Joyful Moments in Christ

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 someone looked very kind on the outside but was not kind on the inside? Would you like to share about it?

Lesson Highlight

In this lesson, we will learn how Jesus spoke to religious leaders who were acting in wrong ways. We will hear how Jesus cares about what is inside a person’s heart, not just what they show on the outside.

Vocabulary List (GNT)

1. Accuse — To say that someone has done something wrong or bad.
2. Altar — A special table in a place of worship where gifts or sacrifices are made to God.
3. Ancestor — A family member who lived a long time ago.
4. Approve — To say that something is good or okay.
5. Back — The part of your body from your neck to your waist, but not on the front side of your body.
6. Bitterly — In an angry or hurt way.
7. Build — To make something by putting parts together.
8. Carry — To hold something and take it from one place to another.
9. Catch — To take hold of something or stop it from getting away.
10. Clean — To make something not dirty.
11. Criticize — To say what is wrong with something or someone.
12. Cup — A small container used for drinking.
13. Eat — To put food in your mouth and swallow it.
14. Evil — Very bad or wicked.
15. Fine — Very nice, good, or high quality.
16. Fool — A person who does not act in a wise way.
17. Give — To let someone have something.
18. Greet — To say hello to someone.
19. Hard — Difficult to do or carry.
20. Help — To make something easier for someone else.
21. Holy Place — A special part of the temple where only priests could go to be close to God.
22. Invite — To ask someone to come to a place or event.
23. Justice — Treating people in a fair and right way.
24. Key — A small tool used to open a lock or door.
25. Knowledge — Information, facts, or understanding about something.
26. Lay Traps — To secretly plan to catch or trick someone.
27. Load — Something heavy that a person must carry.
28. Lord — A name used to show respect for God or Jesus.
29. Marketplace — A place where people buy and sell things.
30. Messenger — A person who carries a message or speaks for someone else.
31. Mint — A plant used to add flavor to food.
32. Murder — To kill someone on purpose.
33. Notice — To see or become aware of something.
34. Persecute — To treat someone badly, often because of their beliefs.
35. Pharisee — A religious leader among the Jewish people in Jesus’ time who cared too much about rules.
36. Plate — A flat dish used to hold food.
37. Poor — People who do not have much money or things.
38. Practice — To do something often so you can get better at it.
39. Prophet — A person chosen by God to speak his message.
40. Respect — A good feeling you show toward someone you think is important.
41. Reserved — Saved for a special person or purpose.
42. Ritually Clean — Clean in a way that follows religious rules.
43. Rue — A plant used in cooking and medicine.
44. Sat Down — To lower yourself into a sitting position.
45. Seasoning Herbs — Plants used to add flavor to food.
46. Speaking — Talking or giving a message with words.
47. Stop — To bring something to an end.
48. Stretch Out a Finger — To make a small effort to help.
49. Surprised — Feeling something you did not expect.
50. Synagogue — A place where Jewish people worship and learn about God.
51. Teachers of the Law — Religious experts in Bible laws during Jesus’ time.
52. Terrible — Very bad.
53. Tomb — A grave or special place where a dead body is buried.
54. Violence — Hurting people or things with force.
55. Washed — Made clean with water.
56. Wisdom of God — God’s perfect knowledge and understanding.
57. Wrong — Not right, bad.

Summary of the Passage

This passage tells about a time when Jesus was invited to eat with a religious leader called a Pharisee. The Pharisee was surprised because Jesus did not wash his hands in a special way before eating. In those days, some people believed certain ways of washing made them clean before God. Jesus explained that it is more important to have a clean heart than just clean hands. God cares about what is inside a person.

Jesus then spoke strongly to the Pharisees and teachers of the Law. They liked to look important and be respected, but they did not care about justice or love for God. They made difficult religious rules for others but did not help people live better lives. Jesus told them they were like hidden graves that people did not see — they looked good on the outside but were full of bad things inside.

