ELL Bible Study: Luke 12:49-59 — Jesus Brings Division

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.

All lessons on this website are protected by copyright, but you can use them for free in small groups or Bible classes. You may share a link to this page, but please do not copy these pages and put them on other websites.

Luke 12:49-59 Printable Discussion Questions

Lesson Icebreaker Question

Have you ever had a time when you and a family member or friend disagreed about something important? What happened?

Lesson Highlight

In this lesson, we will learn how Jesus said following him can sometimes cause hard choices in families and communities. We will also talk about why it is wise to settle problems quickly.

Vocabulary List (GNT)

Already — Something that has happened before now or earlier than expected.
Against — Not on the same side; in opposition.
Baptism — A special act in the Bible where a person is put in water to show they belong to God.
Before — Earlier than a certain time or event.
Bring — To carry something or someone to a place.
Cause — To make something happen.
Cloud — A white or gray shape in the sky made of tiny drops of water.
Court — A place where a judge decides what is fair and legal.
Daughter — A female child of a parent.
Daughter-in-law — The wife of someone’s son.
Distressed — Feeling very worried, upset, or sad.
Dispute — A fight or argument about something.
Do Your Best — To try as hard as you can.
Dragged — Pulled by force, often unwillingly.
Earth — The land, sky, and seas of the world.
Feel — To sense or notice something with your body or mind.
Fine — Money you must pay as a punishment.
Father — A male parent.
From Now On — Starting now and continuing into the future.
Hand Over — To give something to someone else, often because you have to.
Hot — Having a high temperature.
Hypocrite — A person who says one thing but does something else.
Judge — A person in court who decides what is fair and right.
Kindled — To start a fire or make something burn.
Lawsuit — A problem between people taken to court to be settled by a judge.
Meaning — What something shows or explains.
Mother — A female parent.
Mother-in-law — The mother of your husband or wife.
Peace — A time without fighting or trouble.
Penny — A small coin worth a little money.
Police — People whose job is to keep others safe and stop crime.
Present Time — The time happening right now.
Predict — To say what you think will happen in the future.
Receive — To be given something.
Right — The good, fair, or correct thing to do.
Rain — Water that falls from the sky.
Set On Fire — To make something start burning.
Settle — To end a problem by agreeing or finding a solution.
Son — A male child of a parent.
South — The direction toward the bottom of a map.
Stay — To remain in a place and not leave.
Suppose — To believe or think something is true.
Take — To carry something with you.
Wind — Moving air that you can feel outside.
World — All the people, countries, and lands on earth.

Summary of the Passage

This passage is about Jesus teaching people some hard but important lessons. Jesus explained that following him would not always be easy. He said that people in families and groups would sometimes disagree because of him. Even people very close to each other, like parents and children, might not agree about following Jesus. It can cause problems and division because not everyone wants to follow the same way.

Next, Jesus talked about how people are good at seeing signs in the sky to tell if it will rain or get hot. But he said they are not as good at understanding what is happening in their hearts or in the world. Jesus wanted people to think about what was right and pay attention to the time they were living in.

At the end of this passage, Jesus gave advice about how to handle problems. He said if someone takes you to court, it is better to make peace before you get there. If not, the problem might get worse, and you could end up in jail. Jesus taught that it is wise to settle arguments in a good and fair way.

This passage teaches us that following Jesus is sometimes difficult, but it is very important. It also reminds us to watch what is happening around us and in our hearts. Lastly, it shows us that it is wise to fix problems kindly and quickly.

