🎧 Listen first, then read through each page to earn your star!
Page 1 of N
✅ You already earned this star!
Read all Bible pages above to unlock questions
📖 Check Your Understanding
2
The Story
☆
A long night. After Jesus was arrested, He was questioned through the night. John tells us that Annas questioned Him first and then sent Him bound to Caiaphas the high priest (John 18:24). “As soon as it was day,” the council met (22:66).
The council. The council was called the Sanhedrin. It was the highest court of the Jewish leaders, made up of chief priests, elders and scribes.
Are You the Christ? First they said, “If You are the Christ, tell us” (22:67). The Christ means the Anointed One, the King God had promised to send. Jesus knew their minds were already made up: “If I tell you, you will by no means believe.”
At God’s right hand. Then Jesus said, “Hereafter the Son of Man will sit on the right hand of the power of God” (22:69). The right hand is the place of highest honor and power. The Man standing in front of them as a prisoner would soon be seated beside God.
The Son of God. They asked, “Are You then the Son of God?” Jesus answered, “You rightly say that I am” (22:70). He told the truth, even though He knew it would lead to the cross.
What this means for you. The council said they had heard it “from His own mouth” (22:71). Jesus did not hide who He is. He is the Christ and the Son of God, and you can trust Him with your whole life.
Through the night. John records that Annas questioned Jesus first and then sent Him bound to Caiaphas (John 18:19-24). “As soon as it was day,” the full council met to settle the matter (22:66).
Synedrion. The council is the Greek synedrion (say: soo-NED-ree-on), a sitting-together, a council. Our word Sanhedrin comes from it. It was Israel's highest court of chief priests, elders and scribes.
The Christ. “If You are the Christ, tell us” (22:67). Christ is not Jesus' last name. It means the Anointed One, the King God promised to David's family. Jesus answered them honestly about their own hearts: “If I tell you, you will by no means believe. And if I also ask you, you will by no means answer Me or let Me go” (22:67-68).
The Son of Man. “Hereafter the Son of Man will sit on the right hand of the power of God” (22:69). Son of Man was the name Jesus used most often for Himself. It comes from Daniel's vision of “One like the Son of Man, Coming with the clouds of heaven,” to whom was given “dominion and glory and a kingdom” (Daniel 7:13-14). The prisoner in front of them would be the One seated at God's right hand.
Son of God. “Are You then the Son of God?” “You rightly say that I am” (22:70). They understood exactly what He claimed, and they said, “What further testimony do we need? For we have heard it ourselves from His own mouth” (22:71). Jesus was not condemned for a crime. He was condemned for telling the truth about who He is.
For you. Jesus knew His answer would lead to the cross, and He spoke the truth anyway. He walked on toward the cross for you. Believe what He says about Himself, and do not be ashamed to say it too.
The leaders asked Jesus a big question. They wanted to know if He was the Christ. The Christ is the King God promised to send. Jesus knew they would not believe Him. He still told them the truth. He said He would sit at God’s right hand. That is the place of the highest honor. They asked, “Then are you the Son of God?” Jesus said, “You are right when you say that I am.” Jesus did not change His answer to stay safe. He is God’s Son, and He always tells the truth. You can believe what Jesus says about Himself.
The leaders asked Jesus, “Are you the Son of God?” Jesus told them the truth. Jesus is God’s own Son!
👨👩👧 Parent Prompt
Who did Jesus say He is?
Three charges. The leaders brought Jesus to Pilate, the Roman governor, because they said, “It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death” (John 18:31). They accused Him of “perverting the nation, and forbidding to pay taxes to Caesar, saying that He Himself is Christ, a King” (23:2).
Twisted words. Jesus had not forbidden taxes. When people asked Him about it, He said, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s” (Mark 12:17).
A King. Pilate asked, “Are You the King of the Jews?” Jesus answered, “It is as you say” (23:3). Jesus really is the King. But He is not the kind of king Pilate had to worry about.
Not of this world. John tells us more of what Jesus said: “My kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36). If it were, His servants would fight. Jesus did not come to take over with swords. He came to rule hearts and to give His life.
What is truth? Jesus said, “for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth.” Pilate answered, “What is truth?” (John 18:37-38). The One who is the Truth was standing right in front of him.
No fault. Pilate went out and said, “I find no fault in this Man” (23:4). When he heard that Jesus was from Galilee, he sent Him to Herod (23:6-7).
What this means for you. Jesus is a King who wins people by love, not by force. Ask Him to be the King of your life.
To the governor. “Then the whole multitude of them arose and led Him to Pilate” (23:1). Pontius Pilate governed Judea for Rome. The council could not carry out a death sentence: “It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death” (John 18:31).
