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.
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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 List (GNT)
- 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 — God’s perfect place where he is King and everything is good and right. It is a real place in heaven, and it also lives in the hearts of 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 — Grown-up 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
Women Who Accompanied Jesus
Luke 8:1-3 (GNT)
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.
Most English learners should use the New International Reader’s Version (NIRV) or the Good News Translation (GNT) because they are easy to read. If you want to try something harder, you can read one of the other Bible versions:
- 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)
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.
ELL Resources for the Gospel of Luke
More ELL Resources
You can find more Bible lessons for English learners on the main ELL page.
Scripture quotations marked (GNT) are from the Good News Translation in Today’s English Version- Second Edition Copyright © 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.
Joyful Moments in Christ 