Jesus Is Named and Presented: An ESL Bible Study on Luke 2:21-38

This Bible study series is for people who are learning English. It is designed for advanced beginner and intermediate learners, but children or adults who prefer simple English may also enjoy it. I also have a Sunday School lesson on Luke 2:21-38 that may work better for native English speakers.

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Luke 2:21-38 Printable Discussion Questions

Luke 2:21-38 Printable ERV Passage

Lesson Icebreaker Question

Has someone ever made a promise to you? Did they keep it? How did it make you feel?

Lesson Highlight

In this lesson, we will learn how Jesus was named and taken to the Temple as a baby. We will meet two people, Simeon and Anna, who were waiting to see God’s promised Savior.

Vocabulary Lists for the ERV Bible Translation

Key Vocabulary Words (10 words)

circumcise: (verb) A special religious cut made on a Jewish baby boy.
devoted: (adjective) Having great love and loyalty to someone.
Holy Spirit: (noun) One of the three persons of God who comes to live inside his people.
Law of Moses: (phrase) The rules that God gave to the people of Israel through a man named Moses.
made pure: (phrase) To be washed or cleaned so that a person is ready to worship God.
Messiah: (noun) The “Chosen One” that God promised to send to save his people.
present: (verb) To show or give something to someone in a formal way.
prophetess: (noun) A woman who speaks messages from God.
sacrifice: (verb) To give a gift or an animal to God as an act of worship.
Temple: (noun) The special building in Jerusalem where people worshiped God.

Important Words to Know (20 words)

amazed: (adjective) To be very surprised by something.
blessed: (verb) To have asked for God’s favor and help for someone.
circumcise: (verb) A special religious cut made on a Jewish baby boy.
devoted: (adjective) Having great love and loyalty to someone.
fasting: (noun) A time when a person does not eat so they can focus on God.
Holy Spirit: (noun) One of the three persons of God who comes to live inside his people.
honor: (noun) High respect or fame.
Israel: (noun) The land and the people that God chose for himself.
Jerusalem: (noun) The most important city in Israel where the Temple was.
Law of Moses: (phrase) The rules that God gave to the people of Israel through a man named Moses.
made pure: (phrase) To be washed or cleaned so that a person is ready to worship God.
Messiah: (noun) The “Chosen One” that God promised to send to save his people.
nations: (noun) All the different groups of people and countries in the world.
peace: (noun) A time of quiet and no fighting.
present: (verb) To show or give something to someone in a formal way.
prophetess: (noun) A woman who speaks messages from God.
sacrifice: (verb) To give a gift or an animal to God as an act of worship.
servant: (noun) A person who works for another person.
sign: (noun) Something that shows a message or gives a warning.
Temple: (noun) The special building in Jerusalem where people worshiped God.

