The inspiration
"Give me any two pages of the Bible and I'll give you a picture", Cecil B DeMille
Here are some biblical stories retold in modern language. They are not a strict translation from the original texts and you may want to refer to other Bible versions. Our reference list of versions for The Pitch is Good News Bible (GNB), Contemporary English Version (CEV), Jerusalem Bible (JB) and King James Version (KJV).
Some stories retold
Plotlines
For illustration, here are some examples of how compelling plotlines can be developed from individual stories or texts from the Bible. Please feel free to choose your own biblical passages or stories for your own pitch.
| Bible verse | Summary |
|---|---|
| The Gathering (Genesis 49.1–33) | A tear-jerker. An elderly widower with failing eyesight gathers his sons around his deathbed to pass on his final advice. Some of them have pleased him; others have been a big let-down. But which will get his blessing – and why? |
| Custody (1 Kings 3.16–28) | A courtroom drama. Two prostitutes battle for custody of a baby.There’s a tragic death, bitter rivalry, the drama of a court case and a twist at the end. But who gets to keep the child? |
| Prying Eyes (Proverbs 7.6–27) | A neighbourhood tragedy. A curtain-twitcher spies on a neighbour as she seduces a local lad while her husband is away. The story features a desperate housewife, a hunky young man and a nosey neighbour. But does it end in a tragic death? |
| The Nick of Time (Ecclesiastes 9.13–18) | A war story. A small city is besieged by a powerful enemy army. A penniless but intelligent man comes up with a plan to save the day. However, after the war, his success is quickly forgotten. But what’s the plan and why did he fall by the wayside? |
| Rachel’s Voice (Jeremiah 31.15–17) | A wartime drama. A mother is devastated when her children are deported by enemy troops and taken to a foreign land. After initially refusing to be comforted, she is given concrete hope that one day they willl return. |
| Vigilance (Micah 7.5–7) | A family drama. A man is betrayed both by neighbours and members of his own family. He is sustained only by his faith. The text deals with issues of trust, shame, hope and patience. But who are the enemies? And how do they betray him? |
| Remembered (Hebrews 13.3) | A prison drama. A woman befriends a prisoner who is under lock and key. She learns that he is being tortured and begins to closely identify with his sufferings. But why is he in prison and what can she do to help? |
| Mysterious Guidance (Acts 27.1–44) | A vessel sets out on a long voyage, but one of the passengers is upsetting the crew with dire warnings. It's full of life-threatening action and ethereal messengers. How would this story have looked in say 1800 or look in 2500? |
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