ELL Bible Study: Luke 3:21-38 — Jesus Is Baptized and His Family Tree

This Bible study lesson is for people who are learning English (ELL or ESL students). It is made for advanced beginner and intermediate English learners. Children who speak English or adults who prefer easy English may also enjoy it and learn from it, although I also have a Sunday School lesson on Luke 3:21-38 that may work better for native English speakers.

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Luke 3:21-38 Printable Discussion Questions

Lesson Icebreaker Question

Can you share one interesting thing about your family or where your family comes from?

Lesson Highlight

In this lesson, we will learn about the special moment when Jesus was baptized. We will also hear about Jesus’ family tree, going all the way back to the very first people. This will help us understand that Jesus is truly God’s Son and part of God’s big plan.

Vocabulary Lists

Vocabulary List Using the ERV Bible Translation

Abraham — A man in the Bible whom God chose to be the father of the Jewish people.
Adam — The name of the first man God created.
All — Every part or every person in a group.
Baptize — To put someone in water to show they belong to God.
Boaz — The name of a kind man who married Ruth and was an ancestor of King David and Jesus.
Came — Moved from one place to where someone is.
Came Down — Moved from a high place to a lower place.
Came From — Originated or started at a place.
David — A famous king of Israel in the Bible.
Dove — A small, gentle white bird.
Heaven — The place where God lives.
Holy Spirit — God’s Spirit who helps and teaches people.
Isaac — The son of Abraham, whom God promised to Abraham, and who became the father of Jacob.
Jacob — The son of Isaac, whose name was changed by God to Israel. He had twelve sons.
Jesse — The father of King David.
John — John the Baptist, the prophet who lived in the desert and baptized Jesus in the Jordan River.
Judah — One of Jacob’s twelve sons. His name became the name of the most important tribe of Israel, where Jesus came from.
Looked Like — Seemed to be the same as something else.
Love — To care about someone or something very much.
Noah — A man in the Bible who built a boat to save his family and animals from a great flood.
Open — Not closed; able to be seen or entered.
People — Men, women, and children.
Pleased With — Happy with or satisfied by someone or something.
Praying — Talking to God.
Real — True, not fake, or actually there.
Ruth — The main character in the Book of Ruth who was the great-grandmother of King David.
Said — Told someone something.
Sky — The space above the earth where the sun, moon, and stars are.
Son — A male child in a family.
Teacher — A person who helps others learn.
Thought — Past tense of think; believed something was true.
Too — Also; in addition.
Very — Used to show that something is stronger or bigger in amount.
Voice — The sound made when a person speaks.
While — At the same time; during the time that.
Years Old — To have lived for a certain number of years.

Vocabulary List Using the GNT Bible Translation

Baptize — To put someone in water to show they belong to God.
Bodily form — A shape that looks like a person or animal.
Dear — Loved very much.
Dove — A small, gentle white bird.
Heaven — The place where God lives.
Holy Spirit — God’s Spirit who helps and teaches people.
Joseph — The man who cared for Jesus like a father.
Open — Not closed; able to be seen or entered.
People — Men, women, and children.
Pleased — Happy with someone or something.
Pray — To talk to God.
Son — A male child in a family.
Voice — The sound made when a person speaks.
Work — A job or task someone does.

Summary of the Passage

This passage tells us about a very important day in Jesus’ life. Jesus went to be baptized. This was a special moment to show that he was ready to begin his work for God. When Jesus was praying, something amazing happened. Heaven opened, and the Holy Spirit came down like a dove. Then, God spoke from heaven. God said, “You are my own dear Son. I am pleased with you.” This showed everyone that Jesus is God’s Son.

After this, the Bible shares a long list of Jesus’ ancestors. Ancestors are family members from long ago. This list shows that Jesus had a real family, just like us. His family went back many, many years to important people in the Bible. The list includes David, a famous king, and Abraham, the father of God’s people. It even goes back to Adam, the first person God made.

This passage teaches us that Jesus is both God’s Son and a real man with a family. God had a big plan, and Jesus is the one he promised to send to save people.

Read The Passage

Most English learners should use the Easy-to-Read Version (ERV), the New International Reader’s Version (NIRV), or the Good News Translation (GNT). If you want to try something harder, you can read one of the other Bible versions.

