New Testament · Luke 23:33–56Luke 24:1–53
Jesus Dies and Rises Again — Bible Story for Kids
Jesus died on a cross and was buried. On the third day the tomb was empty: Jesus had risen! He appeared to his friends and later was taken up to heaven.
This is a retelling for children, written by BibleKenya from the Bible passages shown on each picture. It is not a Bible translation.
was put on a . Even then he prayed, "Father, them."
They came to the place called "The Skull" and there, with two criminals, one on his right and one on his left. Jesus said, "Father, them, for they don't know what they are doing."
Bible explorer Crucifixion was a Roman way of putting people to death.
The sky went dark. cried, "Father, into your hands I give my spirit," and he died.
It was about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. cried with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!" Having said this, he breathed his last.
A kind man named Joseph put ' body in a tomb cut out of rock.
A man named Joseph, from Arimathaea, a good and righteous man, asked Pilate for ' body. He took it down, wrapped it in a linen cloth and laid him in a tomb cut in stone, where no one had ever been laid.
Early on Sunday morning, women brought spices to the tomb. The stone was rolled away, and was not there! Two men in shining clothes said, "He is not here. He has !"
Very early on the first day of the week, the women came to the tomb with spices. They found the stone rolled away, and they did not find the Lord ' body. Two men stood by them in dazzling clothing and said, "Why do you seek the living among the dead? He isn't here, but is ."
Bible explorer Luke 24:10 names Mary Magdalene, Joanna and Mary the mother of James among the women.
Later came and stood among his friends. "Peace be with you!" he said. He showed them his hands and feet, and he ate some fish with them.
While the disciples were talking, himself stood among them and said, "Peace be to you." They were terrified, thinking they saw a spirit. He said, "See my hands and my feet, that it is truly me." He took a piece of broiled fish and ate it in front of them.
Bible explorer Paul lists many people who saw the risen Jesus, including more than five hundred at once (1 Corinthians 15:3-8).
took his friends near Bethany and blessed them. As he blessed them, he was into heaven. They went back to Jerusalem full of joy!
He led them out as far as Bethany, lifted up his hands and blessed them. While he blessed them, he withdrew from them and was . They worshipped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God.
Bible explorer Acts 1:9-11 tells the ascension again and says a cloud took him out of their sight.
The end of the story
Read it in the Bible
This is the Bible text itself, from the version shown. Scripture in WEBWorld English Bible — Protestant Edition
Luke 23:33–56 WEB
33When they came to the place that is called “The Skull”, they crucified him there with the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left. 34Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” Dividing his garments among them, they cast lots. 35The people stood watching. The rulers with them also scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others. Let him save himself, if this is the Christ of God, his chosen one!” 36The soldiers also mocked him, coming to him and offering him vinegar, 37and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” 38An inscription was also written over him in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew: “THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.” 39One of the criminals who was hanged insulted him, saying, “If you are the Christ, save yourself and us!” 40But the other answered, and rebuking him said, “Don’t you even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? 41And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42He said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.” 43Jesus said to him, “Assuredly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” 44It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour. 45The sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two. 46Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” Having said this, he breathed his last. 47When the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, “Certainly this was a righteous man.” 48All the multitudes that came together to see this, when they saw the things that were done, returned home beating their chests. 49All his acquaintances and the women who followed with him from Galilee stood at a distance, watching these things. 50Behold, there was a man named Joseph, who was a member of the council, a good and righteous man 51(he had not consented to their counsel and deed), from Arimathaea, a city of the Jews, who was also waiting for God’s Kingdom. 52This man went to Pilate, and asked for Jesus’ body. 53He took it down and wrapped it in a linen cloth, and laid him in a tomb that was cut in stone, where no one had ever been laid. 54It was the day of the Preparation, and the Sabbath was drawing near. 55The women who had come with him out of Galilee followed after, and saw the tomb and how his body was laid. 56They returned and prepared spices and ointments. On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.
