A Woman Shows Great Love: An ESL Bible Study on Luke 7:36-50

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 7:36-8:3 that may work better for native English speakers.

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Luke 7:36-50 Printable Discussion Questions

Luke 7:36-50 Printable ERV Passage

Lesson Icebreaker Question

Have you ever given someone a special gift or done something kind to show you care? What did you do?

Lesson Highlight

In this lesson, we will hear a story about a woman who showed great love to Jesus. We will see how Jesus forgave her and how people around him reacted. This lesson will teach us about love, forgiveness, and faith.

Vocabulary Lists for the ERV Bible Translation

Key Vocabulary Words (10 words)

alabaster jar: (phrase) A bottle made of white stone used for holding expensive perfume.
banker: (noun) A person who works with money at a bank.
debt: (noun) Money that you owe to someone else.
forgive: (verb) To stop being angry at someone for a wrong they did.
honor: (verb) To show great respect to someone.
owe: (verb) To need to pay money to someone.
perfume: (noun) A liquid that smells very sweet.
Pharisee: (noun) A religious leader who was very strict about rules.
sinful: (adjective) Full of sin or doing many wrong things.
sinner: (noun) A person who does things that God says are wrong.

Important Words to Know (20 words)

alabaster jar: (phrase) A bottle made of white stone used for holding expensive perfume.
banker: (noun) A person who works with money at a bank.
believe: (verb) To trust in someone.
debt: (noun) Money that you owe to someone else.
expensive: (adjective) Costing a lot of money.
forgive: (verb) To stop being angry at someone for a wrong they did.
forgiven: (adjective) To have your sins taken away by God.
greet: (verb) To say hello to someone in a kind way.
honor: (verb) To show great respect to someone.
owe: (verb) To need to pay money to someone.
peace: (noun) A time of quiet and no fighting.
perfume: (noun) A liquid that smells very sweet.
Pharisee: (noun) A religious leader who was very strict about rules.
prophet: (noun) A person who speaks messages from God.
save: (verb) To keep someone from danger or death.
silver coin: (phrase) A small piece of round metal used as money.
sin: (noun) Doing things that are against the rules of God.
sinful: (adjective) Full of sin or doing many wrong things.
sinner: (noun) A person who does things that God says are wrong.
sweet-smelling: (adjective) Having a pleasant or nice odor like a flower.

Complete Lesson Word Bank

alabaster jar: (phrase) A bottle made of white stone used for holding expensive perfume.
banker: (noun) A person who works with money at a bank.
began: (verb) To have started something.
believe: (verb) To trust in someone.
both: (adjective) Two people or things together.
brought: (verb) To have taken someone or something to a place.
clear: (adjective) Easy to see or easy to understand.
cry: (verb) To have tears come from your eyes because you are sad.
debt: (noun) Money that you owe to someone else.
dried: (adjective) Having no more water in it.
expensive: (adjective) Costing a lot of money.
feet: (noun) The parts of the body at the end of the legs that a person stands on.
forgive: (verb) To stop being angry at someone for a wrong they did.
forgiven: (adjective) To have your sins taken away by God.
great: (adjective) Very large or very good.
greet: (verb) To say hello to someone in a kind way.
hair: (noun) The thin threads that grow on a person’s head.
head: (noun) The top part of the body with the brain and face.
honor: (verb) To show great respect to someone.
Jesus: (noun) The Son of God and the Savior of the world!
kiss: (verb) To touch with the lips to show love or a greeting.
let: (verb) To allow something to happen.
love: (verb) To care very much for someone and want what is best for them.
many times: (phrase) Doing something often or again and again.
more: (adjective) A larger amount of something.
most: (adjective) The largest amount or number.
oil: (noun) A smooth liquid from plants used for cooking or lamps.
other: (adjective) Different from the one already mentioned.
owe: (verb) To need to pay money to someone.
pay: (verb) To give money for something.
peace: (noun) A time of quiet and no fighting.
perfume: (noun) A liquid that smells very sweet.
Pharisee: (noun) A religious leader who was very strict about rules.
place: (noun) A specific area, room, or location.
prophet: (noun) A person who speaks messages from God.
response: (noun) An answer to something.
right: (adjective) Something that is correct or good.
rub: (verb) To move your hand over something.
save: (verb) To keep someone from danger or death.
show: (verb) To let someone see something.
silver coin: (phrase) A small piece of round metal used as money.
Simon the Pharisee: (noun) A religious leader who invited Jesus to his house for a meal.
sin: (noun) Doing things that are against the rules of God.
since: (preposition) From a certain time until now.
sinful: (adjective) Full of sin or doing many wrong things.
sinner: (noun) A person who does things that God says are wrong.
sit: (verb) To rest your body on a chair or the ground.
stood: (verb) To have been on your feet.
sweet-smelling: (adjective) Having a pleasant or nice odor like a flower.
table: (noun) A piece of furniture with a flat top used for eating or working.
tear: (noun) A drop of salty water that comes from the eye.
thought to himself: (phrase) To have an idea or opinion in one’s mind without saying it out loud.
told: (verb) To have given information to someone.
took a place: (phrase) To sit down in a specific spot at a table for a meal.
touch: (verb) To put your hand or a finger on something.
town: (noun) A place where many people live that is smaller than a city.
turn: (verb) To move in a circle or to change direction.
wash: (verb) To clean something with water.
went: (verb) To have moved to another place.
would: (verb) A word used to talk about something that might happen or something someone wanted to do.

