The Boy Jesus at the Temple: An ESL Bible Study on Luke 2:39-52

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 2:39-52 that may work better for native English speakers.

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Luke 2:39-52 Printable Discussion Questions

Luke 2:39-52 Printable ERV Passage

Lesson Icebreaker Question

Have you ever been lost or lost something important? How did it make you feel?

Lesson Highlight

In this lesson, we will hear about a time when Jesus was a boy. He went to the Temple to learn about God. His parents were very worried when they could not find him.

Vocabulary Lists for the ERV Bible Translation

Key Vocabulary Words (10 words)

develop: (verb) To grow or become better over time.
mature: (adjective) Fully grown or acting like an adult.
obey: (verb) To do what a rule or a person tells you to do.
over: (adverb) Finished or at an end.
Passover festival: (phrase) A special holiday once a year when Jewish people remember how God saved them in Egypt.
religious teacher: (phrase) A person who teaches others about the laws and stories of God.
Temple area: (phrase) The space and buildings all around the special house of God in Jerusalem.
wisdom: (noun) Being able to understand what is true and right.
wonder: (verb) To want to know more about something.
worried: (adjective) Feeling unhappy because of problems.

Important Words to Know (20 words)

amazed: (adjective) To be very surprised by something.
command: (verb) To give an order to someone.
develop: (verb) To grow or become better over time.
festival: (noun) A special day for celebration and worship.
finish: (verb) To reach the end of a task.
Jerusalem: (noun) The most important city in Israel where the Temple was.
mature: (adjective) Fully grown or acting like an adult.
meaning: (noun) The idea that a word or sign represents.
Nazareth: (noun) The town where Jesus grew up.
obey: (verb) To do what a rule or a person tells you to do.
over: (adverb) Finished or at an end.
parents: (noun) A father and a mother.
Passover festival: (phrase) A special holiday once a year when Jewish people remember how God saved them in Egypt.
pleased: (adjective) Feeling happy or satisfied.
religious teacher: (phrase) A person who teaches others about the laws and stories of God.
Temple area: (phrase) The space and buildings all around the special house of God in Jerusalem.
travel: (verb) To go from one place to another.
wisdom: (noun) Being able to understand what is true and right.
wonder: (verb) To want to know more about something.
worried: (adjective) Feeling unhappy because of problems.

Complete Lesson Word Bank

after: (preposition) Later than another time or event.
amazed: (adjective) To be very surprised by something.
among: (preposition) In the middle of a group of people or things.
back: (adverb) In the place where someone was before.
began: (verb) To have started something.
blessing: (verb) To have given favor or help.
close: (adjective) Near to someone or something.
command: (verb) To give an order to someone.
continue: (verb) To keep doing something.
develop: (verb) To grow or become better over time.
father: (noun) A male parent.
Father: (noun) A name for God.
festival: (noun) A special day for celebration and worship.
find: (verb) To see or get something you were looking for.
finish: (verb) To reach the end of a task.
found: (verb) To have seen something you were looking for.
full: (adjective) Holding as much as possible.
Galilee: (noun) A region in the north part of Israel where Jesus lived.
God: (noun) The creator and ruler of everything.
grew: (verb) To have become larger or older.
group: (noun) A number of people or things that are together.
grow: (verb) To become bigger or older.
heard: (verb) To have received sound with your ears.
Jerusalem: (noun) The most important city in Israel where the Temple was.
Jesus: (noun) The Son of God and the Savior of the world!
Joseph: (noun) The man who raised Jesus on earth.
known: (verb) To have information about something in your mind.
law: (noun) A set of rules that people must obey.
Lord: (noun) A name that shows someone has power or authority.
Mary: (noun) The mother of Jesus.
mature: (adjective) Fully grown or acting like an adult.
meaning: (noun) The idea that a word or sign represents.
must: (verb) To need to do something.
Nazareth: (noun) The town where Jesus grew up.
obey: (verb) To do what a rule or a person tells you to do.
over: (adverb) Finished or at an end.
own: (adjective) Belonging to a specific person.
parents: (noun) A father and a mother.
Passover: (noun) A special meal and holiday to remember how God saved Israel.
Passover festival: (phrase) A special holiday once a year when Jewish people remember how God saved them in Egypt.
pleased: (adjective) Feeling happy or satisfied.
possible: (adjective) Something that can happen.
religious teacher: (phrase) A person who teaches others about the laws and stories of God.
return: (verb) To come back to a place.
should: (verb) A word used to say what is the right thing to do.
sit: (verb) To rest your body on a chair or the ground.
stay: (verb) To not leave a place.
stayed behind: (phrase) To stay in a place after others have left.
still: (adverb) Continuing until now.
taller: (adjective) Being more tall than someone else.
Temple: (noun) The special building in Jerusalem where people worshiped God.
Temple area: (phrase) The space and buildings all around the special house of God in Jerusalem.
town: (noun) A place where many people live that is smaller than a city.
travel: (verb) To go from one place to another.
usual: (adjective) Happening often or normal.
went: (verb) To have moved to another place.
whole: (adjective) All of something.
wisdom: (noun) Being able to understand what is true and right.
wise: (adjective) Having wisdom and making good choices.
wonder: (verb) To want to know more about something.
work: (noun) A job or the things a person must do.
worried: (adjective) Feeling unhappy because of problems.
young man: (phrase) A male person who is no longer a child but is not yet old.

