100

BIBLE STORIES
For Children
from New Testament
Retold by
Smriti Bansal
Illustrated & Designed by
Creative Concepts, New Delhi

Contents
Zacharias and Elizabeth
Mary is Blessed
Mary Visits Elizabeth
The Birth of John
The Birth of Jesus
The Shepherds Visit the Saviour
The Wise Men from the East
Return to Nazareth
Jesus in Jerusalem
John Baptises Jesus
Jesus and Satan
The First Disciples
The Marriage Feast

ISBN 978-81-8022-143-9
2011 Priority Publications
e-mail : [email protected]
www.dspublishersindia.com
All Rights Reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted
in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying,
or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission
in writing from the publisher.

First published 2011

Illustrated & Designed by Creative Concepts

9
12
14
16
18
20
22
25
28
30
32
34
36

Simon Peters House

The Farmer and the Seeds
Jesus Helps a Roman Officer
The House of Simon the Pharisee
Jesus Tells Simon a Story
The Blind Beggar
The Daughter of Jairus
Jesus Has No Home
The Ploughman
Peter and Jesus
Peter Tries to Stop Jesus
Jesus Is Transformed
Martha and Mary
Talking to God
Praying to God
Jesus and the Samaritan Woman
Beware of greed
Leaven and Dough

38
41
44
46
48
50
52
54
57
60
61
62
64
65
66
68
70
73

The Rich and the Kingdom of God

A Good Guest
The Real Guests
A Foolish Builder
Workers in the Vineyard
Paying the Workers
Feeding the Crowd
The Unjust Judge
Zacchaeus and Jesus
The Last Supper
Jesus Washes the Feet of his Disciples
Judas Plots to Betray Jesus
The Garden of Gethsemane
Judas the Betrayer
Judas is sorry
Peter Lies
Jesus and King Herod
Jesus and Pilate

76
78
80
82
84
86
89
92
94
96
99
100
102
105
108
110
112
114

Barabbas the Robber

Pilate Gives In
Jesus is Crucified
Jesus is Buried
The Empty Tomb
Thomas has Doubts
On the Way to Emmaus
Peter is Absolved
The Ascension
Peter the Leader
Pentecost
Peter Proclaims the Good News
The Lame Man Walks
Peter and John are Arrested
The Trial of the Disciples
Stephen is Stoned
Philip and the Ethiopian
Saul Hears a Voice
Saul Becomes a Christian
Paul Begins his Ministry
Peter in Jaffa
Peters Vision
Peter is Imprisoned
Paul and Barnabas

116
118
121
124
126
128
130
132
134
137
140
140
142
144
146
148
150
153
156
159
160
162
164
166

Mark the Helper

The Pagans
Judas and Silas are chosen
Paul meets Timothy
Lydia of Macedonia
Paul and Silas
Paul in Athens
Paul in Corinth
Paul the Tent-maker
Paul at Ephesus
The Riot of the Silversmiths
Boy Saved in Troas

169
172
174
176
178
180
182
185
188
190
192
194

Paul says Goodbye

Paul in Jerusalem
Paul is Saved
Paul in Caesarea
Paul and King Agrippa
Paul Sails for Rome
Storm at the Sea
Paul gives Hope
Shipwreck
Paul in Malta
Paul Reaches Rome
Paul Contacts the Jews of Rome
Runaway Slave
A Roman Soldier
Faithful to the End

196
199
201
204
206
208
210
212
214
217
220
222
224
226
228

Zacharias and Elizabeth

n the time of King Herod of Judaea, a priest named

Zacharias lived with his wife Elizabeth. Both were
good people and were deeply religious. They had
everything they could wish for, except children.
This had brought great shame upon the old couple,
as in those days it was considered shameful for married
women to be childless.

Zacharias would go to the temple every day. One

day as he was serving in the temple, an angel appeared
in front of him. Zacharias was surprised. The angel said
that his name was Gabriel and he was sent by the Lord
himself to tell Zacharias that his prayers had been
answered.
Gabriel further said, In the coming time your wife
would have a baby boy who
shall be called John. He
would bring great joy and
happiness to your
family. Later when he
would grow up, he
would help in restoring
the faith of people of
Israel towards the
Almighty Lord.
Zacharias found it
hard to believe that
such a thing could
happen, as he and his
wife were old.

