God’s Family: An ESL Bible Study on Luke 8:19-21

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 8:4-21 that may work better for native English speakers.

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Luke 8:19-21 Printable Discussion Questions

Luke 8:19-21 Printable ERV Passage

Lesson Icebreaker Question

Who are the people in your family, and what do you like to do together?

Lesson Highlight

In this lesson, we will learn how Jesus teaches that God’s family is made of people who listen to him and follow his words. We will see that obeying God is very important.

Vocabulary Lists for the ERV Bible Translation

Key Vocabulary Words (10 words)

brother: (noun) A man or boy who has the same parents as another person.
family: (noun) A group of people who are related to each other.
follower: (noun) A person who learns from and obeys a teacher.
get close: (phrase) To move near to a person or a place.
God’s teaching: (phrase) The words and ideas from God that show people how to live.
mother: (noun) A female parent.
obey: (verb) To do what a rule or a person tells you to do.
outside: (adverb) In or to a place that is not inside a building.
true: (adjective) Real or right.
visit: (verb) To go to see a person or a place.

Important Words to Know (20 words)

answer: (verb) To speak or write back to a question.
because: (conjunction) For the reason that.
brother: (noun) A man or boy who has the same parents as another person.
family: (noun) A group of people who are related to each other.
follower: (noun) A person who learns from and obeys a teacher.
get close: (phrase) To move near to a person or a place.
God’s teaching: (phrase) The words and ideas from God that show people how to live.
listen to: (phrase) To use your ears to hear and think about what someone is saying.
many: (adjective) A large number of people or things.
mother: (noun) A female parent.
obey: (verb) To do what a rule or a person tells you to do.
outside: (adverb) In or to a place that is not inside a building.
people: (noun) More than one person.
said: (verb) To have spoken words.
see: (verb) To look at something with your eyes.
someone: (pronoun) A person, but it is not said who.
stand: (verb) To be on your feet in an upright way.
those: (pronoun) A group of people.
true: (adjective) Real or right.
visit: (verb) To go to see a person or a place.

Complete Lesson Word Bank

answer: (verb) To speak or write back to a question.
because: (conjunction) For the reason that.
brother: (noun) A man or boy who has the same parents as another person.
came: (verb) To have moved toward a person or a place.
could: (verb) To have been able to do something.
family: (noun) A group of people who are related to each other.
follower: (noun) A person who learns from and obeys a teacher.
get close: (phrase) To move near to a person or a place.
God: (noun) The creator and ruler of everything.
God’s teaching: (phrase) The words and ideas from God that show people how to live.
Jesus: (noun) The Son of God and the Savior of the world!
listen to: (phrase) To use your ears to hear and think about what someone is saying.
many: (adjective) A large number of people or things.
mother: (noun) A female parent.
obey: (verb) To do what a rule or a person tells you to do.
outside: (adverb) In or to a place that is not inside a building.
people: (noun) More than one person.
said: (verb) To have spoken words.
see: (verb) To look at something with your eyes.
someone: (pronoun) A person, but it is not said who.
stand: (verb) To be on your feet in an upright way.
those: (pronoun) A group of people.
true: (adjective) Real or right.
visit: (verb) To go to see a person or a place.
want: (verb) To wish for something.

Summary of the Passage

This passage shows Jesus is teaching a large group of people. Many people wanted to hear Jesus because he spoke about God and how to live a good life. One day, while Jesus was speaking, his mother and brothers came to see him. But there were so many people that they could not get close to him.

Someone told Jesus that his family was outside and wanted to see him. Jesus used this time to teach an important lesson to everyone listening. He said that his true family are the people who listen to God’s word and obey it.

This might sound surprising because we usually think of family as the people we are born into or live with. Jesus still loved his mother and brothers, but he was showing that God’s love is open to everyone. People who follow God’s words are like family too. They belong together because they love God and want to do what he says.

This passage teaches us that we become part of God’s family when we listen to him and do what he tells us in the Bible. God’s family is not only about parents and brothers and sisters. It is about people who love and follow him.

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’ Followers Are His True Family
19 Jesus’ mother and brothers came to visit him.
But they could not get close to him, because there were so many people.
20 Someone said to Jesus,
“Your mother and your brothers are standing outside.
They want to see you.”
21 Jesus answered them,
“My mother and my brothers are those who listen to God’s teaching and obey it.”
Luke 8:19-21 (ERV)

Very Easy: Easy-to-Read Version: Luke 8:19-21 (ERV)
Very Easy: New International Reader’s Version: Luke 8:19-21 (NIRV)
Easy: Good News Translation: Luke 8:19-21 (GNT)
Medium: New Living Translation: Luke 8:19-21 (NLT)
Hard: New International Version: Luke 8:19-21 (NIV)
Very Hard: English Standard Version: Luke 8:19-21 (ESV)

Luke 8:19-21 Printable ERV Passage

Comprehension Questions

Who came to see Jesus while he was teaching?
Why could Jesus’ mother and brothers not get close to him?
What did someone tell Jesus about his family?
What did Jesus say about who his true family is?
What does it mean to listen to God’s word?
What does it mean to obey God’s word?

Application Questions

Who are some people in your life that you think of as family?
How can you be part of God’s family?
What is one way you can listen to God this week?
Why do you think Jesus says that people who obey God are like family to him?

Theological Insights

God’s family is made of people who listen to him and follow his words.
Jesus teaches that obeying God is more important than only being with the family we are born into.
When we trust in God and follow his word, we become part of his forever family.
The church is like a big family of people who love and obey God.