Luke 24:1–53 WEB
1But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they and some others came to the tomb, bringing the spices which they had prepared. 2They found the stone rolled away from the tomb. 3They entered in, and didn’t find the Lord Jesus’ body. 4While they were greatly perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling clothing. 5Becoming terrified, they bowed their faces down to the earth. The men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? 6He isn’t here, but is risen. Remember what he told you when he was still in Galilee, 7saying that the Son of Man must be delivered up into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and the third day rise again?” 8They remembered his words, 9returned from the tomb, and told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. 10Now they were Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James. The other women with them told these things to the apostles. 11These words seemed to them to be nonsense, and they didn’t believe them. 12But Peter got up and ran to the tomb. Stooping and looking in, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he departed to his home, wondering what had happened. 13Behold, two of them were going that very day to a village named Emmaus, which was sixty stadia from Jerusalem. 14They talked with each other about all of these things which had happened. 15While they talked and questioned together, Jesus himself came near, and went with them. 16But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. 17He said to them, “What are you talking about as you walk, and are sad?” 18One of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who doesn’t know the things which have happened there in these days?” 19He said to them, “What things?” They said to him, “The things concerning Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people; 20and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. 21But we were hoping that it was he who would redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. 22Also, certain women of our company amazed us, having arrived early at the tomb; 23and when they didn’t find his body, they came saying that they had also seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. 24Some of us went to the tomb and found it just like the women had said, but they didn’t see him.” 25He said to them, “Foolish people, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! 26Didn’t the Christ have to suffer these things and to enter into his glory?” 27Beginning from Moses and from all the prophets, he explained to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. 28They came near to the village where they were going, and he acted like he would go further. 29They urged him, saying, “Stay with us, for it is almost evening, and the day is almost over.” He went in to stay with them. 30When he had sat down at the table with them, he took the bread and gave thanks. Breaking it, he gave it to them. 31Their eyes were opened and they recognized him; then he vanished out of their sight. 32They said to one another, “Weren’t our hearts burning within us while he spoke to us along the way, and while he opened the Scriptures to us?” 33They rose up that very hour, returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and those who were with them, 34saying, “The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” 35They related the things that happened along the way, and how he was recognized by them in the breaking of the bread. 36As they said these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, “Peace be to you.” 37But they were terrified and filled with fear, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. 38He said to them, “Why are you troubled? Why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39See my hands and my feet, that it is truly me. Touch me and see, for a spirit doesn’t have flesh and bones, as you see that I have.” 40When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. 41While they still didn’t believe for joy, and wondered, he said to them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” 42They gave him a piece of a broiled fish and some honeycomb. 43He took them, and ate in front of them. 44He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you, that all things which are written in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms concerning me must be fulfilled.” 45Then he opened their minds, that they might understand the Scriptures. 46He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, 47and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48You are witnesses of these things. 49Behold, I send out the promise of my Father on you. But wait in the city of Jerusalem until you are clothed with power from on high.” 50He led them out as far as Bethany, and he lifted up his hands and blessed them. 51While he blessed them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. 52They worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, 53and were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.
Who is in the story?
- Jesus He died on the cross and rose again on the third day (Luke 23:46, 24:6-7).
- Joseph of Arimathea A good and righteous man who buried Jesus in his tomb (Luke 23:50-53).
- Mary Magdalene One of the women who found the tomb empty (Luke 24:10).
Words to learn
- Ascension
- The ascension is when Jesus went up into heaven while his friends watched. Angels said he will come back.
- Cross
- The wooden structure on which the Romans executed people by crucifixion. Jesus died on a cross, and "the cross" came to stand for his death and its meaning.
- Forgiveness
- To forgive means to let go of someone's wrong instead of paying them back. Joseph forgave his brothers, even after they had sold him.
- Resurrection
- Resurrection means coming back to life after dying. On the third day Jesus rose from the dead, and his friends found the tomb empty.
What can we learn from this passage?
Jesus prayed for forgiveness even on the cross. Luke says the women found the tomb empty and the risen Jesus showed his friends that he was truly alive, so that sadness turned to great joy. Luke 23:34Luke 24:6Luke 24:52