Kategoreo. “They began to accuse Him” (23:2). The verb is kategoreo (say: kah-tay-gor-EH-oh), to bring charges against someone in court. These were charges a Roman governor would care about: stirring up the nation, forbidding taxes to Caesar, and claiming to be a king. The tax charge was false. Jesus had said, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s” (Mark 12:17).
A true claim, a false meaning. “Are You the King of the Jews?” “It is as you say” (23:3). Jesus is the King. But He was no rival to Caesar's armies.
Not from here. John adds Jesus' words: “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight” (John 18:36). His kingdom comes from heaven, grows in hearts, and was won at a cross, not on a battlefield.
Truth on trial. Jesus said, “Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” Pilate replied, “What is truth?” (John 18:37-38). The judge asked the question while the answer stood in front of him.
The first verdict. “I find no fault in this Man” (23:4). The leaders grew “the more fierce,” saying, “He stirs up the people… beginning from Galilee” (23:5). When Pilate heard the word Galilee, he sent Jesus to Herod, who ruled Galilee and “was also in Jerusalem at that time” (23:6-7).
For you. A King who will not fight to save Himself is a King who came to save others. Bow to Him gladly. His rule is love.
The leaders took Jesus to Pilate. They said things about Jesus that were not true. They said He told people not to pay taxes. But Jesus had taught people to pay their taxes. They also said Jesus called Himself a king. Pilate asked, “Are you the king of the Jews?” Jesus said, “Yes, that is right.” Jesus is a King, but not like other kings. Jesus said, “My kingdom does not belong to this world.” Jesus does not rule with an army. He rules in the hearts of people who love Him. Pilate said, “I find nothing wrong with this man.”
Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?” Jesus said, “Yes, that is right.” Jesus is a King who loves us!
👨👩👧 Parent Prompt
What kind of King is Jesus?
Herod. This was Herod Antipas, the ruler of Galilee. He was a son of the King Herod who ruled when Jesus was born. He had put John the Baptist in prison for speaking against his sin (Luke 3:19-20), and later he had John put to death.
Curious about Jesus. When Herod heard about Jesus' miracles, he asked, “who is this of whom I hear such things?” and “he sought to see Him” (Luke 9:9). Now he had his chance. “He was exceedingly glad” (23:8).
A show, not a Savior. Herod “hoped to see some miracle done by Him” (23:8). He wanted Jesus to do something amazing for him, the way a king might call for a performer.
Silence. Herod “questioned Him with many words, but He answered him nothing” (23:9). Jesus had spoken plainly to the council and to Pilate. To Herod, who had silenced John, He gave no answer and no miracle. Long before, Isaiah wrote of the Servant who would suffer: “He opened not His mouth” (Isaiah 53:7).
Mocked. Herod and his soldiers “treated Him with contempt and mocked Him,” dressed Him in a fine robe and sent Him back to Pilate (23:11). Jesus let Himself be laughed at by the people He came to save.
Strange friends. “That very day Pilate and Herod became friends with each other, for previously they had been at enmity with each other” (23:12). Two old enemies became friends on the very day they both treated Jesus unfairly.
What this means for you. Jesus is not a magician who does tricks for people who are only curious. Come to Him to know Him, to trust Him and to follow Him.
Herod Antipas. This Herod was a son of Herod the Great. Rome let him rule Galilee as a tetrarch, the ruler of one part of his father's kingdom (Luke 3:1).
A listener who would not change. Herod had once liked to hear John the Baptist: “when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly” (Mark 6:20). Yet he shut John up in prison (Luke 3:20) and later had him put to death (Mark 6:16). Hearing God's messenger gladly is not the same as turning from sin.
Glad for the wrong reason. “He was exceedingly glad; for he had desired for a long time to see Him... and he hoped to see some miracle done by Him” (23:8). Herod had asked, “who is this of whom I hear such things?” (Luke 9:9). He wanted a sign to watch, not a Lord to obey.
He answered nothing. “He questioned Him with many words, but He answered him nothing” (23:9). Before Pilate's court, too, Jesus kept silent while He was accused, “so that Pilate marveled” (Mark 15:5). Isaiah had written of the Servant, “as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth” (Isaiah 53:7). His silence was not weakness. He gave no show to a man who had silenced God's messenger.
Contempt. “Then Herod, with his men of war, treated Him with contempt and mocked Him, arrayed Him in a gorgeous robe, and sent Him back to Pilate” (23:11). The robe was part of the mocking: a king's robe for a King they laughed at.
Enemies made friends. “That very day Pilate and Herod became friends with each other” (23:12). Later the believers in Jerusalem prayed about this day. They named “Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel” as gathered against Jesus, and said that they did what God's hand had planned beforehand (Acts 4:27-28).
For you. It is possible to be curious about Jesus for years and never bow to Him. Do not stop at curiosity. Come to Jesus to know Him and follow Him.
