Joyful Moments ESL

This Bible study series uses simple English so everyone can understand. It is perfect for ESL students, homeschool children, and anyone who wants to grow in faith. I also have a Sunday School lesson on Luke 6:12-26 that may work better for native English speakers.

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Lesson Icebreaker Question

Can you think of a time when you felt very blessed, even if life was hard? Would you like to share it?

Lesson Highlight

In this lesson, we will learn what Jesus said about being blessed. He teaches us what God cares about most. We will see that real blessing does not come from money or praise, but from knowing and trusting Jesus.

Vocabulary Lists for the ERV Bible Translation

Key Vocabulary Words (10 words)

1. ancestor: (noun) A person in your family who lived a long time ago.
2. blessing: (noun) A good thing that God gives to his people.
3. false prophet: (phrase) A person who says they have a message from God but tells lies instead.
4. God’s kingdom: (phrase) The place or way where God rules as king.
5. heaven: (noun) The place where God lives.
6. insult: (verb) To say something mean to someone to hurt them.
7. jump for joy: (phrase) To act very happy because something wonderful happened.
8. poor: (adjective) Having very little money or things.
9. prophet: (noun) A person who speaks messages from God.
10. reward: (noun) Something good given for doing a good job.

Important Words to Know (20 words)

1. ancestor: (noun) A person in your family who lived a long time ago.
2. belong: (verb) To be the property of someone.
3. blessing: (noun) A good thing that God gives to his people.
4. cry: (verb) To have tears come from your eyes because you are sad.
5. easy life: (phrase) A way of living where a person has plenty of money and no hard problems.
6. false prophet: (phrase) A person who says they have a message from God but tells lies instead.
7. fill: (verb) To put as much as possible into something.
8. follower: (noun) A person who learns from and obeys a teacher.
9. God’s kingdom: (phrase) The place or way where God rules as king.
10. hate: (verb) To dislike someone or something very much.
11. heaven: (noun) The place where God lives.
12. hungry: (adjective) Needing or wanting food.
13. insult: (verb) To say something mean to someone to hurt them.
14. jump for joy: (phrase) To act very happy because something wonderful happened.
15. laugh: (verb) To make a sound that shows you are happy or think something is funny.
16. poor: (adjective) Having very little money or things.
17. prophet: (noun) A person who speaks messages from God.
18. reward: (noun) Something good given for doing a good job.
19. rich: (adjective) Having a lot of money or things.
20. Son of Man: (phrase) A special name Jesus used for himself to show he is the savior sent by God.

Complete Lesson Word Bank

1. about: (preposition) Telling what a thing or person is like.
2. always: (adverb) Every time or at all times.
3. ancestor: (noun) A person in your family who lived a long time ago.
4. bad: (adjective) Not good or doing wrong things.
5. because: (conjunction) For the reason that.
6. belong: (verb) To be the property of someone.
7. blessing: (noun) A good thing that God gives to his people.
8. cry: (verb) To have tears come from your eyes because you are sad.
9. easy life: (phrase) A way of living where a person has plenty of money and no hard problems.
10. even: (adverb) Used to show that something is surprising.
11. everyone: (pronoun) Every person in a group.
12. false: (adjective) Something that is not true or is a lie.
13. false prophet: (phrase) A person who says they have a message from God but tells lies instead.
14. fill: (verb) To put as much as possible into something.
15. follower: (noun) A person who learns from and obeys a teacher.
16. full: (adjective) Holding as much as possible.
17. God: (noun) The creator and ruler of everything.
18. God’s kingdom: (phrase) The place or way where God rules as king.
19. good things: (phrase) Kind or pleasant words and actions that people do or say.
20. great: (adjective) Very large or very good.
21. group: (noun) A number of people or things that are together.
22. happen: (verb) To take place.
23. happy: (adjective) Feeling joy or pleasure.
24. hate: (verb) To dislike someone or something very much.
25. heaven: (noun) The place where God lives.
26. hungry: (adjective) Needing or wanting food.
27. insult: (verb) To say something mean to someone to hurt them.
28. Jesus: (noun) The Son of God and the Savior of the world!
29. jump for joy: (phrase) To act very happy because something wonderful happened.
30. just: (adverb) Only or simply.
31. know: (verb) To have information about something in your mind.
32. laugh: (verb) To make a sound that shows you are happy or think something is funny.
33. leave: (verb) To go away from a place.
34. look: (verb) To use your eyes to see something.
35. make: (verb) To cause a feeling or a change.
36. nothing: (pronoun) Not anything.
37. now: (adverb) At this time.
38. poor: (adjective) Having very little money or things.
39. prophet: (noun) A person who speaks messages from God.
40. reward: (noun) Something good given for doing a good job.
41. rich: (adjective) Having a lot of money or things.
42. sad: (adjective) Feeling unhappy.
43. same: (adjective) Not different.
44. Son of Man: (phrase) A special name Jesus used for himself to show he is the savior sent by God.
45. think: (verb) To use your mind to have ideas.
46. will: (verb) A word used to talk about the future.
47. wrong: (adjective) Not right or not true.