10

The angel sensing his doubt said that since he did

not believe, he would not be able to talk till all that the
angel had promised would come true.
Meanwhile the people waiting outside were
wondering as to why the priest was taking so long. As
Zacharias stepped outside, dazed by the angels visit,
they knew that he had had a vision.
After a short time Elizabeth became pregnant. The
overjoyed woman praised the Lord and thanked him for
ridding her of her shame.
11

Lord would give him the throne of David to rule over the
people of Israel.
Mary was surprised. She asked the angel how this
would happen, as she was yet an unmarried girl.
The angel replied that the Holy Spirit would come to
her and will protect her with the power of Lord. He
informed her that her cousin Elizabeth was also going to
have a baby, even though she was quite old, as nothing
is impossible for the Lord.
Mary felt blessed. She said that she
would be faithful to her Lord and gladly
accept anything that the Lord had wished
for her.

Mary is Blessed

fter six months, the angel Gabriel was called once

again, by the Lord, to deliver another message. This
time it was for Mary, Elizabeths cousin who lived in a
small town in Galilee called Nazareth. Mary was engaged
to marry Joseph, who was a descendent of King David.
The angel appeared before Mary and greeted her
saying that she was the most fortunate of all women, as
she had been chosen to give birth to the son of the Most
High. Gabriel told her, He must be called Jesus, and the

12

13

Mary Visits Elizabeth

n learning about her cousin Elizabeths pregnancy,

Mary set out to meet her in the hillside country of
Judaea. She reached Zacharias house and called out for
her sister.
When Elizabeth heard Mary calling out her name, the
baby in the womb leaped for joy; and she realised that
she had been blessed by the presence of a woman who
was carrying her Lord himself inside her.
Elizabeth congratulated her, saying how blessed
Mary was, for believing that what had been promised to
her by the angel above would be fulfilled.
As Elizabeth said this, Mary sang a song in the
honour of her Lord:

My soul proclaims in the greatness of the Lord

And my spirit rejoices in the Lord my saviour.
He has looked upon this lowly handmaid.
From this day forward all generations will call me
blessed,
For the Almighty has done a great thing for me,
Holy is his name.
14

His love extends from age to age to all those who love
and obey him.
He has shown the power of his arm to scatter those
with proud hearts.
He has pulled down princes from their thrones
and lifted up the humble.
He has filled the starving with good things,
but sent the rich away empty.

He has come to the help of his servant Israel

remembering his mercy,
The mercy promised our ancestors,
To Abraham and his descendants for ever.
Mary stayed on with Elizabeth for the next three
months.
15

The Birth of John

oon the time came for Elizabeth to give birth to her

baby. The son was born and eight days later he was to
be presented in the temple to be given a name.
All the relatives, hearing the good news, rejoiced and
shared the excited mothers happiness. All of them praised
the Lord. After eight days the happy couple, Zacharias and
Elizabeth, visited the temple with their baby.
The relatives suggested that the baby should be
named Zacharias after his father, but Elizabeth declined
and said that his name would be John. Every one was
surprised at this suggestion as there was no one in their
family with that name. They looked at Zacharias to see
what he had to say for this. Zacharias could not speak

16

because of what the angel Gabriel had promised, so he

wrote on a writing-tablet, His name is John.
From that moment Zacharias could speak. The Holy
Spirit entered him and said:
You little child, shall be called the highest of all
prophets,
For you will go ahead of the Lord,
To prepare a way for him.
To give his people the knowledge of salvation,
Through the forgiveness of their sins.
The people gathered there realised that the baby was
no ordinary one and was obviously blessed by the Lord.
Later, John grew up and lived alone in the desert
wilderness waiting for the Lord to call upon his services
and to work among the people of Israel.

17

Not long after this the Roman Emperor passed a law

that every person in the empire shall be counted and
each man had to return to their birth town with their
family. So, Joseph along with Mary, who was due to have
the baby, set out for Bethlehem.
The town was crowded and the couple found no
place even to spend the night. A humble stable was all
that was offered by an innkeeper to them.
That night Mary had her baby, and she wrapped him
in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, where the hay
for animals was kept. That was the only cot available in
the whole of Bethlehem, for the Son of God. They named
him Jesus.

