Jesus Heals a Man: An ESL Bible Study on Luke 5:12-16

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 5:12-26 that may work better for native English speakers.

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Luke 5:12-16 Printable Discussion Questions

Luke 5:12-16 Printable ERV Passage

Lesson Icebreaker Question

Have you ever been sick and asked someone to help you? Who helped you, and how did it make you feel?

Lesson Highlight

In this lesson, we will learn how Jesus met a man who was very sick. We will see how Jesus showed love by healing him and how Jesus took time to pray to God.

Vocabulary Lists for the ERV Bible Translation

Key Vocabulary Words (10 words)

beg: (verb) To ask for something very strongly or with deep feeling.
bowed before: (phrase) To bend the body forward and low in front of someone to show respect.
disappear: (verb) To go away so that no one can see you.
heal: (verb) To make a sick or hurt person well again.
immediately: (adverb) Happening right away without waiting.
leprosy: (noun) A serious skin disease that was very scary in Bible times.
offer a gift: (phrase) To give something special to God or a person to show thanks or worship.
pray: (verb) To talk to God.
priest: (noun) A man who did special work for God in the Temple.
spread: (verb) To cover a larger area.

Important Words to Know (20 words)

alone: (adjective) Being without any other people.
beg: (verb) To ask for something very strongly or with deep feeling.
bowed before: (phrase) To bend the body forward and low in front of someone to show respect.
command: (verb) To give an order to someone.
cover: (verb) To be spread over the surface of something.
disappear: (verb) To go away so that no one can see you.
happen: (verb) To take place.
heal: (verb) To make a sick or hurt person well again.
immediately: (adverb) Happening right away without waiting.
leprosy: (noun) A serious skin disease that was very scary in Bible times.
more and more: (phrase) An increasing amount that continues to grow.
Moses: (noun) A great leader of Israel who lived long before Jesus.
news: (noun) Information about something that just happened.
offer a gift: (phrase) To give something special to God or a person to show thanks or worship.
often: (adverb) Happening many times.
power: (noun) Strength or the ability to do something.
pray: (verb) To talk to God.
priest: (noun) A man who did special work for God in the Temple.
show: (verb) To let someone see something.
spread: (verb) To cover a larger area.

Complete Lesson Word Bank

alone: (adjective) Being without any other people.
beg: (verb) To ask for something very strongly or with deep feeling.
bowed before: (phrase) To bend the body forward and low in front of someone to show respect.
came: (verb) To have moved toward a person or a place.
command: (verb) To give an order to someone.
could: (verb) To have been able to do something.
cover: (verb) To be spread over the surface of something.
disappear: (verb) To go away so that no one can see you.
God: (noun) The creator and ruler of everything.
happen: (verb) To take place.
heal: (verb) To make a sick or hurt person well again.
hear: (verb) To receive sound with your ears.
immediately: (adverb) Happening right away without waiting.
Jesus: (noun) The Son of God and the Savior of the world!
leprosy: (noun) A serious skin disease that was very scary in Bible times.
let: (verb) To allow something to happen.
live: (verb) To be alive.
Lord: (noun) A name that shows someone has power or authority.
many: (adjective) A large number of people or things.
more and more: (phrase) An increasing amount that continues to grow.
Moses: (noun) A great leader of Israel who lived long before Jesus.
news: (noun) Information about something that just happened.
offer a gift: (phrase) To give something special to God or a person to show thanks or worship.
often: (adverb) Happening many times.
one time: (phrase) A phrase used to talk about something that happened in the past.
other: (adjective) Different from the one already mentioned.
power: (noun) Strength or the ability to do something.
pray: (verb) To talk to God.
priest: (noun) A man who did special work for God in the Temple.
saw: (verb) To have looked at something with your eyes.
show: (verb) To let someone see something.
sick: (adjective) Not feeling well or having a disease.
sickness: (noun) A state of being ill or unhealthy.
spread: (verb) To cover a larger area.
tell: (verb) To give information to someone by speaking.
touch: (verb) To put your hand or a finger on something.
want: (verb) To wish for something.
went: (verb) To have moved to another place.
will: (verb) A word used to talk about the future.

