Inspired by the Pär Lagerkvist novel of the same name, this miniseries tells a story of redemption that begins where the Bible left off when the crowd before Pilate chooses Barabbas, a criminal, to have his sentence of crucifixion commuted, rather than the sentence of Jesus of Nazareth. In Lagerkvist's continuation of the story, the event changes Barabbas and sends him on a new path in life. Subsequently captured and sent to die in a slave camp, he eventually escapes and discovers that God has a plan for him.