Summary of the Passage

This passage tells about a time when Jesus went to eat dinner at the home of a Pharisee named Simon. A Pharisee was a religious leader in those days. At the same time, a woman who had lived a sinful life came to see Jesus. She brought a jar of perfume. She cried, and her tears fell on Jesus’ feet. Then, she wiped his feet with her hair and poured the perfume on them. In those days, people wore sandals and the roads were very dusty. When a guest came to a house, the host usually gave them water to wash their feet. Simon did not do this for Jesus, but the woman used her own tears. This woman showed great love and care for Jesus.

Simon, the Pharisee, was surprised. He thought if Jesus were really a prophet from God, he would know what kind of sinful life the woman had lived. Jesus knew what Simon was thinking. So Jesus told a story about two men who owed money. One man owed a little, and the other owed a lot. Both men had their debts forgiven. They no longer needed to pay back their debts. Jesus asked Simon which man would be more thankful. Simon said the one who owed more money. Jesus agreed.

Jesus explained that this woman had shown great love because she had been forgiven much. He said that people who are forgiven a little show only a little love. Then, Jesus told the woman her sins were forgiven and that her faith had saved her. He told her to go in peace.

This passage shows us that Jesus loves to forgive people, no matter what their past is like. It teaches us that when we are forgiven, we can show great love to God and others.

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.

Simon the Pharisee
36 One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to eat with him.
Jesus went into the Pharisee’s house and took a place at the table.
37 There was a sinful woman in that town.
She knew that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house.
So the woman brought some expensive perfume in an alabaster jar.
38 She stood at Jesus’ feet, crying.
Then she began to wash his feet with her tears.
She dried his feet with her hair.
She kissed his feet many times and rubbed them with the perfume.
39 When the Pharisee who asked Jesus to come to his house saw this, he thought to himself,
“If this man were a prophet, he would know that the woman who is touching him is a sinner!”
40 In response, Jesus said to the Pharisee,
“Simon, I have something to say to you.”
Simon said,
“Let me hear it, Teacher.”
41 Jesus said,
“There were two men.
Both men owed money to the same banker.
One man owed him 500 silver coins.
The other man owed him 50 silver coins.
42 The men had no money, so they could not pay their debt.
But the banker told the men that they did not have to pay him.
Which one of those two men will love him more?”
43 Simon answered,
“I think it would be the one who owed him the most money.”
Jesus said to him,
“You are right.”
44 Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon,
“Do you see this woman?
When I came into your house, you gave me no water for my feet.
But she washed my feet with her tears and dried my feet with her hair.
45 You did not greet me with a kiss, but she has been kissing my feet since I came in.
46 You did not honor me with oil for my head, but she rubbed my feet with her sweet-smelling oil.
47 I tell you that her many sins are forgiven.
This is clear, because she showed great love.
People who are forgiven only a little will love only a little.”
48 Then Jesus said to her,
“Your sins are forgiven.”
49 The people sitting at the table began to think to themselves,
“Who does this man think he is?
How can he forgive sins?”
50 Jesus said to the woman,
“Because you believed, you are saved from your sins.
Go in peace.”
Luke 7:36-50 (ERV)

Very Easy: Easy-to-Read Version: Luke 7:36-50 (ERV)
Very Easy: New International Reader’s Version: Luke 7:36-50 (NIRV)
Easy: Good News Translation: Luke 7:36-50 (GNT)
Medium: New Living Translation: Luke 7:36-50 (NLT)
Hard: New International Version: Luke 7:36-50 (NIV)
Very Hard: English Standard Version: Luke 7:36-50 (ESV)

Luke 7:36-50 Printable ERV Passage

Comprehension Questions

Where did Jesus go to eat dinner?
Who came to see Jesus while he was at the Pharisee’s house?
What did the woman bring with her?
What did the woman do with her tears and her hair?
Why was Simon surprised?
What story did Jesus tell Simon?
In the story, who loved the banker more?
What did Jesus say about the woman’s love?
What did Jesus tell the woman at the end?
What did the other people at the table say about Jesus?

Application Questions

Have you ever done something kind for someone because you were thankful? What was it?
Why do you think the woman was so loving to Jesus?
How does it feel to forgive someone? How does it feel to be forgiven?
What can we learn about God’s love from this story?
How can you show love and kindness to people around you this week?

Theological Insights

God forgives people who have done wrong when they come to him in faith.
Jesus is the Son of God who has the power to forgive sins.
People who are forgiven much often show great love in return.
Faith in Jesus brings peace and a new life.
God cares more about our hearts than about our past mistakes.

Closing Prayer

Dear Father, Thank you for your great love and forgiveness. Help us to show love to you and to other people. Thank you for giving us peace through Jesus. Amen.