Around 2000 years ago, Jesus was born in the country which we now call Israel. At that time, Israel was ruled by the Romans, but most people who lived there were Jews.

Jesus was born into an ordinary Jewish family. Eight days after His birth, He was taken to the Temple in Jerusalem, where he was presented to God. As a child, and later as an adult, Jesus kept the Shabbat and all the other Jewish festivals. The only Bible story about Jesus as a boy tells the story of His family's yearly trip to the Temple in Jerusalem.

From around the age of 6, Jesus would have gone to school at his local synagogue where he would have learnt to study the Torah. As an adult, Jesus would have worn tephilin. He would have known at least two languages: Hebrew and Aramaic. Hebrew was the language of the Torah. Aramaic was the everyday language Jesus spoke. He may also have known Greek and Latin.

As a child, Jesus would have worked alongside his father, Joseph, who was a carpenter or a builder. Before He began preaching, Jesus probably worked as a carpenter too.

Jesus had many 'half' brothers and sisters, who were the children of Mary and Joseph. As the eldest son, Jesus would have been responsible for the family if Joseph died.