Text from the ERV Bible Translation

Jesus Is Baptized by John
21-22 When all the people were being baptized, Jesus came and was baptized too.
And while he was praying, the sky opened, and the Holy Spirit came down on him.
The Spirit looked like a real dove.
Then a voice came from heaven and said,
“You are my Son, the one I love.
I am very pleased with you.”
The Family History of Joseph
23 When Jesus began to teach, he was about 30 years old.
People thought that Jesus was Joseph’s son.
Joseph was the son of Eli.
24 Eli was the son of Matthat.
Matthat was the son of Levi.
Levi was the son of Melchi.
Melchi was the son of Jannai.
Jannai was the son of Joseph.
25 Joseph was the son of Mattathias.
Mattathias was the son of Amos.
Amos was the son of Nahum.
Nahum was the son of Esli.
Esli was the son of Naggai.
26 Naggai was the son of Maath.
Maath was the son of Mattathias.
Mattathias was the son of Semein.
Semein was the son of Josech.
Josech was the son of Joda.
27 Joda was the son of Joanan.
Joanan was the son of Rhesa.
Rhesa was the son of Zerubbabel.
Zerubbabel was the son of Shealtiel.
Shealtiel was the son of Neri.
28 Neri was the son of Melchi.
Melchi was the son of Addi.
Addi was the son of Cosam.
Cosam was the son of Elmadam.
Elmadam was the son of Er.
29 Er was the son of Joshua.
Joshua was the son of Eliezer.
Eliezer was the son of Jorim.
Jorim was the son of Matthat.
Matthat was the son of Levi.
30 Levi was the son of Simeon.
Simeon was the son of Judah.
Judah was the son of Joseph.
Joseph was the son of Jonam.
Jonam was the son of Eliakim.
31 Eliakim was the son of Melea.
Melea was the son of Menna.
Menna was the son of Mattatha.
Mattatha was the son of Nathan.
Nathan was the son of David.
32 David was the son of Jesse.
Jesse was the son of Obed.
Obed was the son of Boaz.
Boaz was the son of Salmon.
Salmon was the son of Nahshon.
33 Nahshon was the son of Amminadab.
Amminadab was the son of Admin.
Admin was the son of Arni.
Arni was the son of Hezron.
Hezron was the son of Perez.
Perez was the son of Judah.
34 Judah was the son of Jacob.
Jacob was the son of Isaac.
Isaac was the son of Abraham.
Abraham was the son of Terah.
Terah was the son of Nahor.
35 Nahor was the son of Serug.
Serug was the son of Reu.
Reu was the son of Peleg.
Peleg was the son of Eber.
Eber was the son of Shelah.
36 Shelah was the son of Cainan.
Cainan was the son of Arphaxad.
Arphaxad was the son of Shem.
Shem was the son of Noah.
Noah was the son of Lamech.
37 Lamech was the son of Methuselah.
Methuselah was the son of Enoch.
Enoch was the son of Jared.
Jared was the son of Mahalaleel.
Mahalaleel was the son of Cainan.
38 Cainan was the son of Enos.
Enos was the son of Seth.
Seth was the son of Adam.
Adam was the son of God.
Luke 3:21-38 (ERV)

Text from the GNT Bible Translation

The Baptism of Jesus
21 After all the people had been baptized, Jesus also was baptized. While he was praying, heaven was opened,
22 and the Holy Spirit came down upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my own dear Son. I am pleased with you.”
The Ancestors of Jesus
23 When Jesus began his work, he was about thirty years old. He was the son, so people thought, of Joseph, who was the son of Heli,
24 the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph,
25 the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai,
26 the son of Maath, the son of Mattathias, the son of Semein, the son of Josech, the son of Joda,
27 the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri,
28 the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmadam, the son of Er,
29 the son of Joshua, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi,
30 the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim,
31 the son of Melea, the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David,
32 the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Salmon, the son of Nahshon,
33 the son of Amminadab, the son of Admin, the son of Arni, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah,
34 the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor,
35 the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah,
36 the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech,
37 the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalaleel, the son of Kenan,
38 the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.
Luke 3:21-38 (GNT)

Very Easy: Easy-To-Read Version: Luke 3:21-38 (ERV)
Very Easy: New International Reader’s Version: Luke 3:21-38 (NIRV)
Easy: Good News Translation: Luke 3:21-38 (GNT)
Medium: New Living Translation: Luke 3:21-38 (NLT)
Hard: New International Version: Luke 3:21-38 (NIV)
Very Hard: English Standard Version: Luke 3:21-38 (ESV)

Luke 3:21-38 Printable ERV Passage

Luke 3:21-38 Printable GNT Passage

Luke 3:21-38 Printable Discussion Questions

History of Jesus’ Most Important Ancestors

In this passage, the Bible lists the names of Jesus’ family. These people lived many years before Jesus. In the Bible, family history is very important. It shows how God kept his promises to people long ago.

One famous person in Jesus’ family is David, a good king of Israel. You can read about David in 1 Samuel 16 and 2 Samuel 5.

Another important person is Abraham. God promised Abraham that his family would bless the whole world (Genesis 12:1-3). Jesus is the one who would bless everyone.

The list also includes Adam, the first man God made (Genesis 2:7). The Bible calls Adam “the son of God” because God made him. Jesus is called the Son of God too, but in a much greater way. He is God’s only Son, sent to save people from sin.

This long list reminds us that God has a plan for people, and Jesus is part of that big plan. Jesus came to help all people, from every family, become part of God’s family.