Easy English Bible Studies

The Birth of the Savior

Part 1 of an EasyEnglish Bible Study Course on the Life of Christ

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Words in boxes are from the Bible. A word list at the end explains words with a *star by them.

*Israel in the time of Christ The history of *Israel

Barrie Wetherill

Jews lived in *Israel at the time of Christ. They probably did not feel very safe. Once their country had been very powerful. David and Solomon had been their kings. That was 1000 years ago. Now they were not powerful. The people had done wrong things. They had not obeyed God. God had spoken to Abraham and Moses. He had given them a Covenant (made a special agreement with them). But the people did not obey God's rules. God punished them. He made them leave their country. He had told them that he would do this. In 586 BC, enemies burned down the *Temple of Solomon. This *temple was one of the most wonderful buildings in the world. The enemies took away everything that was inside the *Temple.

Some Visits to Jerusalem

Part 7 of an EasyEnglish Bible Study Course on the Life of Christ

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A word list at the end explains words with a *star by them.

The *Feast of Tabernacles John chapter 7

Barrie Wetherill

The *Feast of Tabernacles is a special time for Jewish people. They remember how good God has been to them. It happens at harvest time every year. The Jews take the branches of trees and make shelters for themselves. They live in the shelter for eight days. It is a happy time when they thank God. Modern Jews sometimes live in tents at this time.

Danger in Jerusalem

It was now the third year of Jesus’s special work for God, and it was autumn. Six months after this, Jesus would die on the cross. Every time that Jesus went to Jerusalem there was more danger for him. The men who ruled the Jews in Jerusalem were enemies of Jesus. They now wanted to kill him as soon as possible.

John the Baptist and Jesus begin their work

Part 2 of an EasyEnglish Bible Study Course on the Life of Christ

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Words in boxes are from the Bible. A word list at the end explains words with a *star by them.

A *prophet is here!

Barrie Wetherill

John the Baptist began his work suddenly. Very soon people began to talk about him. He lived in the desert. The desert was east of Jerusalem, near the Jordan river. Very few plants grow there. Very few animals live there. It has bad soil. The soil has chalk in it. Stones and rocks cover the ground.

John the Baptist's clothes

John wore simple clothes. He wore a kind of long coat. Men made clothes like this from camel’s hair (Matthew 3:4). Elijah wore a coat like this (2 Kings 1:8). Such a coat would last for a long time. It was cheap. It was suitable to wear in the desert. Also, it was a sign. It showed that this man was a *prophet.

Jesus' last journey to Jerusalem

Part 8 of an EasyEnglish Bible Study Course on the Life of Christ

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 A word list at the end explains words with a *star by them.

Jesus travels to Jerusalem Discussions about the *kingdom

Barrie Wetherill

The *apostles told Jesus that they believed in him. They believed that he was the *Messiah. Jesus now began to speak to them about his death. He told them that he would die on a *cross. They did not understand. They still thought that Jesus would establish God's *kingdom on earth immediately. They thought that Jesus would appoint them to be rulers in the *kingdom. They would be powerful and important.

Later, Pilate, who governed Jerusalem, asked Jesus questions about the *kingdom. Jesus told him 'My *kingdom does not belong to this world’. The *apostles did not understand this. But they understood it after Jesus came alive again.

The route to Jerusalem

Jesus decided to go to Jerusalem. He knew what would happen to him there (Luke 9:51). He wanted to go through Samaria, but the people there would not allow him. This was because he was going to Jerusalem (Luke 9:52-56). So Jesus and his *disciples went through Perea. Later in the journey, he walked ahead. This action astonished the *disciples. Many people who were with Jesus were afraid (Mark 10:32-34).

The Jewish rulers asked Jesus many questions. They wanted him to give them wrong answers. But Jesus always answered with great knowledge and wisdom. At last, they did not continue to ask questions. Instead, they plotted to kill Jesus on the *cross.

*Judgement

So Jesus had left *Galilee for the last time. He said that God would punish the people in some towns there, because of their *sins. He spoke about Capernaum, Bethsaida and other towns, where he had taught people. He had also cured people there; and he had done other *miracles.

People who met Jesus during his early work for God

Part 3 of an EasyEnglish Bible Study Course on the Life of Christ

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Words in boxes are from the Bible. A word list at the end explains words with a *star by them.

Barrie Wetherill

Jesus attacks men who cheat in the Temple John 2:13-25

The Temple was the special building in Jerusalem where the Jews went to pray to God. When Jesus first began his special work for God, it was the time of the Passover. (The Passover is a holy day for the Jews. They remember the time when God freed them from Egypt. Moses was their leader then. At Passover, Jews meet and have a special meal together. And they used to visit the Temple for Passover.) The Bible mentions two times when Jesus went to Jerusalem for the Passover.

The Court of the Gentiles

One area in the Temple was called 'the court of the Gentiles'. (Gentiles are people who are not Jews. The Jews did not allow them to enter the rest of the Temple.) The court of the Gentiles was outside the main part of the Temple. Only Jews could enter the other parts of the Temple. Many people came a long way to *worship. The people with authority provided birds and animals for *sacrifice. People could not bring their own birds and animals. In the court of the Gentiles there were tables. People could change their own money into the special Temple money there. They needed special Temple money to buy these things. They needed special Temple money to give. But the people who worked at these tables were evil.

Jesus' last week in Jerusalem

Part 9 of an EasyEnglish Bible Study Course on the Life of Christ

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A word list at the end explains words with a *star by them.

Jesus enters Jerusalem like a king Matthew 21:1-11

Barrie Wetherill

It was nearly time for the *Feast of the Passover. The *Feast of the Passover was a holy day for the Jews. They remembered the time when God freed them from being slaves in Egypt. This event happened at the time of Moses. They met in the *temple at Passover. Each family had a special meal together.

