Who Is the Greatest? An ESL Bible Study on Luke 9:46-50

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 9:46-50 that may work better for native English speakers.

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Luke 9:46-50 Printable Discussion Questions

Luke 9:46-50 Printable ERV Passage

Lesson Icebreaker Question

Have you ever argued with someone about who was better at something? What happened?

Lesson Highlight

In this lesson, we will learn how Jesus taught his disciples to be humble and kind. We will also hear how Jesus showed them that people who follow him should not fight over who is most important.

Vocabulary Lists for the ERV Bible Translation

Key Vocabulary Words (10 words)

accept: (verb) To welcome or receive a person with kindness.
against: (preposition) To be an enemy of someone or to try to hurt them.
among: (preposition) In the middle of a group of people or things.
argument: (noun) An angry talk when people do not agree.
demon: (noun) An evil spirit that follows the devil.
force out: (phrase) To make someone or something leave a place when they do not want to go.
greatest: (adjective) Better or larger than all others.
humble: (adjective) Not thinking you are more important than others.
master: (noun) A person who has power over others or a great teacher.
whoever: (pronoun) Any person who does something.

Important Words to Know (20 words)

accept: (verb) To welcome or receive a person with kindness.
against: (preposition) To be an enemy of someone or to try to hurt them.
among: (preposition) In the middle of a group of people or things.
argument: (noun) An angry talk when people do not agree.
belong to: (phrase) To be a member of a group or to be owned by someone.
child: (noun) A young person.
demon: (noun) An evil spirit that follows the devil.
follower: (noun) A person who learns from and obeys a teacher.
force out: (phrase) To make someone or something leave a place when they do not want to go.
great: (adjective) Very large or very good.
greatest: (adjective) Better or larger than all others.
group: (noun) A number of people or things that are together.
humble: (adjective) Not thinking you are more important than others.
master: (noun) A person who has power over others or a great teacher.
most: (adverb) A word used to show the highest amount of a quality.
name: (noun) What a person, place, or thing is called.
sent: (verb) To have caused someone to go to a place.
someone: (pronoun) A person, but it is not said who.
stop: (verb) To not move or to finish doing something.
whoever: (pronoun) Any person who does something.

Complete Lesson Word Bank

about: (preposition) Telling what a thing or person is like.
accept: (verb) To welcome or receive a person with kindness.
against: (preposition) To be an enemy of someone or to try to hurt them.
also: (adverb) In addition to something else.
among: (preposition) In the middle of a group of people or things.
answer: (verb) To speak or write back to a question.
anyone: (pronoun) Any person at all.
argument: (noun) An angry talk when people do not agree.
because: (conjunction) For the reason that.
began: (verb) To have started something.
belong to: (phrase) To be a member of a group or to be owned by someone.
child: (noun) A young person.
demon: (noun) An evil spirit that follows the devil.
follower: (noun) A person who learns from and obeys a teacher.
force out: (phrase) To make someone or something leave a place when they do not want to go.
great: (adjective) Very large or very good.
greatest: (adjective) Better or larger than all others.
group: (noun) A number of people or things that are together.
humble: (adjective) Not thinking you are more important than others.
Jesus: (noun) The Son of God and the Savior of the world!
John: (noun) One of the twelve followers of Jesus.
knew: (verb) To have had information about something in your mind.
like: (preposition) Similar to something else.
little: (adjective) Small in size or amount.
master: (noun) A person who has power over others or a great teacher.
most: (adverb) A word used to show the highest amount of a quality.
name: (noun) What a person, place, or thing is called.
people: (noun) More than one person.
saw: (verb) To have looked at something with your eyes.
sent: (verb) To have caused someone to go to a place.
someone: (pronoun) A person, but it is not said who.
stood beside: (phrase) To have been in a standing position next to someone.
stop: (verb) To not move or to finish doing something.
think: (verb) To use your mind to have ideas.
told: (verb) To have given information to someone.
took: (verb) To have carried or moved something from one place to another.
use: (verb) To do something with a tool or an object.
whoever: (pronoun) Any person who does something.

Summary of the Passage

This passage begins with Jesus’ disciples arguing. They wanted to know which one of them was the greatest. They were thinking about who was most important. Jesus knew what they were thinking in their hearts. He wanted to teach them something different.

Jesus called a child to stand beside him. In their time, people did not think children were very important. But Jesus said that welcoming a child was like welcoming him. And welcoming Jesus is like welcoming God. Then Jesus told them that the person who is the least, or the one people think is not important, is actually the greatest in God’s eyes.

Next, John, one of the disciples, spoke up. He said they saw a man forcing out demons in Jesus’ name. When the man used Jesus’ name, it meant he was using Jesus’ power and authority, even though he wasn’t one of the twelve close followers. But they told him to stop because he did not belong to their group. Jesus told them not to stop the man. Jesus said that whoever is not against you is for you.

This passage teaches us that Jesus cares about humble hearts, not about being the best or most important. It also shows that God can use many people to do good, not just the people in one small group. Jesus wants his followers to welcome others with kindness.

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.

Who Is the Greatest?
46 Jesus’ followers began to have an argument about which one of them was the greatest.
47 Jesus knew what they were thinking, so he took a little child and stood the child beside him.
48 Then he said to the followers,
“Whoever accepts a little child like this in my name is accepting me.
And anyone who accepts me is also accepting the one who sent me.
The one among you who is the most humble—this is the one who is great.”
Whoever Is Not Against You Is for You
49 John answered,
“Master, we saw someone using your name to force demons out of people.
We told him to stop because he does not belong to our group.”
50 Jesus said to him,
“Don’t stop him.
Whoever is not against you is for you.”
Luke 9:46-50 (ERV)

Very Easy: Easy-to-Read Version: Luke 9:46-50 (ERV)
Very Easy: New International Reader’s Version: Luke 9:46-50 (NIRV)
Easy: Good News Translation: Luke 9:46-50 (GNT)
Medium: New Living Translation: Luke 9:46-50 (NLT)
Hard: New International Version: Luke 9:46-50 (NIV)
Very Hard: English Standard Version: Luke 9:46-50 (ESV)

Luke 9:46-50 Printable ERV Passage

Comprehension Questions

What were the disciples arguing about?
How did Jesus know what the disciples were thinking?
What did Jesus do to teach them a lesson?
Why was it important that Jesus chose a child?
What did Jesus say about welcoming a child?
Who spoke to Jesus about another man forcing out demons?
Why did the disciples tell the man to stop?
What did Jesus say about stopping the man?
What does it mean when Jesus says, “Whoever is not against you is for you”?

Application Questions

Why do you think people like to argue about being the best?
How can we be humble like Jesus teaches us?
Who is someone you can welcome and be kind to this week?
Why is it important to remember that God can use many different people to do good?

Theological Insights

Jesus teaches that the most important people are often those with humble hearts.
God cares about kindness and welcoming others, even those people think are not important.
Followers of Jesus should work together and not fight about being the best.
God can use many people to do good, even if they are not part of the same group.
We should be glad when others are doing good in Jesus’ name.