The Bronze Bow by Elizabeth George Speare

Daniel hates the romans. Ever since they killed his father his one hope has been to drive them out of Isreal. He is living in the mountains with a gang of thieves who are hoping one day to make the romans leave. Then his grandmother dies and he is forced to leave the mountains to care for his sister. He continues to work for the leader of the band, Rosh, and persuades some other boys in the village to join the cause.Among them is a boy whom he knew while he was in school named Joel. His sister, Malthace, also wants the romans to leave but she does not hate them. The sign of their small band is the bronze bow, mentioned in a part of the book of Enoch that they were reading at the time. Daniel thinks that the verse is wrong. How could anyone bend a bow of bronze?

He goes often to Capernum where Joel lives. Also there is a young rabbi there that Daniel is interested in. He believes that he is the king who lead them in battle against the romans. A few months after they establish their band, things begin to go wrong. Joel is captured by the Romans. Rosh refuses to help free him. So Daniel and the boys from the town decide to do it.They free Joel but one of them is killed in the process.Then Daniels sister, Leah, becomes very sick. She is almost dead when Malthace brings Jesus to her. Jesus heals Leah and Daniel finds the answer to his question.
The only way to bend the Bronze Bow is with love.He abandons his hate. One way you can tell that he truly has is that he invites the roman soldier who loves his sister to come into there house

I ablsolutely loved this book. The characters are so real.
And the final triumph of love over hate is amazing.