Jesus Is Baptized and His Family Tree: An ESL Bible Study on Luke 3:21-38

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 3:21-38 that may work better for native English speakers.

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Luke 3:21-38 Printable Discussion Questions

Luke 3:21-38 Printable ERV Passage

Lesson Icebreaker Question

Can you share one interesting thing about your family or where your family comes from?

Lesson Highlight

In this lesson, we will learn about the special moment when Jesus was baptized. We will also hear about Jesus’ family history, going all the way back to the very first people. This will help us understand that Jesus is truly God’s Son and part of God’s big plan.

Vocabulary Lists for the ERV Bible Translation

Key Vocabulary Words (10 words)

baptize: (verb) To put someone in water to show they are starting a new life with God.
began: (verb) To have started something.
dove: (noun) A white bird that is a sign of peace.
family history: (phrase) A list of the names of people in a family from a long time ago.
heaven: (noun) The place where God lives.
Holy Spirit: (noun) One of the three persons of God who comes to live inside his people.
pleased: (adjective) Feeling happy or satisfied.
pray: (verb) To talk to God.
teach: (verb) To help someone learn how to do something.
thought: (verb) To have used your mind.

Important Words to Know (20 words)

ancestor: (noun) A person in your family who lived a long time ago.
baptize: (verb) To put someone in water to show they are starting a new life with God.
began: (verb) To have started something.
came down: (phrase) To move from a higher place to a lower place.
dove: (noun) A white bird that is a sign of peace.
family history: (phrase) A list of the names of people in a family from a long time ago.
heaven: (noun) The place where God lives.
Holy Spirit: (noun) One of the three persons of God who comes to live inside his people.
Judah: (noun) A man in the family line of Jesus who was the head of one of the 12 tribes of Israel.
like: (preposition) Similar to something else.
look: (verb) To use your eyes to see something.
love: (verb) To care very much for someone and want what is best for them.
old: (adjective) Having lived for many years.
open: (verb) To move something so that people can go through.
pleased: (adjective) Feeling happy or satisfied.
pray: (verb) To talk to God.
real: (adjective) True and not fake.
son: (noun) A male child.
teach: (verb) To help someone learn how to do something.
thought: (verb) To have used your mind.

Complete Lesson Word Bank

Abraham: (noun) The first father of the people of Israel who trusted God.
Adam: (noun) The first man that God created.
ancestor: (noun) A person in your family who lived a long time ago.
baptize: (verb) To put someone in water to show they are starting a new life with God.
began: (verb) To have started something.
Boaz: (noun) A man in the family line of Jesus.
came down: (phrase) To move from a higher place to a lower place.
David: (noun) A great king of Israel who lived long before Jesus.
dove: (noun) A white bird that is a sign of peace.
down: (adverb) Toward a lower place.
Enoch: (noun) The name of a man in the family history of Jesus who was special to God.
family history: (phrase) A list of the names of people in a family from a long time ago.
God: (noun) The creator and ruler of everything.
heaven: (noun) The place where God lives.
Holy Spirit: (noun) One of the three persons of God who comes to live inside his people.
Isaac: (noun) The son of Abraham and Sarah.
Jacob: (noun) The son of Isaac.
Jesse: (noun) The father of King David.
Jesus: (noun) The Son of God and the Savior of the world!
John the Baptizer: (noun) A man sent by God to tell people that Jesus was coming.
Joseph: (noun) The man who raised Jesus on earth.
Joshua: (noun) A leader of Israel after Moses.
Judah: (noun) A man in the family line of Jesus who was the head of one of the 12 tribes of Israel.
like: (preposition) Similar to something else.
look: (verb) To use your eyes to see something.
love: (verb) To care very much for someone and want what is best for them.
Noah: (noun) A man who built a big boat to save his family from a flood.
old: (adjective) Having lived for many years.
open: (verb) To move something so that people can go through.
people: (noun) More than one person.
pleased: (adjective) Feeling happy or satisfied.
pray: (verb) To talk to God.
real: (adjective) True and not fake.
Seth: (noun) A son of Adam and Eve.
sky: (noun) The space above the earth where the sun and stars are.
son: (noun) A male child.
Son: (noun) A name for Jesus who is the Son of God.
teach: (verb) To help someone learn how to do something.
thought: (verb) To have used your mind.
very: (adverb) In a high degree.
voice: (noun) The sound you make when you speak or sing.
while: (conjunction) During the time that something is happening.

Summary of the Passage

This passage tells us about a very important day in the life of Jesus. Many people were being baptized by John. Jesus came to be baptized too. While Jesus was praying, the sky opened and a wonderful thing happened. The Holy Spirit came down on him. The Spirit looked like a real dove. A dove is a white bird that is a sign of peace. Then, a voice spoke from heaven (the place where God lives) and said, “You are my Son, the one I love. I am very pleased with you.” This showed everyone that Jesus is the Son of God.

After this happened, the Bible shares a long list of the names of Jesus’ ancestors. Ancestors are family members from a long time ago. When Jesus began to teach, he was about 30 years old. People thought he was the son of Joseph, but this list shows his real family history. A list like this is often called a family tree. The list includes David, who was a great king. It also includes Abraham, the first father of the people of Israel. The list goes all the way back to Adam, the first man that God created.

This passage teaches us that Jesus is both the Son of God and a real man with a family. God had a big plan to save people, and Jesus is the one he promised to send.

History of Jesus’ Most Important Ancestors

In this passage, the Bible lists the names of the family of Jesus. These people lived many years before Jesus was born. In the Bible, a family history is very important because it shows how God kept his promises to people over a long time.

