Women Who Followed Jesus: An ESL Bible Study on Luke 8:1-3

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 8:1-3 Printable Discussion Questions

Luke 8:1-3 Printable ERV Passage

Lesson Icebreaker Question

Can you think of a time when you helped someone in a small or big way? What did you do?

Lesson Highlight

In this lesson, we will learn about some women who followed Jesus and helped him. We will see how Jesus welcomed people from different backgrounds to be part of his work.

Vocabulary Lists for the ERV Bible Translation

Key Vocabulary Words (10 words)

apostle: (noun) One of the special followers Jesus chose to send out with a message.
come out: (phrase) To leave a place or a person.
demon: (noun) An evil spirit that follows the devil.
God’s kingdom: (phrase) The place or way where God rules as king.
Good News: (phrase) The message about Jesus and how he saves people.
heal: (verb) To make a sick or hurt person well again.
manager: (noun) A person who is in charge of a business or a house.
property: (noun) Things or land that belong to someone.
travel: (verb) To go from one place to another.
used: (verb) To have done something with a thing to reach a goal or finish a task.

Important Words to Know (20 words)

also: (adverb) In addition to something else.
apostle: (noun) One of the special followers Jesus chose to send out with a message.
city: (noun) A large town with many people and buildings.
come out: (phrase) To leave a place or a person.
demon: (noun) An evil spirit that follows the devil.
evil spirit: (phrase) A bad and powerful being from the devil that can hurt people.
God’s kingdom: (phrase) The place or way where God rules as king.
Good News: (phrase) The message about Jesus and how he saves people.
group: (noun) A number of people or things that are together.
heal: (verb) To make a sick or hurt person well again.
help: (verb) To do something useful for someone.
Joanna: (noun) A woman who followed Jesus and helped him.
manager: (noun) A person who is in charge of a business or a house.
Mary Magdalene: (noun) A woman who followed Jesus after he healed her and made seven demons leave her.
message: (noun) Important information that is spoken or written.
own: (adjective) Belonging to a specific person.
property: (noun) Things or land that belong to someone.
sickness: (noun) A state of being ill or unhealthy.
travel: (verb) To go from one place to another.
used: (verb) To have done something with a thing to reach a goal or finish a task.

Complete Lesson Word Bank

also: (adverb) In addition to something else.
apostle: (noun) One of the special followers Jesus chose to send out with a message.
call: (verb) To give a name to someone or something.
city: (noun) A large town with many people and buildings.
come out: (phrase) To leave a place or a person.
demon: (noun) An evil spirit that follows the devil.
evil spirit: (phrase) A bad and powerful being from the devil that can hurt people.
God: (noun) The creator and ruler of everything.
God’s kingdom: (phrase) The place or way where God rules as king.
Good News: (phrase) The message about Jesus and how he saves people.
group: (noun) A number of people or things that are together.
heal: (verb) To make a sick or hurt person well again.
help: (verb) To do something useful for someone.
Herod: (noun) A king who ruled in Israel during the time of Jesus.
Jesus: (noun) The Son of God and the Savior of the world!
Joanna: (noun) A woman who followed Jesus and helped him.
manager: (noun) A person who is in charge of a business or a house.
many: (adjective) A large number of people or things.
Mary Magdalene: (noun) A woman who followed Jesus after he healed her and made seven demons leave her.
message: (noun) Important information that is spoken or written.
money: (noun) The coins or paper used to buy things.
next day: (phrase) The day that comes after today or after a certain day.
other: (adjective) Different from the one already mentioned.
own: (adjective) Belonging to a specific person.
people: (noun) More than one person.
property: (noun) Things or land that belong to someone.
sickness: (noun) A state of being ill or unhealthy.
small: (adjective) Not big.
some: (adjective) An amount that is not specific.
through: (preposition) Moving from one side to the other.
told: (verb) To have given information to someone.
town: (noun) A place where many people live that is smaller than a city.
travel: (verb) To go from one place to another.
used: (verb) To have done something with a thing to reach a goal or finish a task.
wife: (noun) The woman that a man is married to.
women: (noun) More than one woman.

Summary of the Passage

This passage tells about a time when Jesus was traveling from place to place. He went to many towns and villages to teach people about God’s Kingdom. Jesus shared the Good News, which means the happy message that God loves people and wants to save them.

Jesus did not travel alone. His twelve apostles, the twelve men who were his closest followers, went with him. But there were also some women who traveled with them. These women had been sick or troubled by evil spirits before, but Jesus healed them. One woman was named Mary Magdalene, and the Bible says Jesus drove seven demons out of her.

Other women helped too. One woman named Joanna was married to a man who worked for a king. Another woman was Susanna. There were many other women as well. These women helped Jesus and his apostles by using their own money and resources.

This passage shows us that Jesus welcomed both men and women to be part of his work. It teaches us that no matter where we come from, we can follow Jesus and help others too.

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.

The Group With Jesus
1 The next day, Jesus traveled through some cities and small towns.
Jesus told the people a message from God, the Good News about God’s kingdom.
The twelve apostles were with him.
2 There were also some women with him.
Jesus had healed these women of sicknesses and evil spirits.
One of them was Mary, who was called Magdalene.
Seven demons had come out of her.
3 Also with these women were Joanna, the wife of Chuza (the manager of Herod’s property), Susanna, and many other women.
These women used their own money to help Jesus and his apostles.
Luke 8:1-3 (ERV)

Very Easy: Easy-to-Read Version: Luke 8:1-3 (ERV)
Very Easy: New International Reader’s Version: Luke 8:1-3 (NIRV)
Easy: Good News Translation: Luke 8:1-3 (GNT)
Medium: New Living Translation: Luke 8:1-3 (NLT)
Hard: New International Version: Luke 8:1-3 (NIV)
Very Hard: English Standard Version: Luke 8:1-3 (ESV)

Luke 8:1-3 Printable ERV Passage

Comprehension Questions

Where did Jesus travel in this story?
What message did Jesus tell to the people?
Who traveled with Jesus?
What had Jesus done for the women who followed him?
What was the name of the woman who had seven demons taken out of her?
Who was Joanna’s husband, and what job did he have?
How did the women help Jesus and the apostles?

Application Questions

Why do you think the women wanted to follow and help Jesus?
How can we help people who share God’s message today?
Do you think both men and women are important in God’s work? Why?
What is one way you can show kindness and help someone this week?

Theological Insights

Jesus welcomes both men and women to follow him.
God’s love and healing are for everyone, no matter their past.
People can use what they have — time, money, or talents — to serve God.
The church is made up of many different kinds of people, all working together.

Closing Prayer

Dear Father, Thank you for loving everyone and letting all people be part of your work. Help us to follow you and use what we have to help others. Amen.