Summary of the Passage

This story tells us what happened when Jesus was a boy. After Jesus was born, Mary and Joseph took him back to their hometown called Nazareth. Jesus was developing into a mature young man. This means he was growing up well and acting like an adult. He was full of wisdom. Wisdom is being able to understand what is true and right. God was blessing him as he grew.

Every year, Jesus’ family traveled to a big city called Jerusalem. They went there for a special holiday called the Passover festival. A festival is a special day for celebration and worship. When Jesus was twelve years old, they went to the festival as usual. After it was over, the family started the trip home. Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know he was still there. They traveled for a whole day before they saw he was missing. They looked for him among their friends and family.

After three days, they found Jesus in the Temple area. The Temple was the special house of God. He was sitting with the religious teachers. He was listening and asking them questions. Everyone was amazed at his wise answers. To be amazed is to be very surprised. Mary asked why he had stayed. Jesus said he must be where his Father’s work is. He meant he needed to be in God’s house. His parents did not understand the meaning of his words. Then Jesus went back home with them and obeyed them. He continued to grow in wisdom. God and the people were pleased with him.

This passage shows us that Jesus loved God very much, even as a child. It teaches us that learning about God is important. God’s blessings help us grow in good ways.

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.

Joseph and Mary Return Home
39 Joseph and Mary finished doing all the things that the law of the Lord commanded.
Then they went home to Nazareth, their own town in Galilee.
40 The little boy Jesus was developing into a mature young man, full of wisdom.
God was blessing him.
Jesus as a Boy
41 Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Passover festival.
42 When Jesus was twelve years old, they went to the festival as usual.
43 When the festival was over, they went home, but Jesus stayed in Jerusalem.
His parents did not know about it.
44-45 They traveled for a whole day thinking that Jesus was with them in the group.
They began looking for him among their family and close friends, but they did not find him.
So they went back to Jerusalem to look for him there.
46 After three days they found him.
Jesus was sitting in the Temple area with the religious teachers, listening and asking them questions.
47 Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and wise answers.
48 When his parents saw him, they wondered how this was possible.
And his mother said,
“Son, why did you do this to us?
Your father and I were very worried about you.
We have been looking for you.”
49 Jesus said to them,
“Why did you have to look for me?
You should have known that I must be where my Father’s work is.”
50 But they did not understand the meaning of what he said to them.
51 Jesus went with them to Nazareth and obeyed them.
His mother was still thinking about all these things.
52 As Jesus grew taller, he continued to grow in wisdom.
God was pleased with him and so were the people who knew him.
Luke 2:39-52 (ERV)

Very Easy: Easy-To-Read Version: Luke 2:39-52 (ERV)
Very Easy: New International Reader’s Version: Luke 2:39-52 (NIRV)
Easy: Good News Translation: Luke 2:39-52 (GNT)
Medium: New Living Translation: Luke 2:39-52 (NLT)
Hard: New International Version: Luke 2:39-52 (NIV)
Very Hard: English Standard Version: Luke 2:39-52 (ESV)

Luke 2:39-52 Printable ERV Passage

Comprehension Questions

Where did Jesus and his family go to live after they finished the law of the Lord?
What kind of young man was Jesus developing into as he grew?
To what city did the family travel every year for the Passover festival?
How old was Jesus when he stayed behind in Jerusalem?
How many days did the parents travel before they began looking for Jesus?
Where did Mary and Joseph finally find Jesus after three days?
What was Jesus doing while he sat with the religious teachers?
Why did the people who heard Jesus feel amazed?
What was the meaning of the answer Jesus gave to his mother?
What did Jesus do after he returned to Nazareth with his parents?

Application Questions

How do you feel when you are in a place where people teach about God?
Why do you think Jesus wanted to stay in the Temple?
When was a time you felt worried because you lost something important?
How can you show that you obey God in your daily life?
Who can you talk to when you want to grow in wisdom?

Theological Insights

Jesus is the Son of God and wanted to do his Father’s work.
God gives wisdom to those who seek to learn about him.
Jesus showed us that it is good to obey our parents.
God is pleased when we grow in our understanding of his truth.
God’s blessing stays with those who love his Word.

Closing Prayer

Dear Father,
You are the wise Creator who knows all things.
I am sorry for the times I do not listen to your teaching.
Thank you for the example of Jesus and how he loved your house.
Please help me to grow in wisdom and stay close to you.
Amen.