Complete Lesson Word Bank

accept: (verb) To believe that something is true.
alone: (adjective) Being without any other people.
also: (adverb) In addition to something else.
always: (adverb) Every time or at all times.
amazed: (adjective) To be very surprised by something.
angel: (noun) A messenger from heaven who serves God.
Anna: (noun) A woman prophet who stayed at the Temple and thanked God for Jesus.
arm: (noun) The part of the body from the shoulder to the hand.
Asher: (noun) One of the twelve tribes of Israel.
because: (conjunction) For the reason that.
before: (preposition) Earlier than a certain time.
began: (verb) To have started something.
blessed: (verb) To have asked for God’s favor and help for someone.
bring: (verb) To take someone or something to a place.
brought: (verb) To have taken someone or something to a place.
circumcise: (verb) A special religious cut made on a Jewish baby boy.
cut: (verb) To use a sharp tool to open something.
day and night: (phrase) To do something all the time without stopping.
devoted: (adjective) Having great love and loyalty to someone.
die: (verb) To stop living.
dove: (noun) A white bird that is a sign of peace.
eye: (noun) The part of the body used for seeing.
fall: (verb) To move away from what is right.
fasting: (noun) A time when a person does not eat so they can focus on God.
free: (verb) To let someone out of control or trouble.
given: (verb) To have handed something over to another person.
God: (noun) The creator and ruler of everything.
grow: (verb) To become bigger or older.
happen: (verb) To take place.
heart: (noun) The part of a person where they feel and think.
help: (verb) To do something useful for someone.
Holy Spirit: (noun) One of the three persons of God who comes to live inside his people.
honor: (noun) High respect or fame.
inside: (preposition) In the inner part of something like a house.
Israel: (noun) The land and the people that God chose for himself.
Jerusalem: (noun) The most important city in Israel where the Temple was.
Jesus: (noun) The Son of God and the Savior of the world!
Jewish: (adjective) Relating to the people, religion, or culture of the Jews.
Jews: (noun) People who belong to the nation of Israel.
Joseph: (noun) The man who raised Jesus on earth.
law: (noun) A set of rules that people must obey.
Law of Moses: (phrase) The rules that God gave to the people of Israel through a man named Moses.
led: (verb) To have shown someone the way to go.
left: (verb) To have gone away from a place.
let: (verb) To allow something to happen.
light: (noun) The brightness that lets us see.
Lord: (noun) A name that shows someone has power or authority.
made known: (phrase) To tell or show something so that everyone can know it.
made pure: (phrase) To be washed or cleaned so that a person is ready to worship God.
Mary: (noun) The mother of Jesus.
Messiah: (noun) The “Chosen One” that God promised to send to save his people.
Moses: (noun) A great leader of Israel who lived long before Jesus.
must: (verb) To need to do something.
nations: (noun) All the different groups of people and countries in the world.
own: (adjective) Belonging to a specific person.
painful: (adjective) Causing a feeling of hurt in the body.
peace: (noun) A time of quiet and no fighting.
pigeon: (noun) A common bird that people used for offerings.
plan: (noun) A set of steps to do something.
praise: (verb) To say very good things about God or a person.
pray: (verb) To talk to God.
present: (verb) To show or give something to someone in a formal way.
prophetess: (noun) A woman who speaks messages from God.
pure: (adjective) Very clean and not mixed with anything bad.
rise: (verb) To get up or go up.
sacrifice: (verb) To give a gift or an animal to God as an act of worship.
save: (verb) To keep someone from danger or death.
secret: (noun) Something that is hidden or not told to others.
servant: (noun) A person who works for another person.
show: (verb) To let someone see something.
sign: (noun) Something that shows a message or gives a warning.
Simeon: (noun) A man who waited at the Temple to see the baby Jesus.
special: (adjective) Different and often better than what is normal.
sword: (noun) A weapon with a long metal blade.
Temple: (noun) The special building in Jerusalem where people worshiped God.
through: (preposition) Moving from one side to the other.
took: (verb) To have carried or moved something from one place to another.
tribe: (noun) A group of families who come from the same father.
tribe of Asher: (phrase) One of the twelve large family groups that made up the people of Israel.
wait: (verb) To stay in a place until something happens.
way: (noun) A path or a method of doing something.
went: (verb) To have moved to another place.
worship: (verb) To show great love and honor to God.

Summary of the Passage

This passage tells about what happened after Jesus was born. When he was eight days old, his family followed a Jewish tradition and circumcised him. This was a special religious cut for boys. They gave him the name Jesus. This name was given by the angel before he was born. Later, Mary and Joseph took Jesus to the Temple in Jerusalem. The Temple was the most important building for worship. They went there to follow the Law of Moses. These were the rules God gave to Israel. They wanted to present Jesus to the Lord and offer a sacrifice. A sacrifice is a gift given to God. They offered two birds to obey the law.

At the same time, a good man named Simeon was in the city. He was devoted to God, which means he had great love and loyalty. The Holy Spirit told Simeon he would not die until he saw the Messiah. The Messiah is the “Chosen One” God promised to send to save his people. When the parents brought Jesus into the Temple, Simeon took the baby in his arms. He was amazed and thanked God. He said he could now die in peace because he had seen the Savior with his own eyes. He said Jesus would be a light for all nations.

Then, an old prophetess named Anna came. A prophetess is a woman who speaks messages from God. She stayed at the Temple all the time. She worshiped God by fasting and praying. Fasting is a time when a person does not eat so they can focus on God. When she saw Jesus, she thanked God. She told everyone that the child was the one they were waiting for.