One famous person in the family of Jesus is David. He was a great king of Israel who lived a long time ago. You can read about how he served God in 1 Samuel 16 and 2 Samuel 5.

Another important person is Abraham. God promised Abraham that his family would bring a blessing to the whole world. Jesus is the one who came to give that blessing to everyone. You can read about this blessing in Genesis 12.

The list also includes Adam, who was the first man God created. The Bible calls Adam the “son of God” because God made him from the earth. Jesus is called the Son of God too, but in a much greater way. He is the only real Son of God who was sent to save people from sin. You can read about Adam in Genesis 2:5-25.

There are many other important people in this family history: Seth, Enoch, Noah, Issac, Jacob, Judah, Boaz, and Jesse.

This long list reminds us that God has a plan for people, and Jesus is part of that big plan. Jesus came to help all people, from every family, become part of God’s family.

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.

Jesus Is Baptized by John
21-22 When all the people were being baptized, Jesus came and was baptized too.
And while he was praying, the sky opened, and the Holy Spirit came down on him.
The Spirit looked like a real dove.
Then a voice came from heaven and said,
“You are my Son, the one I love.
I am very pleased with you.”
The Family History of Joseph
23 When Jesus began to teach, he was about 30 years old.
People thought that Jesus was Joseph’s son.
Joseph was the son of Eli.
24 Eli was the son of Matthat.
Matthat was the son of Levi.
Levi was the son of Melchi.
Melchi was the son of Jannai.
Jannai was the son of Joseph.
25 Joseph was the son of Mattathias.
Mattathias was the son of Amos.
Amos was the son of Nahum.
Nahum was the son of Esli.
Esli was the son of Naggai.
26 Naggai was the son of Maath.
Maath was the son of Mattathias.
Mattathias was the son of Semein.
Semein was the son of Josech.
Josech was the son of Joda.
27 Joda was the son of Joanan.
Joanan was the son of Rhesa.
Rhesa was the son of Zerubbabel.
Zerubbabel was the son of Shealtiel.
Shealtiel was the son of Neri.
28 Neri was the son of Melchi.
Melchi was the son of Addi.
Addi was the son of Cosam.
Cosam was the son of Elmadam.
Elmadam was the son of Er.
29 Er was the son of Joshua.
Joshua was the son of Eliezer.
Eliezer was the son of Jorim.
Jorim was the son of Matthat.
Matthat was the son of Levi.
30 Levi was the son of Simeon.
Simeon was the son of Judah.
Judah was the son of Joseph.
Joseph was the son of Jonam.
Jonam was the son of Eliakim.
31 Eliakim was the son of Melea.
Melea was the son of Menna.
Menna was the son of Mattatha.
Mattatha was the son of Nathan.
Nathan was the son of David.
32 David was the son of Jesse.
Jesse was the son of Obed.
Obed was the son of Boaz.
Boaz was the son of Salmon.
Salmon was the son of Nahshon.
33 Nahshon was the son of Amminadab.
Amminadab was the son of Admin.
Admin was the son of Arni.
Arni was the son of Hezron.
Hezron was the son of Perez.
Perez was the son of Judah.
34 Judah was the son of Jacob.
Jacob was the son of Isaac.
Isaac was the son of Abraham.
Abraham was the son of Terah.
Terah was the son of Nahor.
35 Nahor was the son of Serug.
Serug was the son of Reu.
Reu was the son of Peleg.
Peleg was the son of Eber.
Eber was the son of Shelah.
36 Shelah was the son of Cainan.
Cainan was the son of Arphaxad.
Arphaxad was the son of Shem.
Shem was the son of Noah.
Noah was the son of Lamech.
37 Lamech was the son of Methuselah.
Methuselah was the son of Enoch.
Enoch was the son of Jared.
Jared was the son of Mahalaleel.
Mahalaleel was the son of Cainan.
38 Cainan was the son of Enos.
Enos was the son of Seth.
Seth was the son of Adam.
Adam was the son of God.
Luke 3:21-38 (ERV)

Very Easy: Easy-To-Read Version: Luke 3:21-38 (ERV)
Very Easy: New International Reader’s Version: Luke 3:21-38 (NIRV)
Easy: Good News Translation: Luke 3:21-38 (GNT)
Medium: New Living Translation: Luke 3:21-38 (NLT)
Hard: New International Version: Luke 3:21-38 (NIV)
Very Hard: English Standard Version: Luke 3:21-38 (ESV)

Luke 3:21-38 Printable ERV Passage

Comprehension Questions

What was Jesus doing when the sky opened?
What did the Holy Spirit look like when it came down?
What did the voice from heaven say about Jesus?
How old was Jesus when he began to teach?
Who did the people thought was the father of Jesus?
Who was the ancestor who was a great king?
Who was the ancestor who was the father of the people of Israel?
Who was the very first man listed at the end of the family history?
Who does the Bible say is the father of Adam?
Why is this long list of names important in the Bible?

Application Questions

How do you feel when you hear that God is pleased with his Son?
Why do you think it is important that Jesus had a real family like us?
When do you find it easiest to pray to God?
How can you show love to your family members this week?
What does it mean to you to be part of God’s big plan?

Theological Insights

Jesus is the true Son of God who has God’s love.
The Holy Spirit stays with Jesus to help him teach.
Jesus is a real man with a long family history.
God keeps his promises through many years and many families.
All people come from Adam, but Jesus came to save everyone.

Closing Prayer

Lord God,
You are the Creator of all families and the Father of our Lord Jesus.
I confess that I do not always act like a child who belongs to you.
Thank you for the gift of your Son and for your word that teaches us.
Please help me to follow Jesus and live in a way that makes you pleased.
Amen.