Cinematic version of Franco Zeffirelli's eight-hour television mini-series depicting the life of Jesus Christ with a script, co-written by renowned author Anthony Burgess, which attempts to remain faithful to its source by using material from all four Gospels. Born to virgin Mary and her carpenter husband Joseph, Jesus (Robert Powell) soon begins performing miracles and healing the sick. Thought by some to be the Messiah, he becomes a target for the religious authorities, and is soon sentenced to death by crucifixion.