ELL Bible Study: Luke 8:1-3 — Women Who Followed Jesus

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. I also have a Sunday School lesson on Luke 7:36-8:3 that may work better for native English speakers.

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Luke 8:1-3 Printable Discussion Questions

Lesson Icebreaker Question

Can you think of a time when you helped someone in a small or big way? What did you do?

Lesson Highlight

In this lesson, we will learn about some women who followed Jesus and helped him. We will see how Jesus welcomed people from different backgrounds to be part of his work.

Vocabulary Lists

Vocabulary List Using the ERV Bible Translation

Apostles — The special twelve men Jesus chose to follow him and tell others about God.
City — A large, important town where many people live.
Come Out — To leave a place and appear outside.
Demon — A bad, evil spirit that hurts people.
Evil Spirit — A bad, unseen being that causes trouble for people.
God’s Kingdom — The place where God rules over people who love and follow him.
Good News — The message about God’s love and how he saves people through Jesus.
Group — A number of people or things together in one place.
Heal — To make someone healthy again.
Help — To do something for someone to make things easier.
Herod — The ruler of Galilee during the time of Jesus.
Manager — A person whose job is to take care of someone else’s business or money.
Many — A large number of people or things.
Message — Words sent from one person to another.
Money — Coins or paper used to buy things.
Next Day — The day after the last day mentioned.
Other — A different person or thing.
Own — Belonging to one person or group.
People — A group of men, women, or children.
Sickness — When a person’s body is not healthy.
Small Town — A place where people live that is much smaller than a city.
Some — A few people or things, but not all.
Told — Said something to someone.
Travel — To go from one place to another.
Used — Put something to work for a purpose.
Women — Adult females.

Vocabulary List Using the GNT Bible Translation

Accompany — To go along with someone.
Court — The place where a king or leader works and makes decisions.
Demon — A bad, evil spirit that hurts people.
Disease — A sickness that makes people feel bad or weak.
Driven Out — To force something to leave.
Evil Spirit — A bad, unseen being that causes trouble for people.
Good News — The message about God’s love and how he saves people through Jesus.
Heal — To make someone healthy again.
Kingdom Of God — The place where God rules over people who love and follow him.
Later — After some time has passed.
Officer — A person who has an important job for a king or leader.
Own — Belonging to one person or group.
Preach — To tell people about God and teach them his truth.
Resources — Things like money, food, or supplies people can use to help others.
Twelve Disciples — The twelve special followers Jesus chose to learn from him and help him.
Through — Moving in one side and out the other side of something.
Town — A place where people live, smaller than a city.
Travel — To go from one place to another.
Village — A very small town with only a few houses.
Women — Adult females.

Summary of the Passage

This passage tells about a time when Jesus was traveling from place to place. He went to many towns and villages to teach people about God’s Kingdom. Jesus shared the Good News, which means the happy message that God loves people and wants to save them.

Jesus did not travel alone. His twelve disciples, the men who were his closest followers, went with him. But there were also some women who traveled with them. These women had been sick or troubled by evil spirits before, but Jesus healed them. One woman was named Mary Magdalene, and the Bible says Jesus drove seven demons out of her.

Other women helped too. One woman named Joanna was married to a man who worked for a king. Another woman was Susanna. There were many other women as well. These women helped Jesus and his disciples by using their own money and resources.

This passage shows us that Jesus welcomed both men and women to be part of his work. It teaches us that no matter where we come from, we can follow Jesus and help others too.

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

The Group With Jesus
8 The next day, Jesus traveled through some cities and small towns.
Jesus told the people a message from God, the Good News about God’s kingdom.
The twelve apostles were with him.
2 There were also some women with him.
Jesus had healed these women of sicknesses and evil spirits.
One of them was Mary, who was called Magdalene.
Seven demons had come out of her.
3 Also with these women were Joanna, the wife of Chuza (the manager of Herod’s property), Susanna, and many other women.
These women used their own money to help Jesus and his apostles.
Luke 8:1-3 (ERV)

Text from the GNT Bible Translation

Women Who Accompanied Jesus
1 Some time later Jesus traveled through towns and villages, preaching the Good News about the Kingdom of God. The twelve disciples went with him,
2 and so did some women who had been healed of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (who was called Magdalene), from whom seven demons had been driven out;
3 Joanna, whose husband Chuza was an officer in Herod’s court; and Susanna, and many other women who used their own resources to help Jesus and his disciples.
Luke 8:1-3 (GNT)

Very Easy: Easy-to-Read Version: Luke 8:1-3 (ERV)
Very Easy: New International Reader’s Version: Luke 8:1-3 (NIRV)
Easy: Good News Translation: Luke 8:1-3 (GNT)
Medium: New Living Translation: Luke 8:1-3 (NLT)
Hard: New International Version: Luke 8:1-3 (NIV)
Very Hard: English Standard Version: Luke 8:1-3 (ESV)

Luke 8:1-3 Printable ERV Passage

Luke 8:1-3 Printable GNT Passage

Luke 8:1-3 Printable Discussion Questions

Comprehension Questions

Where did Jesus travel in this story?
What message did Jesus preach to the people?
Who traveled with Jesus?
What had Jesus done for the women who followed him?
What was the name of the woman who had seven demons taken out of her?
Who was Joanna’s husband, and what job did he have?
How did the women help Jesus and the disciples?

Application Questions

Why do you think the women wanted to follow and help Jesus?
How can we help people who share God’s message today?
Do you think both men and women are important in God’s work? Why?
What is one way you can show kindness and help someone this week?

Theological Insights

Jesus welcomes both men and women to follow him.
God’s love and healing are for everyone, no matter their past.
People can use what they have — time, money, or talents — to serve God.
The church is made up of many different kinds of people, all working together.

Closing Prayer

Dear Father, thank you for loving everyone and letting all people be part of your work. Help us to follow you and use what we have to help others. Amen.