<P> As he and other slaves are being marched to the galleys, they stop in Nazareth to water the Romans' horses . Desperate with thirst, Judah begs for water, but the commander of the Roman detachment denies it to him . He collapses, but is revived when Jesus Christ gives him water . After three years as a galley slave, Judah is assigned to the flagship of the Roman Consul Quintus Arrius (Jack Hawkins), who has been charged with destroying a fleet of Macedonian pirates . Arrius admires Judah's determination and self - discipline, and offers to train him as a gladiator or charioteer . Judah declines the offer, declaring that God will aid him in his quest for vengeance . When the Roman fleet encounters the Macedonians, Arrius orders all the rowers except Judah to be chained to their oars . Arrius' galley is rammed and sunk, but Judah unchains the other rowers, and rescues Arrius . In despair, Arrius wrongly believes the battle ended in defeat and attempts to atone in the Roman way by falling on his sword, but Judah stops him . They are rescued, and Arrius is credited with the Roman fleet's victory . </P> <P> Arrius successfully petitions Emperor Tiberius (George Relph) to free Judah, and adopts him as his son . Another year passes . Wealthy again, Judah learns Roman ways and becomes a champion charioteer, but still longs for his family and homeland . </P> <P> Judah returns to Judea . Along the way, he meets Balthasar (Finlay Currie) and an Arab, Sheik Ilderim (Hugh Griffith). After noting Judah's prowess as a charioteer, the sheik asks him to drive his quadriga in a race before the new Judean governor Pontius Pilate (Frank Thring). Judah declines, even after he learns that Messala will also compete . </P> <P> Judah returns to his home in Jerusalem . He meets Esther, and learns her arranged marriage did not occur and that she is still in love with him . He visits Messala and demands his mother and sister's freedom . The Romans discover that Miriam and Tirzah contracted leprosy in prison, and expel them from the city . The women beg Esther to conceal their condition from Judah so that he may remember them as they were before, so she tells him that they died . This false revelation changes Judah's mind, and he decides to seek vengeance on Messala by competing against him in the chariot race . </P>

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