The Easter Story in the Bible (Printable KJV Reading)

The Easter story is in all four Gospels: Matthew 21–28, Mark 11–16, Luke 19–24 and John 12–21. Each one tells how Jesus came into Jerusalem, ate the Passover with His disciples, died on the cross, was buried, and rose again on the first day of the week. Read them side by side and you have the whole story.

The Easter story in order

1. Jesus rides into Jerusalem on a colt. The multitudes spread their garments and branches in the way and cry, "Hosanna to the Son of David" (Matthew 21:1–11; John 12:12–19).
2. Jesus casts the buyers and sellers out of the temple: "My house shall be called the house of prayer" (Matthew 21:12–13).
3. The Last Supper: Jesus washes His disciples' feet, gives them a new commandment to love one another, and gives them the bread and the cup (John 13:1–35; Luke 22:7–20).
4. Jesus prays in Gethsemane, "not my will, but thine, be done" (Matthew 26:36–46; Luke 22:39–46).
5. Judas betrays Him, and Jesus is taken to the high priest and then to Pilate, who says, "I find no fault in this man" (Luke 22:47–23:25).
6. Jesus is crucified at Calvary. He prays, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do," and gives up the ghost (Luke 23:33–46).
7. Joseph lays His body in a new tomb, and the next day the tomb is sealed and guarded (Luke 23:50–56; Matthew 27:57–66).
8. On the first day of the week, the women find the stone rolled away, and the angel says, "He is not here: for he is risen, as he said" (Matthew 28:1–10).
9. Jesus shows Himself alive to Mary Magdalene, to two disciples on the road to Emmaus, to the eleven, and to Thomas (John 20; Luke 24:13–43).
10. Forty days later He is taken up into heaven (Acts 1:3–11), and He tells His disciples that "repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem" (Luke 24:47).

The printable reading

The PDF prints four King James readings with verse numbers, one per page, ready for family devotions or readers at your Easter program:

• 1. Jesus rides into Jerusalem (Matthew 21:1–11, KJV)
• 2. Jesus dies on the cross (Luke 23:33–49, KJV)
• 3. The tomb is sealed (Matthew 27:57–66, KJV)
• 4. He is risen! (Matthew 28:1–10, KJV)

Talk about it

Read 1 Corinthians 15:3–4 together: Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again the third day. That is the gospel. Ask: how did the first believers obey it? Read Acts 2:38. Peter told them to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and they would receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Those who gladly received his word were baptized, and the same day about three thousand souls were added unto them (Acts 2:41).

The Easter story sets: the lessons, crafts, coloring pages and puzzles for The Triumphal Entry (memory verse Matthew 21:9), The Last Supper (John 13:34), Jesus Dies on the Cross (Romans 5:8) and Jesus Is Alive! (Matthew 28:6) follow this same story. For your program, add our Easter poems for church and the Easter play for kids.