Herod ruled the land of Galilee. He was the ruler who put John the Baptist in prison. Herod had heard many things about Jesus. He was very glad to see Him. Herod hoped Jesus would do a miracle for him. He wanted to see something amazing. Herod asked Jesus many questions. But Jesus did not say a word. Jesus was not there to put on a show. Then Herod and his soldiers made fun of Jesus. That same day, Herod and Pilate became friends. Jesus wants us to come to Him to know Him. He is our Savior, and He wants to be our friend.
Herod wanted to see a miracle. He asked Jesus many questions. But Jesus said nothing. Jesus came to save us, not to show off.
👨👩👧 Parent Prompt
Why do you come to Jesus?
Not guilty, again. Pilate called the leaders and the people together and said, “I have found no fault in this Man concerning those things of which you accuse Him; no, neither did Herod” (23:14-15). Two rulers had questioned Jesus, and neither found anything that deserved death.
A weak plan. Pilate said, “I will therefore chastise Him and release Him” (23:16). He planned to punish a Man he had just called innocent.
Barabbas. At the feast, Pilate released one prisoner to the people (23:17). The crowd cried out, “Away with this Man, and release to us Barabbas” (23:18). Barabbas had been thrown into prison “for a certain rebellion made in the city, and for murder” (23:19).
Three times. Pilate spoke to them again, and they shouted, “Crucify Him, crucify Him!” A third time he asked, “Why, what evil has He done?” (23:20-22). But “the voices of these men and of the chief priests prevailed” (23:23).
The sentence. Pilate “released to them the one they requested… but he delivered Jesus to their will” (23:25). Mark says Pilate was “wanting to gratify the crowd” (Mark 15:15). He chose to please people instead of doing what was right.
Who put Jesus there? Leaders of Israel and a ruler from Rome all had a part. But the deepest reason is our sin: “He was wounded for our transgressions” (Isaiah 53:5). And Jesus went willingly. Many Christians see Barabbas as a picture of every sinner: guilty, yet set free because Jesus took his place.
What this means for you. Jesus was handed over so that you could go free. Thank Him, and trust Him.
Called together. Pilate gathered “the chief priests, the rulers, and the people” (23:13) and gave his verdict a second time, adding Herod's: “nothing deserving of death has been done by Him” (23:15).
Chastise. “I will therefore chastise Him and release Him” (23:16). Pilate most likely hoped that punishing an innocent Man would satisfy the crowd. It did not.
The custom. “It was necessary for him to release one to them at the feast” (23:17). The crowd answered, “Away with this Man, and release to us Barabbas,” a man in prison “for a certain rebellion made in the city, and for murder” (23:18-19).
The verdict repeated. “Why, what evil has He done? I have found no reason for death in Him” (23:22). Again and again Pilate said Jesus was innocent, and each time the crowd answered more loudly. “And the voices of these men and of the chief priests prevailed” (23:23).
Epikrino. “So Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they requested” (23:24). Gave sentence is epikrino (say: ep-ee-KREE-noh), to decide a case officially. The judge who had found no fault signed the verdict anyway. Mark gives the reason: he was “wanting to gratify the crowd” (Mark 15:15).
Released and delivered. “He released to them the one they requested, who for rebellion and murder had been thrown into prison; but he delivered Jesus to their will” (23:25). The guilty man walked out, and the innocent One was handed over. Many Christians see in Barabbas a picture of every sinner set free by the One who took his place.
Our part. Leaders of Israel, a Roman governor and a crowd all had a part, and so do we. “All we like sheep have gone astray... And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6). Yet no one forced Jesus. He had said of His life, “No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself” (John 10:18).
For you. When you read “he delivered Jesus to their will,” remember that He went for you. Trust the One who took your place.
Pilate said again that Jesus had done nothing wrong. Herod had found nothing wrong either. Pilate wanted to let Jesus go. But the crowd shouted for Barabbas instead. Barabbas was guilty of murder. Pilate asked, “What wrong has he done?” The crowd just shouted louder. Pilate chose to please the crowd. So he gave them what they wanted. The guilty man went free. Pilate handed Jesus over to be killed. Many Christians see Barabbas as a picture of us. We have done wrong, but Jesus took our place.
The crowd asked for Barabbas to go free. Barabbas had done wrong. Jesus had done nothing wrong. He went to the cross for us.
👨👩👧 Parent Prompt
Who went free, and who took his place?
📖 Complete the Open Bible section first!
📚 Story Questions
3
The Gospel Connection
☆
Guilty. Barabbas was guilty, and so are we. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Sin is not only doing bad things. It is turning away from God to go our own way.
Washing is not enough. Pilate washed his hands in front of the crowd (Matthew 27:24), but water could not take away his part in what happened. Being good, going to church or trying harder cannot wash away our sin either.
The innocent One. Pilate said again and again that he found no fault in Jesus. Jesus is the only person who never sinned. “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21).