Summary of the Passage

This passage tells us about a time when Jesus taught his followers a new way to think about happiness. At that time, many people believed that only the rich were happy, but Jesus taught something very different. He looked at the people and said that those who are poor, hungry, or sad now are actually the ones who are truly blessed. To be blessed means that God loves you and has a special promise for your life.

Jesus promised that God’s kingdom, which is the wonderful place where God takes care of his people, belongs to the poor. He said that those who are hungry now will be filled and the people who cry now will laugh again. Jesus even told his followers to jump for joy when people hate them or say mean things for following the Son of Man. The Son of Man is special name is what Jesus called himself to show he is the Savior. Even if life is hard now, God’s people have a great reward waiting in heaven. Their ancestors treated the prophets, or the men who brought messages from God, the same way long ago.

Jesus explained that their ancestors treated the prophets, the men who brought messages from God, the same way long ago. This history shows that God’s messengers are often treated poorly while false prophets are praised. A false prophet is a person who tells lies and says the lies are from God. Jesus gave a warning to people who only care about having an easy life and being popular like those false teachers. He said it would be very bad for those who are rich but do not care about God. If they only laugh now and do not follow God, they will be very sad later.

This passage teaches us that a real blessing does not come from money or being popular. Real blessing comes from trusting Jesus even when our lives are very hard. God sees us and promises to care for us forever in his kingdom.

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.

20 Jesus looked at his followers and said,
“Great blessings belong to you who are poor.
God’s kingdom belongs to you.
21 Great blessings belong to you who are hungry now.
You will be filled.
Great blessings belong to you who are crying now.
You will be happy and laughing.
22 “People will hate you because you belong to the Son of Man.
They will make you leave their group.
They will insult you.
They will think it is wrong even to say your name.
When these things happen, know that great blessings belong to you.
23 You can be happy then and jump for joy, because you have a great reward in heaven.
The ancestors of those people did the same things to the prophets.
24 “But how bad it will be for you rich people, because you had your easy life.
25 How bad it will be for you people who are full now, because you will be hungry.
How bad it will be for you people who are laughing now, because you will be sad and cry.
26 “How bad it is when everyone says nothing but good about you.
Just look at the false prophets.
Their ancestors always said good things about them.

Luke 6:20–26 (ERV)

• Very Easy: Easy-to-Read Version: Luke 6:20–26 (ERV)
• Very Easy: New International Reader’s Version: Luke 6:20–26 (NIRV)
• Easy: Good News Translation: Luke 6:20–26 (GNT)
• Medium: New Living Translation: Luke 6:20–26 (NLT)
• Hard: New International Version: Luke 6:20–26 (NIV)
• Very Hard: English Standard Version: Luke 6:20–26 (ESV)

Comprehension Questions

1. Who was Jesus talking to in this story?
2. What belongs to the people who are poor?
3. What will happen to the people who are hungry now?
4. What did Jesus say to the people who are crying?
5. Why will some people hate the followers of Jesus?
6. Where is the great reward for God’s people?
7. What did the ancestors do to the prophets in the past?
8. Why is it bad for people to only care about an easy life?
9. What will happen to people who only laugh now, but do not follow God?
10. What did people say about the false prophets?

Application Questions

1. How do you feel when life is very hard for you?
2. What are some things in this world that make people feel rich and blessed?
3. Why can a person feel blessed, even when they are sad?
4. How can we trust God more than we trust money or things?
5. What is one way you can follow Jesus this week?

Theological Insights

1. God blesses people who trust him, even when life is hard.
2. Being poor or sad does not mean God has forgotten you.
3. True blessing is knowing God and being part of his kingdom.
4. We should not trust in money, being liked by everyone, or comfort.
5. Jesus blesses those who follow him, even when others do not understand.

Closing Prayer

Dear Father,
We praise you because you are the King of heaven and earth.
We confess that we often want an easy life more than we want to follow you.
Thank you for the blessing of knowing Jesus and being in your kingdom.
Please help us to jump for joy because we trust in your promises.
Amen.

A Sunday School Lesson

If you prefer a lesson that is better for English speaking children, see my Sunday School lesson for Luke 6:12-26. This lesson includes:

• Advice for Sunday School Teachers
• Activity Suggestions
• Discussion Questions

Luke Bible Study Series

You can explore my complete collection of 104 free Bible study lessons for ESL learners, homeschool families, and anyone who enjoys easy English. The studies are organized into 6 simple sections to help you grow in faith at your own pace:

• Part 1: The Birth and Early Life of Jesus (Lessons 1–11)
• Part 2: Jesus Begins His Ministry (Lessons 12–23)
• Part 3: Teaching and Miracles (Lessons 24–40)
• Part 4: The Journey to Jerusalem (Lessons 41–60)
• Part 5: Parables and Teachings (Lessons 61–83)
• Part 6: The Final Week and Resurrection (Lessons 84–104)

More Easy English Resources

More Related Resources

Visit the Joyful Moments ESL homepage for all posts, or scroll through more blog posts about blessings and suffering:

Scripture quotations marked (ERV) are taken from the HOLY BIBLE: EASY-TO-READ VERSION ©2006 by Bible League International. Used by permission.