The Rich Fool: An ESL Bible Study on Luke 12:13-21

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.

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Luke 12:13-21 Printable Discussion Questions

Luke 12:13-21 Printable ERV Passage

Lesson Icebreaker Question

What is something you would do if you won a lot of money?

Lesson Highlight

In this lesson, we will hear a story Jesus told about a rich man. We will learn what is truly important in life and why greed can be dangerous. Jesus teaches us to think about God and others, not only ourselves.

Vocabulary Lists for the ERV Bible Translation

Key Vocabulary Words (10 words)

barn: (noun) A building on a farm for animals or grain.
crop: (noun) Plants that a farmer grows for food.
divide: (verb) To separate something into parts.
foolish: (adjective) Not showing good sense or wisdom.
greed: (noun) A strong desire to have more money or things than you need.
guard against: (phrase) To protect yourself from a wrong way of thinking.
rich: (adjective) Having a lot of money or things.
selfishness: (noun) Only caring about what you want or need and not caring about other people.
store: (verb) To keep things in a place until they are needed.
wheat: (noun) A plant used to make flour for bread.

Important Words to Know (20 words)

barn: (noun) A building on a farm for animals or grain.
crop: (noun) Plants that a farmer grows for food.
crowd: (noun) A very large group of people.
decide: (verb) To make a choice.
divide: (verb) To separate something into parts.
foolish: (adjective) Not showing good sense or wisdom.
greed: (noun) A strong desire to have more money or things than you need.
guard against: (phrase) To protect yourself from a wrong way of thinking.
judge: (noun) A person who decides if someone broke the law.
own: (verb) To have something that belongs to you.
prepare: (verb) To get something ready.
rich: (adjective) Having a lot of money or things.
save: (verb) To keep something for the future.
selfishness: (noun) Only caring about what you want or need and not caring about other people.
share: (verb) To give a part of what you have to others.
store: (verb) To keep things in a place until they are needed.
story: (noun) A description of people and events that happened.
tear down: (phrase) To destroy a building or a wall so that it is gone.
warn: (verb) To tell someone about a danger that is coming.
wheat: (noun) A plant used to make flour for bread.

Complete Lesson Word Bank

against: (preposition) In opposition to or in conflict with.
barn: (noun) A building on a farm for animals or grain.
between: (preposition) In the space that separates two things.
bigger: (adjective) More large than something else.
build: (verb) To make something by putting parts together.
careful: (adjective) Paying close attention to what you are doing.
crop: (noun) Plants that a farmer grows for food.
crowd: (noun) A very large group of people.
decide: (verb) To make a choice.
die: (verb) To stop living.
divide: (verb) To separate something into parts.
enjoy: (verb) To feel happy when you do something.
enough: (adjective) As much as you need.
foolish: (adjective) Not showing good sense or wisdom.
God: (noun) The creator and ruler of everything.
greed: (noun) A strong desire to have more money or things than you need.
grew: (verb) To have become larger or older.
guard against: (phrase) To protect yourself from a wrong way of thinking.
Jesus: (noun) The Son of God and the Savior of the world!
judge: (noun) A person who decides if someone broke the law.
just: (adverb) A word used to show that something happened a very short time ago.
keep: (verb) To hold onto something or to continue to have it.
land: (noun) The solid part of the earth or a specific country.
left: (verb) To have gone away from a place.
only: (adverb) A word used to show that no other person or thing is included.
own: (verb) To have something that belongs to you.
prepare: (verb) To get something ready.
put: (verb) To move something to a specific place.
rest: (verb) To stop working so you can get your strength back.
rich: (adjective) Having a lot of money or things.
save: (verb) To keep something for the future.
selfishness: (noun) Only caring about what you want or need and not caring about other people.
share: (verb) To give a part of what you have to others.
should: (verb) A word used to say what is the right thing to do.
store: (verb) To keep things in a place until they are needed.
story: (noun) A description of people and events that happened.
tear down: (phrase) To destroy a building or a wall so that it is gone.
thought to himself: (phrase) To have an idea or opinion in one’s mind without saying it out loud.
together: (adverb) With each other.
tonight: (adverb) On this present night.
use: (verb) To do something with a tool or an object.
warn: (verb) To tell someone about a danger that is coming.
wheat: (noun) A plant used to make flour for bread.
will: (verb) A word used to talk about the future.

