The Trial of Jesus
An EasyEnglish Story Unit (AEE) from our series ‘The First Easter and Afterwards‘
Elaine Young
The Trial of Jesus
Jesus had been arrested.
Some men were guarding him.
They made fun of him.
They hit him with sticks.
They covered his eyes so that he could not see.
They insulted him all night long.
The next day many people met together.
These people were important men from the temple.
Jesus was taken to these men.
They asked him if he was the one who had been promised.
They asked him if he was the Son of God.
Jesus did not answer their questions.
They said, “We have enough proof.
We heard him say it ourselves.”
The men took Jesus to Pilate.
Pilate was the ruler of that district.
The men said to Pilate,
“This man says he is our king.”
Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you their king?”
Jesus answered, “Those were your words.”
Pilate said, “I don’t find this man guilty.”
But the important men would not take no for an answer.
They still said that Jesus was guilty.
Pilate found out that Jesus came from Galilee.
Galilee was ruled by Herod.
So Pilate sent Jesus to Herod.
Herod asked Jesus a lot of questions.
Still Jesus did not answer.
Herod and his soldiers made fun of Jesus.
They said, “He claims to be a king.
He should be dressed like a king.”
So they put a king’s cloak on Jesus.
They sent Jesus back to Pilate.
Pilate said to the important men from the temple:
“I do not find this man guilty.
Herod did not find him guilty.
I shall ask my soldiers to beat him with a whip.
Then he can go free.”
But a large crowd had gathered.
They all shouted out together:
“Kill Jesus!
Let Barabbas go free!”
Barabbas was a prisoner.
He had started a fight in the city.
He had also killed someone.
Pilate still wanted to let Jesus go free.
But the people kept shouting,
“Nail Jesus to a tree!
Nail Jesus to a tree!”
Pilate tried to make them understand.
He said, “Jesus has done nothing wrong.
My soldiers will beat him with a whip.
Then he can go free.”
The people kept shouting that Jesus should die.
Finally Pilate gave in.
He let the murderer Barabbas go free.
He handed Jesus over for them to kill him.
Luke 22:63 – 23:25
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© 1997-2007, Wycliffe Associates (UK)
This publication is written in Accessible EasyEnglish.
October 2007
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