Finally, Jesus warned the teachers of the Law. He said they stopped people from learning the truth about God. Instead of helping others come closer to God, they made it harder. After Jesus left, the Pharisees and teachers became angry and tried to trap him with hard questions.

This passage teaches us that God cares about our hearts, not just what people see on the outside. It reminds us to love others, be fair, and help people know God’s truth.

Read The Passage

Jesus Accuses the Pharisees and the Teachers of the Law
37 When Jesus finished speaking, a Pharisee invited him to eat with him; so he went in and sat down to eat.
38 The Pharisee was surprised when he noticed that Jesus had not washed before eating.
39 So the Lord said to him, “Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of your cup and plate, but inside you are full of violence and evil.
40 Fools! Did not God, who made the outside, also make the inside?
41 But give what is in your cups and plates to the poor, and everything will be ritually clean for you.
42 “How terrible for you Pharisees! You give to God one tenth of the seasoning herbs, such as mint and rue and all the other herbs, but you neglect justice and love for God. These you should practice, without neglecting the others.
43 “How terrible for you Pharisees! You love the reserved seats in the synagogues and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces.
44 How terrible for you! You are like unmarked graves which people walk on without knowing it.”
45 One of the teachers of the Law said to him, “Teacher, when you say this, you insult us too!”
46 Jesus answered, “How terrible also for you teachers of the Law! You put onto people’s backs loads which are hard to carry, but you yourselves will not stretch out a finger to help them carry those loads.
47 How terrible for you! You make fine tombs for the prophets—the very prophets your ancestors murdered.
48 You yourselves admit, then, that you approve of what your ancestors did; they murdered the prophets, and you build their tombs.
49 For this reason the Wisdom of God said, ‘I will send them prophets and messengers; they will kill some of them and persecute others.’
50-51 So the people of this time will be punished for the murder of all the prophets killed since the creation of the world, from the murder of Abel to the murder of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the Holy Place. Yes, I tell you, the people of this time will be punished for them all!
52 “How terrible for you teachers of the Law! You have kept the key that opens the door to the house of knowledge; you yourselves will not go in, and you stop those who are trying to go in!”
53-54 When Jesus left that place, the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees began to criticize him bitterly and ask him questions about many things, trying to lay traps for him and catch him saying something wrong.

Luke 11:37-54 (GNT)

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 11:37-54 (NIRV)
• Easy: Good News Translation: Luke 11:37-54 (GNT)
• Medium: New Living Translation: Luke 11:37-54 (NLT)
• Hard: New International Version: Luke 11:37-54 (NIV)
• Very Hard: English Standard Version: Luke 11:37-54 (ESV)

Comprehension Questions

1. Where did Jesus go to eat?
2. What surprised the Pharisee about Jesus before the meal?
3. What did Jesus say is more important than washing the outside?
4. Why did Jesus call the Pharisees fools?
5. What did Jesus say the Pharisees loved in the synagogues and marketplaces?
6. How did the teachers of the Law feel when Jesus spoke this way?
7. What heavy things did the teachers of the Law put on people?
8. Who did Jesus say the people’s ancestors killed long ago?
9. What would happen to the people of Jesus’ time for these wrong things?
10. What did the teachers of the Law and Pharisees do after Jesus left?

Application Questions

1. Why do you think it is easier to look good on the outside than to have a good heart?
2. How can we show love and fairness to other people this week?
3. Is it possible to believe in God but still stop others from knowing him? How?
4. What can you do when you see someone being treated unfairly?
5. Why do you think God wants us to help others learn about him?

Theological Insights

1. God cares more about our hearts than our outward actions.
2. Religious leaders should help others come close to God, not make it harder.
3. God values justice, mercy, and love, not only religious traditions.
4. People can look good on the outside but still be far from God inside.
5. Jesus shows us the truth and invites us to live in a way that pleases God.

Closing Prayer

Dear Father, thank you for teaching us about loving you with our hearts. Help us to be fair, kind, and honest. Show us how to help others know your truth. 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.