Summary of the Passage

This passage tells the story of a man who lived in a town and was covered with leprosy. Leprosy is a very serious skin disease that was very scary in Bible times because it could spread to other people. This sickness forced the man to live away from his family and friends. Many people were afraid to get close to him because they did not want to get sick too.

One day, this man saw Jesus and decided to be very brave by walking up to him. He bowed before Jesus and began to beg for help. He believed that Jesus had the power to heal him if he wanted to. Jesus did something very kind that most people were afraid to do. He reached out and touched the man. Jesus said that he wanted to help. Immediately, the sickness disappeared from the man’s body.

Jesus gave a command for the man to be quiet about the miracle at first. He told the man to go and show himself to a priest. A priest was a man who did special work for God. Jesus wanted the man to offer a gift to God, as Moses had commanded long ago. This act would prove to everyone that he was truly well. The news about the miracle spread more and more, even though Jesus asked the man to be quiet. Large groups of people came to hear Jesus and to be healed. Jesus often went away to be alone in other places so that he could pray to God.

This passage shows us that Jesus cares for people who are hurting or feel left out. It teaches us that Jesus has the power to heal even the worst diseases. We also learn that we should follow the example of Jesus and find time to talk to God in prayer.

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 Heals a Sick Man
12 One time Jesus was in a town where a very sick man lived.
This man was covered with leprosy. When the man saw Jesus, he bowed before Jesus and begged him,
“Lord, you have the power to heal me if you want.”
13 Jesus said,
“I want to heal you. Be healed!”
Then he touched the man, and immediately the leprosy disappeared.
14 Then Jesus said, “Don’t tell anyone about what happened.
But go and let the priest look at you.
And offer a gift to God for your healing as Moses commanded.
This will show people that you are healed.”
15 But the news about Jesus spread more and more.
Many people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses.
16 Jesus often went away to other places to be alone so that he could pray.
Luke 5:12-16 (ERV)

Very Easy: Easy-to-Read Version: Luke 5:12-16 (ERV)
Very Easy: New International Reader’s Version: Luke 5:12-16 (NIRV)
Easy: Good News Translation: Luke 5:12-16 (GNT)
Medium: New Living Translation: Luke 5:12-16 (NLT)
Hard: New International Version: Luke 5:12-16 (NIV)
Very Hard: English Standard Version: Luke 5:12-16 (ESV)

Luke 5:12-16 Printable ERV Passage

Comprehension Questions

What was the name of the skin disease that covered the man?
What did the man do when he first saw Jesus?
What did the man believe Jesus had the power to do?
What kind action did Jesus take before he spoke to the man?
How quickly did the sickness disappear after Jesus touched him?
Who did Jesus command the man to visit after he was healed?
Why did Jesus want the man to offer a gift to God?
What happened to the news about Jesus after this miracle?
Why did many people come to find Jesus in this story?
Where did Jesus go when he wanted to pray?

Application Questions

How do you feel when you think about Jesus touching a man that everyone else avoided?
Why is it important to beg God for help when we are in a difficult situation?
How can we show kindness to a neighbor who is feeling lonely or sick this week?
When is the best time for you to go away and be alone to pray?
How does it help your faith to know that Jesus has power over all sickness?

Theological Insights

Jesus has the power to heal people from any kind of serious sickness.
Jesus is kind and loving to those who are avoided by the rest of the world.
Jesus honored the laws of God by sending the man to the priest.
Jesus made time to pray often because talking to God is very important.
We can trust that Jesus hears us when we ask for his help.

Closing Prayer

Dear Father,
We praise you because you are the Lord who has the power to heal us.
We confess that we do not always make time to be alone and pray.
Thank you for the kindness Jesus showed to the man with leprosy.
Please help us to show your love to people who are hurting in our town.
Amen.