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The Romans

had conquered

the Jewish

homeland.

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TheJewish people

believed that theirGod would send

them a greatKing or Messiah to

lead them topolitical freedom.

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Some Jewsbelieved that

Jesus of Nazarethwas this

Messiah.

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Jesus preached.He encouraged

people tolove their neighbors

and to turn the other cheek. He

encouraged people to meet violence

with love.

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His followers believed that Jesusperformed miracleslike raising the deadand healing the sick.

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But the RomansarrestedJesus.

They accusedhim of wanting

to incitea rebellion

against Rome.

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One of Jesus’ ownfollowers,

Judas, betrayed himto the Romans.

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Roman soldiers beat Jesus and crucified him.

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But according to his followers,

Jesus rose fromthe dead. He

was resurrected.

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Accordingto Jesus’followers,Jesus is

the son ofGod. Jesus

is divine.

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Christians spread the

new religion throughout the empire.

Paul brought Christianity tothe Gentiles.

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But even afterthe death of

Jesus, Christianswere persecuted

in the RomanEmpire.

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Yes, Christians were persecuted for failing

to worship Roman gods.

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But despite persecution, Christianityrose in popularity. Many people inthe Roman Empire converted toChristianity.

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Even a RomanEmperor

eventually converted to Christianity.

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The Roman Emperor, Constantine,converted to Christianity in the 300s A.D. Eventually, Christianitybecame the official religion of the Roman Empire.

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The Romans killed Jesus yet

made Christianity a world religion

when Christianitybecame the

official religion of theEmpire.