This passage teaches us that God keeps his promises. God sent Jesus to be the Savior, and Simeon and Anna were full of joy to see him. It reminds us to wait on God with hope and trust.

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.

21 When the baby was eight days old, he was circumcised, and he was named Jesus.
This name was given by the angel before the baby began to grow inside Mary.
Jesus Is Presented in the Temple
22 The time came for Mary and Joseph to do the things the Law of Moses taught about being made pure.
They brought Jesus to Jerusalem so that they could present him to the Lord.
23 It is written in the law of the Lord: “When a mother’s first baby is a boy, he shall be called ‘special for the Lord.’”
24 The law of the Lord also says that people must give a sacrifice:
“You must sacrifice two doves or two young pigeons.”
So Joseph and Mary went to Jerusalem to do this.
Simeon Sees Jesus
25 A man named Simeon lived in Jerusalem.
He was a good man who was devoted to God.
He was waiting for the time when God would come to help Israel.
The Holy Spirit was with him.
26 The Holy Spirit told him that he would not die before he saw the Messiah from the Lord.
27 The Spirit led Simeon to the Temple.
So he was there when Mary and Joseph brought the baby Jesus to do what the Jewish law said they must do.
28 Simeon took the baby in his arms and thanked God:
29 “Now, Lord, you can let me, your servant, die in peace as you said.
30 I have seen with my own eyes how you will save your people.
31 Now all people can see your plan.
32 He is a light to show your way to the other nations.
And he will bring honor to your people Israel.”
33 Jesus’ father and mother were amazed at what Simeon said about him.
34 Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary,
“Many Jews will fall and many will rise because of this boy.
He will be a sign from God that some will not accept.
35 So the secret thoughts of many will be made known.
And the things that happen will be painful for you—like a sword cutting through your heart.”
Anna Sees Jesus
36-37 Anna, a prophetess, was there at the Temple.
She was from the family of Phanuel in the tribe of Asher.
She was now very old.
She had lived with her husband seven years before he died and left her alone.
She was now 84 years old.
Anna was always at the Temple; she never left.
She worshiped God by fasting and praying day and night.
38 Anna was there when Joseph and Mary came to the Temple.
She praised God and talked about Jesus to all those who were waiting for God to free Jerusalem.
Luke 2:21-38 (ERV)

Very Easy: Easy-To-Read Version: Luke 2:21-38 (ERV)
Very Easy: New International Reader’s Version: Luke 2:21-38 (NIRV)
Easy: Good News Translation: Luke 2:21-38 (GNT)
Medium: New Living Translation: Luke 2:21-38 (NLT)
Hard: New International Version: Luke 2:21-38 (NIV)
Very Hard: English Standard Version: Luke 2:21-38 (ESV)

Luke 2:21-38 Printable ERV Passage

Comprehension Questions

What name was given to the baby when he was eight days old?
What special act did the family do for the baby boy when he was eight days old?
What kind of birds did the family sacrifice at the Temple?
Why did Mary and Joseph take the baby Jesus to the Temple?
What had the Holy Spirit promised Simeon he would see before he died?
What did Simeon do when he saw the baby Jesus?
According to Simeon’s song of praise, who is Jesus a light for?
How old was Anna when she finally saw the baby Jesus?
How did Anna worship God at the Temple day and night?
To whom did Anna talk about the child after she saw him?

Application Questions

How do you feel when you have to wait a long time for something?
Does it help your faith to know that God kept his promise to Simeon?
How can you show that you are devoted to God this week?
Who is someone you can tell about the good things God has done?
What is one thing you are waiting for God to do in your life?

Theological Insights

God always keeps his promises at the right time.
Jesus is the Savior for both Israel and all other nations.
The Holy Spirit guides and talks to those who love God.
God uses both men and women to tell his message.
Following God’s rules is a way to show him honor.

Closing Prayer

Dear Father,
You are the great God who always keeps your promises to your people.
Please forgive us for the times we are not patient or do not trust your word.
Thank you for sending Jesus to be the light that shows us your way.
Help us to serve you with joy and wait for you with hope every day.
Amen.