left behind in the cities.

Many of those letters were kept and became part of the New Testament.

Acts 17

233

Copyright © 2023 Christian Media Publishing Christian Media Publishing P.O. Box 3228, Matieland Post Office, Stellenbosch, 7602, South Africa www.christianmediapublishing.com All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced by any means – electronically or otherwise – without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Reg no 2010/008573/07 Author: Thea Brink Illustrations: Chris Venter Layout: Zelda Botha

10

9

First edition 2023 8 7 6 5 4 3

ISBN 978-1-928437-79-6

AN IMPRINT OF

CHRISTIAN MEDIA PUBLISHING

2

1

BIBLE

He tends his flock like a shepherd: he gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.

ISAIAH 40:11 niv

The stories of the Bible are brought to life in this beautiful children’s Bible. The Classical Story Bible includes stories of the main events of the Christian faith, illustrated with 57 double spreads of dramatic, detailed and captivating art. The illustrations aim to provide a contextual reconstruction of the world of the Bible and assist children to better understand the message of the Bible.

The Classical Story Bible will be a family favourite for years to come.

ISBN: 978-1-928437-79-6

CLASSICAL STORY BIBLE

CLASSICAL STORY

CLASSICAL STORY

BIBLE