This is a simplified version of the Bible story found in John 20:19-23, written for children to understand. For the original version, please refer to the Bible passage.
One evening, after Jesus died on the cross, His friends were scared for fear of the Jews and locked themselves in a room. Suddenly, Jesus appeared before them, even though the doors were locked! Jesus said, “Peace be with you.”
Jesus showed His friends His hands and His side, where He was hurt when He died on the cross. When Jesus appeared to them, the friends were very happy to see Him again.
Jesus said, “I bring you peace again. My Father in Heaven sent me to help people, and now I’m sending you to help others too.”
Jesus then breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”
This meant that Jesus gave His disciples the Holy Spirit to help others and forgive their sins. If they forgave someone, their sins would be forgiven. If they did not forgive someone, their sins would not be forgiven.
Biblical Lessons
- Jesus came back to life after He died on the cross, proving He is the Son of God.
- Fear can keep us from experiencing the joy and peace that comes from being in the presence of Jesus.
- Jesus offers us His peace even in the midst of difficult or scary situations.
- The Holy Spirit empowers us to do the work that Jesus has called us to do.
- Forgiveness is a powerful gift that we can offer to others, and it has the power to transform lives.
- Jesus is always with us, even when we can’t see Him.
Related Stories
Jesus Appears to Seven Disciples
Must-Read Christian Books
The Cost of Discipleship
A penetrating look at Jesus' call to follow Him, contrasting cheap grace with true, costly discipleship.
View on Amazon
The Cross of Christ
A profound exploration of the meaning and power of the cross at the center of Christian faith and life.
View on Amazon
Institutes of the Christian Religion
A classic work of Reformed theology in an accessible form, laying out Christian doctrine with deep biblical roots.
View on Amazon
The Holiness of God
Sproul unfolds the blazing holiness of God and why a right fear of the Lord is vital to true worship.
View on Amazon
Systematic Theology
A comprehensive, evangelical overview of Christian doctrine with Scripture at every point.
View on Amazon
The God Who Is There
Shows how the God of the Bible speaks into modern philosophical and cultural confusion.
View on Amazon
Basic Christianity
A timeless introduction to who Jesus is and what it means to follow Him according to Scripture.
View on Amazon
Finally Alive
A biblical exploration of the new birth and why regeneration is at the heart of the Christian life.
View on Amazon
Instruments in the Redeemer's Hands
Biblical counseling and discipleship that helps believers speak God's truth into one another's lives.
View on Amazon
Respectable Sins
Exposes the "ordinary" sins Christians often tolerate and calls us to gospel-driven holiness.
View on Amazon
Living the Cross-Centered Life
A call to keep Christ's cross at the center of our thinking, worship, and daily living.
View on Amazon
God's Big Picture
Traces the storyline of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation in a clear, Christ-centered way.
View on Amazon
Biblical Theology
A classic work tracing the progressive revelation of God's redemptive plan in Scripture.
View on Amazon
The Mortification of Sin
A Puritan classic urging believers to put sin to death by the power of the Spirit.
View on Amazon
Communion with God
Explores how believers enjoy distinct fellowship with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
View on Amazon
Christ-Centered Preaching
A standard textbook on preaching that shows how to proclaim Christ from all of Scripture.
View on Amazon
Shepherding a Child's Heart
Biblical parenting that aims at a child's heart, not just outward behavior.
View on Amazon