In our place. “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God” (1 Peter 3:18). He died on the cross, and on the third day He rose again. The grave could not hold Him.
Your response. “That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9). Turn from your sin and trust Jesus. He took your place so that you can go free. Thank Him for being handed over in your place, and tell someone else what He has done.
The real charge. The charges against Jesus were false, but the charges against us are true. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). In God's court, every one of us stands where Barabbas stood.
No washing it away. Pilate “took water and washed his hands before the multitude” (Matthew 27:24), as if water could remove his part in condemning an innocent Man. Good deeds, religion and trying harder are the same kind of water. “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).
The sinless One. Pilate's verdict, “I find no fault in this Man,” was true in a deeper way than he knew. Only Someone with no sin of His own could die for the sins of others. “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21).
The chastisement. Pilate offered to chastise Jesus and let Him go (23:16), as if a lesser punishment could settle the matter. Isaiah had written of a deeper chastisement: “The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5). The punishment that brings us peace with God fell on Jesus, not on us.
Delivered up. Pilate delivered Jesus to the crowd's will (23:25), but behind that human decision stood God's own plan of love. Paul wrote that Jesus “was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification” (Romans 4:25).
Risen. “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). The empty tomb is God's answer to the verdict of men.
Your response. Barabbas did nothing to earn his release, and neither do we. Turn from sin, trust Christ, and receive what He gives: “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).
God made us to know Him and love Him. But all of us have done wrong things. That is called sin. Sin keeps us far away from God.
We cannot fix our sin by ourselves. Being good is not enough. Trying harder cannot wash our sin away. We need Someone to take our place.
Jesus never did anything wrong. Pilate said, “I find nothing wrong with this man.” Yet Jesus let Himself be handed over. He died on the cross for our sins.
Barabbas was guilty, and he went free. Jesus took the place of sinners like us. On the third day, God raised Jesus from the dead!
Tell God you are sorry for your sins. Trust Jesus as your Savior and King. He will forgive you and set you free!
We have all done wrong things. That is sin.
Sin keeps us far away from God.
Jesus never did anything wrong.
Jesus died on the cross for our sins.
Then God raised Him back to life!
Trust Jesus, and He will make you His own.
👨👩👧 Parent Prompt
Who took our place?
📖 Complete the Open Bible section first!
✝️ Gospel Questions
4
Memory Verse
☆
“I find no fault in this Man.”
— Luke 23:4b (NKJV)
💡 What This Verse Means
Pilate was the Roman governor, the most powerful judge in the land. After questioning Jesus, he went out to the chief priests and the crowd and said, “I find no fault in this Man.” A fault is a wrong thing someone has done, a real reason to blame him. Pilate looked for a crime and found none. Later he said it again, and he told the people that Herod had found nothing either (23:14-15, 22). Even the judge who handed Jesus over could not find anything wrong in Him. That matters, because only someone with no sin of his own could take the punishment for someone else's sin. Jesus had no fault, so He could carry ours. When you say this verse, remember two things. Jesus is completely good, so you can trust Him. And Jesus did not die for anything He had done. He died for what we have done, because He loves us. Say this verse when you feel guilty, and thank Jesus for taking your place.
“I find no fault in this Man” was Pilate's first verdict (23:4), and it was not his last. He said it again in front of the leaders (23:14), he added that Herod agreed (23:15), and he said it once more: “I have found no reason for death in Him” (23:22). A fault here is a cause for blame, a charge that would hold up in court. The council had no true charge, so it brought false ones. The leaders brought three charges (23:2), and not one of them held up when Pilate questioned Jesus. Jesus stood before the court of Rome with a perfectly clean record, the only person who ever could. Pilate found no fault, and still he handed Jesus over. That is the great injustice of the cross, and it also shows us its purpose. If Jesus had any fault of His own, His death could only pay for His own sin. Because He had none, He could die “the just for the unjust” (1 Peter 3:18). Memorize these words. They tell you two things: Jesus is perfectly righteous, and His death was for you. When guilt accuses you, remember that the innocent One took your place.
Pilate was a powerful judge. He asked Jesus many questions. Then he said, “I find no fault in this Man.” A fault is a wrong thing someone has done. Pilate could not find one wrong thing in Jesus. Even Herod found nothing wrong in Him. Jesus never sinned at all. So He could take the punishment for all our sins. Say this verse to remember how good Jesus is.
Pilate said, “I find no fault in this Man.” That means Jesus did nothing wrong. Jesus is always good. He died for us!
5
Word Search 🔍
☆
Find all ? words from the morning Jesus stood before the council, Herod and Pilate! 🔍
🎉 All words found!
Great searching!
6
Rapid Fire True or False
☆
7
Bonus: Deep Dive 🤿
☆
Want to go deeper? Complete any deep dive below to earn your bonus star!