Mary uses a special oil to prepare Jesus' body for his death

Six days before the Passover, Jesus arrived at Bethany. Bethany was near Jerusalem. His friends there, Mary, Martha, and their brother Lazarus, asked him to come for a special dinner. At the dinner, Mary put special oil, which had a sweet smell, on Jesus. It was very expensive oil (John 12:1-11). Judas Iscariot said that this wasted the oil. The *disciples could have sold the oil and given the money to poor people. But Jesus said that Mary had done a beautiful thing. She prepared his body for his death.

Jesus, the great teacher

Part 4 of an EasyEnglish Bible Study Course on the Life of Christ

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 A word list at the end explains words with a *star by them.

Jesus – the extraordinary teacher

Barrie Wetherill

Jesus was an extraordinary teacher. Crowds of people followed him everywhere. They wanted to see what he did. They also wanted to hear what he would teach them. Moses had said that God would send a great *prophet. We can read what Moses said in Deuteronomy 18:15, 18. Now what Moses had said was true. Isaiah also said that the *Messiah would say words of wise advice (Isaiah 9:6). The *Gospels show us that this is true.

At one time Jesus got into a boat, and taught the crowds from it. The crowds were on the shore (Mark 4:1). On another occasion Jesus decided to take his *disciples away from the crowds. They went away in a boat, but the crowds saw them. They knew where Jesus and the *disciples were going. The crowds got to the place before them. When Jesus left the boat he saw the crowds. He thought that they were like sheep without a shepherd. (A shepherd is a person who looks after sheep.) So, Jesus taught the people many things (Mark 6:34).

Jesus' arrest and appearance at court

Part 10 of an EasyEnglish Bible Study Course on the Life of Christ

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 A word list at the end explains words with a *star by them.

Jesus' problems with the Jewish rulers

Barrie Wetherill

As the time came nearer for Jesus to die, he had more and more difficulties to think about.

From the beginning, Jesus was in disagreement with the rulers. At that time most Jews thought that the *Messiah would be a strong soldier. He would free them from all their enemies. He would change the way that they lived. There would be freedom from the rule of their enemies. But the Jews were not expecting that the *Messiah would change their thoughts and attitudes.

Disagreements about God's law

Many Jewish rulers were *Pharisees. The *Pharisees understood the law of the Jews in the same way. They thought that it was only about behaviour. For example, the Bible says, 'Do not murder.' The *Pharisees knew that a murderer broke this law. But they did not realise that someone's cruel thoughts could also break this law. They thought that the command against adultery meant only the act of adultery. [Adultery means sex with someone else's husband or wife.] They did not think that these commands were also about thoughts. But wrong thoughts tempt people to do wrong actions.

Jesus tells people the good news and cures people in *Galilee

Part 5 of an EasyEnglish Bible Study Course on the Life of Christ

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A word list at the end explains words with a *star by them.

Jesus appoints the 12 apostles

Luke 6:12-15

Men with a special work for God

Barrie Wetherill

Jesus taught people. He cured people who were ill, often in a wonderful way. He also chose some people to help him. There is a limit to how much one man can do. And Jesus had become a man. He could not do everything by himself. He appointed 12 disciples to do a special work for God. (A disciple is a person who believes in Jesus and obeys him.) He called these 12 men *apostles. The word *apostle means: a person whom God sends with a message. Of course, God sends all Christians to take his message. But these 12 men were special, because they had been with Jesus. Jesus often taught them by themselves. Later he sent them to work for him. So, Jesus prepared them for their future work. Because of these men, the history of the world changed.

The *Crucifixion of Jesus

Part 11 of an EasyEnglish Bible Study Course on the Life of Christ

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 A word list at the end explains words with a *star by them.

From Pilate’s *judgement to the *cross

Barrie Wetherill

We now continue the story of the *crucifixion. [Crucifixion is a cruel way to kill someone as a punishment. The Roman soldiers would make a wooden *cross and fasten a man to it with nails. He must hang there until he dies.]

Pilate agreed to do what the Jewish rulers requested. He handed Jesus over to the Roman soldiers. They prepared for Jesus' *crucifixion.

Who is Jesus?

Part 6 of an EasyEnglish Bible Study Course on the Life of Christ

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 A word list at the end explains words with a *star by them.

Jesus feeds 5000 people

Barrie Wetherill

At this time it was difficult for Jesus and his *disciples to avoid the crowds (Matthew 14:13). They were tired, and they needed to rest. They left in a boat to go to a quiet place. But the crowds followed them on foot. When Jesus and the *disciples landed, there was already a great crowd there. Jesus loved all people. He knew that the people in the crowd needed his help. Mark records this:

Jesus wanted people to trust him. He taught them about the *kingdom of God (Luke 9:11). He also cured people who were ill. Late in the day the *disciples wanted to send the crowds away. Everybody had travelled a long way. The people would have a long journey home. But Jesus wanted to feed the people first. Jesus cared about the crowds. We read about this many times. On another occasion Mark says:

Jesus lives again and returns to God

Part 12 of an EasyEnglish Bible Study Course on the Life of Christ

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 A word list at the end explains words with a *star by them.

Friends bury Jesus

Barrie Wetherill

When Jesus died, it was nearly the Sabbath. [That is, Saturday. Saturday is a holy day for the Jews, when they rest. They do not work.]

Joseph (from Arimathea) and Nicodemus

Joseph (from Arimathea) asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Together with Nicodemus, he buried the body of Jesus quickly. They buried the body in a grave, near the place where Jesus died. (Both Joseph and Nicodemus were leaders of the Jews.)