The Birth of Jesus

hen Joseph heard that Mary was already expecting

a baby, he decided to break their engagement, as
he was a respected man and wanted to avoid a scandal.
That night he had a dream. In his dream an angel
appeared who assured him that everything would be fine
and that he must marry Mary as the child she was
expecting was a gift from the Lord. The child was to be
called Jesus.
When Joseph woke up the next day, he believed in
his dream and decided upon marrying Mary
immediately.
18

19

The Shepherds Visit the

Saviour

The surprised shepherds looked at each other in

amazement and decided to go to Bethlehem, and see if
they could actually find the stable where the Saviour
rested. So they journeyed down to the town after safely
tying their sheep.
They found the modest stable with Joseph and Mary,
and their new-born baby, Jesus, the Saviour. Amazed by
all they had witnessed on that one night, they returned
home to their sheep, praising and thanking God that they
could be a part of this.

20

21

ust above Bethlehem in the hills there lived some

shepherds, who were looking after their flock of sheep,
when they saw a dazzling light overhead. The sky was
illuminated and a voice spoke from above. It said, Do
not be afraid, as I bring great news of the birth of the
Saviour. Today he has been born and is in Bethlehem
lying in a manger!
The angels sang, praising the Lord:
Glory be to God in the highest heaven
And peace to his people on earth!

The Wise Men from the East

hree wise men had travelled long distance from the

East and had reached Jerusalem, soon after Jesus was
born. Their recent observations of the stars in the sky had
told them that something very important and special had
happened. They had seen a new star which meant that
a baby had been born, who would be the Saviour of
the Jews. Hence they were searching for this baby.
First they went to King Herod, to ask him if
he knew where the infant king was, but when
Herod heard this he thought to himself,
Another king! Someone who might take over
my throne! Quite alarmed, he discussed this
with his advisers. They told him that the
baby would be in Bethlehem in Judaea as
foretold by prophet Micah.
King Herod said to the three wise
men, When you find the infant king,
come back to tell me so that I can
worship the new king as well!
So the three wise men carried on
with their journey and followed the
new star right till Bethlehem, to the
stable where the baby Jesus lay. They
presented him with three gifts: gold,
because he would be a king;
frankincense, as he was the son of
God and myrrh, as he would suffer
and die.
22

23

The wise men left the stable, but did not return back
to King Herod, as a dream had warned them not to do
so. They took a different route and finally returned to
their homes happy that they had seen the Saviour who
had been born to lead the people towards salvation.

24

Return to Nazareth

oon after the wise men had left, an angel again visited
Joseph in his dream. This time the angel warned him
that King Herod was determined to kill Jesus, and his
men were looking for him. Joseph should take his family
to Egypt where they would be safe. So Joseph along with
Mary and baby Jesus moved to Egypt.

25

Meanwhile King Herod soon realised that the three

wise men had disappeared, tricking him. In anger he
issued an order to kill every child below the age of two
years in the region around Bethlehem. Many innocent
children became victims of King Herods ruthlessness but
Jesus remained safe in Egypt.
Shortly after this, Herod died and the angel yet again
visited Joseph in his dream, saying, The danger has
subsided and it would now be safe for you to return back
to Nazareth.

26

And the holy family returned to Nazareth, where

Jesus grew up to love all and be loved by
all. God, his father in the heaven, was
also pleased with him. Joseph built a
home for his family and worked as a
carpenter.

27

They searched all over the city but could not find
him till they visited the temple again. Jesus was there,
surrounded by priests, asking questions and listening to
what the priests and teachers of law were saying. The
priests were impressed by the young boys knowledge
and wisdom.
Overcome with relief, his mother, Mary asked him,
How could you do this to us? We were so worried, we
searched everywhere for you!
To this Jesus calmly replied, But mother, I thought
you would realise that I would be in my fathers house!
They did not understand, and Jesus returned home to
Nazareth.

Jesus in Jerusalem

esus was twelve years old when Joseph and Mary

decided to take him to see the celebrations of the
festival, Passover, in Jerusalem for the first time. In those
days it was a custom in Jews to travel to Jerusalem and
visit the temple every year for Passover.
The festivities were drawing to a close, when people
started leaving for home. Joseph and Mary left too. They
were tired from their journey and had travelled for a day
when they realised that Jesus was missing. He was not
with his friends or their relatives, so the worried couple
decided to return to Jerusalem and search for him.

28

29