Summary of the Passage

This passage tells about a time when Jesus was speaking to a crowd of people. A man asked Jesus to help him get more of his family’s money and land. The man wanted Jesus to act like a judge between him and his brother. But Jesus told him that life is not about having many things. Jesus told the people to guard against all kinds of greed. Greed means wanting too much and thinking only about yourself.

Then, Jesus told a story called a parable. A parable is a story that teaches a lesson about God. This story was about a rich man who had a lot of land. His land grew a very good crop. He had so much wheat that he did not have space to store it. So, the man decided to tear down his barns and build bigger ones. He thought that having lots of food and goods would make him happy for many years. He wanted to rest, eat, drink, and enjoy himself.

But God spoke to the man. God told him he was foolish because that very night, the man’s life would end. Then, all the things he saved would go to someone else. The man had worked only for himself. He had not thought about God or others.

This passage teaches us that life is not about having many things. What matters most is having a good heart and loving God. Jesus wants us to be rich in God’s eyes, not just in money and things.

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 Warns Against Selfishness
13 One of the men in the crowd said to Jesus,
“Teacher, our father just died and left some things for us.
Tell my brother to share them with me.”
14 But Jesus said to him,
“Who said I should be your judge or decide how to divide your father’s things between you two?”
15 Then Jesus said to them,
“Be careful and guard against all kinds of greed.
People do not get life from the many things they own.”
16 Then Jesus used this story:
“There was a rich man who had some land.
His land grew a very good crop of food.
17 He thought to himself,
‘What will I do?
I have no place to keep all my crops.’
18 “Then he said,
‘I know what I will do.
I will tear down my barns and build bigger barns!
I will put all my wheat and good things together in my new barns.
19 Then I can say to myself, I have many good things stored.
I have saved enough for many years.
Rest, eat, drink, and enjoy life!’
20 “But God said to that man,
‘Foolish man!
Tonight you will die.
So what about the things you prepared for yourself?
Who will get those things now?’
21 “This is how it will be for anyone who saves things only for himself.
To God that person is not rich.”
Luke 12:13-21 (ERV)

Very Easy: Easy-to-Read Version: Luke 12:13-21 (ERV)
Very Easy: New International Reader’s Version: Luke 12:13-21 (NIRV)
Easy: Good News Translation: Luke 12:13-21 (GNT)
Medium: New Living Translation: Luke 12:13-21 (NLT)
Hard: New International Version: Luke 12:13-21 (NIV)
Very Hard: English Standard Version: Luke 12:13-21 (ESV)

Luke 12:13-21 Printable ERV Passage

Comprehension Questions

Who asked Jesus to divide the family property?
What did Jesus say about life and owning many things?
Why did the rich man want to build bigger barns?
What did the rich man plan to do after saving all his goods?
What did God say to the rich man that night?
What happened to all the rich man’s things after he died?
What lesson did Jesus want people to learn from this story?

Application Questions

Why do you think people sometimes want more and more things?
What can we do to be rich in God’s eyes, not just with money?
How can we help others instead of only thinking about ourselves?
What is one good thing you can share with someone this week?

Theological Insights

God is the one who gives us life, and it can end at any time.
Greed pulls our hearts away from God and others.
Jesus cares more about our hearts and kindness than about how much money we have.
Everything we have is a gift from God, and we should use it to love him and serve others.
It is wise to think about heaven and not just about life on earth.

Closing Prayer

Dear Father, Thank you for teaching us what is important in life. Help us to love you and care for others, not just gather things for ourselves. Amen.