Jesus, (Greek: Ἰησοῦς, romanized: Iēsoûs, likely from Hebrew/Aramaic: יֵשׁוּעַ, romanized: Yēšūa) also known as Jesus Christ, was a Jewish teacher and reformer of religion who has become the main and central figure of Christianity. Christians follow the example of Jesus, accept his words to be true, and worship him as the Jewish messiah and incarnation of God. He is one of the most famous, most recognized, and most influential persons in the world's history.
Most historians agree that he was a Jew from a place called Galilee, in a town called Nazareth, in what is now Israel. They also agree that he was thought of as a teacher and a healer, and that he was baptized by John the Baptist. He was crucified in Jerusalem on the orders of Pontius Pilate, and Christians believe that he came back to life - "rose again" - three days later.
Jesus taught mostly love and forgiveness for others, as well as being humble about one's religion. He talked many times about the kingdom of God, and told others, "The kingdom of God has come near." He said that one must be mild, like a child, and never boast. He taught that people who ignore God and other people do not deserve his blessing, but God would still forgive them if they repented. Jesus opposed the other Jewish priests because they used religion to boast. Jesus was put on trial and convicted to death by the Jewish leaders, then sent to his execution on a cross by Roman authorities.
There are stories about the life of Jesus by different writers. The best known are the four Christian books called the Gospels. They form the beginning of the New Testament, a part of the Bible. The word "gospel" means "good news". They tell a little about his birth and hidden early life, but mostly about his public life: his teachings, miracles, ministry, death, and resurrection (return from death).
Several Jewish and Roman historians, such as Flavius Josephus, Tacitus, Pliny the Younger, and Suetonius include Jesus in their writings. They usually only tell of his execution or problems between the Roman government and his followers; they do not talk about his life.
Manichaeans, Gnostics, Muslims, Bahá'ís, and others have found prominent places for Jesus in their religions. In Islam, Jesus was a Muslim. Bahá'í teachings consider Jesus to be a "manifestation of God", a Bahá'í concept for prophets. Some Hindus consider Jesus to be an avatar or a sadhu. Some Buddhists, including Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, regard Jesus as a bodhisattva who dedicated his life to the welfare of people.