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

Following Jesus May Bring You Trouble
49 Jesus continued speaking:
“I came to bring fire to the world.
I wish it were already burning!
50 There is a kind of baptism that I must suffer through.
I feel very troubled until it is finished.
51 Do you think I came to give peace to the world?
No, I came to divide the world!
52 From now on, a family of five will be divided, three against two, and two against three.
53 A father and son will be divided:
The son will turn against his father.
The father will turn against his son.
A mother and her daughter will be divided:
The daughter will turn against her mother.
The mother will turn against her daughter.
A mother-in-law and her daughter-in-law will be divided:
The daughter-in-law will turn against her mother-in-law.
The mother-in-law will turn against her daughter-in-law.”
Understanding the Times
54 Then Jesus said to the people,
“When you see clouds growing bigger in the west, you say,
‘A rainstorm is coming.’
And soon it begins to rain.
55 When you feel the wind begin to blow from the south, you say,
‘It will be a hot day.’
And you are right.
56 You hypocrites!
You can understand the weather.
Why don’t you understand what is happening now?
Settle Your Problems
57 “Why can’t you decide for yourselves what is right?
58 Suppose someone is suing you, and you are both going to court.
Try hard to settle it on the way.
If you don’t settle it, you may have to go before the judge.
And the judge will hand you over to the officer, who will throw you into jail.
59 I tell you, you will not get out of there until you have paid every cent you owe.”
Luke 12:49-59 (ERV)

Text from the GNT Bible Translation

Jesus the Cause of Division
49 “I came to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already kindled!
50 I have a baptism to receive, and how distressed I am until it is over!
51 Do you suppose that I came to bring peace to the world? No, not peace, but division.
52 From now on a family of five will be divided, three against two and two against three.
53 Fathers will be against their sons, and sons against their fathers; mothers will be against their daughters, and daughters against their mothers; mothers-in-law will be against their daughters-in-law, and daughters-in-law against their mothers-in-law.”
Understanding the Time
54 Jesus said also to the people, “When you see a cloud coming up in the west, at once you say that it is going to rain—and it does.
55 And when you feel the south wind blowing, you say that it is going to get hot—and it does.
56 Hypocrites! You can look at the earth and the sky and predict the weather; why, then, don’t you know the meaning of this present time?
Settle with Your Opponent
57 “Why do you not judge for yourselves the right thing to do?
58 If someone brings a lawsuit against you and takes you to court, do your best to settle the dispute before you get to court. If you don’t, you will be dragged before the judge, who will hand you over to the police, and you will be put in jail.
59 There you will stay, I tell you, until you pay the last penny of your fine.”
Luke 12:49-59 (GNT)

Very Easy: Easy-to-Read Version: Luke 12:49-59 (ERV)
Very Easy: New International Reader’s Version: Luke 12:49-59 (NIRV)
Easy: Good News Translation: Luke 12:49-59 (GNT)
Medium: New Living Translation: Luke 12:49-59 (NLT)
Hard: New International Version: Luke 12:49-59 (NIV)
Very Hard: English Standard Version: Luke 12:49-59 (ESV)

Luke 12:49-59 Printable ERV Passage

Luke 12:49-59 Printable GNT Passage

Luke 12:49-59 Printable Discussion Questions

Comprehension Questions

What did Jesus say he came to bring to the earth?
What happens to families when people disagree about Jesus?
What signs in the sky can people understand?
What did Jesus call people who could predict the weather but not understand the present time?
What advice did Jesus give about settling problems before going to court?
What happens if someone does not settle a dispute before going to court?

Application Questions

Why do you think people sometimes disagree about following Jesus?
Can it be hard to stay kind when people disagree with you? Why?
Why is it a good idea to settle problems before they get bigger?
How can we learn to understand what is happening in our hearts and the world?
What is one way you can make peace with someone this week?

Theological Insights

Following Jesus can cause hard choices in life, even with family and friends.
The good news of Jesus is the most important thing, even when others do not agree.
God wants people to be wise about what is happening around them and in their hearts.
It is wise and kind to settle problems quickly and not let anger grow.
Jesus came to save people, but not everyone will choose to follow him.

Closing Prayer

Dear Father, thank you for teaching us what is right and good. Help us to be kind, to love others, and to make peace when we can. Give us wisdom to follow you. Amen.