▁from ▁the ▁dis ci ples ▁after ▁impress ing ▁upon ▁Peter ▁the ▁importance ▁of ▁spread ing ▁his ▁word . ▁Ca ia ph us ' ▁wife ▁gives ▁birth ▁to ▁a ▁son , ▁and ▁Pil ate ▁and ▁his ▁wife ▁return ▁to ▁Ca es area . ▁ ▁Production ▁At ▁a ▁conference ▁in ▁April ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁Controller ▁of ▁BBC ▁One ▁Peter ▁Fin ch am ▁announced ▁that ▁following ▁the ▁success ▁of ▁the ▁Manchester ▁Pass ion — a ▁contemporary ▁ret elling ▁of ▁the ▁passion ▁that ▁was ▁broadcast ▁live ▁from ▁the ▁streets ▁of ▁Manchester — a ▁" stra ight " ▁adaptation ▁would ▁be ▁produced ▁for ▁broadcast ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 8 . ▁Fin ch am ▁wanted ▁it ▁to ▁be ▁the ▁" cent rep ie ce " ▁of ▁BBC ▁One ' s ▁E aster ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁schedule ▁and ▁hoped ▁that ▁it ▁would ▁have ▁the ▁same ▁impact ▁as ▁Jesus ▁of ▁Naz are th ▁did ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 0 s . ▁N ig el ▁Staff ord - Cl ark , ▁the ▁producer ▁of ▁BBC ▁One ' s ▁successful ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁adaptation ▁of ▁Ble ak ▁House , ▁was ▁brought ▁on ▁as ▁producer , ▁and ▁a ▁contract ▁was ▁tender ed ▁for ▁a ▁writer . ▁Frank ▁De asy ▁was ▁announced ▁as ▁having ▁won ▁the ▁contract ▁in ▁July ▁ 2 0 0 6 . ▁Staff ord - Cl ark ▁chose ▁him ▁because ▁he ▁believed ▁that ▁De asy ▁understood ▁the ▁scale ▁of ▁the ▁project . ▁The ▁production ▁was ▁budget ed ▁at ▁£ 4   mill